Skip to main content

A Closer Look: Multitasking on mobile devices

By WTOP Staff

ANICK JESDANUN
AP Technology Writer

NEW YORK (AP) — Smartphones and tablets would be much more useful if they allowed us to multitask the way desktop and laptop computers do.

When I’m watching video, for instance, I have to pause it to read an email or text that comes in. When I’m composing a message to make plans, I have to leave the app to check the weather forecast. For the most part, I’m not able to do more than one thing at a time on a single screen.

That’s starting to change with Android devices, though. Windows tablets do let you run multiple apps side by side, but Windows phones do not. The iPhone and iPad don’t, either.

In this installment of A Closer Look, I assess some of the Android devices that offer limited multitasking. These approaches aren’t as smooth as what I’m used to on Mac and Windows personal computers, but they are a start.

___

— SAMSUNG DEVICES:

Samsung offers Multi-Window, which lets you see multiple apps running side by side on the screen. You’re typically limited to two, though Samsung’s 12.2-inch Pro tablets let you do as many as four. There’s a slider you can use to control how much screen space each app takes.

Multi-Window works with only selected apps, though. You can use Samsung’s Video or Google’s Play Movies & TV app as one of the selections, but not Hulu or Netflix. Even so, the choices have gotten better since Samsung first made this feature available in 2012.

As much as I like this concept, I’ve rarely used it on my two-year-old Galaxy S III. It takes me longer to figure out which apps are supported than to simply grab another device and get what I need there.

Owners of Samsung’s Note smartphones and tablets also get a second way to multitask. It’s called Pen Window and gets activated when you use the stylus that comes with the device. You simply use the pen to draw a box in the screen. The box floats over the main app on the screen, and apps open inside the box. You can have several apps open at once, and you can temporarily set an app aside by minimizing it into a small dot.

Again, this only works with selected apps.

___

— LG’s G3 PHONE:

LG’s latest smartphone, the G3, has a Dual Window feature. Just hold the back button and choose two apps to open side by side. As with Multi-Window, you’re limited in your choices. You can adjust a slider to determine how much on-screen real estate each app occupies.

The phone also has Qslide, which gives you easy access to three apps at once. Unlike Dual Window, these apps are in overlapping windows, similar to traditional PCs. There’s a slider to make two of the apps semi-transparent while working on the third. So if you’re composing a text message to make plans and need to see whether you’re free, you can launch a calendar through Qslide. Unfortunately, Qslide works with even fewer apps than Dual Window.

For the most part, you’re limited to messaging, Web browsing and tools such as the calendar and calculator. Dual Window has a few extras, including Maps, YouTube and the photo gallery. Neither offers weather or streaming video services.

___

— HUAWEI’S ASCEND MATE2 4G:

The Mate2 has a feature called Window on Window, or WOW. When you turn it on, a small translucent circle hovers over the home screen or any app you’re using. Clicking on it gives you quick access to some basic tools — a calculator, a calendar, a note pad and text messaging. You’re limited to just those four.

The app hovers in a window over whatever you’re doing. Hit the arrow to expand it to full screen, or hit the “x” to make it go away.

The extent of apps available doesn’t exactly wow me, but it’s another effort toward making mobile devices as useful as laptops. There’s more work to do, but I’m glad device makers are working on it.

Copyright 2014 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

Don’t Settle for Student Loans to Pay for Online Education

By WTOP Staff
Online college programs are becoming a more popular choice for prospective students, with one study finding that more than 6 million students enrolled in at least one online course in fall 2015. The popularity of these courses can be attributed in part to their flexibility with working adults' schedules, students' ability to progress more quickly through online programs and, oftentimes, cheaper tuition. [See 10 low-cost online bachelor's programs for out-of-state students.]Online degrees can be beneficial to many college students, but some studies have shown online learners complete their programs at lower rates than students at traditional brick-and-mortar campuses. Individuals with student loans but no degree comprise two-thirds of defaulted borrowers. Though these numbers are not encouraging, just like for traditional programs, there are ways to reduce how much you'll need to borrow for an online program to ensure you won't become one of these statistics. Don't just settle on borrowing student loans to cover the whole cost of your program and living expenses. Instead, start thinking about how to cut costs and cover your balance in different ways, such as the following. -- Grants and scholarships: Even though you are taking an online course, you can still apply and receive grants and scholarships. But your first step should be to complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid, commonly referred to as the FAFSA, which will allow you to receive a Pell Grant if your expected family contribution is low enough. The EFC criteria and award amounts are adjusted annually, but the 2017-2018 academic year awards range from $606 to $5,920, which could significantly lower the amount you borrow annually. Your next step is to apply for scholarships. You can start by checking online scholarship search engines, such as the Salt Scholarship Search, College Board's BigFuture and Peterson's. But don't forget to take advantage of local organizations and your school's financial aid office. Both may offer scholarships that you can't find with a national scholarship search. [Review these 10 sites to kick off your scholarship search.]For instance, organizations like the Elks Club, Knights of Columbus or the Rotary Club typically offer scholarships annually to local students. Just because you're going to school online doesn't mean you're ineligible. Visit your local library for scholarship listings, and ask around town. You might be surprised how many local organizations offer scholarships. While these scholarships typically aren't large, every little bit counts. Each dollar you receive in a scholarship is a dollar you don't have to borrow and pay interest on. -- Work-study: Another option for online students may be work-study awards. Not all students enrolled in online programs are eligible, but students at some schools -- including, for example, SUNY Empire State College and Liberty University -- are. Work-study awards are not given upfront like scholarships and grants. In most cases, they are an offer to earn up to the awarded amount if you secure an eligible work-study job. While there is a misconception that all work-study jobs must be on campus, students can work for off-campus, nonprofit or public employers as long as the work is in the public's interest. You may be able to work for a for-profit employer if the job is relevant to your course of study. No matter who the outside employer is, it will need to have an established agreement with your college for you to receive work-study funds. Remember, to be eligible for federal financial aid, you must be enrolled and pursuing a degree or certificate. If you're not working toward a credential, Pell Grants and work-study won't be option, but you may still be able to take advantage of private scholarships -- just be sure to read the eligibility criteria carefully. [Explore what to know about financial aid in online programs.]-- Pay as you go: One of the great benefits to enrolling online is the flexible schedule, which can allow you to complete your college coursework around your responsibilities. But prospective students often overlook using their part- or full-time job earnings as an option for paying for college. Almost 80 percent of college students in 2015 worked at least part time while attending classes, according to the National Center for Education Statistics. By budgeting and thinking strategically about your college costs, you can likely reduce your dependence on student loans by paying a portion out of pocket. Many -- but not all -- online programs are less expensive than traditional programs and often have shorter payment periods. Six, eight or 10 weeks are common course durations. Because of the frequency of payments in an online setting, you may be well-placed to pay as you go and possibly avoid borrowing altogether. Attending college online and avoiding student loans may be challenging, but if you are willing to put in the effort, you can limit the amount you need to borrow. More from U.S. News Q&A: Understanding Student Loan Discharge Eligibility Student Loan Refinancing Isn't Right for All Borrowers
Read Next Story

Related News

Frustration grows in Venezuela as earthquake death toll reaches 1,430

Israel and Lebanon sign framework agreement with US in ‘first step’ toward peace, Rubio says

Trump-endorsed populist poised to become Colombia’s next president as rival challenges vote