Battery drain in Androïd ?

If BirdieSync 2.x constantly replaces your girlfriend's photo with your mother's one, this forum is for you...
Post Reply
ChefChaudart
Posts: 30
Joined: Tue Oct 02, 2007 4:16 pm
Location: Belgium

Battery drain in Androïd ?

Post by ChefChaudart »

Hello,

On my device, the drain is quite quick, and when I open the list of applications consuming battery, BirdieSync is at top of the list ! :shock:

Is it normal ?

Cheers

Olli.B
Posts: 18
Joined: Tue Aug 24, 2010 7:09 am

Re: Battery drain in Androïd ?

Post by Olli.B »

Hi,

I can confirm this. Since the last update Birdiesync seem to do sync attempts all the time. In the status line the sync arrows are always active. If you manually kill the birdiesync application, it restarts immediately. The behaviour was different and less agressive in the last version.

This also drains my battery.

BS: Please help soon. Like this I cannot use this software, because I have to recharge my phone every 8 hours now.

Thanks,
Olli.B

Birdy
Site Admin
Posts: 3118
Joined: Tue Apr 18, 2006 11:43 am
Contact:

Re: Battery drain in Androïd ?

Post by Birdy »

Hello Olli.B & ChefChaudart,

I'll investigate on this problem...
Birdy

Birdy
Site Admin
Posts: 3118
Joined: Tue Apr 18, 2006 11:43 am
Contact:

Re: Battery drain in Androïd ?

Post by Birdy »

Do you use BirdieSync in USB or Wi-Fi mode ?
If you use BirdieSync in Wi-Fi mode, do you always keep BirdieSync connected to the desktop ?
When you had this problem, was BirdieSync connected in Wi-Fi mode to the desktop ?
While connected, did you schedule to regularly launch synchronization ? (in BirdieSync settings on the desktop, every 5 minutes for instance)
Which Wi-Fi sleep policy did you choose ? (Settings/Wireless & networks/Wi-Fi settings/Menu Advanced/Wi-Fi sleep policy)
Which value did you set for the screen timeout (Settings/Display/Screen timeout) ?
While values do you have for the battery use (Settings/About phone/Battery/Battery use) ? @ChefChaudart: Did you use this setting to watch battery consumption ?
Thanks.

Note that the synchronization icon in the status bar on the mobile device should not be relevant for BirdieSync.
Birdy

ChefChaudart
Posts: 30
Joined: Tue Oct 02, 2007 4:16 pm
Location: Belgium

Re: Battery drain in Androïd ?

Post by ChefChaudart »

Hello, :D

I use it in WiFi mode.
Now I´m at work, so, far from my Home PC :)
+-> I will check this evening for the scheduling.
No WiFi sleep policy.
Screen Time Out ; 2'
BirdieSync is at 58% ( top user ) ( and Yes, I used your way )

Cheers.

Birdy
Site Admin
Posts: 3118
Joined: Tue Apr 18, 2006 11:43 am
Contact:

Re: Battery drain in Androïd ?

Post by Birdy »

After you see this problem in Battery use, could you send me BirdieSync logs ? I need to check if a particular error occurred which may lead to an unusual consumption.
First, transfer the mobile device log to the desktop with "Help/Transfer mobile device log" while your mobile is connected.
Then build the log archive BirdieSyncLog.zip with BirdieSync menu "Help/Archive logs...".
You can send BirdieSyncLog.zip to support(at)birdiesync.com
Thanks.
Birdy

Olli.B
Posts: 18
Joined: Tue Aug 24, 2010 7:09 am

Re: Battery drain in Androïd ?

Post by Olli.B »

Hello,

@Birdy: I try to answer these questions and have a remark on the sync icon.

Do you use BirdieSync in USB or Wi-Fi mode ?
--> Both modes, but mostly USB because Wi-Fi fails sometimes because of a low signal
If you use BirdieSync in Wi-Fi mode, do you always keep BirdieSync connected to the desktop ?
--> No. I just use it when I come home and shut it down afterwards
When you had this problem, was BirdieSync connected in Wi-Fi mode to the desktop ?
--> They draining is constantly throughout the day without my PC nearby
While connected, did you schedule to regularly launch synchronization ? (in BirdieSync settings on the desktop, every 5 minutes for instance)
--> Not sure, have to check at home, using defaults
Which Wi-Fi sleep policy did you choose ? (Settings/Wireless & networks/Wi-Fi settings/Menu Advanced/Wi-Fi sleep policy)
--> (hope I translate correctly): Never when in Power Supply, but WLAN is switched off during the day
Which value did you set for the screen timeout (Settings/Display/Screen timeout) ?
--> 1 Minute
While values do you have for the battery use (Settings/About phone/Battery/Battery use) ?
--> Now being at 50% (again not sure about the translation) : 91% Android System, 5% Mobile Standby, 5% Telephone inactivity -> Wow 101% in total

Now for my remark about the syncing icon. In the last days I had to completely reset my phone and installed it new twice. The Icon was never shown in the status bar. It just appeared when I did the first synchronisation with Birdiesync and stays there forever as long as any network connection exists. No matter if Birdiesync is started or not. I definetely didn't have this behaviour before.

Second: the Birdiesync process cannot be killed. It is always active and restarts if it is killed manually. This was also different in the past.

Remark: In the Sync settings of the accounts I :
- Enabled Background synchronisation
- Disabled Automatic Sync.
- Birdiesync is deactivated
- Phone Sync is deactivated
- Google Sync is deactivated

So from my understanding there is no other chance than Birdiesync being the application that causes the Sync Icon.

Thanks for your efforts,
Olli.B

ChefChaudart
Posts: 30
Joined: Tue Oct 02, 2007 4:16 pm
Location: Belgium

Re: Battery drain in Androïd ?

Post by ChefChaudart »

Ok, today BS isn´t consuming anything :shock: :D

I´m wondering about what´s has changed ?

[EDIT]
I know what has changed :roll: .
I just rebooted my phone at work, and now, BS pumps again the battery ! it´s probably because I am "far" from my synching PC !?

Birdy
Site Admin
Posts: 3118
Joined: Tue Apr 18, 2006 11:43 am
Contact:

Re: Battery drain in Androïd ?

Post by Birdy »

Do you mean that after a reboot BirdieSync no longer consumes CPU ? (note that BirdieSync is automatically launched when the reboot is completed)
When you were back home, did you try to use BirdieSync ? (It would be necessary to identify what could have changed regarding BirdieSync)
When you say that BirdieSync consumes a lot of CPU, you mean that you can see again BirdieSync at the top of the Battery use ? (Settings/About phone/Battery/Battery use) I ask you that because it's not easy to reproduce...

It's rather tricky to identify the origin of this problem. A lot of tests were made and BirdieSync didn't consume that much CPU when idle.

But another potential problem was identified related to the interaction with Android synchronization service. Maybe there is a link with this CPU problem but I cannot be sure. I think it could be the reason why the synchronization icon could remain in the status bar (this icon was no longer present in last tests).
Could you please install BirdieSync 2.3.2.2 which has just been released and tell me if you see any improvement ?
Thanks.
Birdy

ChefChaudart
Posts: 30
Joined: Tue Oct 02, 2007 4:16 pm
Location: Belgium

Re: Battery drain in Androïd ?

Post by ChefChaudart »

Birdy wrote:you mean that you can see again BirdieSync at the top of the Battery use ? (Settings/About phone/Battery/Battery use)
Yes.
But more icon. 8)

Olli.B
Posts: 18
Joined: Tue Aug 24, 2010 7:09 am

Re: Battery drain in Androïd ?

Post by Olli.B »

Wow, that's what I call a great support. After installing the new version 2.3.2.2, the Sync icon disappeared. Also, the Birdiesync process can now be stopped and doesn't come up automatically. Didn't check the positive impact on battery time, but so far it looks good.

Thanks a lot !!!

Regards,
Olli.B

Birdy
Site Admin
Posts: 3118
Joined: Tue Apr 18, 2006 11:43 am
Contact:

Re: Battery drain in Androïd ?

Post by Birdy »

You're welcome ! :wink: The battery problem is hard to reproduce... So please, inform me if you think the problem disappeared or if you still have problem with the last version of BirdieSync (2.3.2.2). If you still have problem, mention how you saw that BirdieSync consumes too much CPU while idle. Note also that the Android "Battery use" is reset after you plug and unplug your device. The displayed percentages are not "real time" percentages but since the last unplugging.
Thanks.
Birdy

ChefChaudart
Posts: 30
Joined: Tue Oct 02, 2007 4:16 pm
Location: Belgium

Re: Battery drain in Androïd ?

Post by ChefChaudart »

Hello,

I confirm that everyhtings seems fine today :D

Thanks for quick support.


Cheers.

doubledip
Posts: 6
Joined: Wed Jun 22, 2011 5:50 pm

Re: Battery drain in Androïd ?

Post by doubledip »

Advanced App Killer does a pretty good job of cutting down on the processes that drain android batteries. It would be a pretty good short term solution if battery continues to be an issue. I know there a few other good applications in the android app development process at the moment, but for now this is the way I would go regarding this issue. I have held plenty of high level in the past, so you can take this with a grain of salt, but it works. Thanks.
Last edited by doubledip on Wed Jan 18, 2012 12:42 am, edited 2 times in total.

Birdy
Site Admin
Posts: 3118
Joined: Tue Apr 18, 2006 11:43 am
Contact:

Re: Battery drain in Androïd ?

Post by Birdy »

Hello doubledip,

Battery consumption shouldn't be an issue anymore. A problem that could have been linked to a battery problem was quickly identified and fixed some time ago. But until now, no battery problem was reported to support.
Also using an app to kill application can only be considered as a workaround. BirdieSync application on Android is not supported to drain battery. So if you ever notice this, please contact support(at)birdiesync.com about it.
Thanks.
Birdy

Post Reply