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Brief Video Preview of iOS 4.2 for iPad: Multitasking, Unified Inbox, and More
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After a completely fresh boot on the latest 3.2 version I can get all 9 pages loaded into memory. The problem with reloading seems to happen after using the iPad for a while. This is definitely something that can be improved with software; hopefully we'll get some reports from users of the beta soon.
I don't think adding a pagefile is a simple win either. I'd worry about wear levelling on the flash memory, especially as it's quite easy to fill an iPad up almost completely. Not having a pagefile also moves the times that you have to wait to obvious points (i.e. when you start an App, when you go back to a web page tab). In comparison the delays caused by reading/writing a pagefile can be quite unpredictable.
I've tested AirPlay, but only with an Airport Express. I have an ATV on order.
Here is what I've found so far:
While playing any audio file (iPod, mp3 from Safari, Youtube) you get a little wireless symbol just like in itunes (bottom right corner), but next to the volume bar in iOS4.2.
This could be a bug, but after you select to play music through your AirPlay device, all sounds from the ipad go through the AirPlay device. Even keyboard clicks after you close the app.
Update: Wow, looks like apps won't have to be updated to support AirPlay, at least for audio. The little symbol shows up next to the volume bar in Slacker Radio. So now I can stream Slacker to my iPad and then on to my Airport express. That's cool!
Here is what I've found so far:
While playing any audio file (iPod, mp3 from Safari, Youtube) you get a little wireless symbol just like in itunes (bottom right corner), but next to the volume bar in iOS4.2.
This could be a bug, but after you select to play music through your AirPlay device, all sounds from the ipad go through the AirPlay device. Even keyboard clicks after you close the app.
Update: Wow, looks like apps won't have to be updated to support AirPlay, at least for audio. The little symbol shows up next to the volume bar in Slacker Radio. So now I can stream Slacker to my iPad and then on to my Airport express. That's cool!
Did they add a Delete All button in the Mail? I wasn't listening to the video (iono if anything was even said)
The reason it works better after a fresh boot is because there is nothing running the background. Remember that many of the built-in Apple apps have always remained opened in the background, once you open them. If I recall correctly the iPad has about 208 usable memory after a fresh reboot. Open up mail and close it out, and you now have 35-40 MB less RAM to work with, since mail remains open in the background. Now start opening other Apple apps like iPod and so forth, and the free memory dwindles even further.
With iOS 4 this will get worse, since EVERY app will run in the background. I've noticed this with my iPhone 3GS. The only benefit is that i can close close out the built-in Apple apps that run in the background, freeing up that memory. But if you aren't constantly closing out apps from the multitasking tray then your free memory will be lower than on iOS 3.
I am not suggesting a system wide page file, just one for Safari. There is supposedly a way to set one up system wide on a jailbroken device and it works decently.
So does this mean that AirPlay only works sending music/videos FROM iPad to other devices? You can't play music or view photos from your mac on the iPad using AirPlay? That kind of stinks
So does this mean that AirPlay only works sending music/videos FROM iPad to other devices? You can't play music or view photos from your mac on the iPad using AirPlay? That kind of stinks
To my knowledge, iTunes, and any iOS4.2 device are the only things able to transmit AirPlay stuff (at this point). And the Airport express, ATV and now some third party manufactures (like Denon, iHome) can receive AirPlay (Music only). The new ATV will be the only thing that can receive videos, photos and music.
For the application you mentioned, I've been using AirVideo from the App store. It works wonderfully (unless all your content has iTunes DRM).
Multitasking and unified mailbox are very essential updates of course. Personally I would like to see these features:
- directly be able to close a safari window (and return to the screen with open pages)
- in Mail app being able to put Exchange .ics meetings into iCal by clicking attachment
- directly be able to close a safari window (and return to the screen with open pages)
- in Mail app being able to put Exchange .ics meetings into iCal by clicking attachment
Unfortunately I don't have a iOS 4 device so I don't have any practical experience; however in theory you should't need to manually close Apps. What should happen is as the iPad runs low on memory iOS should automatically quit Apps and/or unload web pages to free up the memory that it needs.
As I understand, it the background suspending of Apps should be virtually transparent to the user. As long as iOS can quickly free up memory it shouldn't matter now little RAM is free. In theory I would rather my RAM was being used to store old Apps/web pages than just sitting there idle and empty. It depends on how good Apple's implementation is whether this is born out in practice.
airplay
Airplay looks nice, I'd really like to test this out.
I think with itv (or whatever it is called) this combination is going to be really great.
I'm thinking ease of access and for the GP's, etc. Having the ipad with videos on it, loaded, downloaded from itunes, brought over from mobileme, etc., being able to stream straight to any itv product in the home on an 802.11N LAN is going to go a long way to upping adoption for the nascent user.
Airplay looks nice, I'd really like to test this out.
I think with itv (or whatever it is called) this combination is going to be really great.
I'm thinking ease of access and for the GP's, etc. Having the ipad with videos on it, loaded, downloaded from itunes, brought over from mobileme, etc., being able to stream straight to any itv product in the home on an 802.11N LAN is going to go a long way to upping adoption for the nascent user.
Personally, for "MY USE" I would appreciate an option to allow only the last 6 or 7 apps to remain "in background" or even a "timeout" option to close apps automatically after a specific time. If I haven't used an app for a few hours, let it do the old fashioned 'save state' and quit. I don't mind it taking a while to startup if I haven't used it for several hours! Also, if I've used 8 - 10 other apps before using this same app again, I would mind waiting an extra second to let it load from the saved state instead of running from memory.
Seems fairly easy to fix to me...
Isn't the lack of a cache and Safari having to reload constantly just as big a strain on the battery as flash?
You are correct that the OS quits apps when it is low on memory. However what I was referring to was the ability to open multiple safari windows without reloading. What I've found is that iOS will dump old safari windows out of memory before it will quit another app. So with iOS4, once you get enough apps, the amount of safari windows you can open is severely diminished.
No, because a safari windows only needs a few seconds to open, whereas most flash content would be something you would have up for minutes at a time.
Disappointed that HDR didn't come to my iPhone 3GS in 4.1, but glad to hear that AirPlay and AirPrint will be coming...
does this mean that Pages will be coming too?
does this mean that Pages will be coming too?
If that is the case then I'd agree that it is a problem. It would make sense to me to treat web pages at pretty much the same level as Apps ie. chuck out old Apps before newer web pages and vice-versa.
Does anyone want to tell us how the 4.2 beta behaves in reality?
Try Atomic web browser for iPad/iPhone. It has replaced Safari on my iPad, though its a little to bulky on my iPhone. I'll let you browse without reloading as often as Safari, has tabs but costs a few $...