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

[New2u]

I still use ATK to kill certain things that I just don't want running. I keep all the core apps running, and apps that restart themselves, i usually leave alone. The things I tend to kill is just the browser, google maps, and a few other programs i just don't want open.

 

[JonKyu]

I would LOVE to uninstall ATK, but for some odd reason whenever I restart my phone no apps will open up from my home screen. I have to go into ATK and "kill" one of the processes in there for it to work. Heck sometimes I just have ATK kill itself and apps open normally again. Anyone else having this happen? Did ATK install something in android to make it so I can't uninstall it (j/k lol but maybe....)

 

[bergdev]

When my phone has 20 apps running it is slow. I kill them and it is fast.

What am I missing or is my phone different?

Would love to believe this, BUT it's not working like that on my phone.

You may have an ill-behaved app. What list of apps are you running when the phone runs slowly.

 

[Kemp]

Wow never thought of that, but to list all of them is really too much. Do you know of apps with known problems? If so a heads up would be appreciated.

 

[TheBobarazzi]

I find that mine is sluggish only when downloading a bunch of random apps.

Now I download one at a time and test it for a day...no problems anymore.

 

[Jansan]

I still use ATK to kill certain things that I just don't want running. I keep all the core apps running, and apps that restart themselves, i usually leave alone. The things I tend to kill is just the browser, google maps, and a few other programs i just don't want open.

I do the same thing, because for some reason I feel like having those data apps open is constantly draining the juice.

 

[Marissa]

In the case that Gchat apps are running and others are communicating with you on gchat, but you are not really "there" and the app just running.....is there a way to kill the gchat app besides constantly using the app killer?

 

[GThree]

I use ATK to just kill aps that I don't want running that could possibly burn battery life. I've got a grip load of apps, music, pictures, and media, and I don't have an issue with battery life or running slow. I leave my music on all day and it's flawless. Obviously certain apps kill the battery pretty quick though...That's the only issue, but it's really not if you avoid being on it allllll daaayyyyyy. lol

 

[tty]

I agree! One still needs to kill some applications if they continue running on backgroud (e.g., frequently internet access) to consume lots of battery.

However, if the applications are just in memory and do nothing, do not worry about them.

I use ATK to just kill aps that I don't want running that could possibly burn battery life. I've got a grip load of apps, music, pictures, and media, and I don't have an issue with battery life or running slow. I leave my music on all day and it's flawless. Obviously certain apps kill the battery pretty quick though...That's the only issue, but it's really not if you avoid being on it allllll daaayyyyyy. lol

 

[vesperaNovus]

Hi all, I am the author of a "task killer" app specifically geared towards apps that start at boot up. Let me just chime in here regarding developing this app: What a pain in the ass!

I don't know where to even begin. The users, the different hardware, the different software... I made the app for my own benefit on the G1 for apps that start at boot up but don't give you the option to stop them. I certainly would worry about the apps running in the background. Yes, Android automatically handles "garbage collection" and stops apps that are doing nothing, so what do you think the apps that are running are doing? They are "showing up" there because they are doing something.

The number one problem I am having though is users killing apps that make the phone act funny on certain phones. Certain carriers/hardware makers have made their Android packages share processes with system processes, talking Linux processes here (this makes it impossible to kill them without bad behavior). Also if you kill Dialer it makes the phone lose service, for example. So my advice would be, pay attention and don't kill apps that are necessary for the system to run. You don't have to kill every single app you see.

I saw someone mention apps restarting randomly, like Alarm Clock, they do this by listening for special system broadcasts such as location changes, a general sms received, or time of day updates from the network. Any app can start by receiving any system broadcast - it doesn't have to be at boot or manually "clicked".

Thanks for listening. I don't really know what my post was meant to accomplish except offer myself to questions/comments regarding "task killers".

 

[iamloco724]

i use paid version of advanced task manager..i really dont think this one negatively affects my phone..i have certain thing excluded like email and what not so it doesnt kill that so i get my mail..so i personally recommend it cause yes you dont have to close apps cause the system will do it when needed but not closing apps has to use more battery then it does if closing them

i have one question though since you can add exclusions..what are some key things i should exclude liek system things like is there something to exclude so it doesnt affect update notifications?

 

[andjarnic]

I've changed my view on this app. I know this thread started by saying you don't need to worry about apps, Android kills them, and yes, for the most part, it does. But as vesperaNovus said, there are basically two types of apps that don't "die" that I am finding at times, draing my battery.

The first as he said are those that start up with the phone. There are some things you just don't want running. Although I am using the free Advanced Task Killer app, which I don't know if it lists all the running tasks or not, but generally, periodically I run that app, and just kill ALL tasks running in one shot. After vesperaNovus post, I'll have to check for apps like Dialer to see if killing it, then trying to make a call reestablishes service or not.

The other kind is the one that is really bugging me, and proves a point my iPhone app dev buddy likes to claim why Android won't do as well as iPhone. Because any developer can pay $25, get an ID and upload whatever they want, there are bound to be a lot more crappy... more to the point, bad behaving applications that we all will download. Hopefully word gets out when an app is bad and people don't use it. I generally follow the reviews and look for things specifically related to crashes, Moto droid issues, etc. That said, many apps do start services as well.. these services run even when you think you closed the app. I can't pin point any specific app I've run that does this, but I have on many occasions now ran a few apps, then come back 40 minutes later and my phone is dead. Completely drained. Maybe there is a battery reconditioning app running..I don't know. But my hunch is that some apps continue to run threads... they don't properly listen to pause/stop notifications from the Android system and free up threads and such, and end up continue to using cpu draining the battery.

It is this second reason that I continue to run the ATK program from time to time, especially after I run some apps, then get ready to sleep my phone for a bit. vesperaNovus, not sure if your app is better than ATK (or if it's the same thing?), but I would love the ability to select specific apps in groups, where if any app in the group is running, it is killed. That way, I can put apps like dialer, alarm clock and such, in a "don't kill these if they are running" group, and the rest can be shut down.

 

[LordKastle]

And...ask your iPhone app buddy why programs and games on PC's and Mac's have been so successful then..

If they don't have a judge, jury and executioner deciding what is appropriate then what should stop Android's phones from having good quality products? Whose fault is it if a user downloads a bunch of crappy applications? Maybe self-control and awareness is a thing of the past. If developers want to make money then the onus is on them to provide good quality content.

It comes down to the user. No doubt one of iPhone's benefits is lack of buggy software. The negatives though? Well, it depends...do you enjoy living in a dictatorship? Do you enjoy being a slave and being told what you can or can't download? Do you lack a mind to make decisions?

 

[dogmeatstick2]

So the app Advanced Task Killer is pointless? Has anyone extended battery life with this app or is it just a mental mind game? I have become OCD with killing apps and am biased on the issue but would love to remove ATK if it does nothing but slows me down.

 

[Martin030908]

So the app Advanced Task Killer is pointless? Has anyone extended battery life with this app or is it just a mental mind game? I have become OCD with killing apps and am biased on the issue but would love to remove ATK if it does nothing but slows me down.

It's a mixed bag I find. I'm on the side that believes Task Killer is not needed. I have great battery life and no lag. Memory allocation seems on point. The fact that every app runs in their own JVM leads me to believe I don't need to be OCD with memory. Especially coming from a BB I was ready to give up the free memory obsession!