Android is one of the most advanced mobile operating systems ever created, but regular maintenance is still necessary to ensure optimal performance.
Is your Android-powered device behaving as if it had reached a middle age stutter? If it is, chances are that you have been feeding it a steady diet of exciting apps, the last few of which were more than what it could chew. Thankfully, a quick three-step regime is all that is required to bring the spring back into your ‘droid’s step.
Optimization Apps: Using optimization apps is the simplest and fastest method. Apps such as Android Booster, One Touch Optimize, and AirCover scan your ‘droid for unused or rarely used apps, application cache, logs, history and other junk data that can be deleted to free memory. Since we tend to accumulate apps over time, optimization can have a significant impact on any Android device’s performance. Not only does it free memory, it also reduces demands on the CPU, both of which are the key to better performance.
Kill the Connections: By default, Androids run many background processes that connect to different networks. These include Wi-Fi, GPS, Bluetooth and the cellular network. Over 90-percent of the time, we only use the cellular network. But by keeping all the other connections turned on, the device unnecessarily consumes CPU power, memory and more importantly, battery life. Add on to this, CPU and memory are needed for background apps and widgets, so it’s no surprise that your device might start feeling sluggish.
By disabling these less often used connections (particularly the GPS) and reducing the refreshing interval of the background apps to a few hours, you can substantially reduce the demands on the CPU and battery life.
Tune Down the Flashy Bits: Google, in its effort to make Android user friendly, added many attractive animation features to its user interface. While these improve the aesthetic aspect of things, they have the potential to suck up CPU power (especially on older devices).
Thus, disabling animations and live wallpapers from the phone settings can reduce load on both the CPU and the battery. Furthermore, memory can also be liberated by better organizing icons and reducing the number of home screens.
By the end of these three simple steps, you should have a nippier, younger-feeling device with a longer battery life on hand. Do you have any other tips that could boost Android’s performance? Share it with all of us through the comment box below.
Mark