Apps on startup, what do they do?

[dufran3]

I am using TaskPanel to manage my running apps. I have a whole slew of them that start up by default, and I'm not sure what any of them do, and if I need/want them there. Also, I add apps to the "wanted list" in TaskPanel, but I don't think it is actually killing them like it is supposed to...:-(

After a restart, here is what is running:

HtcIQAgent
AddProgramActivity
Music
Sprint Updater
Google Partner Setup
PC Sycronization
IM
com.simthmicro.DM
Messages
Voice Dialer
com.coremobility.app.vnotes
Kaloer Clock
ShopSavvy
Power Manager
Footprints
Calendar
Clock
IQRD
Gmail
Touch Input
Settings
com.p1.chompsms
AudioManager
HTC Sense
OMADM
Beautiful Widgets


That seems like a huge list of apps running. I have added lots of these to the wanted list, but they aren't getting killed. Here is a list of what I know I don't want running ever!

Messages
IM
Footprints
PC Sycronization
Voice Dialer


Also, the other apps like the Kaoler Clock, ShopSavvy I don't want running on start up...not sure why they are... any help guys?

 

[pking]

You'll have some control over these apps if you decide to root your phone. Some being the key word there, you'll at least be able to remove the apps you don't use ever (I've ditched IM, footprints, stocks, nascar and TV)

As for the apps that always start at boot - talk to the developer of that app. The developer decides how the app registers itself to andriod, and flags whether or not it starts at boot. Many do, just because starting at boot and loading some variables into memory allows their apps to start up quickly. In reality this ends up meaning that several apps are booting simultaneously and fighting for limited resources until they settle down.

There's been lots of (sometimes heated) discussions about the benefit or drawback of using a task killer - personally I keep one around to kill off an app that's spiraling out of control (happens to the Browser app sometimes on heavy/badly coded AJAX-y sites).

Outside of that use, I have stopped killing apps 'just because'. The argument you'll hear most often is that Linux is very good at memory management, especially in tight resource areas like our phones - generally once something is started and goes to 'sleep', it uses little to no real resources.

Oh, also, there are certain apps that you don't want to remove if you do happen to root your phone - like the PC Sync - even if you don't use it to sync, it still controls the interface you'll use to 'talk' to the phone with adb.