If I have a Windows 8 laptop and a Microsoft Surface Pro Tablet how does it benefit me to ...

[yeto]

have a Windows phone? In other words, what can a Windows phone do related to the laptop and tablet that an Android or iPhone can't do?

Thanks in advance for any help,
yeto

 

[Blkacesvf41]

have a Windows phone? In other words, what can a Windows phone do related to the laptop and tablet that an Android or iPhone can't do?

Thanks in advance for any help,
yeto

There's a little bit of integration between the two. For instance, with SkyDrive you'll be be able to see your pics taken with your phone. Your calendars will also sync. From what I hear also, with some of the Xbox games you can start a game on your phone stop and pickup where you left off on a different device. Either your Xbox console, a W8 tablet or desktop. Almost forgot, your music also syncs across all devices.

 

[Funky Cricket]

sky drive and office 2013 sync.
Similar apps if you use the metro stuff, so xbox or nokia music can be shared if you have subscriptions, etc.
and a similar "start" menu look.

 

[Electric Jack]

I would say that at the moment, there are the usual things like services working between the devices all in a familiar format. (i.e. integrated facebook, twitter, photos, music, calendar, skydrive, Xbox live etc ) I have noticed that both my Windows 8 laptop and my Lumia 920 receive messages, calendar notifications and such at the same time. Despite some of these features being available on Android and IOS, at least some of these services are probably more fluent with a WP due to the same integration and format as Windows 8/RT. But, the theory behind what Microsoft is trying to do is what you would have to gain so long as they can pull it off. Their goal is to eventually have all apps available between the devices. This is supposed to give you the ability to go from one device to the next and still be using your favorite apps. Many apps from WP have appeared on the Windows 8 store but there is still a ways to go including the connectivity between the phone app and the windows 8/RT app(i.e. only some games like skulls of the shogun and Dragon's Blade: Heroes of Larkwood are taking advantage of this by allowing you to continue where you left off from one device to another and allowing for online multiplayer with all the devices together). Making this a full reality though is going to be the biggest challenge they currently have. The developers will really be the ones who have the control to make this happen as they have to be willing to make their apps for both windows 8/RT and WP and then make them work together. It is supposed to be easier for developers to do this since WP8's kernel shares a lot of code with Windows 8/RT. Other than this, if you love the design, the way the operating system runs, don't need 900,000 apps and can wait as the platform continues to grow(which it is receiving official apps all the time now and does have a sufficient number of third party apps to hold over most users until the official ones that aren't available release), WP8 is a good choice but a personal one that no one can make but you.

 

[yeto]

<q> "Their goal is to eventually have all apps available between the devices. This is supposed to give you the ability to go from one device to the next and still be using your favorite apps." </q>

Can the other two formats currently accomplish this? As in, (MacBook, iPad and iPhone) and (ChromeBook, Galaxy tablet and Android phone). I am sorry for all the questions. I am not trying to start a format war. I am just trying to learn.

Thank you to all who have replied so far,
yeto

 

[FinancialP]

<q> "Their goal is to eventually have all apps available between the devices. This is supposed to give you the ability to go from one device to the next and still be using your favorite apps." </q>

Can the other two formats currently accomplish this? As in, (MacBook, iPad and iPhone) and (ChromeBook, Galaxy tablet and Android phone). I am sorry for all the questions. I am not trying to start a format war. I am just trying to learn.

Thank you to all who have replied so far,
yeto

Yes. Every platform can do this already except the Xbox gaming.

All of your items don't have to match. You can accomplish the same thing if you owned a Mac, Windows Phone and a iPad or Windows Computer iPhone/Android and a surface etc.

Some people confuse integration with interoperability. This is nothing new.

 

[Electric Jack]

<q> "Their goal is to eventually have all apps available between the devices. This is supposed to give you the ability to go from one device to the next and still be using your favorite apps." </q>

Can the other two formats currently accomplish this? As in, (MacBook, iPad and iPhone) and (ChromeBook, Galaxy tablet and Android phone). I am sorry for all the questions. I am not trying to start a format war. I am just trying to learn.

Thank you to all who have replied so far,
yeto

Last I checked anyway(things change all the time). I do not believe you can run IOS apps on OSX or android apps on Chrome OS natively either. So basically at the moment, Apple, Microsoft and Google all have just as good of a chance at accomplishing this as the next if they see fit to. I believe Google is working on something between Chrome OS and Android as well if they haven't already.

 

[vish2801]

Last I checked anyway(things change all the time). I do not believe you can run IOS apps on OSX or android apps on Chrome OS natively either. So basically at the moment, Apple, Microsoft and Google all have just as good of a chance at accomplishing this as the next if they see fit to. I believe Google is working on something between Chrome OS and Android as well if they haven't already.

I don't think that would help Google much because Android can do almost everything that chrome can do. So don't know if that would be an integration or not. Windows 8 and WP is different story as Windows 8 is much superior than WP so MS can integrate them accordingly and can still give you better experience on PC by desktop interface. While in case of Apple and Google, Android and iOS are vastly popular and somewhat superior than their pc counterparts so using their integration on pc would like using a mobile OS on pc.

MS has the best bet here, if it understands the value of its ecosystem and consider WP as a priority, WP can take over iOS and can be Enterprise Phone without a doubt. I still say, bring all the features of WindowsRT on WP, that would be awesome.

Sent from my Nexus 4 using Tapatalk 4 Beta

 

[Coolknight1968]

have a Windows phone? In other words, what can a Windows phone do related to the laptop and tablet that an Android or iPhone can't do?

Thanks in advance for any help,
yeto

Stick to Android 4 until MS gets the stability issues fixed in GDR3.

 

[yeto]

I still say, bring all the features of WindowsRT on WP, that would be awesome.

I don't have a Windows RT tablet but from your quote am I correct in thinking that RT has more apps versus WP?

Thanks,
yeto

 

[4hab]

I don't have a Windows RT tablet but from your quote am I correct in thinking that RT has more apps versus WP?

Thanks,
yeto

No, the Windows Store is at around 100k apps, Windows Phone offers around 165k apps.

 

[vish2801]

I don't have a Windows RT tablet but from your quote am I correct in thinking that RT has more apps versus WP?

Thanks,
yeto

Not application wise, feature wise it's very rich and also it gives consumers and also devs lots of freedom.

Btw, windowsRT/8 gaining application very very fast. There's a rumor that Windows Store and WP store will be merged. So buy application once and use it on all devices. So we can hope both platforms will be sharing APIs and some features along with stores.

Sent from my Nexus 4 using Tapatalk 4 Beta

 

[yeto]

Thank you everybody. All your replies have been very helpful.

Kind regards,
yeto

 

[enthuz]

Yes, thank you all for this informative thread. I've learned some new to me features to share with the wife as we finalize our tablet/WP8/Win8 laptop choices. We will be checking out our BB/MS store soon. The MS staff just started yesterday. I have some questions to clarify as mentioned above...

1. Is the Office suite on WP8 just Office 365?
2. Will it benefit more to just get a 365 license for each device vs dl?
3. Does the syncing of games work for all Xbox games or just a select few?
4. Do the gamer pts carry over to your Xbox avatar settings?
5. Is there a Visio editing app for WP8 (for small edits of course)?

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[LMZR]

Yes, thank you all for this informative thread. I've learned some new to me features to share with the wife as we finalize our tablet/WP8/Win8 laptop choices. We will be checking out our BB/MS store soon. The MS staff just started yesterday. I have some questions to clarify as mentioned above...

1. Is the Office suite on WP8 just Office 365?
2. Will it benefit more to just get a 365 license for each device vs dl?
3. Does the syncing of games work for all Xbox games or just a select few?
4. Do the gamer pts carry over to your Xbox avatar settings?
5. Is there a Visio editing app for WP8 (for small edits of course)?

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1. Yes i believe the office suite on WP8 is Office 365.

2. Dunno, i don't really use Office 365 on my phone.

3. A select few, ones that come to my mind are: Halo: Spartan Assault and Rise of the shogun(?)

4. Yes they do, i have gotten over 200 points from WP xbox games and they can be seen and have been added to my account.

5. Not as far as i know.

 

[omgitsnick]

Yes, thank you all for this informative thread. I've learned some new to me features to share with the wife as we finalize our tablet/WP8/Win8 laptop choices. We will be checking out our BB/MS store soon. The MS staff just started yesterday. I have some questions to clarify as mentioned above...

1. Is the Office suite on WP8 just Office 365?
2. Will it benefit more to just get a 365 license for each device vs dl?
3. Does the syncing of games work for all Xbox games or just a select few?
4. Do the gamer pts carry over to your Xbox avatar settings?
5. Is there a Visio editing app for WP8 (for small edits of course)?

Sent from my PG86100 using WPCentral Forums mobile app

1. It is like 365 but you do not need a subscription unlike the ios version.
2. If you have multiple devices (excluding Windows Phones and Windows RT, but includes Office for iOS) then it would make sense to get a subscription, otherwise if Office will not be used as much then go for Single User license.
3. Select few.
4. It's universal across Xbox Live enabled devices.
5. No

 

[gsquared]

I addition MSFT is working to develop the same "look and feel" across all of their products (desktop/laptop(tablet)/phone/xbox/). I'll go a step further to include automobile as well.

 

[DavidinCT]

I addition MSFT is working to develop the same "look and feel" across all of their products (desktop/laptop(tablet)/phone/xbox/). I'll go a step further to include automobile as well.

When is Microsoft creating a car with the tiles ? Ford sync is great (dont own one but have played with it) but, it's not like WP or Windows 8 or xbox 360....

 

[Blkacesvf41]

When is Microsoft creating a car with the tiles ? Ford sync is great (dont own one but have played with it) but, it's not like WP or Windows 8 or xbox 360....

LOL Microsoft makes cars? You mean when will an automaker use Windows 8 in their cars. Actually, not a bad idea.

 

[enthuz]

Especially with the big 10" touchscreens found in some late model cars.

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