Advertisement
If you have a new account but are having problems posting or verifying your account, please email us on hello@boards.ie for help. Thanks :)
Hello all! Please ensure that you are posting a new thread or question in the appropriate forum. The Feedback forum is overwhelmed with questions that are having to be moved elsewhere. If you need help to verify your account contact hello@boards.ie
Good news everyone! The Boards.ie Subscription service is live. See here: https://subscriptions.boards.ie/

task killers...

  • 04-01-2011 11:38PM
    #1
    Zascar
    Moderators, Motoring & Transport Moderators, Music Moderators Posts: 12,616 Mod ✭✭✭✭


    Ok ok I know everyone says that you should not use them, but all I want is a simple program that will kill an app that I have opened, that I no longer need any more. Sometimes I might open my camera app, use it for 10 seconds, but at the end of the day it has used a & of my battery, I just want to be able to kill the apps I have zero need to run.

    I had Advanced Task Killer, but it always showed a list of loads of apps I never even open, no idea why.

    Any suggestions?


Comments

  • #2
    calex71
    Closed Accounts Posts: 13,126 ✭✭✭✭calex71


    I use advanced task kill and havent noticed any issues, It's set to auto kill a few things but I can manually kill something I know is going to keep running after I use it. I just pull down the top bar on my phone click the little green man and kill off his nasty pals :)


  • #3
    Idleater
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 6,176 ✭✭✭Idleater


    You know the general reasons behind how android operates, so I'm not going to rehash that. There is a great post towards the end of the other TK thread.
    What apps is it specifically you don't start that run? Some are system related.
    If you still don't want apps that you "haven't started" appearing, either turn off all background data and syncing, and see if they still appear.
    Then use ATK to clean it up aware of the concequences.


  • #4
    srsly78
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 7,157 ✭✭✭srsly78


    Background apps aren't "running" they are frozen and not using cpu. Your answer: "don't use task killers".


  • #5
    Saadyst
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 535 ✭✭✭Saadyst


    If you're on 2.2 you can use the in-system task / app manager?

    I still have watchdog on my android, it just keeps an eye on any apps that get out of control and start using too many resources (usually if the internet browser freezes up on a website) - and then I can kill it


  • #6
    Idleater
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 6,176 ✭✭✭Idleater


    srsly78 wrote: »
    Background apps aren't "running" they are frozen and not using cpu. Your answer: "don't use task killers".

    While I agree with the sentiment in your post, in mine above I differentiated between unwanted user apps that were started by the user that can be seen in the "recently used applications" long home press (which you correctly are not even running) and background processes that start unbeknownst to the user.

    Examples of which on mine at present include Calendar, SetCPU, SwitchPro. I of course know that these are valid applications that run in the background but I didn't start them.

    I merely pointed out the misconception of the statement "but it always showed a list of loads of apps I never even open, no idea why. "

    To minimise this list, I suggested switching off any potential background processes/applications - in my case above SetCPU and removal of all SwitchPro widgets would see these not appear in the running services list, but Calendar I would guess would as it is an implicit internal service.

    I wouldn't for a second recommend using a Task Killer, but then I prefer to figure out why an application is running when I believe it shouldn't rather than zapping anything and everything I don't think should be running. If I decide I don't like the way the app is running then I'll either decide to continue to use it and make allowances for the extra battery use if I can't live without the functionality (SetCPU which pays for it's own battery use) or find an alternative application that doesn't keep running.


  • Advertisement
  • #7
    PeakOutput
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 7,638 ✭✭✭PeakOutput


    im using cognition which is a custom rom and launcher pro but im pretty sure the task killer i use comes with launcher pro i find it good but have only needed to use it once or twice

    it annoys me that skype dosnt have 'quit' button only a log off one which leaves it running and it might not use any power but it annnoys me just being there when im not using it so i task kill it, thats about it i have, facebook, twitter, and doggcatcher running constantly and wifi running and i can get a day easy out of a charge


  • #8
    Zascar
    Moderators, Motoring & Transport Moderators, Music Moderators Posts: 12,616 Mod ✭✭✭✭Zascar


    OK I understand that 2.2 manages the cpu etc - but if I have a load of apps open, facebook, msn, skype, maps, camera, email, internet - I find it hard to believe that they do not use up resources and battery life if left on all day but not being used. Am I wrong?

    If I only wanted to kill Running (not background) apps - as in the ones that appear when ou hold the home button, is it ok to use a task killer for that?

    This morning I used my camera (camera 360) for a few minutes, but I have not used my phone for anything except emails, but Camera360 has used most of the battery above anything else.


  • #9
    Idleater
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 6,176 ✭✭✭Idleater


    Zascar wrote: »
    If I only wanted to kill Running (not background) apps - as in the ones that appear when ou hold the home button, is it ok to use a task killer for that?
    IMO No. The Home button is like the most recently used documents on Windows. They are just pointers.

    Android is more like linux than windows so the concepts of memory and resource use by background applications are handled completely differently. I would suggest reading up about how it works and understanding what ATK does rather than cleaning up something that doesn't need to be cleaned.
    Zascar wrote: »
    This morning I used my camera (camera 360) for a few minutes, but I have not used my phone for anything except emails, but Camera360 has used most of the battery above anything else.
    You need to investigate this properly. Have a look at the Partial Wake usage section of the "testing" (*#*#4636#*#*) section to find out what actual usage these phantom apps are using.

    Post up actual results and figures, which will then help figure out what is causing problems. Nothing that I google about leedroid and camera usage suggests it is actually wearing down the battery or hogging resources.


  • #10
    Atomic Pineapple
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 18,272 ✭✭✭✭Atomic Pineapple


    Instead of using the home button to exit the camera try using the back button instead and see if you report the same issue. You should never need to use a task killer and from 2.2 on wards a task killer is a long running service itself taking up battery when its not actually doing anything.


  • #11
    Zascar
    Moderators, Motoring & Transport Moderators, Music Moderators Posts: 12,616 Mod ✭✭✭✭Zascar


    I just found an app called quickboot, it puts a shortcut on your desktop to do a quick reboot of your phone. Not a bad workaround I suppose.


  • Advertisement
Advertisement