Help Task Killers! Must read for new Android Users

[NSXLA]

I've used Quick System Info in the past, seems to work a bit better than taskkiller. Quick System Info - Android app on AppBrain

 

[SirSlayer]

The "experts"? LOL. I've been using a task killer for about a year and a half with two Android phones, and 3 different versions of Android, and I've had no problems. In fact, it has helped the performance of both of my phones. To each his own.

Good for you! you are one of the lucky ones and you must kill responsibly, I know it can be a hard habit to break, I was there once. And I am sure your phone has works flawlessly. Thats the typical response from kill app artists.

Changed my mind--I'll probably use one, only to kill third party apps

Honestly, In the 4 months I have stopped using a task killer you still don't need it. The last time I had to use it was with my eris and was on Cricket. I needed to switch from WIFI to 3G and with Cricket you have to use a Proxy to access the internet when not on WIFI. So in order for the browser to read the proxy I would have to kill it and restart it. Even then I noticed lags starting to happen.

 

[NiCK Crush]

Forgive me, but what exactly do you mean by "task killers"?

 

[SirSlayer]

No forgiveness needed. There are several task manager applications that let you kill apps and processes within android. Some even have auto-kill features.

Its been a long standing argument for android OS on weather or not to use them. So I just posted my opinion and some articles in hopes people will give it a try. It really does make a difference from using one or not. Some people have good experience with them and some people don't. For some reason though the people that do use them get upset with the people that don't recommend them. I don't care if people use them or not. I just know from my usage it seems to make things run allot better.

 

[NiCK Crush]

No forgiveness needed. There are several task manager applications that let you kill apps and processes within android. Some even have auto-kill features.

Its been a long standing argument for android OS on weather or not to use them. So I just posted my opinion and some articles in hopes people will give it a try. It really does make a difference from using one or not. Some people have good experience with them and some people don't. For some reason though the people that do use them get upset with the people that don't recommend them. I don't care if people use them or not. I just know from my usage it seems to make things run allot better.

Thanks for the response. So is it essentially deleting applications? Or just ending a current session within an app?

 

[Bek]

Thanks for the response. So is it essentially deleting applications? Or just ending a current session within an app?

To be specific, it kills the parent thread/process. So if there's an app that spawns several children processes, it kills the parent & the children.

 

[NiCK Crush]

hmm, interesting. Well I knew there would be a learning curve switching to Android, but I'm prepared to learn haha.

 

[SirSlayer]

hmm, interesting. Well I knew there would be a learning curve switching to Android, but I'm prepared to learn haha.

Welcome to Android! What mobile OS are you coming from?

 

[htc.EVOlution]

ATK does you good. for battery test, 9 hrs on idle and only use 8% of battery. from 100% to 92% after 9 hrs

 

[SirSlayer]

ATK does you good. for battery test, 9 hrs on idle and only use 8% of battery. from 100% to 92% after 9 hrs

So far I have been able to do Google searches of task killers for android and its hard to find someone that has written something positive about them unless you go to the applications web sites themselves. There are lots of users out there that have problems solved when not using them. I added more articles and another forum link that just supports the non-usage of task killers. I welcome someone to post links arguing the other way. I don't want to see "oh it works great for me". I want to see some articles in favor of using them so that we can get both sides.

 

[Bek]

Here's a long, informative, and entertaining thread about it, in regards to the Eris:

http://androidforums.com/htc-droid-eris/42114-yes-you-need-task-killer-app-eris-period.html

 

[SirSlayer]

Here's a long, informative, and entertaining thread about it, in regards to the Eris:

http://androidforums.com/htc-droid-eris/42114-yes-you-need-task-killer-app-eris-period.html

Yes most of the Android threads have one like this with users saying how great they are, but that's it...just users, and even in that thread most of the users are saying how much the phone sucked when adding one. I had an Eris and it was my first Android phone and was fresh from windows mobile and the task killer caused more problems then helped. I know its a hard thing to let go of the brain washing we all receive from using windows but it can be done.

 

[thekastone]

Using Advanced Task Killer works fine for me and it does look like it is third party apps its killing for the most part, I don't see or understand how that would damage my phone.

 

[Bek]

Yes most of the Android threads have one like this with users saying how great they are, but that's it...just users, and even in that thread most of the users are saying how much the phone sucked when adding one. I had an Eris and it was my first Android phone and was fresh from windows mobile and the task killer caused more problems then helped. I know its a hard thing to let go of the brain washing we all receive from using windows but it can be done.

Go to the 2nd and 3rd page, when OfTheDamned finally chimes in.

 

[SirSlayer]

Go to the 2nd and 3rd page, when OfTheDamned finally chimes in.

And your point? She is like me. Doesn't believe in using them. I know because she used to have a signature that also pointed out these articles. It was how I learned that I shouldn't be using them. And like her....I could care less if people want to use them. I wanted to make sure though that all the new users of Android are informed before getting the phone, killing everything under the sun, and then come on here and complain the phone sucks. I saw it all the time in the Eris forum. Figure it might help to keep people informed.

 

[Bek]

And your point? She is like me. ...

My point was that the thread wasn't necessarily a "Task Killers are great thread" and that folks like her vehemently despise them, and it's rather amusing when it comes right down to it. It was a light-hearted response, not a serious one.

 

[htc.EVOlution]

without ATK my battery drain over 8 hrs period is 20%

 

[SirSlayer]

My point was that the thread wasn't necessarily a "Task Killers are great thread" and that folks like her vehemently despise them, and it's rather amusing when it comes right down to it. It was a light-hearted response, not a serious one.

lol cool. Yea her responses are always entertaining.

 

[drexappeal]

You guys have me SO confused. Now I don't know if I should get ATK or not. I'm coming over from WinMO and every app I no longer needed open, I would close using X-button (well, came stock with Touch Pro).

So, is it not like that stock on Android? In essence, once I open a program, it'll stay running, period? Is there any way to make sure the program stops running once you have it open?

So confused.

 

[Caloy]

It's good to have options. I'll probably d/l ATK, but won't be using it much. But at least I have options just in-case.

 

[Bek]

A Task Killer could have its uses, such as when you want to specific kill a certain app for whatever reason. But the big controversy that has yet to proven its worth, is using a task killer's automated "clean-up" functionality, to stop processes that it needs are no longer necessary.

 

[SirSlayer]

You guys have me SO confused. Now I don't know if I should get ATK or not. I'm coming over from WinMO and every app I no longer needed open, I would close using X-button (well, came stock with Touch Pro).

So, is it not like that stock on Android? In essence, once I open a program, it'll stay running, period? Is there any way to make sure the program stops running once you have it open?

So confused.

First off read the first link in the first post. That link really says it all. I came from WinMO too and it was a hard habit to break, but I would say just don't use one. I do have ASTRO File Manager installed that does contain a task killer if that rare time comes when an app freezes. But if you ask me when was the last time I used it? I would tell you I don't remember.

 

[SirSlayer]

Thanks Mods!

 

[sikclown]

First off read the first link in the first post. That link really says it all. I came from WinMO too and it was a hard habit to break, but I would say just don't use one. I do have ASTRO File Manager installed that does contain a task killer if that rare time comes when an app freezes. But if you ask me when was the last time I used it? I would tell you I don't remember.

I second this. Task killer is necessary for WinMo but I think i have Used Astro's Task Killer twice since November (frozen apps). Early Novemeber I used them all the time and was having tons of issues.

 

[Caloy]

Very interesting read indeed!

I would think that ATKs are like Window's Task Manager. When you kill an app, it's like ending a process in WTM. I've had a lot of success with WTM when tasks just hangs up. Instead of rebooting, i would just launch WTM and end the process.

The main question now, is how would I know which process (task) to turn off when I need to - in an Android environment... Looks like I'll be learning the hard way... LOL!