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Windows Phone |OT3| Apollo has landed

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V

VanMardigan

has calmed down a bit.
I really don't want RT on my phone. I don't see how that can end well, the similarities in design are only skin deep.

edit: also, we are back in full on negative Nancy mode. Such fickle hearts, such unfulfilled longing. Lol. This is the other part of MS remaining silent, the annoyances seem bigger because we don't hear about plans to fix it. But if we hear plans to fix it, then we get desperate because it takes too long. We can all agree that MS should be moving at least twice as fast as they are now. I hope the caldav update has some neat added features rather than just the calendar support. That's the next update on tap as far as I can tell.
 
N

nickcv

Member
what does RT stands for?

Kylehimself said:
This has been my first experience with a WP. At first all was great, but the more I use it the more tedious it gets.

Some general thoughts...

I love the WP8 aesthetic. There's no part of me that prefers the look of iOS or Android. My iOS and Android using friends have commented on it too. That said, WP8 is miles behind those other platforms in terms of everyday usability.

The hardware, Nokia's at least, is something else I love. I'm now at the point that I would happily move back to Android or maybe even jump ship to iOS if I could get a device for cheap. But that has nothing to do with the 620 I'm using. I love the look and feel of this little device. Sure, there's the multi-touch issue, but I'd be lying if I said I had noticed it before, or even after, it was brought to light.

The lack of apps doesn't bother me personally. I was never one for installing loads of apps on my previous phones so I can't say I'm let down by that.

So generally positive points aside...

The OS is just not there yet. I appreciate that WP8 itself is only a matter of months old, so I'm an earlier adopter and can expect some bugs and issues that will eventually be ironed out (hopefully). However, I'm continually informed that there are aspects of WP8 that have managed to get substantially worse since WP7. How can that be?

I don't need to mention the Xbox Music issue because my complaints are already well documented. Needless to say, the app doesn't come close to functioning like a regular media player.

The OS doesn't feel particularly snappy. That could be because of my 620's lesser hardware. But I was lead to believe that it would handle everything fairly easily. It doesn't struggle whilst playing games for example, but jumping between apps it's quite sluggish. I'm starting to get sick of the "resuming..." screen, whilst iOS and good Android devices can just jump between processes with ease.

All in all, my feelings on the WP8 are cut right down the middle. There's lots of good but plenty of bad. And there are enough annoyances that at this point that I wouldn't recommend the platform.

And a quick thought on Microsoft. It amazes me that we have people in this thread discussing how MS should be throwing more man power at WP8. Amazes me because this is MS, the biggest tech company around. It would probably be nothing for this company to through a bunch of good guys in to the development of this platform. But seemingly they don't, and I can't get my head round why.

With the Easter break coming up I'm considering sitting down and having a look at the WP8 Dev Center and SDK see if I can't throw together a few app ideas that could possibly help me with some of my gripes. I feel like I may have enough programming experience at this point to give it a go. Plus, it might be fun.
Click to expand...

i do have a 620 as well, and maybe is because i really just use:
email
whatsapp
amazing weather

and some other core basic features (like "people" and stuff like that) but i found the OS snappy.

btw i just started learning some C# and i was thinking about building some app as well, just to exercise a little... the only problem is that i have no clue about what i'd like to build...
 
V

venne

Member
Easy_D said:
How much freedom do they have though? Does Microsoft let them fiddle with just about everything?
Click to expand...

I would think Nokia would do it if it could. I hope they can because it trounces every other current option.

As for RT, I don't see why they wouldn't. I think it would be pretty awesome if you could dock your phone with a monitor and get the desktop experience on the big screen with the start screen on the phone.

It's probably the best way for Windows 8's bifurcated state to make sense (even more than the Surface Pro). Metro when you're mobile and desktop when you're stationary all with one pocketable device.
 
T

Totakeke

Member
venne said:
As for RT, I don't see why they wouldn't. I think it would be pretty awesome if you could dock your phone with a monitor and get the desktop experience on the big screen with the start screen on the phone.
Click to expand...

As if you haven't heard enough complaints about having both tablet and desktop modes in Windows 8.
 
J

José Mourinho

cocknose
nickcv said:
what does RT stands for?



i do have a 620 as well, and maybe is because i really just use:
email
whatsapp
amazing weather

and some other core basic features (like "people" and stuff like that) but i found the OS snappy.

btw i just started learning some C# and i was thinking about building some app as well, just to exercise a little... the only problem is that i have no clue about what i'd like to build...
Click to expand...
Whatsapp was one of the apps I found to be slow. Crashes on my frequently too.

I have a good bit of experience with Java which mostly lends itself to C#. I'm in the midst of covering the basics just to get familiar with the differences. So far the transition from Java has been straight forward.

App wise, I had just planned on trying to cover areas that I found to be lacking in my own experience. But I'm not sure how much control over the system apps have and so on. So how feasible it will be for me to produce something useful remains to be seen.

Anyway, worst case scenario is I further my programming experience in trying to produce something. So it will be worth trying.
 
E

Easy_D

never left the stone age
Totakeke said:
Limited bandwidth, or rather $$$. You can pay to unlock, but I wouldn't even be on an AT&T network.
Click to expand...

That's specifically for unlimited data plans or what? Because if there's a bandwidth cap that's just ridiculous. I mean if you use up your bandwidth you're done for the month, shouldn't matter HOW you use it.
 
V

venne

Member
Totakeke said:
As if you haven't heard enough complaints about having both tablet and desktop modes in Windows 8.
Click to expand...

Yes, but this addresses the main issue: people don't like events that throw you from one environment to another such as clicking a PDF file set to open with the default metro reader. Jumping in and out of both environments is not a pleasant experience.

In my scenario, you know where you'll be in the OS based on what you're looking at.

You won't get desktop on the phone, only on a monitor.

You won't get metro on the monitor, only on the phone.

To paraphrase Tim Cook, you will get a refrigerator when you desire a cold beverage and a toaster when you desire a warm english muffin.

It makes more sense on a phone because the usage models are so different, unlike a tablet. You would never want to see the desktop on a four or five inch device, but hook it up to a 24" monitor? Give me the full desktop experience.
 
T

Totakeke

Member
Easy_D said:
That's specifically for unlimited data plans or what? Because if there's a bandwidth cap that's just ridiculous. I mean if you use up your bandwidth you're done for the month, shouldn't matter HOW you use it.
Click to expand...

That I'm not sure. But even if you sim-unlock their phones, it's still locked and you're SOL because it checks the AT&T network before letting you use internet sharing.

venne said:
.
Click to expand...

Unless you get seamless file systems and apps across both environments, you'd still get complaints just because it's Microsoft. Plus, you still need to address storage size issues.
 
B

brotkasten

Member
Coldsnap said:
How come if I buy Skulls of the Showgun on my Windows Phone I have to rebuy it on my Surface?
Click to expand...

PR answer: It's like buying Bastion for your Xbox 360 and then having to rebuy it for your PC.

Reason: Because Microsoft doesn't have an universal app system in place yet. That's coming ... uh, in the (not so) near future.
 
S

SCHUEY F1

Unconfirmed Member
I'm still really happy with my 920. All the basic phone functions work great, I haven't had the same music problems as others and more games and app are tricking out enough to keep me busy. Plus I love the camera and a lot of the Nokia apps. Probably one of the main things I would like is improvements to the sync app and better support in Canada for things like Local Scout.
 
B

Biggzy

Member
brotkasten said:
PR answer: It's like buying Bastion for your Xbox 360 and then having to rebuy it for your PC.

Reason: Because Microsoft doesn't have an universal app system in place yet. That's coming ... uh, in the (not so) near future.
Click to expand...

They really need to get it in place ASAP.
 
V

venne

Member
Totakeke said:
Unless you get seamless file systems and apps across both environments, you'd still get complaints just because it's Microsoft. Plus, you still need to address storage size issues.
Click to expand...

Storage becomes less and less of an issue every year. I wouldn't be surprised to see 128 GB phones this year and the cloud has the potential to make the storage concern moot.

It seems like your first point is currently being addressed. Office has a phone application and a desktop one. Same with Photoshop, PDF readers, music players, etc. There are high powered desktop application and complimentary mobile apps.

I think this is the way things are heading. The desktop dock could have additional storage, memory, a more powerful CPU/GPU, etc. to improve the desktop experience. I look at things like i-Mate's vaporware and can picture what smartphones could become.
 
B

brotkasten

Member
Open Source said:
Well, some problems are related to its database of locations in its Map app. It has sent me to the wrong spot more than once, and the map search results are sometimes wacky.

The voice navigation is really screwy - it will tell me to "keep left and take the exit" when in fact I need to stay on the highway, and it is often too far behind, telling me to turn only after I've passed my turn.

It doesn't have traffic data and thus doesn't compensate for traffic. Its ETA function seems to be broken. It doesn't have good route optimization (because of no traffic data, lack of knowledge about traffic lights, speed limits, stop signs, etc. in many places). It takes longer to recalculate routes. It doesn't offer a list of alternate routes.

It doesn't have voice search, which I found to be handy while driving, especially since Google's app does a pretty good job with recognition.
Click to expand...

I'm sorry that I can't help you, I'm using a Galaxy Nexus, but that sounds really annoying and I'm surprised that other users here haven't commented on it.
 
V

VanMardigan

has calmed down a bit.
venne said:
That's what it is right now.

No reason to believe it always has to be that limited.
Click to expand...

So you think MS' goal is to EXPAND the desktop functionality of RT? That's basically the opposite of everything I've ever read on the matter. If anything, all signs point to them continuing to deprecate the desktop, and there is no indication I've read that they would want to add desktop features to RT.
 
M

MCD

Junior Member
VanMardigan said:
So you think MS' goal is to EXPAND the desktop functionality of RT? That's basically the opposite of everything I've ever read on the matter. If anything, all signs point to them continuing to deprecate the desktop, and there is no indication I've read that they would want to add desktop features to RT.
Click to expand...

I actually believe that MS will open the desktop part by offering real desktop apps, not just links, on the store later this year.

MS making Flash compatible with all web sites is a sign of that, or so I believe anyway!
 
L

lastflowers

Banned
MCD said:
I actually believe that MS will open the desktop part by offering real desktop apps, not just links, on the store later this year.

MS making Flash compatible with all web sites is a sign of that, or so I believe anyway!
Click to expand...

I wouldn't place bets on that. RT was always intended to be a locked down system. Whether that will change in the future, I don't know, but I still heavily doubt they'll try to open it up. People that want to can always jailbreak it with that tool that hit the web.
 
M

maeh2k

Member
Kylehimself said:
The OS doesn't feel particularly snappy. That could be because of my 620's lesser hardware. But I was lead to believe that it would handle everything fairly easily. It doesn't struggle whilst playing games for example, but jumping between apps it's quite sluggish. I'm starting to get sick of the "resuming..." screen, whilst iOS and good Android devices can just jump between processes with ease.
Click to expand...

That's not sluggishness. When it's resuming it's not simply jumping to another process like Android. Apps built for Windows Phone 8 can enable "fast app resume" which should keep them in memory in their current state and thus make it possible to switch to them without the resuming screen.

Kylehimself said:
And a quick thought on Microsoft. It amazes me that we have people in this thread discussing how MS should be throwing more man power at WP8. Amazes me because this is MS, the biggest tech company around. It would probably be nothing for this company to through a bunch of good guys in to the development of this platform. But seemingly they don't, and I can't get my head round why.
Click to expand...

In general, software development isn't something that automatically works faster/better when you throw more people at it. You can't really criticize them for having to few people working on it without actually knowing anything about how it's being developed.
 
Fjolle

Fjolle

Member
brotkasten said:
That was almost half a year ago. Nokia is going to launch a sub-1080p phone against the Galaxy S4. With luck and enough support they can battle it out with Motorola and their X Phone.
Click to expand...

Pff. No one will buy a phone that looks exactly the same as last years model, just with some updated specs that no one outside a small group of hardcore nerds card about.

They will sell loads of cheap crappy phones though.
 
B

brotkasten

Member
Fjolle said:
Pff. No one will buy a phone that looks exactly the same as last years model, just with some updated specs that no one outside a small group of hardcore nerds card about.

They will sell loads of cheap crappy phones though.
Click to expand...

I'm not sure if you're being sarcastic or not.
 
E

Easy_D

never left the stone age
Seeing as I didn't get an answer I'll ask again. Any way to clean out the dreaded nether that is the"Other"? It's using 4+ gB of storage on my phone.
 
M

maeh2k

Member
Easy_D said:
Seeing as I didn't get an answer I'll ask again. Any way to clean out the dreaded nether that is the"Other"? It's using 4+ gB of storage on my phone.
Click to expand...

With the next OS update it'll be possible to clear that space.
Right now there's just an app that tries to do it. Someone posted about it a couple of pages ago.

If you are running out of space, look for that app. Otherwise you could hold out till the update arrives.

One article said that turning off the automatic upload of photos to SkyDrive might help, too.
 
E

Easy_D

never left the stone age
maeh2k said:
With the next OS update it'll be possible to clear that space.
Right now there's just an app that tries to do it. Someone posted about it a couple of pages ago.

If you are running out of space, look for that app. Otherwise you could hold out till the update arrives.

One article said that turning off the automatic upload of photos to SkyDrive might help, too.
Click to expand...

Never turned automatic upload on. Glad to know it's coming with the next update though. Is that the new firmware Nokia put out or is it something separate?

Thanks for your reply, anyway :D
 
M

MCD

Junior Member
http://www.wpcentral.com/real-racing-3-temple-run-and-instagram-windows-phone-coming-may

vzeIFJr.gif
 
J

José Mourinho

cocknose
So, after doing the hard reset my music lasted on the phone for an entire day.

Gone again. Usual story, all the songs are available under Songs but Artist and Album sections are empty.

Officially fed up. Not even going to try anymore as it's a waste of time.

Edit: Fuck WP8!
 
T

Troll

Banned
Kylehimself said:
So, after doing the hard reset my music lasted on the phone for an entire day.

Gone again. Usual story, all the songs are available under Songs but Artist and Album sections are empty.

Officially fed up. Not even going to try anymore as it's a waste of time.

Edit: Fuck WP8!
Click to expand...

Calm down. Don't kill yourself or anything.
 
C

cametall

Member
brotkasten said:
PR answer: It's like buying Bastion for your Xbox 360 and then having to rebuy it for your PC.

Reason: Because Microsoft doesn't have an universal app system in place yet. That's coming ... uh, in the (not so) near future.
Click to expand...

Wow, I've come over to WP8 from Android and was thinking of getting a Surface tablet.

I just assumed that WP8 apps transfer to RT with no problem, like Android. Ho boy...
 
B

brotkasten

Member
Fjolle said:
Yea... Uhm... I started off sarcastic, but like 90% of Samsungs phone sales are from phones that are not their top model.
Click to expand...

Really, lets not get into sales of the main Galaxy S series. Nokia wishes to get a quarter of those sale numbers. The Galaxy S 3 alone, without any mini variants or whatever, sold 20 million units in 100 days. That might be the whole Windows Phone userbase, including legacy devices.

cametall said:
Wow, I've come over to WP8 from Android and was thinking of getting a Surface tablet.

I just assumed that WP8 apps transfer to RT with no problem, like Android. Ho boy...
Click to expand...

That's unofficially supposed to happen with the next OS update this fall. It was never suggested otherwise.
 
P

PG2G

Member
cametall said:
Wow, I've come over to WP8 from Android and was thinking of getting a Surface tablet.

I just assumed that WP8 apps transfer to RT with no problem, like Android. Ho boy...
Click to expand...

Consider it like Apple. iOS apps work on iPhones and iPads. Windows RT apps work on Windows RT and Windows 8. In both ecosystems, the tablets are compatible with something else, it just so happens that Microsoft thinks a tablet is a PC and Apple thinks its a phone.

In no ecosystem are all devices compatible with the same apps for now.
 
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