A lot of Questions about Windows Phone 8.1

[chobo2]

Hi

I might be getting a lumia 1020, well actually I have gotten one through the dvlup program but it is locked to Rogers (I did try to unlock from 3rd party vendors but these dvlup phones seem to be super locked and can't be unlocked by 3rd party), since my provider is not Rogers and I did not want to switch providers, my lumia 1020 been sitting in the closet for the last 88 days.

Now on Sunday is the magic 90 days that they should unlock it as that's what they been telling me for the last 88 days.....though the rogers sales rep I talked to yesterday at the store told me he has doubts they will actually do it......provided I don't end selling this phone and walking away forever from windows phone because I can't get it unlocked I have a whole bunch of questions.

My last phone windows phone was lumia 800, I loved the phone but when I switched to Wind to get a super promo plan I had to give it up and get a cheap android phone which I hate(I learned you better go expensive with android or not at all).

I do like some features from Android though and I hope that Windows Phone 8.1 has most of these, I been playing around with the phone a bit and I am really impressed by it right now but still trying to figure stuff out.

Lets start with the big one Apps

Phono

this app tells me my provider, alerts me if I am roaming and tells if data is on or off.

I know the phone tile will tell me my provider but is there something to tell me if data is on or off? and alert me if I am roaming?

Agent
this app has many features but the one I care about is "sleep". I like that I can setup my phone to have times where it silences calls(expect from numbers that I have specified, like family) during hours I sleep and same thing with text messages.

While looking at driving mode article it said something about "quite hours" but I cannot find this option.

Youtube
I am also looking for a good youtube app, I believe there is no offical app for windows phone? So what is the best 3rd party one out there?

Fitness App
I know there is a thread on this site about it, I have yet to go through it but what is the top app right now for this?

I have found most the apps but have not been able to test them really out yet, I am sure if I start using the phone I will remember others but for now these are the ones I have not been able to find

Here Maps & Here Drive
I first don't get really the difference between these 2 apps, Here maps seems to do driving directions just like Here Drive. Seems almost redundant.

Here Drive

1. Can I organize my favorites?
2. Can I find all routes(Google Maps will show you a list of all routes and then you choose one)
3. If I run into a detour how can I tell the here drive to find me a different way?
4. Does Traffic Updates Use a lot of data? How accurate is it?
5. Does Cortana Work With Here Drive
6. How often Does the maps get updated? Do you get a notification about new map updates?
7. Anyone compare Here Drive vs a Garmin Device?
8. Can I backup my favorites?

Swipe Keyboard

1. Can I add words to it?
2. With Android Swift Key, I have my predictions and stuff synced to the cloud. Does Windows Phone Do that?
3. Does it pull names from contacts? In Swift key if I start typing my email address for instance it will predicate that and use it after a few strokes
4. How do you do punctuation and numbers with swipe?

Internet Explorer

1. Is There a back button? I know there is the hardware back button but I remember on my lumia 800 that it would sometimes go back to apps if I left IE instead of back a page.
2. Hardware Search Button. How can I change it to use "Google" instead of "Bing", I found an option to change adress bar in IE to Google but that does not seem to effect the hardware one

Cortana
I know that I will have to set my region or something like that to US, but is there some tutorials on how to use it and what apps it works with?

I think that is all the questions I can remember right now, I really hope I can use my Window Phone, from the bit I used it already I can see it has improved greatly in 8.1 from 7.8

Is there any other tutorials I should read so I can get the most out of the phone?


Update 1
Been playing around with Cortana, pretty cool so far but can't wait till I don't have to hit search button to activate her each time.

I also now do see quite mode? Maybe I needed her to be enabled?

I now have a list of questions about her

1. I added my Home as Home in Places. Yet this does not seem to be shared in favorites in Here Drive, Any way to sync the 2?
2. I created a note, but how do I pull that note up by voice?
3. What Calendar Does Cortana Use? Can you set it?
4. Possible to List weather in Celsius not Fahrenheit.

 

[roni09riku]

Wow you sure do have a lot of questions. I'll help you with those I know.

Q: I know the phone tile will tell me my provider but is there something to tell me if data is on or off? and alert me if I am roaming?
A: You'll see at the top of your screen if there is any data connection active, it shows E, H/H+, etc., depending on the signal. You will also see a triangle on the top part along with the signal bars if you are on roaming.

Q: this app has many features but the one I care about is "sleep". I like that I can setup my phone to have times where it silences calls(expect from numbers that I have specified, like family) during hours I sleep and same thing with text messages.
A: Windows 8.1 has Quiet Hours for that. You can manually activate it or it'll automatically turn on in times you may set. This silences your phone except for those included in your Inner Circle. You can also toggle an option for auto-reply, however the message cannot be modified.

Q: I am also looking for a good youtube app, I believe there is no offical app for windows phone? So what is the best 3rd party one out there?
A: I use Youtube HD. It's a good app.

Q: Fitness app: I know there is a thread on this site about it, I have yet to go through it but what is the top app right now for this?
A: I use Bing Health and Fitness or Runtastic.

Q: Is There a back button? I know there is the hardware back button but I remember on my lumia 800 that it would sometimes go back to apps if I left IE instead of back a page.
A: You can simply swipe left for back and right for forward.

Q: Hardware Search Button. How can I change it to use "Google" instead of "Bing", I found an option to change adress bar in IE to Google but that does not seem to effect the hardware one.
A: The search button is assigned to Cortana, assuming you have her enabled. Even if you do disable her, you cannot use Google as the default search engine for that button.

Q: I know that I will have to set my region or something like that to US, but is there some tutorials on how to use it and what apps it works with?
A: Just simply set your keyboard, language, speech and region to English/US. After restarting you should have her on your app list. Cortana can be integrated with Facebook, Foursquare, Skype, VBA8, WPCentral, etc. (Those are the ones I have.)

Q: Is there any other tutorials I should read so I can get the most out of the phone?
A: Download the Help+Tips app. Or you can post more questions here in the future.

 

[chobo2]

Wow you sure do have a lot of questions. I'll help you with those I know.

Q: I know the phone tile will tell me my provider but is there something to tell me if data is on or off? and alert me if I am roaming?
A: You'll see at the top of your screen if there is any data connection active, it shows E, H/H+, etc., depending on the signal. You will also see a triangle on the top part along with the signal bars if you are on roaming.

Q: this app has many features but the one I care about is "sleep". I like that I can setup my phone to have times where it silences calls(expect from numbers that I have specified, like family) during hours I sleep and same thing with text messages.
A: Windows 8.1 has Quiet Hours for that. You can manually activate it or it'll automatically turn on in times you may set. This silences your phone except for those included in your Inner Circle. You can also toggle an option for auto-reply, however the message cannot be modified.

Q: I am also looking for a good youtube app, I believe there is no offical app for windows phone? So what is the best 3rd party one out there?
A: I use Youtube HD. It's a good app.

Q: Fitness app: I know there is a thread on this site about it, I have yet to go through it but what is the top app right now for this?
A: I use Bing Health and Fitness or Runtastic.

Q: Is There a back button? I know there is the hardware back button but I remember on my lumia 800 that it would sometimes go back to apps if I left IE instead of back a page.
A: You can simply swipe left for back and right for forward.

Q: Hardware Search Button. How can I change it to use "Google" instead of "Bing", I found an option to change adress bar in IE to Google but that does not seem to effect the hardware one.
A: The search button is assigned to Cortana, assuming you have her enabled. Even if you do disable her, you cannot use Google as the default search engine for that button.

Q: I know that I will have to set my region or something like that to US, but is there some tutorials on how to use it and what apps it works with?
A: Just simply set your keyboard, language, speech and region to English/US. After restarting you should have her on your app list. Cortana can be integrated with Facebook, Foursquare, Skype, VBA8, WPCentral, etc. (Those are the ones I have.)

Q: Is there any other tutorials I should read so I can get the most out of the phone?
A: Download the Help+Tips app. Or you can post more questions here in the future.

What do you mean integrated with them? Can you give examples of what I can do when integrated?

 

[roni09riku]

What do you mean integrated with them? Can you give examples of what I can do when integrated?

It means you can use Cortana's voice recognition to start that app, with the function you mentioned. For example, you can say "Foursquare check in" and she'll start up Foursquare and check you in. Open Cortana and select the "see more" option on the screen, scroll down to see the list of apps that you can use with her. The WPCentral app is also integrated so you can just say "Windows Phone Central, show me my inbox". You get the point.

 

[chobo2]

It means you can use Cortana's voice recognition to start that app, with the function you mentioned. For example, you can say "Foursquare check in" and she'll start up Foursquare and check you in. Open Cortana and select the "see more" option on the screen, scroll down to see the list of apps that you can use with her. The WPCentral app is also integrated so you can just say "Windows Phone Central, show me my inbox". You get the point.

I don't see "see more"