A Week With Windows Phone 8.1 - an Android User's Experience

[anon(7937399)]

The biggest omissions I'm finding coming from an iPhone is a solid Bible app with a good translation and the Disney experience. I'm planning a trip to DW (which I frequently do) and that app is indispensable. Disney has other WP apps in the app store so I'm surprised we don't see that.

Overall I'm happy with the platform, the UI and the available apps with the noted exceptions.

Try Pocket Bible by Laridian. Buy once, use on all platforms forever. Very fast search, 10x faster on PalmOS than any other Bible reader.

 

[robnhl]

I've updated post 2 with my wrap-up.

http://forums.windowscentral.com/wi...8-1-android-users-experience.html#post2523003

 

[Deamion]

Thanks Robert.
As for your shopping list app:
I was wondering why you were unable to sync OneNote to your Wife's Android device. I use OneNote for my family's shopping lists and it syncs just fine. It also allows me to edit the lists on my laptop, and then use them on my phone while at the store.
I thought you would like OneNote so much that even if you decided to go back to Android, you would keep using it. It really is that good.

 

[robnhl]

Thanks Robert.
As for your shopping list app:
I was wondering why you were unable to sync OneNote to your Wife's Android device. I use OneNote for my family's shopping lists and it syncs just fine. It also allows me to edit the lists on my laptop, and then use them on my phone while at the store.
I thought you would like OneNote so much that even if you decided to go back to Android, you would keep using it. It really is that good.

I do use OneNote for lots of things - on Android, WP, and Office Online. What I am looking for is a dedicated shopping list app that is easy to use and tailored to groceries.

 

[Reebs Reebs]

Wow! I was betting you wouldn't stay with the platform! Somehow your post made me really happy

I hope you enjoy your new phone and ecosystem.

 

[realwarder]

1. The Bible YouVersion app is good.

YouVersion is great on iPhone, but worthless on WP. You install, use it a couple of times and then it just crashes every start.

Gets boring after the 10th time.

They seriously need to take a look at app crash reports and do an update.

 

[anon(7901790)]

It's been almost two weeks now. Don't ya think you might want to start a new thread? :-D

 

[robnhl]

It's been almost two weeks now. Don't ya think you might want to start a new thread? :-D

​I'm pretty much done with this thread. The experiment was a success and I really enjoyed using 8.1. So much so that I bought a Lumia Icon. My final thoughts are here: http://forums.windowscentral.com/wi...8-1-android-users-experience.html#post2523003

On a related note, the Icon is fantastic and I highly recommend it. Side by each it blows the 8X out of the water for OS and app performance. Thanks again to everyone that offered advice and suggestions.

 

[sammyboy405]

Wish I'd found this Thread earlier.. I too Just recently switched over from Android to WP.. And Got a Nokia ICON. I posted this in another thread.. http://forums.windowscentral.com/no...windows-phone-pros-cons-ive-found-so-far.html

But I made a spread sheet with my pros and cons.. And some of my cons have been solved already. But I must say after being a Long time Android user, im really happy with WP thus far. here is the link to the spread sheet of my Pros and cons.. http://1drv.ms/1luYpcY

Thanks for the Info on this thread.. Im glad to see I wasnt the only Android Person curious about Jumping ship. Really Enjoying WP cant wait to see where it goes.

 

[robnhl]

YouVersion is great on iPhone, but worthless on WP. You install, use it a couple of times and then it just crashes every start.

Gets boring after the 10th time.

They seriously need to take a look at app crash reports and do an update.

I haven't had any crashes but the YV support team told me there are no plans to update the WP app. Hopefully that is incorrect or will change.

 

[robnhl]

<snip>
But I made a spread sheet with my pros and cons.. And some of my cons have been solved already. But I must say after being a Long time Android user, im really happy with WP thus far. here is the link to the spread sheet of my Pros and cons.. http://1drv.ms/1luYpcY
<snip>

I read through your cons and mostly agree, though most are minor from my perspective. Excepting the VPN issue, of course. I, too, look forward to seeing where WP goes. I am eagerly anticipating the Cyan firmware update.

 

[satycool]

If you like customization do check 'Skinery Themes' - this really adds great function/customization to tiles, also 'Groupy' can be handy for spacing tiles if needed.

 

[fonix232]

For the syncing to-do list app - try OneNote. It isn't targeted at to-do/shopping lists, but has the functionality, and syncs pretty well with OneDrive, also it has an Android app. And if your family uses WP too, create a Room with them - then you'll have a shared shopping list, and you can see who bought what, when, etcetera. Always up to date, that's what we do with my roommates, thus we always have toilet paper at home

 

[Reebs Reebs]

***EDIT*** I think the title would be more appropriate as A Week With Windows Phone 8.1 - an Android User's APP Experience ***/EDIT***

Let me preface this by saying that I am not a newcomer to Windows Phone. I've been using WP since the WP7 days. My first WP was a Dell Venue Pro (what a keyboard!). I've also had a Lumia 822 and I've had an HTC 8X for the last eight months or so. These were always secondary devices. The 8X has been active and quietly collecting my corporate email for that period but I have never really been 'all in' on it. I don't use it for much other than email. My main SIM has been in a Moto X or, previously, a Droid DNA. I'm a heavy user of Android. Every device I've had has been rooted and tailored to meet my requirements and preferences.

The recent release of the DP for WP 8.1 has encouraged me to shake some of the dust off my HTC 8X and give it a real test. I plan to use it almost exclusively for the next week and see where it succeeds and fails as an Android replacement. I'm encouraged to do this by a few things: the notification center, start page wallpaper, distinct volume controls, and Cortana. I'm really interested to see if I can comfortably use WP full time and whether I should invest in a Lumia Icon as my next phone.

I've detailed below the apps and functions I frequently use on Android and I will eventually report back on the equivalents I found on WP and how I got on with them. I am not looking for free alternatives, necessarily. In many cases I would prefer to purchase an app and support development.

• Life360 - this is a family location sharing app. Use it to keep track of my kids and other family members. I go into this knowing there is no WP app. Not sue how I will get around this one.

Hey robnhl, I saw this piece of news and remembered you wanted Life360.. It's now available
Life 360 allows you to keep tabs on your family, now on Windows Phone | Windows Phone Central

Enjoy and I hope you're still liking your phone.

 

[JamesPTao]

So far the only app that is lacking for my recent android to wp8 switch is Facebook.
It works but doesn't have the features to edit comments and post photos that the Android app recently got.

As for YouTube I'm using mytube which blows away any YouTube app I tried on android store.
It handles my subscriptions well and allows me to either play video or audio only which I can play in the background.

As for bibles,I installed and uninstalled dozens to find a good one just like I did with Android.
The app must be KJV (I won't use that modern watered down corrupt paraphrase versions) and it must allow copy n paste of one or more verses while maintaining the left indented verse numbers like a real kjv.
I found one made by myBibl
It works good.

Confused as well. Modern day, corrupt, paraphrased. The king james bible was created so king james could take power from the church of England as well as divorce his wife. I like the version but come on. If you want the "perfect truth" learn to read Greek. Its perfectly fine to prefer and be attached to a particular translation but there's no need to put down and attack other translations. Random rant for a very random comment.

 

[robnhl]

Hey robnhl, I saw this piece of news and remembered you wanted Life360.. It's now available
Life 360 allows you to keep tabs on your family, now on Windows Phone | Windows Phone Central

Enjoy and I hope you're still liking your phone.

Thanks for the heads up. I installed right away and it is working great. This was really the last major app I needed.

 

[Drusstw]

Hi,

thanks for the insightful post. so you updated to WP8.1 preview on the 8X? i'm guessing you didn't have any problems etc?
i ask because i read that some drivers for this phone is unavailable until htc releases an official wp8.1 and was wondering if that may lead to problems

thanks