Tag Archives: Multitasking

HyperSwitch Is A Windows-Like Preview-Focused App Switcher For Mac

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App & window switching in OS X is separated into two different shortcuts. For users who have migrated from a Windows PC, this is often hard to get used to. Mac users are less likely to have any problems with it but that’s not to say the feature can’t be improved. HyperSwitch is a free Mac app currently in beta that lets you get more out of app switching. At the core, it works like Mac’s default app and window switcher; both functions are still separated by keyboard shortcuts but unlike the default feature, it allows you to preview app windows as you move through them. Additionally, HyperSwitch lets you continue to use the default app switcher, and adds options for accessing functions like launching a new window or tab, and control iTunes. Read More

Get A Faster, Less Intrusive App Switcher In OS X With Vecte

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App and window switching in OS X is - like everything else - different from the conventional method most people are used to (or how it’s done in Windows). Even if you've always used a Mac, it is entirely possible that you might not like the way it switches between apps. We’re not criticizing the shortcuts used to switch apps; Command+` and Command+Tab work just fine, but perhaps the execution isn't to your liking. Vecte is a free Mac app that lets you keep the default shortcuts you’re used to in OS X, but changes the behavior slightly. When switching between apps, the list of running apps appears below the Apple menu instead of taking up the center of your screen. The app also takes over switching between windows, quitting apps, and zooming in and out. Vecte does this pretty much the same way as OS X does natively, but it’s faster and more responsive. Read More

Intab Opens Links In An Adjustable Sidebar Within The Same Chrome Tab

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I’ve always felt rather averse to extensions that allow you to open links within the same tab, i.e. as a floating window. Some call it a preview tab, others call it browsing inception style, and I’ve always called it useless. The one reason I see little utility in this is because an ugly frame loading the contents of a web page and effectively destroying its layout in the process is not the better way to read or browse online. Often, the preview will take an annoyingly long time to load, and I’ll be stuck with a white box obscuring the main page. Intab is different though; it’s elegant, context-sensitive, and adjustable. It is a Chrome extension that opens links within the same tab but in an elegant sidebar. The bar’s width can be adjusted and the extension automatically detects whether the cursor is within the main page or the sidebar to make scrolling easier. Read More

Stardock ModernMix Runs Windows 8 Store Apps In Windowed Mode On The Desktop

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The significantly revamped Windows 8 has been at the center of the spotlight since its unveiling, and as we mentioned in our Windows 8 review, it’s up to the users to decide whether they fancy the new Modern UI philosophy or not. Speaking of Modern UI, the gripe most users have with the new Windows is that you have to move away from the legacy desktop environment to use its new Metro-styled apps. Those who've been following us for a while would know that back in November, we covered an update of the Windows 8 app RetroUI Pro, which allows users to run Modern UI apps in windowed mode, right within the desktop environment. If you liked that feature then you’ll probably love ModernMix from Stardock, the team behind popular Windows 8 apps like Start8 and Decor8. Read More

Easy Touch Is An iOS AssistiveTouch-Inspired Multitasking Tool For Android

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One of the biggest advantages of being an Android user is the broad range of apps and tools you have at your disposal for achieving various purposes, and when it comes to multitasking and app switching solutions, things are no different. While certain solutions add an interactive and personalized app drawer alongside your device’s screen edge, others offer an omnipresent on-screen trigger that you can interact with to switch back and forth between apps, or play around with various system features from anywhere in Android. Adding to the latter category is Easy Touch – an extremely lightweight and customizable Android app switching and multitasking solution with built-in 1-tap memory optimizer, system/power toggles, contact shortcuts and the ability to emulate various hardware buttons. More on Easy Touch past the break. Read More

Sidebar Is Another Ubuntu-Style Android App Launcher With System Toggles

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Canonical released Ubuntu Touch Developer Preview for a select few Nexus devices earlier this week, allowing many interested users like me to get a feel of this Linux-based operating system on our smartphones and tablets. Like most facets of the OS, its interactive vertical app switch list is quite commendable, since it allows you to quickly launch any app from anywhere in the OS with minimum effort. This convenience and easy of use seems to have inspired many Android developers to incorporate similar multitasking solution within their own offerings such as like Unity Launcher and Glovebox, and the latest entrant in this list is Sidebar by XDA sebuir member Mohammad_Adib – the same guy who introduced us to the previously reviewed Floating Stickies. Like most similar solutions we’ve already seen, Sidebar offers plenty of customizations to personalize the sidebar. However, the main advantage of this app is the ability to pin system toggles to the sidebar as well, in addition to your favorite apps. Read More

Glovebox Is An Ubuntu-Inspired Android App Switcher With Catchy Themes

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From the creators of the previously reviewed Home Network Settings comes Glovebox - a remarkably simple yet effective Android multitasking and app switching tool based on more or less the same concept as that of Unity Launcher and numerous other app switching solutions we’ve recently covered, Glovebox by FBarrosoApps lets you instantly switch between your apps and various system features from anywhere in Android with the help of an interactive, customizable and vertically scrollable sidebar filled with your favorite app & system shortcuts, widgets and actions etc. The main difference between Glovebox and its peers is that this tool lets you switch back and forth between the items without even lifting your finger from the screen. That is, once you trigger the Glovebox switch list by interacting with an edge of your device's screen, you can launch an app or associated action by simply gliding your finger over the relevant icon. To add a visual appeal to the experience, Glovebox also offers you quite a few attractive themes that can be applied to your personalized app switch list. Read More

Trigger Is A Fully Gesture-Controlled Multitasking Tool For Android

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Developed by XDA member Varience, Trigger is a completely gesture-controlled multitasking Android app that lets you control almost every aspect of your device using various user-defined gestures. Available for both rooted and non-rooted Android devices, Trigger can be used to multitask in a couple of ways; you can either define custom user-drawn gestures to launch apps, shortcuts, system features, personalized app drawers et al from anywhere in Android using an omnipresent trigger, or swipe in different directions from the trigger to launch relevant actions. More details after the jump. Read More

Get True Multitasking On iPhone By Keeping Background Apps Active With InfinityTask

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Android is always touted as being better than iOS because of its true multitasking capabilities, but iOS handles the matter pretty intelligently as well. Most of the times, users don’t mind waiting a few extra seconds for an app to reload after they have launched it already. Though in some situations, it is easy to see why true multitasking can be such a big deal. People with lots of apps on their iPhone must have noticed that most games show some lag when you come back to them after using other apps. In some games, your progress from the last session might even be lost completely if it becomes inactive. InfinityTask solves this issue by handing the control over multitasking to users. Thanks to this Cydia tweak, you can keep any app active for as long as you want, no matter how long you use other apps or keep your device screen locked. Read More

Get Ubuntu’s Vertical App Switcher On Android With Unity Launcher

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At the beginning of the year, Canonical announced its Ubuntu for phones project that will soon enable you to enjoy a full-fledged, standalone version of the popular Linux OS on your mobile devices. While it’s the lucky Galaxy Nexus owners who will be getting the first taste of the fully-functional OS, they are still waiting for a release by Canonical. However, what you can have for now is Ubuntu’s vertical app switcher/launcher on any device running Android 2.2 Froyo or higher, thanks to the brand new app called Unity Launcher. Resembling the looks and functionality of Ubuntu’s standard app switcher, Unity Launcher is a third-party customizable multitasking and app switching solution for Android that lets you switch back and forth between your favorite apps form anywhere in the OS by simply swiping in from the left edge of your device’s screen. Read More

Taskboard Adds An iOS-Like App Switcher Tray To Mac OS X

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Launchpad in OS X is what Springboard is to iOS with one small difference; it does not let you quit apps.You can launch apps and organize them in folders, but to exit them, you need to use their Dock or Menu Bar icons. If you think Springboard has a better, more convenient way of quitting apps, TaskBoard is a free Mac App that does it for you. It adds a replica of the Springboard app switcher bar in iOS to your OS X desktop, to easily switch between apps and quit them. Your desktop slides up to reveal the app switcher, and the Dock disappears to accommodate it. You can click and hold an icon to put it in wiggling mode similar to iOS, where the quit badges appear. TaskBoard can be triggered by moving your mouse to the bottom of your screen, or by using a customizable keyboard shortcut. Read More

onDeck: Easy Multitasking With Android Apps, Notes, Toggles & More

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Compared to all other contemporary mobile operating systems, the number of multitasking and app switching solutions available for Android is quite staggering. You are likely to find a solution in the Play Store that meets all your app switching requirements, putting the stock offering to shame. Fresh on the Play Store, onDeck is yet another remarkably feature-rich app that packs the goodness of multiple similar solutions in a single package. By offering you multiple omnipresent on-screen triggers (referred to as ‘Decks’), the app lets you directly launch a variety of different apps and system features from anywhere in the OS without having to go to your home screen or app drawer. Customization lies at the core of onDeck, as it allows you to define the layout, screen position, launch delay, and behavior of each deck. Continue reading past the break for more details. Read More

Swapps! Is An App Switching Sidebar Accessible From Anywhere In Android

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Android multitasking and app switching solutions seem to be arriving in the Play Store left, right and center these days, and hardly a day passes before we come across a new candidate in this regard. Today, we have arguably one of the simplest tools to quickly access your favorite and recently used apps anywhere within Android. Fresh to the Play Store, Swapps! is a free and customizable Android multitasking and app switching tool that lets you instantly access your recent, favorite or any installed app from anywhere in the OS with minimum effort. Once enabled, the Swapps! interactive app switcher panel can be summoned anytime by just swiping in from the left or right edge of your device’s screen. The panel lists your device’s entire app drawer, in addition to 5 recently launched apps and a maximum of 10 favorite apps of your choice. More on Swapps! after the break. Read More

LMT Launcher For Android Updated With Pie-Style Multitasking Shortcuts

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Paranoid Android is arguably one of the most popular custom ROMs available for Android these days, offering the best features of Android smartphones and tablets in a single well-blended package, along with several other goodies and customizations. PIE is one of the ROM's features that is fast gathering attraction from Android developers and users alike. The feature can be cited as an enhanced version of Taskarou Launcher that we already have covered at Addictive Tips, which in itself takes inspiration from an optional interface offered in the stock ICS browser. As with the said launcher, PIE allows quick and convenient multitasking on Android by offering a Chinese fan-like menu overlay containing conventional hardware emulation keys and various other ones supporting user-selected actions. In addition, you get to see information regarding current time, date, battery & Wi-Fi status and unattended notification count. If you wish to enjoy a similar feature on your rooted Android device without having to flashing the entire ROM, XDA member noname81 brings it to you the latest update to LMT Launcher – a fully gesture-controlled and highly customizable multitasking app that hasn’t yet made it to Google Play Store despite being around since 2011. Read More

Access Recent & Favorite Apps From Anywhere In Android With HomeFlip

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Such is the popularity of Android app launchers and task switchers that every few days, we come across a brand new concept of multitasking and quick app switching that appears to be more convenient and user-friendly than its predecessors. Today, we have another candidate vying to become your default Android app switching solution, especially for those who love to have a few favorite apps of theirs available just a few taps away from anywhere in the OS. With a file size of just 44 KB, HomeFlip (beta) by XDA member id0x12345 is easily among the most lightweight Android app launchers that we have come across so far. However, don’t let the meager file size of the app fool you; it boasts some very handy features that expedite multitasking on Android better than most existing solutions. Available for ICS and Jelly Bean devices, HomeFlip lists your recent apps/tasks anywhere in Android upon tapping the Home key. From the app’s dedicated recent tasks list, you can use various touch and swipe gestures to switch to required apps, pin select apps as favorites, hide items from the list and reorder favorite apps to your liking. Read More

Watch YouTube Videos In A Floating Window On Social Sites [Chrome]

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YouTube videos are shared across many social networks; Google+, Facebook, and Twitter being the most popular. Most social sites will allow you to view a YouTube video within your feed. It’s pretty much the same as viewing a YouTube video that’s been embedded on a website. The only difference is that you can’t go through the rest of the feed if you want to watch the video. ViewTube - YouTube™ for Social Sites is a Chrome extension that opens YouTube videos in a floating window within the same tab, allowing you scroll up and down the page without blocking the video from view. The window itself has more features than you normally have when viewing a shared YouTube video. For instance, you can see the full list of related videos, videos by the same channel, its comments and description. The window has two viewing sizes and a lights out option that dims the rest of the page. Read More

Watch YouTube Videos In A Resizable, Floating Frame On Android

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Floating apps are a great way to take extra advantage of your screen space. In addition to looking good, they are a great aid for multitasking and making use of the large screen real estate you get with an Android tablet. Previously, we have come across some very useful floating apps, such as Floating Audio, that lets you play audio and control the playback on top of any screen that you are working on and Floating Browser Flux!, a feature-rich Android browser that allows you to work with 10 tabs at any given time. Based on the same concept, Floating YouTube Popup Video is another similar app that provides you with the freedom to play YouTube videos outside the YouTube app and in a floating window accessible from anywhere in the OS. It lets you resize the floating window and position it anywhere on the screen, enabling you to watch videos while you reply to messages and emails or perform other tasks. More on the app after the jump. Read More

GYF Is An Omnipresent, Gesture-Controlled App Launcher For Android

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The number of gesture-based multitasking and app switching solutions for Android is becoming difficult to keep track of. From our personal favorite SwitchApps to the highly-customizable Flip Launcher, there are plenty of options available to Android users that allow instant switching between recent or user-select apps from virtually anywhere within the entire OS. When it comes to user-friendliness however, most of the existing solutions can be a tad difficult for many to get used to. GYF Side Launcher aims to change that by presenting Android fans with what is arguably the simplest solution for quickly switching to any system or third-party app. Once activated, the app installs an ribbon-like app drawer that can be dragged out of the screen's left edge. The ribbon also features a column of alphabets to allow quick browsing of apps by name. Read More

How To Get The Note II Multi-Window Feature On Galaxy S II I9100

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The latest Galaxy S3 Jelly Bean update brought the much talked about and well received Multi-Window feature to Samsung's flagship that was originally a marquee feature for the Galaxy Note II. The leaked and the official Jelly Bean update for the Galaxy S2 however, was a different story as the Multi-Window feature was left out. Don't be disappointed though, as XDA-Developers forum member ‘mythtrandyr’ decided to take matters into his own hands and released a fully working Multi-Window mod for the S2. The official Jelly Bean update coupled with this awesome Multi-Window mod has given the S2 a major boost and appeal to several owners who were considering ditching this phone for something newer. I know I’m not doing that anytime soon now! More on the mod and how you can get it up and running on your SGS II after the break. Read More

SwitchApps Brings Unique Gesture-Controlled Multitasking To Android

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Fresh to the Google Play Store, SwitchApps is the latest addition to the long list of nifty multitasking and app switching solutions for Android. SwitchApps offers its users multiple ways to quickly launch their favorite Android apps & system settings, as well as lock their screens anywhere from within the entire OS. The app’s features and controls can be accessed via a customizable ubiquitous on-screen toggle that allows you to play around with the required apps and settings using different gestures. In this regard, you may use various multi-touch gestures in combination with the toggle itself, or utilize several touch controls to benefit from the app’s dedicated overlay menu, dock and controllers. Whether you’re looking to easily switch back and forth between your recent apps, close all recently opened apps with a single tap, lock your Android device’s screen without wanting to press the power button, quickly jump back to the home screen, or tinker with various Android power settings, SwitchApps has you covered. The app is available in the Play Store for free, and is compatible with Android 2.2 or higher devices. Read More