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Charging your cell phone while out and about?

Discussion in 'Getting There & Getting Around' started by johnnytwofingers, Jul 26, 2016.

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  1. johnnytwofingers

    johnnytwofingers Low-Roller

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    I have an Android and at best can make 8 hours with no usage, with mild usage the charge is gone in under 4. Carrying around one of those external batteries would be a total PITA, do some bars or casinos let you charge your phone (preferably they'd have some cables on hand, I'd think this would be a fairly common problem nowadays)?
     
  2. justdeb

    justdeb hey look!

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    i saw a charging station in the Monte Carlo when i was there last month
     
  3. ron_ron

    ron_ron Low-Roller

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    I got myself a solar charger on Amazon. Easy to carry, no hassle with batteries and eco-friendly. No more looking around for plug points on the airport, plane and while on the move in Las Vegas. :rolleyes2:
     
  4. BarelyHangingOn

    BarelyHangingOn VIP Whale

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    I bought an Anker charger case for my iPhone 6s off of Amazon for around $40. It's a little bulkier than a regular Otterbox type case but you can get a full charge or more out of it while on the road. It's perfect for when you are away somewhere for a full day. It's comes in handy for me when I golf.

    The downside is the bulk which I don't find too bad but some people complain and in some instances you need (which comes with it) an adapter/extension to put headphones in. I only need it when I plug it into car my three pairs of earbuds slide in fine.
     
  5. Ty

    Ty ?

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    Will you post the name of your charger or maybe a link?

    I have an external charger I take when I fly. During my last flight to Vegas I let the lady beside me use it on the plane. Instead the of typical 4 hour flight it turned in to 10 hours. My phone was nearly dead and the external battery was dead. Then I was worried I won't be able to request Uber at the airport.
     
  6. Snidely

    Snidely VIP Whale

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    I have the Anker lipstick charger. Not a PITA to carry it.

    Harrah's in Chester has phone charging stations that you lock with your TR card and a pass key.
     
  7. dmr

    dmr Registered Abuser

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    One lecture we got by our local systems geeks recently said that the number one reason a smart phone runs down quickly is that people have un-needed applications running. Both at start up and just by running them and leaving them active in the background. The specific trick I learned was to be sure to do a "close all" or "clear all" when you won't be actively using anything for a while. I forgot to plug mine in last night and I just checked and I still have 60-some percent battery.

    Another thing that I think I mentioned in another thread is to be sure that the phone is totally OFF when you rub the screen to clean it. Rubbing the screen can launch applications accidentally as well as move icons and such.
     
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  8. JoastTheMost

    JoastTheMost Low-Roller

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    If you're against carrying external power sources, I've always had luck asking the bartenders if they'd charge my phone, and I throw them a few extra bucks. If it's a popular charger (lightning, USB), someone is bound to have a charger around. Note that you'll probably have less luck at the classier bars as they are less likely to be fooling with their phones during their shift.

    Best bet is definitely to get a small external, though.
     
  9. nostresshere

    nostresshere Mr. Anti Debit Card

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    Small external would be better than a solar charger I am thinking. No sun inside and dim lights to start. And it must take up as much space as an external battery??

    I would double down on the earlier advice. Find out what is sucking he life out of your phone.
     
  10. Nevyn

    Nevyn VIP Whale

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    Time for a new phone and/or different settings. There is no way you should be losing battery this quickly
     
  11. h0und10

    h0und10 VIP Whale

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    Why is carrying a external battery a pita? I carry one that has 18000 mila amps or whatever and it is the same size (dimensions) as my phone. They both fit in my pocket back to back with a cable that is about 2 inches long, so no extra bulk really. it can charge two devices at once (if need be) and can charge my phone from dead to full 5 times. I do not even bring a charger to Vegas anymore lol

    Most airports have charging stations..
     
  12. DaiLun

    DaiLun R.C., L.C., and A.A.N.G.

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    I carry extra cellphone batteries. I have a multipocketed (fishing) vest and the full ones are in one pocket and the exhausted ones are in another.
     
  13. Fligster

    Fligster VIP Whale

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    There is a free charging station at the bazaar shops in front of Ballys.
     
  14. johnnytwofingers

    johnnytwofingers Low-Roller

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    I've had two Android phones (Samsung Galaxy S2 and now Google Nexus 5) and in my experience that's just the way it is when you get a fair amount of apps installed, and I've spent HOURS tweaking it with Wakelock Detector and various other utilities. iPhones are much better, I think it is more strict with what it allows apps to do, especially wrt background tasks. Some Androids have huge batteries so they can handle the inefficiency.

    I just wear a t-shirt and jeans, have another bulky item in my back pocket is a pain imho, if I can find places where I can sit down and play VP or BJ for 30 mins with a nice cool beer and get a charge, much nicer.

    Perfect location....so is it just an open self-server area as they have in airports or do you give it to an attendant? Are cables supplied?
     
  15. breanna61

    breanna61 Super Moderator

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    I noticed some slot machines that had usb ports for charging; the Britney machines at Rio had them. I used it and had a running chant of "don't forget your phone" in my head while playing the machine :)
     
  16. C0usineddie

    C0usineddie VIP Whale

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    I turn off my data and gps while walking around. Also I have turned off auto updates except through wifi. Battery last alot lionger this way and you can still get calls and texts. want to look something up, turn data back on real quick.
     
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  17. Jerry Snuggit

    Jerry Snuggit Tourist

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    A couple tips to extend Android battery life:
    • Turn off GPS, whenever it isn't needed (i.e. most of the time)
    • Turn off wifi when in a casino or out and about (searching for wifi signal can be a battery hog and prevent phone from sleeping)
    • Turn off auto-sync (so phone isn't using data in the background to update your email, etc) (probably in Settings, Accounts, menu, Auto-sync)
    • If possible, put the phone in airplane mode
    • Reduce screen brightness
    • Turn off "OK Google" voice detection (app menu, Google, Settings menu, Voice, "OK Google" detection... turn off entirely, or at least "from any screen")
    • Hate to suggest it, but pay for more apps -- the #1 data hog on most phones is usually "free" apps that are downloading ads, ads, ads -- sucking up bandwidth and battery.
    None are guaranteed to solve all your problems but these should improve upon the 4-8 hours you're currently experiencing.
     
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  18. moses4969

    moses4969 Low-Roller

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    Depending on what kind of phone you have, you could also try a battery case (aka power case).

    Basically its a case for your phone that has a battery built into it.

    Couple of things to consider: they can be expensive, depending on the brand you buy. Also, the case can make your phone a bit bulkier to hold.
     
  19. johnnytwofingers

    johnnytwofingers Low-Roller

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    I have an app called DS Battery Saver that handles all this stuff for you and can be configured for how aggressive you want it to be, makes a huge difference. Another good one (so other people say, I'm not completely convinced) is Greenify.

    I'd like to buy an iPhone to get away from all this, plus the nicer hardware and camera, but I can't give up the Android UI & greater freedom.

    Think I'll carry a cable around in case slot machines with USB ports are common (it should be, great selling feature).
     
  20. TomBrady'sLoveChild

    TomBrady'sLoveChild Tourist

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    The card tables at Orleans and Gold Coast had usb ports. Just need to connect.
     
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