Samsung Galaxy SIII unveiled May 3rd

[ScotiaBurrell]

read somewhere yesterday that Android is OS that benefits biggest from processor advances. windows mobile and ios run different.

[afv011]

Originally Posted by ScotiaBurrell

read somewhere yesterday that Android is OS that benefits biggest from processor advances. windows mobile and ios run different.

Android has true multitasking. iOS has a half-baked multitasking solution (though it's obviously relative, what I call "half-baked" Apple calls "multitasking as it's supposed to be", which I interpret to mean "the way we want it to be"). I don't know about Windows. The Linux kernel in Android can certainly make use of all the CPU cores.

[ScotiaBurrell]

Originally Posted by afv011

Android has true multitasking. iOS has a half-baked multitasking solution (though it's obviously relative, what I call "half-baked" Apple calls "multitasking as it's supposed to be", which I interpret to mean "the way we want it to be").

i think the 35 million people who bought iphones so far this years like apples defintion and the more who bought android like theirs.

its all relative

[ilovejedd]

Originally Posted by ScotiaBurrell

i think the 35 million people who bought iphones so far this years like apples defintion and the more who bought android like theirs.

Frankly, I think majority of smartphone users don't care about how multi-tasking is implemented/defined. For most, their definition of multi-tasking on a smartphone is being able to listen to music while checking Facebook/Twitter, browsing the web or playing games. As long as their phones can do that, they'd probably be happy.

I reckon a select few Android users care (mostly ones who can be found on enthusiast forums such as XDA - myself included ) but for majority of users, I don't think it matters one way or another.

[HansTWN]

Originally Posted by ilovejedd

Frankly, I think majority of smartphone users don't care about how multi-tasking is implemented/defined. For most, their definition of multi-tasking on a smartphone is being able to listen to music while checking Facebook/Twitter, browsing the web or playing games. As long as their phones can do that, they'd probably be happy.

I reckon a select few Android users care (mostly ones who can be found on enthusiast forums such as XDA - myself included ) but for majority of users, I don't think it matters one way or another.

Actually I am not sure if we have true multi-tasking in Android. I have the HP Touchpad running both WebOS and ICS 4.04. In WebOS I can run a flash video (like Hulu) in the background and it does not stop when I switch to another window, in Android it stops and restarts when I return.

There is this "Cornerstone" hack which is supposed to provide real multitasking with 3 open windows at the same time. I didn't give it a thorough test drive yet.

Windows Mobile 5 and 6, those had real multitasking.

[afv011]

Originally Posted by HansTWN

Actually I am not sure if we have true multi-tasking in Android. I have the HP Touchpad running both WebOS and ICS 4.04. In WebOS I can run a flash video (like Hulu) in the background and it does not stop when I switch to another window, in Android it stops and restarts when I return.

There is this "Cornerstone" hack which is supposed to provide real multitasking with 3 open windows at the same time. I didn't give it a thorough test drive yet.

Windows Mobile 5 and 6, those had real multitasking.

It depends on how the application is implemented. To have multitasking, the application has to provide a service, which keeps running in the background when the application loses focus. The Activity part of the application (what the user interacts with), gets suspended when the application loses focus.

The behaviour you describe is probably intentional, to stop the video when you tab out of the app so you can resume at the same spot you were.

[afv011]

Possible looks (source):

[HansTWN]

Originally Posted by afv011

It depends on how the application is implemented. To have multitasking, the application has to provide a service, which keeps running in the background when the application loses focus. The Activity part of the application (what the user interacts with), gets suspended when the application loses focus.

The behaviour you describe is probably intentional, to stop the video when you tab out of the app so you can resume at the same spot you were.

Is this new? I have yet to see an application that can do it, which browser is capable of doing that?

The logical thing would be to just let the video continue in the background (the user could always pause it himself, if he wanted to), just like in Windows or in WebOS. Only when you switch to take a phone call should there be an automatic pausing of background video.

I have no detailed knowledge of the deeper workings of Android, but I have yet to see real multi-tasking being implemented (except for music players). Perhaps the system supports it but almost no application does? Which would leave us no better off, of course.

[afv011]

Originally Posted by HansTWN

Is this new? I have yet to see an application that can do it, which browser is capable of doing that?

The logical thing would be to just let the video continue in the background (the user could always pause it himself, if he wanted to), just like in Windows or in WebOS. Only when you switch to take a phone call should there be an automatic pausing of background video.

I have no detailed knowledge of the deeper workings of Android, but I have yet to see real multi-tasking being implemented (except for music players). Perhaps the system supports it but almost no application does? Which would leave us no better off, of course.

I don't think it's logical to have the video running in the background when you can have only 1 active (focused) window; it's not like on a PC where you can have the video on one corner, without focus, and a different window (like the browser), in a different corner, with focus. If it is assumed that when you lose focus you can't see the video, what would be the point of continuing to play? It makes more sense to pause the video, so when you return to it it resumes at the point it paused.

The services, as I described earlier, are not paused when the application loses focus. This is how you can have a download in the background, with the application (browser, or dropbox) not having focus. A music player works in the same way, it has a service running in the background to stream the music, which runs regardless of focus. Any activity can have one or multiple background services that would continue to run (if so chosen) after losing focus. A well designed app will listen for focus events and act accordingly - by pausing its services if needed.

[HansTWN]

Originally Posted by afv011

I don't think it's logical to have the video running in the background when you can have only 1 active (focused) window; it's not like on a PC where you can have the video on one corner, without focus, and a different window (like the browser), in a different corner, with focus. If it is assumed that when you lose focus you can't see the video, what would be the point of continuing to play? It makes more sense to pause the video, so when you return to it it resumes at the point it paused.

I am an old multi-tasker who likes to listen to the news in the background while I read websites or e-mails. I can then switch back to the news video when something comes up and I want to see the footage. Or you can skip over boring parts of a movie.

Sadly, Android doesn't give us a choice here.

[afv011]

Originally Posted by HansTWN

I am an old multi-tasker who likes to listen to the news in the background while I read websites or e-mails. I can then switch back to the news video when something comes up and I want to see the footage. Or you can skip over boring parts of a movie.

Sadly, Android doesn't give us a choice here.

Yes it does, it is just a matter of implementation. The video could just as well continue to play in the background, just like the music on the music player. The developer chose not to play the video, but Android is not forcing your hand one way or the other.

[HansTWN]

Originally Posted by afv011

Yes it does, it is just a matter of implementation. The video could just as well continue to play in the background, just like the music on the music player. The developer chose not to play the video, but Android is not forcing your hand one way or the other.

Well, which browser lets me watch videos in the background? Do any of the video player apps have this capability, for on-device files or streaming? I see your point, but it is no good if nobody has implemented this capability and I am not able to override the developers' choices.

[=X=]

Both iOS and Android have always had true multitasking ability, they just didn't allow it for 3rd party apps it was reserved for the OS apps. Recently both added a multi-tasking layer: iOS limited what can be multitasked to select services such as playing music(and I forget the others). Android open the gate to anything, the developer however is responsible for making their app multi-tasking. It's a deviation in philosophy form say PC desktop where the OS is responsible for the multitasking. As a result these mobile OS are much better at utilizing resources and conserving battery.

Hey it's the design , you can't snide a sports car because it can't go off-roading?

Originally Posted by HansTWN

Well, which browser lets me watch videos in the background? Do any of the video player apps have this capability, for on-device files or streaming? I see your point, but it is no good if nobody has implemented this capability and I am not able to override the developers' choices.

Implied from my paragraph above it's considered 'poor implantation' (for resource utilization reasons) for a video player to continue playing in the background so most players properly pause the player when focus is lost. As a result most are going to play nice. However if you dig around you should be able to find something that fits you bill.

Below are a few apps you might find useful.

There is a browser that is suppose called Maxthon that allows multiple tabs

Here are two apps that allow one to play Youtube video in the background so you can listen to the audio (QueueTube, pvstar)


=X=

[=X=]

Originally Posted by HansTWN

Is this new? I have yet to see an application that can do it, which browser is capable of doing that?

There are a lot of applications that do this. Most services hide themselves(just like they do in windows) if you want to see what tasks are running install a task manager you'll see quite a few apps.

[HansTWN]

Originally Posted by =X=

There are a lot of applications that do this. Most services hide themselves(just like they do in windows) if you want to see what tasks are running install a task manager you'll see quite a few apps.

I should have been more specific. Of course, some apps do this, most of them use minimal resources. I was referring to browsers and video players.