Making a guide: Google services on Windows Phones

[illegaloperation]

Transition is hard, but it's especially hard for those on Android who depends heavily on Google services to switch to Windows Phone.

This is especially true of many friends who really like Windows Phones, but are afraid of switching due those services. With Google declaring that it currently has no plan to release more apps for Windows Phone, I hope to compile a comprehensive guide for those who need it.

Since I am NOT very much into the Google ecosystem, I will need a lot of help.

So lets get started.

YouTube
The default YouTube app is a disgrace since it does nothing more than sent you to the mobile YouTube site. Fortunately, there's an undisputable best YouTube app on Windows Phone: Metrotube

Gmail and Google Calendar
If you want to use push notification for Gmail and sync multiple Google Calendars, read here: How to use Google services in Windows Phone 8

Google Maps
If you like neither Bing Maps nor Nokia Maps and want to use Google Maps, give gMaps a go. It uses Google Maps and comes in an ad-supported free version and a paid version.

Google Voice
With Google Voice, there are more than one choice. MetroTalk has a neat interface and comes in an ad-supported free version and a paid version. If you don't like MetroTalk, you may try GoVoice which is free.

Google Talk
It's best know alternative is GChat (free) and GChat+ (paid). You may also want to try IM+/IM+ Pro which support Google Talk as well as other IM services

Google Music
If you want a Google Play music player for your Windows Phone, Gooroovster is the app to get and it's free.

Google Search
There's a Google Search app, but don't bother downloading it. Just go to google.com. The app is inferior in everyway.

 

[nathanb131]

Good thread. Syncing multiple google calendars is a bit of a trick. See our thread here to learn how. http://forums.windowscentral.com/nokia-lumia-920/201231-syncing-multiple-google-calandars.html

 

[nathanb131]

Cloud storage:
Gdrive: no solution yet right?
Dropbox: very good 3rd party solutions and official one has been announced (pretty sure I saw that somewhere).
Skydrive: Really great dropbox alternative and way cheaper!

 

[illegaloperation]

Cloud storage:
Gdrive: no solution yet right?
Dropbox: very good 3rd party solutions and official one has been announced (pretty sure I saw that somewhere).
Skydrive: Really great dropbox alternative and way cheaper!

As of right now, there's no solution for Google Drive. A switch to SkyDrive is necessary.

There's also nothing for Google+ right now. Users will have to use the mobile site.

I can see why Google doesn't want to release more apps for Windows Phone: make it harder to switch to Windows Phone.

 

[theomodsim]

I wrote an app for Google Cloud Print, KumoPrint: KumoPrint | Windows Phone Apps+Games Store (United States). The app allows you to print web pages and SkyDrive documents/photos to any Google Cloud Print-connected printer. User feedback for the app has in general been very good.

 

[brmiller1976]

The focus should be a "bridge, then migrate" strategy IMO. In other words, here's a crutch to get you over to WP, and then here are wholesale replacements for Google services from other providers.

 

[nathanb131]

The focus should be a "bridge, then migrate" strategy IMO. In other words, here's a crutch to get you over to WP, and then here are wholesale replacements for Google services from other providers.

Agree completely! Once MS finally upgrades live calendar then I'm migrating from gcal/gmail.

 

[illegaloperation]

It looks like the road is getting tougher. Google is going to kill Exchange ActiveSync for most Gmail users.

 

[crystal_planet]

It looks like the road is getting tougher. Google is going to kill Exchange ActiveSync for most Gmail users.

That's by design I'm sure. Google is engaging in some bs power play against Windows users. I love how these guys believe Microsoft is a weak, ineffectual player stuck in the past.

 

[crystal_planet]

The focus should be a "bridge, then migrate" strategy IMO. In other words, here's a crutch to get you over to WP, and then here are wholesale replacements for Google services from other providers.

That will never happen. Microsoft doesn't have the resources. (he said with tongue firmly planted in cheek)

 

[brmiller1976]

I'm starting to think that "kill ActiveSync and replace it with craptacular IMAP" is Google's version of the Apple Maps fiasco.

There's so much potential here for Microsoft to talk about what makes Outlook.com better -- on the web, on your PC, and on your phone.

 

[illegaloperation]

I'm starting to think that "kill ActiveSync and replace it with craptacular IMAP" is Google's version of the Apple Maps fiasco.

There's so much potential here for Microsoft to talk about what makes Outlook.com better -- on the web, on your PC, and on your phone.

I wouldn't be surprise if there's a backlash. It's not just Windows Phone users that are affected. Plenty of iOS users and BlackBerry users uses Exchange ActiveSync to get push email.

That's by design I'm sure. Google is engaging in some bs power play against Windows users. I love how these guys believe Microsoft is a weak, ineffectual
player stuck in the past.

Make no mistake about it. Google has just declared war on Windows Phone.

 

[brmiller1976]

Dear Google:

"Windows Phone is so insignificant that we're marshaling resources and declaring war on it" just doesn't quite sound right to me. :winktongue:

 

[Laura Knotek]

Microsoft could also support CalDAV if it wanted to. The only CalDAV client supported by Microsoft is iCal4OL. OpenConnector was abandoned in 2008.

 

[brmiller1976]

Microsoft should support CalDAV, with a warning dialog that "this standard is insecure and uses more battery -- consider switching to Outlook.com to get the best mobile sync experience."

 

[Laura Knotek]

Microsoft should support CalDAV, with a warning dialog that "this standard is insecure and uses more battery -- consider switching to Outlook.com to get the best mobile sync experience."

Outlook.com would be fine if it supported IMAP. It's great if one uses desktop Outlook, but it is a failure if one uses Evolution or Thunderbird, which do not support proprietary MAPI.

 

[a5cent]

Microsoft could also support CalDAV if it wanted to. The only CalDAV client supported by Microsoft is iCal4OL. OpenConnector was abandoned in 2008.

Agree. Although they are still deciding on how to respond, that is likely their only option. Unfortunately, that will divert developers away from completing other tasks we WP users have long been asking for, which would have benefited us more.

 

[brmiller1976]

IMAP *sucks* for mobile users. It's a huge battery drain.

Google's "fix" for this is to remove push e-mail support from IMAP on its services, which means you're back to 1999, when your Symbian phone polled the server every 15 or 30 minutes to get e-mail.

That puts Gmail in the bush leagues for serious mobile e-mail users.