Cycle touring: time to ditch the smart phone?

Cycle-touring, Expeditions, Adventures, Major cycle routes NOT LeJoG (see other special board)
Jdsk
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Re: Cycle touring: time to ditch the smart phone?

Post by Jdsk »

JJF wrote: 3 Dec 2021, 7:27pm I have a smartphone but can only use it for a very limited range of functions....certainly not for navigation. Unfortunately I don't have grandchildren living near. Is there a book or other source of information?
I'm not sure what you're saying... would you like to use it for other things and would like a source of instruction?

What make and model is it, please?

Jonathan
JJF
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Re: Cycle touring: time to ditch the smart phone?

Post by JJF »

I would like to be able to make use of it. Clearly it can be useful in all sorts of ways including when on tour. It's a Samsung.
Jdsk
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Re: Cycle touring: time to ditch the smart phone?

Post by Jdsk »

Let's have a go.

But you're probably going to get conflicting advice on what to try first. And please remember that are many different apps for any particular task, and it's easy to switch from using one to using another. And many are free.

Do you use OS maps? If so I'd recommend starting from there. Would you like to play with using your 'phone as a device that displays your current OS grid reference?

Jonathan

PS: It will help if you can tell us what model of Samsung it is.
simonhill
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Re: Cycle touring: time to ditch the smart phone?

Post by simonhill »

JJF - I think many people on here have praised the smartphone for its non navigating uses. In fact I think that navigating is one thing I can still do fairly well with non tech means, ie maps. Maybe not as good or easy, but still very possible. My phone is 'invaluable' because it is essentially a mobile internet terminal.

Nonetheless, if you want to see what navigating is like, you can do it with what is already on your phone. If you get on with it, then come back (best on a new post) and ask for recommendations for different bikespecific navigating options.

If you have a Samsung, you will have Google maps apps already installed (if not go to play store and download it).

Open the maps apps, it will show your location on the map with a blue dot.
Touch the map a mile or two away. A red marker will appear.
At the bottom of the map will be a "Directions" button, touch that.
This will then give you a route to the red marker. At the top of screen you can choose transport method. Go for walking (figure of little man). This should give a dotted line route.
Go out of your front door and touch the "Start" button at the bottom of the map. This will start navigating. It will show the map with an arrow and give voice directions (I think these are defaults, so should just happen).
Now start walking the route.

This is a very basic start, but you will see how you could use it and if you like using it, for example try going off route to see how course is reset, etc.

So my advice is just start with this and see what you think. Re all the other things I do on my phone, the bottom line is if you want to do anything, just think, could I do this on my phone. Banking, form filling, booking accom, etc. As you need it you will find out how to do it - usually just an easy to use app. Let Google be your friend for this.

Go forth and explore.
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Cowsham
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Re: Cycle touring: time to ditch the smart phone?

Post by Cowsham »

On a slight variation to the gps theme --

the phone can locate your cycle lock keys

( or electric battery keys or wallet or cycle if you forgot where you parked it etc etc )

if you have a finder fob on them and the accompanying app on your smart phone.

You can also locate your smart phone by pressing one of the fobs buttons twice.
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mattheus
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Re: Cycle touring: time to ditch the smart phone?

Post by mattheus »

freiston wrote: 1 Dec 2021, 10:36pm
I hear using a phone as a satnave is quite draining, meaning you have to charge with your dynamo hub, all day...
That's not my experience. What I find that particularly drains the battery when out and about are apps that are repeatedly trying to check in with a server when the data signal is poor. For navigating, I use Osmand which can work offline and so I can keep the phone in airplane mode and the battery will last very well; I have done this once when a change of plan meant that I had 40 miles of little lanes to navigate but no planned route - the route auto-planned by Osmand was very good. Otherwise, my preferred method of navigating with the phone is to load a previously prepared gpx track onto Osmand and just check the phone every so often to make a mental note of the next three turns or so and that I am on track (I don't use Osmand in its navigation mode - I just use the map with the line and the ability to locate me on the map). This way, my battery seems to require no more charging than it does for my usual usage even without resorting to airplane mode.
Do you have a tip for stopping this? I've recently seen "KillApp" recommended, but haven't yet taken the plunge of downloading it.
rareposter
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Re: Cycle touring: time to ditch the smart phone?

Post by rareposter »

mattheus wrote: 4 Dec 2021, 2:37pm
Do you have a tip for stopping this? I've recently seen "KillApp" recommended, but haven't yet taken the plunge of downloading it.
Settings > only update over wifi (that stops apps updating themselves via 4G / 5G but won't stop notifications)
Battery saver mode / airplane mode will stop or at least dramatically reduce the number of times the apps talk to the internet with the added bonus that on most phones it's only 1 or 2 taps/swipes and very easy to turn on and off.

It's not something you need to download another app for.
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freiston
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Re: Cycle touring: time to ditch the smart phone?

Post by freiston »

mattheus wrote: 4 Dec 2021, 2:37pm
freiston wrote: 1 Dec 2021, 10:36pm
I hear using a phone as a satnave is quite draining, meaning you have to charge with your dynamo hub, all day...
That's not my experience. What I find that particularly drains the battery when out and about are apps that are repeatedly trying to check in with a server when the data signal is poor. For navigating, I use Osmand which can work offline and so I can keep the phone in airplane mode and the battery will last very well; I have done this once when a change of plan meant that I had 40 miles of little lanes to navigate but no planned route - the route auto-planned by Osmand was very good. Otherwise, my preferred method of navigating with the phone is to load a previously prepared gpx track onto Osmand and just check the phone every so often to make a mental note of the next three turns or so and that I am on track (I don't use Osmand in its navigation mode - I just use the map with the line and the ability to locate me on the map). This way, my battery seems to require no more charging than it does for my usual usage even without resorting to airplane mode.
Do you have a tip for stopping this? I've recently seen "KillApp" recommended, but haven't yet taken the plunge of downloading it.
When it has been an issue for me (which isn't often), I have either stopped the specific apps I suspect of causing issues (Samsung Android version 9 - Settings/Apps/name of app/Force Stop) or I have just put it into airplane mode - which has the downside (or upside ;-) ) of not being able to receive calls or messages but if I'm inclined to, I can toggle airplane mode off and on again when, for example, I take a comfort break, to check for messages/voicemails.
Disclaimer: Treat what I say with caution and if possible, wait for someone with more knowledge and experience to contribute. ;)
mattheus
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Re: Cycle touring: time to ditch the smart phone?

Post by mattheus »

Goes to Settings/Apps ...
I've got 71 apps! How do I tell which ones are drinking my juice??
Jdsk
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Re: Cycle touring: time to ditch the smart phone?

Post by Jdsk »

mattheus wrote: 4 Dec 2021, 5:22pm Goes to Settings/Apps ...
I've got 71 apps! How do I tell which ones are drinking my juice??
What operating system is it running, please?

Jonathan
mattheus
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Re: Cycle touring: time to ditch the smart phone?

Post by mattheus »

Also Android 9, but on a Moto G6.
Jdsk
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Re: Cycle touring: time to ditch the smart phone?

Post by Jdsk »

mattheus wrote: 4 Dec 2021, 6:23pm Also Android 9, but on a Moto G6.
Thanks.

I can't help with that, but if anyone wants to understand and optimise battery performance on an iOS device please let me know.

Jonathan
rareposter
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Re: Cycle touring: time to ditch the smart phone?

Post by rareposter »

mattheus wrote: 4 Dec 2021, 5:22pm Goes to Settings/Apps ...
I've got 71 apps! How do I tell which ones are drinking my juice??
It'll be the ones you're using! The vast majority of apps sit there in the background doing nothing - I've got nearly 200!
On some versions of Android, if you go to Settings > Battery it'll give you a breakdown of battery usage by app but it's basically "what you're using the most / the data heavy ones".

My system is set to only update apps over wifi so it won't go trying to download an app update while I'm riding along somewhere. The vast vast majority of battery usage is stuff that you're actually using. The remaining apps will sit there and between them use 1/2 a % at most and much of that is notifications stuff from social media, text messages, email, occasional special offers (my ebay app and Booking.com both send occasional "ping! special offer this weekend only!" stuff although I've turned off the majority of those) and sometimes weather apps - Rain Alarm (excellent app by the way, well worth it!) will often vibrate and tell me there's rain incoming but all that is fine.

Far and away the simplest method of killing all that is to pop the phone onto airplane mode then, when you're ready to look at it again - maybe when you've got a wifi connection - take it off airplane mode and it'll have a look around for any messages, voicemails etc that you may have missed. To be honest under most normal conditions (a single day's ride for example) it's not even worth worrying about, the battery will last just fine. It's only when you're on multi-day tours and you're not sure when you might get an opportunity to charge it that this should even be considered. I can easily get around that via a powerbank anyway - one 20,000mAh pack will charge a GPS, a mobile and a set of lights 3x over if necessary.
Jdsk
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Re: Cycle touring: time to ditch the smart phone?

Post by Jdsk »

EDITED: Crossed with rareposter's.

Good advice above: find your way around the settings and turn off stuff that isn't needed.

But for touring I'd also recommend doing the experiments: which ways of using which apps eat the power in practice? And getting a good feel for that before it becomes important either for safety or access to charging. And those experiments are a lot less stressful if you've got a battery pack with you.

Jonathan
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Cowsham
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Re: Cycle touring: time to ditch the smart phone?

Post by Cowsham »

Those *radio apps seem to be the ones that eat battery even when idle so after using mine " Radio Player " I shut it down completely. Most other apps don't seem to drain the battery to the same extent.

( I used to use 'Tune In' but I think it needs a subscription or something can't remember why I ditched it in favor of Radio Player )

*( most phones don't have FM radio now -- probably removed to lower cost or make room for other stuff or because the local oscillators required interfere with other wireless systems of which there are many more than before.)
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