Are task killers needed?

[ZingXao]

Sorry about all my different topics with different questions. Anyway, I have the Optimus One, so it has 2.2 Froyo. Do I need a task killer app? I read online and it said that those apps aren't needed in newer versions of Android, and, according to one site I read, it can do more harm to the phone than good. Is that true???? :/

 

[novox77]

Sorry about all my different topics with different questions. Anyway, I have the Optimus One, so it has 2.2 Froyo. Do I need a task killer app? I read online and it said that those apps aren't needed in newer versions of Android, and, according to one site I read, it can do more harm to the phone than good. Is that true???? :/

The auto-kill feature of task killers is what's considered unnecessary/harmful. On rare occasions, it is recommended to manually kill an application that has stopped responding or is spiking the CPU.

Supporters of task killers that auto-kill claim that it improves battery life. While this may be true, they are basically working around the problem instead of solving it. Most people who have optimized their devices for battery life find that having a task killer auto kill does not offer any improvement in battery life.

 

[droiduzr2]

If I kill the task THEN play Angry Birds, it runs faster.
If I do NOT kill the tasks, Angry Birds runs slower and choppy.

I really do not understand why apps that I am NOT using need to even launch then sit there. I understand the base apps that must load on start up such as an alarm clock but some of the other crap is truly pointless.

 

[Stuntman]

I have needed an app killer to kill an app that I want to restart. I was unable to restart it other than by rebooting my phone, so I just used an app killer as it was faster.

 

[Usta]

Are task killers needed? - No.
Provided there are no rouge application messing with the phone, the system sorts out things very nicely.

 

[Outlaw71]

If you dont like apps open in the background, then you should probably be on a WinMobile device. The whole concept with Android is to leave apps open in the background. The entire OS is built around that idea. Installing an app killer to kill apps is completely pointless because Android will just open them back up again until 90% of it's memory is in use. There is no way to stop this, you never free up memory on an Android device because Android devices aren't designed to run with free memory. It's designed to run with all (well, 90 - 95% of it) of it's memory in use. If you want a device that has lots of free memory, then you need to look into buying a device that doesn't continuously leave apps open in the background.

Windows doesn't leave apps open in the background, it is based on a completely different philosophy. This is why WinMobil devices aren't as fluid as Android devices. It's good to educate yourself on how your device works. I didn't understand how Android worked for the 1st few months either. Once I found out how the pieces all fit together it really made it so much easier knowing what was going on inside. Most of those apps aren't 'running', they are left in an open state. It's like playing a game of 'FREEZE'. Say you have your phone on and you have 'Solitare' open, the browser open, an email you're writing open, 'Facebook' open and a texting conversation with your buddy open. Now then, which ever task you are doing at the moment is the only program that's running, all the others are frozen, but open so that when you send your text to your buddy and click on your browser, you don't have to wait for it to open back up again, it's still open. It's waiting in a frozen state for you to come back to it so you can pick up right where you left off.

That's Android, always ready to pick right back up where you left off instantaneously. No waiting, no hesitation. It's the ultimate multi-tasking OS out there. When you get a task killer to kill all your tasks, then when you finish your text and hit your browser it has to open it back up again. You've negated the very advantage Android was created for. All you really need to know is that those apps left open aren't using any resources unless it's something like 'MyTracks', which is a GPS app that will keep using the GPS so long as it's left running.

So apps that use resources like that should be backed out of if you don't want them to continue to run in the background. But getting an app that just kills everything isn't needed and really just does more harm than good because when it kills off all running apps, then your phone does have to use CPU resources to start programs back up to utilize the memory again. Instead of just leaving them open in limbo.

 

[Outlaw71]

I have needed an app killer to kill an app that I want to restart. I was unable to restart it other than by rebooting my phone, so I just used an app killer as it was faster.

In cases like this 'Fast Reboot' is a great app. It restarts all your running apps without disturbing anything.

Fast Reboot - Android app on AppBrain

 

[NatesMom]

Or you can just use native Android Application Management and selectively do a Force Stop on the running apps. I created a shortcut on my home screen and found this to be very useful since I've noticed a hard boot sometimes re-opens/starts random apps that I've not opened prior to shutdown (AT&T Navigator, I'm talking to you!)

@Stuntman
This is the method I use to stop Pulse Reader so it can auto update upon open/restart without having to reboot your phone.

 

[Stuntman]

In cases like this 'Fast Reboot' is a great app. It restarts all your running apps without disturbing anything.

Fast Reboot - Android app on AppBrain

Thanks, but I just need to restart one app, not all of them.

Or you can just use native Android Application Management and selectively do a Force Stop on the running apps. I created a shortcut on my home screen and found this to be very useful since I've noticed a hard boot sometimes re-opens/starts random apps that I've not opened prior to shutdown (AT&T Navigator, I'm talking to you!)

@Stuntman
This is the method I use to stop Pulse Reader so it can auto update upon open/restart without having to reboot your phone.

That is the app that I need to restart. It has screwed up on me a couple of times. Totally forgot about the native app manager. Actually, wasn't able to find it, so I used a task killer. Found it now that you mentioned it. I'll use this from now on. Thanks.

 

[Frisco]

I read online and it said that those apps aren't needed in newer versions of Android, and, according to one site I read, it can do more harm to the phone than good. Is that true???? :/

Yes, it's true that task killer apps/widgets can cause resource drain (ironically), because they tend to kill processes that need to run and which will perpetually attempt to restart once killed.

There are several reasons, but it is a bit controversial as we see knowledgeable people expressing opposite opinions about task killers.

To me the solution to such an issue is to opt in favor of handling the situation myself rather than install something that has caused the controversy to begin with.

 

[droiduzr2]

It does not explain the CPU issues and lagging.
The Task Manager that I use like most of them will allow you to pick which apps you want to exclude from killing.

My point was not addressed.
My phone is set to run at 710Mhz with 30mb onboard free memory.
Angry Birds will run sloooow and dragggg if I do not kill apps before I play it.

Without an app killer how do you suggest that I run Angry Birds so it plays at a normal speed.

 

[Frisco]

Well, users differ in their selection of apps, their methods of stopping apps/services from running, etc.

For example, I'd never run an app/widget/game that would not function normally (or not allow the sytstem/device to function normally) because I'd not killed certain other apps/widgets/services, etc.

Having to do those things just to play a game is not my cup of tea.

Ymmv.

 

[ltjad]

If you dont like apps open in the background, then you should probably be on a WinMobile device. The whole concept with Android is to leave apps open in the background. The entire OS is built around that idea. Installing an app killer to kill apps is completely pointless because Android will just open them back up again until 90% of it's memory is in use. There is no way to stop this, you never free up memory on an Android device because Android devices aren't designed to run with free memory. It's designed to run with all (well, 90 - 95% of it) of it's memory in use. If you want a device that has lots of free memory, then you need to look into buying a device that doesn't continuously leave apps open in the background.

Windows doesn't leave apps open in the background, it is based on a completely different philosophy. This is why WinMobil devices aren't as fluid as Android devices. It's good to educate yourself on how your device works. I didn't understand how Android worked for the 1st few months either. ...

I'm pretty new to Android phones. I bought an X about 3 weeks ago. I'm a little lost in most things Android. I have to say that this post is probably the most informative, all in one post, I have found around the issue of task killers. I'm still trying to figure out if you should/shouldn't have one or even need one.

I'm curious Outlaw, can you give a newbie direction on where he can best learn about how his new phone works? Is there a single good resource to get an understanding of how this phone works or do I just need to sift through many forum posts before I begin to understand?

Thanks,
ltjad

 

[Crashdamage]

A pretty good explanation:
Droid Den - Android Guide: Should I Use a Task Killer - Droid Den

 

[ltjad]

Thank you.