[General Topics] eaglesteve:
Comparing Task Switching

ANDROID TASK SWITCHING

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a) Use the Home button

This brings up the last 6 most recent applications. These may not necessarily for the applications still running.

b) Use Task Switcher for Android

This allows user to choose to show only truly running application, or the last 6 most recent applications, or both combined.

See this video for demo

[youtube]A9BoH_mQZts[/youtube]

c) Go to Home screen, press the application drawer button, scroll and find the application, touch the application. This is for starting application after a reboot where the application has not gone into the most recently used list yet. You may also need this if you have more than 6 applications running, as the application that you want to switch to might have been bumped out of the list.

IPHONE TASK SWITCHING PRIOR TO OS4.0

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iPhone TWEAKS for multitasking and taskswitching can be achieved in many different ways, depending on user preferences:

Note that unlike in the case of Android task switcher, users in iPhone do not launch any of the following programs after installing them. They merely alter the behaviour of the system, but there is no running applications per se in the usual sense. The icons are merely for configuration and settings/prefence purposes, but not needed in day to day use.

1) Using Kirikae

[youtube]nWKQ1EHaMt4[/youtube]

http://youtube.com/watch?v=nWKQ1EHaMt4

Suits users who prefer to see all running tasks on a single screen and to efficiently go to anyone.

Method of activation is highly customizable. User choices include double clicking the home key, single clicking the home key, press and hold the home button, press and hold the power button. My own preference is to use double clicking the home button.

Method of closing an application include swipping off the task, or touch the close application button.

2) Using ProSwitcher

[youtube]xMAVyaNQdnw[/youtube]

http://youtube.com/watch?v=xMAVyaNQdnw

Suits users who prefer the Palm Pre style.

Just like in Kirikae, method of activation is highly customizable, there are 11 methods for activating it.

Method of closing an application is also highly customizable, including touching the close button and swipping it away.

3) Using Multifl0w

Quite similar to ProSwitcher.

4) Using Quickdo

Incredibly configurable, but the default actions are to swipe from the bottom of the screen up to show all running task. Sweep away icon to the left in order to close a task. Touch icon to switch to that task.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GgcvZOIQUxw

5) Using Circuitous

The demo uses the taskbar swipe left to show running task. To go to previous task, this guy doing the demo uses volume key down then up, to go to next task, he uses volume key up then down. I personally don't like his choice. I do double home to bring up running task, swipe task left to go to previous task, and swipe task right to go to next running task. It is more logical for me.

[youtube]mrS8O38O1IQ[/youtube]

6) If you have installed Spotbright, you can also go to the spotlight page by pressing home key twice to show the last 6 running tasks, and touch the appropriate icons.

7) If the task has never been launched or used since the last reboot, and you have Overboard installed, you could click Home key to show this, it is similar to the HTC Sense Widget helicopter screen:

Since I have keep application of the same category in a screen, I can know right away which screen to touch to directly jump to the right screen. For example, I know that TomTom is in the Travel/GPS screen, by touching it, I get this:

I then touch TomTom to launch it.

From within any application, I can launch any new application by three touches maximum. No need to scroll and scroll to find where the application is hiding in the hugh application drawer.

Touch

WHAT ABOUT OS 4.0?

Double pressing the home button will show the most recently used application on the bottom docks. The most recent ones always float to the left so you have good chance of seeing the running application. Unlike in Android, there applications does not get bumped out, so you can always find the application that you've already used before.

Overall, I think you can see that iPhone does offer a lot more customization possibilities, options, and flexibilities in task switching.

Agree? Disagree?