[General Topics] eaglesteve:
Multitasking

A: Extend of multitasking for third party applications.

Android: All applications seems to be kept alive regardless of the situations.

iPhone: If you use the Backgrounder, all applications and processes could be kept alive. If you use the smart multitasking from Apple itself, only processes that needs to be kept alive are kept alive. Such processes include GPS function, audio streaming, file upload/download where the service must be completed without interuption. Apple believes that this smart multitasking is the key to battary life and performance, so have chosen this implementation instead of what Steve Job called an easy but wrong method of "full multitasking". Application's "state" is saved, so users need not exit an application when switching to another one.

B: Methods of task switching by showing active tasks and choosing it.

Android: Menu button to show the most recently used task, which could be different from active task. Hence a newly boot up Android might not show the phone application although it is already active. This is the only method for switching to other running application without going to the program launcher.

iPhone: Many options exist to show active tasks and choosing which to switch to. Method of invoking could be one of the 19 ways provided by the Activator(methods include single click of home key, double click of home key, press and hold the home key, shake the device, double press the sleep button quickly, press and hold the sleep button, slide into the screen from below, slide into the screen from bottom left, slide into the screen from bottom right, pinch the springboard, spread the springboard, double tap the status bar, tap and hold the status bar, swipe down the status bar, swipe left on the status bar, swipe right on the status bar, tap on volume heads up display, press volume down then up, press volume up then down.)

Kirikae: list the active task. You can kill the application or switch to it there.

Circuitous: List the icons of the active task. You can kill the application or switch to it there.

Multiflow: Display and switch to task Palm Pre style. You may close the application by swiping it off, among many available methods.

ProSwitcher: Display and switch to task Palm Pre style. You may close the application by swiping it off, among many available methods.

There are others doing more or less the same thing which I would not bother listing on. You just have to choose a method that suits your own preference and personality.

With OS4.0, double click of home button will show the most recent task on the dock and switch to the application there. You might close the application by holding the icon until it wobbles and press the deletion badge.

C: Going directly to the next and previous application without bringing up a list of task:

Android: You may use the back button to go the previous application. Going to the next application is not supported by one click/touch operation.

iPhone: Using Circuiutous, you may use any of the 19 methods mentioned above to go to the next and previous application. Some people find it extremely intuitive to swipe the taskbar left and right to go to next or previous application, similar to the way pictures are changed. You could of course also use hardware button if that's what you prefer.

I invite Android users to correct/beef up any unmentioned methods.