Multitasking on an iPad? Simples

I’m not a big fan of multitasking. I’ve been persuaded, both by the research and my own experience, that working on two things at once makes me less efficient at both. Phone calls while emailing mean we do less well on both fronts, making more errors.

So I’ve never really listened to people who have criticised the iPad for its inability to multitask. As long as I can switch easily between open tasks I am happy. And if I need multiple feeds of information (diary, weather, email) that’s easily sorted.

With one exception. It can be really helpful to be able to type and access the web at the same time.

Enter PaperHelper, a drop dead simple app that does exactly this, and I’m surprised how many folk don’t know about it. Basically it splits the screen into two, on the left you type, and on the right you have the web. So for sermon prep, you have one of the online Bibles open, and you can type at the same time. With the usual onscreen keyboard, or full size if you hook up a wireless one

In other words, at the very point when multitasking would help your productivity, there is an app for it.

Niche, but simple.

(Goes without saying, that I don’t benefit from recommending this app at all – it’s a free piece of enthusiastic sharing of information)