[Pradeep Parekh]

I have been using a Z10 for about a month now and have found myself actually turning to my Playbook more and more when I have needed to perform more than one task. A simple example would be when watching a "ted" talks I had downloaded and reading at the same time or just surfing the web. Another example, but far less relevant in my usage, is the ability to record a video, and send a quick email while the video continues recording.

In both cases the multitasking capability of the playbook really put the Z10 and BB10 to shame. If i'm missing something please feel free to correct me but as of yet I have not found a way to mimic either scenario in terms of multitasking on my z10 and its quite disappointing. Currently, other than listening to the music on my train ride to work while reading a few news articles, I find multitasking on the z10 to be nonexistent and with no really indication of split screen (i.e. Galaxy S4) ever being a feature of OS10 I’m kind of perplexed about the earlier hype of QNX's power on the current smart phone hardware.

I am aware of youtube playback cotinuing while switching apps but I load videos onto my phone so that I can keep my data usage down to a reasonable level.

[pkcable]

No you are correct the multitasking method on the PlayBook IS better, and Samsung does an awesome job also. The BB10 devices DO multitask, it just that you really can control how they are displayed and how the vendor chooses to utilize active frames.

[Pradeep Parekh]

I think its more like the developer can control how the active frames work unlike the Playbook where windows could be made to act as real time ("showcase") or just when in focus. As of now very few apps are "active." Hopefully that will change with more native apps. Another interesting aspect of this OS (or rather the Android runtime) is the fact that Android ports, if developed with push, can run "headless" which is birlliant cause I just sideload "2do" on Z10 which gives me notifications even when closed....not a feature in the native Remember app atm.

[00stryder]

I definitely prefer the multitasking on my PlayBook over my Z10, but I use the devices for different things. Usually unless I'm watching/listening a video in the browser while attempting to do something else, the multitasking on my phone does what I need it to do.

But I hope we can see some improvements on this front without jeopardizing the overall smoothness of the OS.

Posted via CB10 on my white Z10 and loving it!

[Gerii]

I am aware of youtube playback cotinuing while switching apps but I load videos onto my phone so that I can keep my data usage down to a reasonable level.

You can watch a video in the background with the native video player if you minimize it before the video starts to play (you have to be fast).


Posted via CB10

[Gspot37]

You can watch a video in the background with the native video player if you minimize it before the video starts to play (you have to be fast).


Posted via CB10

Umm since when? The sound plays but the video does not.

Posted via CB10

[Gerii]

That's what I meant. Should've said you can listen to a video. But if you're doing something else, you can't see the active frame anyway.

Posted via CB10

[AluminiumRims]

The multitasking on BB10 is basically freezing the application. This is actually a good thing for some programs, for example you might don't want flash animation in your browser to run if you minimize the browser and sucking CPU from another program. However, you have a movie and you only want to listen to the audio for a while, you might want the opposite that the program continues in the background.

So as a conclusion this setting should be application specific. Also, programs that continues while minimized, the active frame should be updated like on Playbook and Windows 7. Blackberry, please fix.

[Pradeep Parekh]

I agree, like the playbook, the setting should be application or even user specific. I will try the native player "hack" of minimizing for audio but still, something that seemed so fluid and possibly the best feature of QNX on the playbook seems to have been muted on the phones which are substantially more powerful. Thinking of it as a marketing tool, apart from function, a commercial showing that kind of power off on a mobile platform would definately wow...imagine having a conference call with the front facing camera running in the background while you quickly take notes on the conversation (a function completely doable on the playbook)

[phinphan1]

I love how the playbook functions a lot better than my z10 as well. I thought blackberry was going to ruin the playbook when BB10 came to it. Guess we will never know now.

Posted via CB10

[Blackman91]

I also like the multitasking on my playbook a lot more than on my z10, specially the way you can switch apps with just one gesture on the borders.

[djsvet]

The Active Frame IS NOT FREEZING ALL applications, the Browser work all the time.
For example, go to speedtest.net and initiate speed test, it usually takes 1 minute so I minimize it and check the results later, much like a PC(i use this many times a day for work). Similarly, if you use FB through the browser, like me, it will update live when you get msg/notification. And the option to play flash when minimized as a huge +.
I think multitasking like the PlayBook wouldn't be possible on the small Q10 screen, hence they choosed different way to make it universal through out all phones.

Posted via CB10

[Pradeep Parekh]

Active frames is freezing unless a developer specifically implements it. I see what's you're saying and it makes sense to have a universal format for active frames...i was just saying that I would have liked the play books handling of apps on the z10.....the example I still use is the fact that the camera app "freezes" recording when put into active frames. Oh well, not a huge misstep bc it does save on resources for the phone ....but would have been a nice toggle feature for users to choose it

Posted via BlackBerry Z10

[FCSC]

The Active Frame IS NOT FREEZING ALL applications, the Browser work all the time.
For example, go to speedtest.net and initiate speed test, it usually takes 1 minute so I minimize it and check the results later, much like a PC(i use this many times a day for work). Similarly, if you use FB through the browser, like me, it will update live when you get msg/notification. And the option to play flash when minimized as a huge +.
I think multitasking like the PlayBook wouldn't be possible on the small Q10 screen, hence they choosed different way to make it universal through out all phones.

Posted via CB10

That may be true, but if you go to listen to espn radio for example and the minimize the screen it will time out and stop playing the flash player on the site, so at the very least it freezes some things.

[Toodeurep]

...the ability to record a video, and send a quick email while the video continues recording....

This one hits close to home. We use this regularly and have found no other substitute.

[Xopher]

If I remember correctly, Showcase mode hasn't been implemented on the Z10. If it is ever added, then it might be able to do more multitasking like the PlayBook.

Posted via CB10

[qwang]

The multitasking on BB10 is basically freezing the application. This is actually a good thing for some programs, for example you might don't want flash animation in your browser to run if you minimize the browser and sucking CPU from another program. However, you have a movie and you only want to listen to the audio for a while, you might want the opposite that the program continues in the background.

So as a conclusion this setting should be application specific. Also, programs that continues while minimized, the active frame should be updated like on Playbook and Windows 7. Blackberry, please fix.

freezing or not is not controlled by BB10 OS itself.

the app developers decides if the app freeze when it's in the background or active frame, and the default value is not.

[ihys]

When I load a flash game in the browser it freezes when I do something else.

It would load a percent say 30 I switch app and when I come back it will continue off 30, the number wouldn't have budge at all.

Posted via CB10

[Pradeep Parekh]

This one hits close to home. We use this regularly and have found no other substitute.

I too have found no equivalent yet. Even with all the **** hurled at the PlayBook it is still a workhorse when you need to multitask in certain situations. Its just a shame that those "certain" situation were not enough to make it a commercial success.

[Pradeep Parekh]

If I remember correctly, Showcase mode hasn't been implemented on the Z10. If it is ever added, then it might be able to do more multitasking like the PlayBook.

Posted via CB10

Seems to be the case. I hope it is impletmented with a future update. I would wager that Blackberry is still trying to optimize BB10 before they allow for this kind of heavy process usage- kinda like why only 8 active frames can be running. Here's to waiting.

[Bungalow_Bill]

Have you tried Playback Plus? This app continues playing the audio track on a video while you're working with other apps and messaging. It has a few other nice features as well and it's my main video player now.

Posted via CB10

[Pradeep Parekh]

Have you tried Playback Plus? This app continues playing the audio track on a video while you're working with other apps and messaging. It has a few other nice features as well and it's my main video player now.

Posted via CB10

It's more than just video playback, the active frames model just doesn't handle background apps as well as the PlayBook did. I still turn to the example of active recording while multitasking...its just not possible on the new OS. again, not really saying active frames is bad but right now I don't think it really shows off the power of QNX multitasking as well as the PlayBook 2.1 did.

Posted via BlackBerry Z10

[Blackman91]

Yeah the playbook is still great, what a shame.