Data gone WILD!

[lordkovacs]

Hey all... so glad there is an active msg board for android. I have a question I'm hoping you can help me with.

I am new to Android, actually, got my phone (Sony Xperia Arc) only three days ago...long time BlackBerry owner. Anyway, I know on the first day I installed a lot of apps and some widgets, and everything looks great. When I look at 3G Watchdog though, I am consistently using a TON of data. I have 1gb data plan, and after 3 days am at about 167mb (155mb received, 12mb sent).

My question is - what is causing me to use so much data? I can see on the first day becuase I downloaded many apps, and a few on the second day, but today I am over 60mb used when I only downloaded one app (Kobo eReader).

I do run a few big widgets that are always running, like Score Mobile and Timescape. I also have google maps, google earth and google sky... I use facebook and twitter, and eBuddy for messaging.

Is there anything I should know about running apps so I can save some data??? Should i be using mobile versions of everything, like Facebook and Twitter?

Again, thanks all!

 

[sitlet]

Menu-settings-accounts and sync. Check every one, and see how often they are syncing. Turn off ones you dont need or set to manual sync.

 

[ironass]

Can I encourage you to download one more app, free, from the Market. It's called TrafficStats lite. Allow this to run and you can check it periodically to see which app's are consuming how much data.

 

[UncleMike]

After 21 days of the current billing period, I'm at 157MB. Monthly usage for previous periods were: 202MB, 98MB, 114MB, 116MB, 134MB. I don't use Facebook or Twitter, but I let my Gmail and Calendar sync normally, as well as Google Voice.

Obviously I have no need to curb my data use, but I posted to show that normal syncing doesn't use that much data - at least for me.

 

[lordkovacs]

After 21 days of the current billing period, I'm at 157MB. Monthly usage for previous periods were: 202MB, 98MB, 114MB, 116MB, 134MB. I don't use Facebook or Twitter, but I let my Gmail and Calendar sync normally, as well as Google Voice.

Obviously I have no need to curb my data use, but I posted to show that normal syncing doesn't use that much data - at least for me.

So then do you think that it is proof that my usage is all based on the many apps I've downloaded over the last few days?

 

[amlothi]

So then do you think that it is proof that my usage is all based on the many apps I've downloaded over the last few days?

No. It's just an example that he posted. If you want to know what apps you downloaded that are using data, you should read carefully. Ironass made a very good suggestion here. Doing this will answer your question.

Can I encourage you to download one more app, free, from the Market. It's called TrafficStats lite. Allow this to run and you can check it periodically to see which app's are consuming how much data.

 

[janpetras]

Yes! I totally had the same problem as you and got Traffic Lite and solved it.
Also, do make sure you set sync only for the Gmail account and the calendar, the others are worthless and are better of being synced on-demand, like facebook and twitter.

another very important thing : MAKE SURE you do not select "Allow automatic updating" in the market (right before pushing install from ur phone) because that means any app can download a 2-3-5-10MB update anytime it wishes.

 

[lordkovacs]

Thanks everyone...I think problem solved. I DID have auto sync on everything without realizing, and Traffic Lite showed that. Thanks again!!!

Today I'm only at 3mb used....a far cry from yesterday's 70mb!!!

Yes! I totally had the same problem as you and got Traffic Lite and solved it.
Also, do make sure you set sync only for the Gmail account and the calendar, the others are worthless and are better of being synced on-demand, like facebook and twitter.

another very important thing : MAKE SURE you do not select "Allow automatic updating" in the market (right before pushing install from ur phone) because that means any app can download a 2-3-5-10MB update anytime it wishes.