24 hrs in and I am really not getting on with WP...

[fxyrslf]

Let me start by saying I really want to like this product. I love the idea of a phone OS that is minimal, text based and "authentically digital" but WP is just not clicking with me.

I have used Zune software and an old Zune 120gb as my music players for the past few years so thought getting into WP would be easy, however it is not the case so far.

I find some of the ideas in WP baffling, maybe it is just the way my brain is wired but the way info seeps around into different sections - ie people/groups/facebook/messages is just, to me, really unintuitive. I want a contact group to be a list of names I can see in an instant like on my old Android handset and dial immediately not various facebook pictues that are of no use popping up and down where I often have to guess who the **** it is, I really don't feel active tiles add anything of any value that I've seen so far. Conversely often where it feels like there should be an icon there is text and it's never clear what is meant to be touched and what not. Things like Zune music rw/ff are really bad imo. Also, I want facebook one place, twitter another, and people I actually talk to in rea life somewhere far removed. It is all very cluttered and ill defined to my approaching middle aged brain.

The way the dock for battery, signal etc is sometimes there sometimes not doesn't work for me. I know half the point is that it is a different approach to other OSes, but a lot of it seems left field for the sake of it.

By the way all the above is with a LG running rtm mango, it is very snappy I will give it that. Beyond that, I am starting to feel I have made a mistake, will things get better, did anyone else feel this way initially? At the moment I am eyeing my gf's Galaxy S2 enviously.

Thanks.

 

[1jaxstate1]

You can get rid of the facebook contacts.

If you want them in different places, you can filter to which one you want. or just just download the FB app and a good twitter app.

Yeah, I don't get the batter signal disappearing.

Hope things get better for you.

 

[Cyterio]

I think the OS is refreshing. I find the people hub is very direct, open it, it shows a whole list of your contacts. From there, you can scroll to your contact or touch any of the alphabet letters to jump directly to that alphabitized list of contacts. Its very quick! For me, I feel this phone is super streamlined. From the people hub again, one swipe left or right and I have my facebook and/or twitter feeds. If you dont like this feature, you have the option to use dedicated apps for each. As far as guessing contact pictures, you can remove facebook from your people hub or you can choose to use a static picture for your contacts so they aren't constantly changing everytime the change them on facebook. I think just like anything you're not used to, there is a bit of a learning curve. Im sure WP7 isn't for everyone, there is no such phone that exists, so ultimately if you're not happy with it keep looking, everyone has their own tastes. I really hope you give WP7 a fair chance though, it really is different, in a good way! Good luck!

 

[Dave Blake]

There is nothing wrong with what you are feeling you should chose an OS that suits your taste. All the things you mentioned are things that I like about WP. Android has a lot of great things to offer if that is what you like that is what you should be using. For me its the whole package that has he using WP. I have a Echo as my backup device I had to use it a couple of times recently I can tell you there is nothing that I miss about Android. It just looks like a cartoon to me now. I like the speed usability and look of WP the way the contacts are integrated with all the social networking information it all just clicks for me. Maybe its just not for you and there is nothing wrong with that. I suggest you give WP a couple of weeks then go use a Android device for a couple of days I would be willing to bet that you will want your WP back.

 

[Winterfang]

There's nothing wrong with eyeing the Galaxy S II. That phone is just incredible. The problems you face are something deep integrated on Windows Phone and what I like the most of it.

I agree that live tiles are just widgets that don't work half the time though and so far are pointless and badly implemented. But I love the integration of the OS and it's here to stay.

I'm saddened that this OS didn't do it for you but in no way we are going to force you to like it. BTW like jax said, you don't have to had Facebook and contacts linked together and can use apps, don't worry about that.

 

[DontHate707]

i felt the same way about the integration myself but i got used to it and now i dont even include (like the user above said) fb contacts becuz i dont talk to any of them lol

 

[fxyrslf]

Thanks for the helpful comments. I will attempt to persevere and come back with a more focussed list of specific grievances to see if there are workarounds. I will start with getting the facebook app and keeping it separate.

 

[panda51988]

my girl hated having all her facebook contacts in her phonebook as well. really, she was weirdly very mad about it. i turned it off and she added her contacts from her old phone and that fixed that. the people hub is cool in its own way but i like using the facebook and twitter apps.

last night me and my two sisters were playing/comparing our phones(they both have different androids) and not only were their phones buggy and slow compared to mine, the format just didn't look as good(imo). on top of that they both complained of all the problems they had running apps and getting memory errors and such.

one thing i like is it seems like every day i find something new thats really cool about windows phone os. i don't miss android at all. i was skeptical at first, in fact when it was upgrade time, i really didn't want a windows phone. my girl went and picked out our phones and all i told her was to get whatever free android they had and they talked her into the focus(it was free and if i didn't like it i could take it back).

 

[Reflexx]

I also make sure that the only Facebook contacts that are imported to my people tile are of contacts that I already have in my LIVE account.

As for the whole integration thing... it did take me about a week or two to really get used to it. It's a lot different than having everything separated. I've grown to love it, and now can't imagine using a phone without it.

But I can see how this paradigm might not be for everybody.

 

[Fleon]

There are a lot of things that are different. It's a completely unique style that is entirely different than Android/iOS. Let me see if I can address some of what you've mentioned.

People Tiles- that's just a style thing, if you don't like them, you really won't like the phone. It's a UI choice that pervades the entire phone- I like them, you might not. If it bothers you that much, you'll need to go elsewhere, certainly. However- let me suggest trying a couple of things:

Go into your People Hub. Push and hold on two or three people that use social networking and select Pin to Start. It's quite neat (I think) to see their tiles flip to show status updates and thumbnails of pictures they have uploaded. Try the same thing with a created group. Pin it to Start to see it cycle through FB/twitter/etc updates of all those people in the group. See if you like it after a few days.

People pictures- if you don't like seeing their Facebook pictures (and for some people I agree, it's annoying to see a cartoon picture of something I don't even recognize) select them, hit edit, hit their photo and pic one you want to represent them. Poof, problem solved.

Live tiles- not useful for everything, no kidding. But I recommend trying a few apps to see some cool funcationality: Weather Channel- super useful. Stock Alert. Arkwords. WikiRand. Urban Dictionary. BBC (the 3rd party mango version; google Gripdev wordpress). MagikMail (if you use YouMail). Fox News or AP Mobile. Try those out. Make sure you enable the live tile options in each of them. The BBC app has a few cool ones to see.

Zune- what's the issue with FF/REW? Tap to go to next/prev song, or just hold them down to ff/rew within a song. Pretty standard operation. What are the issues you are seeing?

I sometimes agree about the battery/signal/etc. I'd love it if those were things I didn't have to worry about- but sometimes I do. I go back and forth on that. Overall, I think I lean toward liking the cleaner interface. Maybe.

But yes, it's something I wasn't sure I'd like when I started off with my WP7. It looked cool, but I admit I was a bit concerned, too. Now I'm 10 months into my Wp7 and I really can't imagine going back. It's a stunning OS once you stop trying to use it as an app launcher

 

[simonnyc]

just curious but did you upgrade your phone to mango beta since you got it?

if you haven't, i highly recommend that you do and give it a spin for a few days. While mango still looks like nodo, it's a completely diff't experience in my opinion.

 

[Fleon]

Oh, another thing about quickdialing people as you mentioned- don't bother. Just hold down the Windows button and say "Dial [insert name]" So much easier

You might also try "Find [thing you want to Bing]" or "Open [app name]" Or even "Text [insert name]"

 

[Reflexx]

Also keep in mind that there is some functionality that you really won't see much of yet until the Mango versions of applications start being available in the Marketplace.

Also, just for kicks, try using a bluetooth headset with the phone and have it set to automatically use voice when you get a text or all. You will literally be able to receive a text, compose a response, and send it, all without even having to touch the phone at all.

 

[Jazmac]

The way I see it, you can't beyond the android paradigm. This isn't an android handset and I know you know that but I'm making the point.

Based solely on what you wrote, you seem to be trying to make Windows Phone an android experience in much the same way, android attempts to mimic the Apple Iphone. You have to disengage from that way of looking at this device because it will confuse and confound you as it seems to be doing.

Not to mention, you are simply doing too much too fast. I know, because I was exactly where you are with this OS. But after I stepped back and looked again with fresh eyes, it made perfect sense as it will to you.

It would help if you spent some time on Youtube and in this forum and get specifics. I was all about android from day one before but now, you couldn't pay me to use android. It is largely Linux with a candy coated shell.

I have the HTC Arrive with Mango and it is my road dog. Its young but it does everything well.

Don't give up on yourself fixrslf. Its not complicated. Good luck.

 

[sm07]

Generally if you swipe down onto the screen from above the battery/signal bars will re-appear. Doesn't always work though.

 

[Dave Blake]

Just tap the clock and it will appear works every time get it time<free pun...lol

 

[Winterfang]

It always work. Also funny thing I used to press the little arrow on the right to go to app list, I didn't knew you could just swipe it like every other OS XD.

 

[Averry]

I donno, everything you listed can be fixed with a few tweaks.

If you don't like the graphical interface that's one thing. Take your Facebook out of your Live accout. Same with your Twitter.

Then all contacts will just have no pictures, and therefore your groups will just be tiles with names on it. ****, if you want to you can just use a Gmail account to sync contacts, and then manually add pictures you do want.

I personally love having all my Facebook contacts, but then just only displaying the ones that link up to contacts I already had in my phone. What's nice about that, is you can still go to the people hub, and search, and it will pull up results from Facebook contacts that would otherwise be hidden if you happen to need an email or phone number or something and they have it listed.

I personally think it's quite intuitive.

 

[Winterfang]

To be honest Facebook integration is a problem. I remember when I synch my contacts I end up with 1000 contacts because it synched people from my MSN that I long ago had deleted, it took approximately 40 minutes to delete the ones I didn't care for and add a phone number manually to the ones I did.

It's annoying and problematic and even though it's easy avoidable, it doesn't explain it well to do. I do like having all my facebook friends because even though I don't know some of them personally, I have access to send them a quick post on their wall from my contacts =)

 

[selfcreation]

well every thing u mention you dont like i lvoe .... lol


you dont liek your contacts BEing in a LIST of names with their picture ?? so you know witch JONH DOE you are calling?
i dont udnerstand your thing about facebook+people HUB ... 3 pages 1. contacts 2. Recent. 3. whats new .. doesnt get more simple then that.