ICS Destroyed My Data, Battery

[anyavailableusername]

I updated to ICS late Monday night, July 9th, and ever since my normally impeccable Razr has more resembled my old Eris (which, if anyone here had one, you know exactly what I'm talking about). Despite the fact that I have unlimited data--and always have--my phone tells me randomly throughout the day that I have "exceeded the set limit" and shuts off my data. There is an option to turn it back on, but it doesn't work. I've already been all through my settings several times; there is no limit set. I have called customer service no less than four times since, and each time they offer something--reset your phone, clear your settings data, delete any anti-virus software, whatever, and each time my data will return for between 20 and 60 minutes before shutting off again. Does anybody know what the hell is going on? If all I wanted out of a phone was calls and texts I would have gotten the free phone, not $700 of 21st century technology.

Additionally, my phone now will not charge past 50%. I don't know what that's about but since my phone is basically useless it's not a big deal to leave it plugged into the wall all day. Does anybody know what the hell is going on, because customer service clearly does not (they've even told me so).

[radarpouch]

Same problem here. Called customer sevice and they are not aware of any problems but they will offer me a refirbished phone to replace the one I just bought a month ago. What a joke. Try a factory reset, not that it helped me.

[anyavailableusername]

Good to hear I'm not the only one, even though they keep telling me I am.

On a side note, I have to reply to this by email because Verizon is

convinced I haven't registered for these forums even though a) I just did,

and b) I am still signed in. ANy time I try to enter it prompts me to

register with no other options. Verizon is just failing all over the place.

On Wed, Jul 11, 2012 at 1:39 PM, radarpouch

[Jakeman1]

I have a Razr Maxx and the setting on here to change the limit of Data is in Settings>Data Usage and is right at the top of the screen called Set mobile data limit.  When you first look at it is looks blank however it is set to a default of 2 gb per cycle. You can change that by clicking on it it will check the box and give you a grid with a red and a yellow bar on it.  Move the Red bar up to just over where you think your max usage is and the yellow bar to what you think your max usage is.  I have unlimited data for now so I just set these real high (350gb and 290 gb, and I know I will never hit that number).  So far for the billing cycle the Max has used just over 3.5 gb and has not shut off yet.

That said, if you want to streamline your data usage anyway, I would recommend the following:

Install Onavo Count on your phone.  This is a data counter and also has some settings in it so you can limit how your phone uses data. Find all of the Bloatware on your phone that you do NOT use and change it to Use Data only when connected to Wi-Fi (I call the bloatware the following but it can vary by user as some will use some of these for some reason) and all of them used data on my phone even though I NEVER used any of them:

Amazon Kindle

Facebook

Google Play Books

Google Play Movies

Google Play Music

Google +

MOG Music

My Verizon Mobile (the largest consumer of Bloatware Data)

Netflix

NFL Mobile

Slacker

Slingbox

V Cast Tones

Verizon SSO Engine

Verizon Video

VZ Navigator

After changing how these connect to Data, I went in and un installed ALL of the updates for these apps and went back to the Manage Apps menue button. From there I selected each of these one by one and disabled them (which you can only do with ICS).  This saved me Battery life, Data usage went from just over 2.5 GB on one phone to just under .5 gb, and freed up some resources (RAM) on the phone.

[NuDroidUsrr]

anyavailableusername wrote:

I updated to ICS late Monday night, July 9th, and ever since my normally impeccable Razr has more resembled my old Eris (which, if anyone here had one, you know exactly what I'm talking about). Despite the fact that I have unlimited data--and always have--my phone tells me randomly throughout the day that I have "exceeded the set limit" and shuts off my data. There is an option to turn it back on, but it doesn't work. I've already been all through my settings several times; there is no limit set. I have called customer service no less than four times since, and each time they offer something--reset your phone, clear your settings data, delete any anti-virus software, whatever, and each time my data will return for between 20 and 60 minutes before shutting off again. Does anybody know what the hell is going on? If all I wanted out of a phone was calls and texts I would have gotten the free phone, not $700 of 21st century technology.

Additionally, my phone now will not charge past 50%. I don't know what that's about but since my phone is basically useless it's not a big deal to leave it plugged into the wall all day. Does anybody know what the hell is going on, because customer service clearly does not (they've even told me so).

Somebody on another thread on this community said that they had the same problem, and what they did to fix it was to go into SETTINGS | DATA USAGE, and the SET MOBILE DATA LIMIT was NOT checked. They then checked it (Which they have unlimited data), and set the limit up to something like 50GB, and they have not had the problem since.

  You might want to see if you can find that other thread, and ask the person if it still fixed their problem.

[anyavailableusername]

Yep, moving the data limit worked. I didn't realize having that set limit

box checked actually let me change it. Either it's fairly unintuitive a

user interface or I really am an old man. Thanks everyone.

On Wed, Jul 11, 2012 at 7:48 PM, NuDroidUsrr

[B33]

Good Info i Will Check that out as Well..When i has a Look the Mobile Data Limit was Unchecked but it did say how Much i Used. Interesting..b33

[Jakeman1]

See the post directly above yours, I did the same thing on the Razr Maxx and have not had any issues at all since then.

[B33]

Jake do you have Unlimited on your plan for your Maxx i was assuming you did but wasn't for sure in the Data settings they were set at Default and as i mentioned unchecked on my Maxx.. but it is interesting the graph it shows and what is Used..

[NuDroidUsrr]

I would like to see if that is the case with these phones, because if Verizon put a billing cycle "limit" of 2GB of data on our phones even though we might have unlimited, I would think that would make for an interesting conversation with the FCC or someone like that....

[B33]

That could Definitely stir up a Hornets Nest. 

[Jakeman1]

I have unlimited Data and it was capped at 2GB by the phone. Once I set the limits on the phone, it will go way past that now.

[B33]

Well on mine Jake the Box just above the Settings was unchecked i wonder if that Makes any difference or do i need to Check it and Up the Limit as you had to do on yours..Hum.! 

[Jakeman1]

Mine was as well. I also read somewhere that the default with it unchecked was 2 GB and if you wanted it set any differently, you needed to check the box and do custom settings which is why I originally went in and tried it. 

[B33]

K thanks Jake we'll take a looksee.! and see what has been Used. b33 

[B33]

Here are some Tips from Moto to help save that Battery a little Longer:

Back to Previous Page

Are there any suggestions on how to extend the battery life?

Quick links

Things you should know

Battery specifications

Tips to extend battery life

---

Built-in tools to assist you in optimizing battery life:

Power control widget

Data Saver

Motorola Task Manager

Smart Actions

---

Battery Specifications

Battery 1780 mAh

Talk time Up to approx. 750 minutes

Standby time Up to approx. 8.5 days

Note: All talk and standby times are quoted in Digital Mode, and are approximate. Battery performance depends on network configuration, signal strength, operating temperature, features selected, and voice, data and other application usage patterns.

---

Things you should know about your battery

This product uses a non-removable battery. The battery should only be replaced by a Motorola-approved service facility. Any attempt to remove or replace your battery may damage the product.

The DROID RAZR is feature-rich and can run a virtually limitless number of applications, making it useful for many tasks. Your particular usage will affect how long you can go before recharging your battery. Playing games, running applications, and surfing the Web increase the power use of the computer-like functions of the DROID RAZR. Calling and texting utilize its phone functions. Depending on your use mix, time between charges will vary. We know you want to use the device to its fullest and offer you these tips to help you get the most from your phone while going as long as possible between charges.

New batteries are not fully charged. Plug the battery charger into your phone and an electrical outlet. Your phone might take several seconds to start charging the battery.

Tips:

• It may take several charging cycles for your battery to reach optimum performance.
• If your device is completely discharged, it may take Several minutes for the device to begin charging. This is why Discharging is Discouraged!
• Ensure you are using a Motorola specific charger. Other chargers might take longer to charge your battery, or cause your calls to fail during charging.

---

Tips to extend battery life:

• During initial set up of your Google and social networking account, your phone's battery may drain faster than usual due to the amount of data transferred. After the initial sync, and a few charging cycles, your battery will reach its maximum capacity.We strongly recommend to keep the phone attached to the charger during the initial sync.
• See where you power is going: Tap Home > Menu > Settings > Battery information > Battery use.
• When setting the phone down after use, quickly press the power key to invoke a blank screen. Selecting a shorter back light duration will also help conserve power by blanking the screen when not in use.
• Lower the display brightness. Set Brightness to Automatic or low: Tap Apps > Settings > Display > Brightness
• Set Screen timeout less then 1 minute: Tap Apps > Settings > Display > Screen Timeout
• Turn animation off: Tap Apps > Settings > Display > Animation > No animation
• Turn off GPS when not in use. Active GPS can take a lot of power. Exit from navigation apps when not in use. Tap Apps > Settings > Location & Security > Uncheck Standalone GPS services.
  Tip: You can add a power control widget to your home screen to toggle GPS on/off quickly.
• Turn WiFi off when not in use : Tap Apps > Settings > Wireless & Networks > Uncheck Wi-Fi.
  Tip: You can add a power control widget to your home screen to toggle Wi-Fi on/off quickly.
• Turn Bluetooth off when not in use: Tap Apps > Settings > Wireless & Networks > Uncheck Bluetooth
  Tip: You can add a power control widget to your home screen to toggle Bluetooth on/off quickly.
• Applications which uses battery power: Certain streaming Music, Music Players, Talk, Video Chat, Navigation, Weather, and Map apps. widgets and live wallpapers, are notorious battery drainers. In addition certain Facebook, Twitter, Email and other apps that constantly sync over the internet can reduce your battery life. We recommend you use the Motorola task manager application. Task Managers let you monitor how apps use memory and processing power and identify apps that are using too many resources.
• Reboot your phone If you are getting only a few hours of battery life or your phone is running slow, it is probably not your phone. An app or widget is probably the cause. Restart your phone to clear background apps: Press and hold the power button > Tap Power off. Then turn the phone back on. Daily reboots can help keep rogue apps from taking battery life.
• Use the AC adapter to charge your phone whenever possible.
• Ensure you do not have have duplicate email accounts. Duplicate email account will drain battery life. To check for duplicate email accounts, touch > My Accounts > Advanced set up and ensure there are no duplicates. To remove an account, touch the account > Menu > Remove account.
• Use Android Power Control Widgets to easily manage your connections. Toggle Bluetooth, Wi-Fi, and GPS on or off as needed. These can be placed on your home screen by selecting an open area of your screen and selecting them individually or using the Android Power Control Widget.
• Clear all notifications from the notification bar as much as possible.
• We suggest charging each night so you start the day fully charged and ready to go!

---

Built-in tools to assist you in optimizing battery life

There are several built-in tools to assist you in optimizing battery life.

Data manager

A feature called Data Manager is part of the DROID RAZR software. It provides options for significant battery savings by reducing data traffic when not needed.

To access Data manager:

1. Touch Apps
2. Touch Settings
3. Touch Data Manager
4. Select an option below to customize:

Touch Email and corporate sync to customize email delivery options.
Touch Social applications to sync over Wi-Fi only

---

Power control widget

The Power Control Widget gives you a quick snapshot of some of the tools that may be draining your battery. The widget can turn off / on several features: Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, Location (GPS), Synchronization, and also adjust Display brightness.

To add the Power control widget:

From the home screen, touch Menu > Add > Widgets > Power Control

---

Data Saver

This feature allows you to help manage your data usage during normal operation of your device which would help with battery drain as well.

To enable this feature follow these steps:

1. Touch Apps
2. Touch Settings
3. Touch Data manager
4. Touch Data saver
5. Check the box for Data saver.

When Data Saver is activated, the following applications will change their behavior to conserve data:

Browser
Gallery
Email
Market

Tip: If you're experiencing any issues with downloading through any of the above options and are in a known good coverage area, please ensure this feature is not enabled. If so, remove the check from the Data Saver and try again.

---

Smart Actions

Smart Actions allows you to create rules to do things like automatically dim the touch screen when the battery is low, set your ringer to vibrate at work, and set a different wallpaper at home.

Click here for complete details on using Smart Actions.

You can also get step by step video instructions on how to use SmartActions to help conserve battery life. Using your phone, from your home screen touch Apps > Help Center> Tours > under Getting Started touch the Battery Saving Tips and Tricks video.

Click here for community advice suggestions on using SmartActions to extend battery life.

[Carly23456]

I have the Razr for about one month. After upgrading to ICS it has stopped working at  all!! what's that all about??? I tried the "volume + power button" reboot.... it didn't work. Now what do I do? The Verizon tech is sending me a new phone as of tomorrow but said that he couldn't guarantee that i wouldn't lose  my data and pictures when I transferred the info from the bad phone to the new phone. This is bs!!!! I think the ics did this to the phone and they just don't want to admit it. ALL my pictures....gone???? They better not be gone! We will see! If anyone has anything different that I can try....please, please, please, clue me in!!!!!!  Good luck to all of us!!!                   

[ejf74]

I have a feeling once the update to the software issues comes through, it should significantly improve battery life.  I'm not allowed to talk about a certain topic because my previous post was removed.  All I can say is that after this update, my battery life increased significantly. 

I tested different variables, of course disabling bloatware being the first priority.  I do not have any app killers installed and none of the app killing options selected in developer options because it doesn't play nice with some of the games that I play.  I have all GPS satellites on, global network enabled and background data enabled as well.  I don't mess with setting the data limit because I have a 4GB data plan.  I leave Facebook running for most of the day, have AVG antivirus running all day and my weather app running all day as well.

After one day of intermittent to medium usage, at the end of the day before going to bed, I had 50% battery life left after 18 hours.  I've put the phone through the ringer today (heavy usage) and am down to 70% after 5 hours.

It seems like I have intermittent issues with the radio.  I might be able to attribute that to the fact that my area is new on 4G LTE network, I live in an area that the towers are not nearby and I get phenomenal reception when I get close to the towers away from my house.

[ejf74]

Update on benchmark test for today 7/13/2012.  I dogged the phone all day on 4G LTE and not wifi keeping all apps open i.e. Facebook, Words with friends, Draw Something and all other mentioned above.  After a continuous day of HEAVY usage (and I'm talking about virtually all day on the phone), my battery finally gave me the notice at 10% at 12 hours and 45 minutes.  I'm sure if I'd left the phone idle like I normally do most of the time, I'd probably get the 18+ hours that I got the previous couple of days.

Just thought I'd let everyone know.  Hopefully Motorola and Verizon will distribute this update because it has worked extremely well thus far.