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[LukasTaves]

Xbox Music is really annoying me.

I've downloaded a few songs into my phone, but every now and then when I try to play them instead of playing locally it streams it...

The songs don't appear as music, when I go to storage, but they are definitely downloaded.

 

[maeh2k]

Any actual numbers on this? Because two years ago Skype had over 650 million users and I genuinely don't know anyone with a smartphone that doesn't have Skype, especially if they have a job.

No numbers. Just anecdotal experience. My Skype list is full of people who are never online and family members for whom I set Skype up on phones and pcs don't use it at all. And they all use WhatsApp all the time.

But I'm certain people are way more active on WhatsApp than on Skype. In a way Skype didn't successfully transition to mobile, even though they are on all platforms. It's the same Skype people use for infrequent video chats, and not something they use multiple times each and every day.

You know what?

I like it.

Just showed it to my gf and she loves it.

Those kinds of setups can work if the image and the tiles are carefully chosen. As soon as you use tiles that don't just use the accent color, but their own content, or you choose a random photo, it'll look absolutely horrible.

In this case it kind-of works, since the image is already close to monochromatic. I don't think there's a really great way to introduce that kind of customization on Windows Phone. I could imagine being able to set solid colors as backgrounds instead of just black and white, but even that comes with the disadvantage that some apps might use tiles of the same color.
If Microsoft choose this Skinery path, I'll have to endorse Samsung (magazine UX + flat icons) for their design soon.

 

[Klocker]

can not believe the new ONE Drive app will still not allow you to sort files ...

I need my modified files at top otherwise I am paging through a couple thousand or searching for stuff I may not remember the name of in a few of my folders


come on man...

 

[Ape]

This is killing me.

Could go either way with this. Need to see more.

 

[stktt]

This is killing me.

Yuck. Thankfully, it's optional. With Skinnery and other similar applications being so pervasive, and that functionality already being supported in Windows 8, its inclusion is understandable. I'll probably stick with the standard dark/light theme.

 

[hwalker84]

LastFlowers do you know what the maximum size is for Photo Albums coming from another source?

For example I have a few large Facebook albums and when viewing them in the Photo's app. I see maybe 200 photo's out of 1000.

I also have a OneDrive album that's so large the phone gave up and only displays one picture out of 1700+.

On another note. Can we all agree with the things we've seen of WP 8.1 you've been doing some fantastic work? Seriously what i'm seeing is much more than what I expected from your team. If you ever swing through Pittsburgh again drinks/dinner on me.

 

[Chorazin]

Xbox Music is really annoying me.

I've downloaded a few songs into my phone, but every now and then when I try to play them instead of playing locally it streams it...

The songs don't appear as music, when I go to storage, but they are definitely downloaded.

I figured this out yesterday: If you download the music to your collection via Xbox Music standalone app, it will ONLY play the downloaded file there. If you go into the Xbox Music + Videos app, it'll try to stream that file since they don't play nice with each other.

Instead, open the Xbox Music + Videos app and flick left to and click the Xbox Music Store icon. Seach for the album you want, and it'll show it briefly with a price tag, then flip to say Download. Click that and BOOM, you're good to go and it should also be in your Collection if it wasn't alread.

You can also turn on the option in the Xbox Music + Videos app to see your Cloud music, go to the album you want to download, click the multi-select icon, click all the check boxes by the tracks you want, and then hit the arrow with the line under it to download them.

Either way works just as well!

 

[Milchjon]

This is killing me.

Nooo, I'm not crying, I just got some soap in my eyes!

 

[LukasTaves]

I figured this out yesterday: If you download the music to your collection via Xbox Music standalone app, it will ONLY play the downloaded file there. If you go into the Xbox Music + Videos app, it'll try to stream that file since they don't play nice with each other.

Instead, open the Xbox Music + Videos app and flick left to and click the Xbox Music Store icon. Seach for the album you want, and it'll show it briefly with a price tag, then flip to say Download. Click that and BOOM, you're good to go and it should also be in your Collection if it wasn't alread.

You can also turn on the option in the Xbox Music + Videos app to see your Cloud music, go to the album you want to download, click the multi-select icon, click all the check boxes by the tracks you want, and then hit the arrow with the line under it to download them.

Either way works just as well!

The thing is it's the stand alone app xbox music that is sometimes streams them... But, i didn't know the music+video can also play/download the cloud collection, will try downloading from there and see what happens.

 

[Ape]

Cortana Info Via The Verge

Central to Microsoft’s vision for Cortana is a Notebook feature that will allow Windows Phone users to control exactly what information is shared with the digital assistant. Notebook will allow the Cortana digital assistant to access information such as location data, behaviors, personal information, reminders, and contact information. We’re told it’s designed as a privacy feature to ensure Cortana doesn’t freely access information without a level of user control. While Cortana will learn things about users, it won't store them in the Notebook without asking you, and any information that's stored can be edited or deleted. Cortana will then use this information to provide answers to search queries by voice or text, and provide suggestions, alerts, and reminders. Cortana could greet you by name and ask if you need help or answer questions, much like Siri.

There is a lot in the article, nice to see more leaks.

 

[Chorazin]

The thing is it's the stand alone app xbox music that is sometimes streams them... But, i didn't know the music+video can also play/download the cloud collection, will try downloading from there and see what happens.

I find that the stand alone app is pretty much worthless, except for the ability to add new music to your collection without Downloading it right there and then. I'll basically use it as a shopping list, but then use the Xbox Music + Videos app to download everything. It already has my podcasts and stuff, so just keeping it all together makes sense for me.

I really hope they combine the apps in 8.1.

 

[Milchjon]

The Verge actually has a "Best New Apps" article on Poki.

Is this a first for a WP app?

Edit: The Cortana stuff sounds legitimately great. I bet if it wasn't for Windows 8.1, this thing would be called WP9.

 

[brotkasten]

The Verge actually has a "Best New Apps" article on Poki.

Is this a first for a WP app?

By Tom Warren

That doesn't count.

 

[lastflowers]

By Tom Warren

That doesn't count.

Well no one else on the staff actually uses a WP, so how could they use a new app? ;-)

 

[PG2G]

Xbox Music is really annoying me.

I've downloaded a few songs into my phone, but every now and then when I try to play them instead of playing locally it streams it...

The songs don't appear as music, when I go to storage, but they are definitely downloaded.

Xbox Music stores downloads in Isolated (in-app) Storage for now. Make sure you do all of your downloads from the Store, not within Xbox Music.

 

[MCD]

 

[stktt]

Should have gone Android.

Wait.

 

[Ape]

Not bad. So will Microsoft just make money off this or will they kill it pretty quick?

 

[José Mourinho]

God bless Microsoft for DreamSpark. Just got another great haul of software for the low low price of £0.00

 

[lastflowers]

LastFlowers do you know what the maximum size is for Photo Albums coming from another source?

For example I have a few large Facebook albums and when viewing them in the Photo's app. I see maybe 200 photo's out of 1000.

I also have a OneDrive album that's so large the phone gave up and only displays one picture out of 1700+.

On another note. Can we all agree with the things we've seen of WP 8.1 you've been doing some fantastic work? Seriously what i'm seeing is much more than what I expected from your team. If you ever swing through Pittsburgh again drinks/dinner on me.

I'm not sure about any limit on streamed photo albums. I did a quick search but couldn't find any information. Certainly I've seen some albums where it couldn't load anything at all. :/

If I ever head down for Carnival, I'll shoot you a pm.

 

[Steelyuhas]

Tom plz

 

[StudioTan]

This is killing me.

I actually quite like that.

 

[LukasTaves]

I find that the stand alone app is pretty much worthless, except for the ability to add new music to your collection without Downloading it right there and then. I'll basically use it as a shopping list, but then use the Xbox Music + Videos app to download everything. It already has my podcasts and stuff, so just keeping it all together makes sense for me.

I really hope they combine the apps in 8.1.

Indeed. Using the music + video not only downloaded the songs faster, even in background, and now the issue is gone!

As for 8.1, according to the sdk leaks they just scrapped the hub and replaced by the stand alone app, but here's hope that they at least made the app function correctly XD

 

[LukasTaves]

Xbox Music stores downloads in Isolated (in-app) Storage for now. Make sure you do all of your downloads from the Store, not within Xbox Music.

Downloading from the music+video hub seems to have solved the issue. But that was happening even when I tried to play the songs from within the Xbox Music app, it seemed like it wouldn't recognize the music as downloaded sometimes, even when it was

 

[catmincer]

I actually quite like that.

Same. Allows more personalisation.

 

[a Master Ninja]

Just got the Nokia Icon today. I'm impressed by how great the screen looks. Camera seems good but I need to play around with it more.

I upgraded from the HTC 8X.

 

[Bullza2o]

This is killing me.

Looks good, even though this specific skin isn't appealing to me. I just want the option to have all tiles the same color, not like mostly Nokia blue but some green (Games), orange (like Office) or different shades of blue (facebook, Twitter).

 

[The Faceless Master]

This is killing me.

one more for the good guys!

 

[Ape]

Just got the Nokia Icon today. I'm impressed by how great the screen looks. Camera seems good but I need to play around with it more.

I upgraded from the HTC 8X.

That's a nice upgrade from the 8x.

 

[SCHUEY F1]

I have no problem with it as long as it is optional.

 

[KageMaru]

While I was picking up the Icon yesterday, it was sad and frustrating to see how the Verizon reps talked about WP. Openly admitting to blowing off the Microsoft rep that was there the day before, trying to suggest the Note 3 when discussing the Icon specs, among other annoyances. Some of the people there didn't even know what the Icon was. How do you not know about products arriving at your store?

This is killing me.

I'd never use this feature, but it's cool for those that want to use it.

Just got the Nokia Icon today. I'm impressed by how great the screen looks. Camera seems good but I need to play around with it more.

I upgraded from the HTC 8X.

Yup, loving the icon. The display is absolutely gorgeous.

Wanted to pick up the white model but they only had one black model left. Makes me wonder how many they received for the first shipment.

 

[Tomcat]

The new glance update is very nice. Nokia delivers as usual.

 

[Chorazin]

Updates out for Glance and Extras+Info today, not sure what they changed yet, if anything.

Edit: Looks like Glance lets you add your own text to the screen instead of having your notification icons. Would have been nice to have both! Extra+Info is probably just stability.

 

[Tomcat]

It has both!

 

[derFeef]

I disabled glance again, I didn't get much use out of it - at least on a Luma device where the power button is on the side it seems pretty useless to me.

 

[ElNino]

I disabled glance again, I didn't get much use out of it - at least on a Luma device where the power button is on the side it seems pretty useless to me.

I like it for two reasons. When the phone is charging beside my bed, I can easily see what time it is if I (or my son) wake up in the night without looking for my alarm clock across the room, and I can take my phone out of my pocket and quickly see the time and whether I have any notifications without turning the screen "on".

 

[Chorazin]

It has both!

Huh, it totally does! Wish that was clearer.

 

[Tomcat]

With notifications only it shows the info from the app you have selected to show detailed info. I wish we could choose ours.

 

[NeOak]

It has both!

So can I have it show both notifications and the text?

edit: oh, the my text mode shows the notifications

 

[SCHUEY F1]

Would like to hear more impressions of the Icon. Also how did Milch get banned?

 

[Anton Sugar]

Would like to hear more impressions of the Icon. Also how did Milch get banned?

Looks like he asked for time off: http://www.neogaf.com/forum/showthread.php?p=101646392&highlight=#post101646392

Fucker didn't even say goodbye.

 

[SCHUEY F1]

Looks like he asked for time off: http://www.neogaf.com/forum/showthread.php?p=101646392&highlight=#post101646392

Fucker didn't even say goodbye.

Hope is back for Buiild, :lol

I might be away on holidays during Build, going to miss most of it most likely.

 

[KageMaru]

Would like to hear more impressions of the Icon. Also how did Milch get banned?

I've been playing with mine since getting it last night. Honestly the black looks boring after seeing the white version displayed at their store.

Love the phone though. It's barely larger than the 928, so it feels nice in the hand. I still can't get over how good the screen looks. I didn't think I needed more than a 768p screen but everything is so crisp on the icon that I now can't go back.

Even though I've read the added processing power won't be felt in the OS, I have to disagree. It's not substantial, but I do notice a speed improvement when moving through the interface. I've only played a few minutes of GTA and it's definitely a smoother experience to game on the device. The phone does get surprisingly warm when the hardware is taxed, noticeably warmer than my older 928.

I haven't had much time to play with the camera yet, so I can't say much about that.

Let me know if you want to know anything specifically. Love the phone though, can't wait to have 8.1 on it.

 

[SCHUEY F1]

I've been playing with mine since getting it last night. Honestly the black looks boring after seeing the white version displayed at their store.

Love the phone though. It's barely larger than the 928, so it feels nice in the hand. I still can't get over how good the screen looks. I didn't think I needed more than a 768p screen but everything is so crisp on the icon that I now can't go back.

Even though I've read the added processing power won't be felt in the OS, I have to disagree. It's not substantial, but I do notice a speed improvement when moving through the interface. I've only played a few minutes of GTA and it's definitely a smoother experience to game on the device. The phone does get surprisingly warm when the hardware is taxed, noticeably warmer than my older 928.

I haven't had much time to play with the camera yet, so I can't say much about that.

Let me know if you want to know anything specifically. Love the phone though, can't wait to have 8.1 on it.

Sounds great. Hope it comes to Canada at some point. How is the weight?

 

[lastflowers]

bought the icon this morning after ogling my coworkers for an hour. The screen feels like a mini tablet for browsing the web, yet is only minutely bigger than the 928. The screen feels like it is more edge-to-edge than the 928, but it is deceptive because this occurs simply due to Screen's bigger size resulting in an increase in screen-to-chrome ratio. Reading articles on The Verge, Engadget, Ars Technica, Anandtech, etc etc were never poor on the 928, but the increase in pixel density was suprirsingly noticeable.

The edges around the device are a clear step up from the 928, and the metal(?) buttons are five tiers ahead of the mushy plastic 928 buttons. The matte backing feels better in my hand, and it looks to be a better white than the glossy white on the 928. Also a design win is NOKs severe chopping of in the Verticle aspects of the device. The top chrome is cut in half, and the bottom chrome is perhaps 5/6 of the 928. The device is thick, but, like the 928, doesn't feel massive because of the curved back. I don't mind it, but I can certainly see why others would.

The 8974 in the device is really snappy. Install times were very quick (sorry about that, part of slow install times are my team's fault), and rendering HTML on some chunkier sites on 928/8X was much faster than I was expecting. Solitaire was noticeably faster, and load times on a couple of the games I tried seemed to have been cut in half (though that might just be bias as there was no side-by-side comparison).

I probably should have waited to see if NOK has some new phones for Verizon with the next version, but last time I said that the 928 took four or so months to come out. My 928 has a crack in it, and, after playing with a coworker's delicious new gadget, envy holds a certain place in my subconscious...constantly subverting my willpower.

 

[Anton Sugar]

Me reading Icon impressions:

Spoiler

Fucking ATT/Nokia

 

[Bullza2o]

Me reading Icon impressions:

Spoiler

Fucking ATT/Nokia

Don't worry. We'll probably get something when 8.1 is announced in April!

 

[SCHUEY F1]

Me reading Icon impressions:

Spoiler

Fucking ATT/Nokia

:lol

 

[maeh2k]

bought the icon this morning after ogling my coworkers for an hour.

Not sure how staring at your colleagues helped make up your mind, but I'm glad you like it

 

[basic_element]

They love that bezel huh?