My experiences on an HD7 coming from Android

[JRDroid]

I have had a number of smartphones (HTC Shadow, palm 755p, Curve 8300, My Touch 3G, Motorola Droid, My Touch 4g, and currently an HD7). As you can see, before coming to WP7 I was on an Android streak and before that I was not very OS loyal. Windows Phone 7 and Android are two very, very different approaches to the smartphone OS idea. Both are decent OS's, I would say that overall, WP7 is superior to Android as a smartphone OS, but can definitely see some people prefering Android. WP7 is super smooth and super reliable, two things I cannot honestly say about Android. Even though many WP7 users are complaining about the updates, the update situation on WP7 is vastly superior to Android. Some high end Android phones (Fascinate, Epic 4g for example) are still in the process of recieving or waiting to start reciving an update announced last May that came out before the phones them self did. 10 whole months after its annocement they still don't have. Only two phones (the nexus S and nexus 1) have the most recent update that came out in December. No other phones even have public time tables of if/when they will get it. Android has far, far more numerous apps than Windows Phone, BUT the apps on Windows Phone are of much, much, much, MUCH higher quality than the apps on Android. I cannot think of a single app on Android that I actually used that either isn't on WP7 or doesn't have an acceptable substitute on WP7. Windows phone is much easier to use, live tiles are sooooo much easier to read than most widgets. I don't miss the "customization" of Android at all. When I go back to using my wife's My Touch 4g it feels needlessly complex. My phone can do anything her phone can do, in most cases mine does it better, and in nearly every case, its easier to do on the HD7.

So I thought something like this may help other people who are considering making the switch that I made 6 weeks ago. I love Windows Phone 7 and will probably not return to Android. Web OS maybe, or a very distant possibility of iOS, but never again Android.

 

[eric12341]

Never webPOS we gotta help MS defeat them again just like in the classic windows mobile and palmPOS days

 

[gibbyhome]

well Said Mr. Droid
I think more people need to hear about the update issues with android..
Well Done..

I have had a number of smartphones (HTC Shadow, palm 755p, Curve 8300, My Touch 3G, Motorola Droid, My Touch 4g, and currently an HD7). As you can see, before coming to WP7 I was on an Android streak and before that I was not very OS loyal. Windows Phone 7 and Android are two very, very different approaches to the smartphone OS idea. Both are decent OS's, I would say that overall, WP7 is superior to Android as a smartphone OS, but can definitely see some people prefering Android. WP7 is super smooth and super reliable, two things I cannot honestly say about Android. Even though many WP7 users are complaining about the updates, the update situation on WP7 is vastly superior to Android. Some high end Android phones (Fascinate, Epic 4g for example) are still in the process of recieving or waiting to start reciving an update announced last May that came out before the phones them self did. 10 whole months after its annocement they still don't have. Only two phones (the nexus S and nexus 1) have the most recent update that came out in December. No other phones even have public time tables of if/when they will get it. Android has far, far more numerous apps than Windows Phone, BUT the apps on Windows Phone are of much, much, much, MUCH higher quality than the apps on Android. I cannot think of a single app on Android that I actually used that either isn't on WP7 or doesn't have an acceptable substitute on WP7. Windows phone is much easier to use, live tiles are sooooo much easier to read than most widgets. I don't miss the "customization" of Android at all. When I go back to using my wife's My Touch 4g it feels needlessly complex. My phone can do anything her phone can do, in most cases mine does it better, and in nearly every case, its easier to do on the HD7.

So I thought something like this may help other people who are considering making the switch that I made 6 weeks ago. I love Windows Phone 7 and will probably not return to Android. Web OS maybe, or a very distant possibility of iOS, but never again Android.

 

[VernonEL]

I feel the same way about the updates. I would love to have all of the newest features on my WP7, but the OS is still great without them. I know that I'll get the updates relatively soon after they are released for the GSM phones, and I believe that once MS gets this update figured out, the others will go more smoothly. I'm just glad not to have to wonder if I'll ever get it like Android.

As far as what's coming with NoDo, I'm not in a huge rush. So far, I have not had the Marketplace crash on me. I do see the advantage to better search options in the Marketplace, but I really don't mind scrolling down a little to pick through to find what I'm looking for. Copy and Paste would be nice, but so far I actually have not had the opportunity to need and miss it.

As far as multi-tasking with Mango, I can see how the OS works so that one doesn't need it as much as other OSes, but MS still made a good choice putting that in their first real update. It really should be available, even if not really needed as much.

Sent from my flippin' sweet Quantum using Board Express

 

[Rich Edmonds]

As another stated, I could not put that better myself (I also came from Android to WP7). Great insight to your experiences.

 

[jimski]

@JRDroid: Thanks for a fair, objective overview. Never having used Android and reading lots of fanboy accolades, its hard to understand what would pull someone to, or away from, Android.

Sent from my HTC Surround using Board Express

 

[1jaxstate1]

I disagree with the updates. With Android, you know what you are getting when you buy the phone because it was a more complete OS. With Windows Phone 7, they said that missing feature would be added since it wasn't there at launch. I bought my Focus fully knowing that MS said directly that certain feature will be added soon, "early march/later in the year" So you can't compare Android updates to WP7 updates.

But I do agree that WP7 OS is superior to Android OS.

 

[charliepage]

As a former (though technically still have mine) android user and soon to be windows phone user, definitely agree about the awful way Android handles its updates.

Although what drew me to Windows phone was a problem with my current android phone and really liking my zune figured I'd plunge into WP7, I never used my android much anyways.

 

[tre-nitty]

Stop It I Say!!!

Everyone of you are bold face lying. Android is leaps and bounds better than wp7. I come here to read the different opinions about wp7, just like I do with all the all the other os as well and without a doubt wp7 users are the most delusional users i've ever seen. I know you want wp7 to do well but to put it plainly, wp7 sucks. Please tell me what this os does that makes it superior to android? I'm dying to hear these answers. Also look how many posts are now saying, well android update process is worse. Still waiting on NoDo I see.

 

[charliepage]

Everyone of you are bold face lying. Android is leaps and bounds better than wp7. I come here to read the different opinions about wp7, just like I do with all the all the other os as well and without a doubt wp7 users are the most delusional users i've ever seen. I know you want wp7 to do well but to put it plainly, wp7 sucks. Please tell me what this os does that makes it superior to android? I'm dying to hear these answers. Also look how many posts are now saying, well android update process is worse. Still waiting on NoDo I see.

I don't even have WP7 yet (tomorrow!) but as a Zune and Android user, the music/zune aspect of wp7 is definitely better than android. I would think XBL support along with games also rivals android, but I'll let others chime in.

 

[tre-nitty]

Like I stated and to each his own, when people constantly say wp7 is better than ios and android I want to know what makes it better. As of right now it's not even close. I'll wait for the responses. Zune is good but it's still just a music player but thanks for your reply.

 

[JRDroid]

Things that make WP7 better than Android:

1. Superior music player and services. This matters to lots of people and is a big weakness in Android. WP7 does it better
2. App quality. The number of apps doesn't compare to android right now, but the quality of the apps is much better (you kind of have to experience this to understand what I'm saying)
3. Much smoother. The OS doesn't lag. Ever. It doesn't crash. Ever. This is the reason I personally switched
4. Update process. Poke fun about NoDo all you want but it is still 6 months away from being as bad as the update process for many Android phones (inculding some high end ones).
5. Simplicity. I find Android overly complex, to the point that it sometimes impedes my doing what I want to do. WP7 hits the sweet spot between Android and iOS in my opinion. It is not as complex as Android, but has more complexity and personalization than iOS.
6. Live tiles. They are like widgets, only better. They are in general much, much easier to read and get the info you want off of.
7. You don't feel like your phone is out dated 2-3 months after you got it. I usually bought top of the line phones withing a week or two of them coming out, but I constantly felt like something better came out a few months later. This one is big to me because I like to have top of the line phones, and to keep up with android you would need 3-4 phones a year.

I will give you that 5-7 are more opinion than fact, but the other 4 are facts. WP7 may not be better for 100% of people, but I strongly feel that the "average consumer" would be better off with WP7. Android is good for some people (people into total customization, hacking, etc.).

 

[JRDroid]

Everyone of you are bold face lying. Android is leaps and bounds better than wp7. I come here to read the different opinions about wp7, just like I do with all the all the other os as well and without a doubt wp7 users are the most delusional users i've ever seen. I know you want wp7 to do well but to put it plainly, wp7 sucks. Please tell me what this os does that makes it superior to android? I'm dying to hear these answers. Also look how many posts are now saying, well android update process is worse. Still waiting on NoDo I see.

Also, how about telling us some of the ways that Android is leaps and bounds better than WP7 instead of just arbitrarilly claiming that it is.

 

[jtn05]

Everyone of you are bold face lying. Android is leaps and bounds better than wp7. I come here to read the different opinions about wp7, just like I do with all the all the other os as well and without a doubt wp7 users are the most delusional users i've ever seen. I know you want wp7 to do well but to put it plainly, wp7 sucks. Please tell me what this os does that makes it superior to android? I'm dying to hear these answers. Also look how many posts are now saying, well android update process is worse. Still waiting on NoDo I see.

While android does offer more functionality at the moment, Some people just think the overall user experience on WP7 is better...whats wrong with that? Why does somebody always have to be lying when they don't prefer android or agree with you?

 

[tre-nitty]

Also, how about telling us some of the ways that Android is leaps and bounds better than WP7 instead of just arbitrarilly claiming that it is.

Ok sure. Ringtones, widgets(real), screensaver, 5-7 home screens, ability to root your phone to overclock the CPU for faster performance, apps, multitasking, copy/paste, Google integration, faster web browsing, I change my roms daily, can you, ridiculous mod developer support, is that enough. Listen if you like wp7 that's fine but to say its better than android or ios is just unreal.

 

[tre-nitty]

I will say though, wp7 has by far the best keyboard. Props for that. I want that keyboard.

 

[Spoonieluv]

lying?

"Everyone of you are bold face lying..." There are a few things wrong with that statement... from your logic all the way to the grammar. I'll just focus on the 'logic' though.

How in the world you accuse people of lying about which OS they prefer? If they had told you last week that they thought iOS or Android was better and now they tell you something different, then 'maybe' you could make the statement that they are lying. Otherwise its just a difference of opinion.

Not trying to nit-pick here but that's a bold statement.

 

[VernonEL]

Welcome

I don't even have WP7 yet (tomorrow!) but as a Zune and Android user, the music/zune aspect of wp7 is definitely better than android. I would think XBL support along with games also rivals android, but I'll let others chime in.

Welcome to WP7 world and WPCentral!

 

[Averry]

Ok sure. Ringtones, widgets(real), screensaver, 5-7 home screens, ability to root your phone to overclock the CPU for faster performance, apps, multitasking, copy/paste, Google integration, faster web browsing, I change my roms daily, can you, ridiculous mod developer support, is that enough. Listen if you like wp7 that's fine but to say its better than android or ios is just unreal.

You want me to get deeply psychological on you.

Because I can tell you sir...you change your ROMS daily....because you truly, deep inside, hate Android.

You look at your home screen.....and it saddens you. In such ways you haven't felt since your family split up and your dog died. It saddens you so much, that the only way you know how to deal with it, is to put on another ROM in hopes that, THIS ROM, TODAY, THIS ROM THAT YOU INSTALL will satisfy the inner depths of your soul. And yet, every damn day, you still feel empty and grey inside. You hate Android because it's sloppy, and all of customization just distracts you until the next day when you can feel the darkness inside you no longer.

 

[Averry]

BTW, I have a rooted Incredible with vanilla Gingerbread. I screwed around with a few Roms, I didn't like Cyanogen because I thought it was too much.

I'm just bored with it. I don't like how everything looks.