BlackBerry Z10 Battery Life Tips

BlackBerry 10: Visual Tour Of Smartphones, OS

Battery life is and always will be the bane of mobile devices. Some devices last all week, while others barely make it to lunch. The good news is, device owners have options when it comes to getting the most from their smartphone or tablet with respect to battery life.

The battery life of the BlackBerry Z10, which has been available in select markets for just over a month, was pretty rotten to start. BlackBerry recently posted a host of suggestions that can help Z10 owners maximize the battery life of the smartphone.

First, the most obvious: check for BlackBerry 10 operating system updates. BlackBerry recently made a huge system update available to the Z10, which included 60 tweaks to power management alone. BlackBerry suggests that users manually check for system updates every so often just to make sure they haven't missed the latest one.

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BlackBerry recommends using Wi-Fi as much as possible. It also notes that turning the Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, and NFC radios on/off constantly will not help all that much. BlackBerry says that it worked hard to make sure the Z10 uses wireless networks efficiently, and in order to do so it needs access to Wi-Fi. The company says that users should be proactive about adding new Wi-Fi hotspots to the list of known hotspots as often as possible.

One idea you may not have considered: Use only the provided BlackBerry charger. The charger that is included in the box has been optimized to deliver the best charge to the Z10. Other chargers may not be as efficient or as effective. I can verify this. I've tested the Z10 with about a half-dozen different chargers, and the official one is the best one, hands-down. BlackBerry also recommends that users charge for extended periods of time whenever possible, rather than in short bursts. Other obvious suggestions: avoid leaving the Z10 in direct sunlight, and don't stick it in the freezer, either.

Using ActiveSync or IMAP for email consumes less power than using POP, says BlackBerry, due to their more efficient protocols. BlackBerry also notes that keeping a minimum number of email, calendar, and contact accounts attached to the device will go a long way help reducing power drain. BlackBerry says users should be proactive about removing accounts that they no longer use regularly.

BlackBerry offers a number of suggestions pertaining to notifications, screen brightness, the lock screen and lock screen timeout. The gist of all these recommendations is to minimize the amount of time the display is on. The display of any mobile device is the one component that draws the most power. Taking the time to customize how often the screen is woken automatically when new messages or alerts arrive can help to minimize power drain. Adjusting the screen's brightness level down always helps a lot.

Last, BlackBerry says using an official BlackBerry holster is a great way to save battery life. Why? Because official (or licensed) BlackBerry holsters automatically help manage the display and whether or not it turns on. Thankfully, most BlackBerries ship with a compatible holster in the box.

In all, these are decent tips that should help power users tweak their settings and behaviors in order to get the most from their BlackBerry Z10.