The ultimate thread to discuss why everyone experiences different battery life!

[bpaul24]

I have found that using IM significantly drains my battery. If I use IM for about and hour or two a day I barely get through the day. If I don't use IM I can go two days before I need a charge. I use the original battery and always kill apps and turn the backlight off immediately after I am done using the phone. I make a few phone calls a day, maybe surf for an hour.

[Jimbro727]

I have found that using IM significantly drains my battery. If I use IM for about and hour or two a day I barely get through the day. If I don't use IM I can go two days before I need a charge. I use the original battery and always kill apps and turn the backlight off immediately after I am done using the phone. I make a few phone calls a day, maybe surf for an hour.

yeah that supposedly drains alot.. and it's had mixed results for me.. sometimes it'll be a battery killer.. especially if i'm on IM+ and surfing... but then sometimes i'll leave IM+ signed in all day, reconnecting it whenever i notice it got disconnected, and the battery lasts all day! My Q is so weird like that lol

[ZATZAi]

IM is a real killer! The more networks you connect to the worse it is of course, seems that constant data feed sucks the battery something fierce.

[boricuafemme]

I think signal strength is the #1 factor.

I'm in a weak area where I get around 1 bar. It was switching between Ev and 1x every so often. I guess when it drops to 1x and tries to search out an Ev signal that really runs the battery.

I saw a dramatic increase in battery life when I set it to just 1x only.

whats the diff between Ev and 1x? How can I switch it to 1x?

[VTDr0p0ut]

EvDO is a new CDMA technololgy than 1x and supports faster data transmission. Only problem is that it doesn't work so hot in low-signal areas, so the phone switches over to 1x. Once a good signal is acquired, it'll switch back up to EvDO. This continuous switching is a battery-drain (not to mention low-signal areas require more Tx power which sucks up battery as well). If you live in a solid EvDO area, switching to 1x will just make your browsing slower, but it won't save you any battery life.

[bubbatex]

I have found that using IM significantly drains my battery. If I use IM for about and hour or two a day I barely get through the day. If I don't use IM I can go two days before I need a charge. I use the original battery and always kill apps and turn the backlight off immediately after I am done using the phone. I make a few phone calls a day, maybe surf for an hour.

Think about it - anything that is constantly pinging the network is going to drain the battery. For me, making 2-3 hours of calls a day "really drains the battery"!

Oh, $hit, guess I should use it as a phone!

[Derk]

Good tip! I always keep it in its holster clipped to my belt, so I guess I'm getting the best signal possible!

...but fewer dates!

I think wearing one on my belt makes me look like Batman.

[g-funkster]

^ that is so true

[marjwilliams]

...but fewer dates!

I think wearing one on my belt makes me look like Batman.

My wife hates it when I wear it on my belt. But I prefer it being out of the way and out of my pocket. At least with my Blackberry it was so huge that there was no decision to be made. It had to go on the belt.

I'm a new user but I've read so much about poor battery life that I've stashed chargers everywhere I go. I also have a spare extended battery, but I need one of those cradles that will charge the phone and the spare battery at the same time. Unfortunately I think the $25.00 they cost is a bit much.

[Jimbro727]

I don't know what part of the country you're all from, but here in NY almost everyone has a phone on their belt, and alot of them are blackberries or similar! So wearing a phone on your belt just makes you.. normal? around here.

I'm a new user but I've read so much about poor battery life that I've stashed chargers everywhere I go. I also have a spare extended battery, but I need one of those cradles that will charge the phone and the spare battery at the same time. Unfortunately I think the $25.00 they cost is a bit much.

Yeah, I have a 1640mAh extended battery that I use as a spare, and then also the slim battery. I have a Seidio 2100mAh that I use normally, and it works so well that I no longer have to carry a spare on my person (i used to carry the slim in my pocket with the extended in the phone), but I do keep one in the car *just in case*.

It would be nice to have one of those cradles, but I agree, 25 bucks is steep.