AOL Radio + 3G + Plugged in = Battery Draining??

[biotechie]

Now this is something I don't get....

(I did do a little searching to no real end and then decided to post. Please guide me to the relevant thread if this has been asked/answered before)

I have the AOL Radio app running while connected to the 3G network (usually around 1-2 bars) and the phone is plugged in to the computer (using the supplied USB and no iTunes) and yet in a matter of ~1.5 hrs my battery goes from about 80% to about 30%. What I can't understand is that why is it doing this even when connected to a power source? Is being on 3G such a drain on the battery that even when plugged in, it's not enough juice? Or is this a defective phone??

In the hour after I stopped AOL (still keeping the other settings the same), the battery has charged to almost 100%. I did read somewhere that discharging/recharging the battery is supposed to improve battery life though this should not be done often as it will kill it. I haven't had this phone discharge completely in the week that I've had it as I have a habit of charging it when I get home. Should I try it though?

FYI, I reset my phone just before trying this. So the settings are pretty much the default :
3G : ON (Usually get 1-2 bars and sometimes switches to EDGE with 1-3 bars. Though stayed quite a bit on 3G for this)
Wi-Fi : ON (But not connected)
Location Services : ON
Bluetooth : OFF
Push : ON
Fetch : Manually
Apps : Epocrates, Facebook, Linked In, Palringo, Pandora and AOL Radio
Screen Brightness : ~30-40%
Auto Brightness : ON
Auto-Lock : 1 minute

Whaddaya tink iz goin on?

 

[AnalyzeThis]

It is normal...

Now this is something I don't get....

(I did do a little searching to no real end and then decided to post. Please guide me to the relevant thread if this has been asked/answered before)

I have the AOL Radio app running while connected to the 3G network (usually around 1-2 bars) and the phone is plugged in to the computer (using the supplied USB and no iTunes) and yet in a matter of ~1.5 hrs my battery goes from about 80% to about 30%. What I can't understand is that why is it doing this even when connected to a power source? Is being on 3G such a drain on the battery that even when plugged in, it's not enough juice? Or is this a defective phone??

In the hour after I stopped AOL (still keeping the other settings the same), the battery has charged to almost 100%. I did read somewhere that discharging/recharging the battery is supposed to improve battery life though this should not be done often as it will kill it. I haven't had this phone discharge completely in the week that I've had it as I have a habit of charging it when I get home. Should I try it though?

FYI, I reset my phone just before trying this. So the settings are pretty much the default :
3G : ON (Usually get 1-2 bars and sometimes switches to EDGE with 1-3 bars. Though stayed quite a bit on 3G for this)
Wi-Fi : ON (But not connected)
Location Services : ON
Bluetooth : OFF
Push : ON
Fetch : Manually
Apps : Epocrates, Facebook, Linked In, Palringo, Pandora and AOL Radio
Screen Brightness : ~30-40%
Auto Brightness : ON
Auto-Lock : 1 minute

Whaddaya tink iz goin on?

It is known fact. When you phone is operating its radio the temperature rises + when you charge the iPhone it also causing temperature to rise. When temperature exceeds the threshold iPhone will disable charging temporary and so on so forth it goes.

Just keep your iPhone cool and it will work forever off the cable.

 

[scaredpoet]

It's also possible that your USB hub doesn't supply the amperage needed for the iPhone to charge AND do certain things at the same time (like transfer data or stay on a call).

All cell phones use a LOT less power when idle, so if it's plugged in, it's possible for a low current from a USB hub on a computer to charge the battery. When you're on a call or listening to AOL radio though, the phone is probably using more power than the USB hub can put out, causing it to use battery power as well to make up the difference.

Some cell phones with really cheap wall chargers have this same problem.

 

[richg916]

I have used AOL Radio while plugged in (wall plug) for a full 8 hours while at work and the battery stayed at 100%.

 

[biotechie]

Hmmm....

Thanks for the answers people....much appreciated...

All of the explanations seem great...I will try running it plugged into the wall tomorrow and see if it makes a difference...

IF any one else has any experience with this...do post...

Also, should the phone get hot when it is running on EDGE?? I was browsing the net with 2 windows open and moving between pages and then noticed it getting warm at the back..how about this...is this normal?? Just wondering if the battery is dying out much before its time...

Thank you much....

 

[Spongey817]

Interesting. I haven't had anything similar happen to me. Although I do use AOL radio quite often, I never have that many settings turned on.

Needless to say, it might be beneficial to turn WiFi off when not in use. Unless, of course, if you have a WiFi connection (use that instead of 3G to connect to AOL Radio, in which case, turn 3G off).

Turning off Location Services and autobrightness might help as well. I'm not sure whether they are a necessity in your specific case, but turning them off should fare well. That's not just in this situation...but in others too.

You might want to check out some threads here on MacRumors that suggest how to get the best battery performance out of your iPhone 3G.