Windows Phone 7 long term usage

D

DisrupTer911

[H]ard|Gawd
Joined
Oct 14, 2004
Messages
1,193
Anyone that's switched to a WP7 device, how have you enjoyed it since switching?

What did you switch from.

How do you find the integration of various social medias and MS offerings?

How do you find the integration between WP7 and Windows 7 OS?

What are you disliking about it overall?

How are you finding Mango compared to the first OS version?

Looking to switch from iphone to an HTC Titan running WP7 as I'm just sick of the iphone at this point.
 
I dunno, I have HTC titan and iPhone 4s (work/personal account restrictions required me to buy another required).

Both are fine. I don't use the social features on either OS.


I can organize my iPhone apps to be quickly accessible (folders), and find the email client on either platform to have their flaws (ios no shared inbox; wp7 strange threaded view [likely due to "social" features]).


I find even the smaller 3.5" display of the iPhone is frequently better at conveying information than the massive 4.7" display of my titan. Some of it is due to ie9's strangely implemented text resizing, some of it is due to metro GUI taking up a lot of unnecessary space in many applications.

However, for movies... Titan reigns supreme.


In music, however, I quickly found audio quality of the titan to be lacking (ask wpcentral forums), the mango disappearing kb annoying, and the lack of a central notification area irritating, in addition to the slow live tile updates.


However, in the end... As a smooth, well executed, yet still immature system... I'm typing this message to you from my titan :)


If forced to make a choice, I'd still choose my iPhone 4S, due to platform maturity and how well thought out the entire phone is. But I feel wp7 definitely has a future. I want it to succeed. It has done so much, so well.
 
I have wondered for a while, how does the WP7 tie in with hotmail/windows-live as compared to the Android phones and gmail? You can skip signing into your gmail account and still use an Android phone, but you lose a LOT of functionality. Is it similar with WP7 phones and windows live?
 
i made the switch about a year ago, windows phone is easy and well made. gmail is tied into the phone and is very simple. i own a samsung focus excellant phone. windows phone owns, ive owned a iphone for over a year and this is much better for me. i dont use apps, and the 2 apps i use and would use are police scanner and mlb radio which are available on my phone. i would reccomend it to anyone if you dont mind the apps being minimal
 
darkpark said:
I have wondered for a while, how does the WP7 tie in with hotmail/windows-live as compared to the Android phones and gmail? You can skip signing into your gmail account and still use an Android phone, but you lose a LOT of functionality. Is it similar with WP7 phones and windows live?
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Not really. However, you cannot use the marketplace, and I think that's really about it...iirc.

I did use my first WP7 device (Sammy Focus) as a Zune HD replacement (since my old Zune HD went kaput), and didn't have a Live account signed in until I started using it as a real phone, and not an amped up Zune HD.
 
I love the OS, used to have Samsung Focus and then the Arrive. Focus has to be one of the best phones I've owned, Focus S looks just that much more attractive. Problem for me is that I am on Sprint (employee Line = free) and all we have is an Arrive. Not a bad phone, but very limited being on CDMA 3G as compared to HSPA + on ATT. Other than that, it is too bulky, ugly, and LCD is very so so.

Anyways, back to your OS question. Windows Phone is amazing! Let me elaborate. With Android, you have manufacturer customization that we all love or hate. Some people love Sense, others hate it. Regardless, all of them bring their own set of bugs and do effect phone's performance, specially over time. When there's a new Android update available, you end up waiting ages for manufacturer to finish updating your device to it, if ever. And lately, with many Sammy phones, it may crap your phone out, or be buggy in general.

With WP7, you do not have that issue! Not to mention that Focus with hardware that's way inferior to what Epic Touch has, can pretty much be on par with it performance wise when performing every day tasks, OS is way optimized. On both the Focus and the Focus S, I've got an amazing battery life to say the least!

Now, music.... Zune is pretty great. Player overall looks modern and simply works. If you drop $12 a month. you can get Zune pass, I used to love it. Can download as much music as you want on your pc/xbox/wp7 that you keep for as long as your subscribed, then 7 songs a month you keep forever regardless. Well worth it, I can't even remember the number of cool music I discovered with it. Service integrates with OS really well.

With Mango update, Email is much better than before, I would take WP7 email client over anything on Android. It looks simple, is organized, and thread view looks sick!

Same really for anything else, everything looks very well integrated and functions as intended without hiccups. Android just looks as if many different pieces were thrown together, there's no smoothness in the process. And that's coming from a guy who also loves Android and currently has Epic Touch.

Downsides of WP7 are the apps. They did, in fact, make a huge improvement since last year as far as the number of apps goes, but it still isn't up to par. While quality of apps on android has been steadily going up, WP7 is still lacking in that department. While it is pretty popular overseas, it still isn't there in the US.I am hoping that with all of these announcements we can finally get some carrier love from Sprint, Verizon, as well as Tmobile... Not just ATT. I think that once OS supports LTE, it will take off in the states.

As is though, while I love it, it would be hard for me to use daily. I am not addicted to apps, but some of the essential apps I use are either missing, or quality is lower. Be it Youtube app integration, or Facebook, still needs work.
 
Made the switch last month. Have used iOS and Android. I'd say as far as UI and ease of use, WP7 has them both beat. It's just the right balance of customization and simplicity. I'm a Zune subscriber and it's the best deal bar none for music lovers. I did have to switch from Sprint as my primary provider since they lack any real Windows option ( the arrive is the worst windows phone out there imo). I'm using a Dell Venue Pro on Tmoble and have tried an HD7 (prety much a slimmer EVO) currently and am very happy with the hardware, but will switch back to Sprint one they get some newer 4g options.
 
DisrupTer911 said:
Anyone that's switched to a WP7 device, how have you enjoyed it since switching?

What did you switch from.

How do you find the integration of various social medias and MS offerings?

How do you find the integration between WP7 and Windows 7 OS?

What are you disliking about it overall?

How are you finding Mango compared to the first OS version?

Looking to switch from iphone to an HTC Titan running WP7 as I'm just sick of the iphone at this point.
Click to expand...

--I've absolutely loved it. Samsung Focus, then Focus Flash. Wife still has a Focus. We switched a little over a year ago.

--iphone 3G, owned it for about 2 years. Wife came from an iphone 3G, too.

--Facebook integration fucking owns. I don't mess with Twitter, so I can't speak to that. Xbox Live is incredibly cool, several free apps integrating the phone/360 experience that are way cool. Halo Waypoint mobile app rocks, and Xbox Companion is awesome. Zune Pass is supposed to be incredible, I don't have it though. I will say that the Zune software kicks the dog shit out of itunes, and I've always preferred the Zune player interface to what I had on my iphone. I never owned a Zune HD, but I did have a Zune 30 and a Zune 80.

--Not a thing. The phones just chew up and spit out anything thrown at them. The OS is wicked fast.

--Mango is a huge step forward from 7.0

--The Titan or Focus S are probably the 2 best AT&T devices out there.

I hope they keep advertising the hell out of the platform. I saw tonight that WP7 is now featured on Hawaii Five-Oh, hopefully that helps sales...
 
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1) Zune Pass no longer lets you keep any music permanently. It's $10 a month and you can download/stream as much as you want for as long as you pay monthly.

2) Love the OS

3) Love my Titan but it has 1 big drawback: voice quality. As in, my voice sounds muffled to people I'm on the phone with. This issue has to be included in the conversation. I would take my phone back if I used it as a phone more often. Luckily I don't and the 4.7" screen makes up for that issue. The issue is well-documented on WPCentral.

Not sure I would pay $200 for this or any phone. I got it for a penny.
 
oh, by the way, amazing wireless has focus s for $20 on new contract.
 
I've been on a Samsung Focus for exactly a year now. (1st smartphone) It was a little awful before the NoDo update, but it was smooth as glass until Mango. Now it's silky-super-smooth. Very happy WP user.

I don't feel there is any *real* integration between WP7 and Windows 7 OS. But there is excellent integration with Windows Live. And you'll want to tie all of your services (Facebook, YouTube, LinkedIn, Photobucket etc) to your Win Live account to get the most from your phone.

The only thing I dislike about the phone is the Back/Home/Search button placement. I've got big hands, and I'm accidentally hitting those buttons all the time. I'm not saying hardware buttons would be better.

Again, 7.5 Mango vs 7.0; no contest. 7.0 had so many issues, it's a surprise that the platform survived at all. Initially, MSFT wasn't aggressive enough with the carriers to force updates to the OS. 7.5 is the OS that should've shipped in Fall 2010- instead of 7.0.

If I were you I'd hold out for Nokia's Lumia 900 32GB. It may debut at CES next week.
 
Off topic, but can you finally edit MMS settings on these phones? Before Mango, you were unable to and if you took say a ATT phone to one of their prepaid providers, the MMS wouldn't work. Can you edit the MMS settings now?
 
I love the OS, it's so much cleaner and faster than Android or iOS and there are apps en mass already. Almost everything I use on Android is available, except for Dropbox and Skype (which truth be told is a big joke since Skype is Microsoft...). Battery life is better, too.

I'm happy with my two HTC phones, and I'm waiting for my new Lumia 800 (a Microsoft promotion for developers) to come this week. Don't know what I'm going to buy in April when I'm eligible for a new phone.
 
Well, there is skydrive, built right in :p

There seem to be Skydrive dropbox bridge applications, but those... I dunno... look messy?
 
harmattan said:
Made the switch last month. Have used iOS and Android. I'd say as far as UI and ease of use, WP7 has them both beat. It's just the right balance of customization and simplicity. I'm a Zune subscriber and it's the best deal bar none for music lovers. I did have to switch from Sprint as my primary provider since they lack any real Windows option ( the arrive is the worst windows phone out there imo). I'm using a Dell Venue Pro on Tmoble and have tried an HD7 (prety much a slimmer EVO) currently and am very happy with the hardware, but will switch back to Sprint one they get some newer 4g options.
Click to expand...

He's lying, he's not using his venue pro anymore, i am. ;) Unless he bought a second XD

I have windows phone for pretty much the same reasons, Zune Pass is amazing.

Android will definitely stay my main though.
 
Love my Titan Skydrive app is great the Zune software is a million times easier to use then the itunes ever was imo.

drag and drop auto conversions for vids its been nice.
 
Feel like I need to say it once more: while using the Titan, your voice quality sucks to whoever you're talking to. If you talk a lot on the phone, it is sadly not the phone for you.
 
My girlfriend recently got the Nokia Lumia 800 and I got the chance to play around with her phone quite a bit. I enjoyed WP7 so much that the next day I purchased an 800 on eBay and will be picking it up today. Everything is just so smooth and easy. Sure it doesn't have the same open source nature that Android does but it is easy to use and quick. Everything is so simple, from loading apps to connecting emails and sharing media. I'm not a huge app user or anything and the app store has every single type of app I feel I need on a daily basis that I used to use on my old blackberry.

I love this new phone.
 
I've had a Samsung focus for about a year now, switched from a 3GS. I have no real complaints, I find this much easier to use and integrate with my pc(move music/pics etc) from phone and to phone. The social features are nice too if you want to use them.

OK I have 1 real complaint. I'd like flash support!
 
So... I basically stopped using my Galaxy S 2 over the past couple days as far as a phone and messaging device goes...

I can't believe how seriously good the venue pro is for messaging. Once I properly linked all my contacts, it got even better.
 
Been using my HTC Titan for more than 3 months now.

Absolutely love it, does everything I need except Skype.

Skype is the biggest issue for me right now... but it'll come sooner than later.
 
Team Obi Juan said:
Feel like I need to say it once more: while using the Titan, your voice quality sucks to whoever you're talking to. If you talk a lot on the phone, it is sadly not the phone for you.
Click to expand...

I've been using my Titan for over a month and can confirm this issue. I really hope there is a fix for this. There is also a weird bug when you start a bing search while playing audio which degrades the audio quality. Other than that the battery life is amazing on this phone. I rarely use my netbook now for my daily trips to the local Starbucks.

DisrupTer911 said:
Thanks everyone! I think I'm set on getting the Titan after this.
Click to expand...

If you can hold out just a little longer you can get the Titan 2:

http://www.wpcentral.com/hands-htc-titan-ii-att-video
 
2k3eblade said:
I've been using my Titan for over a month and can confirm this issue. I really hope there is a fix for this. There is also a weird bug when you start a bing search while playing audio which degrades the audio quality. Other than that the battery life is amazing on this phone. I rarely use my netbook now for my daily trips to the local Starbucks.
Click to expand...

Yep, in the evenings while watching TV or something I used to sit there with a laptop and browse the net. My Titan has taken over that duty. Pretty sweet.
 
Anybody here using WhatsApp messenger? Push notifications really do suck balls on Windows Phone 7. It's almost as bad as it is on Symbian S60. It's just an app, but a really important app. I hope they will fix that soon.
 
my first android phone was the mytouch slide when that first came out. Since then ive had HTC HD2 with windows moblie 6.5 up to gingerbread ;) switched to the HD7 when that first came out.

I loved the WP7 experience. Very clean and i loved that my phone just worked. However i did sell it right before mango update to get the sensation.

I just could not do all the things that i could do on android. I did get my GF the samsung Focus and really like the improvements they have done since mango. If i had enough money i'd rock both for fun
 
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