Battery life not lasting? Your fix is in here

**HardHitter#AC** · 05-01-2010, 03:11 AM

So I cannot steal someone elses credit, I just thought I'd bring it over to this forum so everyone could know about it. The credit belongs to w0rdie from android forums.

Having tried everything listed in the 20+ topics on the subject (Screebl, Brightness, JuiceDefender, etc, etc) and still dealing with pretty awful battery life I was desperatly looking for something to help me make it though the day...

I was poking around in settings when I found a setting that seems to have really helped a lot.

From home...

Menu > Settings > Wireless & Networks > Mobile Networks (second one) > Enable Always-On -- checked by default, I unchecked it.

It says in its description that it may cause battery drain 'on certain' networks.

Gentleman, I think by certain, they mean CDMA.

I lost the first 15% of my battery (100% down yes 85%) this morning with the phone sitting asleep while I showered and got dressed to go to work. About an hour, I didn't touch it.

Tonight, I took it off the charger at 6:00 -- with fairly moderate use, few calls, 25+ texts, 5-10 emails and a bit of browsing, it was down to 85% at 8:36.

JuicePlotter backs up my suspicion.

If you decide to try it, post up what change you notice; I hope it helps you guys as much as it has me.

I have done this and so far it has really increased battery life. From the research I've done and what other people have said, you still get push from all apps (gmail, facebook, etc etc)

Just wanted to post it up here so others can try it out and post their results too.

**Joker35** · 05-01-2010, 06:21 AM

anyone else try this?

**Slim** · 05-01-2010, 06:45 AM

Yea i tried it...it does seem to help for sure.

**sum spicy rice** · 05-01-2010, 06:46 AM

interesting.. but what does the function do on the phone? "Enable always-on mobile".. looks like it gets cut off near the end?

**TBolt** · 05-01-2010, 06:47 AM

Hell, I'll give it a shot.

original thread:

informative link posted in that thread (I have yet to read it):

EDIT:
This is the message I got when I unchecked the setting...

Attention:
Disabling always-on mobile data may cause connectivity problems in some applications. Please use the manual refresh feature in applications to update online data.

---
Despite that message, people are reporting that their push data is still coming in normally. Good enough for me to at least try it.

**sum spicy rice** · 05-01-2010, 06:51 AM

hrmm are you sure it pushes email? it looks like it's what everyone recommends.. but i hope my email pushes

**Slim** · 05-01-2010, 06:58 AM

Originally Posted by TBolt

Hell, I'll give it a shot.

informative link posted in that thread (I have yet to read it):

this link right here will help alot,,its for the eris but u will be able to figure it out.. Some of the thing u turn off actually tell u it will extend battery life.

Do what he mentioned above and do this.. (settings>accounts&sync>uncheck Background data and Auto sync) will save a bunch of battery

**sum spicy rice** · 05-01-2010, 07:00 AM

1) does it push gmail
2) does it push exchange
3) do apps/widgets like weather/fb get updated automatically still?
4) does this effect GPS/navigation at all
5) does this effect AIM//Gtalk/Texts

Those are my questions lol. I dont get what this 'feature' is supposed to do. If it's pointless and doesnt effect anything mentioned above.. why is it even on there?

**TBolt** · 05-01-2010, 07:00 AM

Originally Posted by Slim

this link right here will help alot,,its for the eris but u will be able to figure it out.. Some of the thing u turn off actually tell u it will extend battery life.

Do what he mentioned above and do this.. (settings>accounts&sync>uncheck Background data and Auto sync) will save a bunch of battery

Okay, thanks Slim. And the OP, of course.

**TBolt** · 05-01-2010, 07:03 AM

Originally Posted by sum spicy rice

1) does it push gmail
2) does it push exchange
3) do apps/widgets like weather/fb get updated automatically still?
4) does this effect GPS/navigation at all
5) does this effect AIM//Gtalk/Texts

Those are my questions lol. I dont get what this 'feature' is supposed to do. If it's pointless and doesnt effect anything mentioned above.. why is it even on there?

All we can do is test it.
I can test #1 Gmail, #3 widgets (not FB), #4 GPS/Nav

Someone else would have to try the rest.

**Joker35** · 05-01-2010, 07:12 AM

ok... i gave it a shot. i will let you know my results.

**sum spicy rice** · 05-01-2010, 07:13 AM

Originally Posted by TBolt

All we can do is test it.
I can test #1 Gmail, #3 widgets (not FB), #4 GPS/Nav

Someone else would have to try the rest.

Originally Posted by sum spicy rice

1) does it push gmail
2) does it push exchange
3) do apps/widgets like weather/fb get updated automatically still?
4) does this effect GPS/navigation at all
5) does this effect AIM//Gtalk/Texts

Those are my questions lol. I dont get what this 'feature' is supposed to do. If it's pointless and doesnt effect anything mentioned above.. why is it even on there?

Tested these with WiFi off.. wanted to see how it would work without WiFi on regular 3G network

1) Gmail works normal
2) Exchange is normal
3) Dunno about this one.. cause my weather i do automatically.. and FB app sucks lol
4) not sure about GPS.. but i'm assuming it would work since GPS is still turned on
5) AIM works, Texts work, unable to try GTalk cause I can't message myself

so far looking good!

**TBolt** · 05-01-2010, 07:25 AM

Yea, I can confirm that Gmail still pushes. Emails are arriving at my phone before they appear in my web-based Gmail inbox.

I'll test the GPS later today.

**twentysided** · 05-01-2010, 07:42 AM

explains what the setting does according to a Verizon store employee. Seems like a great explanation.

OK, this is odd, I know, but I talked to a person at the Verizon store just a minute ago because of some issues I'm having and I brought this up. Here's the odd part, she was really smart, really helpful. Awesome person to deal with. According to her all this does is turns off the ability to hook up with a few low level carriers. I.E. alltel, some no name in KY I have never heard of, and a few others. If you go into an area verizon is contracted to use their towers and this option is turned off your Eris will have a "open triangle" or a "no service" across the top. If this is the case, turn it on and you'll have instant coverage to all features. If you leave this off and you're in a full verizon area or even att, t-mobile, sprint, etc. you'll not even notice anything. Everything will work as normal, data, notifications, sms, mms, email, etc.

Hope this helps.

**h3seaking** · 05-01-2010, 07:42 AM

I think, from reading the links on page one, this is about push data on extended networks. If you are on a Verizon network, everything should work as normal.

**kmully** · 05-01-2010, 08:53 AM

This should be stickied. Trying it out, hoping for good results.

**Mitch R.** · 05-01-2010, 09:10 AM

Market won't work unless background data option is enabled.

**Injektilo** · 05-01-2010, 09:18 AM

Originally Posted by Mitch R.

Market won't work unless background data option is enabled.

Market works fine

**Joker35** · 05-01-2010, 09:18 AM

i can confirm that messages come through. 2 hours later and i only lost 3%. i did this switch 85% batt and i am now only down to 82% and that is with checking messages and do a couple other things. so far so good.

**Zombiepug** · 05-01-2010, 09:21 AM

i too am trying this my phone is still charging so i will post my findings later but gmail does still push just sent myself a test email from an exchange account.

also since people originally said that incredible has a weaker radio(cellular radio) i checked the strength before and after and they were the same so it wont affect speed at all. also this rumor is untrue as i held it next to my fiance's droid and the incredible actually had better signal but droid showed 1 more bar.

GREAT FIND!!!!! PLEASE STICKY THIS!!!!!!

**bulldogmoe7** · 05-01-2010, 09:43 AM

seems that helped a bit. i have been playing with this for about 2hrs straight and only half a battery now. gps is also turned off and the wifi. 3g in my apt here is fast.

**6s1d9** · 05-01-2010, 10:04 AM

Wait, we are in a Droid Incredible thread correct? I read every post here, Turned my Incredible on just now, Menu/Settings/Wireless Networks/Mobile Network-- Checked by default as the post said, I unchecked it and right away my 3G icon went away from my task bar. Clicked the Internet icon and it said "connection failed" Must be connected to network to use internet...

** Disregard**

**Matt** · 05-01-2010, 10:07 AM

Originally Posted by 6s1d9

Wait, we are in a Droid Incredible thread correct? I read every post here, Turned my Incredible on just now, Menu/Settings/Wireless Networks/Mobile Network-- Checked by default as the post said, I unchecked it and right away my 3G icon went away from my task bar. Clicked the Internet icon and it said "connection failed" Must be connected to network to use internet... So as far at the Incredible goes, unless your using WiFi only this post is a fail.

I have an Incredible and I am unable to replicate your problems after disabling the option this thread is about. I think you may be doing something wrong, or have a setting enabled/disabled that we don't...

EDIT: I just thought of something. Perhaps you're in an area that requires connectivity to a tertiary network that this setting allows you to pass data through? Try it in a more populated area, if that's the case. You may be one of the few that needs the setting enabled to retain network connectivity.

**6s1d9** · 05-01-2010, 10:10 AM

Scratch that Matt, I was missing one step... Thanks.

**naga** · 05-01-2010, 10:25 AM

Not sure if it was related but my weather stopped updating for a minute. I had GPS off which I normally do when I'm in the house picked up the phone and the HTC Clock/Weather widget was only showing the clock. Clicked on the weather portion and it showed no connection available.

Went to my connections and turned on GPS and my weather started working fine. Does the weather widget only use GPS to figure out your location or does it also use cell tower triangulation? If so this might be one way that it will affect the phone but again not positive I will have to try it again later as my weather only updates every few hours.

Either way if this improves battery life I could care less.