Icon received today.......

[Badgerbrown]

Gggggg

 

[imandroid]

Hey if your coming from iphone make sure you turn off imessage and you text meassge should return to normal

 

[fitchalcyone]

For the email issue, tap to the left of your messages at the inbox view to do a multi-select. This can help you delete emails and messages a lot quicker.

Also, check your email sync settings if you want the emails to immediately come in without you having to sync.

Good luck with the phone. It sounds like you're new to WP so give it a little time to learn the ins and outs.

 

[Badgerbrown]

Turned off imessage, but still not receiving messages from iphones. Still shows as "imessage" on wife's phone when she tries to send me message

 

[Starrbuck]

Did you turn it off in iMessage and Facetime? You have to do both.

I found the best solution is to change your email address with Apple. This causes their system to 'reset' somehow and other iPhones will use SMS. Also make sure you have the iPhone set to use SMS if iMessage is not available.

 

[g808]

There's a bunch of suggestions in this thread:
https://discussions.apple.com/message/23477351#23477351

If that doesn't work, then call Apple Support. They should be able to disable for you. I turned off imessage on my iPhone and it took a few days before it took affect.

 

[Badgerbrown]

Ok here's the nitty gritty on the icon:
Before I get started please understand this is MY opinion and hands on review of the phone, the OS, and available apps.

The phone: aesthetically this phone has a huge WOW factor. A large beautiful HD screen that in my opinion can't be beat. It feels good in your hand and is comfortable for one hand or two handed use. The button placement is okay, but not great, as it seems that I am hitting the volume button 90% of the time while I'm trying to hit the power button. I feel the camera button should be on the other side of the phone. The Icon is also super fast, couldn't ask for more in that aspect. Overall this phone is gorgeous, but remember that everything that glitters isn't always gold.

The OS: WP 8 is a good OS, however, it can be cumbersome at times to navigate. I love that you can delete bloatware, that's a huge plus. I found myself more frustrated than I was delighted with the OS. It needs a lot of little fixes to be considered great IMO.

Available apps: I read many complaints prior to getting this phone about the lack of apps. I was quite pleased with the app selection for the most part. Only app that is missing for me is a Kroger app (no fault on WP here purely on Kroger). My biggest concern with the apps was the functionality of them compared to their counterparts on iPhone and androids. Severe lack of function from Facebook, eBay, etc. But who's to blame, is it the developers or WP?

While I hate to give up this big beautiful fast as hell phone, I need something with a more simple OS and full functionality of apps.

 

[radmanvr]

JDF for Facebook is best in slot as far as facebook app goes

 

[Indistinguishable]

While I hate to give up this big beautiful fast as hell phone, I need something with a more simple OS and full functionality of apps.

Dude, you need way more than a day to decide that the OS isn't simple enough and the apps aren't functional enough. I say give it at least 10 days. If you still can't adjust, then you still have time to return it. I get it takes some getting used to, but honestly, I don't think you're giving it a chance.

 

[invertme]

It sounds like you need more time with the phone. Windows Phone is a millions times easier to use than iOS and Android. Give it another few days and see how you feel. I HATE doing anything on my clients iPhones. What a terrible half a$s thrown together OS. WP on the other hand feels super smooth and elegant.

 

[cbreze]

Agree you need more time with it. The icon is my first wp device. I've now had it about ten days and am getting very comfortable with the os. I don't see myself going back to android anytime soon , if EVER. Looking forward to 8.1 update. Should be even more awesome after that. This phone is super fast and soooo smooth. Love it.

 

[MF-Karma]

I respectively disagree with your assertion that the WP os is cumbersome compared to ios. I just came from android and bought an iPhone for my wife and the Icon for me. Setting up both phones (no experience with either) and the WP os was much more intuitive and faster. Try changing a ring tone on ios to something custom and you have to download an app to find the ringtone, third party software to a PC, use itunes, and connect your phone to the PC. On WP all you need is an app, and you can close ringtones quickly to be saved to your phone in the ringtone folder. I think your experience and expertise with ios is biasing your judgment of WP. Don't get me wrong the iPhone is a good product but it is clunky due to the limitations created by apple to protect their product from third parties. Currently WP needs a couple more features that both android and ios have, I think windows 8.1 is going to provide the ones I care about. Good luck with your decision.

 

[Kage Maru]

Sucks you didn't have the best experience with the phone. I wonder if the 8.1 update would solve some of your issues with the core OS.

As for the app situation, it's a catch 22 situation. Developers want a bigger install base before committing more resources to apps, but for a larger install base to grow, people (such as you) request said apps. So there is an ugly circle going on right now. It's improving and getting better all of the time, but the platform isn't as mature as IOS or Android, so these growing pains will happen.

Edit:

As for the OS being cumbersome, I don't really agree. Some things may not be explained as well as they could, but having experience with all 3 platforms, if you know how to work one, you kind of know how to work them all. Maybe my IT background helps much here, but I really don't see WP being much more complicated than IOS.

 

[falconrap]

Having used my wife's iPhone on a few occasions, and trying to help her when some issues hit, I find it WP to be generally easier to use. If you've been using iOS for a long time, WP is different enough that it may seem difficult to you, but it isn't...just different. It would help you if you stated what other issues you are having in navigation, and we can provide advice. Similar to deleting emails by simply tapping to the left and hitting the trash can icon.

 

[worldspy99]

You need to use the phone a bit longer. The email deletion is quite easy as others have pointed out. Apps might not have as many features but they are getting better everyday.

 

[Muessig]

Take a look through this thread: http://forums.windowscentral.com/windows-phone-8/230201-new-windows-phone-8-tips-tricks.html it might help your experience.

 

[bayanii]

The icon comes preinstalled with an information application that has information and videos as well. The tile has an "i".

 

[savagelizards]

Okay, got my Icon today. Don't have a ton of time to mess with it, have an exam to study for tomorrow. First impressions are mixed
Pros: Beautiful phone
Phone feels solid
Screen size/quality is better than good
You can delete programs that would normally not be deletable on an iphone (bloatware and such)
Customizable tiles are good, not great, but good

Cons: It's a pain in the arse to navigate.
Having to press, hold, and then delete an email/message/etc is really a pain
Having to go into my mailbox and hit refresh to get new messages is no fun at all
Not the phone's fault, but getting it activated took way too long
Still not receiving all my text messages I should be getting....not sure what that's about
While most of the apps I use are available, some are less functional than their apple counterpart


Overall - not feeling this phone so much. It is a gorgeous phone, but my gut instinct is that I'm going to exchange it for something else. I'm going to give it a day or so before I make my final decision.

When I got my Icon on Feb 20th, I felt just like you did - right down to the two hours it took to get the phone activated.

I am a WP newbie, and outside of the screen and the keyboard (which are pure goodness), most of what I noticed where what seemed like deficiencies compared to android.
After nearly two weeks with the Icon, I would encourage you to keep it. It is a really good phone, and most of what I saw as deficiencies are really just differences. When you get more in tune with the logic behind the phone, it becomes more comfortable and familiar.

The best news of all is that WP 8.1 is due out in less that a month. The features have been pretty extensively documented and they will greatly expand the power of the Icon. Should be already there I know, but if you keep the phone you will not be disappointed.

 

[realwarder]

On the iMessage front, once you turn off iMessage, the quickest way for someone else's phone to work out you are no long on iMessage is for them to reboot.

Amazes me that someone hasn't sued Apple over this crap. Causes EVERY iPhone user to have a really painful experience leaving Apple and think that their replacement phone doesn't work...

 

[Zippier]

I used an iPhone for about 2 months last fall (I'm not a hater - it's a good phone) but when I finally found a used 928 to hold me over until the Icon the whole iMessage ordeal was a pain. Out of three people sending me messages with their iPhone the situation was resolved three different ways depending on the phone and the operating system they were using.