Help Stopping Apps from running in background. Specifically stopping on Sprint HTC Hero?

[abourne]

Yes, I have checked for related threads to see if this was formerly addressed. It's been discussed generally, but neither specifically to the CDMA HTC Hero or the procedure I'm going to summarize below:

If you press:

Home --> and hold it for a couple of seconds

You get pictures (icons) of the last six apps you've run.

I was in the Sprint store today and the rep who also uses the HTC Hero told me there's an App that stops them, which can be downloaded at the Android Market.

It's called " Kill-Something?????? "

It's an App we can download that will force these off and perhaps save battery power, or at least stop them from running in the background.

Questions

1) Anyone know the name of this App?

2) Is it useful? Have you had any experiences with it either positive or negative?

3) Any other tips (in layman terms please) on stopping Apps from running in the background on Sprint HTC Hero?

 

[pdragon]

Be careful with Task/App killers. If you've read threads about them already, you'll probably notice they cause more problems than they solve. Android uses a Linux kernel which manages memory differently than most people are used to. I had to exchange my phone due to dust under the screen after about 4 weeks. I was using a task killer before, but decided this time around I wouldn't install one at all. I've noticed no difference in the performance of the phone with or without killing apps.

My advice, you don't need it. Unless you're dealing with a really really buggy app that you can't stop it running at all. In that case, I'd say get rid of that app.

 

[abourne]

Be careful with Task/App killers.

... they cause more problems than they solve.

Thanks for the heads up on this!

 

[abourne]

Question:

Will re-booting the phone (turning it on and off) every 24-48 hours or so help in starting from scratch?

Should we turn the phone on/off from time to time rather than having it on for days, weeks, etc.?

 

[kassdog]

I have yet to really notice a difference between rebooting and running for days. I also don't suggest task managers. Android is not like bb. Memory is not a problem with Android phones.

 

[abourne]

Android is not like bb.

What's bb?

 

[marcelo0292]

What's bb?

Black Berry, I believe


I use taskiller and it helps my phone a lot, it makes it a little faster and less laggier

 

[marcelo0292]

My bad, it also could mean Best Buy, but i think he means Black Berry

 

[kassdog]

Yeah blackberry. They are notorious for memory leaks.

 

[cooolone2]

Those 6 apps shown are recently run apps and not necessarily running apps which are present in the background.

Unless there are battery life, lagginess, locking, or other issues being experienced, I do not understand many people who fixate on the running app issue. I think we are all programmed from these problems in our previous phones. There are some badly coded apps that latch on and don't properly shut down, if they are the source of issues I would remove them then.

 

[ElAguila]

I think the one tha most people use is advanced task manager. And people are right when they say memory management usually is not a problem on android. However, if you have location turned on there apps that start up that use the gps module. I have also found my 3g connection enabled a various times from some of those background apps. These can cause poor battery life. If you disable the location function until you need it, then you shouldn't need a task manager.

 

[PGR]

If you look around a little in this forum, there's a fellow with a genuine understanding of how Android/Linux handles memory. He posted in a couple of threads and explained, among other things, that it's totally unlike Windows and most other operating systems and how it's not necessary to "kill" apps running in the background. Basically, those apps don't occupy a block of memory if you're not using them like other operating systems do.

I started reading this and other "Hero" forums about a week before I got my Hero (11/1) and I've noticed something: Some people have a lot more trouble with their Heros than others and the ones having the most trouble are typically the ones who keep trying to improve them. Before long they're bragging that they made it "less laggy" in one thread and whining that something's not working right in another. You don't have to take my word on this: The evidence is right here in this forum.

Here's my experience: I've been running my Hero as-purchased except I've installed about a half-dozen apps. I avoided using SMS and Bluetooth until after the MR update but I've made no effort whatsoever to kill apps or mess with the OS. I've never done a factory reset and the only time it's been rebooted was during the MR update process.

And my Hero is running just fine. It's as responsive as the day I bought it, it sleeps when I'm not using it, I'm not experiencing any memory issues, and everything works with the exception of a couple of known bugs that killing apps certainly won't fix.

The fellow I mentioned in the first paragraph stopped posting about this and I can only assume that he got tired of trying to educate people who just won't listen. To be a Pete who's frank, I don't blame him. I copped that attitiude before I ever started posting here.

frank Pete

 

[pdragon]

Here's my experience: I've been running my Hero as-purchased except I've installed about a half-dozen apps. I avoided using SMS and Bluetooth until after the MR update but I've made no effort whatsoever to kill apps or mess with the OS. I've never done a factory reset and the only time it's been rebooted was during the MR update process.

As I said above, exact same experience here.

 

[stimulatedboredom]

This thread is very interesting to me, as I heard from so many people that Advanced Task Killer and Task Manager were 'must-haves', so I downloaded them and find myself using them many times throughout the day, thinking that I have to shut down apps that are no longer in use to keep the phone performing quickly and not getting bogged down.

However, after reading this thread, it makes sense and I plan to NOT use these programs for a few days and see if there actually is any difference. The reason for my interest in some of these comments is that I have noticed my phone acting more laggy lately and am wondering if it is BECAUSE I keep launching these task management apps throughout the day.

Someone mentioned Blackberry and the need to shut down apps often, but that Android is different and manages memory differently. I think that is why I thought I needed to use these app killers.

 

[abourne]

...and the only time it's been rebooted was during the MR update process.

Question:

What is rebooting?

I assumed that simply turning the phone off (power off) which litterally turns the phone off, is rebooting when it turns back on.

Unless I'm confused here, and there's an official reboot?

 

[pdragon]

Rebooting is just powering the phone off and on. Same as a normal computer.

 

[stimulatedboredom]

After seeing this thread, did some searches based on whether Task Killers / Managers are a good idea, specifically on the Hero.

Overwhelmingly and with compelling arguments, the answer is 'no'. Most specifically one that I found on the sprint forum for the phone.

The gist was that people who don't know what they are doing or killing things constantly are shutting down apps and background processes that are causing problems, delay in getting messages, messing with Sense UI etc. Basically it said that the phone, on it's own, is designed to manage memory and other process and messing with it just causes more problems than it solves etc.

Either way, as someone who used mine OFTEN, I have uninstalled and am going to see how it performs as a result.

 

[cooolone2]

I agree with PGR, good post, same here, experienced none of the major issues. Had an auto reboot once or twice, no big deal. Only time I used App. Mgr. was to identify an issue (hanging app) which was verified and then subsequently removed from my device.

App. Mgr. was and should not be used to "tweak" performance, just my Opinion.

Happy Trails...

 

[mhackl]

I understand the points made about memory usage, but what about processor usage. I've noticed that several apps are running that I've never even run before like blockbuster. Is there a way to suppress these uninvited guests, and those who've over stayed their welcome? While i'm not concerned with memory usage, but I can't help but think that any running process/service degrades performance and battery life.

 

[LBPHeretic]

I understand the points made about memory usage, but what about processor usage. I've noticed that several apps are running that I've never even run before like blockbuster. Is there a way to suppress these uninvited guests, and those who've over stayed their welcome? While i'm not concerned with memory usage, but I can't help but think that any running process/service degrades performance and battery life.

There sure is a way. Root your handset and remove the bloatware.

You can use Titanium Backup to "freeze" offending apps if you are afraid of removing them to make sure it will not cause any problems. Then when you know it does not cause issues you can delete the app, but just be careful about what you delete because some things are obviously critical to the normal function of your handset.

 

[MahaloCat]

+1 on above - Root root root -

that being said.....I have read all of the material on this and understand way you don't need to use ATK - Simple fact is......my phone runs better if use it once a day or so....