-
Hey, guest user. Hope you're enjoying NeoGAF! Have you considered registering for an account? Come join us and add your take to the daily discourse.
Windows Phone 8.1 |OT| Update 1
- Thread starter brotkasten
- Start date
Not sure what it did, but this morning it took about 20 minutes for my start screen to appear. I think it's just a minor update to prepare for the next build (it was called a configuration update).
The last build is getting more and more battery thirsty. Time for a new one.
The last build is getting more and more battery thirsty. Time for a new one.
I'm glad they're still funding you guys, since I'm still firmly in the WP camp, and---whether it's a good idea or not---I'm glad that someone is trying to converge mobile and desktop apps. However, I don't think Windows will ever reach more than their 3% market share on phones.
So the real question is, whether all the effort that goes towards Mobile should rather go towards something else---whatever that may be. Setting your sights on 'owning' productivity software on all platforms is a decent goal, but is it enough for Microsoft?
I don't see as big an opportunity to make Microsoft relevant on iOS/Android, as Google had on the desktop, where they basically hijacked the platform with the web and Chrome.
Maybe you could make a (small) dent with multi-platform development, if you bought Xamarin/ionic/whatever and used it to inject Microsoft services such as bing, maps, and ads into other platforms. Getting apps on iOS/Android seems like it would be more worthwhile an effort than getting iOS/Android apps to 3% of users so that maybe your market share can grow to 4%.
Also more unstable, I need to reboot the phone multiple times a day now.
brotkasten
Member
I already mentioned it in the other Android thread, but I can't state enough how much better Cortana is, when it comes to offering information.
Google Now seems to randomly throw up bits and pieces of information that may or may not be relevant to my interests. I get Verge articles, because they're "popular with readers from verge.com" (which I don't visit on a regular basis) or Kotaku articles, because they're "popular with readers from neogaf.com". There's no way to tell it exactly what I'm interested in and what not, without getting shit thrown at my face first. Unlike with Cortana, I can't tell it that I want tech, health and science news. I have to search some topics with Google first to even get the suggestion that I might be interested in a topic. Because of that, it knows that I'm interested in Hannibal and Halt and Catch Fire. Did I get any information about the new seasons at all? Nope. It's a terrible user experience all around, not to mention that the new version is badly designed.
This morning I downloaded the APK for Cortana on Android and replaced Google Now on my phone with it.
Google Now seems to randomly throw up bits and pieces of information that may or may not be relevant to my interests. I get Verge articles, because they're "popular with readers from verge.com" (which I don't visit on a regular basis) or Kotaku articles, because they're "popular with readers from neogaf.com". There's no way to tell it exactly what I'm interested in and what not, without getting shit thrown at my face first. Unlike with Cortana, I can't tell it that I want tech, health and science news. I have to search some topics with Google first to even get the suggestion that I might be interested in a topic. Because of that, it knows that I'm interested in Hannibal and Halt and Catch Fire. Did I get any information about the new seasons at all? Nope. It's a terrible user experience all around, not to mention that the new version is badly designed.
This morning I downloaded the APK for Cortana on Android and replaced Google Now on my phone with it.
Funky Papa
FUNK-Y-PPA-4
Agree.
Google Now is kinda garbage.
Google Now is kinda garbage.
LukasTaves
Member
It's really been that smooth for you guys?
For me it's being a complete nightmare on pretty much all levels, just to name a few:
Bugs that they deemed fixed still occur regularly for me, like the start screen stuck at loading.
In general the whole OS is slower, but some apps are just slide show. Skype, tumblr, and even some very old games like Doodle Jump run in what it seems like they are being emulated so bad they respond.
Some apps doesn't function properly anymore, in tumblr in can't play any video directly through the app, skype doesn't make sounds when I'm making a call, WhatsApp can't open the camera. Office Lens often create notes that are inaccessible, from any app. And worst, somehow it creates indexes for the notes on my desktop onenote app, that fail to open when I try, and end up messing the search entirely, because after that started happening the index got screwed and onenote won't find many of the notes I have in there (and the mobile apps have no trouble finding). Both lumia camera or windows camera often don't save a picture I take, not to mention they both crash, every single time, I go to the camera roll. And if apps crashing is not bad enough, almost every time they do they "reset" the start screen error and I got stuck at a loading screen for about 20 minutes again.
The photo/picture experience is just terrible, not just because the photos app is the worst photo app in the whole universe, but because the phone selectively skips saved pictures and photos to sync to onedrive. (And did I already mention that when I try to add them manually onedrive often crashes, and when it doesn't, some files will just fail to upload and retrying will do no good, you have to try to guess the file based on the name or just try uploading them all again.
There are also some random bugs, like sometimes I move a tile to an empty space and end up with a folder with just the tile I tried to move. Or that just rearranging tiles can be a nightmare, because simply moving it can cause the other tiles to shift permanently sometimes warping all the way through the screen (meaning a tile that I have on top goes to the very bottom of the screen, and all tiles in the middle get messed up.
I'm really ok with all that (except for my search index on onedrive for desktop getting screwed, that's freaking me out that I can't solve it) because I'm not using it on my daily driver, plus it's great to have a chance to report so many bugs (though many of them I've reporting since the first build my phone got and still haven't been fixed), but for me this is far from stable. I realize I'm not in the majority, but bugs like this really shouldn't happen to anyone. And I know it's not something related to my current configurations. I hard reset every time a new build appears, through the insider preview I've started from zero three times, and none of that made any difference.
At least i'm doing my part, I try to report all these bugs, in the most comprehensive way I can, providing pictures where possible... Hopefully Ms can use that data to make sure no one has to go through all that when this finally hits officially
TheBryanJZX90
Member
I don't get it, haven't every single one of our phones been mainly plastic? The 920 and 1520 were both great designs and had no metal whatsoever. If anything the random metal rings in the 950 renders are the problem.
(this is separate from the question of pricing)
brotkasten
Member
It feels so much better when you hold it, compared to a full plastic device. And there's no downside I can think of.
brotkasten
Member
Samsung couldn't design a good looking phone, if the companies future depended on it. They're that bad.
S6 Edge looks brilliant.
José Mourinho
cocknose
I think the normal S6 looks pretty good too.
juliushandle
Member
But horrible to hold.
Meanwhile in China, Xaomi is launching an all plastic flagship that includes a Snapsragon 808 for the price of $204.
José Mourinho
cocknose
Really? Admittedly I only played around with my friends new S6 for all of about 10 minutes but it felt fine to me.
brotkasten
Member
José Mourinho;179619665 said:
Until you turn it around and look at the back. That camera hump is the equivalent of a model with buck teeth.
"Very pretty. Until she smiles."
nillapuddin
Member
we've been over this
GOAT
GOAT
Xaomi needs to start selling phones outside of China.
You beautiful bastard
Not sure why the "plastic" is a problem all of a sudden.
"It's 2015" is a ridiculous argument. It's not an argument at all.
I do like the look of the S6 Edge btw, but when you hold it it's awful (same with the S6) - glass backs are horrible. Then let's have a look at HTC One's and iPhones. Nice to look at. For a month or so, until it's scratched to fuck. Alternatively, all that amazing metal and glass is so beautiful to look at - in a fucking case where you can't ever bloody see it.
That said, I still don't know why they went away from the 930/830 designs, because I thought it looked brilliant.
I still don't have a problem with "plastic". My 1020 is a great looking phone and it's brilliant to hold.
Just look at it in the picture above. It's beautiful.
And what made the 830 and 930 beautiful wasn't necessarily the metal rim. It was the colours of the "plastic" that popped nicely in contrast to the metal, green and orange in particular. Let's hope they have colour back-plates available for the 950's. Or else.
"It's 2015" is a ridiculous argument. It's not an argument at all.
I do like the look of the S6 Edge btw, but when you hold it it's awful (same with the S6) - glass backs are horrible. Then let's have a look at HTC One's and iPhones. Nice to look at. For a month or so, until it's scratched to fuck. Alternatively, all that amazing metal and glass is so beautiful to look at - in a fucking case where you can't ever bloody see it.
That said, I still don't know why they went away from the 930/830 designs, because I thought it looked brilliant.
I still don't have a problem with "plastic". My 1020 is a great looking phone and it's brilliant to hold.
Just look at it in the picture above. It's beautiful.
And what made the 830 and 930 beautiful wasn't necessarily the metal rim. It was the colours of the "plastic" that popped nicely in contrast to the metal, green and orange in particular. Let's hope they have colour back-plates available for the 950's. Or else.
There's a difference between plastic and plastic. 1020 was plastic (felt solid as hell though), and the 640 is plastic. Can't say they look or feel the same. And the 950 renders and leaks so far look closer to the 640 than the 1020.
Fucking hell, the 640 is so plasticky it creaks when I hold it (and that's fine, it's a cheap phone). So yeah, in 2015, if you want to sell a phone for ~700 euros, you better make it look and feel premium and not like a plastic toy.
Fucking hell, the 640 is so plasticky it creaks when I hold it (and that's fine, it's a cheap phone). So yeah, in 2015, if you want to sell a phone for ~700 euros, you better make it look and feel premium and not like a plastic toy.
juliushandle
Member
Band is only $100 at best buy
http://www.bestbuy.com//site/micros...D=1&siteID=JAF5WzpxbKM-qYvh.TcRtAEw2wA.oRPMFA
http://www.bestbuy.com//site/micros...D=1&siteID=JAF5WzpxbKM-qYvh.TcRtAEw2wA.oRPMFA
Sky Interloper
Member
I believe the main problem people have with the leaked renders are the design of both phones. I mean, they look like a bigger 640 instead of an evolution or even an interation of the 920 or 830. And I don't think anyone can judge on the material before a hands-on, but I can't see the build quality falling to the flimsy plastic Samsung uses.
And concerning the price, it is the point that is actually worrying. Going to iPhone tiers without the marketshare it commands is very risky.
I agree, they look bland as fuck. I don't think the material is the issue, though.
Regarding the price, I really wouldn't put much stock into the placeholder prices of random retailers.
juliushandle
Member
bu bu bu they're gonna throw in a continuum dock, a band 2, wireless speakers, and a free year of office 365. amirite?
brotkasten
Member
But that's what the discussion is about. Full plastic is an issue, if the prices are true. And the price from the retailer just "confirmed" the rumor from the random and just as trustworthy French site that mentioned the accessory bundle stuff in the same article. The Lumia 930 launched for £450, btw. The 830 for $399.
The fact that the phones look terrible is just icing on the cake.
That is like $400 worth of stuff. I would bite quickly on that.
He failed to mention they'll be adding a Surface Pro 4 in every box as well.
José Mourinho
cocknose
In fairness, I don't like the camera hump on any phone, I think they look dire. But it seems that's the way they are all going in the search for skinny phones, so in that regard I don't think it's much worse than what's already out there or coming soon.
I'd have to think twice at that point.
Funky Papa
FUNK-Y-PPA-4
The S6 Edge Plus is actually nicer to hold than the vanilla S6 Edge. The size increase did wonders.
Funky Papa
FUNK-Y-PPA-4
Too bad they are fragile like Met-Art models.
Nikodemos
Member
<IUnderstoodThatReference.gif>
Hopefully the Z5 will remedy that. OTOH their mid-end models are pretty durable. My M2 has some scratches due to regular wear & tear without a case, but is otherwise in perfect working order. Looking forward to getting an M5.
NeOak
Member
S4 felt like cheap plastic
Someone I know is given a Galaxy S2 when they area on call for their company.
Best looking Galaxy S phone IMHO.
S6 Edge Plus kinda fixed that
Indeed, I was surprised when I held one.
José Mourinho
cocknose
True enough. No camera hump is why I think the 930 is streets ahead of the very similar 830.
Edit: I say that, does the 830 actually have a hump? It's been that long since I've seen one. The back still looks worse than the 930 in any case.
I know this is the 8.1 OT but I'm hoping someone here can help me with a problem I'm having with W10 preview build.
Trying to install a bunch of apps im getting this:
Maybe something to do with not being compatible yet?
But this is really frustrating me, and i don't know how to fix it:
Aside from these app problems I'm really digging Windows Phone but not being able to install apps is really frustrating. I've restarted the phone multiple times, factory reset, tried changing my region but I don't know what else to try. Some apps do install by the way, so it's not everything. Just the main ones I need :S
Anyway any help would be super appreciated.
Trying to install a bunch of apps im getting this:
Maybe something to do with not being compatible yet?
But this is really frustrating me, and i don't know how to fix it:
Aside from these app problems I'm really digging Windows Phone but not being able to install apps is really frustrating. I've restarted the phone multiple times, factory reset, tried changing my region but I don't know what else to try. Some apps do install by the way, so it's not everything. Just the main ones I need :S
Anyway any help would be super appreciated.
But I don't think that the plastic is an issue. It's the bland looks that imo have nothing to do with the material.
Again, let's wait and see with the prices. I'd be surprised if it was more expensive than the 930 (the normal size).
What phone is it?
Thought you may have had a memory constrained device. Are you installing to an SD card? Did you try a hard reset?
I had the same issues on a 635 I have. But it only has 512mb of ram.
I have hard reset it before but I just did it again and now put an SD card in and directed all apps there. Still getting the same problem, and I can't reinstall Windows Insider to change it back now either.
You can use the Recovery Tool on pc to go back to 8.1
Astral/H3X
Member
A little bit late to the discussion, but personally on a phone like the 1020, where the camera was so standout, I actually liked the camera hump. It made you pay attention to the part worth paying attention to.
