Task killer or no task killer, that is the question....

[spirit44]

ok. FIGHT!

Seriously though, i uninstalled my task killer, on the basis that Android manages itself etc but today i installed it again.

I just don't understand why my phone would have applications running that i have NEVER used, such as the FM radio. My phone was using the data connection, and i looked through all the applications that i thought may be using it, none were, ran the task killer, killed all the stupid applications that i have never opened and do not even use, and the data connection stopped.

I would love to stop using the task killer, but why does this happen? surely there must be an impact on the battery?

anyone out there who doesn't use task killer?

 

[Doink]

Ok still getting to grips with mine after 2 weeks.

I have a question then, if i use an app and then press the back/arrow button once i've finished to go back to homescreen is the app still running in the background? If not what is it thats actually using data?

How do i check which apps are doing what when they are closed?

 

[scotch whisky]

This is Android not Windows. Generally apps. are suspended rather than running in the background i.e. They have no impact on performance. Task killers are rarely if ever needed. The built in memory management releases memory as required. In my experience task killers usually increase battery consumption and slow down apps.
It amazes me that some people think thay know better than Androids developers.

 

[runamonk]

I have System Panel installed just so I can look at all the usage etc.

I haven't needed to kill any tasks with it or anything.

So far my phone has been running great.

 

[tuatha]

I don't really know. I uninstalled task killer last night to see how the battery would fare. I'm at 18 hours since the last charge and the battery stands at 41%

I was asleep for six of those hours, during which time the battery dropped by 4%.

So you're looking at 55% battery usage in 12 waking hours. That included 1 hour of music and scrobbling to lastfm, maybe 45mins of internet browsing in total, a 15 minute gmail chat and checking my email now and then.

Wireless/3G was switched off when not in use.

I think that's pretty good. I don't think I would have gotten better usage with the task manager running tbh. Makes me think they might not have much effect...

 

[nsign77]

All good comments, however, still don't understand why applications that are 'suspended' appear to use data connectivity.. occassionally I see the 3G become active when I'm not running any applications that require internet access...

 

[scotch whisky]

All good comments, however, still don't understand why applications that are 'suspended' appear to use data connectivity.. occassionally I see the 3G become active when I'm not running any applications that require internet access...

As you say they "appear" to use data connectivity. They don't! The network will occasionally trigger the 3G or GPRS symbol for it's own purposes. This is often mistaken for apps. requesting access.

 

[lekky]

I would say using a task killer uses more battery than not using one.

Doesn't a task killer run all the time, monitoring which apps are open? When I use the term run I mean actively running, not the the type of running (sleeping) in memory that an app in the background is doing.

A task killer also kills tasks, again using more power than an app sleeping in the memory.

Disclaimer: Just theory

 

[Doink]

Task killer not needed then, thats good!

The reason i asked is because scrolling up and down the 'all programs' screen its a bit juddery and noticeably so, not like it was out of the box when it was slippier than a greased ferret, i just thought it might be all my apps running that needed closing down instead of pressing the back button!

 

[wuthton]

Task killer not needed then, thats good!

Bingo, they are a waste of time, battery and memory on the Desire.

 

[Kendoji]

I got rid of my task killer, cause it was making my phone unstable when I used it. But I just installed it again - I won't ever use auto-kill, but occasionally it's useful to kill errant apps. Particularly the default browser which tends to go unstable on me quite regularly. But using it really is a last resort for me.

 

[sparklehedgehog]

i've set all my sense apps to the ignore field within advanced task killer and some but left other like the market and internet to be killed or games etc and i think it's miles better than leaving them all on or all killed. tried it for a few days both ways and a few days this way.

worth a shot pop pickers!

 

[Banzibarn]

I've noticed over the past few days that after using internet for a while it stops working and the progress bar gets stuck half way when loading pages. Re-starting the phone fixes it but that takes time. So, I tried an app killer and this has sorted the the problem - i.e. closing down the internet browser and re-starting sorts it.

 

[Kendoji]

^ Yep exactly.

 

[wuthton]

I've noticed over the past few days that after using internet for a while it stops working and the progress bar gets stuck half way when loading pages. Re-starting the phone fixes it but that takes time. So, I tried an app killer and this has sorted the the problem - i.e. closing down the internet browser and re-starting sorts it.

I find it easier to just press stop then refresh.

 

[spirit44]

ok, I understand what the anti task killers are saying. but one question, why are programmes, such as the fm radio running/suspended in the background when I have never opened or used them?

 

[The_Verse]

I would say using a task killer uses more battery than not using one.

Doesn't a task killer run all the time, monitoring which apps are open? When I use the term run I mean actively running, not the the type of running (sleeping) in memory that an app in the background is doing.

A task killer also kills tasks, again using more power than an app sleeping in the memory.

Disclaimer: Just theory

You can kill the task killer with the task killer. That's what I do.

 

[1981tom0]

I've noticed over the past few days that after using internet for a while it stops working and the progress bar gets stuck half way when loading pages. Re-starting the phone fixes it but that takes time. So, I tried an app killer and this has sorted the the problem - i.e. closing down the internet browser and re-starting sorts it.

Is this the same issue as reported here?

http://androidforums.com/htc-desire/64652-htc-desire-3g-problem.html

If so, please add your experience of this problem so we can hopefully get to the bottom of it.

 

[wuthton]

Is this the same issue as reported here?

http://androidforums.com/htc-desire/64652-htc-desire-3g-problem.html

If so, please add your experience of this problem so we can hopefully get to the bottom of it.

The 3g reception on my phone does seen fairly poor compared (side by side) to my Hero even though I'd say phone reception is marginally better.

I believe this is the source of a lot of the reported battery issues as the phone is constantly dropping in and out of 3g.

 

[Kendoji]

Most of these issues that have been reported don't indicate a 3G reception problem, but rather a recurring issue with the default browser where pages stop loading fully (and on my phone at least it looks like the phone is trying to switch between 3G and HSDPA).

Using a different browser, or killing the browser and re-starting it seems to fix it for a while.

 

[Banzibarn]

Is this the same issue as reported here?

http://androidforums.com/htc-desire/64652-htc-desire-3g-problem.html

If so, please add your experience of this problem so we can hopefully get to the bottom of it.

Yep this seems more or less what is happening, I'll add to the post.

 

[wuthton]

Most of these issues that have been reported don't indicate a 3G reception problem, but rather a recurring issue with the default browser where pages stop loading fully (and on my phone at least it looks like the phone is trying to switch between 3G and HSDPA).

Using a different browser, or killing the browser and re-starting it seems to fix it for a while.

I was specifically referring to 3g data use draining the battery, not the just browser. I see excessive battery drain when using maps/nav, geocaching apps, any autoupdate (twitter, rss etc) when compared to the same apps on my Hero.

If the page download gets stuck on the browser it is easily sorted with a refresh. A bit of a non-problem really.

 

[Kendoji]

When my default browser starts failing i.e. not loading pages fully, a page refresh does not help whatsoever. From that point on the browser will be next to useless, until I kill it and reload it.

But anyway, yes sounds like different issues.

 

[bagereau]

ok. FIGHT!

Seriously though, i uninstalled my task killer, on the basis that Android manages itself etc but today i installed it again.

I just don't understand why my phone would have applications running that i have NEVER used, such as the FM radio. My phone was using the data connection, and i looked through all the applications that i thought may be using it, none were, ran the task killer, killed all the stupid applications that i have never opened and do not even use, and the data connection stopped.

I would love to stop using the task killer, but why does this happen? surely there must be an impact on the battery?

anyone out there who doesn't use task killer?

I DON'T USE ONE. Taking the app killer off my phone has increased my battery life. It was a viscous circle of me killing apps and then they would reboot themselves therefore using more battery then just leaving them on to begin with. It was locking my phones sleep mode app (factory installed) to were the only way to turn it back on was to take the battery out. Taking the App killer off the phone saved me from bringing my phone back in for a refund. (EVO user)

 

[cultor]

I have a game, midnight bowling, and I can't exit this thing properly... I hit the home button, and after a few minutes the sound of the game menu starts on my home screen, firt time it happened it scared the shit out of me