[pantlesspenguin]

From the looks of this, no, it doesn't look like there's a lot of difference between the information available in BB Hub and Android notifications.

I do still believe that Android doesn't actually multitask "real time" the way QNX does, but I'll also grant that as long as Android presents a compelling illusion of multitasking, that the average user won't care. For instance, what I suspect really happens in Android is that the task the user was on actually gets suspended in most cases (not all--IIRC there are certain threads reserved for media that are always left active). AFAIK, neither Android nor iOS are real, full, multitasking OSes, but operate more the way the classic Mac OS worked.

I recognize that most of the time, for most users the distinction is near impossible to see. I have a Dev Alpha, but since Hub still hasn't been implemented on these devices I can't confirm that it works any better, either. However, based on what I HAVE seen, and what I do know of the technical distinction is that at least in theory, BB10 should work more smoothly and more reliably.

In the case of app suspension vs updating real time, I think I can verify this. Say I'm in my WeatherBug Elite app and switch out to another app. Then an hour later I switch back to WeatherBug Elite. There will be a brief loading circle before showing me the most up to date info. Sometimes I even have to hit refresh before it loads. On BB10, when I switch back to WBE after an hour, will the most up to date info already be displayed without having to briefly refresh? What other apps will be like that?

For me, multitasking on both BB0S and Android is to my liking. The one thing I appreciate with multitasking ability is to switch two and from apps quickly, and they keep my place when I'm in another app. Like if I am composing an email and need to check my calendar, I can switch back to my email app and my email will be right as I left it. Also, the fewer keystrokes/gestures to get from app to app the better.

[DLEII]

guys this is great info. Since I have never been an Android user (BB loyalist), I have never used the OS at all. This is good info as we prepare for BB10. As I have stated on the boards recently, I certainly have been waiting patiently for this to arrive. While doing so, I have learned a lot about what BB10 has to offer VS what others have to offer. Not sure which one will prevail but certainly feel that BB10 will be relevent again soon. It is nice to hear some of the nay-sayers starting to talk more about the new OS. This HUB thing is going to be a big part of the buzz-IMO.

That said, anything that we can add to what has already been said, bring it on. And not to change directions on this thread, but what about iOS in regards to FLOW/HUB?

[Drayk]

OK, here's an example of mine. Pull down on the task bar and you get this:

http://i142.photobucket.com/albums/r...7-15-25-03.png

You can see ongoing notifications, for example I have navigation running in the background showing me how to get to Starbucks (don't worry, I'm not driving and posting! Just pulled it up as an example), current weather, T-Mo usage stats, and my imo.im accounts. With any of these, when you tap the corresponding bar it launches you into the app.

You also see functions like gps, wifi, bluetooth, etc. If you scroll to the right you get more options as well, like airplane mode, car mode, sync, etc.

Then you see my current notifications, an email and a text. Again, tapping in those bars launches me right into the individual message.

As has been stated, the big difference with HUB is that you can see your previous notifications, whereas with the Android tray, once you check it it's gone. I personally love having that unified hub on BB, and I'm looking forward to getting that back.

One thing I grew to depend on was a unified in box and unread email in the drop down bar on BB7.
I absolutely love my GSIII, but it doesn't do a couple of the minor things my BB's always did and I'm finding it difficult to adjust. Even after 6 months.
If BB10 has the same txt & email UI as BB7, it will be a difficult choice.......actually, it won't.

[Masahiro]

That said, anything that we can add to what has already been said, bring it on. And not to change directions on this thread, but what about iOS in regards to FLOW/HUB?

Although I've never owned an iphone, IOS has pull down notifications, an almost carbon copy of android.

[Tre Lawrence]

I'll be the first to tell you: I spent way too much time trying to get my BB to act like Palm, and then, Android to act like BB. I'm stubborn like that. When I was able to appreciate the differences, I enjoyed the product way more. Different doesn't always mean inferior (or superior).

As long as folks find a way that works, all is well. Clearly, RIM is doing its best to ensure it is a competitive force, and I like it. Good thread... learned some stuff.

[itmccb]

Although I've never owned an iphone, IOS has pull down notifications, an almost carbon copy of android.

The similarities stop at them both being pull downs. 's a demo video.

[Dirks2.0]

I have found that most people who stick only with 1 type of phone don't ever really understand all the finer details of the other OS that make them unique. for instance a friend of mine who is a isheep came bragging to me awhile back about how on his imessager it will tell him when the message has been read. and I just laughed because that has been a feature of bbm since...4ever!

the HUB has it's roots in OS7. now i can click on messages and it will bring up all my emails, texts, bbm, facebook in one inbox. click on social feeds and it has them all integrated to one inbox as well. and yes android has a pull down notification but the HUD takes it further and refines the whole experience.
The new BB10 keyboard has predictive text, is this new? no. is it available on all the major OS's? Yes. But BB10 takes it that one step further and again refines the feature to make it great and better then anything else out there right now.

[itmccb]

I have found that most people who stick only with 1 type of phone don't ever really understand all the finer details of the other OS that make them unique. for instance a friend of mine who is a isheep came bragging to me awhile back about how on his imessager it will tell him when the message has been read. and I just laughed because that has been a feature of bbm since...4ever!

the HUB has it's roots in OS7. now i can click on messages and it will bring up all my emails, texts, bbm, facebook in one inbox. click on social feeds and it has them all integrated to one inbox as well. and yes android has a pull down notification but the HUD takes it further and refines the whole experience.
The new BB10 keyboard has predictive text, is this new? no. is it available on all the major OS's? Yes. But BB10 takes it that one step further and again refines the feature to make it great and better then anything else out there right now.

Is my sarcasm meter broken or is this post just ironic?

[EGerhardt]

It's certainly true that peek and flow as a concept isn't all that revolutionary. That said, the implementation looks a lot nicer to me. It's familiar enough to people who are coming from iOs and Android for them to get what it does and how it works, but RIM have made it feel less invasive. The niggle I have with androids notifications is that opening it feels like you are interrupting whatever you're doing; to swipe it down you have to stop, swipe and then find the relevant notification, close, go back to stuff. A couple of years ago, it felt really nice, but it doesn't feel like true multi-tasking. That's what I'm liking about peek and flow, able to go from my typing position to check a notification and the close all in one go. Very elegant solution. Not a world changer, but a good feature all the same.

[sf49ers]

One question I'd ask about notifications on iPhone and Android: is it a unified inbox? Or just e-mail?

No notifications in Android is not universal Inbox..it is ways apart, notifications in Android is similar to BB06/07, a pull down menu displaying only recent notifications. Although in the latest versions of Android they improved both aesthetically and functionally but it is not same as universal inbox either on BBOS or BB10.

[jasonvan9]

With the open API for the HUB in BB10, any app will be able to take advantage of the notification systems (HUB, peak icons, LED, etc)
I've posted before too, how on iOS (and i believe android too????) when you get a new message the notification bar pops up across the top of the screen as its received, potentially distracting you from what you were doing, or getting in the way of what youre doing. BB10 differs, as it does its usual notification (LED, ring tone, etc) and than keeps it waiting until YOU decide to peak to see what it is and see if its worth replying to.
I think the iOS solution is a bad add-on feature to compete with android, as is the new 4" screen... but ill save that for another day/ thread... BB10 HUB is going to be industry leading, as the BlackBerry notification system *arguably* always has been.

[howarmat]

Android notifications will show in the top bar but wont interrupt you. You will be notified via sound or vibrate in full screen mode but you can check them via the pulldown at your discretion still. you can see the message flash in the bar if you are in an app that is not full screen but again its not interrupting you.

[jasonvan9]

Android notifications will show in the top bar but wont interrupt you. You will be notified via sound or vibrate in full screen mode but you can check them via the pulldown at your discretion still. you can see the message flash in the bar if you are in an app that is not full screen but again its not interrupting you.

thank you for the correction about android

[aha]

I agree, need more people with informed opinions.

As another person said having your old messages in the hub is something the Android notification drawer doesnt have, which makes them very different.

Also as another person said with the increase size of Android devices it is difficult to, with one hand, reach your thumb to the top to pull down that drawer. Swipe up and away is much more intuitive

Excellent summary.

Another thing I like to know is: does Android notification menu allows you search through all the messages in the menu?

I guess for BB10, the HUB is designed to handle all messaging communications in just one gesture away. The Android notification menu is designed to provide notifications for all new messaging communications. You can do some of the messaging handling (such as replying new messages in "shadow"), but the things you can do is a sub set of operations you can do in BB10 HUB. For the things not in this sub set, they are two gestures away:

1. Conversation history
2. Message search
3. Deeper integration between messages, Calendars, contacts, news about contacts, etc.
4. Etc.

Also I guess the notification menu can be patched so it looks more like HUB, even as efficient as HUB, but patches are patches, the feel will not be as intuitive and natural

[calicocat2010]

Here's an idea: how about we all wait until the device is out and then we can do gesture, swipe, BB hub, android notification Comparisons then. It would be a battle of Who can do what faster and get it done faster in a timed video.

[iN8ter]

I know. I have an android HTC phone here. Its kind of a glitch. inside the browser e.g. you have to press the search or menue button first. Than you can swipe down the "hub". Try to swipe it, when the homepage is loaded. doesnt work.

Go to settings and disable full screen mode. I think HTC enables that by default on some of their devices. Then, the notification bar will always be visible and all you have to do is pull it down like in any other app.

[iN8ter]

the only difference is, he can only do it with new messages, and if he wants to look at attachments he will have to close the current app.
other then that it works similar. peek and flow isnt as revolutionary as many here would have you believe.
instead you should show off about how the hub integrates with the calendar, which in turn integrates with contacts which also integrates with the hub. all in one place. android cant do that. at least not on 4.0

Sent from my BlackBerry 9810 using Tapatalk

Skinned Android devices did much of that, like Social Hub did in TouchWiz 4, but Android OEMs are moving away from - likely because a lot of users simply weren't using it and/or preferred 1st or third party app alternatives to keep everything separate. I use Social Hub for the IM client only, and because the Widget is nice (pull down to refresh, etc.), but that's about it. I don't tend to post from it or use it as a Messaging/DM front end for FB, Twitter, or LinkedIn. When I used Windows Phone it was the same, though I do appreciate those apps' abilities to get and put together contact information.

On Android you can always use the multi-tasking interface to avoid having to close your apps with the back button while navigating between them, and some phones these days have a multi-window mode to allow you to use two apps simultaneously, so you can truly multi-task and not just run multiple apps concurrently (practical multitasking as opposed to technical multitasking).

[itmccb]

Excellent summary.

Another thing I like to know is: does Android notification menu allows you search through all the messages in the menu?

I guess for BB10, the HUB is designed to handle all messaging communications in just one gesture away. The Android notification menu is designed to provide notifications for all new messaging communications. You can do some of the messaging handling (such as replying new messages in "shadow"), but the things you can do is a sub set of operations you can do in BB10 HUB. For the things not in this sub set, they are two gestures away:

1. Conversation history
2. Message search
3. Deeper integration between messages, Calendars, contacts, news about contacts, etc.
4. Etc.

Also I guess the notification menu can be patched so it looks more like HUB, even as efficient as HUB, but patches are patches, the feel will not be as intuitive and natural

There's no reason for the functionality to mirror each other, they serve different, overlapping purposes. While Android's system doesn't have as robust a messaging experience, BB10's doesn't have things like progress indicators, toggles, widgets and app controls.