Task Killers... The Answer from Google & Developers.

[alboboy10]

Do a test with it and without. It might have to do with which task killer u have and what phone.

Sent from my DROIDX using DroidForums App

I did, actually used task killer for a long time my phone was having minor problems...removed it, never reboot, battery lasts longer, and I turn my phone on just so I can kill all running things.

Stress free, and phone works better.

 

[hookbill]

Threads merged. A questions on task killers should be located ot this one thread. Thank you.

 

[Nunyabizness]

I'm on board with the no task killer concept. I purchased the Droid Eris in February and the rep told me I HAD to have Advanced Task Killer and even installed it before she handed over the phone. It was working fabulously... until the upgrade. I called Verizon tech support - multiple times.. eventually removed the task killer and the agent told me to install Juice Defender instead. This fixed so many problems... but now the phone speed is molasses in cold weather up a grassy cliff kind of slow. How do I fix this? When I had the Advanced Task Killer, I couldn't leave the sync on or it would drain the battery, and it would send out random text messages but at least I could move from text to email to internet at a reasonable rate. My phone before was pretty fast - now it's like using dial up internet. I have no idea where to start to find a fix for this.

 

[Droid DOES!!]

I'm on board with the no task killer concept. I purchased the Droid Eris in February and the rep told me I HAD to have Advanced Task Killer and even installed it before she handed over the phone. It was working fabulously... until the upgrade. I called Verizon tech support - multiple times.. eventually removed the task killer and the agent told me to install Juice Defender instead. This fixed so many problems... but now the phone speed is molasses in cold weather up a grassy cliff kind of slow. How do I fix this? When I had the Advanced Task Killer, I couldn't leave the sync on or it would drain the battery, and it would send out random text messages but at least I could move from text to email to internet at a reasonable rate. My phone before was pretty fast - now it's like using dial up internet. I have no idea where to start to find a fix for this.

Are you using the "Back" key or "Home" key to exit applications? How often do you reboot the phone?

 

[dmo580]

I use no task killer but to say task killers kill your battery is ridiculous. IF you kill every 5 minutes, yes you will drain your battery in no time.

If you kill dumb apps 5 times a day, what's the effect on your battery? Maybe 0.5%?
10 times? 1%?
100 times? Maybe 10%.

But do you need to kill apps 100 times? Probably not. So yes it's obvious ANY APP uses battery power. How much? Too much?

What benefit does it give?

To say that Android is smooth with 30mb memory free is a lie. Free memory is always good to have. Don't tell me about how Android can manage its own memory just fine. Look at every ROM. CM6, etc etc. Why do they alter the Minfree? Because clearly 30mb is NOT ENOUGH at times. Smooth performance starts occuring when you go above 50mb. Task killers to me aren't the way to keep above 50mb, but instead altering min free. But to say google's memory management is all you need is as Steve Jobsian as you can get. If Steve Jobs told you that you would scream your head off and explode. But when Google tells you to let it do its own thing, you will all be sheep and follow along. Go for it.

 

[Nunyabizness]

Task Killer -vs- No Task Killer

I'm really not for or against - I just want my phone to work properly again. The Advanced Task killer i was using was causing so many problems - slowness, the phone would freeze, apps would force close etc. Once it was removed, the phone ran better, but it still sucks. I reboot about once a day and I sometimes hit home and sometimes hit the back key to exit an application. I didn't realize it mattered! Which one should I be pressing?

 

[fishstick600]

The back key unless you want to leave it open. And you should reboot once a day its just like a computer

Sent from my Samsung Galaxy tablet using Tapatalk

 

[iiimegamaniii]

Sorry guys--have used ATK since day 1 and still have it on my DROID.

Just in the last couple of weeks, TouchDown was taking over 34% of my battery and kept restarting itself (even though it was averaging around 8% for the past year). It took me from around 26-28 hours of battery time down to next to nothing. After the last update it went back to normal, however, this is just one example. MLB2K10 was doing the same thing for a while.

Point:
I want control over my devices. If I don't need it--great--then I won't use it. But the fact is I want to be able to do what I want at any given time. Sometimes updates FUBAR things and drain battery--I want to be able to kill things when I see a issue.

<Shrug>

It's been said so many times over the past year--to each their own. Right?

- Mega

 

[fishstick600]

Right but to me it sounds like a rouge app killed your battery which in that case I would remove the app all together. I don't use atk and I get 20+ hours with heavy usage. But like u said to each his own. If you haven't used it without one (u did say u have since day one ) how can you say ur battery is better with or without atk?

Sent from my Samsung Galaxy tablet using Tapatalk

 

[fishstick600]

Oh and btw have u tried the stock task killer? Works great btw can make a shortcut by long pressing on home screen, shortcut,settings,apps,manage running.

Sent from my Samsung Galaxy tablet using Tapatalk

 

[dmo580]

Sorry guys--have used ATK since day 1 and still have it on my DROID.

Just in the last couple of weeks, TouchDown was taking over 34% of my battery and kept restarting itself (even though it was averaging around 8% for the past year). It took me from around 26-28 hours of battery time down to next to nothing. After the last update it went back to normal, however, this is just one example. MLB2K10 was doing the same thing for a while.

Point:
I want control over my devices. If I don't need it--great--then I won't use it. But the fact is I want to be able to do what I want at any given time. Sometimes updates FUBAR things and drain battery--I want to be able to kill things when I see a issue.

<Shrug>

It's been said so many times over the past year--to each their own. Right?

- Mega

It's like Windows Task Manager. You shouldn't use it all the time to kill stuff, but in the event you need to due to a rogue program, you have the tool. Or should we get rid of Task Manager and "let Windows do its thing?" I wonder the outrage there. Of course Google is free to do whatever it wants and many sheep will follow.

 

[PS3Gamer]

​

Process Types​

The SystemPanel process listing groups applications into three categories: "Active", "Inactive", and "Internal":

• Active applications are actually running at the present time on the device. An active application may be running in the background and not have any information currently displayed on the screen.
• Inactive applications have been preloaded into memory, but are not actually using up any system resources. Such applications will not consume any battery power whatsoever. The memory used by these applications can be immediately reclaimed should other applications require it. As such, there is no need to manually remove these applications, as you will see no tangible benefit from doing so.
• Internal applications are those which are part of the Android operating system itself. Some of these applications may be terminated manually, but they will be immediately restarted afterward by the OS."

Now the video from Google.​

* Originally posted by Renthor @ DxF *​

I highly recommend people, especially those new to Android, watch the Androidology series of videos put out by Google themselves. In particular, part 2 does a great job of explaining how Android (and really Linux) is different then most people's OS experience.

Here's the link to part 2, "Application Lifecycle"
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fL6gSd4ugSI&feature=player_embedded

After watching the video, I have a question: If the user was to click the "Home" button from the end of the process stack of home, mail list, mail message, browser, maps; would those processes automatically delete themselves from memory automatically, as well?

 

[Droid DOES!!]

No. If the home key is pressed, the application remains open with a higher priority than other applications.

​

Process Types​

The SystemPanel process listing groups applications into three categories: "Active", "Inactive", and "Internal":

• Active applications are actually running at the present time on the device. An active application may be running in the background and not have any information currently displayed on the screen.
• Inactive applications have been preloaded into memory, but are not actually using up any system resources. Such applications will not consume any battery power whatsoever. The memory used by these applications can be immediately reclaimed should other applications require it. As such, there is no need to manually remove these applications, as you will see no tangible benefit from doing so.
• Internal applications are those which are part of the Android operating system itself. Some of these applications may be terminated manually, but they will be immediately restarted afterward by the OS."

Now the video from Google.​

* Originally posted by Renthor @ DxF *​

I highly recommend people, especially those new to Android, watch the Androidology series of videos put out by Google themselves. In particular, part 2 does a great job of explaining how Android (and really Linux) is different then most people's OS experience.

Here's the link to part 2, "Application Lifecycle"
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fL6gSd4ugSI&feature=player_embedded

After watching the video, I have a question: If the user was to click the "Home" button from the end of the process stack of home, mail list, mail message, browser, maps; would those processes automatically delete themselves from memory automatically, as well?

DroidForums junkie!

 

[PS3Gamer]

No. If the home key is pressed, the application remains open with a higher priority than other applications.

Process Types​

The SystemPanel process listing groups applications into three categories: "Active", "Inactive", and "Internal":​

• Active applications are actually running at the present time on the device. An active application may be running in the background and not have any information currently displayed on the screen.
• Inactive applications have been preloaded into memory, but are not actually using up any system resources. Such applications will not consume any battery power whatsoever. The memory used by these applications can be immediately reclaimed should other applications require it. As such, there is no need to manually remove these applications, as you will see no tangible benefit from doing so.
• Internal applications are those which are part of the Android operating system itself. Some of these applications may be terminated manually, but they will be immediately restarted afterward by the OS."

Now the video from Google.​

* Originally posted by Renthor @ DxF *​

I highly recommend people, especially those new to Android, watch the Androidology series of videos put out by Google themselves. In particular, part 2 does a great job of explaining how Android (and really Linux) is different then most people's OS experience.

Here's the link to part 2, "Application Lifecycle"
YouTube - Androidology - Part 2 of 3 - Application Lifecycle

After watching the video, I have a question: If the user was to click the "Home" button from the end of the process stack of home, mail list, mail message, browser, maps; would those processes automatically delete themselves from memory automatically, as well?

DroidForums junkie!

Why, thank you.

I'm on the lookout for threads on those pesky tasks running in the background and the answer to another question: If these processes are running in the background and not actually using up CPU, just speeding up the starting of an app; how does that NOT use up battery-life?

 

[Droid DOES!!]

They're just open but not running so they're not really doing anything. So when the back key is used, the application will stay open (not running) until another application needs the resources. Then, the OS will shut it down. Linux is pretty awesome! :dancedroid:

DroidForums junkie!