[PCWorld]

Post your comments for 10 Ways to Boost Your Smartphone's Battery Life here

[chet50]

11. Get a Windows Phone

[Gimasag3]

@chet50
Hahahaha nice

[simpleminded]

If your running Android download the Quick Settings app and control widgets from "Curvefish" to toggle gps, wifi, 3g/2g, off when not in use. I place these right on my homescreen along the bottom for full system control without going through the extra menus. Use quick settings to to adjust your screen brightness on the fly. On my Optimus V I keep my screen set at 40% brightness indoors.

Don't use a task killer with Android. The only time one would be needed is if an app wouldn't close due to buggy coding. If that happens just force close the app and uninstall it. Often task killers hurt battery performance due to continually killing tasks that are necessary and keep restarting themselves.

I have rooted my Optimus V and am using the Harmonia 1.2 rom. Custom roms are available for many different usage scenarios. Harmonia clears away all the bloatware and leaves a lean mean core that is much better than the Virgin Mobile bs that came with my hardware.

I get 2 days of use from my battery if I only use it for talk and text. If I play something like plants vs zombies for a couple of hours or stream slacker with the screen off for a few hours I still get a true full day out of my battery.

So, keep your extra radios off i.e. wifi, gps and 2g/3g/4g when not in use. Keep your screen brightness down. Root your Android or Jailbreak your iOS device and run a more efficient rom. Lastly DON'T run your battery dead, it kills it much faster. If possible charge at not less than 40% for optimum lithium ion battery life.

This post has been edited by simpleminded: 06 June 2011 - 07:46 AM

[namd88kg15]

This article is so wrong to suggest ATK. It's a battery killer!

[LiveBrianD]

Quote

On Android phones, we've seen great results from JuiceDefender, which automatically toggles your radios on and off and manages your phone's CPU usage to optimize your battery life moment-to-moment.

Is this like how many PC CPUs throttle their speed down when they aren't under load? If so, great idea! It's certainly not a new one though.

[karthiq]

Useful article!!

[freeoperant]

11. Root your phone and uninstall the bloatware that you never use.

[Okipapa]

Get an iPhone. It has yet to run out of juice, and that's with push enabled.

[paragonviet]

A helpful article, thanks author.

[Haasman]

I was told by a Verizon rep to do a hard re-set of my phone after each OS update. Although skeptical, I did and I was amazed by how much my battery lasted.

Some apps do simply suck the power out of these phones.

The advantage with iOS is some of this power consumption have been vetted in the developer kits, through their power section specs.

I was told by a Verizon rep to do a hard re-set of my phone after each OS update. Although skeptical, I did and I was amazed by how much my battery lasted.

Some apps do simply suck the power out of these phones.

The advantage with iOS is some of this power consumption have been vetted in the developer kits, through their power section specs.

[Bill164]

I too was frustrated at the length of time for the battery on my HTC Incredible. So, I put a widget on my home page for the SETTINGS - MOBILE NETWORK. From this one app on my home page, I can turn off my data connection to the Verizon network. I also have my Bluetooth and Wireless connection turned off. This can get my battery to last for 2-3 days. It makes my HTC just a phone with texting. If I want the data connection, I just turn it on when I need it.

[RobWeinstein80ay]

I have an android phone. Using the "Appkiller" app to shut down apps when I'm not using them extends the live of my battery a lot.

[WuTangFourEver0xio]

Advanced task killer creates all sorts of issues, auto killing essential apps that need to re open is counter productive, its akin to stop and go traffic vs cruise control on the highway, the same goes for juice defender. Too many customers put these on their devices not knowing exactly what they do and why their phone isnt working they way they expect it to. Im truly dissapointed with these recommendations pcworld, speak to the techs in any national carrier and see the issues they resolve by simply uninstalling those two applications, they are #1 problem causers in android.

Advanced task killer creates all sorts of issues, auto killing essential apps that need to re open is counter productive, its akin to stop and go traffic vs cruise control on the highway, the same goes for juice defender. Too many customers put these on their devices not knowing exactly what they do and why their phone isnt working they way they expect it to. Im truly dissapointed with these recommendations pcworld, speak to the techs in any national carrier and see the issues they resolve by simply uninstalling those two applications, they are #1 problem causers in android.

[JonathonChambers0kna]

I have a blackberry and under moderate usage I get 12 hours out of my phone and under heavy usage (lots of pandora) I get 6-8 hours

[EricEpstein]

Where can I buy a phone that sends (transmits) to GPS satellites? The only receiver on those satellites is the satellite control system on earth.

[Jale]

"...your phone's GPS unit, which is a little radio that sends and receives signals to and from satellites..." NOT!!! There is no transmitter in a phone GPS part, it's just a receiver.

[wildtech]

I thought the same thing on the GPS transmission issue. Seems like a minor thing, but it's a fundamental error of understanding of what has become a ubiqutous technology and just fuels paranoia among the already paranoid. It also cheapens the rest of the article whether the rest of the facts are right or not.

[JustinFranklin]

lmao windows phones are for noobs who dont want to be compatible with anything

[LarryGrant2007]

The single best battery saver I've found is not to use 3G/4G. This has easily doubled my battery life. I've got wifi at home and work, where i spend about 90% of my time, and the other 10%, I'm either driving, or in range of a free wifi hotspot. When I did have 3g/4G, 90% of the time it never worked because of poor signal strength.

So now with a t-mobile, pay as you go, i spend about $5/month for my phone time.

If i really need 4G, I've got a separate hotspot device, that I can use with not only my phone, but also laptop, tablet, all at the same time, and the cost is only $25/month.