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Add a better battery indicator to your Android

Grab this app to see a better indicator of the battery life you have remaining on your Android device.

Nicole Cozma
Nicole Cozma has an affinity for Android apps and devices, but loves technology in general. Based out of the Tampa Bay Area, she enjoys being a spectator to both sunsets and lightning storms.
Nicole Cozma

Screenshot by Nicole Cozma

The standard battery icon on your Android can be a little misleading. The icons for 90% and 80% battery may look the same, just like 15% and 5%. If you want a more detailed meter for your device's charge, check out ChargeBar for Android. This app puts a small bar along top or bottom of your screen that indicates the percentage charge of your device. It's easy to use and customize, read on to learn about it.

Step 1: Download and install ChargeBarChargeBar - MIUI Battery Bar.

Screenshot by Nicole Cozma

Step 2: Run the app and examine the configurable options.

While the default settings are sufficient, you might consider changing the bar color, size, and enabling startup on boot. The actual indicator bar can be placed at the top of the notification shade, as a separator between the notification shade and the rest or the screen, or at the very bottom of the screen. You can also adjust whether the bar shows on the lockscreen, or while you're using full-screen apps.

Screenshot by Nicole Cozma

Step 3: Press the large ChargeBar icon at the top of the app to enable the bar.

This is what ChargeBar looks like in green and placed at the bottom of the notification shade. Screenshot by Nicole Cozma

Despite this bar not including an actual battery percentage number, it is definitely more accurate than looking at a small battery icon with only four to five different phases. How do you check your battery percentage?

(Via Lifehacker)