iPad Understanding Multi-tasking on the iPad: What is it really?

[kjk]

http://smokingapples.com/opinion/mul...g-iphone-ipad/

Let me say this straight up: The iPad (and the iPhone) supports background processes. It supports multiple processes, and it can do this without any adverse effects on your battery life. This capability however, is reserved for built in applications, and not for third party applications*. So you can listen to music, receive emails, and have the iTunes app download podcasts while you send out tweets through your twitter client. That’s multi-tasking at the technology level, and the iPad fully supports it.

*As Gruber points out, "third party applications" really means App Store applications-Apple's first party App Store apps seem to be just as limited as third party ones.

Instead of holding on to your old notions of how computers should work, take a look at what the new offers. The iPad is a half inch thick device, with multi-touch, forever connected to the internet, simplified, focussed, affordable, and most importantly, can be superbly productive. Sure it won’t be just as efficient and productive as your desktop or laptop, and that’s why they will continue to remain production machines, but given the iPad’s size and mobility, I think the lack of traditional multi-tasking is anything but bad design.

Your mileage may differ, of course

[Sonist]

There isn't a single occasion on which i wished my iPhone had traditional multitasking. Not once.

I actually had to use hacks on my old HTCs, to kill processes instead of just minimizing. LOL.

BUT, the one, and only one dealbreaker for me, would be if the iPad does not support Flash.

No Flash, No Buy....

[Bremen Cole]

Originally Posted by Sonist

There isn't a single occasion on which i wished my iPhone had traditional multitasking. Not once.

I actually had to use hacks on my old HTCs, to kill processes instead of just minimizing. LOL.

BUT, the one, and only one dealbreaker for me, would be if the iPad does not support Flash.

No Flash, No Buy....

Same here for the iPhone and traditional multitasking. I thought it would be an issue before I bought it, but never even thought of it after I saw how it all worked. The iPod in it functions while other things are running, so I can listen to tunes while on the net...etc. I realize some people just have to have 20 apps open at once, I'm just not one of them.

Flash is also not a big deal to me, but it would be nice to have it.....

[dmaul1114]

I wouldn't need multitasking on a phone.

I would on a tablet as I want to be able to go back and forth between multiple windows open at the same time as I'd often be working on a paper in say Word, looking through research articles in PDF, searching websites for info related to the paper I was proofing etc.

Just too clunky to have to save work, close the program, open another program etc. vs. just switching between windows.

[stustaff]

Originally Posted by dmaul1114

I wouldn't need multitasking on a phone.

I would on a tablet as I want to be able to go back and forth between multiple windows open at the same time as I'd often be working on a paper in say Word, looking through research articles in PDF, searching websites for info related to the paper I was proofing etc.

Just too clunky to have to save work, close the program, open another program etc. vs. just switching between windows.

I dont think it would be too clunky as firstly you wouldnt have to 'save' as the apps remember where you were they basically sleep rather than close.

If you then sat the apps next to each other on home screen you could say be typing a doc - press home button - tap safari - copy a quote - press home - press doc app and paste.

ina traditional OS you would have to do typing doc - press alt and tab(or use mouse) - copy text - alt tab - paste text

So only 1 action more on iPad, whilst i Agree it may not be perfect but its maybe not as bad as some may think.

[dmaul1114]

Yea, I'm just picky. A device has to be perfect in regards to how I want to use it for me to buy.

Especially for something like a Tablet that I'm not dying to buy right away and wouldn't be using all the time like I do a PC or laptop etc.

I'd think I'd need to save though, as the other thing I need is ability to get a marked up PDF/word doc off the tablet and on to the PC to view their, print out etc.

[kjk]

Originally Posted by dmaul1114

Yea, I'm just picky. A device has to be perfect in regards to how I want to use it for me to buy.

Me too, except for the buying part..I'll buy the imperfect version anyways, and use it til the next closer-to-perfection version comes out

[stustaff]

Originally Posted by dmaul1114

Yea, I'm just picky. A device has to be perfect in regards to how I want to use it for me to buy.

Especially for something like a Tablet that I'm not dying to buy right away and wouldn't be using all the time like I do a PC or laptop etc.

I'd think I'd need to save though, as the other thing I need is ability to get a marked up PDF/word doc off the tablet and on to the PC to view their, print out etc.

No im not saying you dont need to save, what im saying is you wouldnt need to save each time you close and open the app as it would automatically save the stae that the programme was in, like closing your laptop screen when you open it even if you didnt save everything is still there.

When your done working then you save and export the document using teh new file sharing protocol, or the apps export features.

[Penforhire]

He's just wrong about "no adverse effect on battery life." You cannot do two things simultaneously for the power cost of just one. Sure, some tasks can be paused or shifted onto a stack and consume memory but not on-going power. But most multitaskers are talking about pausing an active application whose power consumption continues (e.g. phone, GPS, wifi, Bluetooth).

Not everyone needs multitasking but some of us really do. If you want to look at some spreadsheet data to use during a phone call you are quite SOL without it. Or to take some written notes during a phone call. or continue to track your position by GPS, maybe even getting voice directions, while doing something else.

Some uses of multitasking can be simulated with fast enough app launching, such as copying something from an e-mail and pasting into a note or contact field. But multitasking is generally smoother and avoids app start-up menus, splash screens, or other delays.

Apple has avoided it for so long with the iPhone that you should have little reason to think they'll be in a rush to do it for the iPad. Same concern about a keyboard. I'd kill for a BT keyboard for my iPhone LIKE I USED TO HAVE FOR MY PALM V frickin' years ago, grrrrr.

[dmaul1114]

Originally Posted by stustaff

No im not saying you dont need to save, what im saying is you wouldnt need to save each time you close and open the app as it would automatically save the stae that the programme was in, like closing your laptop screen when you open it even if you didnt save everything is still there.

When your done working then you save and export the document using teh new file sharing protocol, or the apps export features.

That would be better. But I'm pretty paranoid about losing work. If I've marked up 30 pages of a 35 page article I'm not going to want to switch apps without saving in case of a glitch, crash, dropping the thing or otherwise losing work.

I'd never close my laptop without saving what I was working on first.

[stustaff]

Originally Posted by dmaul1114

That would be better. But I'm pretty paranoid about losing work. If I've marked up 30 pages of a 35 page article I'm not going to want to switch apps without saving in case of a glitch, crash, dropping the thing or otherwise losing work.

I'd never close my laptop without saving what I was working on first.

Im not sure there is a app to cure irrational saving

If you havent had Apple stuff before it doesnt glitch or crash

[Bremen Cole]

If you are doing 30 pages of mark up, perhaps you should use a computer instead of an internet/media tablet.

[dmaul1114]

Originally Posted by Bremen Cole

If you are doing 30 pages of mark up, perhaps you should use a computer instead of an internet/media tablet.

Nope, I do it on printouts of the PDFs now. I just read through the articles, underline/highlight parts, jot notes and thoughts in the margins. The goals to not have to thorougly read the article again when citing in in my own article etc.

If find reading on a PC/laptop awkward, and find it clunkier to highlight with the mouse and type notes in Acrobat etc. vs. working with a printout.

So I'm interested in tablets as a compromise. Can still mark up with a stylus much the same as I do with a pen now, but save the paper and ink, not have to lug printouts back and forth as I work in the office during the day and home on nights and weekends.

[Bremen Cole]

There are several Windows Tablets already out, and I am sure many on the way. That would sound like what you are looking for.

[dmaul1114]

Originally Posted by Bremen Cole

There are several Windows Tablets already out, and I am sure many on the way. That would sound like what you are looking for.

Maybe. Most are pretty big/bulky as many are tablet PCs with keyboards--though that's changing. And the battery life tends to leave a lot to be desired. And the slate options are quite pricey.

I really want something with the size/weight of the iPad to be very comfortable to hold with one hand while scribbling with the other etc. And $500 is about the most I'm willing to pay--especially with Apple setting the price there.

I don't need full PC power since it would just be used for reading, mark up, e-mail, web browsing etc., so I'm not willing to pay more for a full Tablet PC.

I'll wait for Apple to add the features I want (themselves or for 3rd party apps that do what I need) in future models or someone else to 1up them.

Apple almost got it right for me with their first effort. So I'm pretty sure that the 2nd or 3rd gen will fit my needs, or a competitor will put out something that will.

The MS Courier looks promising feature wise, but I'm not big on the 2 screen folding design.