iOS 4 Released
Today Apple released version 4.0 of it’s mobile operating system for iPhone and iPod touch. (Sorry iPad users, you have to wait until later this fall.) The OS-formerly-known-as iPhoneOS includes a lot of new features, but of course the most anticipated and hyped feature is multitasking. I’ll admit that I am one of those who wanted this explicitly for Pandora, and I am more pleased than I expected with it.
First of all, the update was free. Formerly Apple has charged iPod touch users for major OS revisions, but I was able to install it at no charge to my 3rd generation iPod touch. Secondly, the features like wallpapers and multitasking are easy to use, as long as you actually knew how to use you iOS device before. Two taps on the home button brings up the app switcher, and a tap-hold on any open app will allow you to completely “close” the app. Wallpapers are customizable for both the home screen and lock screen; when you choose a new wallpaper you can set it to either screen or both, it’s all so easy.
Pandora excites me for more than just the background play. Apple make the audio background service tie into the iPod music software, which means that the iPod controls on the lock screen and home screen work just as fine as if using the Pandora app. But the ultimate tie-in for me? My headphone remote now can pause the music. I know that sounds so minor, but working every day listening to Pandora gets a little irritating when I always have to pull it out of my pocket to pause the music when I need to have a conversation.
There are other enhancements as well, but in the meantime I am just glad that I have multitasking. It really makes a difference in ease of use.
