"We Need More Power, Scotty!"
DRAFT
Firstly, it's important to accept that Waze will require a lot of power, as it is continously using the display, CPU, GPS and data connections. In order to provide accurate and up-to-date traffic information, the app will be much more active than other navigation apps.
Get An In-Car Charger
If you're planning to drive any significant distance, you'll want to have your phone connected to a charger that plugs into the cigarette lighter. You'll be able to Waze the whole way uninterrupted, and your phone will be at nearly full charge when you get to your destination.
Don't just get the first or cheapest in-car charger you find though...
Chargers are not equal
Some in-car chargers are better than others, and some will be able to deliver more current.
USB chargers will typically have a low charge rate (0.5 amps), and may struggle to deliver all the power that the phone needs. Chargers that emulate a proper wall charger will be able to deliver the full 1 amp, and the phone will charge at a much higher rate.
Note: it's the phone that decides how much current it will draw, so even if you have a 1 amp charger, if the phone thinks it is plugged into USB it will only take 0.5 amps.
The iPhone knows three speeds: <500mA for non-dedicated chargers or USB-ports, 1000mA for chargers with iPhone coding and more than 1000mA for chargers which signal iPad-compatibility.
So, if you're having problems keeping your phone charged in the car, buy a better charger.
Example: Motorola micro-USB Rapid Rate Charger from Amazon
Forum threads
Reduce Power Consumption
Some users complain that even with a charger plugged in, their battery is being drained. Reducing the overall power consumption of your phone can help. Here are some tips:
- turn the display brightness down - if the sunshine is not too bright
- turn the display off completely - you'll still hear the audio navigation
- drop to a lower speed data connection, e.g 2G or GPRS as 3G requires a lot of power
- turn off other networks, such as Wifi, bluetooth and hotspot
- switch to from 3D to 2D in the display settings - requires less data and processing
- switch to night mode - will save power on certain kinds of displays (OLED)
- exit other apps that run in the background, especially those that use GPS or data connections
Finally, exit the Waze app when you've stopped driving - be aware that pressing 'Home' will leave it running in the background, and continue to drain your battery as well as sending bogus traffic data.
Keep It Cool
With the display on, CPU running, continuous GPS and data connections, plus charging the battery, your phone is going to get hot. Battery heat can lose charge quicker or even damage your battery. Try to keep your phone off the dashboard, away from direct sunlight and position over a cooling air vent if you can. If your phone has a 3rd-party rubber case, you might want to remove that too.
Tips for Custom ROMS (Android)
- certain custom ROMS support better power saving (disable/limit CPU cores etc)
- if your CPU is overclocked, it will draw more power. Slow it down to extend battery life.
- you may have the option to enable FastCharge, which treats all USB chargers like the wall charger.
"Warp drive standing by."