Sunday, July 17, 2011

Update - How to save battery drain on Vodafone Smart 858

Vodafone LogoImage via Wikipedia
Just an update on saving battery drain on a Vodafone Smart 858. Following up from my previous post - How to save battery drain on Vodafone Smart 858

I've stumbled upon another setting which should further restrict your phone from intermittent data access. In the last post turning off background data was the supposed silver bullet which I thought should solve the drain. Although, it had cut it down a good amount, there was still annoying cellular data transfer which I felt was unwarranted. These transfers occurred when apps were syncing or getting ads relayed to them.

The offending setting can be found under:
Settings>Wireless & networks>Mobile networks
  • Data enabled (Enable data access over Mobile network)

Simply uncheck this option and the little 3G/G symbol should disappear. Now you've fully choked data transmissions and hopefully added to your battery mileage.

Disclaimer: This content is purely for informational purposes and should not be taken in mission critical scenarios. The author accepts no liability for any consequences arising from using this information. The previous part is dismissible, if and only, usage arising constitutes a favorable return and arouses generousness in associated user, who further, wishes to divulge part of generousness to author.Enhanced by Zemanta

Sunday, July 10, 2011

Hurdles for Google+

Google Logo officially released on May 2010Image via WikipediaHow exactly will Google+ fair in an open market for social networking, let alone in one dominated by the uber behemoth facebook?
Although Google have had a bit of  knowledge garnered from its earlier social networking incarnation, Google Buzz, there is still a lot going against it.

Familiarity
Let's face it, people are accustomed to being, well, accustomed. It's hard to break people away from rituals and habits they've become used too. Unless if you are a current daily user of Google and it's offerings, which includes its menu/navigation system, expecting the average user, who expects just the social experience and nothing else, to learn a new system, is a bit too much. Unless Facebook were to inadvertently orchestrate an incorrigible faux paus, Google+ will be facing a long, hard, uphill struggle against wooing users over.

Target audience & History

In following with familiarity, Facebook started off as a focused network catering to college students in one institute then to other institutes and which was finally opened to the general public. People who already knew each other were simply allowed a place to connect and collaborate. These connections are always expanding, but the bulk of connections were created early on. As with any migration from one system to another, very few people would be happy with the downtime associated with not being able to just communicate with their peers, family and so on. Unless if Google+ has a full on import like what Wordpress offers to blog users wanting to completely switch their blog from another blogging site, lock, stock and barrel, this is another hindrance for Google+.


Like begets like?
Although in the feel, somewhat, and layout, Google+ closely mirrors Facebook, unless and until Google+ offers something groundbreaking in terms of user experience, networking tools etc. there will be little pull to motivate people to move to it. Just having similar appearances would hardly draw people to another brand unless if there's substantial value to be gained which would at the least offset the hassle of moving or more than make up for it. Sure the privacy concerns are vital to most users, but at this early stage it's hard to say how effective the Google+ circles are, if indeed they do not prove to be an encumbrance to the overall social experience.

Monoply much?
This is a doozy; most people don't realise this, but based on what they search and view based on the results, Google further ascertains what search results are pertinent to you. What this means is that based on your browsing habits, Google screens what it thinks is important to you. It might be a good thing, but, more than equally, it might not be. I wouldn't like results screened or otherwise influenced, nor do I want most of my browsing routines crystallized into some user profile.With Google+ this means your social network, search engine, email, and any other Google service you're signed up for, are connected with just one user id. Integration into the Google machine itself doesn't warrant any alarm bells but I for one would like some segregation of my online activities. Whether it be for a bit of comparative anonymity or feeling like all your eggs aren't in one basket in case of hacker attacks on the company or just natural downtime.

There can only be one, can there?
Facebook has had it ups and downs, taken its lumps, faced its competition and come out on top all but obliterating the rest. It has had tenure. Google has a lot to offer and is an internet powerhouse to boot. Of course no matter how ardent the support or criticism, only time and trial is telling. It will be interesting to see how Google+ fares against Facebook, if it manages to get out of the pre and postnatal phase that all contenders inexorably have to course through.
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Thursday, July 7, 2011

Transformers 3 - Dark of the Moon

What seemed to be a cross between a few sci-fi classics, and not so classic, movies all ingested, and regurgitated, Transformers 3 was watered down, dull, uninteresting and somewhat longer than an a usual movie. That was about the only worthwhile part of it, you got something substantial , albeit bland and tripe, for what you paid.

At this point the plot of a movie being predictable seems almost a given with not much suspense or quality left in films. The only way it could've been worse was if it had been a Bollywood production where lack of quality and content is the rampant norm.
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Friday, July 1, 2011

How to save battery drain on Vodafone Smart 858

I've just purchased my first ever smart phone courtesy of Vodafone.
**** Update: 7th Aug 2014 recently moved up to a One Plus One **** 

I'd noticed on the Vodafone site itself, the biggest complaint was how short the battery seemed to last. Chocking it up to just regular energy demands for a smart phone, I didn't think too much of it. At the price it was available I didn't care, much.

However, after having barely used it for a day the battery was almost completely drained. So I charged it fully before going to bed. The next morning what I awoke to was perplexing. No it wasn't a giant bean stock. The battery was less than 30 percent and i'd not even used anything.

I tried app killing software, turned off WIFI and everything else, but still nothing. But I did finally find the hitch. So here's what to do:

First off, make sure you do all the manufacturer recommendations to preserve battery. Then make sure to check if the following are off or on:

Settings>Wireless & network settings:
  • Bluetooth
  • Wifi
Settings>Location & security settings
  • Use wireless networks (this can be kept on as long as Wifi in the previous menu is set to off)
  • Use GPS satellites (as a default this is the largest drain on battery mentioned by the manufacturer)
Now the rascal that I got caught out with
Settings>Accounts & sync settings

  • Background data (this actually uses your cellular connection to continuously relay info back and forth from servers to installed apps)
The last one was the kicker. Now with those settings turned off, your smart phone should see battery usage drop to that of a regular 'Dumb' phone. I don't rely too heavily on internet or app use or games. But occasionally turning them on to access the internet shouldn't drain the battery as much as say leaving them on.
With the background data setting on, my battery usage while on idle or standby was equal to the amount used by the Android system itself.

Apps will still have access via 3G or other connections which will have to be adjusted from within the Apps' own settings, however, turning off background data, should, drastically lessen the flow.

**** Check out my new One Plus One I recently bought ****

Disclaimer: This content is purely for informational purposes and should not be taken in mission critical scenarios. The author accepts no liability for any consequences arising from using this information. The previous part is dismissible, when and only, usage arising constitutes a favorable return and arouses generousness in associated user, who further, wishes to divulge part of generousness to author.Enhanced by Zemanta

Kung Fu Panda 2

Here begins my summer or lack lustre movies. First off, Kung Fu Panda 2.

Considering how thoroughly entertaining and wise the first one was, I was hoping for a something equally moving and tickling. However the jokes barely had a pulse. At one point, a little girl in the audience just blurted, "That's not funny," which nicely contained the entirety of the film.

In keeping with kung-fu movies, training ever continues. However, this falls short as Po is only required to sequester the art of inner peace. Which he overcomes with relative little, so not much for the audience to absorb there. The story also reveals Po's origins and how he ended up being adopted by a noodle selling goose.

The strongest point of the movie, very emotional for yours truly, is the confrontation of both Po and his dad when he finds out he's adopted and the images of a baby panda so helpless and dependent just pulls at your heartstrings.

The movie does pick up around the midpoint with a generous offering of action, thereby not completely denigrating the experience. However, this sequel pales like a nausea induced visage to the original.

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