Hello from the UK

[skydiverian]

Long time reader of over 3 years, 1st time poster.

I'm Ian, from the UK. Thought it time to register as I've been a hardcore Windows user since I got my first PC, a business IBM desktop back in 1995.

Thought I'd use this post to go through my phone/computer history. 20 years in one post. The TLDR version - I've been using Windows for years.

My current hardware:

1. Primary Phone: Lumia 830
2. Backup Phone: Blu Win Jr LTE (UK edition)
3. Laptop: late 2015 HP Spectre x360, 512GB SSD, 8GB RAM (Win 10 preinstalled)
4. Tablet/mini hybrid: Toshiba Satellite Click Mini (upgraded to Win 10)
5. Desktop: Monster custom build, with Haswell CPU (Win8.1 Pro, upgraded from Win8 clean install)
6. HTPC: Another custom build, with 4x DVB-T HD tuners and a Drobo with 5x4TB HDDs for DVR storage (Win 7)

My phone history prior to 2010 wasn't fantastic, starting with a Philips brick phone from 1998 that I held onto for 4 years. It's the only phone I no longer have.
I then upgraded to a Sony Ericsson T200 in late 2002, followed by a Motorola V500 in late 2004 and a Sony Ericsson W980 in May 2008.

First Smartphone - Sony Ericsson Xperia X10, purchased in March 2010 on contract. While I liked the customisations Sony made, the excessive lag that got worse as I installed apps and the eventual failure of the USB socket (which also happened to the W980) led to me looking elsewhere.

Since then, I've exclusively used Windows as my daily driver. My interest started with an imported Zune HD, followed by the original announcement back in Feb 2010.

Windows Phone history:

1. Mar 2011 - Samsung Omnia 7, on T-Mobile (as my Android X10 was T-Mobile locked and had 6 months left on the contract, used for 2 years.)
2. Feb 2013 - Lumia 620 PAYG from O2 (temp phone, since given to my American other half and unlocked)
3. Apr 2013 - Lumia 920, unbranded
4. Jun 2014 - Lumia 630 Dual Sim, unbranded, imported from Hong Kong
5. Jan 2015 - Lumia 830, unbranded, current daily driver
6. Sep 2015 - Blu Win Jr LTE Dual Sim, bought as a better backup to the 630 I was using.

Since the Omnia 7 didn't support the Australian 3g standards, I bought a Nokia N9 in early 2012. I also managed to get my hands on the HP Pre 3 and HP Touchpad in late 2011.

So far as networks (or for those of you in the US, carriers) are concerned:

1. 1998-2008 - Orange UK
2. 2008-2012 - T-Mobile
3. 2012-2014 - giffgaff
4. 2014-present - three UK

I also used Vodafone Australia for 3 months in early 2012.

As for desktop computers, I had 3 from 1995-2007, all preinstalled with Windows (Win 3.11, Win98 and XP respectively). I built my own desktop in 2008 from scratch with Vista, upgraded to dual boot XP/7 in 2011. It's still in service since I have around 500 CD/DVDs with games I've bought over the years that won't run on newer hardware. I rebuilt it in 2013 with Win 8, planning to upgrade to 10.

In 2010 I built an HTPC that has been rebuilt a few times but is the same Windows install. The main components are Ivy Bridge Intel parts installed in 2012. It's staying on Win 7 since MediaPortal and the other options I've looked at don't officially support any of the 6 TV tuners I have want to buy (made by Compro, Blackgold, TBS).

Laptops & tablets - Not including the HP Touchpad mentioned above, I've had 2 cheap HP laptops from work in 2006/7, neither lasting more than 6 months. In late 2007 I bought a highend machine from the now-defunct Danish company Zepto (I could customise the component selection). The power supply failed in 2009 and I attempted to return it, however the company collapsed the day after I called to arrange service.

Since then:

1. a Toshiba N550 netbook in 2011 as my cheap travelling companion (scrapped)
2. a Surface RT in Nov 2012(now used by my other half)
3. a Sony VAIO Flip 13 in Nov 2013 (broke the display this summer, since written off)
4. a Toshiba Encore tablet (still owned but considering selling)
5. a Toshiba Satellite Click Mini bought in June
6. the laptop I'm using right now, a new HP Spectre x360 that I've had for about a month.

The netbook, Encore and Click Mini were bought as cheap devices to travel with, all costing ?250 or less.

I've registered as I'll be posting some questions separately regarding the 950 range, since the 830 has several display fault and it was bought as a sideways upgrade from the 920, rather than my planned 930 upgrade (no SD slot and no glance were deal breakers and made the 830 the better choice for me, regardless of only having the same performance as the 630).

Feel free to AMA, and say hi!

 

[jmshub]

Hello, thanks for joining! Welcome to the message board. We'll be looking forward to your contributions to the conversation! Like you, many will be looking forward to the release of the 950 and 950XL.

 

[ven07]

For some reason I get the sense that I know you..Well the "gadgets" part of you anyways lol

Welcome to the forums Ian

 

[RumoredNow]

Wow. That's quite a remembery you have there.

Welcome.

I was particularly struck by:

Primary Phone: Lumia 830
Backup Phone: Blu Win Jr LTE

Seems fitting to me as I have:
Primary Phone: Lumia 1520
Backup Phone: BLU Win HD LTE

Proportionally speaking we are a match. :winktongue:


Great to have you here after lurking so long. I hope you make yourself at home.

 

[eusty]

Why did it take you 3 years to post? Sounds like you have a great knowledge of WP!

Welcome

 

[Josiah23]

Welcome to Windows Central! 3 years is a long wait. I'm assuming that you probably know what's going around here and where everything is already, since you've been here way longer than me. I've been trying to find people with the default (guest) name and convince them to sign up, since it's easy and free, like the one below. (I didn't know I had a follower until now.)

 

[ven07]

I've been trying to find people with the default (guest) name and convince them to sign up

Also notify them that they need to send me an entrance fee kidding kidding, don't kill me

 

[Josiah23]

Also notify them that they need to send me an entrance fee kidding kidding, don't kill me

Lmao! I tell them to pay the entrance fee which is following me. I'm not sure if it's a new feature on the mobile nations apps or a Tapatalk app feature.

 

[TechFreak1]

Since many of the posters have already said my thoughts out loud, I'm only left with one option :winktongue::grincry::

Welcome to the forums!

 

[ven07]

Since many of the posters have already said my thoughts out loud, I'm only left with one option :winktongue::grincry::

Welcome to the forums!

it's a blood sport xd

 

[rhapdog]

Welcome, Ian. Glad to have you finally join us.

Like you, I was a lurker for a bit. Learning everything I could from reading the posts. I wasn't having any trouble with my phones, so I just sat back and absorbed. Yeah, well, I absorb pretty quickly. After 3 days, I had learned enough I knew the answers for some of the people with questions on the forums, and I decided to join up just to have a place I could feel useful. I guess I answered too many too well, because they liked me and asked me to be an ambassador. LOL.

There are many, many people here, which you probably already know, that are very helpful to people with questions. Then there are others here that will try to argue your socks off, and some that will ask for a glass of water, then then when you give them one they complain that either the glass was too small, wasn't filled enough, or is the wrong color. In other words, we've got a little bit of everything to keep everyone busy and happy here. I love it here, and hope you will as well.

 

[ven07]

because they liked me and asked me to be an ambassador

And eventually made you a senior

 

[rhapdog]

And eventually made you a senior

I thought I was made Senior because I'm in the over 50 club?

 

[ven07]

I thought I was made Senior because I'm in the over 50 club?

That just made the decision easier lol

 

[Ed Boland]

Welcome! Glad you finally decided to post up!

 

[worldspy99]

Welcome to the forums Ian. Thanks for the great intro. I did not treat it as TLDR and did read through it!

 

[skydiverian]

Thanks for the kind words of welcome! When I get round to it I'll share the story on getting the Lumia 620 repaired earlier this year, I'll link here when it's posted - its' a good story that cost me around ?50 since the warranty had just expired.

Also on the non WP side of things, skydiving questions are welcome too - hence the username. I'm pretty inexperienced with 44 jumps to my name but am licenced and legally qualified to bail from a perfectly flyable aeroplane.

 

[rhapdog]

Skydiving, eh. I've always thought you had to be a bit out of your mind do go skydiving. If that holds true, then you'll probably fit in quite well here.

 

[Josiah23]

I plan on going skydiving in 2017

 

[Muessig]

Hi Ian, whereabout are you in the UK? I'm in the UK too. It's always nice to read all about fellow MS addicts stories. Welcome!