New to WP, need help

[pdch]

I just picked up my Verizon HTC 8x yesterday (love it so far), but have a couple of questions. First, I have found that if you hold the back button, the phone pops up a webOS style card view of all of the apps you have open. What I can't figure out is, how do you close the apps? In webOS, you would just flick the card off of the screen and, presto, app closed. I have tried everything I can think of, and can't figure out how to close apps instead of just switching to something new.

Second, what is the fastest way to bring up the wifi connector? Again, on webOS, I would just tap the wifi icon at the top of the bar and choose a network. So far, the only way I have found to interact with the wifi connection is to go to settings, wifi, and do it from there. I know there has to be an easier way.

Finally, is there some way to adjust the sensitivity of the d@mn Bing search button? I swear that all I have to do is breathe on the fracking thing and it switches off whatever I am doing and pulls up the search.

I am really wishing Microsoft had purchased webOS so they could have integrated its simplicity into WP8. Things are much more complicated here.

 

[Rich Edmonds]

For your first point, you can close apps by hitting the 'back' button until the app itself closes and you're returned to the start screen. Though I'd like to add that I never really close any apps unless required to do so. Your second point is a personal issue as I'm never hitting the Bing button by accident anymore what are you doing when this happens? Playing games or just general keyboard / app usage?

Hope that helps in any way.

 

[ncxcstud]

There are a few apps in the Store that allow you to pin the WIFI settings to the start screen -

Network Dashboard+
ConnectionDashboard
WiFi On/Off
Connectivity Tiles (.99 cents)

 

[Lee B]

I just picked up my Verizon HTC 8x yesterday (love it so far), but have a couple of questions. First, I have found that if you hold the back button, the phone pops up a webOS style card view of all of the apps you have open. What I can't figure out is, how do you close the apps? In webOS, you would just flick the card off of the screen and, presto, app closed. I have tried everything I can think of, and can't figure out how to close apps instead of just switching to something new.

Second, what is the fastest way to bring up the wifi connector? Again, on webOS, I would just tap the wifi icon at the top of the bar and choose a network. So far, the only way I have found to interact with the wifi connection is to go to settings, wifi, and do it from there. I know there has to be an easier way.

Finally, is there some way to adjust the sensitivity of the d@mn Bing search button? I swear that all I have to do is breathe on the fracking thing and it switches off whatever I am doing and pulls up the search.

I am really wishing Microsoft had purchased webOS so they could have integrated its simplicity into WP8. Things are much more complicated here.

I share your wish that someone had kept WebOS alive, but WP8 is as close in overall feel as I've found, and it doesn't seem more complicated to me -- just different.

I don't have an answer to your first question about closing an app -- I got frustrated last night when I had Pandora running in the browser and couldn't close it because Pandora had put up a dialogue box that stopped responding, even though the music kept playing. A simple way to close any app would be nice, but I haven't found it.

On wifi, it takes me two clicks on my ancient but still-functioning Pre (sometimes more, because it isn't always easy to hit just the right spot in the upper right corner of the screen). With a Settings tile on my WP home screen, it takes me two clicks in WP8, and my 822 is a lot quicker than the Pre.

I haven't had a problem with sensitivity in Bing. I usually use Google, but it's the same keyboard. I don't know of a way to adjust sensitivity.

 

[Edwincnelson]

As a Palm Pre owner I know what you're talking about.
1. Don't worry about the open apps. They're not really running like they are in Web OS. Think of them as cached for fast opening not actively running. In addition they're only cached for about a half hour for most programs. Many programs still don't use the feature.
2. Ah the Bing button... Get used to it. It's been more than a year and I still hit it sometimes.
3. The previously mentioned apps are the only solution and are worth the 99 cents in the long run. Having WiFi on doesn't appreciably effect battery drain (unlike a Pre or Pixi) so I wouldn't be as militant about turning it on and off. When a new network is available you'll get a drop down menu automatically which will give you direct access to the WiFi menu on the fly.

 

[pdch]

As a Palm Pre owner I know what you're talking about.
1. Don't worry about the open apps. They're not really running like they are in Web OS. Think of them as cached for fast opening not actively running. In addition they're only cached for about a half hour for most programs. Many programs still don't use the feature.
2. Ah the Bing button... Get used to it. It's been more than a year and I still hit it sometimes.
3. The previously mentioned apps are the only solution and are worth the 99 cents in the long run. Having WiFi on doesn't appreciably effect battery drain (unlike a Pre or Pixi) so I wouldn't be as militant about turning it on and off. When a new network is available you'll get a drop down menu automatically which will give you direct access to the WiFi menu on the fly.

On 3, are you saying that you get the drop down after purchasing one of the apps? The reason I ask is, with wifi on, I don't get any notification whatsoever when it detects a network in a new location. Is there a setting I am missing to turn on wifi notifications or do I need one of the apps first.

The problem with the bing button, is that it seems to activate when I just hold that corner of the phone (like while playing Angry Birds). I wish you could set it so you had to hold it for 2 seconds to activate it.

 

[pdch]

There are a few apps in the Store that allow you to pin the WIFI settings to the start screen -

Network Dashboard+
ConnectionDashboard
WiFi On/Off
Connectivity Tiles (.99 cents)

Do you recommend any of these over the others?

 

[Edwincnelson]

When you are near enough to a know network (one you have already connected to) the WiFi will connect automatically. If you are downloading a particularly large file you may see a WiFi symbol flash near the download bar also, indicating that you're not on 4g. If you turn the phone on and aren't near known network then a drop down should indicate a network has been detected and if you hit the drop down you'll be sent to the settings screen. The menu is only there for about 30 seconds or so, so you do need to watch out for it.

 

[fierywater]

There are a few apps in the Store that allow you to pin the WIFI settings to the start screen -

Network Dashboard+
ConnectionDashboard
WiFi On/Off
Connectivity Tiles (.99 cents)

Do these still work on WP8? Just asking because I didn't see any that were updated after WP8's release.

 

[Lenas]

I used ConnectivityShortcuts on WP7 and it definitely still works on WP8.

 

[Edwincnelson]

Oh yeah. Nokia actually has it as a recommended app. Still, why shut off the WiFi? Battery life?

 

[jjmurphy]

I feel like my Bing button is really sensitive too honestly. I'll be doing something, and bing will pop up, and I swear I wasn't near it.

 

[mparker]

with wifi on, I don't get any notification whatsoever when it detects a network in a new location. Is there a setting I am missing

settings, wifi, advanced, notify me when new networks are found.

 

[Edwincnelson]

If it wasn't set to automatically notify that would be odd as all the WP7 and 8 phones I've handled were set to auto notify out of the box.

I hit the Bing button yesterday playing Mirrors Edge. On the other hand I'm constantly turning off my Nexus 7 by accident too so nothings perfect. If it was harder to set off I'd probably ***** about that.

 

[pdch]

The wifi notification was set to notify, it just wasn't working. I ended up turning it off, rebooting the phone, turning it back on, rebooting the phone, and now it seems to work...well, most of the time.

I have found that what is happening with the bing button on the 8x is that it apparently activates if you touch ANYWHERE in the lower right corner of the phone. The callus on my hand will sometimes fold over a little and BRUSH the corner of the phone, and up pops bing. This is VERY annoying.

 

[socialcarpet]

I feel like my Bing button is really sensitive too honestly. I'll be doing something, and bing will pop up, and I swear I wasn't near it.

I know, right? It's like Microsoft is determined to make people use Bing no matter what. LOL.

Don't want to search? We don't care. BING!

Want to change your grip on your phone? BING!

Playing a game and need to tap the on screen controls at a critical moment before your ship crashes? BING!

Want to flick your finger to scroll your live tiles up the screen? BING!