Smart actions GPS questions

[droidntn]

Does having Smart Actions triggers that have to do with location use up battery? I would think so. For instance, if I have that example of 'quiet places' set to be the address of a movie theater, does the phone run the GPS in the background waiting on me to get to that location? That has to use up battery. I turned them off today.
Same goes for home/work/anything that has a location trigger.
Am I thinking wrong here?
(first day with my phone)
Thanks!

 

[MA2GA28]

I just said this elsewhere, but I don't think Smart Actions USES GPS. It determines location via wifi connections (it tell you this when you try to set up a location trigger). They probably do it this way for the exact reason you mention. Most people probably will use SA as a battery saver, and wifi wastes less battery than GPS. So, if the SA was constantly using GPS in the background, it would defeat the purpose.

 

[scottysize]

Also, you might not always get a GPS signal in a building in your pocket.

 

[droidntn]

Also, you might not always get a GPS signal in a building in your pocket.

Which leads to the burning question and I can't find documentation: is Smart assist triggered by WIFI or GPS? Whatever causes the trigger...
is the trigger a battery hog?

 

[scottysize]

It uses Wifi. At least I know you have to have Wifi on to get a trigger to work. I'm thinking of buying Tasker, but I'm not sure if it uses GPS either.

 

[droidntn]

Ok..I didn't know you had to have wifi on for a trigger to work. That would make the trigger for location limited then, many places might not have wifi.
hmmm...
I guess that's why when I was out yesterday..I looked on the Smart Actions screen and saw red 'error' on several I had tested to setup.
I wasn't in reach of their wifi.

SO...then, it has to use battery to be SEARCHING all of the time for those location (wifi) triggers..doesn't it?
That'll work on battery life.

 

[MA2GA28]

Ok..I didn't know you had to have wifi on for a trigger to work. That would make the trigger for location limited then, many places might not have wifi.
hmmm...
I guess that's why when I was out yesterday..I looked on the Smart Actions screen and saw red 'error' on several I had tested to setup.
I wasn't in reach of their wifi.

SO...then, it has to use battery to be SEARCHING all of the time for those location (wifi) triggers..doesn't it?
That'll work on battery life.

It does use battery, but not as much as your GPS constantly running in the background to search fro Smart Action locations.

 

[paul-c]

Good thread. Early on when I got the phone I tried out triggering things through wifi. I decided to just go the manual route to save battery life. Searching for wifi is nowhere near the battery killer GPS is, but I still don't care for it.