Itching Thumb (WebOs Style Task Manager)

[candi3188]

Has anyone gotten this working on the Epic? I downloaded it and when I launched it, it just repeatedly force closed. I wasn't even able to see any of the features. It just force closed immediately upon launch in such a way that my only option was to reboot the phone. It's unfortunate because coming from a pre, and disappointed with visual task switcher, I would love to use an app like this. I'm using LauncherPro and WidgetLocker and wonder if maybe it's reacting adversely to one of those...

 

[Mike77]

Coming from a pre as well I tried it, didn't like it. It seemed to work correctly, but just felt kinda herky jerky to me. I did not have either of those others running at the same time.

 

[thebizz]

I have it working on my d2 works like a charm had to set it to launch when I pressed the home button. Since the double tap is locked down to the apps motorola will allow to utilize it
I also came from a pre and it replicates the function in miss the most try the most recent update is haven't seen a fc with it yet

 

[milominderbinde]

The whole point of Android is that you don't have to do your multitasking by hand, moving cards around. Just open a past app and it has saved state right where you left off.

Still I added a link to it in the Palm webOS Homebrewer's Guide to Android for others coming over from webOS. But I think Visual Task Switcher is smoother.

 

[Addie_Goodvibes]

I actually prefer Androids task management over WebOs.. With Android I know for sure when I have quit a task. No question of it possibly running in the background.those cards are nice and elegant but "fluff" imho

 

[jamex]

The whole point of Android is that you don't have to do your multitasking by hand, moving cards around. Just open a past app and it has saved state right where you left off.

Still I added a link to it in the Palm webOS Homebrewer's Guide to Android for others coming over from webOS. But I think Visual Task Switcher is smoother.

That is not really true. I cannot be reading a contact info then leave to another app then get back to the same contact info. That is something webos does. Also I tried playing this online poker game but if I left the app then notifications for when my turn came ceased. Another thing webos does. Webos is really the only true multitasking OS. I cannot be looking at a video then leave to check my mail then resume playing. I have to launch the app again.

 

[Jerry Hildenbrand]

That is not really true. I cannot be reading a contact info then leave to another app then get back to the same contact info. That is something webos does. Also I tried playing this online poker game but if I left the app then notifications for when my turn came ceased. Another thing webos does. Webos is really the only true multitasking OS. I cannot be looking at a video then leave to check my mail then resume playing. I have to launch the app again.

1. That means you're hitting the home button. When you hit the Home button, applications usually close child windows, which in contacts means a return to the list. Try any of the other ways to switch apps that don't involve the home button. Very likely the app this thread is about will do it. Remember, Android is pretty bare and opens most of the OS functions for other apps, including switching app focus. That's why we like it

2. Simple setting in the app. Developers can pause, save state, or quit. Angry birds is an excellent example of a game that pauses until you return. But then again, people scream bloody murder because an app doesn't close when you go out of it, so apps like Solitaire save state and can be killed off, ready to resume when you go back to it.

3. When I play a video, and switch away, when I return the video is paused in the spot I was at without any issue, so I'm not sure what to suggest here.

Android is different, and needs things done a bit differently, but does everything you mention. Sometimes too many options means things get overlooked.

 

[Dexter505]

1. That means you're hitting the home button. When you hit the Home button, applications usually close child windows, which in contacts means a return to the list. Try any of the other ways to switch apps that don't involve the home button. Very likely the app this thread is about will do it. Remember, Android is pretty bare and opens most of the OS functions for other apps, including switching app focus. That's why we like it

2. Simple setting in the app. Developers can pause, save state, or quit. Angry birds is an excellent example of a game that pauses until you return. But then again, people scream bloody murder because an app doesn't close when you go out of it, so apps like Solitaire save state and can be killed off, ready to resume when you go back to it.

3. When I play a video, and switch away, when I return the video is paused in the spot I was at without any issue, so I'm not sure what to suggest here.

Android is different, and needs things done a bit differently, but does everything you mention. Sometimes too many options means things get overlooked.

1. Not sure what you are talking about. If you are at a contact screen if you go to another app then return it always defaults to the contact list.

3. Again not sure what you are talking about. If I am looking at a video then leave to check the email or web I always have to relaunch the video player and the stock video player does not resume from where you left off. Not paying $10 for an app to do that either.

Webos multitasking method is just the best. I sometimes have trouble getting info from one app to the other because of how the way Android does it. Something I never had a problem using Webos.

 

[smithe68]

Works fine on my Epic, didn't like it, it is no where near as smooth as WebOS plus I have gotten so used to the way Android works that I am fine with it as is.

 

[PoundSand]

That is not really true. I cannot be reading a contact info then leave to another app then get back to the same contact info. That is something webos does. Also I tried playing this online poker game but if I left the app then notifications for when my turn came ceased. Another thing webos does. Webos is really the only true multitasking OS. I cannot be looking at a video then leave to check my mail then resume playing. I have to launch the app again.

Those are implementation details of the individual apps. you can have apps on either os work either way; it's up to the programmer how they want to 'resume' their app.

For example, in angry birds the beta exited and relaunched when you switched apps, but in the release version, it pauses. Other apps (audio players, gps) continue in the background.

In webos, you have the same thing- some apps pause in the background (including the early versions of google maps while it was navigating (not cool)) and youtube, then resumes when it gets focus. Others reload (web browser). They can also switch scenes (I can't think of any off the top of my head, but definitely up to the programmer if they want to).

 

[PoundSand]

Webos multitasking method is just the best. I sometimes have trouble getting info from one app to the other because of how the way Android does it. Something I never had a problem using Webos.

You're just used to a different way of doing things, and complaining about some implementation details of some apps (there are plenty of complaints about implementation details of specific webos apps as well).

Which is fine- where you go off the rails a little bit is trying to generalize that to commentary about multitasking.

 

[smithe68]

Gotta say, youtube on WebOS still buffers in the background, I have yet to see that with my Epic. That being said, after a month or so with my Epic, I wont be going back to a WebOS phone even if they put it on substantially superior hardware to the current crop of top tier Android phones.

 

[Mike77]

More then happy with my Epic and android, but nothing multitasks like WebOS. Although that multitasking is prob why the battery was so bad on the pre.

 

[Jerry Hildenbrand]

1. Not sure what you are talking about. If you are at a contact screen if you go to another app then return it always defaults to the contact list.

3. Again not sure what you are talking about. If I am looking at a video then leave to check the email or web I always have to relaunch the video player and the stock video player does not resume from where you left off. Not paying $10 for an app to do that either.

Webos multitasking method is just the best. I sometimes have trouble getting info from one app to the other because of how the way Android does it. Something I never had a problem using Webos.

1. No, it doesn't. Only if you involve the home button. See video below.
3. Stock video player below, doing exactly what you say it won't do.

YouTube - October 26, 2010 2:41 PM

Yes, video is pretty crappy, but it shows what it needs to. Juggling a cup of coffee and a Nexus one makes for bad video. For the record, I'm using Bar Control (a bit jealous of the way apps are in the Galaxy S taskbar, and this is as close as it gets) to switch foreground tasks.

What I didn't realize is that if you have a video open, but don;t play it, when you switch back to the video player it plays automatically. I don't care for that too much.

 

[jamex]

Dude what you are doing isn't what I am talking about.


That is very cumbersome because what you doing is pressing back back which closes the app. With webos I could keep but apps open switching between the two or more easily without closing.

 

[MeOverTrance]

Dude what you are doing isn't what I am talking about.


That is very cumbersome because what you doing is pressing back back which closes the app. With webos I could keep but apps open switching between the two or more easily without closing.

Pretty sure you can do that with Android too

 

[jamex]

Pretty sure you can do that with Android too

Not in all cases and surely not at the same speed but what can I do. I already got the phone. I just hope palm can produce a decent phone then I will switch back. Calendar and email on android is just awful and they are the most important things to me.

 

[HeyBeerManTX]

More then happy with my Epic and android, but nothing multitasks like WebOS. Although that multitasking is prob why the battery was so bad on the pre.

I can't agree with you more.....it was so nice going back and forth between cards, getting the info from one, and keying it in on the other. it didn't matter which cards you were going between, when you went back to one, you were in the exact same spot you were when you left (i.e. scroll position, cursor position, etc)

Battery life, however, seems to be worse on my Epic than on my Pre. I usually got 3/4-1 full days use out of my Pre battery, while I'm only getting 1/2-3/4 day out of my Epic (and yes, I try 95% of the "battery saving tricks").

 

[buzzardjrt]

i could not even get the app to work correctly on my phone. i could not access the app page to pull in apps that i use regularly (damn you angry birds and gem mine). so if i wanted to use my camera, or barcode scanner or calculator for example i had to go back to the stock screen and open it from there.

and i did a lot of damage to my battery (as far as usage not actually damaging my battery)

and i would have to click home twice sometimes (from what i understand the way it was supposed to be) and others clicking it twice took me to stock.

i was so confused i just deleted it.

i would be interested in seeing it work properly and would use it if i could figure it out.

and on Androids multi tasking, yea you can go back and get to where you were but then if you need to go forward to see what you were just looking at, how do you do that? i have just been restarting a whole new, what ever i was doing. to me that is not multi tasking that is being able to go back to what you were doing.

 

[Jerry Hildenbrand]

Dude what you are doing isn't what I am talking about.


That is very cumbersome because what you doing is pressing back back which closes the app. With webos I could keep but apps open switching between the two or more easily without closing.

OK. I'll stop trying to help. Carry on.