[j_grouchy]

I've been giving this a lot of thought and I keep hearing people talking about the advantages of webOS over other platforms and the first one that anyone lists is "true multitasking". I've always just sort of accepted it as the ultimate advantage, but the more I've used my phone I have come to realize that it's just not important or useful to me. Generally, whenever I am done with something - reading email, texting, etc. - I just toss the card away. I almost never have more than one card up at a time. While I love the ease with which I am able to access the apps and switch from one to the other (i.e., cards), I just don't personally have much use for "true multitasking".

Now, I will qualify this by saying I have never tried using an Android phone and the few times I've played around with an iPhone I just played around with the map app and a couple games. I know there is a lot of frustration with the notifications in iOS and there are varying levels of "multitasking" available in both. I guess what I'm getting at is this: is "true multitasking" really a selling point for the average consumer? Not one single person I personally know has ever complained about their phone not being able to multitask in the truest sense of the word, such as that done by a workstation or their home PC. Personally, I think the interface is a bigger selling point than this concept of true multitasking.

Not only that, but the whole app thing is getting to me. Sure, quality is much more important than quantity...but then again, variety IS the spice of life, right? Right now I'm sort of feeling like I don't even HAVE a smartphone. Everyone is off playing Words With Friends or showing off their AR apps or other such toys and here I am waiting two minutes for the stupid Gowalla app to load so I can (maybe, if it works this time) check in some place and waiting another 90 seconds for the stupid camera app to open and turn from a gray screen so I can MAYBE capture a picture of my kid.

I'm pretty much decided that unless there is some sea change between now and the release of the Pre 3 - some three-fold increase in the app catalog and serious webOS buzz among the populace instead of just the Precentral crowd (don't get me wrong...this place is awesome and you haven't been given the rewards you deserve with regards to all you've done for the platform) - I'll probably make a switch.

I'd like to hear why "true multitasking" on a phone should convince anyone to buy into webOS. I'm not convinced that, in the smartphone arena, it is enough to make anyone buy into an OS with a skimpy app catalog and a poor hardware track record. As far as tablets go, I think multitasking is a much bigger issue. I think the TouchPad shows real promise here and I sincerely hope it becomes a major player in this market. I suppose this is the biggest hope HP has of selling their handsets...cashing in on the ability to pair these devices.

I guess I just don't see the use for multitasking as it exists on my phone. What can it do that other phones cannot that people would actually need their phones to do on a day-to-day basis? In other words, what are the iPhoners and Androiders missing out on right now?

[pogeypre]

Having used an iPhone, you can get around in a limited manner without true multitasking, but it is not easy or convenient. Being able to keep many things going at once is the reason why using Windows PC's or a Mac is so nice.

Having the ability to copy and paste things from one email to another and still have my game.. <ahem>... I mean conference call going is pretty cool.

[malpha]

I've been giving this a lot of thought and I keep hearing people talking about the advantages of webOS over other platforms and the first one that anyone lists is "true multitasking". I've always just sort of accepted it as the ultimate advantage, but the more I've used my phone I have come to realize that it's just not important or useful to me. Generally, whenever I am done with something - reading email, texting, etc. - I just toss the card away. I almost never have more than one card up at a time. While I love the ease with which I am able to access the apps and switch from one to the other (i.e., cards), I just don't personally have much use for "true multitasking".

Now, I will qualify this by saying I have never tried using an Android phone and the few times I've played around with an iPhone I just played around with the map app and a couple games. I know there is a lot of frustration with the notifications in iOS and there are varying levels of "multitasking" available in both. I guess what I'm getting at is this: is "true multitasking" really a selling point for the average consumer? Not one single person I personally know has ever complained about their phone not being able to multitask in the truest sense of the word, such as that done by a workstation or their home PC. Personally, I think the interface is a bigger selling point than this concept of true multitasking.

Not only that, but the whole app thing is getting to me. Sure, quality is much more important than quantity...but then again, variety IS the spice of life, right? Right now I'm sort of feeling like I don't even HAVE a smartphone. Everyone is off playing Words With Friends or showing off their AR apps or other such toys and here I am waiting two minutes for the stupid Gowalla app to load so I can (maybe, if it works this time) check in some place and waiting another 90 seconds for the stupid camera app to open and turn from a gray screen so I can MAYBE capture a picture of my kid.

I'm pretty much decided that unless there is some sea change between now and the release of the Pre 3 - some three-fold increase in the app catalog and serious webOS buzz among the populace instead of just the Precentral crowd (don't get me wrong...this place is awesome and you haven't been given the rewards you deserve with regards to all you've done for the platform) - I'll probably make a switch.

I'd like to hear why "true multitasking" on a phone should convince anyone to buy into webOS. I'm not convinced that, in the smartphone arena, it is enough to make anyone buy into an OS with a skimpy app catalog and a poor hardware track record. As far as tablets go, I think multitasking is a much bigger issue. I think the TouchPad shows real promise here and I sincerely hope it becomes a major player in this market. I suppose this is the biggest hope HP has of selling their handsets...cashing in on the ability to pair these devices.

I guess I just don't see the use for multitasking as it exists on my phone. What can it do that other phones cannot that people would actually need their phones to do on a day-to-day basis? In other words, what are the iPhoners and Androiders missing out on right now?

Why are you asking us to justify this one feature you've already admitted you don't really use and is not the bigger issue, the bigger issue being that the phone doesn't have enough apps? Is it so you'll know for sure you won't miss out when you switch? I just don't really get these "Please convince me not to move on with my life" posts.

I enjoy being able to flip between cards when I want to and to have them on the screen in real time, rather than having to thumb up to a menu. It's especially nice because you can have multiple windows for one app, which people enjoy for messaging, Twitter, and Notes.

If you want to hear the other side, one of the Android <edit>fans in Other Platforms can better assist you.

-- Sent from my Palm Pre using Forums

[GTAFan9999]

Same for me. I multitask very little, but I don't see it as a selling point as well. In order to make a smartphone sell, it need various key elements besides "true multitasking".

1. Stop announcing products or similar types months before actually letting people get their hands on it. Announce it when it's actually ready to go.
2. Make hardware that can actually compete with the current hardware. Technology's moving too fast for this.
3. Make some funny advertisements about your products or state its special features while in the commercial and NOT some creepy ghost girl making absolutely NO sense whatsoever.
4. Prices shouldn't be too high because those are some selling points. If the pre 3 were on sprint for 300$ for a 2 yr contract and an evo 3D for 250$ wouldn't I get the evo 3D because of its specs or price?
5. Avoid teasing your products TOO much during the months of waiting and waiting. It'll just annoy some people and possibly get them to leave.
6. If you want to make promises, make sure you can deliver them BEFORE announcing that you promise to do this or promise to do that.
7. One word...Apps
These are just my opinions. Don't start cursing at me if I made any mistakes. Please correct me if I made any mistakes.

[GodShapedHole]

It's easy: easy intuitive multitasking and all-around interface excellence is a serial killer feature for some of us (like me). WebOS is clearly the premier platform for such people.

If you couldn't care less about how easily and quickly you can switch between tasks, and don't have a problem with ugly / unintuitive / clunky interfaces at all, other platforms naturally enter the picture.

Don't ask other people to make your mind up for you. If you need convincing to stay with webOS, don't. It's a big market and I'm sure you'll find something more suited to your personal tastes that you won't have to ask the internet to reconcile you with.

[tyea]

Try leaving the apps you use most often open. That way you just swipe to that card and the app opens much faster. I used to always throw away all cards, but similar to using a PC with multiple apps open in their respective window, one just clicks on the window to activate that app. The UI of WebOS makes it easy to quickly get to the card (analogous window). WebOS 2.0 permits stacking of cards, which is analogous to a Windows folder. My vague understanding of WebOS performance benefits is that the apps opened in cards maintain a level of readiness because they are not closed and shut off from all internet data flow; so, when you maximize the card of interest, you can immediately resume the tasks in that app from the previous state the application was minimized.

If you you don't like seeing multiple cards open on your phone, then perhaps you would be more inclined to use a different operating system.

[nyallj]

After reading the above responses, I'm convinced the OP is well and properly answered here.

[berdinkerdickle]

<<Thread Title Change>>

I think the "So What" may not have been intended to create a bitter dispute, but rather the OP was asking a general question relating to the value of 'true multitasking' to the general smartphone-buying populace.

[berdinkerdickle]

The first time I got my hands on a 'Multi-Task' device (WM) I quickly dumped my PalmOS.
I instantly saw the value of having documents, apps, internet, and email all open and live for easy swapping between tasks.

[j_grouchy]

Why are you asking us to justify this one feature you've already admitted you don't really use and is not the bigger issue, the bigger issue being that the phone doesn't have enough apps? Is it so you'll know for sure you won't miss out when you switch? I just don't really get these "Please convince me not to move on with my life" posts.

I enjoy being able to flip between cards when I want to and to have them on the screen in real time, rather than having to thumb up to a menu. It's especially nice because you can have multiple windows for one app, which people enjoy for messaging, Twitter, and Notes.

If you want to hear the other side, one of the Android <edit>fans in Other Platforms can better assist you.

-- Sent from my Palm Pre using Forums

I don't agree that my post was answered.

My post was not a "convince me not to switch" plea. Palm (and now HP) always make a big stink about multitasking and how they are the only ones offering the real deal, but I really have started wondering if people really hear it and, if so, whether they actually care or need it. It goes to the very heart of what they are trying to sell us and I think it is part of their failure.

The one big question I have about selling webOS and how their primary point seems to be falling on deaf ears and my thought as to why is about whether they ought to focus more on the user's experience and possibly adding a degree of flexibility to the OS interface (widgets, customization). Sure, customization is available via patches and such, but the average smartphone buyer does not approach it this way. I guarantee you my brother-in-law is not going to go hooking his phone up to the computer and going into developer mode or anything like that. A lot of what we here at Precentral take for granted is actually far beyond what most people are wanting to deal with.

All this is just to say that I think certain other advantages that webOS has ought to be pushed over the multitasking aspect. Sure, for many folks it's a deal-maker or deal-breaker...but I think other platforms have addressed it to the degree that most folks are not willing to switch to webOS with an anemic app catalog and two 2-year old devices and two maybe/maybe-not available devices coming some unspecified amount of time in the future...all just to get "true multitasking".

<<Thread Title Change>>

I think the "So What" may not have been intended to create a bitter dispute, but rather the OP was asking a general question relating to the value of 'true multitasking' to the general smartphone-buying populace.

Thanks...perhaps my title read as me trying to start a fight. Point taken...wasn't my intent.

[StuckwVerizon]

If webos on touchpad allow two or more cards on the screen to work at the same time, I will call that a true multitasking and I will definitely replace my iPad with it. I would love to watch movie while I can update my spreadsheet, just like in pc, I'll be such happier. With current webos card view, you still have to work one app at a time anyway. However in smartphone, it's not gonna be possible, nor I want it, it's just too small.


Sent from Tapatalk

[Courousant]

If webos on touchpad allow two or more cards on the screen to work at the same time, I will call that a true multitasking and I will definitely replace my iPad with it. I would love to watch movie while I can update my spreadsheet, just like in pc, I'll be such happier. With current webos card view, you still have to work one app at a time anyway. However in smartphone, it's not gonna be possible, nor I want it, it's just too small.


Sent from Tapatalk

I agree, but I would like 2 stacks to be displayable in card view when the smartphone is in Landscape mode. If I could choose

[berdinkerdickle]

I just did a google search on multitasking.
This is a nice article:

Palm WebOS 2.0: Now This Is Multitasking!
Gizmodo, the Gadget Guide

[j_grouchy]

The first time I got my hands on a 'Multi-Task' device (WM) I quickly dumped my PalmOS.
I instantly saw the value of having documents, apps, internet, and email all open and live for easy swapping between tasks.

Which IS useful and I suppose I didn't make it clear that this can occur and I do use email and internet together often. But is this example not possible on other platforms? Some degree of multitasking is available on both leading platforms, no? I guess I just want HP to make that a compelling reason to switch and I have to wonder if consumers agree or if they find the current functionality of iOS and Android perfectly satisfactory. Again...I'm speaking from webOS-only experience here. If I'm totally wrong, let me know.

What happens when you click an link in an email on the Android platform? In iOS?
Can you copy/paste a url or use a menu option to send a link via email or MMS in either of those?

[pogeypre]

There really is nothing quite like being able to flick your card closed. WP7 (soon), iOS, and Android all multi-task in some way.

iOS and WP7 (soon) go the save state way. Basically remembering where you left off, but not really multitasking.

Android does the true multitasking, but managing your multitasking is woeful at best. When you have to go through multiple menus to kill an app, that's not good. And don't tell me about App Killers. They are horrible and can create all kinds of issues in Android phones.

I say you either go all the way with multi-tasking or got he iOS way. Half baked Android multitasking is like putting crap rims on your new Camaro.

[berdinkerdickle]

There really is nothing quite like being able to flick your card closed. WP7 (soon), iOS, and Android all multi-task in some way.

iOS and WP7 (soon) go the save state way. Basically remembering where you left off, but not really multitasking.

Android does the true multitasking, but managing your multitasking is woeful at best. When you have to go through multiple menus to kill an app, that's not good. And don't tell me about App Killers. They are horrible and can create all kinds of issues in Android phones.

I say you either go all the way with multi-tasking or got he iOS way. Half baked Android multitasking is like putting crap rims on your new Camaro.

Super Post! Man!

[nyallj]

I just did a google search on multitasking.
This is a nice article:

Palm WebOS 2.0: Now This Is Multitasking!
Gizmodo, the Gadget Guide

Reading the comments on that article, you get what marketing, or lack of, cost Palm. Multitasking, and all the other features, are now a part of the other OSs, though no average Joe user will know that webOS invented them.
Now that the OP's question is put into different perspective, he's right. We here know webOS, and what it stands for and means. How does HP make average Joe user interested in webOS now?

[somline]

Today writing an email I had to look to the webpage for read something I wanted to write in the email.
I think you can do that on all modern os's but it's so nice on webOS. Swipe up swipe left, read and swipe right and type.

[aharmsworth]

One thing that is not discussed is what device are you using?

Although I can't live without multitasking these days, I have to admit that on my Pre- it was at times frustrating and I had to limit the number of applications to at most 3 cards open at a time and even then the switching between cards was inconsistent and plague with pauses, limiting the functionality.

On my Pre 2, I can keep anything I want open, and the swapping between active cards is incredibly smooth. As another poster put it, I can't put my Pre 2 down, let alone live without true multitasking.

[berdinkerdickle]

Marketing & Implementation.

Right now, all we see are little trickles, and the general populace see next to nothing.

I am guessing that HP is filling up a bucket that they soon plan to flood us with all at once.