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Hiking with a smart phone? a small heads up about just after your first year.

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    • Hiking with a smart phone? a small heads up about just after your first year.

      Well you have a smart phone... but guess what. after a year it fills up a lot of data... you can add memory chips - add apps to a very powerful computer, that lacks a clean up tool. With my first phone it locked up over and over again about two years in... gave up and replaced it with a larger one, same manufacturer - Motorola. A year later and it to couldn't dial a phone number or look at a map. My wife after listening to me - suggested a waterproof Samsung Rugby... One year later - it too was overwhelmed with slow responses ...well I throw a lot of apps and requests at these things.

      This time I did a full reset. but this is different - I backed up all the data - photos - passwords and made sure everything was registered with Google+ and it worked after the full reset- I only had to reinstall a few apps one or two customer contacts. All the same apps are there - and nothing is happening... So I asked a lot of questions to some computer geeks.

      Turns out its not the memory. I am overwhelming the CPU and resident cache. There was some other issues - some apps are running constantly in background even though you are not using them... Kindle is one, Even if you are looking at a map Kindle is crunching the CPU! Other cuprits are Shazam, your Email, Voice recognition. And Adware apps lurking to sell you something. Most apps do not do this, most give you an exit to turn off the app or hitting the main button is the off.

      I just picked up my Christmas present - a Samsung Tablet to be used for work - as soon as I identified myself a google user the tablet set itself up as a copy of the phone and backed up everything, in just a few hours.

      If anyone has a better idea for a clean up tool I am all ears...my next stop is CNET.

      And by the way I have the same number of apps and after reset - no worries... everything works.
      Be wise enough to walk away from the nonsense around you! :thumbup:
    • milkman wrote:

      Rasty wrote:

      You need a application manager that controls what is open.

      Every smart phone should come with a 12 year old kid to show you how to run it.



      Really embarrassing... my 28 year old has an I phone.... I wouldn't dare ask him. Instead I went to home depot and bought a wink with 2 GE LED light bulbs and made him set up the home automated system. (it was on sale) I then yanked out all the old BSR Radio Shack units and updated the electric systems. - it will cut my electric bill by $25 a month.
      Be wise enough to walk away from the nonsense around you! :thumbup:
    • I constantly shut applications that open themselves. Google Play Music is a major PIA.
      No biggy. Ap Manager tells me how many things running. More than 4 and I shut something.
      Also regularly turn Location, wifi, mobile data and similar on and off as needed.
      Get into your Facebook options if you use it and turn off the give my location feature.
      Cuts down on a lot of targetted advertisements as well.
      Resident Australian, proving being a grumpy old man is not just an American trait.
    • I just got my first ever smart phone yesterday! Made my first post earlier today (the beer ad). The problem is that I felt so smug and superior with my out of date flip phone, going around ridiculing all the cyborgs with they heads permanently fixed on their phones. Now I drank the Kool Aid and became one of them (arrrrgggh). I will have to see how much crap I already have on it. (Samsung Galaxy S4)
    • I think it doubled the battery life on my Galaxy S4 when I uninstalled the Facebook app. It's a power hog, even when it's not running.
      Maps is a worse power hog, but only when it's running. I tend to run it only when I'm in the car with the phone on the lighter plug. Never on the trail - I use Backcountry Navigator for that.
      I'm not lost. I know where I am. I'm right here.
    • AnotherKevin wrote:

      I think it doubled the battery life on my Galaxy S4 when I uninstalled the Facebook app. It's a power hog, even when it's not running.
      Maps is a worse power hog, but only when it's running. I tend to run it only when I'm in the car with the phone on the lighter plug. Never on the trail - I use Backcountry Navigator for that.


      I think there's a setting where you can disable videos from running in the background on FB.

      You have to watch out for the app's that automatically update also.
      Lost in the right direction.
    • Anyone who thinks I spend my time staring at my phone ... hasn't been hiking with me.

      The phone is sitting in a pocket, with the GPS recording tracks. Most of the time, it's in airplane mode, because phone service where I hike ranges from sketchy (you might get a text through, don't try to keep a voice connection up) to nonexistent. But I use Backcountry Navigator, PeakFinder, TxtPad (for journaling), and I might even read a novel in bed. Oh, and sometimes I don't trouble to bring a separate camera, so the smartphone does that duty as well.

      I refuse to apologize for living in this century. :)
      I'm not lost. I know where I am. I'm right here.
    • AnotherKevin wrote:

      Anyone who thinks I spend my time staring at my phone ... hasn't been hiking with me.

      The phone is sitting in a pocket, with the GPS recording tracks. Most of the time, it's in airplane mode, because phone service where I hike ranges from sketchy (you might get a text through, don't try to keep a voice connection up) to nonexistent. But I use Backcountry Navigator, PeakFinder, TxtPad (for journaling), and I might even read a novel in bed. Oh, and sometimes I don't trouble to bring a separate camera, so the smartphone does that duty as well.

      I refuse to apologize for living in this century. :)

      Ill airplane mine also, and I keep it usually in the hip pocket only becauseI utilize it as my camera. I tend to take more pictures and have it out more often when Im alone...But keep it on AM because I don't want to be bothered and the service isn't that great in the "Orange county wilderness!" :P
      RIAP
    • Yes, I am still learning. I have the Maps app on my desktop. Is running if I am not actually using it? There are a boat load of icons at the top and it always seems to be downloading stuff. I don't want to pay for more data so do I have to shut down apps I don't use? I tried to shut off one, but I think I deleted it by mistake. There now is an empty spot in my desktop where that app used to be but I can't figure out what's missing. Is there an undo button. I hate cell phones (except Google Translate app. I think I can use that on my trip to Europe this spring).
    • Map ap isn't necessarily running as such but if you have "location" or "gps" on a raft of applications may be tracking you. Most notably Facebook and Google. Facebook can work without knowing where you are but doesn't want to.
      Resident Australian, proving being a grumpy old man is not just an American trait.
    • odd man out wrote:

      Yes, I am still learning. I have the Maps app on my desktop. Is running if I am not actually using it? There are a boat load of icons at the top and it always seems to be downloading stuff. I don't want to pay for more data so do I have to shut down apps I don't use? I tried to shut off one, but I think I deleted it by mistake. There now is an empty spot in my desktop where that app used to be but I can't figure out what's missing. Is there an undo button. I hate cell phones (except Google Translate app. I think I can use that on my trip to Europe this spring).
      You mean this on a PC type desktop? Than no, deleting the ICON from the desktop doesn't remove the program. Just click the Windows(bottom left) and navigate and expand "all programs".
      On my IPHONE, I've stated double-clicking (pushing) the center bottom physical button, which shows what all IS open (and running). A "flick of the finger" on the app and it flies off and "closes".
      Pirating – Corporate Takeover without the paperwork
    • rhjanes wrote:

      odd man out wrote:

      Yes, I am still learning. I have the Maps app on my desktop. Is running if I am not actually using it? There are a boat load of icons at the top and it always seems to be downloading stuff. I don't want to pay for more data so do I have to shut down apps I don't use? I tried to shut off one, but I think I deleted it by mistake. There now is an empty spot in my desktop where that app used to be but I can't figure out what's missing. Is there an undo button. I hate cell phones (except Google Translate app. I think I can use that on my trip to Europe this spring).
      You mean this on a PC type desktop? Than no, deleting the ICON from the desktop doesn't remove the program. Just click the Windows(bottom left) and navigate and expand "all programs".
      On my IPHONE, I've stated double-clicking (pushing) the center bottom physical button, which shows what all IS open (and running). A "flick of the finger" on the app and it flies off and "closes".
      this is whati do as well, double click, and a wick flip of the thumb, done but I'll also monitor my usage of app requiring notification, gps conformations and the like, which is found in the "settings" on the desk top, at least for the ithingy.
    • milkman wrote:

      Rasty wrote:

      You need a application manager that controls what is open.

      Every smart phone should come with a 12 year old kid to show you how to run it.


      Yeah! My 5th graders fix anything wrong with our class computers and are absolutely awesome at it! They amaze me at their ability with these contraptions they've known their whole lives.
      www.appalachiantrailclarity.com - Life on the A.T.

      Sometimes you find yourself in the middle of nowhere, and sometimes in the middle of nowhere, you find yourself.
    • twistwrist wrote:

      milkman wrote:

      Rasty wrote:

      You need a application manager that controls what is open.

      Every smart phone should come with a 12 year old kid to show you how to run it.


      Yeah! My 5th graders fix anything wrong with our class computers and are absolutely awesome at it! They amaze me at their ability with these contraptions they've known their whole lives.

      Thats what my 11 year old son is for...
      RIAP
    • WanderingStovie wrote:

      The problem is the devices keep changing.


      They all behave the same as to what the user experiences are. Example they all use a drop down menu, can run an app and a video - running TV and Movies are a huge issue for the cell tower provider. That's what is driving the new services and tech and constant upgrades. More CPU and memory.
      Be wise enough to walk away from the nonsense around you! :thumbup: