(Official) What WP needs to succeed

[dukrem]

Re: (Official) Why I don't like WP8 Part 2 (What WP needs to succeed)

That's pretty much exactly what's on my mind.

1. Notification centre
2. Fix wallet so that it works like advertised - I want to be able to do NFC payments and for there to actually be deals in the deals section.
3. Closing apps
4. Separate vol controls
5. Universal search
6. Fix the oversized font in the UI!!! It is really annoying not being able to see the full title of emails, songs or apps. Shrink the text, add a couple of non text UI elements - just basic subtle lines would do - this would make it so much more usable

I agree that the live tiles need to be a lloooot better. This includes greater flexibility for custom UI components, animations, etc, and I would like some degree of interaction. However I don't think widgets are the way to go. In the age of fast smartphones swiping to a second homescreen with a widget for email will take just as long as launching the email app, or looking in the notification centre.

One tap search... meh. As long as they add universal search to the bing app then I don't mind pressing the search button first.

There is one area you mentioned where I see an opportunity for WP to really leap ahead: voice commands. Interestingly the snapdragon 800 and (I think) 600 have the ability to constantly monitor the microphones for keywords. It would be brilliant to see Microsoft implement a system like the kinnect on the xbox where you initiate a voice command by saying 'xbox', rather than having to press (or long press) a button. For example you could say 'Lumia, play my music' and it would start, with no physical interaction with the phone. Integrate this sort of voice command system with the excellent Nokia drive navigation on WP, and a google now-like personal assistant and you would have the best driving phone on the market. It would make the recently announced in car app linking systems for iOS and android (let's face it, WP is never going to see any of that) just about irrelevant. All you need is a good phone mount and a Bluetooth link.

There's also the matter of the integrated apps which are ageing. Skype needs to be integrated into messaging, calendar needs a UI overhall, etc.

 

[runam0k]

Re: (Official) Why I don't like WP8 Part 2 (What WP needs to succeed)

A couple of things just seem broken in WP8. For example, why are there no proper working music apps? Deezer, Spotify, Rdio and Xbox Music all have serious issues. I could blame poor third party support (they do fine on other platforms) but why would they all struggle with WP? Similarly, not one of the podcast apps works properly and consistently. They all have issues. Loosely related: WP8 seems to frequently forget what I was listening to (so when I hit the volume button to resume, there is nothing there - I don't recall having this issue with WP7. Anyway, lots of little issues that bug me. Which is a shame because I like the platform.

 

[fjays]

Re: (Official) Why I don't like WP8 Part 2 (What WP needs to succeed)

I just heard I can probably just access the drives on the phone without using that Desktop App so should be able to sync the photos manually. I've never had an iphone and only very briefly had and android phone so don't have too much to compare it to. Does seem that they're taking damn long time to bring skype out of beta given that they own it, it's not a third party app really. Many things very good on the phone, fantastic screen, Nokia City Lens is good, have dictionary and compass apps all doing what they're meant to, TuneIn radio okay.

I'll forgive them for not having an FM radio - I think they don't really put them in any of the modern smartphones. A certain misleading marketing which I really want to out with is that the Lumia is available in a range of different colours - sure I can order another case, but the store I went to had only black and someone else posted that only black was available in their store too. Furthermore, the accessories such as induction charging pillow are nowhere to be seen.. Such great design and ideas yet they keep them away from the market..

 

[d_abbatelli]

Re: (Official) Why I don't like WP8 Part 2 (What WP needs to succeed)

Ok... After few days of using it...
1- Better music & sync apps. Right now, they are just incredibly buggy. And there is no wireless sync.
2- Somehow related to number one: make some API's that allow the apps to access the memory card and write on it. Right now, this is impossible, so third party app are not allowed to do a lot of nice things (like music syncing and metadata management, but there is a lot more).
3- Profles, and API's to create automated profile management. I want my smartphone to be smart enough to shut up when I have a lecture in the calendar and go offline mode if I'm at home after midnight.
4- Better Facebook, better Skype, better Whatsapp, better PDF reader, better calendar.

 

[MCH123]

Re: Repeat Alerts / Reminders for Missed SMS, Voicemail, Calls

Another one part of the 1% here too. My Nokia 920 is the first phone I have owned that doesn't have this feature. Still really miss it after three months.

 

[congusano]

Re: (Official) Why I don't like WP8 Part 2 (What WP needs to succeed)

What has been frustrating me lately is the "due to limitations of the OS".

For example:

1. My wifes phone can record slow motion video (which is quite cool actually). It records at a lower resolution, but much higher framerate...probably 60 or 120fps and then plays it back at 30fps. I am learning that windows phone 8 can't do this... because of limitations due to the OS (the hardware can CERTAINLY handle this)
2. No MHL to HDMI. My lumia920 has fully capable hardware, but the OS doesn't support it? (have seen reports that the "device" doesn't support it, but according to the MHL standards, it can). Bummer.
3. Live tiles updating quicker than every 30 minutes... I dont know how many apps i've installed that said they can't, because of "limitations of the OS".


I can go on. /rant

 

[ChMar]

Re: (Official) Why I don't like WP8 Part 2 (What WP needs to succeed)

What has been frustrating me lately is the "due to limitations of the OS".

3. Live tiles updating quicker than every 30 minutes... I dont know how many apps i've installed that said they can't, because of "limitations of the OS".

Live tiles can be updated more frequently than 30 minutes. But consider what you are asking. You want apps roaming in the background and consuming trafic and battery? Do you really need tiles to update more than 30 minutes? It can anyway update more frequently than 30 mins but what do you need it for?

 

[FinancialP]

Re: (Official) Why I don't like WP8 Part 2 (What WP needs to succeed)

Live tiles can be updated more frequently than 30 minutes. But consider what you are asking. You want apps roaming in the background and consuming trafic and battery? Do you really need tiles to update more than 30 minutes? It can anyway update more frequently than 30 mins but what do you need it for?

I never understood this misconception. The Basketball live app tile updates every 30 seconds.

 

[ChMar]

Re: (Official) Why I don't like WP8 Part 2 (What WP needs to succeed)

I never understood this misconception. The Basketball live app tile updates every 30 seconds.

That's because they are obssesed with live tiles for battery. Which are the one that can't update faster than 30 minutes. You can have the tile update as fast as you want for a real app. And also live tiles are not widget. They have a different meaning, they are a window in the app without having the app running. Beside battery live tiles I can't think of any use for a tile that updates fast. You are a couple of seconds on the home screen and spend your time in an app. Why would you wan't faster tiles? To convey what information?

 

[HerronScott]

Re: Repeat Alerts / Reminders for Missed SMS, Voicemail, Calls

Same issue here although just being able to use the alarm tone for a text alert would solve the issue for me! I was able to do this with my last Windows Mobile 6.5 phone and it worked great (change to the alarm tone when on call and change it back when not on call).

Scott

 

[Robert Carpenter]

Re: Repeat Alerts / Reminders for Missed SMS, Voicemail, Calls

Am I the only one who finds it hilariously stupid that the form of communication for these highly critical on-call situations is a text message?

Why isn't anyone complaining that 911 doesn't offer a text-message service?

 

[E Lizzle]

Re: Repeat Alerts / Reminders for Missed SMS, Voicemail, Calls

Am I the only one who finds it hilariously stupid that the form of communication for these highly critical on-call situations is a text message?

Why isn't anyone complaining that 911 doesn't offer a text-message service?

Stupid, yes, in a sense. The text messages are generated by systems monitoring software when it has detected an abnormality. It's not economically feasible (or normal) to install an automated voice dialing system.

-E

 

[Robert Carpenter]

Re: Repeat Alerts / Reminders for Missed SMS, Voicemail, Calls

Stupid, yes, in a sense. The text messages are generated by systems monitoring software when it has detected an abnormality. It's not economically feasible (or normal) to install an automated voice dialing system.

-E

So then it's clearly the monitoring system that's lacking features, not the phone lol. Automated Voice dialing systems are actually very feasible with today's technology. They pretty much come standard now with VoIP systems...

 

[teng_m]

WP Feature request: Locking Preferred Signal

I wish MS could add this feature. Locking to your preferrerd signal of gsm/egde, 3g/hspda , 4g/LTE only just like my old e71. i know this sounds stupid to some but in my area, 2g signal is very strong and 3g/4g signal is really crappy. It keeps changing signal every second I'm using the internet connection. and that is so hellish:angry::angry::angry:

 

[abel920]

Re: WP Feature request: Locking Preferred Signal

Yes you can, go check your settings again.

 

[teng_m]

Re: WP Feature request: Locking Preferred Signal

do you mean the signal choice of 2g 3g 4g? It doesn't lock signal. it just set the maximum preferred signal
what I mean in OP is when i choose 3g, it will lock to 3g., it won't go down to 2g or go up to 4g

 

[eric12341]

Re: WP Feature request: Locking Preferred Signal

There is that feature but its only accessible from the dialer by dialing a secret code, generally something like ##3246##, it varies by phone model and carrier. Problem with using this is instead of the phone falling back to 2G you will lose signal entirely.

 

[dainla]

Re: (Official) Why I don't like WP8 Part 2 (What WP needs to succeed)

Can't believe they haven't fixed a huge issue like the music problem yet. They finally fixed the sync and I can get music on my phone but now the songs just duplicate. Drives me crazy.

CRAZY

 

[teng_m]

Re: WP Feature request: Locking Preferred Signal

do you know what or where I can get the code? I'm using a L920 black it's a singapore unit. unlocked
dialing ##634# just brings out a life counter and color the the phone

 

[FinancialP]

Re: Repeat Alerts / Reminders for Missed SMS, Voicemail, Calls

Am I the only one who finds it hilariously stupid that the form of communication for these highly critical on-call situations is a text message?

Why isn't anyone complaining that 911 doesn't offer a text-message service?

True story, 911 is working on a texting service.