Recent convert (from webOS/Android), my two cents

EvanKr

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Hey, all,

I've been a dedicated webOS fan for quite a while now. I supported the "little OS that could" since that day in 2009 when Palm unveiled the original Prē at CES. However, it wasn't until about two years ago that I finally purchased my first webOS device; the TouchPad. Shortly thereafter I picked up a Veer, and before I knew it I'd become a webOS fanatic, with both of the devices being customized just to my liking, and both dual booting webOS and Android.
However, when I saw how affordable some of the newer entry level WPs could be, I decided to switch out my Veer for something else. I originally had my heart set on a $150 Lumia 520 from Koodo, but with no official release date and only moderate specs, I passed on it and instead grabbed a $150 8s from Virgin. After taxes, a new microSD, and a new micro SIM, I ended up paying ~$190, a pretty good deal if you ask me :)

Anyways, so I've been using WP regularly for about a day now, and honestly I've come away pretty impressed. For the most part, it's everything that I need in a phone, and it does all of it well. However, there are still. Few things that whilst I don't need them, I'd like to have them.

The Good:

Fast. Responsive. Smooth. These are all words that describe how I feel about navigating throughout WP8. MS's done an excellent job optimizing the software for the hardware, and fluidity for a phone of this spec level is top-notch. This is something that you wouldn't see on Android any day of the week. Even compared to something like the HTC One, I still see my 8s lag less often. And on top of that, apps are fast to open, with no jitteryness at all when you use them. Kudos to MS for that, it's a huge selling feature for me.

Intuitiveness is a strong point here. One of my gripes with Android is that sometimes buttons or icons just aren't where they should be; there'll be a menu button where there's a search button in every other app, or the back button does something totally different than a different back button in the app itself. With WP everything seems consistent, from layout to overall design and colour scheme. Unlike on Android where you get some holo and some non-holo apps, everything here is metro (which is a good thing), not to mention that everything just works well without ever hanging up or crashing, which brings me to my next point..

Great stability. Sure, every bit of software can be buggy, I've experienced it with every OS I've ever used. That includes desktop OSes like Windows, OSX or Linux variants, and mobile OSes like iOS, Android, BB10, MeeGo, Symbian, webOS, and yes, Windows Phone. But WP's been good to me, so far I've only had one crash, and when I reopened the app it worked perfectly fine again. It wasn't even a crash, more so just a small bug. With webOS and Android especially, there were so many bugs and rough edges that apps would hang and cause the phone to simply restart. WebOS 2.2.4 was so buggy that I had to warn callers that my phone "may or may not restart during the call", and that was just too much. WP's just been so refined and functional in comparison, easily on par or if not better than iOS.

Apps are good. For a fairly distant 3rd place platform having over 135 000 is more than I could ask for. Besides, I knew what I was buying into before, and I'm satisfied. However, I wouldn't mind getting a few of those games or news readers that they're enjoying over on the Android/iOS side..

It just looks good. Metro is an attractive interface, having all the flipping live tiles on my start screen makes it always look like something's going on. That can also be a hindrance though, now I feel obligated to balance my tiles just so to make sure that my start screen looks organized and in order every time I turn on my phone.

Now let's move on to the not-so-good..

The Bad

Mediocre app switching and multitasking. WebOS' gestures and task switching were fantastic, and even Android's were to an extent. I dislike how WP "suspends" an app when you leave it, like iOS. There's also no ability to close apps (dumb move on MS' part IMO), and tabbed browsing is a nightmare. This needs to be fixed.

Storage issues. Perhaps this is more a gripe about the 8s' tiny 4GB internal storage, but I'm already running out of room for apps. I'd love to have the ability to store applications to an SD card, something that can be done to Android if rooted.

No universal search is another big disappointment for me. I want to be able to type anything and have it search my phone, the web, or perform any sort of command/function such as updating a Facebook or Twitter status. JustType on webOS was brilliant, WP needs a similar feature.

Finally, my biggest gripe is that customization and "hackability" is still leaps and bounds behind Android. I loved being able to change backgrounds, add new features through rooting, and just playing around making the phone mine. I simply can't do that on WP, for better or for worse. Sure, it guarantees a more stable and lag free experience, but at what cost? You have live tiles and a plethora of colours, but I still long for more customizability and that great experience you have when you hack and modify a phone exactly to your liking.

In conclusion, what do I think of WP? It's a great OS, and does everything that I need it to, but I'd still like to see more customization features implemented. Your move, Microsoft.

BTW, does anybody know of any good unlocking services? The 8s is still locked to Virgin and I'm with Koodo ATM.
And apologies in advance for any spelling/grammar errors or awkward sentence phrasing. I'm on my tablet and writing anything longer than a tweet isn't exactly what I'd call ideal.
 

MilkyTee

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Agree with all the good points.

Initially I thought the inability to kill apps was a poor move, and that fact that apps are suspended and then "resumed". I've grown to accept it though. As far as I can tell, suspended apps don't eat at the battery as much as they would on my Android tablet, so it's a moot point for me, as that was my main concern. It'd be nice to have an option to kill apps for peace of mind, but it's certainly not a dealbreaker for me.

And I don't care for hacking/rooting/jailbreaking/whateverthekidsarecallingitnowadays. Never been a draw for me. I wouldn't want to spoil that gorgeous interface or cause it to run choppy.

Storage is definitely an issue. I have an 8X, and thus have only 16GBs(12GBs) with no option to expand. Why does the other folder take up such a significant potion of the available space?! I also convinced my friend to buy a HTC 8S, which should be arriving tomorrow and have recently learned that it only has access to 1.2GBs for apps. Sure, there's an option to expand storage through microSD, but you can't load apps onto that to the best of my knowledge.

On a side note; does anyone know of a way to INSTALL APPS TO AN SD CARD on a Windows Phone 8? If not, do you reckon this will become an eventual option through an update of some kind? And why would they restrict such a thing? Is it because apps would load much slower from that source, as opposed to the flash memory internal storage? Thanks!
 

montsa007

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The Bad

Mediocre app switching and multitasking. WebOS' gestures and task switching were fantastic, and even Android's were to an extent. I dislike how WP "suspends" an app when you leave it, like iOS. There's also no ability to close apps (dumb move on MS' part IMO), and tabbed browsing is a nightmare. This needs to be fixed.
I actually admire that feature, saves battery, remember how androids go on loose motion mode if you were to run any program in background?

Storage issues. Perhaps this is more a gripe about the 8s' tiny 4GB internal storage, but I'm already running out of room for apps. I'd love to have the ability to store applications to an SD card, something that can be done to Android if rooted.
Hmm, its like ordering a small size pizza for a family of 4, WP8 does have options of 4/8/16/32GB inbuilt memory, some even have a memory card slot, so the point is invalid as you chose the wrong phone in terms of onboard storage, sorry! Another bad thing about the 8s and 8x is that they use cheap plastic which peels off after some time, had seen some poor soul's photo on this forum itself who said that his paint is chipping off after a month. Please be careful.
P.S. - That 8s and 8x, both are damn sexy devices (in terms of looks, only) minus the cheap paint.

No universal search is another big disappointment for me. I want to be able to type anything and have it search my phone, the web, or perform any sort of command/function such as updating a Facebook or Twitter status. JustType on webOS was brilliant, WP needs a similar feature.
Hmm that universal search is surely missing, you can tap on the me tile and update your FB/Twitter status directly, if you have configured FB/Twitter with your phone.

Finally, my biggest gripe is that customization and "hackability" is still leaps and bounds behind Android. I loved being able to change backgrounds, add new features through rooting, and just playing around making the phone mine. I simply can't do that on WP, for better or for worse. Sure, it guarantees a more stable and lag free experience, but at what cost? You have live tiles and a plethora of colours, but I still long for more customizability and that great experience you have when you hack and modify a phone exactly to your liking.
I know that feeling bro as I was on a droid platform for some time, but hey WP phones are not meant to be hacked which makes them secure/stable as you said. I actually feel amazed by the live tiles, something is always going on at the home screen :), I could keep a live wallpaper on a droid homescreen with some lags if I wanted it to look lively but hey, that lag is bad there ;).

BTW, does anybody know of any good unlocking services? The 8s is still locked to Virgin and I'm with Koodo ATM.
And apologies in advance for any spelling/grammar errors or awkward sentence phrasing. I'm on my tablet and writing anything longer than a tweet isn't exactly what I'd call ideal.
Search Ebay, or call your provider and threaten them that you are moving out of the country for a few days, they "may" offer you an unlock code.
 

montsa007

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On a side note; does anyone know of a way to INSTALL APPS TO AN SD CARD on a Windows Phone 8? If not, do you reckon this will become an eventual option through an update of some kind? And why would they restrict such a thing? Is it because apps would load much slower from that source, as opposed to the flash memory internal storage? Thanks!

Someone posted that you can download the app files from windowsphone official website, put that in your micro sd, reboot your phone with the micro sd inside and go to the marketplace you'll see an option to load the program.
Now,
-I am not sure if that works with *ehm* files obtained from elsewhere
-I haven't tested it and I won't as I am not into mobile gaming and most programs I use are smaller than a paperclip holding few sheets of paper, can be downloaded OTA easily without having to weep thru the night
The post was intended for large game that couldn't be downloaded on a wifi network due to its MASSIVE size.
 

MilkyTee

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Someone posted that you can download the app files from windowsphone official website, put that in your micro sd, reboot your phone with the micro sd inside and go to the marketplace you'll see an option to load the program.
Now,
-I am not sure if that works with *ehm* files obtained from elsewhere
-I haven't tested it and I won't as I am not into mobile gaming and most programs I use are smaller than a paperclip holding few sheets of paper, can be downloaded OTA easily without having to weep thru the night
The post was intended for large game that couldn't be downloaded on a wifi network due to its MASSIVE size.
Have you got a link? I think I saw that thread but can't remember when or where.

I wouldn't think my friend is overly concerned about downloading huge games so it may not even come to it, but it'd be nice to have a bit of insurance should he decide to freak out at me for recommending him a phone with next to no Internal Space :grin:

As long as he's got a buttload of space on his SD card for music, vids and pictures, he should be happy enough.
 

meandu229

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You can download the install file for games onto an sd card and install them from there but it will still be installed to the main memory and not SD card
 

Geddeeee

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If you are looking for a totally customizable phone like Android, WP is NOT for you....
WP is an OS that you can actually use. It is designed that way. Android- a case of style over substance...
 

montsa007

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Daniel Ratcliffe

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If you are looking for a totally customizable phone like Android, WP is NOT for you....
WP is an OS that you can actually use. It is designed that way. Android- a case of style over substance...

I disagree about android being style over substance. I would say it is more powerful than Windows, but Windows is definitely an OS you can actually use. Android, I find it requiring to be micro managed, which is partly why I don't want it on my phone. All that said, I will not deny its unending power.
 

Gurggles

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Welcome to the family. I understand you're back story, I did the same with a veer and touchpad. My girl is returning for a veer to her focus 2 that we will be upgrading soon.

WebOS multitasking was great but the battery was awful if you left multiple cards open. WP does not seem to have that problem.

What I would do to have "Just type" on my windows phone! Hands down the best feature of webOS. The 8s has been know for having issues with the low amount of storage, my advice is flip it to get into a 520. Its a shame the phone has low storage, it is by far the best looking WP.
 

EvanKr

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Hey everyone,

So I'm on my 5th day of using WP, and so far it's been pretty good. I do however have a few questions.

First off the bat, I'm having issues with wifi turning off when I put the device into sleep mode. My data plan is limited (200mb/month), so I leave data off in my settings and only turn it on when I need it so there's absolutely no data coming in at all via wifi or 3G. This isn't a huge problem I guess, but what really irks me is that every time wifi turns off in sleep it disconnects from the network, and when it reconnects after turning it back on I have to go through a captive portal again. Having to reconnect and enter info into a captive portal every time I wake from sleep is a major PITA. Any way to get around this? I thought that MS got rif of the "wifi disabling itself in sleep" feature (if you even want to call it a feature) with WP8.

Also, I've been reading around the web about homebrew and "hacking". How can I get started with this, what should I download and where should I go? Is there anything for WP similar to Cydia on iOS or Preware on webOS?

Finally, what's with pages randomly refreshing in the browser? I'll be using Grooveshark, switch over to another tab or app, and Grooveshark will refresh itself and I need to restart a song. Anyone else have issues with that?

Other than that, no real issues. While there's certainly features that I miss from other platforms, I'll definitely be over on this side of the pond for at least a year. In 2014 I'll reevaluate my options, and see how the flagship Androids stack up.

Thanks guys

PS, what's the status on installing apps to SD cards right now? Any possible updates from MS or help from the homebrew community?
 

sinime

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With regard to the WiFi turning off when locked, Settings -> Wi-Fi -> Advanced and put a check next to "Keep Wi-Fi on when screen times out".
 

gerzhwin

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Hey everyone,
Also, I've been reading around the web about homebrew and "hacking". How can I get started with this, what should I download and where should I go? Is there anything for WP similar to Cydia on iOS or Preware on webOS?
Unfortunately there is no possibility of hacking WP8 for now, none which I have heard of.
http://windowsphonehacker.com/artic...jailbreaking_windows_phone_7_and_7.5-09-24-11

Just found a resource about unbranding carrier specific HTC devices.

We homebrew lovers have to wait, I believe...
Sent from fabulous Windows Phone 8X by HTC using Board Express
 

montsa007

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Hey everyone,

So I'm on my 5th day of using WP, and so far it's been pretty good. I do however have a few questions.

First off the bat, I'm having issues with wifi turning off when I put the device into sleep mode. My data plan is limited (200mb/month), so I leave data off in my settings and only turn it on when I need it so there's absolutely no data coming in at all via wifi or 3G. This isn't a huge problem I guess, but what really irks me is that every time wifi turns off in sleep it disconnects from the network, and when it reconnects after turning it back on I have to go through a captive portal again. Having to reconnect and enter info into a captive portal every time I wake from sleep is a major PITA. Any way to get around this? I thought that MS got rif of the "wifi disabling itself in sleep" feature (if you even want to call it a feature) with WP8.

Also, I've been reading around the web about homebrew and "hacking". How can I get started with this, what should I download and where should I go? Is there anything for WP similar to Cydia on iOS or Preware on webOS?

Finally, what's with pages randomly refreshing in the browser? I'll be using Grooveshark, switch over to another tab or app, and Grooveshark will refresh itself and I need to restart a song. Anyone else have issues with that?

Other than that, no real issues. While there's certainly features that I miss from other platforms, I'll definitely be over on this side of the pond for at least a year. In 2014 I'll reevaluate my options, and see how the flagship Androids stack up.

Thanks guys

PS, what's the status on installing apps to SD cards right now? Any possible updates from MS or help from the homebrew community?

Currently "Apps to SD Card", not possible. I really don't think it'll be coming as it'll promote a lot of piracy, I am not telling how because some of you may already know it.

refer sinime's response about wifi :), to hack your wp8 you need adamantium or unobtanium. If you can't get hold of these take a hammer and hit your phone gently with it, voila you have hacked your phone, to death :p. On a serious note, wp8 is not meant to be hacked.
 

sinime

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To hack your wp8 you need adamantium or unobtanium. If you can't get hold of these take a hammer and hit your phone gently with it, voila you have hacked your phone, to death :p. On a serious note, wp8 is not meant to be hacked.


So, could you just hit 2 Nokias together? Aren't they made of adamantium?

Edit: just tried hitting my wife's L920 with mine... All it did was transfer a picture, didn't make it hackable :/
 
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YanivC

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I cant agree enough with your good points. People just do not realize that throwing more and more powerful hardware does not make a good OS. I love WP8, I think it is worlds apart from other OS's
It is far smoother, faster, and less laggy than ANY other OS on the market.
To your "bad" points, for the most part you are correct (except for the storage aspect as that is intangible).
You also missed one HUUUUUGE minus.... where the heck is text wrapping. I should not have to constantly pan left to right just to finish reading an article. I do not understand why IE does not support text wrapping, its such a handy thing to have.
I had the Nokia 920 AND the 8X and STILL had to go back to my Nexus 4 simple because my WP got ..... for lack of better wording..... BORING. Add to that the fact that still TOO MANY important apps were missing and i had to just give up and wait.... and I still wait. I believe in WP and I believe it will be THE predominant mobile OS... but ultimately I am a consumer... and if you do not have what I need.... I will go where I can find it. However, that said.... the day that Groovehsark and my mobile banking become available (and text wrap) I am back!
 

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