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Should You Use a Task Killer?
- Thread starter lekky
- Start date
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- Tags
- htc desire
Eris Ed
Android Expert
I agree.
Let's face it: if you turn off all updates, widgets and communications you're gonna get a great battery life! Turn things on and use the Desire as intended and you'll need to charge it more often.
My opinion about Task Killers is this: it's an app that is active and runs in the background, not just resident and idle in the RAM, so it uses battery. After killing idle apps in RAM, those apps use more battery when they restart than they would have used if started from RAM. The battery use may be small, but it's there. Got a rogue app that eats battery life? Uninstall it, don't close it with a Task Killer.
I just haven't seen a good case for using a Task Killer yet.
1208
Member
is there anyway to see a Rogue app eating your battery? I remember some code to put in to check battery usage if that was it? as I used to have Mixzing but that apparently ate alot so uninstalled it.
You've tried the Testing app (or Spare Parts) right? Get the CPU usage and Partial Wake usage of all the things running and you'll see what's using the battery.
Eris Ed
Android Expert
As Griff said, I've used Spare Parts but unless I have a problem it doesn't really tell me anything useful, but its handy to have. The main diagnostic app I use is TrafficStats (free with ads or pay versions on the Market). My data use increased to over 40mb per day and it told me that the News & Weather widget added to Android 2.2 was the cause.
I think spotting a rogue app is more down to your own experience, to be honest. You know how your phone normally works, how long the battery lasts, what your settings are, how much data you use, etc. Most people tend to notice when something changes - data use goes through the roof, or the battery is at 50% several hours sooner than expected. You also know what you've installed or changed. The gut feeling is usually right, and there's some good tools around to help find the problem.
I think spotting a rogue app is more down to your own experience, to be honest. You know how your phone normally works, how long the battery lasts, what your settings are, how much data you use, etc. Most people tend to notice when something changes - data use goes through the roof, or the battery is at 50% several hours sooner than expected. You also know what you've installed or changed. The gut feeling is usually right, and there's some good tools around to help find the problem.
1208
Member
yeah ok thanks, not too keen on installing diag' apps if they're not needed. Probably Angry Birds using most of the battery so WHEN I complete it I'll see what happens then
Eris Ed
Android Expert
yeah ok thanks, not too keen on installing diag' apps if they're not needed. Probably Angry Birds using most of the battery so WHEN I complete it I'll see what happens then
LOL! Yeah, Angry Birds tends to have quite a major effect on the Desire battery!
papa j
Well-Known Member
can someone explain to me why when i look in my task killer to see what apps are running in the back ground i see a load that i never opened 
http://www.google.co.uk/search?hl=e...ning+i+see+a+load+that+i+never+opened&spell=1
http://www.google.co.uk/search?hl=e...ning+i+see+a+load+that+i+never+opened&spell=1
widehead
Android Enthusiast
can someone explain to me why when i look in my task killer to see what apps are running in the back ground i see a load that i never opened
Android manages apps for you. If your apps are set to synch automatically they'll do it without you needing to open them.
Remember that Task Killers are not necessarily telling you which programs are actually running in the traditional sense of the word but ones which may be stored in RAM for use in the future. These "stored" apps are not running, not draining your battery and not slowing the system. Android is not Windows.
Uninstall your task killer and let Android do what it was designed to do.
Task Killers drain your battery, slow everything down and prevent Android from working as it was intended.
funkmuncha
Newbie
so then why if task killers are such a bad idea on andriod is ATK the first app on the list in the market? I guess its to do with popularity but is the market not moderated by android developers?
the battery life debate rages on!! i once read that the best way to get your smartphone battery to last longer is to charge it more often (oh!?).
@widehead, people dont seem to dig you so much dude, i think your comments are generally well informed and usually quite helpful, but if you say good things about iphones here youre gonna be as popular as a pork chop in a synagogue
the battery life debate rages on!! i once read that the best way to get your smartphone battery to last longer is to charge it more often (oh!?).
@widehead, people dont seem to dig you so much dude, i think your comments are generally well informed and usually quite helpful, but if you say good things about iphones here youre gonna be as popular as a pork chop in a synagogue
For me, installed one as all the magazines and web articles on Android I read before buying mine said I'd need one. I didn't factor-in the fact that the articles were written by idiots.
StevenSeed
Android Enthusiast
Well put.
As I've said before, this should no longer be a matter for debate. How much more proof to people need??
alackman
Android Enthusiast
i agree that task killers seem to be more of a hinderance than helpfull and yes I was one who put one on when 1st got desire as hadnt looked into fully about understanding android etc. Of course I no longer have it or want it, but funkmuncha makes a point im interested in an answer to
"but is the market not moderated by android developers?"
im interested into why there is no official google/android message to people about how uneccessary they are?
I woiuld have thought that given andoids ability to self manage etc that...especially in the andorid marketmplace there may/should be some kind of guidelines about this?
"but is the market not moderated by android developers?"
im interested into why there is no official google/android message to people about how uneccessary they are?
I woiuld have thought that given andoids ability to self manage etc that...especially in the andorid marketmplace there may/should be some kind of guidelines about this?
alackman
Android Enthusiast
with respect, that certainly isnt what I want,
I simply want to understand why somehting (TK) that is so useless and even damaging to battery etc yet seemingly so popular in downloads in the market isnt highlighted by google/andorid as being so unnecessary - and therfore the said "idiots" who write the articles about taks killers would be better informed to give new andorid users a clear understanding of how to use this technology. People can only know what they know.
funkmuncha
Newbie
alackman
Android Enthusiast
This is my point. People only want it because they think it will make their phone function more effectively. Surely something that functionally does the exact opposite needs to be highlighted as such by makers of android rather than people solely relying upon community forums for this kind of information. For example why is this information not so documented and redily available that the people selling these phones, writing about these phones, offering customer support for these phones can give tge correct advice. I think I read on one of these threads about task killers that someone in HTC support even suggested one as a way to improve battery!
Cougar
Android Enthusiast
You're quite right. I apologise and would like to withdraw that statement.
With no respect whatsoever, what you want there is an iPhone.
(-:
Less flippantly, what I mean is, it's the nature of the beast. Either you have an open platform where developers are free to do what they like, or a closed one where everything is tightly moderated. The latter exists, it's what Apple do with the iPhone.
The open nature of Android is one of its primary distinguishing features, what sets it apart from the competition. However, it's not ideal for everyone; some people want things to 'just work'.
The Android market has a review system where people can vote apps up or down. The fact that task killers rate so highly would imply that, however misguided, some people must evidently like them. The alternative you appear to be suggesting is that Google veto Market apps; this is diametrically opposite to the ethos of how Android works. If you really really want that, you can have it, but you bought the wrong phone for it.
That said, I take your point. Essentially 'rogue' apps should be highlighted as such. However, I'd disagree strongly that vetting by Google is a good idea.