Some questions from Android user considering Windows Phone

[Ivan-Baraban]

Hello to all. I am from Ukraine & my english isn't good enough so I have to apologize for this in advance.

I am thinking of buying a new phone & probably the best candidate is Lumia 1520. But is is powered with WP8 I'm not familiar with. So it would be very kindly from the respectable readers of this thread to give answers for the foloowing questions about WP:

1) Is the multitasking on WP8 real or background apps simply "freezes"? For example, if I started to open some page in IE and switched to another app after that, will the page be loaded in background? Or Skype, music player - will it be working in background?
2) For example, I have the FBReader (*.fb2 text files reader) installed. Can I copy some fb2 files to SDCARD or internal storage of my phone & will they be accessible for FBReader? Or, in general, how can I provide access to a file of a particular type, which is saved in the local (phone) storage for the app which is viewer/editor for the files of this type?
3) As far as I've heard, there is no chance to add the file from the local storage into the email as an attachment. Is it true?
4) Suppose, I decided to see some FullHD movie (Blye-Ray rip in mkv container) on my device. Can I copy the file to the local storage & do this using the stock player? Or I need to convert the file before copying it to the phone? Or split it into the some small pieces due to local storage filesystem limitations?
5) As far as I know, every app has the access only to its own storage & so there are no file manager on the WP8 (unless the OS is fully unlocked). Is there any app written for WP8, which allows access to its storage from the outside (i.e. permits to read|write/copy/delete files to/from storage of this app)?
6) What is the maximum size of the private storage of a particular app in the local phone storage? This question is tightly connected with the previous one.
7) Does the WP8 and Lumia 1520 supports USB host?
8) Does the WP8 and Lumia 1520 supports Wi-Fi Display and/or Miracast, and MHL as well? Is there any WP8 app which can share phone screen image / speaker sound into the LAN via Wi-Fi (DLNA, if I'm not mistaken)?
9) Does the WP8 supports bluetooth keyboards, mouses and other input devices?
10) Does the WP8 supports internet sharing from phone to PC via cable (USB modem), Wi-Fi (Wi-Fi hotspot) & bluetooth (Bluetooth modem)?
11) Does the WP8 supports the call ringtones for groups of users? Android doesn't, for example.

 

[luk3ja]

1) first party apps can run in the background so yes, a web page will continue to load if you close internet explorer. Skype doesn't run in the background but all apps can have background tasks, for example whatsapp uses a background task so that if you get a message while the app is closed it downloads the message in the background so that if later you had no internet and opened whatsapp you would see the message that you received while the app was closed.

2) the only files currently supported are music, video, pictures, documents. There is no file manager because there's no point of one.

3) you can email pictures, videos, songs and office documents.

4) I don't know this answer...

5) no but apps can share files in the way that you could use a photo editing app which has added support for Instagram so once you've finished editing the photo the app has the ability to send the photo to Instagram, ant 3rd party app can do this

6) the maximum size is the remaining memory you have left on the phone.

7) don't know what you mean...

8) Nokia has made an app that can share the phones screen with absolutely anyone on any device that has a web browser, there's also app by Nokia called PlayTo which broadcasts your media to a DLNA device.

9) no there is no support for keyboard or other input devices but it may come in the update early next year

10) windows phone does support internet sharing but only as a wifi hotspot

11) you can only set ring tones and text tones per individual person

 

[TheNortherner]

Some of the features you named USB OTG, Miracast, Bluetooth tethering I believe are things coming in the Nokia Black Update which is already pre-loaded on the 1520.

 

[manicottiK]

It's best to think of WP as a phone with apps rather than as a small computer with a phone.

Like iOS, one app runs at a time. There are a bunch of exceptions:
1) There are certain apps from Microsoft (and maybe also from the handset manufacturers) that can run simultaneously with other apps. (The phone app is one -- this lets you talk on the phone while using other apps. IE is another.)
2) There are a few special function calls that let apps initiate some work and get it completed, even if another app is started. These include things like background download, GPS updates, VoIP, and streaming audio. (Apple has the same kind of things, but their list is currently larger.)
3) An app can ask to stay active even after the screen turns off. This lets it keep processing for longer periods of time. Note that this capability does not let the app keep processing if another app is started.
4) An app can be coded to have a "periodic task" and/or a "resource-intensive task." The periodic task is run by the OS about every 30 minutes and has just 25 seconds to finish its with within about 11 MB of memory. This is how lots of apps update their live tiles. (Tiles can also be updated by a push notification from a server; unlike on Android, the app itself isn't aware of when such an update happens.) Resource-intensive tasks only run once a day (usually overnight) and only if the phone is plugged in and has a WiFi connection; these tasks get more time to run and can use more memory.

I'm not sure what question 11 was, but if it was about setting a ringtone per user, you will be able to do that with the GDR3 update coming this fall. (A bunch of folks have it already and that feature is included.) However, Android does that, too, so I don't think that that's what you wanted to know.
This means that there is no general file system that apps can see. As you wrote, apps can see their own ISOLATED storage area that other apps cannot see. Apps can also see some shared areas like the photos library, the music collection, the calendar, the contacts list, etc. No app can see the files of another app, even if both apps want to share. However, apps can also work with Microsoft's SkyDrive. This may provide apps with a way to provide data to other apps, but not in real-time and always at the cost of using WiFi or mobile data plans to move the data from the phone to the SkyDrive cloud and back again.

 

[omgitsnick]

Pretty much everything, except 4 is yes, as long as it is in the right format, and 11 is a no, but WP8 already gives access to internal and SD storage when connected to a USB host so this makes it kinda already USB OTG.

1) first party apps can run in the background so yes, a web page will continue to load if you close internet explorer. Skype doesn't run in the background but all apps can have background tasks, for example whatsapp uses a background task so that if you get a message while the app is closed it downloads the message in the background so that if later you had no internet and opened whatsapp you would see the message that you received while the app was closed.

2) the only files currently supported are music, video, pictures, documents. There is no file manager because there's no point of one.

3) you can email pictures, videos, songs and office documents.

4) I don't know this answer...

5) no but apps can share files in the way that you could use a photo editing app which has added support for Instagram so once you've finished editing the photo the app has the ability to send the photo to Instagram, ant 3rd party app can do this

6) the maximum size is the remaining memory you have left on the phone.

7) don't know what you mean...

8) Nokia has made an app that can share the phones screen with absolutely anyone on any device that has a web browser, there's also app by Nokia called PlayTo which broadcasts your media to a DLNA device.

9) no there is no support for keyboard or other input devices but it may come in the update early next year

10) windows phone does support internet sharing but only as a wifi hotspot

11) you can only set ring tones and text tones per individual person

 

[broar94]

1.If you were downloading a video in Whatsapp, and you come out of the app , you lose that download and you need to go back and start all over again. Multitasking is not real-time(like on Android) as apps go into hibernated state. Fortunately, listening to music or internet radio, and switching windows does not break music playback because there's a background agent for the same. Same goes for Store download. Am not sure about skype.
4.MKV container is not supported in WP. Close Captions are not supported as well.

 

[Ivan-Baraban]

Thank you very much, guys.
Well, I have already known about WP8 limitations, but didn't think that there are too much of them. It sounds very disappointively - hibernating apps instead of real multitasking.

On the other hand I'am curious of trying WP8 and, moreover, Lumia 1520 camera possibilities (hard and soft) seems to be greater than in any other phone.

Closest contender is Samsung Galaxy Note 3. But if one wants to buy a particular thing & bought another thing, he will be disappointed. Even if another thing is better than desired.

About ringtones for groups. That took place on Symbian: I can set an definite melody as ringtone for group A and, after adding user X to A, the ringtone of X input call will be from group A unless I set another melody for X.

 

[manicottiK]

It sounds very disappointively - hibernating apps instead of real multitasking.

On the other hand, those restrictions protect users from poorly-written apps and provide users with a high level of predictability with respect to battery usage*. In normal usage, my Lumia 920 lasts all day while my HTC and Samsung Android devices used by my colleagues and staff range from almost all day to just about 4 hours. I hear more complaints from my Android users about its inconsistency than I do from Windows Phone users complaining about restrictions.

Still, there are things that I wish WP did that it doesn't and that it likely never will (because doing so would represent a significant change of philosophical direction for the OS). I balance the restrictions against good and consistent design, stability and predictability, and a bit of uniqueness. For me, it works.

About the ringtones for groups, WP has nothing like that.

* There is a frequently-discussed issue of overheating and battery runs. It does seem to be real (I've had it happen to my phone several times), but it isn't yet explained. (There are lots of theories/guesses, but nothing is yet conclusive.) When it does happen, rebooting does fix it, at least for that time.

 

[ag1986]

Thank you very much, guys.
Well, I have already known about WP8 limitations, but didn't think that there are too much of them. It sounds very disappointively - hibernating apps instead of real multitasking.

On the other hand I'am curious of trying WP8 and, moreover, Lumia 1520 camera possibilities (hard and soft) seems to be greater than in any other phone.

Closest contender is Samsung Galaxy Note 3. But if one wants to buy a particular thing & bought another thing, he will be disappointed. Even if another thing is better than desired.

About ringtones for groups. That took place on Symbian: I can set an definite melody as ringtone for group A and, after adding user X to A, the ringtone of X input call will be from group A unless I set another melody for X.

If one buys a particular thing and finds out that the thing is incapable of doing many things that one would wish to do, one would be even more disappointed and moreover, have wasted a significant amount of money.

It looks like you want a phablet specifically - otherwise I'd recommend something like the Sony Xperia Z1 which has quite a nice camera. However, note that the Note 3 is possibly the only phablet which actually has a UI with extra features which take advantage of the full screen. Multiwindowing, PIP, the S Pen UX, etc, are things which actually make using a phone that size different from just a phone with a big screen. There's a thread somewhere asking what the 1520 does with the big screen apart from allowing an extra row of tiles, and there is no real enhancement there to speak of.

End of the day, it's all about tradeoffs. People who like WP like it for the OS smoothness and Nokia's hardware design. You trade those two advantages for a lot more flexibility on the Android end. Ultimately, make a decision based on what is important for you.

 

[Dave Blake]

Hello to all. I am from Ukraine & my english isn't good enough so I have to apologize for this in advance.

I am thinking of buying a new phone & probably the best candidate is Lumia 1520. But is is powered with WP8 I'm not familiar with. So it would be very kindly from the respectable readers of this thread to give answers for the foloowing questions about WP:

1) Is the multitasking on WP8 real or background apps simply "freezes"? For example, if I started to open some page in IE and switched to another app after that, will the page be loaded in background? Or Skype, music player - will it be working in background?

Yes

2) For example, I have the FBReader (*.fb2 text files reader) installed. Can I copy some fb2 files to SDCARD or internal storage of my phone & will they be accessible for FBReader? Or, in general, how can I provide access to a file of a particular type, which is saved in the local (phone) storage for the app which is viewer/editor for the files of this type?

I have not tried this I am not sure.

3) As far as I've heard, there is no chance to add the file from the local storage into the email as an attachment. Is it true?

Not in all cases. If you have an email running you can not attach a word document to an existing email. You can attach any office document to a new email that you create trough the office hub. To existing emails like a reply you can only attach pictures.

4) Suppose, I decided to see some FullHD movie (Blye-Ray rip in mkv container) on my device. Can I copy the file to the local storage & do this using the stock player? Or I need to convert the file before copying it to the phone? Or split it into the some small pieces due to local storage filesystem limitations?

I don't watch movies on my device at this time but I better start figuring this out. I don't watch movies on my 4.5 inch screen because its too small. When I get My 1520 that will change. I might play around with this later.

5) As far as I know, every app has the access only to its own storage & so there are no file manager on the WP8 (unless the OS is fully unlocked). Is there any app written for WP8, which allows access to its storage from the outside (i.e. permits to read|write/copy/delete files to/from storage of this app)?

Remember you have Skydrive for things like this. Just upload items to skydrive then use the skydrive app to access them. The OS will pick the best app to open them when selected. When you are around your PC you can use desktop file explorer to manage files on your device just plug into USB. This is how you will install ringtones and notification tones to your GDR3 equipped device.

6) What is the maximum size of the private storage of a particular app in the local phone storage? This question is tightly connected with the previous one.

The only limit is the available storage on the device. Applications don't have set storage limits.

7) Does the WP8 and Lumia 1520 supports USB host?

Yes only some file types are not accessible to your OS. I upload cad files to my phone to move them from one PC to another all the time. just plug into USB and use desktop file explorer to transfer files. Unrecognized files will be hidden for the OS.

8) Does the WP8 and Lumia 1520 supports Wi-Fi Display and/or Miracast, and MHL as well? Is there any WP8 app which can share phone screen image / speaker sound into the LAN via Wi-Fi (DLNA, if I'm not mistaken)?

Yes it works through your XBOX over WIFI but I cant remember what its called. I don't use it so I don't have a lot of information.

9) Does the WP8 supports bluetooth keyboards, mouses and other input devices?

Not yet, this might be supported on the 1520 but I am not sure. I can tell you it does not work on my GDR3 equipped L925.

10) Does the WP8 supports internet sharing from phone to PC via cable (USB modem), Wi-Fi (Wi-Fi hotspot) & bluetooth (Bluetooth modem)?

Yes, yes and yes. I use this with my Surface Pro all the time.

11) Does the WP8 supports the call ringtones for groups of users? Android doesn't, for example.

No it does not. You can set ringtones for individuals but not groups.

If one buys a particular thing and finds out that the thing is incapable of doing many things that one would wish to do, one would be even more disappointed and moreover, have wasted a significant amount of money.

It looks like you want a phablet specifically - otherwise I'd recommend something like the Sony Xperia Z1 which has quite a nice camera. However, note that the Note 3 is possibly the only phablet which actually has a UI with extra features which take advantage of the full screen. Multiwindowing, PIP, the S Pen UX, etc, are things which actually make using a phone that size different from just a phone with a big screen. There's a thread somewhere asking what the 1520 does with the big screen apart from allowing an extra row of tiles, and there is no real enhancement there to speak of.

End of the day, it's all about tradeoffs. People who like WP like it for the OS smoothness and Nokia's hardware design. You trade those two advantages for a lot more flexibility on the Android end. Ultimately, make a decision based on what is important for you.

I would recommend using caution when recommend the Note 3. Bad GPS, low signal strength and frequent lockups made the Note 3 useless to me.

 

[broar94]

One of the strongest advantages of Android: you can set which app to open by default for a particular file type. So for your .fb2 you can set FBReader to always open files of this extension, Firefox or Dolphin browser to open links, Shuttle player to open mp3s or FLACs etc. etc. Notification center will have all your incoming events/alerts, something that's coming shortly for WP in WP update 8.1 . Settings toggles(esp brightness slider is available for Android 4.1+) is right in your notification center. File manager on android allows you to copy/move files of your choice to anywhere in the system, USB OTG support is available in some of the more expensive models, so if you're someone who needs USB drive connectivity , Android is the only way to go.

Wp will feel WAY too restricted for your usage type. I'll recommend LG G2, its not too big, and LG skin is faster than Samsung Touchwiz IMO. Have a good one.

 

[Dave Blake]

One of the strongest advantages of Android: you can set which app to open by default for a particular file type. So for your .fb2 you can set FBReader to always open files of this extension, Firefox or Dolphin browser to open links, Shuttle player to open mp3s or FLACs etc. etc. Notification center will have all your incoming events/alerts, something that's coming shortly for WP in WP update 8.1 . Settings toggles(esp brightness slider is available for Android 4.1+) is right in your notification center. File manager on android allows you to copy/move files of your choice to anywhere in the system, USB OTG support is available in some of the more expensive models, so if you're someone who needs USB drive connectivity , Android is the only way to go.

Wp will feel WAY too restricted for your usage type. I'll recommend LG G2, its not too big, and LG skin is faster than Samsung Touchwiz IMO. Have a good one.

Did they fix the email bug with the G2? On my LG OGP every time I opened an email them backed out it would close email and go to the start screen. Very annoying. Samsung devices don't do this so I know it is the LG software causing it. Its a trade off for sure. Windows Phone will be reliable and bug free. With Android you get more options, more bugs, and less reliability.

 

[fatclue_98]

I would recommend using caution when recommend the Note 3. Bad GPS, low signal strength and frequent lockups made the Note 3 useless to me.

When did BT PAN and USB tethering get included? Also, there's an app called Mail Plus which will let you attach any file you have stored in your phone. It works like the old Outlook on WM in that you attach from the email itself, you can attach multiple files and they can be different types.

 

[Dave Blake]

When did BT PAN and USB tethering get included? Also, there's an app called Mail Plus which will let you attach any file you have stored in your phone. It works like the old Outlook on WM in that you attach from the email itself, you can attach multiple files and they can be different types.

My bad on that... its WIFI hotspot not BTPAN and USB. I am looking at this mail app here. Can you attach files to a reply or only to new mail I can tell from the screen shots?

 

[fatclue_98]

My bad on that... its WIFI hotspot not BTPAN and USB. I am looking at this mail app here. Can you attach files to a reply or only to new mail I can tell from the screen shots?

I've only used it for new mail. In fact, it's my only solution for sending PDF files.

 

[Dave Blake]

I've only used it for new mail. In fact, it's my only solution for sending PDF files.

Okay I bought the app. I will play around with it a bit. Thanks for the recommendation.

 

[OzRob]

Windows Phone will be reliable and bug free. With Android you get more options, more bugs, and less reliability.

I've had the complete opposite experience.

Had Lumia 720 for 5 months: Random reboots from day one - updates have not fixed this; problems with duplicate songs in music app - can find no fix; GDR2 update has bug where phone won't turn off, but reboots instead; have had major dramas with phone not recognizing SD cards; have had regular freezes requiring soft reboots; have experienced intermittent excessive battery drain - can't find the culprit, even though I've deleted most third party apps.

Had Sony Xperia S for 2 years prior to 720: Occasional freeze requiring reboot; intermittent issue switching from 2G to 3G - fixed in software update to JB. Other than that it was a very reliable phone.

Last two weeks have been using LG G2: No freezes or glitches so far; no lag; no issues of any kind.

So in my experience, not only is WP8 limited in terms of options and features within the OS, it's also buggy as heck.

 

[Dave Blake]

I've had the complete opposite experience.

Had Lumia 720 for 5 months: Random reboots from day one - updates have not fixed this; problems with duplicate songs in music app - can find no fix; GDR2 update has bug where phone won't turn off, but reboots instead; have had major dramas with phone not recognizing SD cards; have had regular freezes requiring soft reboots; have experienced intermittent excessive battery drain - can't find the culprit, even though I've deleted most third party apps.

Had Sony Xperia S for 2 years prior to 720: Occasional freeze requiring reboot; intermittent issue switching from 2G to 3G - fixed in software update to JB. Other than that it was a very reliable phone.

Last two weeks have been using LG G2: No freezes or glitches so far; no lag; no issues of any kind.

So in my experience, not only is WP8 limited in terms of options and features within the OS, it's also buggy as heck.

Sounds like bad hardware on your 720. I am sorry you had that experience.

 

[eric12341]

I've had the complete opposite experience.

Had Lumia 720 for 5 months: Random reboots from day one - updates have not fixed this; problems with duplicate songs in music app - can find no fix; GDR2 update has bug where phone won't turn off, but reboots instead; have had major dramas with phone not recognizing SD cards; have had regular freezes requiring soft reboots; have experienced intermittent excessive battery drain - can't find the culprit, even though I've deleted most third party apps.

Had Sony Xperia S for 2 years prior to 720: Occasional freeze requiring reboot; intermittent issue switching from 2G to 3G - fixed in software update to JB. Other than that it was a very reliable phone.

Last two weeks have been using LG G2: No freezes or glitches so far; no lag; no issues of any kind.

So in my experience, not only is WP8 limited in terms of options and features within the OS, it's also buggy as heck.

Sounds like either a bad SD card or a defective unit because that has not been my experience.

 

[tgp]

Sounds like bad hardware on your 720. I am sorry you had that experience.

Sounds like either a bad SD card or a defective unit because that has not been my experience.

Very interesting! Whenever an Android is described as buggy, slow, laggy, crashing, it's because that's just the way Android is. But if someone has that experience with a WP, the user got a faulty device. A warranty replacement will take care of the problem. Does that really make sense?

I actively use all 3 leading platforms, and my experience has been closer to OzRob's. I've definitely had more trouble with my WP devices (all Nokia, both WP7 & WP8) than iPhone or Android.