There are plenty of ways to keep a phone’s battery running longer and more importantly, keeping owners with a usable smart phone. But aside from the usual tips and tricks that apply to all smart phones in general, the Android operating system has some settings that can be adjusted to further improve the battery life. Google’s Android is the OS you’ll find on the new Samsung Galaxy 3, Galaxy 5, and Sony Ericsson XPERIA X10 Mini, among many other phones.
But first off, the basics. As is works with other mobile phones, it also works with the Google Android OS –switch to a low power mode. This means turning off the ringer and the vibrate function on the device (silent notifications) and also, turning the screen brightness down. These two settings alone should help save energy. It also helps leaving the handset in a location with a clear signal. Having a device constantly having to seek out a better reception will take a toll on the batteries.
GPS, WiFi, 3G and Bluetooth can also be shut down when not in use –these are very important as they tend to drain power constantly, most particularly WiFi and GPS.
Now that’s done with, the main focus is on shutting down some Android functions. The various features such as auto sync and auto update provide plenty of convenience to users, but unless they are really needed, it is recommended to turn these features off. Shutting down apps running in the background is also important, as these will naturally drain power. In fact, the “Battery Use” tab on the menu will give users a read-out of the different energy consumption rates of apps that were used –giving users a clear idea of what drains the batteries the most.
While apps should be shut down, there are some app worth running –such as the Airplane Autoswitch app which sets your device to shut down from all radio functions when not needed –like when users are asleep.
Posts Tagged ‘smartphone’
Tweaking Your Android for More Battery Power
Wednesday, June 23rd, 2010Altek Leo Brings High End Camera Technology to Smart Phones
Monday, June 21st, 2010
When a digital camera maker starts making a smart phone, you star realizing how common the feature has become to mobile phones. Indeed, since the early days of the very first VGA cameras on mobile phones, newer, better quality cameras have been used in smart phone technology.
Sony Ericsson had their line of Cybershot capable smart phones (which combined the technology of their digital cameras with their mobile phones) and now, Taiwan based camera manufacturer Altek is adding their device into the upcoming list. The Altek Leo is not your ordinary smart phone.
While it will be running the familiar (and feature packed) Android 2.1 Éclair operating system, and users will get a nice big TFT capacitive touch screen to play with, this handset’s biggest feature is the 14 mega pixel camera. This camera uses a 1/2.3 inch CCD sensor, has 3x optical zoom and uses Xenon flash technology. It is the most impressive camera ever seen on a mobile phone yet –that or this is the first camera to run the Android operating system. Either way, the Altek Leo is certainly a phone that changes the way we see digital cameras.
Not to say that Kodak, Nikon or Minolta would also be producing smart phones anytime soon, but this latest development is a milestone for smart phone technology, and of course connectivity –that the concept of being able to communicate with one another is so ingrained in our society that even a digital camera would support the feature.
Altek has not disclosed any details on what other features are present in the device, but it is hoped that users will have a special app that allows them to easily upload and share images on the internet –a special Picasa or Flickr app would certainly be a welcome addition to this handset. While the camera features will doubtless be impressive, it remains to be seen how well the Altek Leo’s smart phone features will hold up against the other big phones on the market, such as the Apple iPhone, Samsung Galaxy S and Google Nexus One.
How Smart Phones are Changing the Internet
Thursday, June 3rd, 2010
The internet is evolving, for the past few years, the volume of people with online access has increased, the concept of having internet connection in the home has become a standard and every house started having computers.
With the arrival of smart phones, access to the internet has changed. People are no longer tied down to sitting in front of a desktop device just to check mail –phones can now do that. And with faster connectivity thanks to improvements in WiFi technology and the emergence of 3G networks, it is no longer surprising that smart phones are quickly becoming the device of choice for many users.
These days, many major websites come in two flavors –standard browser and mobile versions. People access site through mobile phones so much that many web developers have to constantly provide provisions for mobile phone access. This also means that mobile sites have to fit certain resolutions as well since mobile phones have smaller screens than computers.
Facebook’s 0.facebook.com and m.facebook.com mobile access websites are two such examples of creating a mobile site. Size is not the only consideration; speed is also an important factor. People using smart phones are one the go, and cannot afford unneeded delays. Also, since most data plans have a set allowance for downloaded content, the smaller the file size, the better.
Naturally, with the mobile browser’s (mostly) unique touch based interface, the design of mobile sites often make use of larger buttons and links –otherwise, they are meant to be navigated with directional keys.
Of course, the prevalence of mobile web access is just one part of the evolution of the internet. The presence of better desktop computers and the arrival of tablet devices are certain to provide even more standards. This is evidently seen in the new Dreamweaver CS5 update which provides web developers with previews for standard browsers, tablet browsers and mobile browsers.
AppBrain Market Sync Brings PC Downloads for Android
Thursday, June 3rd, 2010
In a most ironic twist, the Android smart phone is not able to do one of the most basic functions of the iPhone/iPod Touch and iTunes –install software from a computer. While Android fans are certainly unhappy about this, app developer Swiss Codemonkeys have gone off to create a solution: the AppBrain Market Sync.
This simple app combines the use of an Android App and a browser function. PC users simply need to go to the official AppBrain website in order to access the Android App store. From there, users can connect to their Android smart phones and queue downloads straight to their computers.
This function is a serious godsend for many Android users as it can be a pain to download large apps straight into a smart phone. Leaving the phone on a constant download drains plenty of battery and leaves a user restricted to not being able to use the device. By allowing the computer to queue downloads and handle installation to the smart phone, users are able to fully maximize having an Android device.
Another great thing about AppBrain is that is actually allows for user feedback regarding app downloads. These recommendations and reviews often give users a good point of view before making a purchased download –which is really useful since the Android Market’s “top picks” category says little about what makes an app good or bad.
The newest version (3.0) of AppBrain’s app provides users with categories, ‘hot apps’, live apps, search, and faster sync functions. In many ways, the success of the AppBrain app should be a warning sign for Google. Many users of AppBrain prefer the app over the actual market place as the interface is easier to use. This means that Google needs to redesign the Android Market to be more user friendly –and also provide PC install functions as well.
O2 UK Confirms Samsung Monte Plans
Thursday, June 3rd, 2010
Samsung fans waiting for the next basic smart phone from the Korean manufacturer might want to pick up the Monte touch screen smart phone from O2 UK. The device may be using the old TouchWiz user interface, but for the no-nonsense smart phone user, this handset is an excellent choice.
As one might expect, not having a special OS like the Android or the Windows Phone 7 takes a serious bite out of the price tag, the Monte is available for just 20 Pounds per month for an 18 month contract under O2. The plan is also pretty generous with its monthly allowances, with infinite texting and about 100 minutes of call time, buyers will certainly appreciate this great deal.
In terms of looks, the Monte looks downright serious and makes for an excellent business phone or for anyone who needs to handset to top off a ruggedly tech-ish ensemble. The 3 inch capacitive touch screen display delivers excellent graphics and vivid colors and while the resolution is only 240 x 400 pixels, it still brings enough lines for wide viewing of media and web pages. As expected, the TouchWiz user interface is a breeze to learn. The accelerometer delivers auto rotate functionality and the overall performance of the handset is pretty smooth.
The camera is a nifty 3.15 mega pixel snapper which delivers excellent still images and also has low speed video recording as well. Users will be able to geo-tag images prior to uploading. Speaking of uploads, the handset comes with social networking integration with live updates so users might want to look for a good data plan for this handset as well.
Overall, the Monte is an excellent low end smart phone with all the usual features that is needed. Lack of a specialized OS will certainly deter some gear heads but those looking for a budget smart phone will certainly appreciate this Samsung device.
Apple’s iPhone Takes on the BlackBerry
Tuesday, May 25th, 2010
The Apple iPhone is one of the most successful and iconic smart phones of all time, and for the general public, it is the handset of choice. For the business market however, Apple’s name is more synonymous with their iMac and PowerBook devices as opposed to their touch screen smart phone. Instead, BlackBerry is the go-to device when it comes to delivering enterprise solutions for many big companies.
BlackBerry first made its name in the business market by turning email access into something as fast and as easy as instant messaging. In fact, the term Crackberry was made due to the many people who found themselves addicted to using their BlackBerry devices for accessing their email accounts all day. With the advent of better wireless technology and networking, RIM (creators of BlackBerry), were able to expand services to over much more than just email correspondence –users can also link up directly to a company’s database (SQL, etc) and more.
Of course, BlackBerry’s phone designs are also part of what made them so successful. Their devices always came equipped with very impressive QWERTY keyboards. Despite the small space on the face of the phones (most of their keyboard layouts were portrait oriented); typing on these handsets, even with large fingers was not a major issue. This was thanks to the well spaced letters and the innovative designs of the buttons.
Despite the initial advantage of the BlackBerry, the Apple iPhone is still a major contender in the business market. Now offering new security features that the BlackBerry has yet to match, there are already plenty of business clients who are considering the iPhone –especially when their phone needs focus less on enterprise related functions and would prefer to have better security instead.
Expect to see these two phones go head to head in the next few months as BlackBerry tries to catch up with the mobile phone market.