Location Based Reminders = Battery Drain?

[kilofoxtrot]

While at work the other day, I made a reminder in the morning to tell me to pickup my dry cleaning after work.

Once I created the reminder, I saw the GPS icon come up on my upper screen... and stay there. I deleted the reminder and the GPS icon went away.

Apps like Foursquare etc etc turn the GPS on when needed and turn it off when not in the foreground.

Not sure if location based reminders are worth the battery drain... I suppose I should try it again and just let it run its course and see what happens to battery life.

Anyone care to share their experience using location based reminders and battery life?

 

[BLiNK]

i am interested with other users experience with this as well as i have been hesitant due to me being a battery whore

 

[kilofoxtrot]

Hey BLiNK... you go first and let me know how it goes, OK?

 

[BLiNK]

well, seeing that apparently nobody around here is using this feature i may give it a go

 

[_heatherly]

I seldom use location-based reminders because I'm afraid of battery drain. I haven't used them enough to really test it, however, I imagine it's constantly running to determine your location.

 

[TurboTiger]

I've been tempted but haven't use them for the reasons you guys have mentioned. It's gotta drain the battery.

Does anyone know how to create a reminder on your iPhone 4S without assigning a time?

I can do it through the calender on iCloud.com on my xp laptop but not on the phone.

TIA

 

[snoslicer8]

I've been tempted but haven't use them for the reasons you guys have mentioned. It's gotta drain the battery.

Does anyone know how to create a reminder on your iPhone 4S without assigning a time?

I can do it through the calender on iCloud.com on my xp laptop but not on the phone.

TIA

Say "Add [insert reminder here] to my [list name] list."

This will add a reminder item without a time or location attached to it.

 

[TurboTiger]

Say "Add [insert reminder here] to my [list name] list."

This will add a reminder item without a time or location attached to it.

Unfortunately, when I do this it adds a time.
Any other suggestions?

TIA

 

[Deff]

Using location based reminders adds some strain to the battery, but really not to the extreme level some of you might expect. When you are using the Maps application or a navigation app, the app requests the most precise information available from the positioning system, when you use location based reminders the reminders app will only request less accurate information and on less regular basis. So it will not keep the GPS chip powered all the time (and this is the biggest battery drain) but it will use other methods, which are less accurate but also require less power.

*edit* One important observation from the opening post: The icon you are referring to is not the GPS icon, but the Location services icon. This means that some app is using location services, but as mentioned in my post, apps can specify the desired level of accuracy, and iOS will use the different tools at its disposal accordingly. (GPS, WiFi, GSM...)

 

[_heatherly]

Unfortunately, when I do this it adds a time.
Any other suggestions?

TIA

Hmm. I don't have that problem. I wonder if there is a way to edit the settings. I either have to add the time manually or ask Siri to remind me at a certain time. But when I go into the Reminder app and create my own reminder, it does not ask me for a time unless I go into that reminder and set one up myself.

 

[TurboTiger]

Hmm. I don't have that problem. I wonder if there is a way to edit the settings. I either have to add the time manually or ask Siri to remind me at a certain time. But when I go into the Reminder app and create my own reminder, it does not ask me for a time unless I go into that reminder and set one up myself.

The time doesn't show immediately after creating the Reminder on the iPhone 4S.
However, if you click another Reminder and then click back to the one you just created, the time is there.

As mentioned above, I've tried the Siri route but it adds the time as well.

Only if I go to iCloud on my xp laptop can I create an reminder without a time.
If I go into iCloud on my laptop to remove a time from a reminder created on my iPhone, it will remove it from the display on Reminder on iCloud but may or may not remove it on my iPhone once it syncs.

Go Figure,

Good Luck

 

[wantoun]

WhenImClose Location Based Reminder for BlackBerry

WhenImClose is a location reminder for BlackBerry.
It does not drain the battery, as it only wakes up at certain intervals for a small check. The users can even set the interval themselves according to their trip. If they don't care about an instantaneous reminder, like if they just want to get reminded when they are home but not the second they step inside, they can set the reminder interval to be an hour.

Check its website here: WhenImClose – Location Based Reminder (Geo-Reminder) for BlackBerry Smartphones

 

[tjansen]

Anything that requires you to keep your GPS on means you're gonna lose battery and it's gonna drain fast.

 

[ernbrdn]

I use location based reminders constantly with no noticeable drain on my battery. Maybe in 5.0 there was but in 5.1.1 geo fencing seems to work flawlessly. As long as the gps icon is an outline and not solid it is in reduced power state and not hitting the battery much at all. No more than say wifi and Bluetooth being on but not connected. Of course YMMV