Interesting you should say that. No matter what android phone I have, I always install the same home screen app and restore my desktop feel to look like my last android phone. Kind of defeats the purpose of having so much flexibility for me, but I guess I'm a creature of habit.
The phone is not Android. Having reset your expectations, let me tell you about my experience. It's a cross section between Apple's "walled garden" and Android's "Do whatever you want with me". The main screen where the tiles live is completely customizable. Don't want your carrier's bloatware? No Problem, just uninstall it, you can always reinstall it later. Missing your notification center? They're putting one into Windows phone 8.1, in the meantime there are live tiles where all of your notifications exist. Imagine you only care to get notifications from a few select people or apps on your phone, place those tiles front and center on your main screen, each time a call, text, facebook message, email, any interaction comes through, that live tile will let you know that something has changed. Tap the tile, and your interaction history is all there. Same for apps like twitter and others, although WP8 lets you actually see notifications on the lock screen so you never really have to worry about that at all. Changing colors and custom tilesets are completely doable within certain guidelines. There are several apps that let you customize tilesets in various ways with personal images or information. However, you only get to currently change those tiles between three sizes, small, medium, and large. A change is coming to windows 8.1 to allow you to have even more tiles and sizes this summer.
What is improving: The keyboard is actually pretty good, but we could use Swiftkey. It does a good job of predicting words, but let's face it, Swiftkey sets the bar, and there is no way to install a custom keyboard right now. I have asked MS to purchase Nuance more than once, they'd own the market if they did.
Grouping apps, all apps are currently listed alphabetically. This is good and bad. If you want to access an app by name, just slide the menu left, tap on any letter to get the directory, and then tap the letter of the app you want and then tap the app. But, what if you want to group your navigation app with your travel app? Let's say you want to group HERE Maps, with Kayak. Not happening right now, don't know if it is coming on 8.1, but I will be asking on Friday's webinar.
Apps, if you are heavy into Google, just know that everything is third party on the platform until Google gets their heads out of their mules. Also, remember that WP8 is just starting out and that WP8 2013 is much like Android's G1 for tmobile in 2008/9. The app store is growing quickly, but there is a lot missing. For Android, I think it started to take off in 2012. For Wp8, I think we're going to see it take off in 2014. The reason why I say this is because WP8 and Windows8 uses the same code to develop for both platforms, so you develop for Windows once, and then you can flip a switch and sell it everywhere. I don't think it's going to take as long to build up the market as it did for Android. Right now there are a few apps that are really needed in my opinion. Instagram (although there is actually a great 3rd party app now,) and for me, Path.
I spent 8 weeks with a Lumia 920, and was given an SG4 for a special occasion. While the SG4 has the apps I expect, I find myself popping my sim card into the lumia 920 for it's sheer speed, amazing battery life, excellent camera, and refreshing interface.
Maybe, one of the coolest things I like about the Windows Phone is that I get in, do what I want to do, and get back to life. Maybe, the tradeoff is actually what I like. Less fussing with my phone, more time with family.
If you want to chat about it more, find the windows phone community on google plus, I know I know, but you'll find that there is a massive support group there that will pretty much floor you at how much sharing is happening around windows phone. Tons of great info, and lots of similar minded people who are either two steps ahead of you, or two steps behind and asking similar questions.
You can find me there if you want to chat more about it, I'd chat here on the thread but they don't use Disq.us so I'll likely never see your reply.
http://gplus.to/digitalicecream
EDIT: One thing I don't see people talking about is how well this device integrates with Windows 8. Holy cow this thing is awesome. Just plug the phone in and get a custom phone tile with all your information, and it starts to backup your phone the moment you plug it in. Drag and drop media onto your phone in a way that you can't do with iTunes, right from the start screen. Locate, lock, and wipe your phone remotely. Honestly the integration with Win8 just sets the bar on how these devices should behave.
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