Battery life increase?

[d.knight99]

According to a lecturer at uni, mobile devices use more power when they have to try and hold a connection (wifi or mobile network) that is further away.

Apparently moving your router closer will allow the device to conserve energy by allowing it to power down it's radio because it's not having to broadcast it's signal as far. This also extends to cell towers - it seems living a long way away from one will make your phone work harder to keep a 3G/EDGE/GPRS signal and thus wastes battery.

I'm inclined to take his word for it, what with a PhD under his belt on the subject!

So... heres a new battery saving tip for ya......

MOVE HOUSE!




Nah but seriously, I think this holds some truth, when I was in London over the summer I swear my battery used to die so much quicker because it kept having to try desperately to hold onto weak signals being blocked by all the built up areas.

Not a lot anyone can do about it but it might go some way to explaining the differences in battery life people are reporting.

 

[ElasticNinja]

Yeah this is true

My school has crappy reception and if I leave any phobne connected to network it kills battery

 

[SUroot]

Sorry to tell you, but even my cat knows this.

 

[Vicdude]

I live next to a transmitter and apart from only having three fingers on one hand, 3 eyes, (Although one doesn't work) Gills and only a few sparse tufts of hair,on the back of my head oh and only one rather enlarged tooth at the back of my mouth, I find the battery life is the same wherever I may roam

 

[nx1977]

Sorry to tell you, but even my cat knows this.

+1.

Wifi and H will offer the lowest power consumption, as to get H you pretty much have to be on top of a 3G mast.

Surprising, but for data 2G will actually use more power as it's taking longer and thus keeping the radio on for longer than a phone with good 3G signal would. There are now less 2G transmitters, so you may also have to transmit over a greater distance as well.

Due to penetration, 2G masts can be further away, for 3G they need to be closer - around 1/2 distance apart of 2G masts IIRC.

 

[d.knight99]

I live next to a transmitter and apart from only having three fingers on one hand, 3 eyes, (Although one doesn't work) Gills and only a few sparse tufts of hair,on the back of my head oh and only one rather enlarged tooth at the back of my mouth, I find the battery life is the same wherever I may roam

Lol, yeah those things are nasty!

Ah well common knowledge it is then, I guess I never really thought about it before!

 

[riki1kenobi]

Yeah it is common knowledge but only to those who know it

Rather than having to move house though here is a little mod I posted on my blog over at Slatedroid that you can do to your home wifi which will increase the power of the signal. It is so simple, but yet so effective

 

[d.knight99]

Nice work man! That looks like a nice little mod, might give that a go this weekend and see what the results are. In a 3 story house the signal can be pretty weak right up on the top floor so I'll see if I can get it any better!