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odd task killer behavior

NoJive

Newbie
Jun 8, 2010
23
0
Hello all! I am new to android, but not new to smartphones. Coming from a HTC TP2, i was suprised at the battery life of the hero. I installed advanced task killer to check up on whats running. Here is the odd thing, i can kill everything, go back to the home screen, go back to task killer, and i have things running, like sprint nav, last fm, etc. Why is this?

Thanks!

Jive
 
Please please pleeeeeeease don't use a task killer! Android does not manage tasks like a WinMo phone. Task killers = bad! It will cause performance problems. READ THIS:http://androidforums.com/sprint-htc-hero/26997-task-managers-your-hero.html

I understand that, and I have read/researched almost everything I can about the bettery life on the Hero. I understand that a task killer is not needed, I am just experimenting with it as some people praise them, others do not. I was just concerned as to why I have programs running that I did not start. The other program that pops up is voicemail.

Jive
 
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Android runs programs and restarts them on its own. It can manage its own tasks without a task killer. It is programmed to be a task management machine, so if it has extra space for an app to run, it starts it up, and it will run in the background. That may be why you see things running that you just killed. The restarting of those tasks takes more power than letting the phone run them in the background. That is why a task killer is unneeded. You should have one on your phone, but not running. Just in case you get a "rogue" app that you can't shut off on your own.
 
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I've read all the stuff on Task Killers in the past and how we shouldn't be using one. BUT, even the original author of the link provided here said he still has one installed just in case. I'm using Advanced Task Killer and never really used it anymore since seeing that when it was originally posted.
This is the first time (I think) that I've read about just keeping it installed but DISABLING it. It may have been mentioned before but perhaps overlooked it. I disabled it and noticed my Hero was more 'zippier'. I didn't have any auto kill set up, so I think just having that app run was slowing down the phone. I'm still 1.5, BTW. Thanks for the tip!
 
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I disabled my task killer, gonna see if that helps my battery. My TP2 would last all day without problem. Today, Hero had full charge @ 9:00, by 5:00 it was down to 15%. This was just with normal use. The same usage on the TP2 would give me about 50% at 5:00.

Jive


Winmo phones are totally different, from what I understand. They need a taskkiller, or they will kill themselves with running apps. Android will only use what it can, and that is it. As long as when you are done with an app, you use the return arrow key to "kill" the app yourself. Using the home button lets the process remain active, and therefore use more batt.


EDIT>

And the battery really isn't too great on the hero, IMO., so 15% by 5 oclock isn't that bad with moderate use. If i use mine "moderately" I barely get the full workday out of it.
By moderately, I mean fbooking a couple times, some texting, couple phone calls, surfing the web some, couple of emails, some music through the music player.... Not crazy all day data use, but enough.
 
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I know many people will say to not use one. I have one but only use it when necessary. Like when I try to open Sprint Navigation and all I see is black. Anything I do short of rebooting the phone (you know how long that takes) does not work. I use the task killer on the app, then it opens right with no problem. So there are times when it is needed.

I have since stopped using Sprint Nav since I have been on 2.1 roms. Google Nav is so much better.
 
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I know many people will say to not use one. I have one but only use it when necessary. Like when I try to open Sprint Navigation and all I see is black. Anything I do short of rebooting the phone (you know how long that takes) does not work. I use the task killer on the app, then it opens right with no problem. So there are times when it is needed.

I have since stopped using Sprint Nav since I have been on 2.1 roms. Google Nav is so much better.


That's what I was saying about the rogue apps. It is good to have a task killer around, for the times when you need it, But don't constantly run it. That is all.

And I totally agree about google nav... It is an amazing nav app.. and for FREE!!!
 
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Android runs programs and restarts them on its own. It can manage its own tasks without a task killer. It is programmed to be a task management machine, so if it has extra space for an app to run, it starts it up, and it will run in the background. That may be why you see things running that you just killed. The restarting of those tasks takes more power than letting the phone run them in the background. That is why a task killer is unneeded. You should have one on your phone, but not running. Just in case you get a "rogue" app that you can't shut off on your own.

I understand the principle of a task killer being a bad thing for an Android phone and took the one that the Sprint rep installed on my phone off after reading about them here, but, **this** post makes me ask one question.

If my hero runs and restarts programs on it's own, just because it has memory space to do so, why on earth would it have any reason in the world to start Sprint Navigation? That is one program I did notice running alot before I uninstalled the Advanced Task killer that the Sprint Rep installed on my Hero. I have used Sprint Nav, but, that was just once, and that was 2 days ago. And, GPS is turned OFF to conserve battery life, so I can't think of any reason whatsoever that my Hero can even find to be running Sprint Nav.

If the poster of the above or anyone else that is in the know about these things could just explaine that to me, I would be happy. I have learned my lesson on task killers, and I don't intend on starting to use one, but, it does seem odd that the phone would be running things like that when there seems to be no need for it.

Thanks.
 
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You shouldn't worry about what is running in the background. Using mobile network for location uses more battery than gps. Turn the network location off and try using the gps instead. You will notice better battery life. Im not sure why nav always starts up for you, but it probably isnt affecting your batt life like you think.

Sent from my HERO200 using Tapatalk
 
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I understand the principle of a task killer being a bad thing for an Android phone and took the one that the Sprint rep installed on my phone off after reading about them here, but, **this** post makes me ask one question.

If my hero runs and restarts programs on it's own, just because it has memory space to do so, why on earth would it have any reason in the world to start Sprint Navigation? That is one program I did notice running alot before I uninstalled the Advanced Task killer that the Sprint Rep installed on my Hero. I have used Sprint Nav, but, that was just once, and that was 2 days ago. And, GPS is turned OFF to conserve battery life, so I can't think of any reason whatsoever that my Hero can even find to be running Sprint Nav.

If the poster of the above or anyone else that is in the know about these things could just explaine that to me, I would be happy. I have learned my lesson on task killers, and I don't intend on starting to use one, but, it does seem odd that the phone would be running things like that when there seems to be no need for it.

Thanks.


That was my point. I never even ran Sprint Nav on this phone, and it just showed up. Also, I had never ran Last FM, but it showed up running. Just weird why these programs would auto-start and run in the background. Seems like a HUGE was of memory and CPU cycles.

Jive
 
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From what I hear... the EVO's battery is worse than the Hero's!

the funny part is that the TP2, Incredible, EVO and Hero all use the same battery (basically). Yet we get such a huge difference on how long it will last per device. I have the Touch Pro 2 and a Hero and the same battery will last me @least 2 hours longer on my TP2 than on my Hero.

BTW: the only Task killer/manager that I will ever use is Free Advance Task Manager since is the only one that has yet to give me any issues, however I only use it when I really have to as 330D stated rouge apps that will not stop or are using way too much power.
 
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the funny part is that the TP2, Incredible, EVO and Hero all use the same battery (basically). Yet we get such a huge difference on how long it will last per device. I have the Touch Pro 2 and a Hero and the same battery will last me @least 2 hours longer on my TP2 than on my Hero.

BTW: the only Task killer/manager that I will ever use is Free Advance Task Manager since is the only one that has yet to give me any issues, however I only use it when I really have to as 330D stated rouge apps that will not stop or are using way too much power.

Yep, I think my TP2 has the same battery, and was much more efficient. In fact, all my WinMo phones (PPC-6700, Mogul, TP2) have had better battery life.

Jive
 
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Sprint Nav loads on startup so that it can be idle in the background in case you do need to use it. If you kill it off and then try to use it you will see that the load time is forever. If you just leave it idle in the background and then use it, you will notice a significant improvement in load time. Probably the same for Last.fm.

Hmm....that makes sense then.

Jive
 
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