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Maybe I Won’t Upgrade my iPad to iOS4.2…

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The release of IOS4.2.1 is imminent and iPad users around the globe are chomping at the bit to get Apple’s latest mobile operating system on their iPads, iPods and iPhones. But after using my iPad for a while this afternoon I started to think about the benefits of single-tasking, the much under appreciated black sheep that can’t possibly be as good as MULTI-TASKING.

With iOS3, my iPad is the only Apple device I own that can’t multi-task. While it feels pretty stale compared to my iPhone and MacBooks, the iPad has one big advantage: It doesn’t have any pop-ups, alerts and random acts of distraction. When I’m checking my email on my iPad, I’m checking my email for as long as I feel like it. When I’m trying to relax and watching a film on Netflix I put it in full-screen mode and watch the entire film. No Skype alerts, no notifications that someone liked my link on Facebook and no calls. The iPad with iOS3 is a calm sanctuary compared to my multi-tasking iPhone 4. Reading a book on the iPad is going to be painful with other apps interrupting me.

Of course, there are a ton of benefits to iOS4.2.1 that will most likely outweigh the distractions. There are more than 100 new features packed into iOS4.2.1 that have been MIA until this point. I think Airplay and multitasking are the two must-have features.

Apple’s supposed to release iOS4.2.1 within the next week or so. I may resist upgrading for a while, but resistance to Apple’s upgrade cycle is futile as I’m sure there will be at least a few killer apps that require the iOS4.2.1.

What do you think? Is a single-task device like the iPad with iOS3 or an Amazon Kindle sometimes preferable to a multi-tasking device? Are you going to put off the iOS4.2.1 upgrade, freezing your iPad in time?

19 Comments

19 Comments

  1. De Sire

    11/22/2010 at 2:22 am

    I really laughed about this post. I mean, seriously?

    Android does full multitasking, yet it never distracts you with pop-ups, obtrusive notifications or anything like that.
    Any notifications simply slides in from the top, disappears and stays in the notification area, so that you never lose track, yet never get disturbed.

    It’s just a matter of doing things right (Android) vs. doing things wrong (iOS).
    It’s not a matter of multitasking vs. not multitasking.

    • Alan

      11/22/2010 at 1:03 pm

      Totally agree – a non-issue on Android devices!

      • PRETHOUGHT

        11/25/2010 at 2:04 pm

        Yeah because on Android notification is broken. Try turning off your alarm clock once you’ve gotten a text message in between you can’t! Froyo is garbage. You have to either pull the battery or turn it off! Nice!!!! Or try going to a flash site, FREEZE can’t do squat till the site has completey downloaded. SUX!!!!! Notification still sucks. You have multiple email accounts “BLINK” well which email account did that come from? Is it important? I don’t know! Why because you don’t get a preview so you don’t know if you should do the pull down or not. BROKEN!!!!!! Oh by the way how do you know what apps are actually running? BROKEN!!!! Last 8 most recently used does not represent multitasking. Multitasking on Froyo proof that it was built by a legion of non paid developers. I don’t care for Apple’s fake multitasking either but to gloat that Android does it right is stretching the truth rather thin don’t ya think? Or is the Green Robot the only device you’ve ever owned in your life.

  2. Josh Einstein

    11/22/2010 at 2:36 am

    I don’t understand. How is it any different than push notifications on iOS 3 except that you can’t enter an app where you last left it.

    Why not just turn off notifications in settings? That’s what I do for FB and other annoying notifications.

  3. drnkusv

    11/22/2010 at 2:57 am

    Not to be mean, but this is definitely the least insightful post I have ever seen on this (generally very insightful) site. Just don’t turn on push notifications — it has nothing to do with iOS 4. I am running the beta; I get no more interruptions than with iOS 3, but I have the ability to do fast app switching if I want, multitasking, if I want.

    • Xavier Lanier

      11/22/2010 at 7:13 am

      Sorry I’m not as insightful as normal….it was just a thought :-) The temptation with app notifications & multi-tasking will be there w/IOS 4.2.1. With iOS3 I’m somewhat isolated and forced to focus on whichever app I have open. It’s a pain to switch apps in iOS3, which means I can actually get things done rather than jumping around. For example- on my iPhone 4 I often have Slacker playing in the background. While I’m checking email I’m tempted to switch over to Slacker and skip songs I don’t like. Sometimes that switch turns into several minutes as I sift through music channels and try to find something new.

  4. Tim Davies

    11/22/2010 at 3:48 am

    Since my iPad is jailbroken, I’ll be waiting till 4.2.1 is jailbroken. Even then, I don’t know how to easily update the apple software without loosing all my jailbreak apps…re-installing everything one by one would be a real pain in the butt.

    • PRETHOUGHT

      11/25/2010 at 2:09 pm

      Exactly ProSwitcher+Backgrounder= real multitasking. IOS4.2=fake multitasking for the common folk me too Apple lemmings who buy Apple cause it’s the cool thing to do not because they really use the devices to do work.

  5. Sdovkndfvfojn

    11/22/2010 at 7:36 am

    Dumb post. Turn off notifications.

  6. Andrew Beery

    11/22/2010 at 11:42 am

    i love my iphone and ipad but I too wonder if I will update the os until I have too. I love the hardware screen lock too much. Of course I also like the integrated email on my iPhone 4… I wish I didn’t have to give up one to have the other.

  7. Jeff2009ol

    11/22/2010 at 12:44 pm

    Please Wait, don’t upgrade yet. Wait a couple of months. Look what happened to the people that own an iPhone 3G with the new ios. I’ll never upgrade an apple ios again until everyone tested it before me. Cheers

  8. Leleyx

    11/22/2010 at 1:22 pm

    Really? can’t you just turn off push msgs just like in the iphone?…they way I see, you might as well upgrade now…

  9. tivoboy

    11/22/2010 at 4:08 pm

    the advantages of the MT environment definitely outweigh any dis-advantages which can be minimized completely if one wants.

  10. Cellularcrazy09

    11/22/2010 at 5:51 pm

    really stupid post…you can turn off the notifications in your settings…and those who said android was better…at least with ios multitasking you get days worth of battery life (2 1/2 on my iphone 4)…compared to my wifes htc incredible that barely makes it to 5 o clock….

  11. Michael Dell

    11/22/2010 at 6:20 pm

    To Android folks (Apple haters/idiots)

    There were mp3 players, then Apple showed you the iPod. There were ultra-portables, then Apple showed you MacBook Air 2010. There were cell phones, Apple showed you the iPhone, there were tablets, need I say more?

    Yes I am an Apple fanboy with 1000 Apple shares at over $300 bucks a pop (bought it at $23 a share). So yes, I love Apple and do buy whatever Apple sells because I can. Also, I got more money than you trailer trash Android worshipper.

  12. mobile marketing

    11/22/2010 at 9:23 pm

    Today everyone likes to do multi-tasks like while listening audios read books, checking & chatting with friends at same time. So multi-tasking is not bad feature. If you think it is unusable then turn off it. Why do criticize new technology?

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