Rant : What is your Plan B?

[Ten Four]

Why did you respond on an Internet forum? Should have written a letter and mailed it to us.

I responded using my fullsized desktop computer with fullsized keyboard and monitor instead of wasting time and effort struggling to do something on a phone that was meant for mobile communications first! Similarly, I don't attempt to drag my desktop with me when I am walking to work. Use the correct tool for the project and life will be much easier. Many if not most phone apps are a complete waste of time, and there are better ways to accomplish the same thing.

 

[anon(50597)]

I responded using my fullsized desktop computer with fullsized keyboard and monitor instead of wasting time and effort struggling to do something on a phone that was meant for mobile communications first! Similarly, I don't attempt to drag my desktop with me when I am walking to work. Use the correct tool for the project and life will be much easier. Many if not most phone apps are a complete waste of time, and there are better ways to accomplish the same thing.

I think you're in the minority but that's ok. Everyone is getting by just fine. Let people use what they like, just like you.

 

[abel46]

My Plan B was to try an Android device this year. But after tried in the shop I was not convinced.
So I picked up a Lumia 950 XL that was used. I got it for NOK 3500,- (around 400 USD), and have no regrets so far.
I hear many people gnag about the missing apps. Which missing apps? I have over 100 apps installed on my Lumia, that does everthing that I have use for.
I just look at it to get it unlocked, and the most used apps sits on the top of the screen. Less used apps are just a scroll down away. Every mobile I have had has been very responsive all the time. My first WP7 the HTC Racer works just as well as it allways have. The same with my Lumia 920, and 1020 (which has broken screen), and of corse mye Lumia 930 that my wife now use.

I see new apps pop up in the store on a daily basis, and I can run the same apps on my big gaming laptop. Along with my Vegas Pro and Visual Studio 2015.

It will be intresting to see in a few years. But I will be surpriced if not Windows has a big part on the mobil marked in 3 years.

 

[rkarolak]

Actually IOS has come a long way from being wall gardened to some what open to other sevices. Since IPhone 6 I haven't looked back or used my android device as my primary device. Since the first iphone I have hated nothing but the email, calendar contacts apps etc. atleast now my biggest issue is solved with outlook email app, google hangouts for my google voice account.

Stability, 2gb of ram on my iPhone 6s means no more slow downs. I have had used atleast 20-25 android handsets until my last ones samsung s5 and nexus 6, IMO biggest issue about android vendors is they use cheap components to drive costs down like sd ram or flash memory(they deplete after few million reads unlike apples proprietary and high quality ram/flash memory and battery). Thats one reason why android phones crawl or have battery woes after a years usage. Try IOS 9.x and you will never go back to any other device. Smoothness, stability, camera, apps, tight integration with various services, some neat features like safari ad blocker and night shift are welcome additions

For what it's worth, I don't feel like my opinion has changed with iOS 9. iOS 9 runs better on my (bit dated) Apple devices than iOS 7 or iOS 8, but it's nothing closed to how it ran with iOS 5/6. The services and some customization options have improved, but it's still a pretty locked down ecosystem. If the manufacture doesn't allow you to do what you and fights allowing people to get simple things like root/admin that's where I draw the line. Although, I admit that WP7/8 wasn't much better, but at least there you had some more flexibility with developer tools. Of course, when I think of openness my first thought is of Meego and the Nokia N9, but that was short lived, unfortunately.

Hardware on Android devices will of course range in cost and quality. A $50 Android Tracfone isn't going to be nearly as good as a Galaxy S7. There are also phones like ones from OnePlus, Meizu, Oppo, and Motorola, which aim to provide the best phone for your money.

I'm not sure I'll return to an iPhone any time soon, although I find the iPhone SE has most of what I wanted in an iPhone (smaller screen, a bit cheaper, hardware performance to match the other models). It really comes down to what you are looking for. The good thing is there are lots of good choices out there. Neither option is without its drawbacks. Unfortunately that doesn't include Windows Mobile phones for now.

 

[EspHack]

i found my plan B! after carrying an 8 inch asus tablet with cellular data i realized i no longer used my phone at all, this thing fits my pocket somehow and lasts like x4 times more than my phone, and can do soo much more, multitasking like a pro, and none of the mobile limitations you expect from a phone

so if w10m goes kaput I can just go on with this, dont need a "phone" anymore

 

[libra89]

i found my plan B! after carrying an 8 inch asus tablet with cellular data i realized i no longer used my phone at all, this thing fits my pocket somehow and lasts like x4 times more than my phone, and can do soo much more, multitasking like a pro, and none of the mobile limitations you expect from a phone

so if w10m goes kaput I can just go on with this, dont need a "phone" anymore

Wait so you're just going to use the phone for phone calls and text?

 

[EspHack]

Wait so you're just going to use the phone for phone calls and text?

i dont need a "phone" never really did, mobile pc is what i'm after

 

[Narathan]

I juggle between an Xiaomi Mi5 and my 950XL. the only real reason I sometimes use the Mi5 is because of the battery-life. Honestly, the SD810 inside the XL transforms my phone into a fireball: it's awesome, looks amazing, but burns your hand and it's useless after it ran out of juices to burn.

Plan B is definitly getting a Windows mobile with something besides the 810. Really regret buying this phone, but I love the OS, even with all it flaws (that gradually get less every update)

 

[dustkicka]

Microsoft won't give up on Windows 10 Mobile mostly because it now requires so little effort to maintain. 90% of the dev is used in the desktop anyway, also true with Universal Apps.

The problem is mobile hardware. Microsoft appear to have halted everything with Lumia and now all hope rests on Surface Phone or 3rd party companies like HP or Xiaomi.

So I actually think now is a pretty great time to go to your Plan B. Grab a Nexus 5X or iPhone SE, enjoy Apps for 18 months and see where Microsoft are in mid-2017 with Surface Phone.

The Missing Apps will come to Windows. I know we joke but they will come purely on the success of Windows 10 (desktop). The install base is already at 300m, there's only so long Snapchat etc can ignore that many users and making one Universal App is a no brainer. This weeks new Facebook, Messenger & Instagram updates are a great nod to future commitments.

So these next 18 months are a great time to live with Android/iOS, you can always come back next year?

That's what I did. Put the lumia 930 on ice and bought a note 5 to see me through the next year or so.

 

[jimh12345]

Just got a new car, and the fact that it interfaces with iPhone and Android in useful ways really has me thinking about getting an Android. The years go by and MS just lets one phone opportunity after another slip away.

 

[Kimmo Toivanen]

My plan B is moving closer to being plan A: Alcatel 4 with VR box or Honor 7 lite (equal to 5C, with fingerprint sensor).

One could get (in Finland) L950 with a dock for under 300€ (unlocked, taxes included). Some months ago, before MS ending consumer phone hardware development and manufacturing, that had been a nice deal...