give me a 950 running WP8.1 Denim!

[afkaboogieman]

After spending the weekend with my 950, i have to say i haven't had severe issues like some others have posted but overall i'm disappointed. I didn't participate in the Insider Preview for WP10, so this was my first exposure to it. All I can say is, it's a typical OS upgrade from Microsoft. They improve a few things, and break a bunch of things that were already great. Here's my list of gripes.

Design - Who suggested that putting a picture in a circle and framing that circle in a square was a good thing? It looks like MS is literally trying to put round pegs into square holes. Keep your icon photos square. It's Microsoft, your icons should be square.

Menus - I'm not going to get into the big debate of Hamburger vs. Dots. Just pick one and be consistent. I never know where to look for option settings from app to app, and it's very disorienting. Instead of taking everyone's feedback and measuring votes, creating an endless feedback cycle where no one is ultimately happy, find one system that works and let the masses adapt.

Windows Hello - If my lock screen doesn't require a password after 3 mins, don't engage until 3 mins. Also, just too inconsistent, and a battery drain. Maybe it will be better after an update, but staring at my phone for 2 seconds to unlock it right now just feels unnatural.

Voice recognition - Just sloppy, and it's not learning. Maybe it'll get better?

Cortana - The biggest offender of all. You were the crown jewel of Windows Phone, beautiful, smart, and deeply integrated. What we have here is not Cortana, it's just Bing search. Get the look right. Get the integration right. And the "Hey Cortana" responsiveness is *TOO RESPONSIVE* - it starts chirping in responding to my regular conversation, when I did NOT say a word that sounds like "Cortana".

It's a shame really, because it so many ways it's the no-compromise phone we've been waiting for. Might not be the prettiest phone on the block, but it has better specs than an iPhone 6S or Galaxy S6, future-proof design, expandable storage, wireless charging, replaceable battery, excellent camera, etc. etc. Even Continuum, which I haven't had a chance to use yet, whether I like it or not, I love the idea of it and what it bodes for the future of Microsoft.

But it kills me, because this is supposed to be their phone for the fans. And it ends up being the classic Microsoft story - the last OS was better, "let the upgrader beware".

 

[ashram]

I can agree with some of your point, like the circle on the square bit for your contacts. Not a fan.

Hamburger vs "..." Doesn't bug me 1 bit
As for hey Cortana, my sp2 I'd WAY more sensitive. I was in a room of Japanese speakers and my surface pro 2 was going nuts thinking someone said Hwy Cortana every other minute.

I guess I am happy with win 10 mobile for 2 big reasons. Paid games from windows phone 7 are available to download again (HYDRO THUNDER!!!!) and apps that were no longer available on wp8.1 can be redownloaded, like Photosynth!

 

[DavidinCT]

Hamburger vs "..." Doesn't bug me 1 bit

He's got a SOLID point. One of the things you get with a MODERN phone is a consistent experiance through the whole device. WIndows Phone 7 was like that, every app was the same with the "..." and same with 8.0. It made it smooth and always know where to go for settings on a app or program.

From 8.1 (and Cortana), they added the "Hambuger" menus, Love them or hate them, it's not consistent because most WP apps use the "..."

Was there really a marketing team that go together and said the "..." does not work ? Why was this not done on Windows Phone 7 and KEPT through out the whole OS.... ??

All I can say is, it's a typical OS upgrade from Microsoft. They improve a few things, and break a bunch of things that were already great.

At least that is one thing that is 100% consistent. They have done this on every OS, I hate the software model that all companies go by now "Let's get it out on XX/XX date NO matter what, we'll just fix it with updates"

Even worse for Gamers these days, Xbox, Xbox one, PS3, PS4, they all follow this model. In a way, I miss the old NES cart days, as they HAD to fully test and delay if needed because there was NO update model unless it was a recall, so a software error was a BIG DEAL.

Does it hut the bottom line that much to delay it a few months to get it right ?

 

[ashram]

He's got a SOLID point. One of the things you get with a MODERN phone is a consistent experiance through the whole device. WIndows Phone 7 was like that, every app was the same with the "..." and same with 8.0. It made it smooth and always know where to go for settings on a app or program.

From 8.1 (and Cortana), they added the "Hambuger" menus, Love them or hate them, it's not consistent.

Was there really a marketing team that go together and said the "..." does not work ? Why was this not done on Windows Phone 7 and KEPT through out the whole OS.... ??



At least that is one thing that is 100% consistent. They have done this on every OS, I hate the software model that all companies go by now "Let's get it out on XX/XX date NO matter what, we'll just fix it with updates"

Even worse for Gamers these days, Xbox, Xbox one, PS3, PS4, they all follow this model. In a way, I miss the old NES cart days, as they HAD to fully test and delay if needed because there was NO update model unless it was a recall, so a software error was a BIG DEAL.

the update part i can agree with.... i hate popping in a game day 1 and having to download a multi GB fix before playing....

 

[Rupert Holmes]

Totally agree. I was in the preview, Lumina 635 bought just for testing. There was feedback against the circles from the start. A simple option would have fixed the complaints. Many asked for repeating notification for missed calls and text, ignored. I have had a 950XL for one day and have double tapped the screen many times, does not work, guess I missed the memo. In defense of Cortana, my laptop and SP3 has calmed down. I was never impressed with Siri either. I just wanted a faster 1020, 950XL is not it. Do I send it back, give up and go Android?

 

[Skyway]

Windows Hello - If my lock screen doesn't require a password after 3 mins, don't engage until 3 mins. Also, just too inconsistent, and a battery drain. Maybe it will be better after an update, but staring at my phone for 2 seconds to unlock it right now just feels unnatural.

Where have you been looking while unlocking previous devices? Do you turn your head and look away?

I don't know about you but I've ALWAYS looked at my screen while unlocking it, which usually takes more than 2 seconds to enter a pin/trace a pattern.

 

[RTGent]

These are taste and learning issues, I believe. I like the hamburger and other design choices that are consistent with the design intent to make W10 comparable across platforms. I've now had/learned some of these with my Win10 Surface Pro 2, and like the similarities for optimizing my learning and the multi-device functionality. I'm very pleased, generally, with 10, although I DO need TWO things restored SOON on my 950: my Glance screen functionality, which I'm confident is coming; and the integrated music listen/link to the Store Bing feature in 8.1, which I'm less confident about on day 8. Far from a deal-breaker, though; I will moan about it constantly, though not here. |wink|

 

[zombie0]

I am partially of the same mind. I too did not participate in the Insider previews so this is my first experience with Windows 10 Mobile. I've been using 8.1 on my Lumia 920 that I just replaced with a 950.

Overall, I am satisfied, but I have many similar and small complaints. One is the design motif is losing its uniquely "Windows" feel. Many applications look anonymous at best, and too similar to Android at worst. I am not using Android because I preferred the design and UI motif of Windows. It's a bit of a shame for Windows to look more like Android with this release.

Font sizing is a bit inconsistent and odd. I suppose this may just be in apps that haven't been updated for Windows 10. Some top-bill apps retain a Metro-like UI, which contributes to the design schizophrenia.

I am baffled at some of the animation choppiness I see. Clearly the CPU in this phone is superior to my 920, but the scrolling often stutters in Microsoft's own apps like News. The scrolling also seems really twitchy, sometimes accelerating just as I release my finger from the screen—a really disorienting behavior. It's as if the phone registered a "flick" motion when all I did was lift my finger from the screen.

Other things are just subtle annoyances. I used to be able to replace the icon at the bottom left of the browser to be the Favorites icon (rather than Tabs). I no longer can do that. So navigating to favorites is now multiple steps every time.

Biggest pet peeve: Unlocking just scrolls the time/date from the lock screen, and it does not scroll the Bing background photo. It's not like you're lifting one page ot reveal your home page. It just doesn't look right at all.