Google map question

[gill.batez]

Hi,

I am new to android and just bought my first smart phone, atrix. I have a question regarding google maps and places app. Are these apps just using data from my data plan or they are pay per use app? What all apps are pay per use kind of apps in atrix (so that i should stop playing with them).

Thanks,

 

[attweco]

Welcome to the Android OS world, and I hope you are enjoying your Atrix.

I am guessing you are concerned about data consumption by your device.

All apps which obtain data from the network, such as Google Maps, consume data. But, Google Maps does not use data, unless you actively use the app. So, if Google Maps is open and you are just letting it sit there, no data is consumed. Once you start messing with it, then it starts eating data.

You can observe this process, easily. There are up and down arrows at the top of your screen. Anytime you have an app open, and you are seeing those up and down arrows lit up, you are using data.

Some functions of your Atrix use data, by themselves. For example, if you have a weather widget going, it will refresh its weather info, from time to time, and that will eat data. Your Gmail or other email apps will check for mail, from time to time, and that will eat data, silently.

So, there's some processes which use data silently, while others depend upon your actively using it. The key to knowing when the data is moving, or not, is to watch for those up and down arrows at the top of your screen. When they are active, so is the data!

I recommend checking the "My AT&T" app, which is built into your Atrix. It will track your data usage, during each month, and tell you how much data you have left, before you reach the limits of your plan.

Finally, there is a power setting which you can use, which automatically shuts off data use, if the Atrix is left idle for 15 minutes.

 

[gill.batez]

Thanks for the detailed reply attweco, Can You suggest some more power saving settings to improve the battery life ?

 

[attweco]

Short of experimenting with power management apps, one way to start is in the Atrrix "Settings" "Battery Manager". Inside that, there is "Battery Mode", and you can experiment with the pre-designed power usage plans, in there. There's even a design-your-own option.

I use the "Maximum battery saver" setting option, but it does have the downside of shutting down data usage after 15 minutes on standby, which means that the Atrix will stop checking for new emails and other data-dependent apps, once the device goes into standby battery saving mode. However, as soon as you wake up the phone, it checks for everything. Another thing about the "Maximum battery saver" setting is that it attempts to keep the screen from being any brighter than necessary, by using the ambient lighting sensor built into the device. Since screen use is one of the top power draws, this is a good idea. But if you like a bright screen, all the time, you may not like this.

Only you can decide which settings meet your personal needs for the Atrix.

Another approach which many take is the use of Task Killers. This approach can save memory and also power consumption by shutting down un-necessary processes and apps, which are running in the background. This approach has risks, because some processes and tasks are needed to keep the overall OS operating properly. Killing the wrong processes can cause undesireable effects, like freezes and shutdowns. So, use that approach with care.

And, there are a number of threads in this forum, which have suggestions for conserving your battery. As I wrote, above, it's really a matter of how you, personally, use the Atrix, which has the biggest impact on the way it consumes power, and which of these methods are convenient for your use.

 

[ross.lafferty]

I recommend checking the "My AT&T" app, which is built into your Atrix. It will track your data usage, during each month, and tell you how much data you have left, before you reach the limits of your plan.

This is going to be your golden ticket, you will eventually end up consuming SOME level of your data plan, but it's best to know so you can use the settings (under battery manager) attweco mentioned to disable data sync if it gets close.

It'd be nice to see ATT and Verizon bring back the unlimited data plans I'm holding on to my unlimited plan forever