because I'm on T-Mobile and it was either that or the Lumia 710...and I like the Radar better than the Lumia.
Why did YOU buy your Radar?
- Thread starter TaliZorah
- Start date
my wife wanted a new phone with a better camera then her crackberry, orderedit for her and when it got here she wasnt so fond of the touchscreen after being on a BB for so long. I took it and and gave her my crackberry and now use the Radar for myself and after several times of her using my phone for a myriad of different things she finally had me order 1 for here from wirefly last night.
crystinonfire
New member
I've been trying to explain this to my Android-loving friends. I came from two "high end" Android phones (Nexus S and LG G2x), and they're both bug-ridden lagfests. Heck...I couldn't even get music to play back on either phone without skips and stutters.
Windows Phone may be lacking in certain areas, but it's on its second iteration, whereas Android is on its...what...fourth or fifth? WP7 is fast, Fast, FAST, and I love its simplicity. While I can't "drill down" into my social networks like I could with Android and dedicated apps, I've come to appreciate that "this is a phone," and enjoy being able to just get in and out. On top of that, everything else just works...and works remarkably well.
I use Macs and generally don't like Windows, but Microsoft has made me a believer with WP7, and if the improvements they made from 7 to 7.5 are any indication, I've got plenty of faith that in its next update or two, WP is really going to hit a stride.
Called an asked for the cancellation department
They knew I already planned to switch since I had gotten the HTC Titan and my number was on file to be transferred so they offered me this deal and sent the htc radar for me to try out which I ended up keeping.
ubizmo
New member
I bought a Radar on eBay (new) for a good price; haven't received it yet. I've read a lot about Mango, all positive, and played with a Radar owned by a friend. I don't know how I'll like it, and I'm certainly not dumping my BlackBerry 9900 anytime soon, but I felt like I wanted to try it out. I have the sense that the OS is on the right track, emulating what's good in iOS and adding its own interpretation. I insist on good battery life, and that's why the Radar was the one I finally chose.
TheWeeBear
New member
I'm sure you'll really enjoy your Radar when it arrives, hope you don't have to wait too long for its arrival, then you can maybe share with us what you think about it.
Welcome along to WPCentral ubizm0
speedtouch
New member
Ah ha, I see. Thanks for the response. And do they throttle you at 2GB or 5GB? Are you on a contract or monthly?
Well, to start off, I owned a myTouch 3G for a long time and I was due for an upgrade. I never thought I would switch from an android device as I had already unlocked my android device and enjoyed the plethora of functionality on the OS. It always bugged me how clunky the OS was and I just assumed a newer android device with better specs would create a more smooth experience. Needless to say, I saw a buddy from work with the radar and I tested it out and was blown away. The OS was smooth and the UI just looked so modern that I was sold from the get go. He told me he got it for a great price and by the end of the week I had my very own radar. I think if more people knew of the windows 7 OS they would be switching from Android a lot sooner. I'm excited to see what windows brings to the table with the next update and I'm considering unlocking this windows phone once I get around to it.
TheWeeBear
New member
We all just take the buttery smoothness for granted now, it just never stops.
Glad you're enjoying your new Windows Phone and you have a lot to look forward to with future updates I'm sure.
And welcome along to WPCentral butcherz.
ubizmo
New member
Click to view quoted image
I'm sure you'll really enjoy your Radar when it arrives, hope you don't have to wait too long for its arrival, then you can maybe share with us what you think about it.
Welcome along to WPCentral ubizm0
It came today. So far, so good. There are at least three stages to owning a new smartphone, I've noticed. In phase One, everything seems new and fresh and interesting. Phase Two starts when you trip over the things that your previous device did more easily, or efficiently, or whatever. That's when you get frustrated and start mumbling things like "I can't believe it's this hard to do X". Phase Three starts when you actually know your way around the device, and learn to separate your habits from the objective characteristics of the phone.
So, I'm in Phase One. Everything is new and intriguing.
I like what I see so far. Setting up various accounts, and establishing a consolidated email inbox was refreshingly easy. I'm just now learning my way around Zune. The main apps I need are available, with the exception of Audible. I gather I'm not the only one waiting for that one.
I do miss auto-text...aha it's Phase Two! But the predictive text isn't bad.
TheWeeBear
New member
That's a good methodology ubizm0, phases, I like that. Hope the next phase is to your liking, I'm sure it will be.
ubizmo
New member
I'm typing on the device now. It's going to take some getting used to but not too bad. The predictive text is decent.
I'm pleased with the ease with which bloatware can be removed,compared to the BlackBerry or anything else I've tried. The missing Audible app is almost a deal breaker but from what I've read it's in the pipeline.
I'm still trying to figure out whether it's better to type with one finger or try to get the hang of two thumbs.
I was hoping for a decent AIM Gtalk app, but so far I've only tried Qiss Chat, which isn't the best.
I had a little trouble with podcasts, which are another important thing for me, but that seems okay now.
Is there a way to set the default font size in the browser (or elsewhere)? It's a little ironic to have a bigger screen than the BlackBerry but have to squint more.
I'm pleased with the ease with which bloatware can be removed,compared to the BlackBerry or anything else I've tried. The missing Audible app is almost a deal breaker but from what I've read it's in the pipeline.
I'm still trying to figure out whether it's better to type with one finger or try to get the hang of two thumbs.
I was hoping for a decent AIM Gtalk app, but so far I've only tried Qiss Chat, which isn't the best.
I had a little trouble with podcasts, which are another important thing for me, but that seems okay now.
Is there a way to set the default font size in the browser (or elsewhere)? It's a little ironic to have a bigger screen than the BlackBerry but have to squint more.
ubizmo
New member
Some Phase Two moments....
The absence of Audible is a real problem. I was using it daily and there's simply no substitute. Ironically, Audible hasn't created an app for the BB 9900 yet either, but the 9700 version works, although the onscreen font is tiny, so I'm using it for now.
On the subject of fine print, the absence of text reflow in Mango may well be a deal-breaker. I didn't expect this. At 58, I don't want to have to squint to see things in the browser, but that's what I'm doing. The irony here is that one of the attractions of the Radar is the larger screen, but the BB 9900 screen is actually wider, and it lets me choose a large default browser font, reflowing web text to fill the screen in that size. The end result is generally very readable without constant scrolling.
WP needs to get this. Maybe the Tango update?
To me, there are two places where the "rubber meets the road" in a smartphone. One is the keyboard. Obviously, hardware keyboards are a whole other matter, but touch keyboards can vary too. I think the Radar has a good keyboard, but it would be desirable to have a few other options, such as Swype, or something similar.
I noticed that if I type in a word and then hit <space> twice, it inserts a period and a space, as BB does. This is good. But if I use predictive text, it doesn't work. A space after the word appears, and hitting <space> again doesn't produce a period. Not so good. These little details count.
The absence of Audible is a real problem. I was using it daily and there's simply no substitute. Ironically, Audible hasn't created an app for the BB 9900 yet either, but the 9700 version works, although the onscreen font is tiny, so I'm using it for now.
On the subject of fine print, the absence of text reflow in Mango may well be a deal-breaker. I didn't expect this. At 58, I don't want to have to squint to see things in the browser, but that's what I'm doing. The irony here is that one of the attractions of the Radar is the larger screen, but the BB 9900 screen is actually wider, and it lets me choose a large default browser font, reflowing web text to fill the screen in that size. The end result is generally very readable without constant scrolling.
WP needs to get this. Maybe the Tango update?
To me, there are two places where the "rubber meets the road" in a smartphone. One is the keyboard. Obviously, hardware keyboards are a whole other matter, but touch keyboards can vary too. I think the Radar has a good keyboard, but it would be desirable to have a few other options, such as Swype, or something similar.
I noticed that if I type in a word and then hit <space> twice, it inserts a period and a space, as BB does. This is good. But if I use predictive text, it doesn't work. A space after the word appears, and hitting <space> again doesn't produce a period. Not so good. These little details count.
HeyCori
Mod Emeritus
Have you looked into IM+ for Google Talk? There's a free and pro version.
http://www.windowsphone.com/en-US/apps/7c59963c-ddae-e011-a53c-78e7d1fa76f8
ubizmo
New member
Yes, thanks, I finally found that and installed it. It works better than the Qiss program. It's at least as good as BeeJive on my BB; maybe better.
My two remaining major issues are: Audible, and text size/reflow. In my last message, I didn't get to the other core issue where "the rubber meets the road", and that is the interaction with the eyes. We interact with these things with eyes, fingers, and ears. As far as ears go, the speaker is a bit soft, but adequate. I've already commented on fingers. Concerning eyes...the display is generally clean and attractive, but the inability to set the text size in the browser, and the lack of auto-wrap/reflow are serious shortcomings. Having to zoom and scroll on most text-heavy web sites really is a deal-breaker.
But I understand that some sort of OS upgrade is due, and we can hope that it addresses this issue.
As for Audible, it's supposedly coming in March. I'm a little skeptical, since it's an Amazon company, and Amazon has been known to promise and not deliver.
SebasCvdB
New member
Actually my wife bought the radar 4G but she didn't like it and I did so I gave her my Samsung Galaxy S 4G for the Radar... Love it! Android can suck it for now.
What did she not like about it? Hard to believe someone couldn't like this phone. I've had iPhones and Android phones, and I absolutely love my Radar 4G. iPhone was good, but I got tired of forking over a load of cash to big blue every month, and the Nexus S and LG G2x I had both sucked like a $5 Saigon hooker.
Good battery life, great build quality, and doesn't use micro sim. I wish the screen had slightly better viewing angles, but I'm very satisfied.
ubizmo
New member
The speakers could be a little louder. Compared to my BB, listening to podcasts in the car on the Radar is less enjoyable.
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