iPad 2 doesn't support multitasking and GPS. It supposed to be a replacement for netbooks. Unfortunately, it is not possible for multitasking.



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Would you care to elaborate? As you know, the iPad - for sure - doesn't support multi-tasking in the way a Windows environment does - Apple have never claimed anything different. It's a deliberate technical decision in order to maximise battery life and improve performance. Some background tasks are supported though - audio playback and file downloads, for example.

So, when you mention GPS, I'm trying to understand the context of this remark. On my iPad I can use GPS and listen to audio playback and my file downloads continue as normal. So I was wondering what particular aspect of the iPad's behaviour had been affected by the use of GPS in your case.

Tim

Why doesn't the iPad have GPS? As far as i have seen - that's what the 3G version has.

About multitasking... if I'm not mistaken, the correct description of multitasking in computer science terms is that "making two processes SEEM like they run at the same time". As far as i know - that is possible. Some apps does not have multitasking support, but thats the developers fault and not apples.

I thought the OP was complaining that GPS and multi-tasking were mutually exclusive..

Tim

Well, just to re-emphasize, if you have the iPad2 w/ 3G, a GPS receiver is included, so not a problem - I purchased the Wi-Fi only model and w/ Wi-Fi spot triangulation, your location can be more crudely defined (of course that implies a location w/ active Wi-Fi spots nearby!).

Concerning multi-tasking, apps when 'closed' are typically put into an inactive state (consuming very little battery power); if you then double-click the home button, a task bar is brought up at the bottom of the home screen, the app desired can then be pressed and will come back to action where you had left off - of course not the same as having 2 or more programs opened at once on the same monitor (which I do on my PC).

Actually multitasking has been improved a lot in the latest iOS versions.
If you use heavy apps (like 3D games) the ones in the background will close, but that is really needed to release memory and prevent the iPad from slowing down.

And the multitasking gestures are great, I use them all the time!

Even with iPad one just double click the home button to see the apps that are opened and switch from one to the other in the same fashion. Of course you will never see two apps in the same window but you're still multitasking in the same way as on a PC that has full sized windows opened.

It is my understanding that the iPad does not (presently) support multitasking, as Tim just mentioned. It is really more like a "quick launch" feature in which exiting a program leaves it in hibernation in ram. When you go back to that program it picks up where it left off.

On a related issue, can someone tell me why, then, does my browser have to reload a page when I return to it after leaving it upen on my desktop?

Originally Posted by Heaviside

It is my understanding that the iPad does not (presently) support multitasking, as Tim just mentioned. It is really more like a "quick launch" feature in which exiting a program leaves it in hibernation in ram. When you go back to that program it picks up where it left off.

On a related issue, can someone tell me why, then, does my browser have to reload a page when I return to it after leaving it upen on my desktop?

If I understand your question, I think you answered it. Are you saying it has to reload the page or that you have to re-enter the url to get back to it? If it's the former, I believe the answer is that in the absence of true multitasking the browser reloads the web page in case it was updated since you last viewed it. The information maintained when you left, I believe, is simply where you were, not the content of that web page.