Waze forum

GPS is a major battery drain, and I don't need pinpoint position accuracy when I'm on a limited-access highway. It would be nice if there was a mode where Waze would only use the GPS when approaching what I'm going to call intensive navigation (i.e. lots of close-together turns in an area with dense roads where the GPS accuracy is needed to determine which specific road you are on). The remainder of the time cellular positioning would be used. It could also automatically dim the screen or even turn it off, and provide some sort of alert when approaching intensive navigation areas (I can unlock my phone without looking at it, and unfortunately AFAIK Android doesn't offer the ability to programmatically turn on and unlock).

As an example, I'm driving from Boston to Kitchener, ON (let's ignore the international data roaming issue in this scenario). I do 2 hours on I-90 in MA, take some exits, end up on I-90 through NY for about 5 hours, then navigate a bunch of other highways through Buffalo to the border. I only need Waze on during the highway changes and in Buffalo. It would be nice to not need to remember to turn it on when getting close to those points (assuming I'm familiar enough with the route to even know when I've reached those points).

Because Waze tracks and analyzes your drive for road position and speed data, highly accurate location and speed is required, which cellular positioning cannot offer. You may not need it, but Waze does.

There's some info in this thread for other USB car chargers which are 3 amps or more. The 4A charger is enough to full-speed charge two iPads.

Colin_young wrote:The alternative is that I'm just going to exit Waze, then they're not getting that info anyway.

As for chargers, I've tested navigation apps with the AC charger, and in many cases (I'm guessing marginal cellular signal) the device is consuming more power than the charger is providing. Plus maybe I need to stream audio from the internet over Bluetooth while my passenger browses the internet on a iPad using my phone's WiFi hotspot

You're certainly free to not use Waze. It's unlikely they would entertain such a "feature." As for power, the posts above have threads to chargers which are $15 or less and would, and definitely do, have the ability to not just power, but power and charge a device which is using Waze, streaming audio and has a hotspot active with multiple (6) users in the car using the hotspot at the same time. I've done exactly that, plus running Coverage Map to gather cell signal strength/data speed at the same time. Although that was on a iPhone, not iPad, but a 4A charger will keep up with all that on an iPad too. Maybe even while playing a 3D FPS...

Twister_UK wrote:

daknife wrote:

Twister_UK wrote: Remember though that a (properly designed and functioning) device will only pull as much current from the source as its power supply circuitry allows, so simply connecting it to a higher capacity charger isn't always a solution.

That point is irrelevant. Most if not al smart phones can an will take advantage of having a 1, 2, 3, or even 4 amp charger.

Oh, it's anything but irrelevant. Some, perhaps even many, recent phones can take advantage of higher current chargers, but to suggest that most/all do is incorrect.

The other thing to remember that household chargers (that plug into the wall) are typically higher capacity than those designed for use in the car (due to the 120VAC vs 12VDC and the fact that the charger doesn't want to drain your car battery). Getting a higher capacity car charger won't have any effect on your battery while the car is running (unless your alternator is messed up).

AlanOfTheBerg wrote:Because Waze tracks and analyzes your drive for road position and speed data, highly accurate location and speed is required, which cellular positioning cannot offer. You may not need it, but Waze does.

Then Waze can just not submit any of that info to the servers. I'm well aware of the limitations of cellular positioning. Another option would be to turn on the GPS every 10 minutes or at some user-configurable interval, grab the precise info, submit that, and drop back to low-power mode (all without turning the screen on).

The alternative is that I'm just going to exit Waze, then they're not getting that info anyway.

As for chargers, I've tested navigation apps with the AC charger, and in many cases (I'm guessing marginal cellular signal) the device is consuming more power than the charger is providing. Plus maybe I need to stream audio from the internet over Bluetooth while my passenger browses the internet on a iPad using my phone's WiFi hotspot

Twister_UK wrote:

Timbones wrote:

Twister_UK wrote:You still might, if you're in an area with genuinely bad cellular reception (as opposed to the client merely thinking there's no network...), and the combination of active screen, CPU usage, GPS, and maximum radio TX power means the phone is sucking more out of the battery than the charger is able to stuff back in.

If your charger can't keep your phone charged while in use, you need a better charger.
Basically, some chargers only give 0.5 amps rather than the full 1 amp. See the link above.

Remember though that a (properly designed and functioning) device will only pull as much current from the source as its power supply circuitry allows, so simply connecting it to a higher capacity charger isn't always a solution.

That point is irrelevant. Most if not al smart phones can an will take advantage of having a 1, 2, 3, or even 4 amp charger. The devices will charge off a .2 or .5 if not being otherwise used. But they will charge faster with more juice available. And .2 and often .5 won't keep up with even regular usage, let alone a nav app.

No device I've heard of will let a more powerful charger fry it, but having more juice available is a benefit and is thus highly recommended.

Sent from my SPH-D700 using Tapatalk 2

There are tips on extending battery life in the Wiki: http://bit.ly/WazeBattery

Having an in-car charger is very beneficial, and you won't need to worry about power then.

Twister_UK wrote:

Timbones wrote:Having an in-car charger is very beneficial, and you won't need to worry about power then.

You still might, if you're in an area with genuinely bad cellular reception (as opposed to the client merely thinking there's no network...), and the combination of active screen, CPU usage, GPS, and maximum radio TX power means the phone is sucking more out of the battery than the charger is able to stuff back in.

If your charger can't keep your phone charged while in use, you need a better charger.
Basically, some chargers only give 0.5 amps rather than the full 1 amp. See the link above.

Timbones wrote:Having an in-car charger is very beneficial, and you won't need to worry about power then.

You still might, if you're in an area with genuinely bad cellular reception (as opposed to the client merely thinking there's no network...), and the combination of active screen, CPU usage, GPS, and maximum radio TX power means the phone is sucking more out of the battery than the charger is able to stuff back in.