Log in

View Full Version : Difference between 'off' and 'screen off'...


ben100
11-26-2004, 07:52 PM
Howdy...

I have some issues with my device turning on, and while I'm working on a solution, I have a temporary fix, and a question:

I have a screenlock program that turns the screen completely off (not just backlight) and locks the keys...

I'm wondering what the difference is, battery wise, between actually turning the device off (which, obviously, is not really off, because you still get phone calls, appointments, etc...) and just leaving it on with the screenlock active...

Anyone done this? Strikes me as 'better than off' if there isn't too much of a battery hit...

Thoughts?

Regards,

Ben

yankeejeep
11-26-2004, 09:03 PM
Shutting the device off reduces battery usage to the lowest level possible. Power flow is kept up to maintain RAM and the lowest possible function is maintained to other areas that don't turn completely off. Turning the screen off turns off the biggest power user on most devices: the display and its backlight. There will be more power used in screen off mode as opposed to turning the device off, but that will vary from model to model.

ben100
11-26-2004, 09:26 PM
Anyone ever done any tests? Battery conumption with the power off vs. battery consumption with the screen off?

Ben

surur
11-26-2004, 09:44 PM
The battery time with screen of would be the run time they advertise (e.g 6 to 9 to 12 hours) for different models.

The battery time with the unit off (suspended) would be the standby time quoted e.g 5-7 days.

They always quote the maximum time possible with as much power saving in place ( a bit unfairly, as they are never used that way, accept maybe when playing music)

Surur

ben100
11-26-2004, 10:11 PM
Hmmm...

With my phone (PPC-6601), they quote 'talk time' and 'standby'...

I'm sure the standby (6 days) is longer than I'd get with the phone 'on' by with the screen off, but I also don't think that I'd get as little as the 3 hours of 'talk time' that I presume is time spent with the phone actually connected to Sprint and in a conversation...

I expect the 'screen off but power on' mode would be somewhere in between...

Thoughts?

Ben

surur
11-27-2004, 12:28 PM
You standby time would be the same as I said earlier, accept if you also switched your phone radio off it would be even more, maybe even 10 days.

Your talk time does not equate very well with "screen off, but running" time, as your phone radio is a heavy power user, which would seriously reduce your battery time while being used. Its similar to what you would get if you maintained a wifi connection with the screen off.

Having a Phone edition device, I assume now what you are really asking is "if I switched my screen of while on the phone, would my talk time increase" The answer is yes, but it should happen automatically after a short time in any case, and in telephone conversation I understand you can suspend your pocketpc completely by hitting the power off button.

I hope thats clear (probably as mud :) ).

Surur