Looking for first-hand [H]-user opinions of Windows Phone 8

D

Dew itt right

2[H]4U
Joined
Oct 28, 2005
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I'm due for an upgrade and I really want to give Windows Phone 8 a try. I have Windows 8 on my home PC and I also have a Surface Pro so I'd love to get a Win8 phone to have them all sync'd together. I'm curious to see what people in the [H]ard|Forum circle who own a Win8 Phone think about the interface and the app availability. If any of the pro/cons are hardware-based please include your phone model and carrier. Thanks guys!!
 
Dew itt right said:
I'm due for an upgrade and I really want to give Windows Phone 8 a try. I have Windows 8 on my home PC and I also have a Surface Pro so I'd love to get a Win8 phone to have them all sync'd together. I'm curious to see what people in the [H]ard|Forum circle who own a Win8 Phone think about the interface and the app availability. If any of the pro/cons are hardware-based please include your phone model and carrier. Thanks guys!!
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Kinda interested to see the Windows Phone 8 stories as well. Cause right now its about as common as a Unicorn.
 
I'm using the Nokia Lumia 920 and I love it. That's the short answer. When I get home from work I'll add a more detailed explanation of my W8 phone experience.
 
The Lumia 920 seems to be the popular W8 phone.

I picked up the HTC 8X last week as my first smartphone and the UI is amazing. The only reason I chose this phone was because of its shape; it's very slim, fits my hand well and comes with a rubberized back (yay for no bulky cover.) [edit] Carrier is Verizon (and there's a very nice Verizon app where I can see my usage, pay bills etc.)

The phone itself has some flaws, primarily the lack of a micro-SD slot and a non removable battery. Button placement is a little odd and I tend to hit the volume control when trying to hit the sleep/awake button (which isn't quite tactile enough to feel easily.)

The device does have a discrete camera button which I like. The camera is pretty good and there's a preinstalled "Photo Enhancer" app which is simple and functional--nice addition.

I'm going on three days since the last charge and the battery is at sixty percent--that's with no email syncing, location services off and minimal texting and fucking around in the UI. Leaving wifi on will drain the battery in 10-12 hours.

I don't know what else to say about it except I'm a fan. My music player runs on Android 2.3.5 and I like it well enough, but the Windows UI looks more advanced. Tiles on the main screen, or swipe left to see everything in list form. Hold <- and swipe to scroll through all the apps in memory.

A couple things that are missing or I can't do because of ignorance:

Alarm: There's no way to set a date, just a time.

Texting alerts: I don't see a nag function that will continue alerting until you read a text. I'd like that when I'm on call so I don't sleep through anything.

App store: Is kind of pathetic. I see a Windows port of Trello (Trellow, go figure) which is nice--I just ran across that app and it looks very functional and intuitive.

[edit 2] One thing I'm still confused about is multitasking and apps running in the background. As far as I understand it, there's no real need for a task manager because *most* apps will be suspended (and killed off eventually if memory is short.) But there are some services that can run in the background, ie downloading apps or opening up something in Internet Explorer (or the Google app). E-mail will sync automatically (you set the interval) and I assume many apps that use location services will be active even if you're not in the app itself.
 
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I loved my 920, but the small issues I had with WP8 were enough to put me back on Android.

- There NEEDS to be a notification center. Missed alerts are a constant.
- Not being able to select multiple emails, hit marked read, and then delete. At this point in time you have to reselect them all, which is annoying as all hell.
- Text reflow on IE10. It needs it, NOW.

Honestly, it's like MS half-assed this just enough to make it annoying to half the population. If those are dealbreakers for you, then you'll hate WP8. If they fixed those issues, I'd definitely get another 920.
 
entropism said:
- Not being able to select multiple emails, hit marked read, and then delete. At this point in time you have to reselect them all, which is annoying as all hell.
Click to expand...

Good call, that's definitely a problem. The select/delete functions from Photos would be a huge improvement to email.

entropism said:
Honestly, it's like MS half-assed this just enough to make it annoying to half the population.
Click to expand...

Heh, that would make Joel Spolsky article.
 
I am really liking my 8x. After being on android for years, it is so nice to run in a clean environment. I just don't have the time or desire to futz with android tweaking anymore and I have never been a fan of IOS.

My 2 biggest gripes, are no notification center, and no file explorer.
 
OH... Pandora is a huge part of my day (Use the phone as a car radio through Aux in) and the WP8 app that just came out is drop dead GORGEOUS. Best iteration of Pandora I've seen yet and you get the ad free version for the next year.
 
Thanks for the input guys! I'm okay with the limited apps and the bad browsing experience but the lack of notification center and missed call/text nags is a big bummer. I'm not sure which carrier I'll end up with but I'll more than likely end up with a Lumia 920 or HTC 8X...
 
Right now only at&t does the 920 in the us, verizon and t-mobile have the 8x. Sprint has nothing... which is ok they only want iphone customers
 
I have a WP8 Nokia Lumia 822 for Verizon. I've always liked Nokia phones and this one is excellent as well. I've used it about a month, but I kind of miss Android so I'm going to sell mine and go back, but overall, it's a nice phone and simple to use. App store is lacking, but not the end of the world. Mobile IE is as good of a mobile web browser as I've used. Very smooth. Overall, the phone is smooth. I haven't noticed any lagging at all.
 
Got my mom a Lumia 520, for ~180USD unlocked. Lotsa phone for the money - microSD, removable battery. Fast, smooth and good for the basic stuff - WhatsApp, email, texting, browsing.
 
I have a WP 8 and overall I like it except for the following

1. SD card cannot be used to store apps
2. the dialer functionality is really basic on this phone.
3. limited customization / color selection for OS


As for app selection I really do not care if there is not 11ty billion apps for the phone. I have found and installed all of the applications that I want for my phone at this time. The game selection for the device is actually very good overal with some very nice free games with no ads.
 
YeuEmMaiMai said:
I have a WP 8 and overall I like it except for the following

1. SD card cannot be used to store apps
Click to expand...

How big a problem is this? I assume mobile apps are pretty small overall, and that if you do have an SD card, you'd use it to store the things that really do take up space, like MP3s, pictures, movies, etc

correct me if wrong?
 
it depends upon how much internal storage you have 8GB is not a lot of space for apps once you take out the OS chunk

Nokia 810 storage summary for 8GB internal (7.41GB formatted capacity)

apps 940.46MB
other 2.45GB (have no idea what that is)
system 1.90GB
free space (on phone) 2.13GB

So the OS install and other eat more than HALF of the available storage (4.35GB out of 7.41GB)

SD card 64GB (59.48GB formatted capacity)
music + videos 13.28GB
pictures 4.01GB
other 122.75MB
free space 42.07GB
 
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schizrade said:
I am really liking my 8x. After being on android for years, it is so nice to run in a clean environment. I just don't have the time or desire to futz with android tweaking anymore and I have never been a fan of IOS.

My 2 biggest gripes, are no notification center, and no file explorer.
Click to expand...

Same problem for me. Also my phone randomly reboots from time to time and I get the sim card error once in a while.
 
AthlonXP said:
Same problem for me. Also my phone randomly reboots from time to time and I get the sim card error once in a while.
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That is a firmware issue, not an OS issue. They released a patch to supposedly fix it.
 
Keep in mind that MS has stated an 18 month support cycle for Windows phones. That won't even carry you through most contract periods.

That being said, I have a Lumia 920. Very nice piece of hardware, but I'm growing more annoyed at the OS on a daily basis. It was a fun experiment, but I'm hopping back to Android asap.
 
AthlonXP said:
Just FYI on Microsoft windows Phone 8 support

http://support.microsoft.com/lifecy...x?sort=PN&alpha=windows+phone&Filter=FilterNO
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This support timeline is just for the current version though, correct? When the OS gets its next update (say maybe Windows 8.1) won't that version get a new support timeline? I would think that if they're ending support for one version of software by a given date it means they'll have a new version before that time. Am I wrong here?
 
Plus, that's not to say that certain phones won't be updated to the newest version either. I'd be surprised if the current gen of WP8 phones don't get the 8.1 update, etc. Even the last gen WP7 phones just got the 7.8 update.
 
Besides, how many android phones get updates beyond 18 months either? the SII will have received the longest... at two years.
 
Nimisys said:
Besides, how many android phones get updates beyond 18 months either? the SII will have received the longest... at two years.
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The difference is, you won't be loading any modded, or tweaked versions of Windows on your phone... where it was possible to do with the Incredible, S2 etc to this day.
 
Ruoh said:
Keep in mind that MS has stated an 18 month support cycle for Windows phones. That won't even carry you through most contract periods.

That being said, I have a Lumia 920. Very nice piece of hardware, but I'm growing more annoyed at the OS on a daily basis. It was a fun experiment, but I'm hopping back to Android asap.
Click to expand...

To be fair, 18 months sounds about right with 6-months update intervals. At that rate, you'd get an update at 18 months, and then your next "update" is a new phone at the end of a typical 24-month contract.

But it does still suck, I understand that. Outside of Apple, no one supports their phones long enough. iOS 6 is on the iPhone 3GS, which was released in 2009! That's 4 concurrent versions (3Gs, 4, 4s, 5) being supported at the same time.

After Apple, we have only one Android vendor who has given 2+ year support to any devices, as the SGS2 has received 2 years of support and is slated for another update. The SGS1 also received nearly 2 years of support. After Samsung you have the Nexus program, following by everyone else abandoning their phones inside of 12-months with few exceptions.

A Nexus or WP-device will be supported through most of the duration of a typical contract. An Apple device will be supported through the duration of the second owner.
 
Ruoh said:
The difference is, you won't be loading any modded, or tweaked versions of Windows on your phone... where it was possible to do with the Incredible, S2 etc to this day.
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It's hardly needed. Samsung left my Galaxy S in broken state with battery bug and other annoyances. Their software quality and support is beyond horrible.
 
nokia 920 here; only complaints are:

very immature app market (but it's to be expected for a brand new platform)
lack of customizing options
no live wallpapers

other than that i like it so far
 
Thats really disappointing because for a Business use lots of the features are needed.

Microsoft Phone New Moto should be "We are almost there"
 
Ruoh said:
Keep in mind that MS has stated an 18 month support cycle for Windows phones. That won't even carry you through most contract periods.
Click to expand...
But every time MS releases an update, your update cycle renews. (Assuming your phone supports the updates in the first place.)

Basically, if you didn't update your phone to from x.0 to x.5, your x.0 phone will not be supported after x.0's 18 months is up. But if you did upgrade to x.5, then it starts on the x.5's 18 cycle.
 
CHANG3D said:
But every time MS releases an update, your update cycle renews. (Assuming your phone supports the updates in the first place.)

Basically, if you didn't update your phone to from x.0 to x.5, your x.0 phone will not be supported after x.0's 18 months is up. But if you did upgrade to x.5, then it starts on the x.5's 18 cycle.
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The gist I got was that they wouldn't be updating phones past that 18 month cycle. Ie, one year from now, I wont be getting the latest os version on my 920, because its no longer a supported platform.
 
Ruoh said:
The gist I got was that they wouldn't be updating phones past that 18 month cycle. Ie, one year from now, I wont be getting the latest os version on my 920, because its no longer a supported platform.
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Your 920 should be getting the WP8 "Blue" update later this year. When the update is made available, that's when a new 18 month cycle begins. Microsoft will make more minor/security updates to "Blue" for that new 18 months.

I also do remember some Microsoft phone guy saying that they learned from the mistakes of the WP7 by setting the device hardware specs too low; the WP8's should have hardware powerful enough to support WP9 and maybe even beyond. It may have been a Nokia guy who said it. I don't remember exactly. But I do believe that your device should be support beyond your contract.

I would be very, very surprised if the 920 does not get the WP9 update next year. Cause that would basically be like Microsoft committing mobile market suicide. Microsoft is already behind the curve, not allowing a 1080p screen until Blue is also incredibly short-sighted. The next update, Microsoft need to get ahead and support 4K devices... seriously. HTC's One is rumored to be that super WP8 HD phone that they cancelled because Microsoft wouldn't update WP8 for 1080p. If you look at the buttons in the front, you can kind of see that it's the WP 3 button layout. When you are behind and you are trying to get to first place, it's not the wisest decision to artificially keep yourself behind. Tell the tortoise to stop running when he sees the hare resting.

Back to the 920 getting WP9... lol.. sorry for the rant... just saying if Microsoft has made updating so confusing to you, someone who actually uses a WP8, and then Microsoft not updating your phone for WP9 unlike how Apple does for multiple generations, that's would destroy all trust between the user and Microsoft.
 
John Stamos said:
I'm using the Nokia Lumia 920 and I love it. That's the short answer. When I get home from work I'll add a more detailed explanation of my W8 phone experience.
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Same experience here. Having used a Droid OG, Droid X, Inc2, OG iPhone, Pre 2, and now a 920, the 920 is easily my favorite of all them save the Pre 2 just because of the Pre 2's card interface. The 920 is drop dead gorgeous (mine's red), fast, fluid, easy to use, fun to use, great games, good app selection (don't know why people still bitch about this one), and the build quality is top notch. The camera is killer, and it takes the best videos on a phone I've ever seen. Battery life is good, wireless charging is cool, and it's nice carrying something around that not everyone else has. I honestly can't recommend it enough and when I show my friends who are on other platforms, their first expression after seeing the Live Tiles in the flesh, is oohhing and aahhhing.

entropism said:
I loved my 920, but the small issues I had with WP8 were enough to put me back on Android.

- There NEEDS to be a notification center. Missed alerts are a constant.
- Not being able to select multiple emails, hit marked read, and then delete. At this point in time you have to reselect them all, which is annoying as all hell.
- Text reflow on IE10. It needs it, NOW.

Honestly, it's like MS half-assed this just enough to make it annoying to half the population. If those are dealbreakers for you, then you'll hate WP8. If they fixed those issues, I'd definitely get another 920.
Click to expand...

I agree about text re-flow on IE 10 as reading the forums such as these, is a lot of pinching/zooming in and out.

As far as multi-select, you do realize it has it, you just need to know how to use it. Touch just to the left of the first email in your inbox (between the first character of the email and the edge of the screen) and that will put boxes next to each email where you can check those boxes and multi-delete, mark read, archive, etc. You don't have to go into each email to mark read, delete, archive, mark as spam, etc.
 
Derek, I know it has multi-select. HOWEVER, when you multiselect a dozen emails, hit "mark as read", you then have to select everything again to delete. It's the simple things, Microsoft. You failed at them.
 
derek533 said:
As far as multi-select, you do realize it has it, you just need to know how to use it. Touch just to the left of the first email in your inbox (between the first character of the email and the edge of the screen) and that will put boxes next to each email where you can check those boxes and multi-delete, mark read, archive, etc. You don't have to go into each email to mark read, delete, archive, mark as spam, etc.
Click to expand...

actually touching to the left of any e-mail will do it.
 
I don't believe Gmail on android has a read and delete mechanism either. Correct me if I'm wrong.
 
entropism said:
Derek, I know it has multi-select. HOWEVER, when you multiselect a dozen emails, hit "mark as read", you then have to select everything again to delete. It's the simple things, Microsoft. You failed at them.
Click to expand...

I don't remember it being any different on my Droid X or my Touchpad running ICS?
 
One advantage is that android allows for third party email apps. Touchdown for the win.
 
CHANG3D said:
I don't believe Gmail on android has a read and delete mechanism either. Correct me if I'm wrong.
Click to expand...

Gmail can in fact handle this as I desire. I can select multiple, hit mark as read, and they stay selected. After that I can just hit delete and they all get deleted. With WP8 I have to select them all over again.

Now, it might be minor to you, but when you're talking a good 50 emails at a clip, it's an annoyance I don't want to deal with.
 
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