How to configure the use of data connections
 

I have a trial N900 for 2 weeks thanks to a contest on Maemo-guru.com. So far I have used it for 2 days, and there is one serious issue I have with it. Perhaps some other user knows how to deal with this??

As the N900's slogan is "on line as it happens", I have tried the always on line mode (called Automatic), but I can tell you that just kills the battery. As long as you have it on a charger, you're fine, but otherwise that is not feasible (note: just tried this during one day).

Though I would have liked it to go on for a whole day, it is not an issue for me to not be on line 24 hours. However, the alternative to automatic (i.e. continuous data connection open) is manual. Manual means that everytime I need a connection I need to tell it which one. So I launch the Web, tell it which connection; I want to take a pic, tell it which connection; email does not up date automatically in this state (I believe...); launch Mauku, tell it which connection; etc.

Worst of all, though, is that when I am done using the data connection, it doesn't turn itself off. Which means that if I forget, it drains my battery unnecessarily.

So now I am continuously manually dealing with internet connections, turning them on and off. Not much fun. Am I doing something wrong?

Ideally, I would have something very similar to the S60 v3.2 where you establish a preference order (wifi first, then 3G) and it connects when necessary, but closes the connection once I leave the application or it is done doing what it is doing (e.g. updating email).

Any suggestions? TIA.

Bas

Re: How to configure the use of data connections
 

Interesting. Where are your picking up your connection from?

I have mine set on automatic: at home it connects to the wifi for several hours. At work, I'm in a place with poor reception so it is continually having to find and reconnect (even to the basic cell radio signal). Yet my batery easily lasts 12-14 hours. The only thing I have found to suck up battery is the music player (and that's not exceptional).

I do keep the email retreiving down to every half hour on wifi and only on demand on cell data. But otherwise I'm truly 'online' all the time.

Re: How to configure the use of data connections
 

Does that include things like Skype, IM clients and SIP? Or just a few widgets?

Re: How to configure the use of data connections
 

Sorry for not answering before, but I am still playing with these settings in order to get a feel for what I can do. Just to clarify, when I meant being on line all the time, I meant in actuality that I was on Skype and gTalk the whole time. That seems to gobble up juice, because it doesn't last much more than 6 hours like that.

Since last Saturday, I am playing with being on line all the time, but simply not connected at all to Skype. That means I have an open data connection, though I am not actually using the connection. Sure, Weather updates a few times a day as well as Nokia Messaging, but those are the only really non-user initiated uses of the data connection.

Besides that, I browse a few times a day and check twitter through Mauku. In the afternoon I update my podcasts at home over wi-fi. Lastly, I listen to podcasts between 1-2 hours a day. At night I totally turn off the data connection. During the day, I'll check the calendar, write some notes, etc but nothing major.

Doing all this, I manage to squeeze 24 hours out of the battery. Just about enough, but I am certainly not hitting the device hard. It screams to be hit harder, but I just don't do it, because of battery concerns.

I think I could live with all these issues quite nicely, if it was very easy to set the data connection to on and off. Something like a home screen widget where I can select, say, off line (meaning data connection closed) and On line (connecting to "any" connection available) modes.

Secondly, it would be nice to have a home screen "button" where I could very easily turn on and off Skype.

Both of these issues need to be done in the Settings and that isn't terribly convenient.

In summary, I can get 24 hours out of the battery being on line for about 16 of them. Not too bad, but needs to be improved I think.