Here's a typical post in nearly every Android forum:
My (insert ANY Android phone model) gets _HORRIBLE_ battery life!
So why is this?
It's simple. Android smartphones are a true handheld computer.
A mini laptop if you will. Therefore like any laptop, battery life is the responsibility of the user. Androids have file systems just like PC's have windows explorer and Macs have the finder.
Just like laptops the one component that draws the most juice is the display. When you have a large display of 4.0" or larger you must learn how to manage battery life. It's _not_ the phones fault, or Android.
When you first get your phone it's tempting to just load it up with apps and use it without taking time to learn about it. Therefore people are way too quick to jump to conclusions, go negative and give up. Blame the phone and take it back or worse, quit Android before giving it a chance.
Out of the box, every new phone is set to defaults which are only starting points. It's up to you to setup the phone for the way you will be using it. It's up to you to not jump to conclusions. Spend some time exploring here, this forum has great learning resources.
To those of you who immediately compare it to your iPhone you _must_ know this:
An iPhone is nothing more than a slightly more capable iPod. Originally designed as a media player, it now includes a phone.
That's why apps are crucial to an iPhone since without them it can't do what a handheld computer can do. I'm not bashing iPhones either. I have lots of experience with those as well. But they _are_ much different from Android.
ALSO: it has a _very tiny 3.5" screen. When dealing with such a relatively small screen, the power requirements are a lot less. Increasing the size to 4" or larger is a HUGE increase in proportions.
So take these things into consideration and suddenly the whole picture changes for the better.
I love Android phones!
Granted by now I have had over 25, plus I've educated myself on the Android operating system. But the point is you can to. It only requires a little patience and a positive open minded approach.
Remember, your phone was designed by highly skilled engineers that know what is required to build a good phone.
The bottom line is, they will all vary somewhat from model to model. But if you do your part, the rewards are terrific.
I hope this helps you put things into perspective, and motivates you to learn and enjoy Android.
Cheers