We are very proud to announce that earlier this month, Battery Notifier BT Free, formerly known as Battery Notifier (Big Text), reached ONE MILLION downloads! If you have followed this blog you would know that we reached 500,000 as recently as February of this year, and we were very impressed by that number. We are blown away by how popular our free app has become in such a short amount of time, especially with all the competition that is out there.
So once again, to all of you who have downloaded Battery Notifier BT Free, or under its previous name Battery Notifier (Big Text), and to all of you who have purchased Battery Notifier Pro BT to enjoy the extra custom features it provides, a great big THANK YOU!!!
Thanks again for your continued support!
Wednesday, December 12, 2012
Saturday, July 28, 2012
Suggested cure for phone problems
Updated: 4/3/2013
Sometimes you may notice something odd happening on your phone or tablet, and our app may not be operating like it was before. Sometimes a simple reboot of the phone or tablet will clear up the problem, but sometimes it doesn't.
Problems very often arise after the Android OS has been updated. Also be aware that while an upgrade to the next new shiny Android OS such as Jelly Bean may be an improvement, many times there might still be a few bugs that remain.
You should also make sure that you have all the latest updates for your phone or tablet. If you have an option to send error reports to the manufacturer, I highly recommend you turn it on and keep it turned on. I previously had mine turned off. After I turned it on, and it sent an error report to HTC, it detected the problem with my phone not reading 100% when fully charged, downloaded a "battery level update" from HTC, and ever since my phone has been working fine.
If you have upgraded to a new Android OS, our app will need to be reinstalled. But even if you haven't updated the Android OS, when problems arise, taking the steps below can often get things working the way they were before.
Doing a clean install:
1) Uninstall our app, and before you uninstall, clear data, clear cache, and anything else you can clear before uninstalling.
2) Check for an option in your settings (it might be under"privacy" or "Backup and reset") and called "Automatic restore" or something similar. This puts back the settings you had when reinstalling an app. To do a clean install you must make sure this option (if you have it), is unchecked first. Then later when you have reinstalled our app and things are working properly, you can go back and check it again.
3) Go to "Developer Options" under Settings, scroll to "Apps" and make sure "Limit background processes" is set to the default "Standard Limit".
4) Do a soft reset of you phone or tablet instead of just a reboot. If your battery is removable, to do this shut off the phone and take out the battery for about 30 seconds before putting it back in and turning it back on. If your battery can't be removed, an alternate way to do a soft reset that many phones have, is to hold down the power button for 10 seconds. (Check the manual for your device.)
5) Reinstall our app from Google Play.
People who e-mail me usually have a wide variety of different problems with their phones. Sometimes the problem is difficult to narrow down. But we need to remember that we are all carrying around little computers these days. And while taking the above steps certainly isn't a cure-all for everything, it does seem to clear up a great many problems and get our app back to working as it should.
Sometimes you may notice something odd happening on your phone or tablet, and our app may not be operating like it was before. Sometimes a simple reboot of the phone or tablet will clear up the problem, but sometimes it doesn't.
Problems very often arise after the Android OS has been updated. Also be aware that while an upgrade to the next new shiny Android OS such as Jelly Bean may be an improvement, many times there might still be a few bugs that remain.
You should also make sure that you have all the latest updates for your phone or tablet. If you have an option to send error reports to the manufacturer, I highly recommend you turn it on and keep it turned on. I previously had mine turned off. After I turned it on, and it sent an error report to HTC, it detected the problem with my phone not reading 100% when fully charged, downloaded a "battery level update" from HTC, and ever since my phone has been working fine.
If you have upgraded to a new Android OS, our app will need to be reinstalled. But even if you haven't updated the Android OS, when problems arise, taking the steps below can often get things working the way they were before.
Doing a clean install:
1) Uninstall our app, and before you uninstall, clear data, clear cache, and anything else you can clear before uninstalling.
2) Check for an option in your settings (it might be under"privacy" or "Backup and reset") and called "Automatic restore" or something similar. This puts back the settings you had when reinstalling an app. To do a clean install you must make sure this option (if you have it), is unchecked first. Then later when you have reinstalled our app and things are working properly, you can go back and check it again.
3) Go to "Developer Options" under Settings, scroll to "Apps" and make sure "Limit background processes" is set to the default "Standard Limit".
4) Do a soft reset of you phone or tablet instead of just a reboot. If your battery is removable, to do this shut off the phone and take out the battery for about 30 seconds before putting it back in and turning it back on. If your battery can't be removed, an alternate way to do a soft reset that many phones have, is to hold down the power button for 10 seconds. (Check the manual for your device.)
5) Reinstall our app from Google Play.
People who e-mail me usually have a wide variety of different problems with their phones. Sometimes the problem is difficult to narrow down. But we need to remember that we are all carrying around little computers these days. And while taking the above steps certainly isn't a cure-all for everything, it does seem to clear up a great many problems and get our app back to working as it should.
Tuesday, June 26, 2012
Phone/App Compatibility - Disappearing from status bar
Updated 3/31/2013
Since the icons in our apps appear in the normal Android status bar, if you have a phone or an app which has a custom UI (user interface) or an "enhanced status bar", sometimes we "disappear" from the status bar and then our app gets blamed for not working right.
Phones with custom or enhanced status bars know how to reset their own custom features, but they sometimes don't know how to reset us since they are playing by different rules. This is one of the reasons we put in a quick reset option in the Action Bar. Please be aware of this if you have a phone that already has extra fancy status bar features.
Another reason I have discovered lately for our app disappearing from the status bar, is users changing some setting in the "Developer Options" section. Under "Apps" in the "Developer Options" section under "Settings", one option you should not touch and leave at its default setting is "Background process limit". The default is "Standard Limit". Setting it to anything else might have the effect of shutting our app down and wiping us from the status bar if your phone gets low on memory.
Update: 3/18/2013
I notice now that in Jelly Bean 4.1.1, the developer options are all grayed out by default, and you have to turn on a separate switch to even get access to the developer options. Very good idea.
There are also some devices which have some strange quirks. Here is one...
Samsung Galaxy Tab 2
Great tablet, and it works great in landscape mode, but in portrait mode with ICS 4.0.4 it does something that is really annoying. In portrait mode it will only show ONE notification at a time, so our battery level number will constantly be disappearing from the system bar at the bottom if you have other notifications coming in. The solution is to NOT use it in locked down portrait mode only, and if you do use it in portrait mode, if we happen to disappear, to turn the tablet to landscape mode to see the battery level number. Like I said, really annoying.
Update: 3/18/2013
The update to Jelly Bean 4.1.1 cures the "only one notification in portrait mode" problem, and puts the status bar back at the top similar to the Nexus tablets.
There are also so many apps available from so many different sources that it is literally impossible for us to make sure that our app works alongside all of them. All we can really do is play by the Android rules, and hope that others do the same. Unfortunately, there are some apps that don't play by the rules. Some want to take control of other apps. Still others want to completely replace the Android status bar with their own improved version of the status bar.
Here are some examples of apps that seriously mess with us...
Any task manager or app killer/manager
In the newer Android versions you shouldn't need these to control your phone's memory, but if you do use one, make sure that Battery Notifier (Big Text) or Battery Notifier Pro BT are excluded from memory management, otherwise the "manager" might just manage to shut us off.
Handcent SMS / Go SMS
Handcent SMS and Go SMS both can take control of notification sounds. If you let them, then our alarms will not work right, and odd things may happen. Fortunately they allow you to turn this feature off and let the phone handle the sound notifications, which is the way it should be.
StatusBar+
StatusBar+ is more than just a custom status bar. It comes with its own MIUI-style battery bar, the ability to change any and all indicators...
When you see MIUI, think of someone laying a colorful electronic tape over the standard Android status bar. Are you going to see us? Probably not. More on MIUI below...
Chargebar - MIUI battery bar
From Wikipedia:
MIUI (pronounced "Me You I", a play on the common abbreviation of the words user interface as UI), developed by Xiaomi Tech, is an aftermarket firmware for cell phones based on the open-source Android operating system. It features a heavily-modified user interface that does away with the Android app drawer...
"Heavily-modified user interface that does away with the Android app drawer" is all you need to know. If it does away with stock Android features, it might also do away with us.
ICS StatusBar
Start by reading the numerous permissions this app asks for. Also note that Avast is reporting them as malware. Then there's the privacy agreement... "We may disclose your personal information such as an individual's name, postal address, or telephone number, ...Unique identifiers such as email address, site user name and password."
Swipepad: Hyperspace Jump
Last time I saw it, Swipepad had one of the scariest user agreements I've ever read, basically saying it's not their fault if you get a virus, and that you use it at your own risk.
I can't say this enough... Please, take time to read those permissions and user agreements.
Since the icons in our apps appear in the normal Android status bar, if you have a phone or an app which has a custom UI (user interface) or an "enhanced status bar", sometimes we "disappear" from the status bar and then our app gets blamed for not working right.
Phones with custom or enhanced status bars know how to reset their own custom features, but they sometimes don't know how to reset us since they are playing by different rules. This is one of the reasons we put in a quick reset option in the Action Bar. Please be aware of this if you have a phone that already has extra fancy status bar features.
Another reason I have discovered lately for our app disappearing from the status bar, is users changing some setting in the "Developer Options" section. Under "Apps" in the "Developer Options" section under "Settings", one option you should not touch and leave at its default setting is "Background process limit". The default is "Standard Limit". Setting it to anything else might have the effect of shutting our app down and wiping us from the status bar if your phone gets low on memory.
Update: 3/18/2013
I notice now that in Jelly Bean 4.1.1, the developer options are all grayed out by default, and you have to turn on a separate switch to even get access to the developer options. Very good idea.
There are also some devices which have some strange quirks. Here is one...
Samsung Galaxy Tab 2
Great tablet, and it works great in landscape mode, but in portrait mode with ICS 4.0.4 it does something that is really annoying. In portrait mode it will only show ONE notification at a time, so our battery level number will constantly be disappearing from the system bar at the bottom if you have other notifications coming in. The solution is to NOT use it in locked down portrait mode only, and if you do use it in portrait mode, if we happen to disappear, to turn the tablet to landscape mode to see the battery level number. Like I said, really annoying.
Update: 3/18/2013
The update to Jelly Bean 4.1.1 cures the "only one notification in portrait mode" problem, and puts the status bar back at the top similar to the Nexus tablets.
There are also so many apps available from so many different sources that it is literally impossible for us to make sure that our app works alongside all of them. All we can really do is play by the Android rules, and hope that others do the same. Unfortunately, there are some apps that don't play by the rules. Some want to take control of other apps. Still others want to completely replace the Android status bar with their own improved version of the status bar.
Here are some examples of apps that seriously mess with us...
Any task manager or app killer/manager
In the newer Android versions you shouldn't need these to control your phone's memory, but if you do use one, make sure that Battery Notifier (Big Text) or Battery Notifier Pro BT are excluded from memory management, otherwise the "manager" might just manage to shut us off.
Handcent SMS / Go SMS
Handcent SMS and Go SMS both can take control of notification sounds. If you let them, then our alarms will not work right, and odd things may happen. Fortunately they allow you to turn this feature off and let the phone handle the sound notifications, which is the way it should be.
StatusBar+
StatusBar+ is more than just a custom status bar. It comes with its own MIUI-style battery bar, the ability to change any and all indicators...
When you see MIUI, think of someone laying a colorful electronic tape over the standard Android status bar. Are you going to see us? Probably not. More on MIUI below...
Chargebar - MIUI battery bar
From Wikipedia:
MIUI (pronounced "Me You I", a play on the common abbreviation of the words user interface as UI), developed by Xiaomi Tech, is an aftermarket firmware for cell phones based on the open-source Android operating system. It features a heavily-modified user interface that does away with the Android app drawer...
"Heavily-modified user interface that does away with the Android app drawer" is all you need to know. If it does away with stock Android features, it might also do away with us.
ICS StatusBar
Start by reading the numerous permissions this app asks for. Also note that Avast is reporting them as malware. Then there's the privacy agreement... "We may disclose your personal information such as an individual's name, postal address, or telephone number, ...Unique identifiers such as email address, site user name and password."
Swipepad: Hyperspace Jump
Last time I saw it, Swipepad had one of the scariest user agreements I've ever read, basically saying it's not their fault if you get a virus, and that you use it at your own risk.
I can't say this enough... Please, take time to read those permissions and user agreements.
Friday, June 1, 2012
AppEggs.Com Editor's Pick Award
AppEggs.Com has a webpage that is devoted to the Best Android Apps. They just reviewed Battery Notifier Pro BT, and they have given us their Editor's Pick Award.
Here are just some of the things they say...
"Fantastic app"
"powerful battery manager"
"clean and simple user interface"
"easy-to-use"
"definitely worth your time and money"
The full review can be found here: Battery Notifier Pro BT Review at AppEggs.Com
And to celebrate the news Battery Notifier Pro BT now has an even lower price!
So a big THANK YOU to AppEggs.Com and thank you to everyone for your support!
Wednesday, May 16, 2012
New sound notification loop feature
In the latest version of Battery Notifier Pro BT we've added a user requested feature to play the sound notification (for either low or full battery notifications) in a loop over and over and over again until the user stops it. This option is disabled by default.
IMPORTANT: Use this new feature with caution, and only if you will be with or near your device when the alarm will go off, because only you can stop the sound. If you are away from your device and you use this feature, it has the potential to severely irritate anyone who is near it when it goes off. Also, if you use it for a low battery alarm, if left unattended, it has the potential to drain the rest of your battery rather quickly.
IMPORTANT: Use this new feature with caution, and only if you will be with or near your device when the alarm will go off, because only you can stop the sound. If you are away from your device and you use this feature, it has the potential to severely irritate anyone who is near it when it goes off. Also, if you use it for a low battery alarm, if left unattended, it has the potential to drain the rest of your battery rather quickly.
Friday, March 30, 2012
More FAQ
Update: 1/21/2017
For the latest FAQ, go to our new webpage at: BNProBT: Frequently Asked Questions.
Original post: 3/30/2012
Take the default battery off! Would you guys be able to update it to take the default battery notification off? That will bring you a worshiper lol great app
I guess you didn't read our first FAQ. We get this request all the time. Unfortunately, they only allow us app developers to put something in one area of the Android status bar where notifications are allowed. They do not allow us to alter, change or remove icons that your phone or device comes with, and that includes the default battery icon.
I just wish you could have the batt lvl in the pull down menu from stat bar, without having to have the icon in the notification area. Mine is getting ridiculously cluttered, it'd be nice to have that option. 5 stars if this happens!
Yes, it would be nice. However, the status bar numbers in Battery Notifier BT Free and Battery Notifier Pro BT are ongoing notifications, and per Android rules "Ongoing notifications cannot be manually removed from the notification drawer." We include an option in both versions to not use the number in the status bar and just use the alarms if you wish. But what you see in the expanded notification area is required if you want to see a battery level number in the status bar. Beginning with Android 4.1, you will have the option with each app to not display notifications from that individual app even if that feature was not included with the app. Hitting "Clear" every so often to clear out the "event notifications" you get can also help to keep the notification area from getting "ridiculously cluttered".
Lovely app. Only improvement would be option to STOP CHARGING when hit battery HI (say 95%). Then it could be used for battery conditioning!!!!
Sorry, but we can't disconnect or stop the power that is applied to your phone or device from the charger. The Android OS simply doesn't give us the "power" (sorry for the pun) to do that. The best we can do is notify you when it reaches 95%, and then it's up to you to pull the plug on the charger.
I have set the full battery notification in your app's settings to off, and Quiet Hours is set to all day long, but the full battery notification sound still goes off! How do I stop it???
Many phones and tablets have their own full and low battery notifications, so that even if you have notifications in Battery Notifier BT Free or Battery Notifier Pro BT set one way, your phone or tablet's notifications may be set the other way. Read the manual for your device and check to see if it has its own built-in notifications for the battery. See if it has settings for you to turn the notifications on or off so you can be sure you aren't getting a notification you don't want, or a second notification in addition to the ones that are in Battery Notifier BT Free and Battery Notifier Pro BT.
(Some phones and tablets don't allow you to turn their default notifications off. If you have one of these devices, send us an e-mail and we'll try to find a solution for you.)
Verizon Galaxy Nexus Works great, well worth the purchase! The only thing that bugs me a tiny bit is that the blue Roboto ICS color seems a little off, a touch too dark/dim. Are you using Hex:33B5E5 / R:51 G:181 B:229?
Yes we are. For more information on why they are dim and somewhat smaller in the status bar on some devices, please see our post on Automatic Shrinking And Dimming.
For the latest FAQ, go to our new webpage at: BNProBT: Frequently Asked Questions.
Original post: 3/30/2012
Take the default battery off! Would you guys be able to update it to take the default battery notification off? That will bring you a worshiper lol great app
I guess you didn't read our first FAQ. We get this request all the time. Unfortunately, they only allow us app developers to put something in one area of the Android status bar where notifications are allowed. They do not allow us to alter, change or remove icons that your phone or device comes with, and that includes the default battery icon.
I just wish you could have the batt lvl in the pull down menu from stat bar, without having to have the icon in the notification area. Mine is getting ridiculously cluttered, it'd be nice to have that option. 5 stars if this happens!
Yes, it would be nice. However, the status bar numbers in Battery Notifier BT Free and Battery Notifier Pro BT are ongoing notifications, and per Android rules "Ongoing notifications cannot be manually removed from the notification drawer." We include an option in both versions to not use the number in the status bar and just use the alarms if you wish. But what you see in the expanded notification area is required if you want to see a battery level number in the status bar. Beginning with Android 4.1, you will have the option with each app to not display notifications from that individual app even if that feature was not included with the app. Hitting "Clear" every so often to clear out the "event notifications" you get can also help to keep the notification area from getting "ridiculously cluttered".
Lovely app. Only improvement would be option to STOP CHARGING when hit battery HI (say 95%). Then it could be used for battery conditioning!!!!
Sorry, but we can't disconnect or stop the power that is applied to your phone or device from the charger. The Android OS simply doesn't give us the "power" (sorry for the pun) to do that. The best we can do is notify you when it reaches 95%, and then it's up to you to pull the plug on the charger.
I have set the full battery notification in your app's settings to off, and Quiet Hours is set to all day long, but the full battery notification sound still goes off! How do I stop it???
Many phones and tablets have their own full and low battery notifications, so that even if you have notifications in Battery Notifier BT Free or Battery Notifier Pro BT set one way, your phone or tablet's notifications may be set the other way. Read the manual for your device and check to see if it has its own built-in notifications for the battery. See if it has settings for you to turn the notifications on or off so you can be sure you aren't getting a notification you don't want, or a second notification in addition to the ones that are in Battery Notifier BT Free and Battery Notifier Pro BT.
(Some phones and tablets don't allow you to turn their default notifications off. If you have one of these devices, send us an e-mail and we'll try to find a solution for you.)
Verizon Galaxy Nexus Works great, well worth the purchase! The only thing that bugs me a tiny bit is that the blue Roboto ICS color seems a little off, a touch too dark/dim. Are you using Hex:33B5E5 / R:51 G:181 B:229?
Yes we are. For more information on why they are dim and somewhat smaller in the status bar on some devices, please see our post on Automatic Shrinking And Dimming.
Saturday, February 25, 2012
Battery Level Readings With Extended Batteries
There are many factors which affect the accuracy of battery level readings. Two of these include the manufacturer of the phone and the type of battery used. Both Battery Notifier BT Free, and Battery Notifier Pro BT display battery levels provided by the system, so often we have to investigate why the phone or tablet you own may be giving you an inaccurate reading if you are using the battery that came with your phone.
What complicates matters even more is if you use extend batteries. If you switch batteries a lot, or use different batteries of different sizes, getting an accurate battery level reading from your phone can be a tricky proposition. This is because there is a file inside your phone which attempts to give you accurate readings over time based on what it thinks is the standard battery for your phone from the manufacturer. If you root your phone, you can wipe this batterystats.bin file and start over if you start using a new or extended battery to get more accurate battery level readings. However, most users do not have this option. Therefore, I did some research to try and find out from manufacturers what they suggest in order to get accurate battery level readings from extended batteries.
SAMSUNG EXTENDED BATTERIES
I was unable to get the necessary information from Samsung support at their website or by using their live chat support, but I did find someone at Amazon.Com who had bought a Samsung extended battery, who left a review saying what the instructions he received from Samsung said to do to get accurate battery level readings. They said to completely discharge the battery, then to fully charge the battery with the phone off. They instruct you to then repeat this procedure at least three more times back-to-back.
MOTOROLA EXTENDED BATTERIES
While you apparently can use Motorola extended batteries that were meant for other Motorola phones or tablets in your device, according to Motorola it may not work correctly with the battery level meter software in your device. It may "show no battery strength left, when in fact, the battery will still last for a very long time". Therefore, be extra careful and make sure you have the correct extended battery for your specific Motorola phone or tablet. I also would follow the advice that Samsung gives for Motorola batteries as well.
HTC EXTENDED BATTERIES
I was unable to find any specific relevant information in regards to getting accurate battery level readings on HTC extended batteries. Again, I would just follow Samsung's advice.
THIRD PARTY EXTENDED BATTERIES (Not recommended)
1) Before you charge the battery for the first time, be sure and drain it completely until your phone or tablet turns off.
2) When using an extended battery from a third party, you may need to fully charge the extended battery after each drain. The reason is because the battery may exceed the amount that your device's firmware can handle, and your device may not recognize the third party battery you are using, even though the company you purchased it from says it will work in your device. You also will need to keep charging the battery for an additional 2-3 hours or more AFTER your phone or tablet reaches 100% or says it is fully charged. How much more may depend on the difference in ratings between the manufacturer's standard battery, and the third party extended battery you are using. So, for example, if the standard battery in your Samsung Galaxy Nexus is rated at 1850mAh and takes about 2-3 hours to fully charge, the third party Seidio extended battery rated at 3800mAh might take 6 hours or more to fully charge. I would just charge it for 8 hours the first time. Just be sure you drain it completely first.
3) This next step requires you to check with the instructions you received with your third party battery. If you lost them or did not receive any instructions, you will need to contact the manufacturer of your battery to ask them the procedure you need to take next to get accurate battery level readings. One manufacturer simply suggests you reboot once your device is reading between 40-50% and then "subsequent rebooting will give you consistent and accurate readings." Another has the following instructions at their website...
Troubleshooting (Inaccurate Extended Battery Readings):
Step 1: Charge battery for 8 hours prior to first use, then use battery until it dies
Step 2: Once your phone is 100% dead and has shut down, leave it shut off. Proceed to charge it until it reaches 100%; then leave it on the charger for an extra 3 hours.
Step 3: Turn on phone and use it until it dies. Repeat Step 2 five more times, and on the fifth cycle leave it on the charger for an extra 4 hours.
They then suggest if the battery still is not giving accurate readings, to download an app which measures battery voltage (which fluctuates), and in the app description it says:
NOTE: To get the most accurate readings, calibration can take several days.
So even if you follow all the above instructions, it seems it may take you up to two weeks to get "the most accurate battery reading" with an extended third party battery. For this reason, and because there are so many reports of third party batteries not performing up to specs, we recommend against using third party extended batteries.
SWITCHING FROM A STANDARD BATTERY TO AN EXTENDED BATTERY
If you are switching back and forth between standard batteries and extended batteries, you will have a difficult time getting an accurate battery level reading. To repeat, there is a file called batterystats.bin in your device that stores information on your past battery use in order to give you more accurate level readings going forward. You can delete or reset this file if you root your phone, but we do not recommend that you root your phone as this voids your warranty and leaves you more vulnerable to hackers. We again suggest you do what Samsung recommends, which is to completely discharge the extended battery, then fully charge the battery with the phone off, and to do this at least three more times back-to-back.
(NOTE: Fully draining your battery on a regular basis is not a good idea. To prolong the life of your Lithium Ion battery, it's best not to even let your battery level drop below about 25% before recharging. Partial charges are always much better for your battery than fully draining it to zero repeatedly. However, the steps suggested above may be necessary if your extended battery level reading is not accurate.)
If your extended battery levels are still not accurate after following Samsung's instructions a total of 5 times, you may need to wipe the batterystats.bin file. You can still wipe the batterystats.bin file without having to root your phone by doing a complete system reset. Although some may consider this to be a rather drastic step, it is better than having your phone turn off when it is still reading 40%. If you take precautions to simply backup your contacts and important information you don't want to lose, this step need not be that painful. Any apps you have downloaded will be gone, but Google Play will be able to restore the paid ones, and often some of the free ones. Google will be able to restore your contacts and calendar events as long as you sync them with Gmail first. Your network settings will be restored as well as your bookmarks.
If you do decide to do a system reset in order to wipe the batterystats.bin file, I highly recommend that you backup all your contacts and as many apps as you can anyway. (You can never be too careful.) Because I like to do this myself, I use the paid version of SystemPanel ($2.99) which has a really nice and easy to use archive feature which allows you to backup most of your apps to your SD card one at a time. The paid apps that don't allow you to do backups, can always be downloaded again from Google Play if they aren't restored after the system reset. Simply make a list of them, and use the same Google e-mail address that you signed up with, and you will be able to download the apps you paid for without having to pay for them a second time.
Getting an accurate battery level reading when using extended batteries seems to be a fairly well known problem on the Internet. Hopefully the information in this post can help. And a reminder for Motorola users with 10% increments, the 1% Motorola fix we provide is a workaround that is meant to work on STANDARD batteries from Motorola.
What complicates matters even more is if you use extend batteries. If you switch batteries a lot, or use different batteries of different sizes, getting an accurate battery level reading from your phone can be a tricky proposition. This is because there is a file inside your phone which attempts to give you accurate readings over time based on what it thinks is the standard battery for your phone from the manufacturer. If you root your phone, you can wipe this batterystats.bin file and start over if you start using a new or extended battery to get more accurate battery level readings. However, most users do not have this option. Therefore, I did some research to try and find out from manufacturers what they suggest in order to get accurate battery level readings from extended batteries.
SAMSUNG EXTENDED BATTERIES
I was unable to get the necessary information from Samsung support at their website or by using their live chat support, but I did find someone at Amazon.Com who had bought a Samsung extended battery, who left a review saying what the instructions he received from Samsung said to do to get accurate battery level readings. They said to completely discharge the battery, then to fully charge the battery with the phone off. They instruct you to then repeat this procedure at least three more times back-to-back.
MOTOROLA EXTENDED BATTERIES
While you apparently can use Motorola extended batteries that were meant for other Motorola phones or tablets in your device, according to Motorola it may not work correctly with the battery level meter software in your device. It may "show no battery strength left, when in fact, the battery will still last for a very long time". Therefore, be extra careful and make sure you have the correct extended battery for your specific Motorola phone or tablet. I also would follow the advice that Samsung gives for Motorola batteries as well.
HTC EXTENDED BATTERIES
I was unable to find any specific relevant information in regards to getting accurate battery level readings on HTC extended batteries. Again, I would just follow Samsung's advice.
THIRD PARTY EXTENDED BATTERIES (Not recommended)
1) Before you charge the battery for the first time, be sure and drain it completely until your phone or tablet turns off.
2) When using an extended battery from a third party, you may need to fully charge the extended battery after each drain. The reason is because the battery may exceed the amount that your device's firmware can handle, and your device may not recognize the third party battery you are using, even though the company you purchased it from says it will work in your device. You also will need to keep charging the battery for an additional 2-3 hours or more AFTER your phone or tablet reaches 100% or says it is fully charged. How much more may depend on the difference in ratings between the manufacturer's standard battery, and the third party extended battery you are using. So, for example, if the standard battery in your Samsung Galaxy Nexus is rated at 1850mAh and takes about 2-3 hours to fully charge, the third party Seidio extended battery rated at 3800mAh might take 6 hours or more to fully charge. I would just charge it for 8 hours the first time. Just be sure you drain it completely first.
3) This next step requires you to check with the instructions you received with your third party battery. If you lost them or did not receive any instructions, you will need to contact the manufacturer of your battery to ask them the procedure you need to take next to get accurate battery level readings. One manufacturer simply suggests you reboot once your device is reading between 40-50% and then "subsequent rebooting will give you consistent and accurate readings." Another has the following instructions at their website...
Troubleshooting (Inaccurate Extended Battery Readings):
Step 1: Charge battery for 8 hours prior to first use, then use battery until it dies
Step 2: Once your phone is 100% dead and has shut down, leave it shut off. Proceed to charge it until it reaches 100%; then leave it on the charger for an extra 3 hours.
Step 3: Turn on phone and use it until it dies. Repeat Step 2 five more times, and on the fifth cycle leave it on the charger for an extra 4 hours.
They then suggest if the battery still is not giving accurate readings, to download an app which measures battery voltage (which fluctuates), and in the app description it says:
NOTE: To get the most accurate readings, calibration can take several days.
So even if you follow all the above instructions, it seems it may take you up to two weeks to get "the most accurate battery reading" with an extended third party battery. For this reason, and because there are so many reports of third party batteries not performing up to specs, we recommend against using third party extended batteries.
SWITCHING FROM A STANDARD BATTERY TO AN EXTENDED BATTERY
If you are switching back and forth between standard batteries and extended batteries, you will have a difficult time getting an accurate battery level reading. To repeat, there is a file called batterystats.bin in your device that stores information on your past battery use in order to give you more accurate level readings going forward. You can delete or reset this file if you root your phone, but we do not recommend that you root your phone as this voids your warranty and leaves you more vulnerable to hackers. We again suggest you do what Samsung recommends, which is to completely discharge the extended battery, then fully charge the battery with the phone off, and to do this at least three more times back-to-back.
(NOTE: Fully draining your battery on a regular basis is not a good idea. To prolong the life of your Lithium Ion battery, it's best not to even let your battery level drop below about 25% before recharging. Partial charges are always much better for your battery than fully draining it to zero repeatedly. However, the steps suggested above may be necessary if your extended battery level reading is not accurate.)
If your extended battery levels are still not accurate after following Samsung's instructions a total of 5 times, you may need to wipe the batterystats.bin file. You can still wipe the batterystats.bin file without having to root your phone by doing a complete system reset. Although some may consider this to be a rather drastic step, it is better than having your phone turn off when it is still reading 40%. If you take precautions to simply backup your contacts and important information you don't want to lose, this step need not be that painful. Any apps you have downloaded will be gone, but Google Play will be able to restore the paid ones, and often some of the free ones. Google will be able to restore your contacts and calendar events as long as you sync them with Gmail first. Your network settings will be restored as well as your bookmarks.
If you do decide to do a system reset in order to wipe the batterystats.bin file, I highly recommend that you backup all your contacts and as many apps as you can anyway. (You can never be too careful.) Because I like to do this myself, I use the paid version of SystemPanel ($2.99) which has a really nice and easy to use archive feature which allows you to backup most of your apps to your SD card one at a time. The paid apps that don't allow you to do backups, can always be downloaded again from Google Play if they aren't restored after the system reset. Simply make a list of them, and use the same Google e-mail address that you signed up with, and you will be able to download the apps you paid for without having to pay for them a second time.
Getting an accurate battery level reading when using extended batteries seems to be a fairly well known problem on the Internet. Hopefully the information in this post can help. And a reminder for Motorola users with 10% increments, the 1% Motorola fix we provide is a workaround that is meant to work on STANDARD batteries from Motorola.
Friday, February 10, 2012
Automatic Shrinking and Dimming
IMPORTANT
UPDATE: 9/2/2013
Because Google has stuck to their decision to "shrink and dim" the notifications on the left hand side of the status bar starting with Android 3.x/4.x, before buying a new phone, you should take a close look at the notifications on the left hand side of the status bar. You should look for standard notifications that are bright white, not faded white or light gray. If they are light gray, (probably a stock version of Android 4.x), then nothing can be done to make the notifications brighter, and our battery level numbers may also look dim.
If you want the brightest status bar in Android 4.x and up, look to buy a phone with a skin or overlay which brightens up the left hand side notifications, and makes them as bright as the right hand side. These currently include the following phones and manufacturers:
HTC with Sense UI (All models - Highly recommended)
Samsung with TouchWiz Nature UX 2.0 (Samsung models with Android 4.2 and up)
LG with Optimus UI (Most models including Optimus F3, L7, L9, G, G Pro, G2)
Sony with Xperia UI (Notifications on Xperia Z at T-Mobile looked great in store, but in screenshots on Internet notifications appear washed out - Double check in store first)
Specific budget models: Huawei Ascend P6, Pantech Discover, Kyocera Hydro Edge
(Double check in store before buying.)
The following manufacturer is not recommended since updates will have stock Android:
Motorola with Motoblur UI
Special note on Samsung Models:
Most users who already have some Samsung device will most likely have a dim status bar, and will be using TouchWiz Nature UX 1.0. Having just had my Samsung Galaxy Tab 2 updated from Android 4.1.1 to Android 4.2.2, I can tell you that there is quite a striking difference between TouchWiz Nature UX 1.0 and 2.0. The Samsung Galaxy Note 2 and Samsung Galaxy S3 are expected to get updated to Android 4.3 soon, so users of those devices should see a striking improvement as well.
Below are recent pics I took from my Samsung Galaxy Tab 2, before the update with Android 4.1.1 and Touchwix Nature 1.0, and after the update with Android 4.2.2 and Touchwix Nature 2.0.
TouchWiz Nature UX 1.0 (Android 4.0/4.1):
ArialXL-b HD extra-large font (extra bright green) - Black background
TouchWiz Nature UX 2.0 (Android 4.2 and up)
Roboto HD standard size font (official green color) - Black background
TouchWiz Nature UX 2.0 (Android 4.2 and up)
Roboto HD standard size font (official green color) - Blue transparent background
Not only are the notifications brighter, they are also larger. And what is most shocking is in the first picture with TouchWiz Nature UX 1.0, the ArialXL-b font is used, the brightest and largest font we have, and yet the official green color Roboto standard sized font with TouchWiz Nature UX 2.0 is STILL brighter and larger. And using a transparent status bar as in the third picture actually can improve readability even more.
So the bottom line is, if you know your Samsung device will get updated to at least Android 4.2.2, then hold off buying that new phone and wait for the update.
If your status bar is dim, there are still two things you can do to make it brighter. 1) Uncheck auto-brightness and put the slider at the halfway point. 2) Go to Settings - Power saving - Uncheck Screen power saving.
If your Samsung device gets an Android OS update to something less than Android 4.2.2, be aware that you may be getting a dim status bar with the update. Find out how to revert to the previous Android version beforehand in case you don't like what the update does.
Manufacturers with stock Android 4.x which will have dim status bar notifications:
Google (All Nexus devices)
Motorola (All new phones to have stock Android)
ZTE (Older phones - New phones may have brighter UI)
Kyocera (Older phones - New phones may have brighter UI)
Original Post: 2/10/2012
For those running Android 3.x or above, or Android 4.x or above on their device, please be aware that beginning with Android 3.0, the Android OS "shrinks and dims status bar icons to minimize distractions, allowing users to focus on the foreground activity". Please understand that this was a decision that Google made, and there is nothing we as developers can do about this "automatic shrinking and dimming" feature Google chose to implement in their Android OS starting with Android 3.0 and going forward. The icons do remain full-size and at full intensity in the expanded notification area, however.
So if you currently have Android 3.0 or above, or Android 4.x or above on your device, it may annoy you (as it does us) to now have to make that extra touch or swipe to go to the expanded notification area when you are in a dark area somewhere, to be able to see the full size and non-dimmed icon to get an accurate battery level reading.
In response to numerous requests to so something about the "shrinking and dimming" issue, we have released the following "brighter" add-ons...
Roboto-b HD text
Play-b HD text
LcdD-b HD text
MingLiU-b HD text
BlueICS-b HD text
Due to Google's limitations, we could not achieve the brightness that prior versions of the Android OS had, but we have done what we could, and these add-ons now contain the brightest colors possible for users with dim status bars, while still keeping the colors after dimming as close to the official Google Android colors, including BlueICS, as possible.
Since shrinking is also an issue, we also have two "XL" extra-large four-color HD fonts.
RobotoXL HD text (also available in a "brighter" RobotoXL-b version)
ArialXL HD text (also available in a "brighter" ArialXL-b version)
In addition, we now have bright neon colors in Fuschia, Purple, Yellow, Orange and Red for users who want one bright color all the way from 100 to zero.
All our icon add-ons are still totally FREE, and all we ask is that you tell a friend.
Thank you for your support!
UPDATE: 9/2/2013
Because Google has stuck to their decision to "shrink and dim" the notifications on the left hand side of the status bar starting with Android 3.x/4.x, before buying a new phone, you should take a close look at the notifications on the left hand side of the status bar. You should look for standard notifications that are bright white, not faded white or light gray. If they are light gray, (probably a stock version of Android 4.x), then nothing can be done to make the notifications brighter, and our battery level numbers may also look dim.
If you want the brightest status bar in Android 4.x and up, look to buy a phone with a skin or overlay which brightens up the left hand side notifications, and makes them as bright as the right hand side. These currently include the following phones and manufacturers:
HTC with Sense UI (All models - Highly recommended)
Samsung with TouchWiz Nature UX 2.0 (Samsung models with Android 4.2 and up)
LG with Optimus UI (Most models including Optimus F3, L7, L9, G, G Pro, G2)
Sony with Xperia UI (Notifications on Xperia Z at T-Mobile looked great in store, but in screenshots on Internet notifications appear washed out - Double check in store first)
Specific budget models: Huawei Ascend P6, Pantech Discover, Kyocera Hydro Edge
(Double check in store before buying.)
The following manufacturer is not recommended since updates will have stock Android:
Motorola with Motoblur UI
Special note on Samsung Models:
Most users who already have some Samsung device will most likely have a dim status bar, and will be using TouchWiz Nature UX 1.0. Having just had my Samsung Galaxy Tab 2 updated from Android 4.1.1 to Android 4.2.2, I can tell you that there is quite a striking difference between TouchWiz Nature UX 1.0 and 2.0. The Samsung Galaxy Note 2 and Samsung Galaxy S3 are expected to get updated to Android 4.3 soon, so users of those devices should see a striking improvement as well.
Below are recent pics I took from my Samsung Galaxy Tab 2, before the update with Android 4.1.1 and Touchwix Nature 1.0, and after the update with Android 4.2.2 and Touchwix Nature 2.0.
TouchWiz Nature UX 1.0 (Android 4.0/4.1):
ArialXL-b HD extra-large font (extra bright green) - Black background
Roboto HD standard size font (official green color) - Black background
Roboto HD standard size font (official green color) - Blue transparent background
So the bottom line is, if you know your Samsung device will get updated to at least Android 4.2.2, then hold off buying that new phone and wait for the update.
If your status bar is dim, there are still two things you can do to make it brighter. 1) Uncheck auto-brightness and put the slider at the halfway point. 2) Go to Settings - Power saving - Uncheck Screen power saving.
If your Samsung device gets an Android OS update to something less than Android 4.2.2, be aware that you may be getting a dim status bar with the update. Find out how to revert to the previous Android version beforehand in case you don't like what the update does.
Manufacturers with stock Android 4.x which will have dim status bar notifications:
Google (All Nexus devices)
Motorola (All new phones to have stock Android)
ZTE (Older phones - New phones may have brighter UI)
Kyocera (Older phones - New phones may have brighter UI)
Original Post: 2/10/2012
For those running Android 3.x or above, or Android 4.x or above on their device, please be aware that beginning with Android 3.0, the Android OS "shrinks and dims status bar icons to minimize distractions, allowing users to focus on the foreground activity". Please understand that this was a decision that Google made, and there is nothing we as developers can do about this "automatic shrinking and dimming" feature Google chose to implement in their Android OS starting with Android 3.0 and going forward. The icons do remain full-size and at full intensity in the expanded notification area, however.
So if you currently have Android 3.0 or above, or Android 4.x or above on your device, it may annoy you (as it does us) to now have to make that extra touch or swipe to go to the expanded notification area when you are in a dark area somewhere, to be able to see the full size and non-dimmed icon to get an accurate battery level reading.
In response to numerous requests to so something about the "shrinking and dimming" issue, we have released the following "brighter" add-ons...
Roboto-b HD text
Play-b HD text
LcdD-b HD text
MingLiU-b HD text
BlueICS-b HD text
Due to Google's limitations, we could not achieve the brightness that prior versions of the Android OS had, but we have done what we could, and these add-ons now contain the brightest colors possible for users with dim status bars, while still keeping the colors after dimming as close to the official Google Android colors, including BlueICS, as possible.
Since shrinking is also an issue, we also have two "XL" extra-large four-color HD fonts.
RobotoXL HD text (also available in a "brighter" RobotoXL-b version)
ArialXL HD text (also available in a "brighter" ArialXL-b version)
In addition, we now have bright neon colors in Fuschia, Purple, Yellow, Orange and Red for users who want one bright color all the way from 100 to zero.
All our icon add-ons are still totally FREE, and all we ask is that you tell a friend.
Thank you for your support!
Monday, February 6, 2012
Battery Notifier (Big Text) hits download milestone
UPDATE: 6/04/2013
Battery Notifier (Big Text) is now known as Battery Notifier BT Free.
We are very happy to announce that just in the last few days, Battery Notifier (Big Text) passed 500,000 downloads which means that according to the last relevant stats I was able to find, Battery Notifier (Big Text) is now in the top 1% of all free apps downloaded in the Google market. Of course, if we could also be in the top 1% of all paid apps as well we would be ecstatic!
To all of you who have downloaded Battery Notifier (Big Text), and to all of you who have downloaded Battery Notifier Pro BT to enjoy all of the extra custom status bar and alarm features it provides, a great big THANK YOU!!!
Battery Notifier (Big Text) is now known as Battery Notifier BT Free.
We are very happy to announce that just in the last few days, Battery Notifier (Big Text) passed 500,000 downloads which means that according to the last relevant stats I was able to find, Battery Notifier (Big Text) is now in the top 1% of all free apps downloaded in the Google market. Of course, if we could also be in the top 1% of all paid apps as well we would be ecstatic!
To all of you who have downloaded Battery Notifier (Big Text), and to all of you who have downloaded Battery Notifier Pro BT to enjoy all of the extra custom status bar and alarm features it provides, a great big THANK YOU!!!
Updating your Android OS
Good news and bad news.
Who's the Smartphone OS Crash Champion?
Analysis: Apple claims its iOS is more stable, and Android gets the rap for crashes -- but a research report reveals the truth.
According to the latest Google statistics on our apps, over 50% of our users of either Battery Notifier BT Free or Battery Notifier Pro BT use Android 2.3.3 to 2.3.7. Unfortunately, almost 10% of crashes come from these Android versions.
Worse yet, Android 2.3.6 appears to have some serious battery draining issues...
How One Little Android Update Caused A Big Headache
If you update your OS, we strongly recommend that you uninstall and reinstall the latest version of either Battery Notifier BT Free or Battery Notifier Pro BT from the market, because even though updates are improvements, sometimes they contain bugs that are just waiting to be discovered.
In addition, there are now over 1000 devices out there that can use Battery Notifier BT Free or Battery Notifier Pro BT. So when you e-mail us about a problem you are having, please understand that we try to keep up with the latest and the greatest, but sometimes the only way to know about a new bug in one of these 1000+ devices with all these different Android OS's, is for you to notify us and tell us. Thanks.
Who's the Smartphone OS Crash Champion?
Analysis: Apple claims its iOS is more stable, and Android gets the rap for crashes -- but a research report reveals the truth.
According to the latest Google statistics on our apps, over 50% of our users of either Battery Notifier BT Free or Battery Notifier Pro BT use Android 2.3.3 to 2.3.7. Unfortunately, almost 10% of crashes come from these Android versions.
Worse yet, Android 2.3.6 appears to have some serious battery draining issues...
How One Little Android Update Caused A Big Headache
If you update your OS, we strongly recommend that you uninstall and reinstall the latest version of either Battery Notifier BT Free or Battery Notifier Pro BT from the market, because even though updates are improvements, sometimes they contain bugs that are just waiting to be discovered.
In addition, there are now over 1000 devices out there that can use Battery Notifier BT Free or Battery Notifier Pro BT. So when you e-mail us about a problem you are having, please understand that we try to keep up with the latest and the greatest, but sometimes the only way to know about a new bug in one of these 1000+ devices with all these different Android OS's, is for you to notify us and tell us. Thanks.
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