PLEASE READ: Do NOT worry about Apps running in the Background

[mills]

I can say that after using a task manager since I bought my phone in December, I finally got rid of it only a few days ago and I immediately noticed a drastic increase in speed with running and using applications. So there is definitely a speed improvement.

I would say it's because the apps are constantly running, therefore you do not have to re-execute the application continually which is what is slowing the phone down.

However, it looks like my phone is using more battery.

 

[sloopjohnb]

Honestly, android's app management is one of the reasons I didn't like my old milestone very much. I say that because the system keeps opening up apps and processes all the time even when the user doesn't want them and that leads up to an inconsistent UI and performance because sometimes an app loads fast, other times slow, a list may scroll fast or slow too, it all depends on what 'android' thought should be running on my phone. The other thing I don't like is how the processes/apps constantly starting up/running serve no real context, design or purpose. It makes sense for a system with limited resources to give 'special privileges' to more important features for ex: why my browser should slow down or close a page just because android is leaving useless apps like clock, silly game, boobs app, sms and etc running in the background? Why did it close fring for the same reason? You can't safely choose an app to stay opened when you want to because android will probably just close it after a while. And the notifications bar? Sometimes it displays an app running, sometimes it doesn't because the app don't support that, sometimes it moves down slow, sometimes fast, the bar is too thin to just move your finger down fast so I had to 'aim' for it or leave my finger for a while and wait for a response. For these and others reasons, imo, androids app management is a MESS. Don't get me started on having to click ok 3-4 times to install something or having to open the 'app manager' to unisntall something because that also doesn't do android any favor imo.
They have to come up with something like 'cards' on webOS or even symbian which displays your running apps just by clicking on the menu key. Or even the iphone which is a close system but does multitasking on just key apps (browser, mail, ipod, mail), it may be more limited but at least I have a clear idea of its behaviour/design.
The number of posts of people trying to figure out how to manage apps on android should alert google that something needs to be done.

 

[BayouFlyFisher]

Honestly, android's app management is one of the reasons I didn't like my old milestone very much. I say that because the system keeps opening up apps and processes all the time even when the user doesn't want them and that leads up to an inconsistent UI and performance because sometimes an app loads fast, other times slow, a list may scroll fast or slow too, it all depends on what 'android' thought should be running on my phone. The other thing I don't like is how the processes/apps constantly starting up/running serve no real context, design or purpose. It makes sense for a system with limited resources to give 'special privileges' to more important features for ex: why my browser should slow down or close a page just because android is leaving useless apps like clock, silly game, boobs app, sms and etc running in the background? Why did it close fring for the same reason? You can't safely choose an app to stay opened when you want to because android will probably just close it after a while. And the notifications bar? Sometimes it displays an app running, sometimes it doesn't because the app don't support that, sometimes it moves down slow, sometimes fast, the bar is too thin to just move your finger down fast so I had to 'aim' for it or leave my finger for a while and wait for a response. For these and others reasons, imo, androids app management is a MESS. Don't get me started on having to click ok 3-4 times to install something or having to open the 'app manager' to unisntall something because that also doesn't do android any favor imo.
They have to come up with something like 'cards' on webOS or even symbian which displays your running apps just by clicking on the menu key. Or even the iphone which is a close system but does multitasking on just key apps (browser, mail, ipod, mail), it may be more limited but at least I have a clear idea of its behaviour/design.
The number of posts of people trying to figure out how to manage apps on android should alert google that something needs to be done.

In my opinion, the problem isn't with android. The problem is with people trying to manage apps. Leave then alone and you'll do find. I deleted the worthless task killer right after the verizon rep put it on the phone. That was back in November. Thinking you have to manage apps is so "Windows". You complain about apps loading slowly because android closed them, but people with task killer almost always end up closing everything at the end of each session. Then everything starts slower. I love not having to worry about what's running and what's not. Let the system handle it. Just my opinion and YMMV.

 

[ininfinitum]

IMO, it depends on the programs you have running. Programs such as seesmic will continually check for updates online, and without closing this, you're wasting battery (unless you WANT the updates). One push of a button to close the program using something like Advanced Task Killer will save more battery than if you just let Android handle it.

 

[windstrings]

I uninstalled ATK and felt my droid picked up speed.

But now I'm enjoying "task manager" by Rhythm software and it actually auto kills what you tell it to. It does it when the screen goes blank and it only takes about 5 seconds to do it.

It also ignores what you tell it and you can kill on demand what you want.

when you set it up right, you should be able to hit your power button to turn off your screen, wait about 5 seconds and turn it back on and nothing should be showing... if it is, you can press and hold and choose to ignore, autokill, or kill right then on demand.

I swear my phone runs better now.

 

[Mjaydakid]

What is OCD?

 

[BayouFlyFisher]

What is OCD?

When I use the term it applies to Obsessive Compulsive Disorder. We all joke about it, but it is a live changing/controlling disorder that is absolutely no laughing matter for the folks with it and for their loved ones. (I just had to type that!)

 

[anewday]

Good to know. :icon_ banana: I was worried of the background apps draining the battery.

 

[kodiak799]

I just did an experiment. Left my screen on overnight (should have been 0% brightness, but ended up with 30% because that is my default locale setting).

Virtually no other usage. I had wifi, gps and bluetooth turned off, 3G on. No task killer running. Here's the data on battery usage:
Display: 91%
Cell Standby: 4%
Android System: 3% (15.2 minutes)
Locale: 2% (3.1 minutes)
Total battery time: 10.2 hours

I have a number of widgets running. I've thought in the past Advanced Task Manager gave me a bit more battery life killing non-excluded stuff every 30 minutes, but those numbers for Android System and Locale are consistent regardless of what else is running and whether I've used a task killer. Even so, those two took up 5%, or about 31 minutes of battery time. Even if you could halve that (and I don't think you can), you would gain just 15 more minutes of battery life.

I need to re-run this with the brightness at 0 (think I will get 12-13 hours of battery life in "never sleep" mode). Also, I've played around with locale launching Kaloer clock which has a lower brightness than available from the settings menu, though I'm not sure this has any effect on battery life vs. 0% from the settings menu.

It's possible if I had opened a bunch of apps throughout the day I may have seen some additional battery drain or notice lag. Ultimately I probably will re-install Advanced TM to autokill every 30 minutes and set-up a bunch of exclusions. Doesn't seem to take any battery and it will kill anything that hangs or maybe is updating more than I want it or need it to.

 

[aggiechase37]

I must say, I just deleted ATK and my phone runs smoother too. And I'm running Home++ as well as some non market apps like Google Earth, 2.1 Gallery, and Swype. Let me run around for a day with no ATK and then I'll re report...

 

[SSHGuru]

ATK being Advanced Task Killer - the one that doesnt do ANYTHING until you tell it to? Deleting that has no effect at all.

Deleting the automatic ones will have an effect.

 

[kodiak799]

Well, I've got to run some more tests. Deleted Advanced Task Manager (had it set to autokill every 30 minutes, with exclusions for most of my frequently run stuff) and it seems my battery life may have gotten a shocking improvement = 1hour+ more. On the other hand, my phone did seem a bit faster at times, but hardly a good trade-off if it was draining my battery like that. Had to be something else, no way it has that kind of impact on the battery (if anything, it should have a marginally positive effect I'd think).

 

[Droidfish]

I had gotten so used to Advanced Task killer that getting rid of it was like saying goodbye to an old friend, lol. I even redownloaded it like "what harm can it do?"

I wouldn't say I run smoother without it but I was definitely wasting my time with it(a lot of time)

 

[aggiechase37]

Two days of running Android with NO ATK and I must say that my phone still runs smoother without it. Seems snappier, only a marginal amount of lag every now and again, but this is less lag than what I had been experiencing with ATK. So I'm going and staying commando with no ATK. You guys really should consider doing the same. At least delete it and see how it goes for a couple days. If you're experience is anything like mine you won't look back!

 

[BishopNoble]

I think someone should post on page one (with an update maybe) some of the things this is supposed to fix. Maybe some of the tips for determining your battery usage. Some of the good information on multiple pages. I got to page 11, and never heard an answer to "I have this program that runs in the background, it doesn't have a close option, and it uses all my battery. Shouldn't I use ATK to close this?"

So it would be nice if that kind of information wasn't buried in this long thread.