Really want to like wp... Please help me transition

[kyeo138]

So I get a great discount on AT&T, I don't have a personal cell phone now (work Htc inspire droid) and my wife has a droid x on verizon. We're both moving over to AT&T on a family plan and ordered new 1cent phones this weekend. I got the Titan and she got the focus s. They're on the way now and I'm nervous about getting her to like it. I guess I'm nervous about it too really. Some things that may be sticking points are

• No pandora
• No sd card
• No xbox or xbox live account or a xune (no apple stuff either for that matter)
• no google maps or navigation?!
• No google talk or any google support it seems
• other droid apps that aren't in wp... Fav local radio station streaming, shortyz free crossword, star legends, etc...

Are these things easily overcome? Im sure we're not the only people making the switch to wp from droid that have these concerns.

Are there any suggestions to help us make this switch - maybe alternative apps etc? Is wp a waste if you don't have an xbox? In the store that seemed to be a big part of the phone.

I really want to like these phones over droid. Mainly because of the better battery life and the cool metro ui. Any tips would be greatly appreciated, thanks!

We only have windows pc and laptop, So maybe that will help. We both do use gmail via outlook for our primary email, calendars, and contacts. Will that be any issue?

 

[DKM-Eby]

Well, I'm not entirely sure how to address all your concerns, but my Windows Phone came with a "Maps" application that has up to the second GPS tracking and navigation, and a very precise mapping system of my city that has helped me quite a bit.

Also, there are countless mapping apps that you can download. And a "Google Maps" application is also available.

 

[Major]

There are Pandora alternatives. SD expansion is a noticeable omission, but cloud storage via Skydrive mitigates it. You don't need an XBox Live account. There are Bing maps, plus there's the gMaps downloadable app. If you're dead set on having the full complement of Google apps, then you should probably stay with Android. I for one, have found suitable replacements for every app I need coming from Android, except for one (and I am able to circumvent this via the browser).

 

[kyeo138]

Thanks, the phones should get here tomorrow so I can't wait to start messing with them. As long as there's some type of free navigation - the guy at the store wasn't sure. He kept showing me xbox live stuff!

Also, just saw on the main page a pandora solution is on the way: http://www.windowscentral.com/unofficial-pandora-app-metro-radio-windows-phone-7-works-video


I'm not as worried about the sd card thing. 16GB is quite a bit, and an additional 25gb from the cloud should be more than enough for me.

 

[Bearach]

Deleted.

 

[jfa1]

Thanks, the phones should get here tomorrow so I can't wait to start messing with them. As long as there's some type of free navigation - the guy at the store wasn't sure. He kept showing me xbox live stuff!

Also, just saw on the main page a pandora solution is on the way: http://www.windowscentral.com/unofficial-pandora-app-metro-radio-windows-phone-7-works-video


I'm not as worried about the sd card thing. 16GB is quite a bit, and an additional 25gb from the cloud should be more than enough for me.

There are changes in the air for skydrive to continue to make it better and closer to dropbox etc. Soon there willl be 25gb or storage (more coming even some sort of pay for added gbs but unlimited picture storage and 25 gb for other data. Other stuff down the road there are some articles on LiveSide.net

 

[kyeo138]

Thanks, didn't know about TuneIn - the couple stations I listen to are in the list.
With all these 1cent deals going on this holiday season, I think there's going to be a spike in WP device usage. With it growing, the wp market will only get better.

I was getting kind of anxious because 'this' wasn't there and 'that' wasn't supported, but the more I look at it - it's really the same as if I were switching to iOS.

So what games are out there that are worth playing and/or paying for?

 

[TaliZorah]

Thanks, didn't know about TuneIn - the couple stations I listen to are in the list.
With all these 1cent deals going on this holiday season, I think there's going to be a spike in WP device usage. With it growing, the wp market will only get better.

I was getting kind of anxious because 'this' wasn't there and 'that' wasn't supported, but the more I look at it - it's really the same as if I were switching to iOS.

So what games are out there that are worth playing and/or paying for?

My favorite games (in no order) are:
FREE:
- Survivalcraft.
- Mafia Pizza Car

Xbox Live:
- Oregon Trail
- Hydro Thunder Go
- Tentacles
- Gravity Guy
- Angry Birds
- The Harvest
- Fusion: Sentient
- Jet Car Stunts WP
- Fable Coin Golf

 

[Jake_M]

So I get a great discount on AT&T, I don't have a personal cell phone now (work Htc inspire droid) and my wife has a droid x on verizon. We're both moving over to AT&T on a family plan and ordered new 1cent phones this weekend. I got the Titan and she got the focus s. They're on the way now and I'm nervous about getting her to like it. I guess I'm nervous about it too really. Some things that may be sticking points are

• No pandora
• No sd card
• No xbox or xbox live account or a xune (no apple stuff either for that matter)
• no google maps or navigation?!
• No google talk or any google support it seems
• other droid apps that aren't in wp... Fav local radio station streaming, shortyz free crossword, star legends, etc...

Are these things easily overcome? Im sure we're not the only people making the switch to wp from droid that have these concerns.

Are there any suggestions to help us make this switch - maybe alternative apps etc? Is wp a waste if you don't have an xbox? In the store that seemed to be a big part of the phone.

I really want to like these phones over droid. Mainly because of the better battery life and the cool metro ui. Any tips would be greatly appreciated, thanks!

We only have windows pc and laptop, So maybe that will help. We both do use gmail via outlook for our primary email, calendars, and contacts. Will that be any issue?

-Last.fm is better than Pandora.
-Not sure about SD card. Never needed one. Use cloud storage.
-You don't need a Zune account necessarily. I use Xbox but it doesn't make my phone any better. If you want music make a Zune account.
-Bing maps has great navigation. There are other nav/gps apps in the Marketplace. There is full
-Google contact/calendar/email syncing in WP7. I don't know why you missed that. You can sign into gTalk with multiple apps in the Marketplace. I use IM+.
-I don't know anything about those other apps.

 

[sloppy standard]

[*]no google maps or navigation?!
[*]No google talk or any google support it seems
[*]other droid apps that aren't in wp...
[/LIST]

Are these things easily overcome? Im sure we're not the only people making the switch to wp from droid that have these concerns.

We only have windows pc and laptop, So maybe that will help. We both do use gmail via outlook for our primary email, calendars, and contacts. Will that be any issue?

I think when you say "droid" you mean Android? Or the Droid phone?

Anyway, I've just made the switch from Android, too, mostly because I :thought: I hated Google. I still do, and I still love the WP7.5 GUI, but I sorely miss Google maps on my old HTC Android. I was able to drop pins, to tap on restaurants and be taken to tripadvisor reviews, tap on metro stations and shown transit info. It it VERY comprehensive.

I have the Nokia Lumia 800 (I live in France) and the three maps combined, Bing Maps, Nokia Maps, and Nokia Drive, don't do have half the user interaction as Google maps on Android.

I haven't had the occasion yet to use Nokia Drive as a true GPS, I've just been using it while walking around Paris. It seems to be accurate, but I can't say it's a great GPS. It is free, and the downloaded maps will be great once I use it abroad.

As for apps, I've found every app or a good substitute on Windows Marketplace that I had on my Android. Still waiting for a reliable Squeezbox app, but I think it's not long to go

Another qualm with Bing maps is you can drop ONE pin, and ask for directions from where you are, but only driving directions and Bing really stinks outside of the US so it can't even get one block away from my home here in Paris.