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I have seen people saying you need one and others saying you dont. Even Android devs posted a blog a few weeks ago saying you really dont need one. I installed ATK and it showed things running that made no sense to me and way more then what my running processes showed under my settings, how is that possible?
task killer vs no task killer... its like automatic vs. manual transmission. many new cars have automatic, but than does not mean that its better than manual (tho sometimes it IS, but rarely).
i do use task killer, but only when needed. sometimes i like to kill my browser to clear out the history and open windows, and once in a while i get an app that's simply not behaving.
frifox said:
task killer vs no task killer... its like automatic vs. manual transmission. many new cars have automatic, but than does not mean that its better than manual (tho sometimes it IS, but rarely).
i do use task killer, but only when needed. sometimes i like to kill my browser to clear out the history and open windows, and once in a while i get an app that's simply not behaving.
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This man speaketh the truth. There's no way to end some apps in Android, but to use a task killer. Browser/Internet is one of them.
The more I deal with Android, the more I realize how unpolished its code is. For example, to decades old WinMo.
acrh2 said:
This man speaketh the truth. There's no way to end some apps in Android, but to use a task killer. Browser/Internet is one of them.
The more I deal with Android, the more I realize how unpolished its code is. For example, to decades old WinMo.
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Windows has a built in memory manager. I use autokiller to manage the memory manager.
Check out Flipz's FAQ behind why you should not use a task killer.
Also check out Flipz's FAQ about how Autokiller works.
danknee said:
Windows has a built in memory manager. I use autokiller to manage the memory manager.
Check out Flipz's FAQ behind why you should not use a task killer.
Also check out Flipz's FAQ about how Autokiller works.
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Thanks, I checked those (or like those) out many months ago, when I was playing with N1.
I have the option for one (SystemPanel), but it has no auto features and I never use it. I use it more for monitoring my device and battery usage.
Advanced users are going to use them. Performance starts to suffer in the system when memory drops to around 100 and gets really noticeable sub 50.
Generally I have 200+ free because I'm on froyo so its not as necessary but on stock the htc **** is just insane. Damage rom does a great job of taking stock and making it useable.
I always used one until FroYo, now I have generally around 260mb free. It's perfect
I was using one (Advanced Task Killer) and finding it frustrating as it would show apps open that I had never used. I would kill them when I found them and then I set it to autokill when the screen turned off. Didn't work, they would still be there when I turned it on. I finally just said the hell with it and uninstalled it. Since then I've noticed that the phone seems to run a lot better with less lag. I like it much better since I dumped the task manager.
I don't use one and normally I uninstall the default browser (it annoys me i cant exit it) and install Dolphin HD as my default.
I used a task manager when I first got this phone, did more research as I tweaked the phone and read about why not to use a task manager. So far its been a week without a task manager and I'm noticing better battery life, and while I don't notice an improvement in performance of any kind, I also don't notice a drop in performance.
I think I will be sticking with no task manager for the time being. Its also really nice not having to worry about what's running or not, and having to run the task manager to exit applications or what not. Its also one less program I have to worry about.
Hello XDA, this is my first post. I've had the EVO since launch and I just installed the early rooted Froyo build when it was released but that's irrelevant because this problem was there from the start. I use Advanced Task Killer and see that random apps are opening without my prompting, things like Google Voice, Gmail, Voicemail...very annoying.
On another note I have much more available memory running this unofficial Froyo, even with these apps opening at their will, than I did originally. Thanks for that, XDA.
Since you're rooted, you have two options that I know of.
Download Titanium backup and when you click on the backup/restore tab, you can click on the apps that frequently pop-up in ATK (e.g., voice dialer) and chose to freeze them. This will render the app inoperable. If you have any functional problems you can simply defrost it.
If you find that you're frozen apps are not causing any problems and you don't use them, you can then uninstall them with root explorer (or another file explore with root access).
I have Titanium Backup and didn't know I could do this, thank you very much. is there any way I could stop the apps from opening without rendering them useless?
Sent from my PC36100 using XDA App
Get Autostarts. Configure it.
If I download Autostarts, will it stop my apps from opening by themselves even if I use them occasionally?
I know StartupAuditor does, but its a paid app...
Negrito said:
I know StartupAuditor does, but its a paid app...
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I suppose I'll go for that then
Some of the apps need to be running in order to work as they should. Unless and app is chewing up a lot of CPU you won't notice a drain on the system. A lot of these apps have services that are running constantly so they can poll the system for updates in state, say like receiving a text, call or email. Likely many of the apps are set to auto-refresh so they have to start every so often to complete a task.
ITS FINEEE!!!!
Ok, I am pretty good with computers and electronics but not so much on Android.
But I have done research from people who do know android, and will tell you what to do.
1. Don't use a task killer!!
2. Android is based off of Linux OS.
3. When you turn your phone on and launch Advanced task killer, all of your apps will most likely be "opened" however they are not running.
4. The way the OS works is by technically having all of those apps opened, but they are most likely not wasting CPU or battery, so don't worry about them, thats the way everyone's android device works.
5. Using a task killer is bad, because when you shut down the apps, eventually you will get a lot of force closes, because apps that were supposed to be open were closed and their for not running the way they should.
6. Apparently the OS runs better with more apps open, however its not like windows mobile where if you have 3 apps running at once, it will make the phone slower. Android is designed to have all apps "opened" Again it does not mean they are running.
However,
If you notice that a certain app is hogging CPU or causing poor battery life, delete it, but if you really need the app, then you can use the task killer to kill that app.
And no if used a task killer, your phone will not be ruined or anything.
Hope this helps.
agreed, don't use a task killer, they are essentially useless and just end up causing problems on the evo
What your seeing is most likely the app 'process' so it will actually work correctly.
I don't know if this is an issue with android.. or galaxy s... or "Advanced Task Killer".... but apps keep popping up after i "Kill" them....
when i say apps pop up... i mean random apps that i have not touched...
for example I never touched the Visual Voicemail as i don't have use for it.. and amazong mp3.. the list just keeps going ...
i don't know why it keeps reloading after i "kill" them..i did google this problem and could not find any one else complaining... maybe i didn't do a good job of searching... this is wayy too frustrating
is there a "Fix" for this?
well first you shouldn't be using a task killer. Second they show up there because some apps run in the background occasionally without you even opening them.
Because the apps are doing stuff and you keep killing them so they restart. Stop using a task killer and let android handle the running programs like google programmed the os to do. The google programmers are really talented I promise.
As said above. Apps auto run in background. Android deals with this efficiently, best not to use a task killer
Don't use task killers.
It's really that simple.
Task killer is a no no for Phones with 128+ RAM
Most stuff needn't be killed, but T-Mobile includes some bloatware that has absolutely no right to be running at all, much less all the time (hi, daily briefing). The "don't use a task manager" meme is fine for a stock android phone where presumably you're only installing things that you actually want to use, but when you buy a branded phone you really *don't* want the carrier garbage running all the time. At best, it sits around doing nothing until Android kills it on its own, but at worst it can drain your battery life and cause instability.
The only surefire solution I've found is to actually remove the offending bloatware using root explorer or titanium backup.
^^TL;DR Remove bloat, don't use a task killer.
Sent from my SGH-T959 using XDA App
Ok, I'll ask if no one else will, why not run a task killer? What is the downside?
There are any number of applications on the phone that I literally never use like Amazon MP3, Slacker, and Visual Voicemail, why would I want to leave those running when I have no use for them, and there is an easy way to kill them off when they spawn themselves?
lmlloyd said:
Ok, I'll ask if no one else will, why not run a task killer? What is the downside?
There are any number of applications on the phone that I literally never use like Amazon MP3, Slacker, and Visual Voicemail, why would I want to leave those running when I have no use for them, and there is an easy way to kill them off when they spawn themselves?
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I think its ok to use Task Killers for occasionally stopping apps that are giving you issues (running slowly, frozen). The problem with using Task Killers is that it can make your system unstable, it can mess up widgets, and Android doesn't really need it. Android will close apps on its own when it needs more memory . Most apps, if programed correctly, will use little to no battery power when idle in the background. It can take more battery power to start up an app again rather than opening it from idle.
lmlloyd said:
Ok, I'll ask if no one else will, why not run a task killer? What is the downside?
There are any number of applications on the phone that I literally never use like Amazon MP3, Slacker, and Visual Voicemail, why would I want to leave those running when I have no use for them, and there is an easy way to kill them off when they spawn themselves?
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Click to collapse
We're finding more and more that on higher end phones, such as the Vibrant, when a task killer is running the Android OS isn't being allowed to control the apps to it's full potential and some of the task killers are causing problems. After we remove the task killers, problems can occasionally be resolved. Not always, it's just something we're seeing. At least in my store and when I can in to support.
Because when an app is running in the background, it uses practically no battery. Most of the time it is not using any processor clock cycles just taking up some ram space. You don't have to worry about the ram being used because android will automatically end apps when it needs more ram. A lot of the time, ending an app via task killers will actually slow the phone down because when you go to open the app again it has to totally reopen rather than just awake from an idle state. Android 2.2 is even better at managing background tasks and running a task killer will almost guarantee a slower phone.
Read 4 post down.
VVVVVVVVVVVVVVV
Smart Bars not a bad one that you can start up and kill a task that wont exit out. However i wouldn't use it to "free up RAM"
When you start up the phone on stock rom w/ all the bloatware you have like 20+ random apps already running by default. If you ran a quadrant test now your score wouldn't be as high as if you killed all those apps then did the test. I went from 1900 to 2250 by killing all the apps. Not a huge difference but personally I don't like things like Slacker or GoGo running in the background when I never use them.
I don't like using task killers though, I just wish all these stupid apps wouldn't start when the phone is booted up. It can really make the phone slower. Killing all apps + lagfix means load times are almost non existant. Having all those apps running + lagfix means you will get some stutters in load times.
Task killers often show cached apps. They are not running just on stand by until you open them.
Sent from the best phone from TMO... Vibrant
There is an app called "Start Up Auditor" It disables any app you want (yes including the bloatware) Form starting up when you boot up and randomly while the phone is on.
For example I have all my bloatware that I don't want set to do not start at boot up unless I physically choose to open that app.
Better than any task killer out there. So you NEVER have to worry about the bloatware other than it taking up some memory.
http://android-developers.blogspot.com/2010/04/multitasking-android-way.html
That's really the best explanation right there. It explains just why Android does what it does.
Sorry, no tl;dr for the lazy.
I had my task killer on auto kill cuz i was frustrated..... but i'm gonna go download that "Star up Auditor"... sounds like the most efficient way... since i actually do use Slacker..
anyhow..thanks alot guys for the suggestions..
The best, most efficient, smallest footprint, and easy-to-nav app that can kill unnecessary apps/services and block ones you don't want coming up?
rorytmeadows said:
The best, most efficient, smallest footprint, and easy-to-nav app that can kill unnecessary apps/services and block ones you don't want coming up?
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I always have and still do use Advanced Task Killer off the market.
Have always used Android Assistant but it seems to have some problems blocking apps in honeycomb.
It's been posted time and again on many Android forums that Task Killers are generally a bad idea. Let Linux do its thing. If an app is misbehaving, uninstall it. Use Titanium Backup to either freeze or uninstall ANY application (root is required).
jimbobtexas said:
It's been posted time and again on many Android forums that Task Killers are generally a bad idea. Let Linux do its thing. If an app is misbehaving, uninstall it. Use Titanium Backup to either freeze or uninstall ANY application (root is required).
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Click to collapse
Why are they generally a bad idea?
And what does freezing apps do?
Sometimes Task killers are necessary for a misbehaving app. I have several that I use that sometimes fail to close properly start using large chunks of cpu time in the background.
Blocking an app from starting up is different. Some applications want to start up everytime you power on your device and it is just not necessary. This is where blocking them from starting up I find a beneficial. Before doing this though you should analyze the application and how much memory and cpu is actually using.
However I agree That using a task killer to constantly kill tasks in the background is indeed a bad idea.
A few points about Linux, Android and Task Killers:
1. Android is based on Linux, but the Dalvik byte code layer and framework design makes the OS it's own entity.
2. If all apps were designed to spec, there were no fragmentation and they "played nice", then a task killer would not be needed. Since a lof apps do not and there is fragmentation, a lot of apps do not play nice. Even OEM loaded apps can suck the resource soul out of a device. The Sony Play is an example of this (great device slowed by AWFUL bloatware).
3. Task killers are very handy to kill rogue apps that are an issue and the key is to exclude system-apps, which are usually the little green & white icons, but not always.
Dupe post. Silly.
I understand that task killers drain your battery, but im not gonna lie I like bein able to close all my apps and not gettin notifications all day long. so is there something out there like this that doesn't constantly run in the background?
Iconia said:
I always have and still do use Advanced Task Killer off the market.
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Same here. Put the widget down bottom right of the screen, just tap it every now and then. Works like a charm.
Yes, I read the other threads out there but no true answer.
I have a ton of apps in my auto-end list... I've heard two things, keep em on there and let them kill them but I also heard for Android 2.2 and above it actually hurts the battery life because it takes more juice to restart the app after being killed then actually leave it running. Any insight on this at all? I currently have every app that isn't a widget on the auto-end list and would like to know if I should stick to this or get them off there?
I added and removed stuff on the auto end list and it doesn't seem to make a difference to me. I started to "freeze" apps from starting by using Titanium Backup. I know it costs a couple bucks but whenever I change ROMS, it reinstalls all my apps that I had downloaded. There's apps like weather service and news, DLNA, and a few others that I don't use but when I look at running apps they are running. Hope this helps.
cwburns32 said:
Yes, I read the other threads out there but no true answer.
I have a ton of apps in my auto-end list... I've heard two things, keep em on there and let them kill them but I also heard for Android 2.2 and above it actually hurts the battery life because it takes more juice to restart the app after being killed then actually leave it running. Any insight on this at all? I currently have every app that isn't a widget on the auto-end list and would like to know if I should stick to this or get them off there?
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I use Gemini App Manager to alter the auto-start conditions for every app. Apps don't start until I start them. Isn't a noticeable difference between startup times for me. Once they are running, I let them run or quit on exit if the option is there.
Phoneguy589 said:
I added and removed stuff on the auto end list and it doesn't seem to make a difference to me. I started to "freeze" apps from starting by using Titanium Backup. I know it costs a couple bucks but whenever I change ROMS, it reinstalls all my apps that I had downloaded. There's apps like weather service and news, DLNA, and a few others that I don't use but when I look at running apps they are running. Hope this helps.
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I have TiBu and do freeze apps I don't use but I'm talking like the Market staying open after you shut off the screen or the messaging app, etc. Not apps I don't use, I'm actually talking about apps I use, apps I don't use are already frozen.
I wouldn't have anything on auto-end list... It basically force closes the app every time you exit out of it then, which is a big no-no.
The way I see it, if an app is using battery in the background, it needs to do it and shouldn't be closed. If it doesn't need to use any battery or processing power, then it won't even if the task manager SAYS it's still running (it's really minimal).
Task killers are probably only useful to kill apps that are going haywire and running when they shouldn't be...In which case, reinstall or just don't use that app.
But I say, don't put anything on auto end. If you are worried about losing battery, lemme tell you I get two days of battery life and I don't do even have a task manager. I just use setcpu to underclock while the screen is off/while I'm sleeping/etc.
I wondered about this too, and while some people still claim to get better battery life with one, I always see articles like this: http://androinica.com/2010/05/googl...-imply-task-killermanager-apps-are-pointless/ that tell me you should never use one ever.
You don’t need to kill an app just because a task manager says it’s running. Android automatically closes apps if the phone requires RAM or if that app remains inactive too long.
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There's also this quote that seems to argue that it's more harmful:
Applications may seem present to the user without an actual process currently running the app; multiple applications may share processes, or one application may make use of multiple processes depending on its needs; the process(es) of an application may be kept around by Android even when that application is not actively doing something.
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I keep something around to easily pick out running apps to force close if they're borking out on me, but I don't have any auto-kill or kill all running apps with a whitelist or anything.