Hello, I am an old WinMo fan/user, but migrated to Andoid during the period in which WinMo had few devices (especially on VZ) that featured unlocked GPS units and also when it seemed as though it would take forever for WP& to come out (which it did.)
I am seriously considering coming back to WP7 when the new 4g devices hit VZ in 2011, but I have two concerns. This category seemed to be the best place to post, I apologize if my questions would have been better placed in a differnet category.
First, I have grown accustomed to using my Google Maps/Navigation a lot. I used my Droid to navigate over 5,000 miles to the Grand Canyon and back this summer and it performed flawlessly. How is the integrated Bing voice navigation? I love the Google map features like Latitude, Places, Ratings, etc.. Anything comparable?
Secondly, the voice commands and voice search functions on the Android platform are awesome. How do they WP7 compare?
Lastly, it seems as though the quality of Apps available on Bing is superior to Android, but the quantity is still developing. I noticed a few apps I love are not available on WP7 yet, any insights on availability? (fox News, Accuweather, Ustream Broadcaster, Clear Sky, All of the Google Apps (Sky, Voice, Maps, Shopper, full Youtube, etc..., and Adobe Flash, Air, and Photoshop Mobile.)
I apologize for the length of this reply. It contains some thoughts I've had as I've used the Focus for the past month, in addition to some answers to your questions. If you want the short answer based on your usage, for the moment, stick with Android. I own both a Captivate (Android) and a Focus (Windows Phone 7). And while I know WP7 will get there, it's certainly not there yet.
While I personally think the maps and routing Bing uses are more accurate than Google's, and I prefer it's use of voice prompts and tones over Google Navigation on Android, the Android navigation/mapping solution is more robust. First off, there's no voice navigation. It's rumored to be in one of the updates expected within Q1 2011. And while you can speak an address into voice search (holding the Windows key for a couple of seconds initiates what's essentially a Tell Me-enabled Voice Command), there's no way to do the same within the maps app. To be honest though, I prefer using voice search as you currently have to do. I just hope they provide a "navigate to here" option on that screen when they add voice navigation. There's also no parallel to Lattitude on Windows Phone 7. To it's benefit, I'll say that the platform manages to keep my location current amazingly well. I've never had to wait for a GPS fix, even indoors. I've never had a smartphone do that reliably. I can't speak for battery life, because my phone is generally on charge when I'm at work, and then when I'm at home I use it to tether (in Linux even) and it charges via USB.
Voice commands are limited compared to Windows Mobile and Android. You can open an app, call a contact, or search the web. It's not like it has the built in voice transcription of Android where you could transcribe an email if you wanted. On the plus side, opening an app and calling a contact take place on the device like they do with Voice Command, so there's no wait as it uploads your voice to Google's servers for processing. Recognition seems better than Voice Command on Windows Mobile and the voice sounds like a clearer, more human version of the Voice Command voice. So the groundwork's there, they just need to tie everything together.
Of apps, there's Accuweather and a gimped version of Youtube (links to their mobile site, not a dediated app) along with WeatherBug and a couple of Youtube players that offer other features, all free. Adobe Flash is coming, and is expected with a number of other features in the update. I'm sure Air will be here soon, barring an OS limitation preventing it. There's no Photoshop Mobile, but there are a few photoediting apps in the marketplace which are just as if not more capable than Photoshop Mobile. The rest I'm unaware of, but it wouldn't take long to find out who develops each app, then visit their site or contact them to see if they have any plans for develop for Windows Phone 7.
Don't get me wrong, I honestly love what there is of Windows Phone 7. I love the minimalist interface that doesn't compete with my attention for my content. I've no plans to jump from the Windows Phone 7 ship, but I'll still use other OSes for certain apps and to stay current. I love that Windows Phone 7's truly "glance-and-go", that I see just enough information on the surface and can drill down deeper with a tap or two should I need more. I love the Zune capability that's built in and after my free trial is up, I'm just going to pay for the year because I know I'm going to want that service. And I think Xbox will be a dangerous distraction that'll get me back into gaming. (You can disable it easily.) I finally understand what my crazy iPhone-toting friends were feeling when they ditched more capable Windows Mobile, Symbian, and Palm OS devices for their gimped iPhones. It didn't perform as many tasks, but it did enough for them to put up with its shortcomings, and it did them well. And just as important, it offered an experience that was unique that really set it apart from its contemporaries. That's Windows Phone 7.
But for someone like you, who has specific apps you're looking for, there's no 1:1 comparison. Most of what you're looking for simply doesn't exist yet. There's also the fact that there's some glaring issues that could (and should) be fixed with the first update. Things like camera settings which go back to default every time you leave the camera. Or stability issues with IE, Marketplace, and Voice Command which require the phone to be restarted. These are issues that every platform goes through in their first version. We're expecting two updates in Q1 2011, one in January that's supposed to contain copy and paste and a number of fixes. It's been rumored to be huge but I've heard some chatter from MS employees to the contrary. There's also another update expected in February. Between the two of these, many people's issues with the OS itself should be fixed. And by the time we see 4G-capable Windows Phone devices on Verizon (i'm guessing sometime in Q2 at the earliest), the app situation will have improved a bit with the release of an updated SDK. It just needs time.
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