13. Maintaining and Troubleshooting Your EVO 3D
This chapter covers ways you can properly maintain your HTC EVO 3D and troubleshoot basic software and hardware problems. Topics include the following:
• Dealing with problematic applications
• Caring for your EVO 3D’s exterior
• Getting help with your EVO 3D
Although problems concerning the HTC EVO 3D Android software, hardware, and accessories are rare, on occasion you might experience incidents where your phone does not perform properly. There are a few fixes you can try if you experience the occasional glitch that can occur with any hardware device.
Updating Android
Every so often, Google releases software updates for your EVO 3D’s Android operating system. To get the most from your phone, it is good practice to upgrade soon after an upgrade has been released. When an update is available, you receive a notification that indicates a system update is available. At that point, you have the options to Install Now, Install Later, or Discard.
1. A notification for an update appears in the status bar.
2. Pull down the Notification panel and then tap the system update. A message appears asking if you would like to download the update and prompts you to choose a connection type.
3. Select a connection type.
4. Tap OK.
5. A message might appear after you tap OK, informing you that additional data charges might apply if you do not have an unlimited data plan. If this message appears, tap Yes.
6. A message appears and asks you if would like to install the following system software update. Select Install Now.
7. Tap OK to begin the update.
Battery Optimizing
The lithium ion battery in your EVO 3D is capable of lasting battery life when you know how to take care of it. You can optimize the way you use your EVO 3D so that you can get the most life out of your battery and be able to use your phone for more hours throughout the day.
Take Care of the Battery
There are a few practices you can adopt to get the most from your EVO 3D battery. Knowing how to take care of your phone’s battery can help it last longer.
1. Keep your phone’s battery partially charged and avoid letting it fully discharge. Frequently allowing the battery to fully discharge can damage the battery. The key word in this tip is “frequently”; read step 2 for further clarification.
2. To avoid a false battery reading on your EVO 3D, perform a deep charge once every 30 charges to recalibrate the battery meter.
3. Avoid exposing your EVO 3D to extreme temperatures, which either hot or cold, have an effect on the performance of the battery and can cause damage.
4. Consider investing in multiple chargers for your EVO 3D. Instead of remembering to transport a single cable or wall jack, you can invest in one charger for home and another for work. This way, you always have the ability to charge your phone.
Extending Battery Life
Your EVO 3D is capable of acceptable battery life, but it can vary depending on how you use your phone. For example, more strenuous tasks such as recording and playing HD video will dramatically lower your battery life more than surfing the Web. You can monitor your battery power at the top of the screen in the Status area. The battery icon located in the right of the Status Bar enables you to keep an eye on how much battery power you have left. When the battery gets low, a warning appears informing you of the percent of battery power you have left and instructs you to connect the charger. When the battery is too low, your EVO 3D automatically shuts down.
In addition to the tips mentioned in the previous section, there are a few more things you can do to extend the life of your EVO 3D’s battery.
Turn Off Radios
When the Wi-Fi and Bluetooth antennae are activated on your EVO 3D, your device is incessantly looking for available Wi-Fi networks to join and Bluetooth devices to pair with, which uses battery power. To see if Wi-Fi or Bluetooth radios are turned on, check in the Status Bar of your EVO 3D for both symbols. If you do not need a Wi-Fi connection and you are not using a Bluetooth device, turn these settings off to conserve battery power. You can easily turn off all radios in just a couple steps.
1. Flick the default Home screen from left to right.
2. Tap the Wi-Fi and Bluetooth options to turn them off. Both buttons should be grayed out after you deactivate them.
Dim Screen Brightness
The high-quality touchscreen of the EVO 3D can consume plenty of battery power. The higher the brightness level set on your EVO 3D, the more power the display uses. If you are viewing the screen in very bright conditions, you probably do not need a high brightness setting. Consider dimming the screen to extend the battery life.
1. Press the Menu button on your EVO 3D from any Home screen and then tap Settings.
3. Tap Brightness to access the brightness controls.
4. Tap Automatic Brightness to deselect the settings. The brightness slider appears.
5. Slide the slider to the left to lower the brightness level.
Turn Off Vibration Settings
As you have probably noticed, by default, your EVO 3D vibrates using a tiny motor whenever you touch a button. Deactivating this feature will not help you conserve a significant amount of battery power, but it saves you something, which is better than nothing.
1. Press the Menu button on your EVO 3D from any Home screen and then tap Settings.
2. Choose Sound.
3. Tap Vibrate to deactivate the setting.
Monitor Power Usage
Your EVO 3D has a convenient screen that lets you review which activities have been consuming the most battery power. The types and number of items that appear in the list depend on the activities you have performed on your phone between charges. These activities could include using the Maps app to get directions or battery power used by Bluetooth. Not every activity you perform appears in the list.
You can use the Battery Usage screen to see which apps consume the most power and then reduce the use of those apps. Your battery power savings will be small, but if you’re running low on power, with no way to recharge, every little bit counts. Follow these directions to access the Battery Usage screen.
1. Press the Menu button from any Home screen and then tap Settings.
2. Scroll down and then tap About Phone.
3. Tap Battery.
Force Stop a Problematic App
Sometimes an app can get an attitude and become unruly. For example, an app that provides a warning screen saying that it is currently busy and is unresponsive or gives some other issue warning conveying there is a problem. If an app is giving you problems, you can manually stop the app. After you stop it, try launching it again to see if it works correctly. Follow these steps to force stop an unruly app.
1. Press the Menu button from a Home screen and then tap Settings.
2. Scroll down and then tap Applications.
3. Touch Manage Applications.
4. Tap Running to filter the results to apps that are currently running.
5. Tap the app in the list that you want to stop.
6. Tap Stop. The app stops running.
Caring for the EVO 3D’s Exterior
Regular maintenance of your EVO 3D not only helps you extend the life of your phone, but also helps ensure peak performance of your device. Making sure your EVO 3D software is up to date and understanding basic troubleshooting concepts is important, but properly cleaning and protecting your phone’s body can be equally important. The EVO 3D was designed to be sturdy, but just like any other electronic device, it can collect dust, and a simple drop on the sidewalk can prove disastrous. The first step in maintaining your EVO 3D is prevention. You can start by purchasing a protective case.
A sturdy case designed for the EVO 3D is important for the overall protection of your device. A number of companies have created a variety of cases for the EVO 3D, so perform a Google search or go to Amazon to see what’s out there. The more padded the case, the better it can absorb a shock if you happen to drop your phone. A case can also help protect your phone from dust and keep it dry if you happen to get caught out in the rain. Make sure you keep the inside of your case clean. Dust and sand can find its way into even the most well-constructed cases. Instead of using your sleeve to wipe off your EVO 3D’s display, invest in a microfiber cloth that you can find in any office supply or computer store.
Your first instinct might be to wet a cloth to clean your EVO 3D touchscreen. Don’t use liquids—especially alcohol and ammonia—to clean the phone’s touchscreen. These harsh chemicals can cause irreparable damage to the touchscreen, rendering it difficult to see. Consider purchasing a screen protector at your local Best Buy or cellular store to keep the touchscreen dust and scratch free. Some screen protectors also come with a microfiber cleaning cloth.
Getting Help with Your EVO 3D
Sprint support, (800) 639-6111 or http://support.sprint.com, and the Official Google website, http://android.com/, are great resources for getting help with technical issues regarding your EVO 3D. Also check out some popular Android blogs:
• Android Central at http://www.androidcentral.com/
• Android Guys at http://www.androidguys.com/
• Androinica at http://androinica.com/