Going from webOS to windows phone 7?

[mdram]

Hi everyone. I'm pretty new to this forum but I've been a webOS Nation member for years. My webOS phone broke and I've been thinking about moving to a Lumia 900. Are there former webOS users out there who made the switch to WP7? How has the transition been? WP7 seems like the only other OS I could enjoy using. I've used iOS and played with older Android phones but they weren't for me.

 

[Squatting Hen]

I have a touchpad but not a webOS phone. I really do like my WP. At least you will get more apps than what you are used to. If you are considering a 900 I think...tomorrow might be the last day to get it "free" with the credit from Nokia.

Looks like you have 30 days to try it out if you wanted:

Wireless from AT&T.


Equipment
If the equipment you purchased directly from AT&T does not meet your expectations, you may return or, for all equipment other than equipment sold as a "Closeout Item," exchange it at any AT&T owned retail store within 30 days from the date the equipment was purchased or shipped, except for tablets and MOTOROLA LAPDOCKTM for MOTOROLA ATRIXTM4G, which must be returned within 14 days of purchase. Equipment purchased from att.com/wireless or directly from AT&T over the phone may also be returned by mail. If returning your equipment to AT&T by mail, please retain a copy of the tracking number from the shipping carrier for your records. Depending on the reason for the return, return shipping charges may apply.

You may exchange equipment, other than Closeout Items, one time within 30 days, or 14 days for tablets and MOTOROLA LAPDOCK, from the date the original equipment was purchased or shipped. If (1) the purchase price of the original equipment is reduced in connection with a new activation or upgrade and a Service Commitment and (2) the new (exchanged) equipment has a different Early Termination Fee associated with it from the original equipment, you will be required to sign a new agreement. The effective date of the new agreement will be the date the new agreement is signed and your Service Commitment will restart from that date. However, your service activation date will not change for any purpose, including, but not limited to, calculating any early termination fees you may be obligated to pay (See Service Cancellation below).

 

[mdram]

Thanks for the info. I'll have to grab one unlocked somewhere since I'm up in Canada. Might have a family member in NY grab a white one from ATT off contract and I'll unlock it myself.

 

[danwc]

I came to wp7 from webos back over a year ago. Had a focus, and now the lumia 900. I think wp7 is the next best thing. Its not web Os. There will be things you miss (gestures, true cards, physical keyboard?) but there are many compensations as well: best virtual keyboard out there, more up to date and better apps, much better performance.

Sent from my Lumia 900 using Board Express

 

[Net.Metro]

You may try export contact to a vcard file, import the vcard to outlook, and then sync outlook with the new phone. For calender, you might need to move it to google to sync. No more easy homebrew, but you don't need it. No need overclock, and no lagging. Just enjoy the people hub the way you want, and wait for MS to improve the rest when time comes.

 

[kaiser10123]

I recently traded in my pre 2 for a HTC titan 2 from smoked by WP challenge and love it. It is a great os and unlike webos I feel it has a better chance at real development support on the future. I even want to try and code some apps as I have my phone dev unlocked and am loving the audible beta app which is an app I wanted on webos forever

Sent from my PI86100 using Board Express

 

[CHIP72]

I came to wp7 from webos back over a year ago. Had a focus, and now the lumia 900. I think wp7 is the next best thing. Its not web Os. There will be things you miss (gestures, true cards, physical keyboard?) but there are many compensations as well: best virtual keyboard out there, more up to date and better apps, much better performance.

Though I didn't come from a webOS device to a Windows Phone OS device (I actually bought my HTC Trophy about 1 1/2 weeks before I bought my Palm Pre 2, though I bought my HP TouchPad before either), I am well-versed in the differences between the two mobile OS. What danwc said above is pretty accurate IMO, especially if you are one of the webOS fans who really liked the gesture interface. (Personally I like Windows Phone OS better, but like most people who have used a webOS device I really like the gesture interface.)

Incidentally, if you really, really like webOS, you could always buy a webOS smartphone on eBay off-contract. Even NIB devices, with the exception of the rare HP Pre 3, are fairly cheap.

 

[speedtouch]

I came to WP7 from webOS, with only a very brief fling with Android in between. WP7, by far, is more related to webOS than Android is. It's smooth, fluid, and dead simple. Just like webOS. Apps just work. Games just work. Just like in webOS and totally unlike in Android.

I got an old 1st-gen WP7 phone and it's nearly as smooth and fast as the 2nd-gen phones, like the Lumia 900. However, with the 900 you're getting a *much* better value. There is no true multitasking like you're used to in webOS. But WP7 does fauxtasking quite well, honestly. The Zune music/video/podcast player is great. The web browser is far more capable than the one in any version of webOS. App selection is better.

You will miss the glowing notification LED. I sure do. And you may/may not miss the detailed volume controls (one volume for calls, one for music, one for ringer, one for alarm). Sadly, in WP7 there are just two volume settings: one for calls, and one for *everything* else. Yeah, kinda sucks.

You are tethered to the Windows program Zune to transfer pictures, music, videos, podcasts, and to update your phone. It's annoying, but workable. WP7 on any device is faster than webOS on any device but possibly the Pre 3 and the TouchPad. I have both.

If you were a big time Preware user, you need to prepare yourself for the fact there is nothing like Preware for WP7. XDA does a good job with various ROMs and the homebrew app market, but there's nothing at all like patches that we're used to in webOS.

I've been a WP7 user since February and I can tell you it's my new home. I really like it here in the Land of Tiles.

 

[danwc]

And how could I have forgotten inductive charging. I loved my touchstones. Palm had several things figured out right ... Just couldn't execute rapidly enough.

Sent from my Lumia 900 using Board Express

 

[mdram]

Thanks everyone for the great info!

I don't think I want to buy another Pre 3. I think the move for me will be the Lumia 900 since I would like to move to an LTE device. It sounds like I will like it. I'm going to head to a Rogers store and see if they have one I can play with.

 

[ltyarbro42]

I made the switch over to the lumia 900 from the veer ( pre and pixi prior) and I can say I say I live wp7. The major move was the beauty of wp7. Android and ios are just so.... Blah. I knew I would get very tired of those shortly.

Although, wp7 is not webOs so don't expect it to be. I desperately wish I could get USB mode back and would give anything for windows phone to have a true homebrew experience. Apart from those major concerns the phone is beautiful, hardware and software. I'll be with windows for awhile to say the least.

P.s. On another note, these Os has a true set of manufacturers backing it, so I doubt I we get the shaft we are accustomed to with webos

Sent from my {Lumia 900} using Board Express

 

[tharrison4815]

Being used to the brilliant task switching of webOS I've found it a little frustrating that you can't easily close apps in WP7. It's not that I mind them still being there its that you don't have a choice over which apps close.

In webOS if I was doing something in one application and then needed to change some phone settings and use the calculator to work something out, I would close the settings app and the calculator application immediately after I'm done with each of them.

Where as in WP7 the app that's been left idling the longet is closed as soon as more memory is needed. So the only way to make sure the important one doesn't close is to keep cycling back to it after everything you do. Which is silly because if I could just close the apps I know I don't need immediately after using them the device wouldn't need to automatically close the idle ones.

I know you can close apps by continuously pressing back but this is frustrating as sometimes you need to press it loads to close it. We just need a swipe away system like webOS or Windows 8.

Still overall I'm happier than I would be on Android or iPhone.

 

[Squatting Hen]

Being used to the brilliant task switching of webOS I've found it a little frustrating that you can't easily close apps in WP7. It's not that I mind them still being there its that you don't have a choice over which apps close.

In webOS if I was doing something in one application and then needed to change some phone settings and use the calculator to work something out, I would close the settings app and the calculator application immediately after I'm done with each of them.

Where as in WP7 the app that's been left idling the longet is closed as soon as more memory is needed. So the only way to make sure the important one doesn't close is to keep cycling back to it after everything you do. Which is silly because if I could just close the apps I know I don't need immediately after using them the device wouldn't need to automatically close the idle ones.

I know you can close apps by continuously pressing back but this is frustrating as sometimes you need to press it loads to close it. We just need a swipe away system like webOS or Windows 8.

Still overall I'm happier than I would be on Android or iPhone.

While it is not as easy as webOS you can still close specific apps if you want.

If you want to close a specific App running in the background, Hold the back button, select the app in the card view and then hit the back button.

This was taken from this thread: http://forums.windowscentral.com/os-discussion/190027.htm

 

[sentimentGX4]

I got an old 1st-gen WP7 phone and it's nearly as smooth and fast as the 2nd-gen phones, like the Lumia 900.

To be frank, my first Gen Samsung Focus was smoother than my second Gen HTC Titan.

I'm sure that the Titan loads games and apps faster; but, the Titan isn't smooth at all. Always glitchy this or that.

 

[webosisalive!]

Hi everyone. I'm pretty new to this forum but I've been a webOS Nation member for years. My webOS phone broke and I've been thinking about moving to a Lumia 900. Are there former webOS users out there who made the switch to WP7? How has the transition been? WP7 seems like the only other OS I could enjoy using. I've used iOS and played with older Android phones but they weren't for me.

I was a long time wwbos user with the pre plus and the veer. Coming from the veer I'm really loving WP7 and have been using it for more than 7 months.

The transition has been smooth and I really miss pre ware, but it's a good trade off for what you get with wp7.

 

[mdram]

I was a long time wwbos user with the pre plus and the veer. Coming from the veer I'm really loving WP7 and have been using it for more than 7 months.

The transition has been smooth and I really miss pre ware, but it's a good trade off for what you get with wp7.

That's probably some of the things I'll miss most...

Card switching
Touchstone charging
PreWare

On the plus I'll be gaining better app choices, LTE speeds and a 4.3 inch screen on a Lumia 900.

Sounds like a good tradeoff to me. Has anyone tried Tethering on the 900 yet? I used FreeTether on my Pre 3 and had unlimited data with Bell. They didn't allow tethering on my plan but with FreeTether, they were never able to tell. HSPA+ speeds were pretty good in Toronto.

Thanks for all the great input everyone!