Does anyone actually use the recent apps button?

[paul-c]

I'm always using that button. The card style multitasking layout was the thing I was looking most forward to when ICS first dropped.

Sent from my Motorola RAZR i

 

[gtbarry]

I use the button because it always has the 5-6 apps I use most often in the list. Of course, nothing a few shortcuts or folders couldn't do for me instead. But I like to keep my homescreen completely clean and this allows me to sort apps in a slightly different way - by category type instead of most used, etc. - on my other screens.

While I use this and find it helpful, I can think of a few different buttons that I would find more useful there.

 

[15israellai]

Every several minutes.

Transmitted from my Nexus Prime

 

[TyBec]

I use it a lot. Especially in full screen apps. If you get a notification you can hit the multitasking button to see it without going to the home screen.

Sent from my Galaxy Nexus using Tapatalk 2

 

[15israellai]

And for goodness's sake isn't your title insulating to the button that many like?

Transmitted from my Nexus Prime

 

[li2327]

I would have to say I never use it.

 

[drhere]

I use it all the time, more lately. Yesterday, I was doing a bunch of things on my Gnex, and the recent apps list was a great way for me to jump to other apps I needed to access while already in another app.

 

[Austin Anderson1]

I am NOT thankful that Google got rid of the 4 button layout. I am very peeved. the menu button is downright essential in my opinion. the layout should be Back, Home, Menu, Recent Apps. I agree the search button is useless.

 

[reelon]

I use it all the time.

 

[bacalao]

I can't have a phone that doesn't have it now. And I was skeptical at first. I didn't want to leave the search and menu buttons off. But I have seen the light!

 

[loofmodnar]

Yes! It's incredibly useful. If you want to see something that's NOT useful, look at Windows Phone's 3 button arrangement. Instead of the recent apps button, they have a search button. Be thankful Android got rid of the 4-button arrangement it used to have.

Really? I loved the search button on my Windows Phone. They baked about a dozen different features into the Bing app and being able to launch them so quickly was awesome. It's only of the features I miss most about WP8. WP8 also has access to a recent app list by long pressing the back button.

 

[Crashdamage]

+1. I use it a lot. Extremely handy, a great idea. So many times it saves needing to return to the home screen or getting into the app drawer.

Why can't you use the eBook reader or browser you want?

I don't have a Samsung, but I can't believe there's no way to turn GPS off. Even left on, it should not drain the battery. I leave GPS on all the time with no battery bit. If there's no GPS icon in the top bar, then it's inactive. It should only be active when needed, like when using maps. But, no GPS icon, no power used.

Android since v1.0. Linux since 2001.