Why Multitasking on Mobile Devices Matters

All of us who spend most of their time in front of a computer know very well how much multi-tasking matters. The ability to perform an activity while keeping the doors open to other "notifications" coming from other apps is a must-have for everyone. I'm reading blogs on my web browser and I can receive IMs on my Adium client, I'm working on a document and I can get an instant notification by my email application informing me that a new message just arrived. For us highly connected and fully involved into business activities everyday it's pretty clear that acting immediately makes the difference more and more. All that said, the ability to bring the experience above while on the go is a must-have for me and it's definitely critical.  What devices let you make this happen? My personal experience leads me to this answer: Blackberry Bold (or equivalent BB). In addition, but I never tried it, I read that the Google Phone G1 by T-Mobile offers full multitasking as well. What device DOESN'T offer you this experience? Apple iPhone. Again, while the iPhone is a fantastic device which offers a stunning user experience, it fails when it comes to using it within a business context since it is not possible to run multiple applications at a time. I already expressed my opinion a few weeks ago and I repeat it here: in order for business users to get an always-on multitasking experience on a mobile device, the iPhone is the device to avoid. An example for all: the excellent service Truphone has just released the ability to connect to your Skype friends from your iPhone and iPod Touch running the Truphone app. Phoneboy points out that a recent chat with Truphone's CEO confirmed that "…at this point, the app still has to be in the foreground in order to receive calls or receive IM messages". This behavior is definitely not acceptable for a communication software, despite it's not Truphone's fault. But iPhone customers must deal with it. What do you think? How far is the iPhone to become a business portable device? Is multitasking critical for your daily job while on the go?

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