Lumia Windows 10 Mobile query from an Android user

[noersetiawan]

Is it really true that (based on rumours/facts we know so far) that Android apps will run natively on WP10? I thought MS is just giving the tools to devs to enable easy conversion & porting of Android & iOS apps onto Windows Phone?

I'm now choosing between the 830 and the 930 as my first Windows Phone. But both phone seems to have poor front-facing cams for selfies

Without the voice navigation which Maps app is good in giving directions, search for nearby places (cafe, restaurant, cinema, petrol station, etc.)? And would you say these 3rd-party apps have a quick GPS lock to enable me to go somewhere that quick?

Why is there such a limit on ringtones? With Android i can set an entire mp3 song as a ringtone. Is there another good music player that allows the user to set an mp3 song as a ringtone?

Legally yes, developer needs to modify their apps a little and publish it to the Store, but it's hackable to run Android app in preview build until recently.

If you get 930, you get twice the power, but missing glance screen. I don't know but if it's just for selfies, any phone with wide range front facing camera will do, not sure if there are any phone that has a really good front facing camera that's dedicated for selfies, are there?

If you like Google Maps, get Maps from Store, if you like HERE Maps, get it from Store, if you like Windows map, it's built in, it doesn't really matter since the maps and navigation app are separate app. For instance, I usually open built in Maps app, if I can't find what I'm looking for, I open a Google Maps app, select the place, start navigation, then I can choose whether to use HERE Drive+, or Waze, or any other navigation app to guide me there. Yes all apps are quick to locate you since it isn't depends on the app, but on the phone, on all Lumia as with any phone with Qualcomm's SoC, my phone can easily lock me while in train at ~90kph.

Nope there's none, it's an OS limitation, there are much much more limitations in WP compared to Android, apps can't change this, can't change that, you'll be surprised if you are an avid Android power user, as WP is heavily locked down. However it's not really make sense to listen to a 5 minutes song as ringtone, usually you just heard the ringtone for 30 seconds or so then you picked the call or dismissed it. The limitations is ridiculous yes, but probably there's a reason to it.

 

[Zachary Boddy]

Is it really true that (based on rumours/facts we know so far) that Android apps will run natively on WP10? I thought MS is just giving the tools to devs to enable easy conversion & porting of Android & iOS apps onto Windows Phone?

I'm now choosing between the 830 and the 930 as my first Windows Phone. But both phone seems to have poor front-facing cams for selfies

Without the voice navigation which Maps app is good in giving directions, search for nearby places (cafe, restaurant, cinema, petrol station, etc.)? And would you say these 3rd-party apps have a quick GPS lock to enable me to go somewhere that quick?

Why is there such a limit on ringtones? With Android i can set an entire mp3 song as a ringtone. Is there another good music player that allows the user to set an mp3 song as a ringtone?

About the front facing cameras, they're adequate. Not as bad as they seem on paper.
The Lumia 930 is more powerful, with a higher resolution AMOLED display and a better, 20 MP camera with a dual-LED flash. However, the Lumia 830 is also much thinner and compact, and has microSD card support, a removable battery, and Glance screen, all things that the Lumia 930 does not have. If you want power than the Lumia 930. However I'd go for the Lumia 830 because I need microSD card support and I love Glance screen. Or you could always get a Lumia 950 and get the best of both worlds. A far better camera (and a 5MP front facing camera to boot) with 3GB of RAM and a Snapdragon 808 (more powerful than either the 930 or the 830). Also a QHD AMOLED display which is far sharper than both other phones and a very svelte design. With microSD card support and a removable battery.

 

[Gino Guillermo]

Of course i would 't want to listen to a 5-minute song ringing loudly when i'm on a bus or train. I was just saying that it would be nice if i can set an mp3 song as a ringtone on-the-fly.

If i install Google Photos via the WebApps app will my photos be not saved automatically via the cloud like what the Photos Android app can do?

I still wonder why in its entire existence Here Maps still doesn't have a proper voice-guided walking navigation. That shows that the developers are either lazy or don't bother to update the app coz they think that it's not worth their time & energy as few people actually uses it. Would you agree?

If i buy a non-Glance Screen phone such as the Lumia 930 will it not get any notifications on the lock screen like the 830?

My current phone the Galaxy J5 has a 5MP front-facing camera with flash. Very few Android phones have that. Not even the iPhone has that kind of specs. The 830 and the 930 respectively have less than 2MP front-facing cameras with no flash. So, why would i want to invest in them? (as i spend some time with selfies)

 

[Zachary Boddy]

Of course i would 't want to listen to a 5-minute song ringing loudly when i'm on a bus or train. I was just saying that it would be nice if i can set an mp3 song as a ringtone on-the-fly.

If i install Google Photos via the WebApps app will my photos be not saved automatically via the cloud like what the Photos Android app can do?

I still wonder why in its entire existence Here Maps still doesn't have a proper voice-guided walking navigation. That shows that the developers are either lazy or don't bother to update the app coz they think that it's not worth their time & energy as few people actually uses it. Would you agree?

If i buy a non-Glance Screen phone such as the Lumia 930 will it not get any notifications on the lock screen like the 830?

My current phone the Galaxy J5 has a 5MP front-facing camera with flash. Very few Android phones have that. Not even the iPhone has that kind of specs. The 830 and the 930 respectively have less than 2MP front-facing cameras with no flash. So, why would i want to invest in them? (as i spend some time with selfies)

I believe Here does have voice navigation, in Here Drive.

The Glance screen is not lock screen notifications. The Lumia 830 has a proximity sensor which detects motion in front of the screen (even when it's pitch black). When the proximity sensor detects motion, a special screen appears on that is monochrome (only black and white) that shows you the date, and all notifications, and the weather if you set it up. It's extremely useful to pull your phone out and glance down and see if you have notifications without ever turning the screen on, and it saves battery life as well (you spend less time with your screen on). It's a feature that you don't realize how amazing it is until you use it and then it's difficult to go to a phone that doesn't have it. The Lumia 930 doesn't have the display memory so doesn't support it which is an unfortunate downside, and it also doesn't have microSD card support like the Lumia 830. Between the two I'd honestly have to go for the Lumia 830. The Lumia 1520 is a better phone with a better display than the Lumia 930 (in my opinion), microSD card support, and Glance screen. Of course, it's a huge phone that's hard to get a hold of right now. The Lumia 950 is the same size (a tad larger screen but just a tad) than the Lumia 830 and 930 but has the power of the 930 (actually far more powerful) and the features of the Lumia 830 (microSD, removable battery, wireless charging, Glance) and has a 5 MP wide-angle front facing camera with a rear facing camera that's set to be the best Lumia camera of all time (absolutely everything we've seen like demos, specs, pictures and other have pointed to faster focusing, faster shot-to-shot, better quality, more detail, better low light, etc). I love my Lumia 830 but given the choice I'd go for the Lumia 950 as it's not too expensive and has a lot of neat features, power, and the front facing camera you're looking for.

 

[Gino Guillermo]

Many thanks for all your help. I will decide and make up my mind when the time comes. Thank you all.