Apps running in the background

After installing and running the taskkiller APK I found, to my surprise, that the eDGe has quite a lot of apps running in the background. Some of these, like the library and email I can understand.

But a whole bunch of others, like VPN, for instance, google friendservice, or the default browser (even though I use Dolphin)? Also, it appears that some third party apps (like google voice) also run in the background automatically on startup.

As far as I can tell, there is no need for these apps to be running, but yet they do and take up memory, processor resources, and contribute to battery drain.

As far as I know, there's no way to disable loading apps at startup. The only solution I have is to manually kill these processes with taskkiller, which obviously is not an ideal solution.

Anyone have thoughts or other solutions?

Bueller? Anyone?

I'm not an Android expert but here's what I've learned so far:

Since Android is based on Linux, once the kernel is loaded it executes /system/core/init, which launches the processes listed in init.rc. One such process is app_process, which is the Zygote Java VM. The process that handles launching userspace apps appears to be /system/bin/runtime. You would need root to edit init.rc.

As far as user apps launching at boot, I'm still doing some research, but it appears that an app can register a class to receive the "BOOT_COMPLETED" action. This action is broadcast after the Java VM is initialized and the system is ready to execute user code. When the receiver class for the app receives this action it launches itself. I think you can disable this behavior by editing the AndroidManifest.xml file and removing the appropriate <intent-filter>. Here's an example: http://www.anddev.org/launch_activit...rtup-t428.html

I'm not sure if this works or if there's a better way. I'm still really new to Android. I don't even have a terminal on my eDGe yet or downloaded the SDK.

Here's some helpful links that explain this:
http://www.anddev.org/viewtopic.php?p=33996
http://benno.id.au/blog/2007/11/13/a...under-the-hood
http://benno.id.au/blog/2007/11/18/a...mework-startup
http://blog.vlad1.com/2009/11/19/and...probably-many/
http://blog.chinaunix.net/u2/85805/showart_1421736.html

Cool, thank you for all the replies! I notice that the background apps do take RAM (available memory goes up when the processes are killed) but generally do not take up processor time (according to "top"). So I would say the main concern with these background apps is that they take up memory (and clutter up the taskkiller window

This is an article on Android memory usage. One of several that seem on track. Basic rules at end of article are very clear.

http://geekfor.me/faq/you-shouldnt-b...-with-android/

This is a app dev site with more info.

http://www.zomut.com/watchdog

As an 'ordinary joe' (heh heh), it made so much sense that I've installed ($$) the app on the eDGe. It works great.

Am hoping that one of the forums 'Android Dev' will shed light on the basic question: "Is a Taskkiller necessary?"


Edit: Froyo update does not allow 'Taskkiller' apps.

http://androinica.com/2010/08/09/fro...k-killer-apps/

In my limited exposure to Android, I've been told that Android shuts down unused apps to make room for whatever app you're using. Well-written apps will work seamlessly with Android to shutdown when requested, and reopen to their last state when the user switches back to an app. Some apps, like email, tend not to shut down because they're always doing something in the background (i.e., checking your email account). Most non-Internet-connected apps should shutdown politely, though, making Taskillers only necessary for ill-behaved apps, or apps/services which insist on running every time the device boots whether you want/need them or not.

That's the theory as I've learned it, anyway

i noticed that if i used in an app and then close it, it stays in the list. I mean, when I press the home button a bit longer, i get a list of apps my eDGe is running. even when I close an app, it comes in the list. I'm not sure if that also eats memory.I also don't knowhow I can get it out that list.

When I first updated to Dingo, I opened every single app I had installed (some 15 of them). After the 15th app, my eDGe remained snappy and responsive.

Originally Posted by Franky

i noticed that if i used in an app and then close it, it stays in the list. I mean, when I press the home button a bit longer, i get a list of apps my eDGe is running. even when I close an app, it comes in the list. I'm not sure if that also eats memory.I also don't knowhow I can get it out that list.

That list of 6 apps is a list of the last apps you used, they are not currently running. The list allows you to quick switch between apps, kind of like a quick launch shortcut on a computer.

That is the conclusion of what "paid" reviewers and so-called experts say. Their documentation seems valid enough for me to embrace and 'pretend' it is true. (I would't post it here if I did not expect (Hope for) further discussion.

...............................
Since we are eagarly awaiting Froyo:

"Froyo:
Google has changed the kill API that the task killers use. In 2.2(Froyo), the kill API now just restarts the app. It will come right back, under a new system process. This fits quite nicely with Watchdog. If an app was stuck in a bad state, or was performing some strange work in the background, a restart will "reset" the app back to its initial state.
Before 2.2, killing an app would destroy the app's scheduled jobs, and services, leaving it useless. If you killed Astrid, you'd receive no notifications for it, and might forget to pay that parking ticket. Kill Twitter, and you won't be notified about new tweets.
This is wonderful news, and it doesn't affect Watchdog at all. Watchdog's primary use is to alert the user about applications that are consuming CPU. Task killers try to do the same thing by killing everything, hoping they get the misbehaving app(even if there isn't one). Now that the kill function just restarts the app, killing tasks is mostly pointless. A task killer can kill an app all day, but it will restart normally. And if that app starts again to eat CPU, how will you know? Watchdog will tell you about the app, and if it is truly broken, you can uninstall or send a bug report."

....................

I am recommending/hoping that someone (gee... I wonder who) will download the free WATCHDOG.apk from the market and evaluate it. It is currently on my phone and edge.
Newer/Better ones will be developed but is this approach valid?

If you were hoping I'd try out Watchdog, I'll disappoint you I'm afraid I personally see no need for task killers under my current usage of my eDGe. To date I haven't spotted an app that hindered performance. Where battery life is a concern, I merely turn off wifi and/or set the screen timeout to 2 minutes or less, and or simply close up my eDGe when not in use

Question for you: would it not be a concern that Watchdog is now running all the time in the background, measuring and tracking things?

Which prompts me to again remember that in Android, very few apps actually "run" in the background. When you switch to another app, Android pauses the app, stores it state to storage and shuts it down (recall that you can't have multiple apps open on the screen at the same time, side by side, like a desktop OS like Windows or OS X). When the user returns to it, Android restarts the app, tells it to reload its data from storage, and resume working. I'm guessing at least 80-90% of the apps we install don't actually run in the background, and most of what else is running in the background are Android system processes (which you generally mustn't kill). The notable exceptions are music players, email, and utility apps like Watchdog.

I totally agree with Boris. I've had an Android phone for about 2 years and never kill apps. If you are seeing a lot of battery drain or having a hard time with sleep on the Edge check apps that sync, like Astrid, Google Voice, Executive assistant etc and adjust how often they are allowed to sync.

You both right. Absolutely. Where I got the impression that using a taskkiller was the right thing to do and everyone was doing.... I don't know. But, your post(s) made me interested in the subject and I began to read up on it. Stopped using a taskiller sometime ago.

Key word is "guessing"

My edge is currently running..

Android Core Apps Background 0.0%
Watchdog Foreground 0.6
Android System Foreground 0.2
Reader Service Background 0.0
etc, etc. All apps listed, listing changes as cpu usage changes,

Taking the 'guesswork' out of anything gives me a warm feeling.

Anyway, responses from the appropriate people are always gratefully received.

My job is done...

Edit: Did not mean to imply any problem with edge.... Never happens.. Just biding my time til Froyo.

Note that under Settings - Application - Manage Applications, you have the ability to "Force Stop" an application if necessary, without the use of a task killer app. Someone from the company that makes the Touchdown Exchange email client posted in the past that killing an app can cause data corruption in the app's data storage since the app is abruptly terminated and not give a chance to cleanly store its data - much like simply turning off the power on a PC without first saving your Word document.

In any case, this discussion is worthwhile as people are always wondering about task killers and if they are (or are not) necessary and beneficial. I wouldn't be surprised if this is predominantly among Windows users (like myself)

Originally Posted by borisb

Note that under Settings - Application - Manage Applications, you have the ability to "Force Stop" an application if necessary, without the use of a task killer app. Someone from the company that makes the Touchdown Exchange email client posted in the past that killing an app can cause data corruption...

I think you are quite right about this all. The warning from the Touchdown-guy back then made me deside not to use a Task Killer.
What I don't understand is that Entourage has an Task Killer-app in the eDGe-app-store. Why would they do that if it's not good for their (our) device?