Advice on extending battery life on phone...

[Mazz]

a cheap Android device eg a Samsung Xcover4s ( £50) or 5 2nd hand ( £100) (uses a replacable battery) on handle bar tethered to a power bank in a bar bag. Thats what I do with screen max brightness, the powerbank taking the load.

Not a bad shout.
I never thought about getting a cheap second mobile just for navigation.

 

[Ming the Merciless]

Any advice on how to persuade a chap? 🤣

Even Yorkshiremen buy Christmas presents.

 

[Mazz]

Even Yorkshiremen buy Christmas presents.

Only for mi'ssen, mind! 😆

 

[HobbesOnTour]

a cheap Android device eg a Samsung Xcover4s ( £50) or 5 2nd hand ( £100) (uses a replacable battery) on handle bar tethered to a power bank in a bar bag. Thats what I do with screen max brightness, the powerbank taking the load.

Not a bad shout.
I never thought about getting a cheap second mobile just for navigation.

A second phone on tour is not a bad idea for two reasons:
First, it reduces the dependency on and risk to the "main phone".
Secondly, it's a backup for online accounts in the event that the main phone is damaged or lost. Losing access to your online stuff far from home is not fun.

With a bit of research and patience it may be possible to track down one with a better camera than your own, or other feature that you'd appreciate.

However, be aware that an older phone will become obsolete sooner and may affect your choice of apps.

 

[ColinJ]

A second phone on tour is not a bad idea for two reasons:
First, it reduces the dependency on and risk to the "main phone".

I was thinking that one could use it perhaps as a 'sacrificial' phone in case of being robbed - Keep the cheap phone, modest amount of cash, and a defunct bank card in a pocket where a mugger would find them, and hide the good phone, most of the cash, and current bank card where they wouldn't?

 

[Jameshow]

I was thinking that one could use it perhaps as a 'sacrificial' phone in case of being robbed - Keep the cheap phone, modest amount of cash, and a defunct bank card in a pocket where a mugger would find them, and hide the good phone, most of the cash, and current bank card where they wouldn't?

Esp over in Calderdale!🤣🤣

 

[HobbesOnTour]

I was thinking that one could use it perhaps as a 'sacrificial' phone in case of being robbed - Keep the cheap phone, modest amount of cash, and a defunct bank card in a pocket where a mugger would find them, and hide the good phone, most of the cash, and current bank card where they wouldn't?

Yes, very good advice.
Based on experience, I'd also suggest replacing the sacrificial items when they are successfully sacrificed
Lightning can strike twice...... and sometimes three times!

 

[mercalia]

a cheap Android device eg a Samsung Xcover4s ( £50) or 5 2nd hand ( £100) (uses a replacable battery) on handle bar tethered to a power bank in a bar bag. Thats what I do with screen max brightness, the powerbank taking the load.

I in fact use an old Windows 10 mobile that cost me just £5 from Bay, a Lumia 640. There is though only one decent maps app in the store now - Cartograph (pro). Not sure if it is stil available for new buyers

 

[mercalia]

A second phone on tour is not a bad idea for two reasons:
First, it reduces the dependency on and risk to the "main phone".
Secondly, it's a backup for online accounts in the event that the main phone is damaged or lost. Losing access to your online stuff far from home is not fun.

With a bit of research and patience it may be possible to track down one with a better camera than your own, or other feature that you'd appreciate.

However, be aware that an older phone will become obsolete sooner and may affect your choice of apps.

The two I mention Samsung Xcover 4s and Xcover 5 can be upgraded to Android 11 and 13 respectively. Few apps need that level. decent Batteries for the 4s seem to be getting harder to find but decent ones for the 5 still there as it is quite a recent phone, still getting Android updates

 

[Mazz]

I in fact use an old Windows 10 mobile that cost me just £5 from Bay, a Lumia 640. There is though only one decent maps app in the store now - Cartograph (pro). Not sure if it is stil available for new buyers

Does this mean if you search for eg Komoot in the app store, it won't show up. Or maybe it does appear but can you download it?

Would you say the xcover 5 is the best option of those you've mentioned?

 

[Sallar55]

A second phone on tour is not a bad idea for two reasons:
First, it reduces the dependency on and risk to the "main phone".
Secondly, it's a backup for online accounts in the event that the main phone is damaged or lost. Losing access to your online stuff far from home is not fun.

With a bit of research and patience it may be possible to track down one with a better camera than your own, or other feature that you'd appreciate.

However, be aware that an older phone will become obsolete sooner and may affect your choice of apps.

With Brexit its 2 phones for us , one with an EU roaming sim and the other phone has the UK normal sim card . As above the added danger is that we all have our banking on the phone , if its stolen/lost we are in trouble unless you have backup in cash. And using a cash machine has banking charges added on.

 

[mercalia]

Does this mean if you search for eg Komoot in the app store, it won't show up. Or maybe it does appear but can you download it?

Would you say the xcover 5 is the best option of those you've mentioned?

The store is a bit strange. if you have already bought the app then it will/may show up but if you havent it may not as many apps now for Windows 10 were for the phone that is now obsolete and the apps for them on borrowed time. If you can see the app on a search then yes you can download it.

You can get the Samsung Xcover 5 for about £100 2nd hand on Ebay mint ( new they are about £250 still available) and the batteries still are available but have gone up in price in the last month( were £14 now £19 from the ebay seller I used) but seem genuine as they weigh the same as original and seem to have the NFC chip bump. The batteries for the Xcover 4s I also have were not genuine I suspect were from scrapped phones maybe relabeled as many Samsung phones used the same battery, give only 7 hours when they should give 10 if new & do not have the NFC bump. ( buying batteries from Ebay al ways a risk) Both phones are sold as in the field phones - the 4s is nicer to handle as it has rubbery side ribs & a bit thicker. The Xcover 5 is strangely slippery and a bit thinner, god knows why they did this.

I actually bought the 4s my first Android phone to get the Lidl app and offers....and for VoIP that my windows phone doesnt have & 3G ending. I keep my Xcover 5 as a spare. I am happier using my cheapo £5 Windows phone with Cartograph apps for maps as I have quite a few and keep the Android 4s for static uses as I also have some Memory Map maps on it ( from my windows desktop days) as also the Cartograph Maps 3 app and also the Osmand app - all run well on the 4s. ( and 5)

I terms of performance not much in it other than the 4s has only 3gb memory and 32gb storage ( I still have 10gb free) where as the Xcover 5 has 4gb memory and 64 gb storage( over kill for me). Andoid 11 for the 4s ( last update was summer) and Android 13 for the 5 ( stil getting updates to the Android system). I think either will run any apps available for a long time as I think the min is a very low Adroid 8 or so

Neither are games phones just bog standard performance, Both are only 4G

( I am not used to spending £100's on phones why I am reluctant to use my best Xcover 5 in the rough and tumble, for me it is like some one who spends £700 on an iphone ( I cannot even imagine that lol) - for me £100 was a great deal to spend... I am cheapo-man).


On balance the Xcover 5 is the best choice( as long as £100 does not make you freak out & is small change), came out in 2021, can get cheapish spare batteries that seem genuine from Ebay & still getting Andoid updates ( that does not matter to me as I do not do any buying or banking on phones just trains and buses and podcasts & maps and email and stickies so I will be god willing be using these phones years from now long after they have become "vulnerable" it dont matter)



Oh by the way both claim a degree of waterproofness.... and have the standard socket for headphones
also the Xcover 5 is the last of the cheapish Xcover series, the Xcover 6 is almost twice the price £500+............

 

[albion]

Might as well buy the 4s if you are heading that way. Has Android 11, apparently and is only £40 for 'mint'.
Two of those 10AH battery packs I mentioned would maybe run it 24 hours with its small screen on.

Not a bad phone considering it seems to have 4G and NFC.

 

[mercalia]

Might as well buy the 4s if you are heading that way. Has Android 11, apparently and is only £40 for 'mint'.
Two of those 10AH battery packs I mentioned would maybe run it 24 hours with its small screen on.

Not a bad phone considering it seems to have 4G and NFC.

the NFC is built into the battery pack as with the 5. As I said the spare batteries I have bought from Ebay were not genuine lacking the NFC bulge that is tell tale. it is a good phone just getting spare batteries a blot

 

[albion]

Why I mentioned power packs. Those Enegon 2 x 10,000 mah usb power packs can still be found for £14, removing any need for battery replacement, at least in this use scenario.