Jon Simpson
Understanding Multi-tasking on the iPad
I think iPad marks an important step forward for Apple in their ongoing redefinition of computing, principally the ditching of the `office’ metaphor (folders, files, desktop) for a task-based (‘There’s an App for that’) approach. Having used iPhone (both original, then 3G) since 2007, I had originally seen the lack of true multi-tasking & background processes as an omission.
This article makes a great point however, showing how the full-screen, one app at a time approach provides a superior experience given applications engineered to start quickly and maintain their own state. I’m sold on it.