Task Switching

[jamo]

For those of you who are new to Android, if you long press on the physical Home button, you'll get a list of recently/frequently used apps you can switch to. I just thought I'd throw this out there since it seems like a lot of people are getting the X as their first Android phone.

 

[ylexot]

Thanks. I discovered this on my own because that's how it works on the BB, but it is definitely useful information.

 

[Lars]

On a related note, hold the back key in the browser to access browsing history.

 

[jreed2560]

with android, When in doubt....Long Press!

 

[Gelcube]

Oh, thank you! Droid X is my first Android phone, and I'm still in the learning curve.

 

[JJWSTAR]

ur right. droid x is my first android phone.

 

[mahers]

my 1st smartphone altogether. it's like going from never driving a car to driving a ferrari. where does one start? i'm killing the battery pretty quick learning and DL apps, but it's freaking awesome and i can't put it down!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[Helicrewchief]

my 1st smartphone altogether. it's like going from never driving a car to driving a ferrari. where does one start? i'm killing the battery pretty quick learning and DL apps, but it's freaking awesome and i can't put it down!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I'm having problems putting it down as well. Usually the newness wears off by now. Not this thing its awesome!

The menu key also has a long press feature...it brings up your keyboard.

 

[labeledbass]

Yeah thats similar to the BBs menu button hold

If you really want to see whats running - Settings\Applications\Running services

 

[mpg187]

Is there a faster way, on Windows Mobile I would tap the start menu then the program, 2 taps. I hate having to hold down the button and wait and sometimes I let go to soon and then get back to the homescreen...

 

[dbvirago]

Was wondering how that happened

 

[EnigmaticSoul]

Hello,

Sorry for revamping an old thread, but I would really love to have something in the way of better task switching in Android. While I do realise that you can use the long-press home key, it's not what I would call true task switching. When you swap to another app, you're not guaranteed to return to that app in the exact state that it was in when you left.

For example, if you're composing a text message, swap out to look something up then return, the text message has been closed and put into my Drafts folder. Another simple example (serving only as an example, not a practical use-case) would be to use Google Goggles to search something, swap out and back, and the picture that you had taken previously is gone, and Goggles has returned back to the camera screen.

In short, I want the Windows ALT-TAB functionality. No change to the app state when I return to it.

I suspect that this might have more to do with how Android treats running apps, but I really don't know.

Any suggestions are most welcome.

Thanks,
EnigmaticSoul

 

[silleevets]

Exactly. That is something webOS had right. I'm getting used to the long press and choosing the app I was recently using, but they aren't always in the same state I left them, so multitasking isn't working as well as on the Pre.