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Best power saving app, or trick

An important reason why I swapped phones, from N97 Mini to HTC was getting more power. I can't believe it. I have done a factory reset on my phone (everything gone). I swapped the memory card to a new one today. I installed the apps I'll use, and not went near any useless ones (so, now I don't have any remainders of possibly rouge ones).

I fully charged my battery. Left it overnight without charging, and now it went from 100% to 50%. Which basically means that even if my phone is in my pocket, not being used from the time I get to work to the time I come home, 50% of the power would be gone. So, even without using, I'd have to charge twice a day.

What's been using battery (according to the built in battery info on the phone).
WiFi 22%
- WIfi running 10 hours
- CPU total 0s
Andriod System 19%
- CPU total 16s
- CPU foreground 16s
- Keep awake 59m 51s (only an hour... Not sure why it's kept awake)
- Data sent 32 KB
- Data received 54 KB
Included packages (the list is sorted somewhat different today, seems like the most power using stuff is put at top)
-- Settings Storage
-- Tell HTC
-- BrcmBluetothServices (my Bluetooth is always off, not sure what this means)
-- Android System
-- Setup
-- Status Bar
-- Upgrade Setup (I have not run a upgrade during the night)
-- Google Backup Transport
-- VPN Services
-- Accounts & sync
-- HTC Hub
-- Clock
-- HTC Checkin Service
-- HTC Function Test Program 1.05g
Phone/Dialer 19%
- CPU total 5s
- Cup foreground 5s
- Keep Awake 60s
- Data sent 22 KB
- Data received 18 KB
Included packages
-- Phone
-- SIM Toolkit
-- Dialer Storage
Cell standby 16%
- Time on 10 hours
Phone not in use (whatever that is, everything is phone not in use) 13%
- 10 hours
Screen/Display 9%
- Time on 9 minutes, 19 seconds
Calls 2% (two missed calls in the night)
- Time on 40 seconds


The seven "homescreen slides" I've got is 1) Agenda (built in calendar app), 2) Music (built in, but haven't been used yet), 3G watchdog, 3) Messages (built in) 4) Clock, weather, messages, gallery, opera mini/mobile. 5) Mobisle to do list 6) Friend stream (haven't added friends yet) 7) Weather for a short week ahead (also built in)

The apps I have installed are:
Firebox beta, Last.fm (never used yet, not even opened), Documents to Go, Opera Mini/Mobile, Facebook for android (built in), Youtube (built in), Soundhound (built in), Google Maps (built in), Advanced Task Killer by ReChild, Mobisle Notes Pro, Dropbox (not in use now), ASTRO File manager, 3G Watchdog Pro, MyBackup Pro (not running), Hvem ringer? (a app to look up unknown numbers when someone calls), JuiceDefeder Ultimate (will try this out tomorrow, not used yet).
 
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Here's a "screenshot" of more data on the built in battery app.

30a6tqx.jpg
 
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Here's a "screenshot" of more data on the built in battery app.

In your case Wifi is the battery drainer. It is used constantly and excessivelly by some applications.

I have a Samsung Galaxy Gio. Using-it only as phone, with some simple tricks to uninstall bloat apps, change CPU governor and stop any useless services will last about 10 days/battery charge. (it's 10 days with a good phone in pocket + possibility to use-it for more when necessary)

1org1v.png
2uohrtf.png


A notebook will work only 3-7 hours on a battery charge. Why there are people asking for 5 days of the same computational power on a device with 1/6 of the laptop battery?!!!!!!!!!!!!!
 
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Most apps that sync have a settings option to let you sync "never" or 30 minutes or and hour (or 4 or 12 or 24). I have most of mine on "never" since when I open the app they will either sync then, or sync when I push the sync button. Check deep in your settings for hat option. Also make sure you have a wifi connection if you leave wifi on all the time. I only leave it on 3 hours a day (at home where there's no cell service), and it doesn't drain at all if I'm not doing anything.

It has no time without signal :) All the time is listed as with signal.

About apps in general. If I get an email, I get a notice 5 seconds later. If something is written online somewhere which is synced with my phone, it's on my phone instantly. This must be sucking battery. Know of a way to set all of the syncing routines to once every half hour?

I've got the newest OS (recent update). I simply drag the status bar down, click quick settings, and turn it off (so that nothing is allowed to use it). Sure there are ways of shutting it down otherwise as well. I've never seen the GPS symbol since (it shows when it's in use). This is off topic anyhow, here's a thread about it tscope.
 
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What's been using battery (according to the built in battery info on the phone).
WiFi 22%
- WIfi running 10 hours
- CPU total 0s
Andriod System 19%
- CPU total 16s
- CPU foreground 16s
- Keep awake 59m 51s (only an hour... Not sure why it's kept awake)
- Data sent 32 KB
- Data received 54 KB
Included packages (the list is sorted somewhat different today, seems like the most power using stuff is put at top)
-- Settings Storage
-- Tell HTC
-- BrcmBluetothServices (my Bluetooth is always off, not sure what this means)
-- Android System
-- Setup
-- Status Bar
-- Upgrade Setup (I have not run a upgrade during the night)
-- Google Backup Transport
-- VPN Services
-- Accounts & sync
-- HTC Hub
-- Clock
-- HTC Checkin Service
-- HTC Function Test Program 1.05g

Tonight it's been pretty much the same. Fully charged, but now merely 50% after 9,5 hours of non-use. The only difference in the battery tabs is this:

Andriod System 19%
- CPU total 2s
- CPU foreground 2s

It went from 16 to 2. Tcat, sure it means seconds? I sounds weird in this context... CPU 2 seconds. If it means apps running, than it has shown that it doesn't matter much if I have opened and closed say Opera Mini/Mobile etc, and a app killer wont do much good. It's the same stuff which it said below in the "--" section.

Thanks for the photo esilviu!

Tonight the phone signal stuff was yellow first, than green, not sure what to get of that. But the Wifi bar runs constantly.

xe379j.jpg


So I guess you're right tcat. But how would one go about to shut of the constant autosync without making the phone 'less useful'? Getting it synced every 30 minutes like you say would be perfect. I find that with most settings it's a on/off thing. Either constant or never.

Here's what I managed to get done to my apps in regards of syncing:
Firefox Beta (doesn't seem to be a syncing app, but turned off the sync stuff which was there (the app hadn't been opened since I bought the phone, so it could be this)
Last.fm (haven't signed up, so it can't be syncing)
Documents to Go Full version (only manual sync)
Opera Mini (bookmark syncing via Opera Link when I use it, but only than)
Opera Mobile (bookmark syncing via Opera Link when I use it, but only than)
Facebook for Android (haven't put in my username yet, so it can't sync anything)
FriendStream (haven't put in my username yet, so it can't sync anything - and it's set to only update when opened)
Advanced Task Killer by ReChild (not applicable for this one)
Astro File Manager (not applicable for this one)
3G Watchdog Pro (set update frequency to every hour (slowest update) and it only does so when the 3G is being used)
Google Maps (don't use it, and now that I opened it I couldn't find anything about sync)
My Backup Pro (only runs every Sunday)
Juice Defender (haven't used it yet)

Mobisle Notes Pro To do (now this is set to "automatic web sync", not sure how often it checks Google Docs for new notes, but it might suck some battery, only problem is that it's a on/off sort of thing)
Dropbox (only seems to have manual sync, sort of weird I guess, but I couldn't find any autosync stuff on it)

In Menu > Setup (not settings) > Next, Skip, Skip, Next > Scheduled sync
I choose "Yes" to "Sync data for mail, contacts, calendar, weather and other services automatically". If I select "no" on that, I wont get notified when I get emails, I wont get my calender working. It can't be this which is causing all the problems? If so, the phone cannot be used as it should be...

And in: In Menu > Setup (not settings) > Next, Skip, Skip, Next, Next, Next > Usage Google location.
I choose "Allow Google's location service to collect anonymous location data. Collection will occur even when no applications are running" and "Use My Location for Google searches and other Google services".

Both where default, so I figured it would be OK to have them on. If not, than I guess all HTC users would get the same trouble as me...
 
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What services are running?
Check your Battery History (partial wake usage, etc)
"s" is seconds (as far as I know), since my readings are "d" days, "h" hours, "m" minutes, so "s" must be seconds.
Are you connected wifi for that entire time? Try turning it off for 8 hrs. and see what happens. "Android System" isn't always the main battery drain. My main drain is no signal when I forget to put it in airplane mode. If that was only 19%, what are the other readings? I believe the battery reading can be "bogus" sometimes. Here's my current... "Goggles" says 21 seconds when I click on it... that's how long I had it on.

BatteryUsage.jpg

CPU.jpg

Partial%20Wake.jpg

Sensor.jpg
 
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Tonight it went from full to fifty again, but now it's this (and only this) which have been taking up battery.

WiFi 32%
- WiFi running 9 hours 30 minutes
- CPU total 0s
Cell standby 32% (the normal signal bars)
- Time on 9 hours 30 minutes
- Time without a signal 1%
Phone idle 22%
- 9 hours 30 minutes
Display 15%
- Time on, 4 minutes

Weird that Andriod System wasn't a factor tonight. Anyways, @regression I use this cool program called my old N97 and take the pic of the newer device ;)

@tcat. Where would I click to get the same screen as you've got up there? I can't find the battery history, partial wake use.

I can try without wifi next night. But it's kind of sad if I can't have it on, because that means in turn that I wont get notifications (the only reason I run my tests during night and not day, is that I use the phone during the day, the night tests are there just to see how it'll perform in my pocket without use :)

Running services. Under Settings > Applications > Running services
Settings 1 process and 0 services - 25 MB
3G Watchdog Pro 1 process and 1 service - 5 MB 14 hours
Calendar - 8 MB 14 hours
Facebook - 1 process 1 service - 3.7 MB 14 hours (haven't touched it)
Google services - 1 process and 1 service - 9.7 MB 14 hours
HTC Sense 1 process and 1 service - 3 MB 14 hours
Maps (probably Google maps) 1 process and 1 service - 5 MB 14 hours (haven't touched it)
Touch Input 1 process and 1 service - 15 MB 14 hours

Ram used, 168 MB of 334 MB.

About the s for seconds. When it comes to processor/CPU, it said 1s and 16s et cetera. It was there I thought it would be strange if s was seconds, because the CPU is running all the time. Might it s for "services" there?
 
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Just changed from Desire to Desire S. It strikes me that all talk of app killing , aside from certain rogue apps which can be picked up by Watchdog or similar, is a totally redundant argument. Sorry. This is a phone. not a laptop.

Everything, again, with exceptions such as Navigation (a complete drainer) is dependant on how long the phone has been used! A good yardstick is to see how the long the display has been on. Simple as that. That should be your guide. I see some posters on forums boasting that their phone has been on for days. I bet if their display time is scrutinized it shows no more than anyone else's. On the desire I got around 3 and a half hours display per charge, on the desire S I'm getting 5 hrs.

Turn things off that you don't use. its not rocket science. Use the Airplane setting overnight. In the office, when there's no signal. Got a widget for that. Turn brightness down 40%. Widget. Especially, get a widget for turning Internet connection on and off. Turn off auto syncing. Turn off background app syncing. Turn off animations. Have a dark coloured background screen. Turn off WiFi when not using. There are widgets for all of these.

You don't need task killers. This is not a PC, the operating system is different. In fact turning off apps, removing them from RAM, only to open them again, uses more battery than if it was left in ram to start with! (there are, obviously, some exceptions to this).

In terms of the original question I think the only system app I use regularly to monitor app battery hogging is Watchdog.
 
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"Most" notifications come through 3G, no messaging apps will notify with wifi. Why would you want to get notified while sleeping? You can use something like "Power Scheduler" to turn Wifi on and off if you really need it on when you are awake.

I use this app to access Battery History (and other info), but there is a phone "code" to access it (forget what it is): TelInfo for Android | AppBrain.com

I guess "Wifi" by itself isn't really using CPU, the reason for "seconds" and not hours". Not positive about that, but who knows... you see my "Goggles" at 75%, but only 21s (seconds), I know the time is correct... I guess it used 75% of the CPU only for 21 seconds (not the most logical way to report this).
 
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The "night test" is simply a test to check how well the battery performs for 8 hours without use. Which it should handle.

"Most" notifications come through 3G, no messaging apps will notify with wifi.
Thanks for the tip. I have 3G shut off pretty much since I bought it, and have got my Gmail notifications via WiFi. But now I am trying doing it the other way around. WiFi wont be the primary source, that'll be mobile data.

It seems really promising. I clicked:
All apps > Settings > Wireless & networks > Wi-Fi settings > Menu button > Advanced > Wi-Fi sleep policy (specify when to switch from WI-Fi to mobile data). I changed from "Never" into "After 15 minutes.". Only thing I am worried about is the phone actually beginning using the mobile data to a large extent (as data is expensive, and and I am not buying an unlimited plan :).

Looking forward to seeing how this goes!
 
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It's been 12 hours since it's been charged now (over night, non use). And the battery has went from 100% to 80%. Which is a leap forward.

Cell standby 37% (the normal signal bars)
- Time on 12 hours
- Time without a signal 0%
Phone idle 35%
- 12 hours
Display 21%
- Time on, 6 minutes
WiFi 5%
- WiFi running 1 hour 7 minutes
- CPU total 7s

2vmzeol.jpg



I just can't see why the WiFi should be such a drain?
The Android sees there is a WiFi whenever it needs to be used. And... That sucks it dry? The only two reasons I can think of is that: 1) The Android searches frenetically for new WiFi networks (and that sucks it dry). 2) There is some app which uses the WiFi 24/7, and not just every once in a while.

I find both options unlikely.

Do you other people manually turn the WiFi on every time you use Opera Mobile?
 
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I have a wifi toggle on my homescreen and only turn it on when I'm at home (known network). I imagine wifi searching is like 3G searching, it drains using power to search. I have wifi on on weekends (about 10 hrs each day) while I'm at home, battery only drains about 10% over a 2 days weekend (not much use, but wifi is on). Why have it on if not in use where there is no wifi? There are apps that turn wifi on and off based on location of known networks (but I'd assume they use more power than manually switching it).
 
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I have wifi on on weekends (about 10 hrs each day) while I'm at home, battery only drains about 10% over a 2 days weekend (not much use, but wifi is on).
That sounds amazing. That's what I'd like. Keep it one, but also keep the power. With me it sucks half the battery after eight hours of not using it. 10% in a weekend, that sounds like what it should be.

Why have it on if not in use where there is no wifi?
I want my Gmail updates, and the mobile data plan costs. So if it's possible to use WiFi, I prefer that. There's always a WiFi where I am. I only use one network, but the device keeps showing my neighbors network. The ideal thing would be for it to stop searching, but I can't figure out how to get that done.
 
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