Dear Lumia 920 and Windows 8: I really did try and like you

[Bill Snyder]

I first purchased you because of your sleek polycarb shell and minimalist industrial design. It complements the Windows 8 OS very nicely. After several iXXX devices I was ready for something new.

I was so excited to try out the much-trumpeted camera and you blew me away with your low light images and stable video. The Lens feature is a great way to integrate other camera apps into the main camera. And I liked having a dedicated camera button.

But none of this means anything if everyday, sunlight shots are blurry and muted. Yes, I've heard you say a fix is coming - but I dont know when. Truthfully if the camera is supposed as awesome as you say it should 'just work' on day one. Of course you are not the first company to have a huge let down regarding a highly touted feature (see iOS Maps...).

But that's ok, because I, I can be patient and wait for the camera firmware fix. After all, there is plenty more here than just the camera - like Windows Phone 8 OS.

Which brings me to Live Tiles. Which are awesome. It is so nice that I don't have to have every stinking app on my home screen AND I can get dynamic content and notifications.

But after a few days of use, I don't think we are on the same page. I can't see all my notifications on the lock screen. (I have to just choose one). The Email Live Tiles only show the latest message. Which I guess is ok - if there was a way for me to see ALL my notifications in a 'Notification Center' type screen. Bottom line - a phone is a messaging/notification device and if you want me to 'get in and get out' than I need a way to see ALL my notifications/messages at a quick glance and not go digging for them.

But you have some other cool things I still like. Nokia Drive being one of them. The interface is so very nice. Easy to see while driving. And I like the speeding warnings - that was a nice touch. The only thing you are missing is Voice for the Street Names. Unfortunately, that is a pretty big deal for a GPS, IMO.

I was also looking forward to Nokia Music, but it looks like a poor mans Pandora to me. Let me create mixes by song, genre and thumbs up/down tracks to control the content somewhat. At least Pandora and Spotify are supposedly coming to the plaform.

Speaking of apps-not-ready-at-Windows Phone 8-launch - it was nice to see Skype available today. It seems to work well and it a necessary app for my work.

Ok, I've rambled enough. The point of this note is to tell you I am returning you to the store and keeping my iPhone5. Why? Its the little things. Blurry pics. Half-baked notifications. No speak aloud street names in GPS. My iPhone headphones do not work with you. And the final straw was 10 minutes ago trying to download the Windows Phone app to transfer my iTunes content to you - then finding out the app isn't compatible with Snow Leopard.

So...Here's my advice. Sweat the small stuff. And Make it EASY to come to your device from competing platforms. Maybe then it will work out.

--Bill

 

[GreekboyD]

Back to iPhone? Should have gone Android.

 

[ALpHa.Q.RoUgH]

That was pretty crappy.

 

[paulbram]

No speak aloud street names in GPS.
--Bill

FYI. I'm pretty sure you can change the voice inside of Nokia Drive to one that speaks the street names.

Speaking from personal experience, I highly recommend giving a new device more time than a few days. Going from iOS to WP is a pretty large shift and if you try to use your WP device like you previously used your iPhone you may be disappointed. If however you jump in head first and really use it how it is intended, you may learn to love it.

Case in point, create a few groups in the people hub. One for your best friends, another for your family. Pin them both to your start screen and then use the phone normally for a few weeks. You won't "get it" on day one, but I promise you, it will be worth it and you will never want to go back to your app silos.

 

[mjfadaway]

He has some points

 

[hasasimo]

He mentions the iPhone's universally laughed at GPS as an advantage over Nokia Drive :lol:

 

[DaveGx]

He has some points and entitled to his opinion. He shouldnt be bashed or mocked for what he said.

 

[thed]

I actually thought this was a good, well thought out post. WP is a great OS, but there are plenty of annoying little issues that have been there since the WP7 launch that are still unaddressed. I could list a lot of them if I took some time to think about it. Some of us, including myself, like the OS enough to look past these issues, but not everyone.

Bashing the OP isn't doing WP any favors. MS could benefit a lot by taking a break from adding big new features and taking some time to fill in all those little gaps that are still missing. Until this happens, they'll continue to see people like the OP that give WP a try but give up out of annoyance or frustration.

 

[DaveGx]

I actually thought this was a good, well thought out post. WP is a great OS, but there are plenty of annoying little issues that have been there since the WP7 launch that are still unaddressed. I could list a lot of them if I took some time to think about it. Some of us, including myself, like the OS enough to look past these issues, but not everyone.

Bashing the OP isn't doing WP any favors. MS could benefit a lot by taking a break from adding big new features and taking some time to fill in all those little gaps that are still missing. Until this happens, they'll continue to see people like the OP that give WP a try but give up out of annoyance or frustration.

Agreed. Love the OS overall and even the 920, but both have plenty to gripe about. In all reality, he was rather tame and couldve said a lot more.

I realize that MS had to write a whole new kernel and what not, but there are several "simple" things they failed to address, change, or left out. I really hope now that they finished the writing of the new OS, that they are fast at work on the top wants/needs of us users, as there are plenty. Some should be a lot easier to get done than others, and I hope MS doesnt make us wait a year or more for a BIG update, but rather gets a few mini-updates out over the course of the next 6 months.

The Lumia 920 also has a few problems besides the day light camera, as we can tell if you look around this forum. Let's just hope most can be addressed by an update.

 

[Etyrnus]

Like someone else said, the street names is a simple download right there in the app settings. The camera, well, I definitely see an improvement from my focus flash, day or low light. The emails? It loads so quick only displaying the last one is a non issue, I have that tile at the smallest size. Nokia music, haven't used it yet.

 

[based_graham]

Notification center is cool but Live Tile's is more interactive to bad WP8 tiles aren't like Windows 8 tiles.

 

[Ali Babba]

IMO any platform on first launch is going to be shaky and have problems and gaps that need to be filled. I expected it and I'm willing to deal with it rather than go with iOS or 'droid. Anyone with a WP8 device should have this in mind..

 

[crav4speed]

IMO any platform on first launch is going to be shaky and have problems and gaps that need to be filled. I expected it and I'm willing to deal with it rather than go with iOS or 'droid. Anyone with a WP8 device should have this in mind..

I agree... Everyone is entitled to their opinions especially when spending large amounts of money on these devices. I've been with WP7 since the Dell Venue Pro was released and have learned to have patient with Windows Phone as an operating system since I have a lot invested with MS. Now that MS has released all it's big features, let's be patient and hope they start filling in the gaps as you mention.

 

[Pinkopanter]

I love it

3 days with Lumia 920 switch from 4S. I did compare pics from my 4S, my friends 5 and the Lumia 920. I would say that the pics came out 50/50 in different situations. Some were better on the 5 and some were better on the Lumia 920. Not a big critique on photography but for the sake of the comparison.

So, what I am saying is that comparing both 5 and the Lumia 920, my Lumia 920 wins in almost any situation.

Thank you Nokia for the great product. Whoever see the phone in my hands say WOW.

 

[MaulerX]

I wouldn't go back if I were you (OP). The 920 and WP8 genuinely have some great features that if used for more than 2 days, you wouldn't think of going back. Instead, you will be so gratified that you will be more than looking forward to the refinements.

 

[Duvi]

Cleaned up a little bit... lets take some chill pills folks. People are allowed to not like the platform or not like it enough to stay.

 

[chrgeorgeson]

He has some points and entitled to his opinion. He shouldnt be bashed or mocked for what he said.

No he should however be reminded that a lot of these frustrations could have been avoided if he simply googled a lot of these things or researched the phone/OS.
For someone who is 'patient' you think that he could have waited for the notification center, which MS said they are aware we need one and kind of insinuated that it is coming.
Simply exploring the Nokia Drive App would have eliminated the Text To Speech app for Nokia drive which is now a non issue.

Did he not read a single Lumia 920 review and see all the complaints about the photos in day light? Why even put this in here if he is so patient and willing to wait for a fix?

Pandora exists in 3rd party apps and is coming as a first party app soon (and includes a free year subscription)

I guess if I were leaving Windows 7/8 to go to OSX and was mad that all my Windows apps weren't running on OSX natively i'd be chastised by the OSX community and told that there are learning curves pit falls and alternatives to applications to all OS's.

I'm fine that he is leaving, I'm glad he gave it a chance, but I think there was plenty of ways for this guy to avoid being this disappointed by a little bit of research.

 

[Silly Putty]

Thanks, but why tell us all of this?

It'd be a pretty boring forum if every post was dedicated to blowing smoke up Microsoft's ***. I for one appreciate different perspectives.

 

[TheBigJMoney]

Anytime there's a major OS update there's going to be a lot of "small stuff" missing. Heck do any iPhone owners remember how you couldn't turn off the text preview in the early versions of the software? It was so bad people were complaining how the lack of that feature cost them their relationship.

The question for "switchers" is: Do you want to wait and see if the small stuff gets worked out to your satisfaction? If not there are plenty of other good options. After all, one thing I think most could agree on is that there's no perfect phone. If we could most of us would take bits and pieces from the various OS's to craft a phone that 100% met our wants and needs.

 

[Loiselle]

Sorry, I have a problem with people doing this. You can tell he joined the community JUST to post thing kind of stuff. It's trolling at it's finest.

I love how people use a device for 3 days and decide to bail. Before I came to Windows Phone, I tried out the HTC Inspire 4G Android device for 29 days. I gave it, practically, a full month before I decided I didn't like it. And that was coming from iPhone 3GS. Give it a week or 13 days. Don't bail after a weekend.

Oh well... don't let the door hit you on the way out.