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One of Samsung’s most exciting features lately has been Pop-up Play. It allows Galaxy S3 users to watch a video while using other apps, providing a much fuller multi-tasking experience. One can move and resize the pop-up video around the screen. To sum it up, it works great and is very convenient.
Now we have LG’s new QSlide feature, though. It is a direct competitor, as it accomplishes the same but in a very different way. Instead of displaying a hovering video, it creates a form of layer above the whole screen. One can change the transparency of the video to be able to see the background more (or less) clearly while multitasking.
Both QSlide and Pop-up Play are good in their own ways, but we must all have a favorite, right?
LG QSlide
QSlide comes with the brand new LG Optimus G, one of the most talked-about devices during the second half of 2012. Part of this is because it is a great device on its own merits, but it is also rumored that a variant of the Optimus G will be the upcoming Nexus.
We love Nexus phones, but sometimes manufacturer UIs can bring features that are very helpful. QSlide is a great example of this; it allows you to watch a video while using other apps. This is accomplished by creating a layer over the screen, which displays the video. One can then change the transparency of the video at will.
Of course, the feature has its defects. One can only use this feature with videos that are locally stored in the device. The Youtube app videos won’t work with it; nor will Netflix or any other videos, for that matter. The video has to be downloaded and played with the stock video player.
LG does have another little feature that might be helpful, though. QuickMemo (which you can see in our hands-on video) allows you to accomplish the same, but with writing instead. You can check it out in my hands-on video below.
Samsung Pop-up Play
Pop-up Play was one of the main highlights of the Samsung Galaxy S3’s features. It keeps making appearances at Galaxy S3 commercials and has been very fun to use for all those lucky Galaxy S3 users. The feature is simple, press the Pop-up Play button while watching a video and it will start playing it in a little square that hovers over the rest of the user interface. The floating video can then be resized by using pinch-to-zoom and it can be moved by simply dragging it across the screen.
Just like its competitor, the Samsung Galaxy S3 feature is very limited to the video apps it can use. Picture-in-picture should be much more flexible by now, and this is something both devices lack. It may not be their fault, though, as Google and other developers would probably have to do something to their apps to be able to work with Pop-up Play or QSlide.
Verdict: The Third Contender
If I had to choose between the two, I would say LG’s QSlide function is better. This is a very subjective topic, though, so your opinion may differ. I like QSlide because I feel like it is less obtrusive. Samsung’s Pop-up video usually gets in the way of doing other things, and I find myself moving it around and resizing it much more than I would prefer to.
After using QSlide for a while, I have grown to love the fact I can just make the video more transparent and go about doing my regular duties. If something cool is happening, I simply make the video less transparent and check it out for a while.
With that said, I would choose an LG Optimus G over the Samsung Galaxy S3 if my opinion was solely based on these features. But if I had the option to choose any multitasking feature, I would definitely go with the Samsung Galaxy Note 2’s split screen view.
The Galaxy Note 2 can divide the screen in half and allow you to use multiple apps at once. It is also supported by more apps, so you don’t even have to get video involved. You could be browsing the internet and sending a text message; or reading your messages and sending an e-mail. It is simply much more flexible and convenient as a multi-tasking tool.
[Video Via: Engadget]
quick note sound like it’s pretty much the same as the pop-up note feature on the galaxy note 2 which is called up by tapping the screen twice with the stylus while holding the gesture button.
and the pop-up video feature also works on the note 2.
edit:I just tried something for fun, on the note 2 you can actually watch a YouTube video while watching a YouTube video.
starting a “fullscreen” video on the mobile site does not interrupt or hide a video playing in the YouTube app.
playing a video in the video app and through YouTube at the same time works too, but for pop-up play you need to start the YouTube video first which makes it impossible to play a pop-up video and 2 YouTube videos at the same time.
it’s funny what kind of odd multitasking combinations you can make on the note 2.
next I’ll try 4 apps: pop-up video, pop-up note, and 2 multi-view apps.
edit 2: can QSlide do this?
http://imageshack.us/a/img651/8333/20121021001000.png
How about this: can you text one person while holding another text conversation with someone else?
not for 2 sms/mms conversations, but those happen in the same app anyway.
but it is possible for 2x e-mail, or e-mail and sms/mms.
Please, stop! You’re just making the wait even more unbearable.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V1U1nGuNcH4
People forget this :(
I totally agree that LG’s ability to mess with opacity is a great feature, however, I believe that the Note’s pop up play is much more versatile. Versatility is much more important in a smartphone.
The Note II hands down. The only feature I see LG having is the opacity. Even then I see the opacity getting in the way ironically because you can’t really see it if you need to see through it that much. The split screen is much better with the Note II.
LG is trying at least, but I would absolutely be annoyed with QSlide. Would much more preffer the note2’s multitasking.
Note 2’s multi windows multitasking is okay because it has an insanely large creen. If the screen was smaller, the effect won’t be that good.
I am sure we will see features like this built into android in the future since windows 8 has it baked right in and Google will want to match if not make a better experience so that OEMs wont have to do it themselves.
Note 2’s multiview is the latest advancement. Remember that multiview didn’t even ship with many Note 2’s at first.
I do prefer QSlide it actually made the choice between the Optimus G and the next Nexus really hard. Still getting the Nexus because only the LG video app can use the feature, so QSlide is as of now still a bit useless.
I’d like to thank them for putting subtitles on that LG dude’s narration or whatever, cause holy jeez man.
Glad to see another tech site not trashing the Optimus G just because it’s made by LG. Android related websites should be less bias.
People are forgetting that the Note 2 has an insanely large screen making multi window multitasking possible.
LG seriously just pulled an Apple!
I prefer Stick it! from the play store.
Im not restricted to just an optimus g or gs3, works with YouTube and can be minimized to the background so u can can still continue what your doing while listening to what going on.
Wouldn’t mind messing with the Note 2s split screen tho
Just want to throw this out there. There are apps that help slightly. Check out over screen browser and stick it. More like making and resizing windows. You can have a video playing on youtube resize it to small have it in a corner and send a text message.
note 2 wins
Just waiting for the official Google solution. I know it will kick a$$
If I was really watching a video, I would pause it then go do something else, thus defeating the purpose of me having the video showing at the same time. LoL!! I guess so. Don’t see me using that feature. And don’t say “because I don’t have the phone” because I can get the app if I really wanted.
Now that split screen on the Galaxy Note 2. That looks like something I would do. I wonder if I can have 2 different browser tabs open at the same time. Oh, and that writing on the screen. Oh my gosh!! I so need that. So many times do I take photos and use PicSay Pro to make an arrow on the photo to point out what the main focus is. This will make it so much simpler.
been a s3 user for months now.. i dont need or use pop up play. Same with Q Slide – i have seen the feature – multitasking for me is to be able to jump from one app to another.. not be able to work on two apps simultaneously cause thats just confusing. Sending a message while i watch a movie – well i would miss a small part of the movie – i hate that.
TO be honest, for a small screen estate, LG method seems to be better because you should ideally still be able to use ur keyboard (that takes up another half of the screen) and still read the messages above. Problem with pop up is that it will cover a fair bit of the screen that might be one or two message bubbles and hence hinder functionality.
OF course we should always have both.