Day after 8.1 drops. I can't wait to read the stories

[Citizen X]

I don't see what the big fuss is about 8.1. Most of what is rumoured to come is just WP playing catchup to Android and iOS. Nothing unique, IMHO.

Yeah I think people are really building this thing up. Even the iphone users I know don't use Siri. This stuff is nice but I don't see the majority of people's lives being radically altered.

I can't want for the "day after" 8.1 update stories. The pros and cons. I anticipate the pros will be lots of great reads. I wonder what the focus will be on most.

Complaints.

I think April will be an amazing month. But why April 2nd, why not 1st?

Do you know of anybody who launches or announces something on April 1st that is taken seriously?

 

[Reflexx]

The thing with voice assistants us that unless there is real benefit felt, it's just a novelty. But once real benefit is experienced and integrated into life it becomes a necessity.

Voice should focus on situations where someone can't easily or lawfully access the manual interface. Make it extremely convenient to do so and people will deem it very important.

I expect that over the next few months, as people get used to Kinect 2.0 we'll see this happen at home.

For me, it's so convenient to turn on the XB1 and get a game running before I even sit down and pick up a controller. It's as if I just told my son to go and turn in the XB1 for me and launch the game... but it's not my son doing it for me. It's the XBOX.

 

[Kasey Pierce]

I think unless Cortana offers touchless controls(i/e voice activation only), it will be miles behind Siri and mainly Google Now. A true "assistant" is at your beck and call. Pressing the search button or a live tile every time seems 2 generations of assitant-ing behind. Just my opinion.

I think Microsoft could do very well by making the voice experience with Windows Phone very similar to how well it works on Xbox One. Navigating with just your voice seems very high tech and "on the fly" saying "Cortana....remind me to call my brother at 3 about dads birthday plans" things like that without having to tap around on your phone, even one or two button presses would be a step in keeping up with the competition. Lazy? of course. compelling? absolutely. (compared to Moto X active display/touchless controls

 

[Jazmac]

I think Microsoft could do very well by making the voice experience with Windows Phone very similar to how well it works on Xbox One. Navigating with just your voice seems very high tech and "on the fly" saying "Cortana....remind me to call my brother at 3 about dads birthday plans" things like that without having to tap around on your phone, even one or two button presses would be a step in keeping up with the competition. Lazy? of course. compelling? absolutely. (compared to Moto X active display/touchless controls

Good points. I'm just curious to see how this utility fits into how I manage my day and use my phone. All I can go by so far is what little I've know of how Siri functions. I want more than anything is for this utility to track my airline for me. Read my ticket and determine based on location with HERE maps, how much time I need to make my flight. That would be useful for me. I'm expecting some deep integration to the OS. But at this point, I don't know what is planned.

 

[rockstarzzz]

Good points. I'm just curious to see how this utility fits into how I manage my day and use my phone. All I can go by so far is what little I've know of how Siri functions. I want more than anything is for this utility to track my airline for me. Read my ticket and determine based on location with HERE maps, how much time I need to make my flight. That would be useful for me. I'm expecting some deep integration to the OS. But at this point, I don't know what is planned.

Knowing Microsoft, it won't be a full blown product as we are all anticipating. It will be "it works, but..." and then wait for a few updates and probably by WP8.5 or WP9, these features will be exactly how you described and more. Alas! The competition would just keep moving ahead in that period.

 

[Jazmac]

Knowing Microsoft, it won't be a full blown product as we are all anticipating. It will be "it works, but..." and then wait for a few updates and probably by WP8.5 or WP9, these features will be exactly how you described and more. Alas! The competition would just keep moving ahead in that period.

Yeah, they do tend to move bullet points from "present" to next release. I hope that now that we have a new commander, the devs will be more inclined to create NEW bullets for the NEW version. Yeah, wishful thinking right?

 

[savagelizards]

I think the main event will be cortana, and what can she do.

Then you will find people saying its "almost the perfect OS" but the app gap is still there.

I think April will be an amazing month. But why April 2nd, why not 1st?

Do you really want this product to launch on April Fools Day?

 

[taymur]

Do you really want this product to launch on April Fools Day?

So? What's with that day?

 

[anon(123856)]

I think the main event will be cortana, and what can she do.

Then you will find people saying its "almost the perfect OS" but the app gap is still there.

I think April will be an amazing month. But why April 2nd, why not 1st?

You might be right, but Cortana is the thing I'm least excited by. I'm not the least bit interested in talking to my phone. It makes me ill when I see iSheep do it. "Siri, why am I so stupid I can't find an addrees without your help?" :wink:

 

[anon(123856)]

I want to read OUR stories. Here at WPCentral. I already know the bulk of what the technically dishonest g-blogger class of talking microbes has to say and I'm sure they are already writing those stories ahead of the update. I want to read our stories after 8.1 takes off and the push for 8.2. Those I expect to be awesome.

As do I. MS has a lot riding on this update and I hope it's a major success. I don't know how long it took you to come up with "technically dishonest g-blogger class of talking microbes" but whatever it was, it was worth it. I don't believe I've ever seen a more accurate description of the haters. Good job!

 

[WanderingTraveler]

So? What's with that day?

Because of what Google has done, EVERYONE will think any product launched on this day is fake.

 

[WanderingTraveler]

Yeah, they do tend to move bullet points from "present" to next release. I hope that now that we have a new commander, the devs will be more inclined to create NEW bullets for the NEW version. Yeah, wishful thinking right?

The opposite happened with 8.1 and Update 3. Exact opposite.

Those were minor changes, but still the opposite of what you said.

 

[taymur]

You might be right, but Cortana is the thing I'm least excited by. I'm not the least bit interested in talking to my phone. It makes me ill when I see iSheep do it. "Siri, why am I so stupid I can't find an addrees without your help?" :wink:

I just want to talk to it while in my car (so that I don't crash my car), and while I'm in bed (because its amazing if she can set the alarm by its self). Other than that I'm fine, I guess.

*****most probably I won't use it in front of people, we are still in the age where society acceptance is a thing. Although I just thought of something, I think I can talk to a machine that looks like iRobot thing and not think of my self as an id iot. Weird.*******

 

[anon(123856)]

I just want to talk to it while in my car (so that I don't crash my car), and while I'm in bed (because its amazing if she can set the alarm by its self). Other than that I'm fine, I guess.

*****most probably I won't use it in front of people, we are still in the age where society acceptance is a thing. Although I just thought of something, I think I can talk to a machine that looks like iRobot thing and not think of my self as an id iot. Weird.*******

Yeah I guess there might be good uses for it, but for some reason I'm put off by it. Maybe I'm just too old... :crying: :smile:. I'm sure people will use it regardless of what I think. :smile: And they should.

 

[three_thoughts]

This will be an update that pretty much catches up with the other two OS's in terms of the main features. The sorts of things that the majority of people use regularly. Which is very impressive considering how little resources MS put into mobile compared to the other two for such a long time. Feature parity is a big thing and considering the number of big new features coming to android and iOS seems to have slowed down recently, there is no reason why WP can't keep up and if we're lucky, overtake them.

However the biggest thing about this update isn't going to be any of the new features I don't think. Cortana might grab the headlines but it's going to be the lots and lots of little things that add up to make the whole thing just feel more polished. The things i'm looking forward to most are better background tasks, better multitasking, better notification system, better live tiles, better transitions and a more refined UI.

I compare this update to the upgrade from Android 2.3 to android 4.0. There weren't that many big new features, but it made android feel like it had reached maturity. I hope this will be the update that Windows Phone comes of age.

 

[smoledman]

When will 8.1 drop? That's the $50K question. We know MS will unveil 8.1 for devs during BUILD next month, but it's only getting dropped to carriers by June/July and that means AT&T customers get it by December.

 

[xconomicron]

When will 8.1 drop? That's the $50K question. We know MS will unveil 8.1 for devs during BUILD next month, but it's only getting dropped to carriers by June/July and that means AT&T customers get it by December.

Well, just like any other iteration of OS...im sure that MS would want to sell phones w/ 8.1 preinstalled first. I can honestly see them pushing 8.1 to existing devices about 3+months after 8.1 devices are on shelves.

But anyway, I have nothing to worry about since I'm in the dev preview program. 16 more days.

 

[Jazmac]

Well, just like any other iteration of OS...im sure that MS would want to sell phones w/ 8.1 preinstalled first. I can honestly see them pushing 8.1 to existing devices about 3+months after 8.1 devices are on shelves.

But anyway, I have nothing to worry about since I'm in the dev preview program. 16 more days.

^5 Same here friend.

 

[Jazmac]

The opposite happened with 8.1 and Update 3. Exact opposite.

Those were minor changes, but still the opposite of what you said.

Do tell.

 

[DennisvdG]

This will be an update that pretty much catches up with the other two OS's in terms of the main features. The sorts of things that the majority of people use regularly. Which is very impressive considering how little resources MS put into mobile compared to the other two for such a long time. Feature parity is a big thing and considering the number of big new features coming to android and iOS seems to have slowed down recently, there is no reason why WP can't keep up and if we're lucky, overtake them.

However the biggest thing about this update isn't going to be any of the new features I don't think. Cortana might grab the headlines but it's going to be the lots and lots of little things that add up to make the whole thing just feel more polished. The things i'm looking forward to most are better background tasks, better multitasking, better notification system, better live tiles, better transitions and a more refined UI.

I compare this update to the upgrade from Android 2.3 to android 4.0. There weren't that many big new features, but it made android feel like it had reached maturity. I hope this will be the update that Windows Phone comes of age.

wait, android went from 2.3 to 4?