One major issue with multitasking

[twint7787]

When re-opening an application, Zune player for example, you are not allowed to go back in that application. If I am currently playing a song and then exit the music player by pressing the windows button, pressing the back button will bring you back to the start screen. Continuing to press back will only bring you back to wherever you left off in that application which in my opinion really hurts the multitasking feature in WP. However in the messaging application if you are in a particular thread and exit via the Windows button, and then return you can press back to see all of your current threads. I know that this problem does not happen in every application but it has happened in enough of them that I have noticed it. More peculiar is the fact is that it is with native applications like settings and Zune. Just thought I would post on here to see if anyone else thinks that's a little weird.
Oh I love WP btw so go easy with any flaming.

 

[ninjaap]

Hmmmm... That's not what is happening for me.

I play a song in Zune. Press Windows Button. I end up in the Start screen. I press back. I'm back in the Music player.

 

[AngryNil]

This will never happen unless the app you are "backing" to has been removed from memory and doesn't have a proper tombstoning solution.

 

[rdubmu]

just press the volume keys up or down, then click on the song, it will open it up to the app.

 

[twint7787]

I'm sorry I obviously didn't do a good job of explaining what I meant. Essentially I feel that multitasking should work similar to webOs. If you go back into an application you should be able to navigate in that application as if you just opened it. This is the best example I can give you guys. If I play a song in Zune and exit to the home screen but then want to play another song I cannot just use the multitasking feature because I can't go back to see all of my artists or songs. I would have to start the Zune player again from the start screen. I feel that defeats the purpose of multitasking.

 

[tk-093]

I don't think that defeats the purpose of multitasking.. in fact, isn't that exactly what multitasking is? It brings you back to the place you were when you left it.

I'm writing a word document. I hit the start button. I then hit the back button. Would you rather have it start all over again in the Office Hub, or take you right where you left off which would be in the middle of editing the document?

EDIT: I think I might know what you're saying. Are you saying sometimes when you go back into the song that is playing, and you hit the back button, it won't back you out a level to your song list? I just had that happen to me once, but I did it a few more times and it does work... weird.

I'm sorry I obviously didn't do a good job of explaining what I meant. Essentially I feel that multitasking should work similar to webOs. If you go back into an application you should be able to navigate in that application as if you just opened it. This is the best example I can give you guys. If I play a song in Zune and exit to the home screen but then want to play another song I cannot just use the multitasking feature because I can't go back to see all of my artists or songs. I would have to start the Zune player again from the start screen. I feel that defeats the purpose of multitasking.

 

[jbjtkbw007]

In your words, what exactly is multitasking as to what you're wanting OP? I ask because I love the way it works here. The paused state takes me to where I left off if I press and hold the back button. I can even get back to this forum where I began typing text in a response. I just took 2 phone calls, opened another tab to check a site for some info, had a brief text convo, then came back here to finish this post I started typing. Seems to work pretty good to me. Plus, my battery isn't taking the hit my Android phones would take from all of that background activity.

 

[dannejanne]

To me it seems he's missing music player functionality rather than proper multitasking. I myself love the multitasking we have. I like how apps are frozen in the background so they can't do evil stuff without my knowledge.

I agree with what he says though. The music player doesn't handle being multitasked to as good as other apps for some reason. It is a bit of a hazzle getting back to your song list as soon as you deviate from it. There should be a quick link to it at least on the player screen itself (where album art is shown etc...).

 

[ninjaap]

I'm sorry I obviously didn't do a good job of explaining what I meant. Essentially I feel that multitasking should work similar to webOs. If you go back into an application you should be able to navigate in that application as if you just opened it. This is the best example I can give you guys. If I play a song in Zune and exit to the home screen but then want to play another song I cannot just use the multitasking feature because I can't go back to see all of my artists or songs. I would have to start the Zune player again from the start screen. I feel that defeats the purpose of multitasking.

With regards to zune player, "now playing" actually opens as a seperate window. So you will have 2 windows open: song list (assuming this is where you started from) and "now playing". Without opening other apps, at this point, the 2 windows are still connected and you can hit the back button. But once you use the app switcher, the windows will be seperated. So openning "now playing" from app switcher will no longer allow you to back out into song list. But you don't need to, because song list should still have a window open.

This is actually faster than WebOS, because in this case, instead of 1. entering now playing window 2. backing to song list 3. choose another song, you simply 1. enter song list window 2. choose another song. So one less click.

 

[twint7787]

ok after reading the responses I believe what I was trying to talk about was being able to go back out a level in the Zune player when you are in the now playing window. However I guess I never really noticed the second music and video card that allows you to get back to your song list. IMO I think that's a little redundant but w.e. it works. Actually going back and checking other applications, thanks ninjaap btw, two cards open up all the time. Go into settings and then go into WiFi for example. Exiting using the windows button will leave you two cards on the app switcher; one for settings and one for WiFi. I've had my trophy for a year but since mango I really never noticed the two window thing. Well thanks to everyone who chimed in. Does anyone know why they do it that way though? To me it seems more intuitive to go into a card for the song you picked and be able to back out. I have been lurking on the forum for a little while and have noticed all the new users commenting about certain features and what not. I feel that sometimes features of this OS are not as obvious as we think they are.
Either way just my two pennies.

 

[ninjaap]

ok after reading the responses I believe what I was trying to talk about was being able to go back out a level in the Zune player when you are in the now playing window. However I guess I never really noticed the second music and video card that allows you to get back to your song list. IMO I think that's a little redundant but w.e. it works. Actually going back and checking other applications, thanks ninjaap btw, two cards open up all the time. Go into settings and then go into WiFi for example. Exiting using the windows button will leave you two cards on the app switcher; one for settings and one for WiFi. I've had my trophy for a year but since mango I really never noticed the two window thing. Well thanks to everyone who chimed in. Does anyone know why they do it that way though? To me it seems more intuitive to go into a card for the song you picked and be able to back out. I have been lurking on the forum for a little while and have noticed all the new users commenting about certain features and what not. I feel that sometimes features of this OS are not as obvious as we think they are.
Either way just my two pennies.

This is just a guess, but I think they only do this for native apps that are open to 3rd party apps. Example, a 3rd party WiFi toggler is able to acces and actually directs you to native wifi controls. If it wasn't a seperate window, then pressing back button would take you straight to native settings window instead of WiFi toggler app. Same principle with now playing in zune and 3rd party apps.