Editing Make your battery last longer
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Before reading on, have a look at the N900 User Guide on your tablet, and read the section '''Prolong battery life''' in the chapter '''Find help'''. | Before reading on, have a look at the N900 User Guide on your tablet, and read the section '''Prolong battery life''' in the chapter '''Find help'''. | ||
- | == Do not put your device in a pouch with magnetic clasp == | + | === Do not put your device in a pouch with magnetic clasp === |
This is a rather odd problem, but is actually quite common. It is alone sufficient to spend a fully charged battery in less than a day. | This is a rather odd problem, but is actually quite common. It is alone sufficient to spend a fully charged battery in less than a day. | ||
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The keyboard slide is detected by a magnetic coupling and nearby magnets may confuse this function. So if you put your device in a pouch or jacket pocket that uses a magnetic clasp, the device might believe that the keyboard is opened and closed all the time. | The keyboard slide is detected by a magnetic coupling and nearby magnets may confuse this function. So if you put your device in a pouch or jacket pocket that uses a magnetic clasp, the device might believe that the keyboard is opened and closed all the time. | ||
- | == Don't have 3G enabled unnecessarily == | + | === Don't have 3G enabled unnecessarily === |
This applies more to the [[Nokia N900|N900]], but if you use a 3G-enabled cell phone to connect your older tablet to the web, this tip should help your phones' battery life. | This applies more to the [[Nokia N900|N900]], but if you use a 3G-enabled cell phone to connect your older tablet to the web, this tip should help your phones' battery life. | ||
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Many users find that they have about 50% battery left after a full day's worth of usage if they only use 3G when really needed (and don't have the magnetic clasp problem). | Many users find that they have about 50% battery left after a full day's worth of usage if they only use 3G when really needed (and don't have the magnetic clasp problem). | ||
- | == Turn down the screen brightness as low as you can cope with == | + | === Turn down the screen brightness as low as you can cope with === |
- | One of the | + | One of the major sources of battery drain on a portable device is the screen. If it's very large and very bright, it will use up a lot of battery life when it's lit. |
One of the best things you can do to save battery life is to turn down the brightness on your tablet's screen to the lowest level that you feel comfortable with. The lower it is, the more battery life you will save. Just click on the screen brightness icon (the icon that looks like a sun in the status bar at the top) and adjust the brightness on the sliding scale. | One of the best things you can do to save battery life is to turn down the brightness on your tablet's screen to the lowest level that you feel comfortable with. The lower it is, the more battery life you will save. Just click on the screen brightness icon (the icon that looks like a sun in the status bar at the top) and adjust the brightness on the sliding scale. | ||
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For Maemo 5, you can use the [http://maemo.org/downloads/product/Maemo5/simple-brightness-applet/ Simple Brightness Applet] (available in Extras) to have easy access to the brightness controls. | For Maemo 5, you can use the [http://maemo.org/downloads/product/Maemo5/simple-brightness-applet/ Simple Brightness Applet] (available in Extras) to have easy access to the brightness controls. | ||
- | == Make the screen dim and switch off as soon as possible when not in use == | + | === Make the screen dim and switch off as soon as possible when not in use === |
Like all portable gadgets, Nokia's internet tablets have an automatic dimming and shut down period on their screens. If you don't use a tablet within a certain time period, the screen will dim, and if it continues to be unused the screen will switch off. You can make it switch back on at any time just by touching the screen. | Like all portable gadgets, Nokia's internet tablets have an automatic dimming and shut down period on their screens. If you don't use a tablet within a certain time period, the screen will dim, and if it continues to be unused the screen will switch off. You can make it switch back on at any time just by touching the screen. | ||
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If you get annoyed by how quickly the screen dims or shuts off, you can always increase the Brightness Period and Switch Off Display time until you feel more comfortable. However, this will use up more battery life than the minimum times. | If you get annoyed by how quickly the screen dims or shuts off, you can always increase the Brightness Period and Switch Off Display time until you feel more comfortable. However, this will use up more battery life than the minimum times. | ||
- | + | === Switch off Bluetooth when you don't need it === | |
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- | == Switch off Bluetooth when you don't need it == | + | |
The Bluetooth wireless system is intended to let the tablet easily connect to nearby accessories or computers, but if you're not using the connection then it's worth switching it off to avoid it needlessly wasting battery life. | The Bluetooth wireless system is intended to let the tablet easily connect to nearby accessories or computers, but if you're not using the connection then it's worth switching it off to avoid it needlessly wasting battery life. | ||
- | Bluetooth doesn't use much power in standby mode | + | Bluetooth doesn't use much power in standby mode so this may not have much of an impact on battery life, but if you genuinely don't need it then there's no point having it switched on. |
+ | |||
+ | To switch off Bluetooth just click on the angular B icon in the status bar at the top, click on "Bluetooth Settings", and untick the box marked "Bluetooth On". Click "OK" and the Bluetooth will switch off. | ||
- | To switch | + | To switch it back on again, go to the Applications menu (the green squares on the left), click on Settings, click on Control Panel, double-click on Bluetooth and tick the box marked "Bluetooth On". |
- | + | ||
- | == Switch off Wi-Fi when you don't need it == | + | === Switch off Wi-Fi when you don't need it === |
Again, like Bluetooth the Wi-Fi wireless standard doesn't actually use that much power when it's in standby mode (but there are still some nasty bugs in the wifi subsystem that can drain your battery in an hour, like https://bugs.maemo.org/show_bug.cgi?id=6615), but if you really don't need the Wi-Fi connection then there's no point having it switched on. | Again, like Bluetooth the Wi-Fi wireless standard doesn't actually use that much power when it's in standby mode (but there are still some nasty bugs in the wifi subsystem that can drain your battery in an hour, like https://bugs.maemo.org/show_bug.cgi?id=6615), but if you really don't need the Wi-Fi connection then there's no point having it switched on. | ||
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To re-connect, click on the same icon, then "Select Connection", then click on the connection you were using before and press "Connect". | To re-connect, click on the same icon, then "Select Connection", then click on the connection you were using before and press "Connect". | ||
- | + | === Turn on Wifi power saving mode === | |
- | + | ||
- | == Turn on Wifi power saving mode == | + | |
{{main|Wifi power saving mode}} | {{main|Wifi power saving mode}} | ||
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The Nokia tablets support power saving mode (PSM) for wifi. You can find out more about how to turn it on, and the positive and possible negative consequences in [[Wifi power saving mode|this page]]. | The Nokia tablets support power saving mode (PSM) for wifi. You can find out more about how to turn it on, and the positive and possible negative consequences in [[Wifi power saving mode|this page]]. | ||
- | == Don't switch off the tablet! == | + | === Don't switch off the tablet! === |
Yes, that's right, if you want to save battery life then do NOT switch off the tablet when you've finished using it. | Yes, that's right, if you want to save battery life then do NOT switch off the tablet when you've finished using it. | ||
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If you switch off your tablet and then switch it on a few hours later, this apparently uses up more battery life than just leaving the tablet switched on for several days. For this reason, it saves energy if you leave your tablet switched on all the time, just like you'd leave a mobile phone switched on all the time. | If you switch off your tablet and then switch it on a few hours later, this apparently uses up more battery life than just leaving the tablet switched on for several days. For this reason, it saves energy if you leave your tablet switched on all the time, just like you'd leave a mobile phone switched on all the time. | ||
- | == Use Offline Mode (aka Flight Mode) == | + | === Use Offline Mode (aka Flight Mode) === |
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- | + | A quick and easy way to shut down the tablet's radio transmissions (ie. Bluetooth and Wi-Fi) is to put the tablet into offline mode, which is the same thing as flight mode. | |
- | A quick and easy way to shut down the tablet's radio transmissions (ie. | + | |
To do this, press the power button briefly so that a menu appears, click on "Offline Mode", click on "OK" as necessary, and you will be in offline mode. | To do this, press the power button briefly so that a menu appears, click on "Offline Mode", click on "OK" as necessary, and you will be in offline mode. | ||
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This is useful also at night if you don't want to be disturbed by messages etc with N900. Just put it to flight mode when going to sleep and online when you wake up. No need to be afraid that silent mode has the alarm too silent etc. | This is useful also at night if you don't want to be disturbed by messages etc with N900. Just put it to flight mode when going to sleep and online when you wake up. No need to be afraid that silent mode has the alarm too silent etc. | ||
- | = | + | === Replace your SIM card === |
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- | == Replace your SIM card == | + | |
As it turns out, an old SIM card will have a lot of scratches on its pins. Some of them may even be bent inwards or otherwise damaged.The SIM cards are not designed to last more than couple of years and they really should not be taken out of the phone frequently as this damages the pins. | As it turns out, an old SIM card will have a lot of scratches on its pins. Some of them may even be bent inwards or otherwise damaged.The SIM cards are not designed to last more than couple of years and they really should not be taken out of the phone frequently as this damages the pins. | ||
- | Long story short, old SIM cards "leak" power due to bad contacts and increased internal resistance | + | Long story short, old SIM cards "leak" power due to bad contacts and increased internal resistance. In addition, other users have mentioned that depending on their age, different SIM cards operate in different voltages (5V, 3V, 1.8V). The N900 has support for legacy SIM cards which means older SIMs will require more power. |
The operator probably will give you a new sim for free if you ask kindly. | The operator probably will give you a new sim for free if you ask kindly. | ||
- | == Shut down any applications you're not using, and be careful when using unofficial applications == | + | === Shut down any applications you're not using, and be careful when using unofficial applications === |
If you have an application running in the background, this uses up battery life. If you're not using an app, it's a good idea to shut it down (or "kill" it) using the task icon in the bottom left hand corner of the screen: just click on it and click on the X next to whichever app you want to shut down. | If you have an application running in the background, this uses up battery life. If you're not using an app, it's a good idea to shut it down (or "kill" it) using the task icon in the bottom left hand corner of the screen: just click on it and click on the X next to whichever app you want to shut down. | ||
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Some applications, especially unofficial ones, may use up far more battery life than they're supposed to because they're badly programmed. If you find that your tablet's battery life has suddenly turned to mush since you installed an application even though you don't use it very much, bad programming in the application may well be to blame. The easiest way to check if this is the case is to remove the application and see if the battery life improves. | Some applications, especially unofficial ones, may use up far more battery life than they're supposed to because they're badly programmed. If you find that your tablet's battery life has suddenly turned to mush since you installed an application even though you don't use it very much, bad programming in the application may well be to blame. The easiest way to check if this is the case is to remove the application and see if the battery life improves. | ||
- | Most applications work fine and don't mess around with battery life, but some do, and it's this minority that you have to watch out for. | + | Most applications work fine and don't mess around with battery life, but some do, and it's this minority that you have to watch out for. |
- | == Adjust refresh rates for apps that fetch data from internet == | + | === Adjust refresh rates for apps that fetch data from internet === |
This appliese to every app that has a setting for refresh rate. Do you really need to have every time max 29 minute old weather forecasts or could you cope with 2 hours old data? What about fetching email every 15 minutes, what if you would get mail once in a hour? And one can always manually poll the mailbox when needed. | This appliese to every app that has a setting for refresh rate. Do you really need to have every time max 29 minute old weather forecasts or could you cope with 2 hours old data? What about fetching email every 15 minutes, what if you would get mail once in a hour? And one can always manually poll the mailbox when needed. | ||
- | == Remove Widgets from desktop == | + | === Remove Widgets from desktop === |
It probably isn't very great idea but if you need to really optimize battery life, you should remove every widget. | It probably isn't very great idea but if you need to really optimize battery life, you should remove every widget. | ||
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But every time a widget refreshes it's display, it uses the processor and consumes battery. | But every time a widget refreshes it's display, it uses the processor and consumes battery. | ||
- | == Trim mailbox == | + | === Trim mailbox === |
If your mailbox has 50 folders, it will slow the fetching and therefore consume much more battery. | If your mailbox has 50 folders, it will slow the fetching and therefore consume much more battery. | ||
- | == Know how to spare batteries == | + | === Know how to spare batteries === |
The batteries wear out eventually. To increase using time and see some tips when buying new batteries, look through [[batteries]] article first. It has a lot of useful information. Also, charge up when you have the chance. | The batteries wear out eventually. To increase using time and see some tips when buying new batteries, look through [[batteries]] article first. It has a lot of useful information. Also, charge up when you have the chance. | ||
- | + | === Check your profile settings === | |
- | + | ||
- | == Check your profile settings == | + | |
Do you really need your phone to vibrate and play a sound as loud as possible when an email is received? Or could the notification light do the trick fully? | Do you really need your phone to vibrate and play a sound as loud as possible when an email is received? Or could the notification light do the trick fully? | ||
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This is also very minimal amount of battery drainage but still worth considering. | This is also very minimal amount of battery drainage but still worth considering. | ||
- | == Observe your usage == | + | === Observe your usage === |
Some of these techniques are more efficient than others, and some affect the user-experience more than others. Try out different combinations to improve your battery life, but don't compromise too much. Find the best way for your own usage and keep your device usable! | Some of these techniques are more efficient than others, and some affect the user-experience more than others. Try out different combinations to improve your battery life, but don't compromise too much. Find the best way for your own usage and keep your device usable! | ||
- | + | Two good apps to help you keep tabs on your battery usage profile are Battery-Eye that shows a history-graph of your battery levels, and Conky that (among other useful things) shows your current CPU load and the most CPU-intensive apps running at the moment. Both are available from the Maemo-extras repository. | |
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[[Category:Users]] | [[Category:Users]] | ||
+ | [[Category:Beginners]] | ||
[[Category:N900]] | [[Category:N900]] |
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