Android phones…. one of the greatest things that has happened to Kenyans (ideos) & everyone else the world over… their ability to be found in every price range, shape & colour are what attract most people to these devices, not forgetting their smartphone nature.
The challenge most people are faced with after owning the device for a while is, “How do I optimize this device?” This question involves issues that have plagued the Android community for so long…issues such as battery life… data consumption….speed/lag of the OS.
Over time, through experience and multiple mistakes I can be as bold as to say I’ve ALMOST found a fix to the above problem(s)…
We’ll deal with them slowly & easily that even the noobs (new users) will find it tax-free….
People make the mistake of filling an A-device [newly coined term for an Android device] with too many applications which inevitably leads to battery drain…
To optimize for speed, discard of applications that are:
- NOT necessary/unessential…. those that just are in your phone but you don’t use much… those that a week can pass before you even open it, by mistake….
- That consume a lot of data but don’t add as much value to your life…. sorry to say this…apps such as foursquare, Skype, Facebook (just use the browser)… I picked on such apps because they’re constantly running in the background & keep consuming data…
- Redundant….. having 3 media players, 4 browsers, 2 twitter apps.. all 3 versions of angry birds…. (just remain with one at most 2 if REALLY necessary)
- That ALWAYS run in the background unless intended by you… (one can check on this at Settings > Applications > Running Services by observing the time the apps have been running). Such apps are the same that consume excess data or drain your battery unnecessarily….such as Skype, most social network apps…etc
To optimize data use….
Learn which applications use your data most and wisely decide on their necessity (do a cost-weight analysis)….apps for social networks tend to use a lot of data same as those for RSS/news feeds. If they don’t meet your analysis… DISCARD!!!
One can also opt to retain the said apps BUT drastically reduce their SELF/AUTOMATIC refresh rate… this also applies to accounts & sync… preferably keep the refresh rate at a minimum or turn it off all the same.. .it also depends on how much you value the ‘refresh’ of the info offered by that application..
Some prefer to Turn OFF background data but if the above is done well the background data that your phone will self-acquire/consume will be intended.
Get a low running app such as data counter which is just a widget that shows you daily data consumption which assists you in assessing your consumption patterns & planning accordingly.
One can also get Traffic Counter/3G Watchdog which breaks down the data consumption PER APP… showing you those that run rampant with data when you’re not looking!!!!
To optimize battery life…
The above steps should get you well on your way to a longer lasting battery life… but for those who want more
Turning radios off…. such as GPS, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, NFC even turning to Flight Mode (turning off the phone function) will ALWAYS save battery life.
Also, Turning your data off is a real battery saver & even better is turning to flight mode but such tactics compromise the title awarded to our devices….SMARTPHONES!!! But I’d recommend an app such as JuiceDefender…. better yet the PAID version… which does the above but in a wise but automated manner…it toggles your data (turns it off or on) when your phone is idle or when you’ve locked your screen… it also can put your phone in Flight mode at convenient hours of the night & restore connectivity at peak hours…. & wisely control use of your radios!!!
If all of the above is done you shall come to notice an increase in performance of the device….
~DGM
254tech 