W8 phones -- PLEASE a bit of multi-tasking

jimbo45

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Hi there
I think that even on a phone the whole idea of these metro apps might be getting "old fashioned" or like Dinosaur Technology now.
I've played around with a Windows phone - but what I really miss is the ability to do a bit of decent multi tasking -- I don't need MULTIPLE WINDOWS (unlike on a PC) but a decent bit of multi-tasking.

For example I could be replying to an email, meanwhile on the email I want to attach a document which before attaching I want to create or modify.

So I have to LEAVE the email app by saving the draft -- do the document modification, back to the email - reload it again from the drafts etc and attach the document.

Same if I am doing something and I get a messenger type call say on something like Ms LYNC.

Phones have enough power and memory to be able to decently multi-task applications -- and if a W8 phone which HAS a decent multi-tasking OS already could implement this it could be an "Android" killer as I can't see Android getting into any type of multi-tasking without a complete re-write top to bottom.

Internet pages can be saved I agree but that's not always the most convenient way to flip between applications.

So Ms -- some of the CPU's in these smart phones have more power than a lot of low end laptops -- so forget all this Metro junk and sort the OS out properly -- the W8 phones could be an absolute winner (and I LIKE my Galaxy IIIs phone but would get a decent W8 one in an instant if it had decent multi-tasking).

Similarly why should I not be able to play spider solitaire, do email, logon on to Skype / Lync and surf the net all at the same time. The phone hardware is more than up to the task - and on a phone full screen and switching windows is fine --you don't need loads of separate windows on a small screen.

Cheers
jimbo
 

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Press and hold the back button. You will get the card-based multitasking.
 

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Press and hold the back button. You will get the card-based multitasking.

Hi there
that type of stuff should be publicised a lot more -- doesn't work on Android though !!! Back button either throws up a menu or does nothing depending on the app.

Also what works like the TAB button in windows where you can just flip through screens and carry on where you left off. Also you need something like a clipboard to copy data from one app to the other -- It's Windows after all. !!!

Cheers
jimbo
 

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Actually WP already has multi-tasked since WP 7.5.
Basically it is the same as CTRL+ALT+TAB in Windows.

And I don't see multi-task in pre-Honeycomb android.
 

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Hi there
It doesn't exist in Android and it will be a while before it does -- this alone I think will ensure that my current phone is the last Android phone I'll have.

Ms should be really PUSHING this feature.

Cheers
jimbo
 

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they are pushing it. it's whether people actually get out and try the phone that's been the problem. you go to a typical retailer like a Verizon store and most of the people selling product don't know anything about Windows Phone. And Microsoft is now giving incentives for these store employees to have these phones. because if you own something, you tend to really get to know it and thus can sell the idea to other people. who knows if these customers aren't turning around and selling their "free" phones. :p
 

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Hi there
It doesn't exist in Android and it will be a while before it does -- this alone I think will ensure that my current phone is the last Android phone I'll have.

Ms should be really PUSHING this feature.

Cheers
jimbo

Actually, Android 4.0 upwards DOES have multitasking, almost identical to Windows Phone. Press and hold the "home" or main button, depending on the device, and you get a very similar menu. In fact, sometimes the multi tasking in Android can be better.

Android 2.x/3.x versions can get it too, but it requires rooting the phone and running scripts first.

Better yet, if you have a phone such as the Samsung Galaxy Nexus, the soft keys (on screen keys) have a multitasking menu button...
 

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You're doing it wrong. You don't have to save a draft to switch to another app. You just hit the home button. When you come back to email, it will re-open where it was. It may not be "running" when you're in a different app, but the state is saved and restored when you return.

It works the same way in iOS and Android.

The only exception is if you are doing something that requires a lot of resources, the OS may kill your background apps.
 

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Pressing and holding the front buttons do different things. Pressing back will go the app "card" switch mode, pressing Start will open the TellMe service for voice controls, pressing and holding the search button from the lock screen will open Bing Search without having to manually slide off the lock screen. Pressing and holding the camera button will open the Camera app, if you have that setting enabled. I believe it's defaulted to that.

And yes, all you need to do from the email app is hit Start and go to Office and finish off a document, press and hold the back button and swipe over to the email app.

Closing out of an app is a bit different and a tad cumbersome at times, you have to tap the back button back to Start. Generally though, you rarely need to do that like with Windows 8, you can leave apps open and the ones that need to run in the background, like Xbox Music+Video, will.

Windows Phone has been multitasking like that since 2011.

But on android 3 I believe, multitasking is seriously awful. I don't know if that's just the tablet I was using that one time, but WOW! It was just a long list of apps that were opened which ends up making the Home screens redundant. android 4 is ok for now.
 

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