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Windows Phone |OT3| Apollo has landed

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M

megarockexe

Member
It just makes sense. Nokia and Microsoft have been great partners. Plus, this is the "new" Microsoft, not the Microsoft of old. They'll do well.
 
T

Totakeke

Member
Razdek said:
It's losing marketplace support soon so that's going to be a big blow. I use the Zune software at work and sync the songs I download from the marketplace to my device but I won't even be able do that anymore. Xbox Music website is a joke and I don't want to move to it.
Click to expand...

And how many years have you used it for? Devices and services that doesn't take off eventually die, that's the reality of it. Even popular devices eventually lose support. They never said you'll be getting lifetime services when you're buying the device.
 
J

José Mourinho

cocknose
Is there a reason why Xbox music is horrible at matching metadata? It used to be that if you had the Xbox music setting selected it would update all your song info and ruin them all. I was lead to believe they fixed that with the latest update. So I turned on the setting but it only managed to match one artist. It's a shame because I like having the artist pictures and so on. But how it can't match against my tracks with all the correct info baffles me.
 
H

hadareud

The Translator
Received my grey body but not the grey sim tray yet (that I had to order separately) :(

I don't know whether I should go ahead anyway and replace the body already, it's going to look ridiculous with the white tray.

edit:

it does look rather nice, even under all that horrible plastic:

TbxshDr.jpg
Click to expand...
 
H

hwalker84

Member
Kylehimself said:
Is there a reason why Xbox music is horrible at matching metadata? It used to be that if you had the Xbox music setting selected it would update all your song info and ruin them all. I was lead to believe they fixed that with the latest update. So I turned on the setting but it only managed to match one artist. It's a shame because I like having the artist pictures and so on. But how it can't match against my tracks with all the correct info baffles me.
Click to expand...
I don't understand either. I turned on the setting as well and it hasn't matched a single artist.
 
H

hadareud

The Translator
I just listened to the first few minutes of yesterday's MS Nokia conference call.

Seems that they are aware that their marketing efforts so far have been insufficient and ineffective. Which is good.

The question is whether they are ready to fully commit to WP and to start to really push on now. Both from a marketing and manpower perspective. When they talk about rapid releases they need to mean it and put the necessary resources into the teams that actually make that a possibility.

You would think that with the massive investment of buying Nokia they've shown that they are ready to do just that. But I'm still very hesitant to actually believe it.
 
S

StudioTan

Hold on, friend! I'd love to share with you some swell news about the Windows 8 Metro UI! Wait, where are you going?
I'm still picking up the 1020 as soon as it's available in Canada. Likely getting 2, my GF really wants one as well.
 
G

Ghost

Chili Con Carnage!
hadareud said:
I just listened to the first few minutes of yesterday's MS Nokia conference call.

Seems that they are aware that their marketing efforts so far have been insufficient and ineffective. Which is good.

The question is whether they are ready to fully commit to WP and to start to really push on now. Both from a marketing and manpower perspective. When they talk about rapid releases they need to mean it and put the necessary resources into the teams that actually make that a possibility.

You would think that with the massive investment of buying Nokia they've shown that they are ready to do just that. But I'm still very hesitant to actually believe it.
Click to expand...

Is the marketing bad? Maybe it hasn't been directed very well but I think they've actually done a great job in letting people know the phone exists, that's why Palm was still born and Blackberry is dying, no presence.

For me the problem lies firmly in the software, no matter what type of user you look at, Windows Phone lacks features and differentiators. I remember the initial reveal of WP7 when they said they took a fresh look at the problem and focused on the people instead of the apps...that was a great idea! Since then they've stopped thinking and just tried (and failed) to build every feature iOS has. It's not enough.

A better product would make the marketing a lot easier.
 
S

SCHUEY F1

Unconfirmed Member
hadareud said:
I just listened to the first few minutes of yesterday's MS Nokia conference call.

Seems that they are aware that their marketing efforts so far have been insufficient and ineffective. Which is good.

The question is whether they are ready to fully commit to WP and to start to really push on now. Both from a marketing and manpower perspective. When they talk about rapid releases they need to mean it and put the necessary resources into the teams that actually make that a possibility.

You would think that with the massive investment of buying Nokia they've shown that they are ready to do just that. But I'm still very hesitant to actually believe it.
Click to expand...

Yeah, I watched the conference yesterday as well and that was one of the reasons I felt a bit more optimistic. I know MS's track record, etc., but I hope things are changing for the better. We will see.
 
K

kurisu1974

Banned
Kylehimself said:
Is there a reason why Xbox music is horrible at matching metadata? It used to be that if you had the Xbox music setting selected it would update all your song info and ruin them all. I was lead to believe they fixed that with the latest update.
Click to expand...

Actually the messed up music libraries had nothing to do with Xbox Music. I'ts something that started happening with some update and was never fixed. I spend hours trying to find out where all those duplicate entries were coming from, why some albums had art and some didn't even if they had correctly embedded artwork, etc...

In the end I gave up, and decided not to listen to music on my phone. But now after the update from last week I tried again, and things look pretty good again. No duplicates and art for everyone.
 
H

hadareud

The Translator
Ghost said:
Is the marketing bad? Maybe it hasn't been directed very well but I think they've actually done a great job in letting people know the phone exists, that's why Palm was still born and Blackberry is dying, no presence.

For me the problem lies firmly in the software, no matter what type of user you look at, Windows Phone lacks features and differentiators. I remember the initial reveal of WP7 when they said they took a fresh look at the problem and focused on the people instead of the apps...that was a great idea! Since then they've stopped thinking and just tried (and failed) to build every feature iOS has. It's not enough.

A better product would make the marketing a lot easier.
Click to expand...

I don't know that the marketing is bad, I think it's ok. But there's not enough of it and it's not smart/effective enough. They don't only need to be on TV and in newspapers, they need to get the carriers to actively and aggressively push the platform too. In store as well as in co-advertising on TV and so on. That will cost some serious cash, but if they manage that it will go a long way in maintaining 30 % quarter on quarter growth for the foreseeable future (which would see them overtake all manufacturers in sales other than Samsung and Apple pretty quickly, in the space of half a year or 3 quarters of a year).

Then there's the fact that Microsoft have a very bad image compared to both Apple and Google. While that's not deserved in my opinion it's still something that cannot be denied. They can't simply spend their way out of that obviously, but again good marketing will go some way in rectifying the problem.

I think the OS is great, I really do. I wouldn't want to go back to Android, ever. Not unless they force me too. But of course it's lacking in features, which is what I meant by them having to come through on their rapid release mantra. If the rumoured features of GDR3 are true, I think it's fair to say that they've caught up feature wise in the most important areas, which in turn would leave them to actually add new features starting with Blue that can act as real differentiators.

Then there's the app situation that is still nowhere near good enough, despite having improved quite considerably since I jumped in last November. There too they'll have to keep funding development and they'll have to accelerate the process, too.

There's a lot of work to be done and I like that they seem to have recognised that and that they seem to be ready to do something about it. Now it's all about whether they'll actually do it and about execution.

edit: I should add that I don't have the first idea of marketing and that I have no interest in it whatsoever, so please feel free to ignore my post.
 
M

Milchjon

Member
MS probably missed their window. There was a gap in the market because iOS was ugly and expensive and Android phones were ugly and crappy.

But Android (and kinda Apple) are quickly closing the value and design gaps, while MS hasn't really caught up on features.

Who knows, in the end the most lasting effect of WP will probably be that it redefined the UI design for the whole mobile market.
 
H

hadareud

The Translator
I don't think they've missed their window. I think the recent growth is encouraging.

Obviously it's not going to get easier with the new iOS and the cheaper iphones, but I think there's still enough space in the market.

Particularly when you consider that at least half of the market is still on dumb-phones. Most of them will switch sooner rather than later.

edit: when I went to Austria on holiday in the summer I was amazed to see that out of around 20 of my friends, maybe 2 or 3 had smartphones. And those smartphones were 2 or 3 years old. There's still a huge market that has yet to be converted.
 
S

SCHUEY F1

Unconfirmed Member
Nokia Q&A

Yesterday’s big announcement about Microsoft’s purchase of Nokia’s devices and services business – very understandably – raised a lot of questions with readers. We gathered together some of your responses to the news and took them to Tuula Rytilä, who heads up Nokia’s marketing. These questions are direct from you, our readers.

Do we get new phones with Nokia branding, or not?

Microsoft has purchased the license to use the Nokia brand on mobile phones for ten years. It’s also bought the ‘Lumia’ and ‘Asha’ brands. On smartphones, we’ll be seeking to create a unified brand across Lumia and Windows. But we understand that the Asha and feature phone range will carry on the ‘Nokia’ branding. It’s important to point out that new phones produced under Microsoft’s ownership will effectively be from the same stable as recent Nokia smartphones. Our design and manufacture teams will join Microsoft. Stefan Pannenbecker has been the head of Nokia’s hardware design for some time, and he continues as we move into the next wave of design.

Can we rely on Microsoft to continue the product quality we have come to rely on from Nokia?

Microsoft and Nokia have very similar values and vision when it comes to product quality. It’s what has made Nokia Lumia and Windows Phone such a great match. We value great hardware quality, a seamless user experience. I recall a recent product workshop where we split into Nokia and Microsoft teams to describe our vision for the next generation of Windows Phone. When we came to compare our lists, they were almost identical. Design at Nokia is our approach to product making and embraces engineering and manufacture. It’s the expertise in that approach that distinguishes Nokia and made it something that Microsoft wanted.

Does this mean the end of support for my Nokia phone?

Not at all. All of our support functions are also going to be transferred to Microsoft, including our Care network, under the stewardship of Juha Putkiranta, the head of operations. Customers won’t actually experience any difference. In any case, even if we didn’t have that approach, we’re bound by international and national legislature to provide all of the necessary support.

Will this be the end of the Asha series and other feature phones?

Microsoft is really excited by the opportunities presented by our Mobile Phones (Asha and feature phones) business. Microsoft shares our vision for connecting the Next Billion. In ten years, we anticipate it will all be smartphones. Existing mobile phones will act as an on-ramp to smartphones. Microsoft has little experience in this area, which is why they are acquiring that expertise. Asha under Microsoft is likely to create a better offer for consumers. Steve Ballmer has already stated that some Microsoft services that have previously been restricted to higher-end smartphones is planning to come to Asha. They are looking into things like SkyDrive, Office and Xbox.

Will Microsoft allow the Nokia staff to continue to innovate from Finland?

This is effectively what Microsoft is buying. I think we’ve proven that our products have been better with Microsoft. Lumia smartphones have made us proud again. But the greatness of those products come from two sides. Nokia has key Research and Development sites in Finland: Salo, Tampere and Oulu. The Lumia 1020 was developed largely in Tampere, while the Lumia 920 was mainly designed in Salo. That expertise is the nucleus of what this acquisition is about.

What about the other side? Will Nokia innovation find its way into other Microsoft products?

As we announced yesterday, Stephen Elop will lead the Microsoft devices business, which extends a long way beyond phones. There are some great opportunities there. Microsoft is so similar to us in terms of its approach to products. So we don’t feel that we’re going to be limited at all. In fact, the resources and investment that Microsoft brings means that we expect that we will have greater freedom for experimentation and innovation. Though that doesn’t mean that we will lose any urgency or pace when it comes to getting products to market.
Click to expand...
 
M

Milchjon

Member
What's the deal with the NFL.com fantasy football app? They announced it yesterday, and the Win8 version is in the store, but I can't find the WP one.
 
hankster

hankster

Member
hadareud said:
Received my grey body but not the grey sim tray yet (that I had to order separately) :(

I don't know whether I should go ahead anyway and replace the body already, it's going to look ridiculous with the white tray.

edit:

it does look rather nice, even under all that horrible plastic:
Click to expand...
where you get dat grey body? how much?? tia
 
juliushandle

juliushandle

Member
In the US, the Nokia brand is dead. I can see why MS will move forward with the Lumia brand.

Hopefully, there is no further confusion by introducing a Surface Phone.
 
hankster

hankster

Member
hadareud said:
Ebay. 37 quid for the cover and another 4 pounds for the sim tray.

The sim tray should have been here on Monday and it isn't yet, so I think I've been had there.
Click to expand...
Same prices I've seen before. Twice as much as the other colors. May have to settle for dat yellow....
 
J

jossueinacoma

Member
GR2 rolling out for HTC 8X on Tmobile! Finally...sucks that i just factory reset my phone last week and lost some texts and my swapchat app...ugh...ok im a little pissed.
 
H

hadareud

The Translator
Kylehimself said:
Used it before, didn't really like it to be honest. Plus it had to add dummy tracks and what not.
Click to expand...

It now automatically deletes the dummy tracks.

And it lets you choose the picture you want to use, which is nice. There's usually quite a few good ones for pretty much every artist.
 
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