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Multitasking = cumbersome?
- Thread starter Bloake
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So far I love multitasking for the most part, just wish more apps were updated for fast app switching, but that will come in time.
Some things are a bit confusing though, mainly Pandora and TomTom for me so far. In Pandora, yes, I can pause it and then exit the app, but then if I double click the home button and swipe left, the music controls are setup for Pandora. I would think it would default to the iPod app, but maybe that's just me.
I use TomTom to get me to where I'm going, and am used to just clicking home to exit. Now when I do that, and after my route is done and I'm running another app, I'll still get the TomTom voice telling me directions. It's easy enough for me now that I know to close out of the app by tapping and holding it after double clicking home, and clicking the minus button to stop it, but I think for most people not reading MacRumors and doing research, this doesn't seem like the easiest and most logical method. Just my opinion, maybe once more apps are updated it will be more clear cut on what people are supposed to do.
Some things are a bit confusing though, mainly Pandora and TomTom for me so far. In Pandora, yes, I can pause it and then exit the app, but then if I double click the home button and swipe left, the music controls are setup for Pandora. I would think it would default to the iPod app, but maybe that's just me.
I use TomTom to get me to where I'm going, and am used to just clicking home to exit. Now when I do that, and after my route is done and I'm running another app, I'll still get the TomTom voice telling me directions. It's easy enough for me now that I know to close out of the app by tapping and holding it after double clicking home, and clicking the minus button to stop it, but I think for most people not reading MacRumors and doing research, this doesn't seem like the easiest and most logical method. Just my opinion, maybe once more apps are updated it will be more clear cut on what people are supposed to do.
Only one app can "own" the audio stream at a time, and that app (the last active one to play music) is controlled by those controls - be it Pandora, PBS or iPod.
Okay, please see image below.
After using apps all day, you get to accumulate apps in your multitask tray. Say I want to fast switch to SMS app.
This is what happens...
I hope the visual aid helps in explaining myself.
I would like an option of setting only certain apps to access the multitask tray so that I can easily find the app I'm looking for without swiping many many times searching for it.
This is what I mean by "cumbersome" thread title... I hope people get it now
Thank you...
After using apps all day, you get to accumulate apps in your multitask tray. Say I want to fast switch to SMS app.
This is what happens...
I hope the visual aid helps in explaining myself.
I would like an option of setting only certain apps to access the multitask tray so that I can easily find the app I'm looking for without swiping many many times searching for it.
This is what I mean by "cumbersome" thread title... I hope people get it now
Thank you...
Holy crap dude.
You haven't used your SMS in 16 apps. SIXTEEN! Just go back to your home screen, which has SMS right in the dock. Face palm.
I guess you're right .. apple should have put an artificial limit of recently used apps on the tray.
Keep using your homescreens! The tray doesn't replace your homescreens!
Originally Posted by AJerman
You never HAVE to use the tray, it's just there for quick switching convenience.
Not when you have 40 apps in the multitask tray.... you have at most 10 swipes to find the app you're looking for... (provided you opened them all once)
You never HAVE to use the tray, it's just there for quick switching convenience.
Not when you have 40 apps in the multitask tray.... you have at most 10 swipes to find the app you're looking for... (provided you opened them all once)
Holy crap dude.
You haven't used your SMS in 16 apps. SIXTEEN! Just go back to your home screen, which has SMS right in the dock. Face palm.
I guess you're right .. apple should have put an artificial limit of recently used apps on the tray.
Keep using your homescreens! The tray doesn't replace your homescreens!
Well, what if I don't use SMS that often to warrant a place in the dock?
Post edited... I don't get why you have to put people down for bringing forth suggestions for improvement...Seriously...
Well, I guess cause it's not an improvement.
You're just misunderstanding the nature of the task switcher, that's all. It's not a big deal, but it's true.
Who's we? People ask how to "kill" the "background" apps every day on this forum. Clearly "we" is not everyone.
Okay, thank you for assuming I meant everyone. Clearly, "we" can mean 2 people or 2000 people...
Can we just let the thread die now....
I give up on this.
It's almost the exact same thing as using Alt + Tab on a Mac. If you use that often, you'll know that your most recently used apps are the frontmost on the list. It helps you quickly switch between the few apps you're currently using the most. It's quite cumbersome to use it to get to the 7th app in the list. However, if an app is that far back, you might not have used it in a while (relatively speaking, compared to the usage of your more recent apps). Thus, you might not use Alt + Tab, but instead might just look for it on the dock. It's the same concept for the iPhones quick launch bar.
For example, while composing this app, I got an email. Because I haven't used the mail app in some time, I went to the springboard and opened mail from there. However, I was also IMing someone while composing this. When I got an IM, I would switch to the app with the quick launch bar because I was currently using that app as well as Safari.
For example, while composing this app, I got an email. Because I haven't used the mail app in some time, I went to the springboard and opened mail from there. However, I was also IMing someone while composing this. When I got an IM, I would switch to the app with the quick launch bar because I was currently using that app as well as Safari.
Ok, sure. But, for the benefit of people who may visit this thread later:
The takeaway message is "use whatever takes less clicks."
If doubling clicking the home button and selecting an app from the tray is faster, do that. If pressing the home button once, swiping, and then selecting is app is faster, than do that. No need to overcomplicate the usage of your phone.
You clearly are holding it wrong.
Okay, please see image below.
After using apps all day, you get to accumulate apps in your multitask tray. Say I want to fast switch to SMS app.
This is what happens...
I hope the visual aid helps in explaining myself.
I would like an option of setting only certain apps to access the multitask tray so that I can easily find the app I'm looking for without swiping many many times searching for it.
This is what I mean by "cumbersome" thread title... I hope people get it now
Thank you...
If you don't like it why are you using it? Don't double tap your home button and you never have to know it's there.
Personally, I LOVE the multitasking. I didn't think I would use it much, however Words with Friends randomly goes off through out the day (I usually have 5-10 games going at once) and the ability to swap between twitter or a text and Words is very smooth.
Blonde Buddhist
Personally, I LOVE the multitasking. I didn't think I would use it much, however Words with Friends randomly goes off through out the day (I usually have 5-10 games going at once) and the ability to swap between twitter or a text and Words is very smooth.
Blonde Buddhist
Your example of the TomTom situation is why I think Apple needs to build in a simple Close Button or means to actually close the appplication. Trapster is like that too. It's just a matter of the next gen 4.x updates I hope.
I like Apple's implementation of multitasking. It's easy, doesn't kill the battery, and fast when switching apps.
You are really missing the point here.
90% of the apps ARE NOT MULTITASKING.
They are using save state. Much like you can have firefox save all your tabs, completely exit the program, and then when you relaunch firefox, guess what, all your tabs are still there.
Fast App Switching is simply creating a save state putting it in memory, and all "ending" the tasks does is delete this memory.
Only certain apps such as pandora or gps programs continue to operate in the background.
The "multitasking" tray is in reality just a recently used programs list, and nothing more.
You will open the programs from the same save state whether you open them from the home menu or the tray. The ONLY time you would ever need to scroll that far into the multitask queue is if you REALLY didn't want the program to open where it was when you closed it.
For example your girlfriend wants to use the browser on your phone, but the last thing you were looking at was some glorious lesbian porn and you have used like 20 apps since you used the browser. You don't want the app to load up your porn, so what do you do? You open the tray scroll over a few times, hold the home button down and then "terminate" the browser icon.
Now when you open your browser. guess what NO PORN
But honestly how often do you NEED to make sure your program is not opening up where you left it when you exited it last?
Edit:
Oh and if you are trying to make an easy way to have all the programs you use often in the same place, there actually is a feature for that, it's called FOLDERS
If there are 7-8 programs that you switch between regularly, just stick em in a folder together, or even just on one of the home screen pages. Really not that difficult.
I think some people are seeing the new multitasking bar as an app launcher, whereas it's really just a recently used list. Nothing more. The multitasking part of iOS4 is off in the background doing its thing. Your app launcher is still the iPhone home screen. You can organize your most used apps, you can have folders, and you can even swipe left to do a spotlight search. I think it's just some confusion over what the new multitasking menu actually is.
Btw Bloake, I love your wallpaper!
Btw Bloake, I love your wallpaper!
I think Steve needs to post a "Thoughts on multitasking" to explain the fact that you do not have to use the minus button ever.
The idea is that you should not have to think about managing memory and CPU, the phone does it for you while you go about your business switching between apps.
The idea is that you should not have to think about managing memory and CPU, the phone does it for you while you go about your business switching between apps.