I hate the soft lock switch less than I thought I would.

[Pinger]

How about this for a idea for this switch, when you hit it all the apps running in the background shuts down..... I found the apps just build up which puts a drain on our battery, if you can just shut them all down with one flip of a switch it woud be great!!
That is unless I am missing a trick already within iOS 4.2GM that does this?

 

[Crosbie]

How about this for a idea for this switch, when you hit it all the apps running in the background shuts down..... I found the apps just build up which puts a drain on our battery, if you can just shut them all down with one flip of a switch it woud be great!!
That is unless I am missing a trick already within iOS 4.2GM that does this?

Isn't there some cache-clearing Vulcan death grip thing you can do that will achieve this?

 

[Night Spring]

Isn't there some cache-clearing Vulcan death grip thing you can do that will achieve this?

Not that I'm aware of. There are jailbreak apps that allow you to do this (for 4.x for iPhones and touches), and the fact that people had to write jailbreak apps for this means there is no built-in way to do it in iOS 4.

 

[EssentialParado]

How about this for a idea for this switch, when you hit it all the apps running in the background shuts down..... I found the apps just build up which puts a drain on our battery, if you can just shut them all down with one flip of a switch it woud be great!!
That is unless I am missing a trick already within iOS 4.2GM that does this?

I'm surprised so many ask this question about the iOS multitasking. Those apps aren't *actually* running still... Apple developed a system whereby they simply complete tasks in the background (like uploading a file), but the rest of the app is 'frozen' and all its memory released back to the iPad when you leave. You shouldn't be noticing any slowdown at all using multitasking, nor should you need to "close" any apps.

 

[Pinger]

I'm surprised so many ask this question about the iOS multitasking. Those apps aren't *actually* running still... Apple developed a system whereby they simply complete tasks in the background (like uploading a file), but the rest of the app is 'frozen' and all its memory released back to the iPad when you leave. You shouldn't be noticing any slowdown at all using multitasking, nor should you need to "close" any apps.

Interesting, i was under the impression those background apps were still running, my reasoning was if I run iPod or Pandora and go to another app those keep playing music while I'm running other apps..

 

[Night Spring]

Interesting, i was under the impression those background apps were still running, my reasoning was if I run iPod or Pandora and go to another app those keep playing music while I'm running other apps..

The way I understand it, Pandora and other radio apps do run in the background. Most other apps, however, write themselves into memory and shut down. Apps that are uploading or downloading finish the up/download, then shut down. etc.

 

[Crosbie]

Hey, here's a new problem with the soft lock rather than using the hardware switch:

When you've got the pad locked 'upside-down' (some apps will only function in one orientation - ie, iPhone apps) you have to figure out the swipes for unlocking upside-down, rather than just feeling for the switch and flipping it.

 

[touchmonkey]

Hey, here's a new problem with the soft lock rather than using the hardware switch:

When you've got the pad locked 'upside-down' (some apps will only function in one orientation - ie, iPhone apps) you have to figure out the swipes for unlocking upside-down, rather than just feeling for the switch and flipping it.

It sucks and is inexplicable.
Make options. Why not?
Sell a device and then change the functions of the controls.
It sucks and is inexplicable.
Cruel joke Steve.

 

[Night Spring]

Hey, here's a new problem with the soft lock rather than using the hardware switch:

When you've got the pad locked 'upside-down' (some apps will only function in one orientation - ie, iPhone apps) you have to figure out the swipes for unlocking upside-down, rather than just feeling for the switch and flipping it.

Wait, I never thought of that! So exactly where does the multitask tray pop up if you have the iPad's orientation locked, then you open an iPhone app that functions only one way, then you double tap the home button?

 

[jman240]

I don't like it either. I want my orientation switch back.

Before, when watching a video in bed that I wanted to keep in a certain orientation I could just flip a switch. Now I have to double tap home and it makes the video stop playing!

Let Apple know you want choice
http://www.apple.com/feedback/ipad.html

 

[touchmonkey]

I don't like it either. I want my orientation switch back.

Before, when watching a video in bed that I wanted to keep in a certain orientation I could just flip a switch. Now I have to double tap home and it makes the video stop playing!

Let Apple know you want choice
http://www.apple.com/feedback/ipad.html

done, thanks for the link
probably won't do anything
when steve gets a notion, well you know....

 

[Bearxor]

4.2 has just about everything I want in the iPad. I had no intentions of Jailbreaking my iPad after 4.2.

Until this ****. I'm running 4.2GM now and I absolutely hate the soft-lock switch. How pointless is the hardware switch now? Silence notifications? Who gives a ****.

When the 4.2 JB hits, I'm definitely getting it on my iPad just so I can install the first JB app available that will bring back the hardware switch orientation lock.

 

[touchmonkey]

Apple causes jailbreaking.
I guess this thread is now about how much we hate the soft lock switch.

 

[Crosbie]

Wait, I never thought of that! So exactly where does the multitask tray pop up if you have the iPad's orientation locked, then you open an iPhone app that functions only one way, then you double tap the home button?

Upside-down is where.

The sequence: you lock an ipad native app with the home button at the top.
You open an iPhone app and realise it's upside down.
You physically rotate the iPad so you can use the iPhone app.
You switch out of the iphone app and wha-? Your iPad is locked upside down.
You double-click the home button to unlock the orientation - and the multitasking bar appears upside down.
Right, which way do I swipe? Do I physically rotate the device so I can see to be able to unlock the deice so it can rotate its screen via software? The what to the who?

 

[Night Spring]

Upside-down is where.

The sequence: you lock an ipad native app with the home button at the top.
You open an iPhone app and realise it's upside down.
You physically rotate the iPad so you can use the iPhone app.
You switch out of the iphone app and wha-? Your iPad is locked upside down.
You double-click the home button to unlock the orientation - and the multitasking bar appears upside down.
Right, which way do I swipe? Do I physically rotate the device so I can see to be able to unlock the deice so it can rotate its screen via software? The what to the who?

Okay. Definitely not updating until jailbreak and a fix for the rotation switch is out. That is so ridiculous!

 

[touchmonkey]

Let Apple know you want choice
http://www.apple.com/feedback/ipad.html

^^^^^^THIS^^^^^^^^
Probably won't do anything, but you might feel better.

 

[csixty4]

Silence notifications? Who gives a ****.

Why don't you take your expensive toy back to the store and use the money to buy a portable DVD player and a Nintendo DS since they would probably serve the same purpose for you.

The grown-ups would occasionally like to watch a movie without our email notifications muting the sound every 5 minutes.

 

[mox358]

I use the orientation lock constantly, so I'm definitely going to miss having the switch right there. That being said, it's not like Apple removed the feature - and the multitasking bar is pretty easy to get to as well.

While it could be occasionally convenient that the mute switch won't turn off the user-initiated sounds, I won't use that NEARLY as much as orientation lock, and it might get kind of confusing for the not so tech-saavy. I'd definitely have to explain this multiple mute switch system to my parents, which kind of goes against the Apple "it just works" philosophy.

I tend to think this is a temporary solution to a problem that will likely be solved in iPad 2 hardware wise. Personally, this is the cost of being an early adopter, not the end of the world.

 

[Night Spring]

I tend to think this is a temporary solution to a problem that will likely be solved in iPad 2 hardware wise. Personally, this is the cost of being an early adopter, not the end of the world.

Are you suggesting that Apple might >gasp< add another switch?

You are right that in the overall scheme of things, this isn't a big deal -- a small nuisance, and one that will likely be fixed one way or another, sooner or later.

 

[csixty4]

I tend to think this is a temporary solution to a problem that will likely be solved in iPad 2 hardware wise. Personally, this is the cost of being an early adopter, not the end of the world.

Thank you. That's one of the sanest things I've read about this whole issue. Ever.

We all have different needs, and I think it's awesome that such a small device can serve so many different types of users. Some of us need a lock switch more often, some of us need to silence notifications. I think if you offered the option all of us, I think we'd both like to have both switches, sure.

That doesn't mean people wanting the other option don't exist, or worse that they're stupid. There's been so much vitriol and misunderstanding in this and similar threads that it amazes me. Are we really human beings talking about a gadget? It sure doesn't feel like it sometimes.

 

[Crosbie]

Thank you. That's one of the sanest things I've read about this whole issue. Ever.

We all have different needs, and I think it's awesome that such a small device can serve so many different types of users. Some of us need a lock switch more often, some of us need to silence notifications. I think if you offered the option all of us, I think we'd both like to have both switches, sure.

That doesn't mean people wanting the other option don't exist, or worse that they're stupid. There's been so much vitriol and misunderstanding in this and similar threads that it amazes me. Are we really human beings talking about a gadget? It sure doesn't feel like it sometimes.

Lolz. Are you questioning our humanity for expressing irritation about a change to a gadget we own?

I agree that the next gen ipad will probably make more sense of this issue, but as I've said, it'll probably be losing a switch rather than gaining one...

 

[mrkgoo]

The argument of UI consistency is weak, in my opinion. Why? Because the ipad is not an iPhone.

The iPhone does not auto-rotate on the home screen like the iPad does. We already know the iPad was designed to sort of have no 'true' orientation, hence the sense of a orientation-lock switch. The iPad was designed to be different from the iPhone, so I believe that the UI should diverge more, not converge.

And yes, I realise it was a mute when first announced, but I think the orientation lock was a much better decision.

 

[csixty4]

Lolz. Are you questioning our humanity for expressing irritation about a change to a gadget we own?

Crosbie, we disagree on our preference for what the switch should be, but this thread is full of comments from you backed up with good thoughts from a UX design perspective. And I'm not going to try & drag you into the same back-and-forth that you've been through a couple times already in this thread alone.

I'm probably just venting the steam I've built up between here, other forums, blogs, and Twitter where people can't see two inches past their own face. I keep hearing how the mute switch is a feature nobody wanted and nobody needs. "Silence notifications? Who gives a ****." to quote one recent poster here -- after a whole thread on exactly that. And people are still oh-so-helpfully pointing out you could already mute the iPad by holding down the volume rocker, which isn't the same thing at all (recent TWiT/MBW and We Have Communicators podcasts spring to mind).

Write to Apple and ask for a change, or even better a configurable option, all you want. I'm not expecting everyone to come together in one big iPad community kumbaya. I'm certainly not asking everyone to agree with me. I'm just asking for a little imagination and empathy, because there are people like me who want this feature pretty bad. I'm one of the people who give a ****. And we're not idiots. We know about the volume rocker and that's not what we're after. I want people to know what they're irritated about before they express that irritation.

That's all I'm asking. It's not directed at you. It's kind of directed at some people here. It's mostly just me being fed up.

I agree that the next gen ipad will probably make more sense of this issue, but as I've said, it'll probably be losing a switch rather than gaining one...

I'm down with a soft switch, as long as I can get to it when I need it without unlocking. That's one less moving part.

 

[Night Spring]

I'm down with a soft switch, as long as I can get to it when I need it without unlocking. That's one less moving part.

Getting to a soft switch by definition requires the device to be turned on. Unless you mean Apple should build system controls like mute sound switch into the lock screen. Which kind of defeats the purpose of a lock screen, which is to keep the device from inadvertently executing functions while it's rattling away in a bag. Not nitpicking your post, just brainstorming the bast way to handle this. Hmmmmm....

 

[csixty4]

Getting to a soft switch by definition requires the device to be turned on. Unless you mean Apple should build system controls like mute sound switch into the lock screen. Which kind of defeats the purpose of a lock screen, which is to keep the device from inadvertently executing functions while it's rattling away in a bag. Not nitpicking your post, just brainstorming the bast way to handle this. Hmmmmm....

There's already a button for picture frame mode there. Maybe it could go on the other side of the unlock slider?