iPhone 3G: automatic start time, stop time

[in2sky]

A feature I like on most of my japanese phones (Sharp, Panasonic) is that you can set a time of the day when the phone automatically powers up, and a time at night when it automatically powers off. I know this is probably not available on the iphone factory settings, but is there maybe an application that does the trick?
thanks.

[daihard]

A feature I like on most of my japanese phones (Sharp, Panasonic) is that you can set a time of the day when the phone automatically powers up, and a time at night when it automatically powers off. I know this is probably not available on the iphone factory settings, but is there maybe an application that does the trick?
thanks.
Is the sleep mode not good enough? When a phone has an automatic start/stop time enabled, it must mean the phone is not completely off - something must be running in the background to wake itself up and/or shut down at specified times.

[in2sky]

Thanks, well, I don't know about the iPhone but my other phones are not on standby.
They are 100% on or off. I just set the on and off times once and for all then it starts and stops on its own.

Sleep mode on the iPhone means it's going to use batteries, and if somebody calls, it's going to ring which is no good to me.

[PCthug]

I used to have a phone that did this, and it was an excellent idea.
I used to have it turn on at 7am and back off at midnight.
I didnt have to worry about it running down in power overnight.
It did turn completely off too, and remembered the alarm/on/off settings, the same as every other phone remembers the time settings without being left switched on.

Not sure if a firmware patch could do it in a future release, but might be worth asking Apple about it.

[daihard]

I may be missing something here, but how can something be completely off and still be able to wake itself up? How is that technically possible?

[in2sky]

I guess there is a small battery in the phones that allows it.

[daihard]

I guess there is a small battery in the phones that allows it.
The battery's only job is to supply power. Something other than the battery must also be awake to receive power and wake the main component up at specified times. It's kinda like a TV set that receives signals from the remote. If you turn it off using the remote, you will be able to turn it back on with the remote as well. However, if you turn the main power switch off, the remote will not work anymore.

[spclagent7]

Blackberries can do the shut off and start function. I use it for my work. You basically program the blackberry with shut off and wake up time. It does completely shut off, then starts.

Other than that and a few other useful functions, blackberries suck big time. iPhone rules.

[daihard]

Blackberries can do the shut off and start function. I use it for my work. You basically program the blackberry with shut off and wake up time. It does completely shut off, then starts.
I keep hearin' you say how those cellphones and BlackBerry can do that. Now, please educate me here. How is it technically possible for a device that is completely off to wake itself up? I'm being sarcastic. I really want to know how, if at all possible, it works.

[spclagent7]

I take it you can't program your TV to turn itself off and on? On my Sony you can program in the wake up/sleep times to. Just like the crackberry! That isn't COMPLETELY off! lol

[daihard]

I take it you can't program your TV to turn itself off and on? On my Sony you can program in the wake up/sleep times to. Just like the crackberry! That isn't COMPLETELY off! lol
I'm not talking about which device can or cannot do that. I'd like to know how it is technically possible for a device that's completely off to be programmed so it can wake itself up. Clear now?

[eye-Fone]

I keep hearin' you say how those cellphones and BlackBerry can do that. Now, please educate me here. How is it technically possible for a device that is completely off to wake itself up? I'm being sarcastic. I really want to know how, if at all possible, it works.
Dude, many devices (cameras, GPS units, small music players, etc) have a small backup battery that is usually one of those watch-style of batteries. You know--the small, flat dime-sized batteries. They usually can last a couple of years or so. This is what powers the auto on-and-off feature of real cell phones.

The main battery is not used at all in this situation (when it is powered off).

[daihard]

Dude, many devices (cameras, GPS units, small music players, etc) have a small backup battery that is usually one of those watch-style of batteries. You know--the small, flat dime-sized batteries. They usually can last a couple of years or so. This is what powers the auto on-and-off feature of real cell phones.

The main battery is not used at all in this situation (when it is powered off).
I do appreciate your reply, but you still don't seem to understand my question.

Like I said above, batteries are nothing but source of electricity. I don't care if its the main battery or one of those button cells (i.e. what you call "small, flat dime-sized batteries"). My belief is that a device that's completely shut off cannot wake itself up. Do you agree or not? If you disagree, I'd like you to explain how that is technically possible.

My question is derived from the OP's sentence that says, "A feature I like on most of my japanese phones (Sharp, Panasonic) is that you can set a time of the day when the phone automatically powers up." I asked him, then, how it is any different than the iPhone's sleep mode. He told me then that unlike it, his Japanese phones were "100% on and off." Thus my question, how can a device that's 100% off power itself up?

[TheMBC]

The same way an alarm still goes off if the phone is turned off would be my bet.
How that works, IDK.

[spclagent7]

we get your question, and the fact you need to make for your small pee pee to prove your point that these devices don't turn off 100%. If you don't get a satisfactory answer here on the mechanics, then call one of these companies and talk to their development people for a full explanation. Good luck

[PCthug]

Turn your phone completely off for several hours, then turn it back on.
You will find that the time is still showing the current time, and not reset itself or the time when you turned your phone off.
How can this be possible when the phone wass completely off?
No one on here knows the reasons, but the auto on/off feature is exactly the same as remembering the time. It has an addictional piece of memory that it uses to either sound the alarm, or start the phone up.
I dont know how or why it works, being completely off, but it does.

[Stay Alive 305]

That guy really made a big deal about it being completely off. The fact are that it is 100% off no matter what you say and the iPhone doesn't have this feature.

[daihard]

we get your question, and the fact you need to make for your small pee pee to prove your point that these devices don't turn off 100%. If you don't get a satisfactory answer here on the mechanics, then call one of these companies and talk to their development people for a full explanation. Good luck
Like I said, I was not being sarcastic or anything. I just wanted to know how it worked. OTOH, I do seem to have offended some of you. That wasn't my intention. My apologies to those who may have been offended.

OTOH, this seems to have answered my question.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/CMOS

So what eye-Fone said about a button cell powering something was a step in the right direction. What wasn't clear was what was powered by the button cell. It is clear now.

It probably comes down to definitions now. If the system is defined to be 100% off when the only thing active is the CMOS, I can certainly accept that.

[spclagent7]

thank gawd for wikipedia

[daihard]

thank gawd for wikipedia
And the Internet in general. I can sleep peacefully tonight. :)