Battery Drain/Handcent - Just when you think it's figured out...

[godspeed6]

If your Hero isn't resolving with the popular "work around" to the battery drain/SMS issue, you really need to read this.

In summary: Handcent might be the app causing the problem in some phones.

Okay, so, I've had my Hero since 11/1. Because of all the pre-research, first thing I did was install Handcent and disable notifications within the native SMS. It looked like everything's going along fine, but I hadn't really looked deep into the battery drain/SMS issue ("BD/SMS"). I also installed a small handful of innocuous market apps...games, Where!, switches, star map, etc...

I cycled my new battery in order to condition and maintain the longest charge...after learning more about BD/SMS, it was apparent that the phone was awake at 100% (Settings-->About-->Status).

I tried everything--Soft resets, hard resets (x1), app killers, installing market SW, uninstalling, etc...but I was always sure to use Handcent. I'm pretty handy with a cellphone (i.e. HTC TP w/ MightyROM) and tried all kinds of logical combinations. No matter what I did, battery was chugging along at 100%, 100% of the time. After the one hard reset, the battery drain was <100%, but eventually, the problem was back by end of day.

So yesterday after my cardiac nursing exam, I stop over at the Sprint shop where I purchased my phone to start the formal complaining process with the shop and eventually exchange to a new phone before the end of 30 days. I tell the guy everything I did, he looked at the phone and even compared it to his coworker's Hero that was chugging along at 2%. They even recommended using ATK to improve the battery life and I told 'em that I've done that as well. ATK was already running--one of the last-resort interventions before the hard reset mentioned above and also right before going to the store the morning of my test. This whole issue was driving me nuts.

I told him that I loved the phone, but the battery drain is ridiculous. I don't want a different phone...I love the Hero, but...I want his phone (pointing to his coworker). Mind you, he's being real cool and receptive and he eventually takes the phone in the back...He comes back with a service notice that discusses the BD/SMS and how "HTC" will be issuing a fix "during the next RM"...or MR (next firmware update). He then tells me that the firmware update will probably come out in December or even JANUARY (WTF!?!)

And here was my "Aha Moment": When he took the phone to the back, it dawned on me...from the first day with the phone, I've never actually used the native SMS. I even installed Handcent and disabled native in the parking lot after purchase.

While he's in the back, I go over to his coworker and ask him which SMS client he's using and he confirms that he's only using the native SMS (not Handcent). I then go back to the guy and mention "What if..." What if the Handcent application is the problem??? What if the popular work around to BD/SMS is actually causing the problem? So my guy hands me back my phone and lets me know to give it couple of days (why? don't know.) and if it doesn't resolve, we can start the process of switching phones. What he's done so far is uninstalled handcent and "tweaked" the settings--shortened the screen time and probably other really minor stuff. Phone is still 100%.

On the way home, in my truck, I just say F$%k it and do another factory reset right there on the road (no. 2)...Let's start from the beginning, again, and lets use the native SMS...No Handcent. Well folks, current up/awake time as of 11:30 AM CDT: Up time: 8:50:56, Awake time: 0:23:49 (5%) (give or take).

Handcent is causing the f$%king problem - it's gotta be. My phone has never run this good for so long. I soft reset the phone a couple times yesterday after hard reset and I did a soft reset right before going to bed and those are the resulting times above. Other market apps installed so far: ToggleBlu, ToggleWifi, Google Maps, Scan2PDF Mobile. Keeping installs to a minimum for now.

If all the work arounds aren't doing squat for you, and I've noticed those posts, do a hard reset and do not install Handcent.

Look at me, I just might be a PPCgeeks forum contributor.

[athlet1c]

Interesting. I am coming from teh original SMs app and my battery went fast. The Handscent might be improved or not , but I did notice improvement in teh task killer and the Modaco room removal of some program apps.I removed teh Geocoder and that helped too

[tokuzumi]

I originally used the Hero messaging app, and had 100% awake time. With Handcent, my phone goes to sleep. Battery life seems to be a little better. But I use my phone all the time, so battery life isn't great.

I noticed when I first got the phone, the battery didn't last quite as long as it does now. Also, I had issues where my EV connection would be lost. I didn't even have 1X. Trying to cycle the mobile network would do nothing. Sometimes cycling the airplane mode would fix the internet connection. Other times I had to soft reset the phone. Now, I don't need to soft reset the phone at all. I had it up for almost 10 straight days, only requiring a reset after rooting the phone.

Long story short, the phone needs to "break-in" for a few days, and should hopefully be fine. Maybe you should uninstall handcent, use the stock messaging app for a bit, and then switch back. Also, the other process that will keep your phone awake 100% is to not allow Sense to fully load on a fresh boot before the screen goes out. So, keep that in mind, as it may have nothing to do with Handcent.

[siptang1227]

no, because original was causing a issue for me and it took three days for it's ugly head to come up and bite me... Handcent is somewhat more better then the stock when it came to it but I went at 100% with handcent as well.... so don't know what to do yet..

[godspeed6]

In the interest of initiating scientific method and maybe even Koch's Postulates, I will be reintroducing Handcent to my phone and report what happens. It's just been so nice having a phone that's workin' at optimal.

Thankfully, with gmail the process is fairly painless and all my numbers are saved to gmail contacts.

The big reason for this post is that I have seen contributors that are doing hard-reset after hard-reset and can't get the work around to work for them and stick. I don't think anyone's considered the possibility that Handcent is the problem.

So far, I've been able to toggle (on/off) bluetooth, wifi, and GPS with widgets without issue...so far. Eventually, I'll reload Handcent along with other fun apps one by one and see what happens.

I'll keep updating and if there are others in the same boat, please consider Handcent as culprit and share your experience. Don't get me wrong, I did like Handcent and would prefer it, but not until these issues are resolved. The native SMS is so blah.

[highwayman1224]

My awake time is 23% & that's probably my usual average. That's using handcent.

[siptang1227]

Originally Posted by godspeed6

In the interest of initiating scientific method and maybe even Koch's Postulates, I will be reintroducing Handcent to my phone and report what happens. It's just been so nice having a phone that's workin' at optimal.

Thankfully, with gmail the process is fairly painless and all my numbers are saved to gmail contacts.

The big reason for this post is that I have seen contributors that are doing hard-reset after hard-reset and can't get the work around to work for them and stick. I don't think anyone's considered the possibility that Handcent is the problem.

So far, I've been able to toggle (on/off) bluetooth, wifi, and GPS with widgets without issue...so far. Eventually, I'll reload Handcent along with other fun apps one by one and see what happens.

I'll keep updating and if there are others in the same boat, please consider Handcent as culprit and share your experience. Don't get me wrong, I did like Handcent and would prefer it, but not until these issues are resolved. The native SMS is so blah.

How about not installing yet? you can see there's an idle time before it goes hey wire. Once you verify that you have done that do a hard reset then try with handset. hell, I'll hard reset today and try with handset if you want.

[godspeed6]

SON OF A 8!+ch!!!

Well, I soft reset my phone and damn it all to hell if battery drain isn't back....$h!+!

Did an unattended soft reset and noticed that the loading of Sense was still trying to load when I woke up the phone a little later (red button). Checked About/Status and it was doing 100%...oh crap. Did another soft reset while not allowing the phone to sleep before full load, let the phone "sleep" for 5-10 minutes, checked about/status and 100%. Damn!

Okay all, do I exchange the phone?? 30-day clock is ticking...

[siptang1227]

Did the hard reset the phone and loaded up handcent as the first app. Let's see how that goes.

Edit: Saw your post after I posted mine. Yea, go ahead and exchange it. If you don't mind me asking, what does your logo say on the back? HTC or by Google? I'm on my second Hero and one that's by Google has been awesome to me. No issues with memory leak and 100% wake time as of yet. (knocking on wood)

[godspeed6]

Has the "with Google" logo.