[REF] Possible OS Improvements

[mlm1950]

This list isn't a list of flaws identified in the system. This list is the list of your personal choices that MSFT did not address even after you wrote numerous post cards to them.

Wi-Fi being on all the time shouldn't be a huge drain on the battery.

 

[AngryNil]

Wi-Fi being on all the time shouldn't be a huge drain on the battery.

In fact, tests have found leaving WiFi on can in fact improve battery life.

Collapsible Email Subfolders. I could get several employee's to switch to WP8 or the Surface if only they allowed Collapsible Subfolders.

By this, do you mean being able to collapse the folders for an account in a linked inbox, or something else? I'll add it once I'm sure what you mean.

 

[nizzon]

Notification center mentioned!!!

Notificationcenter mentioned at BUILD!
Awesome news!

Skip to 2:45...
In WP8 Live Tiles will now no longer expire after 2 weeks - YouTube!

 

[AngryNil]

Or sock puppet

Sock puppet no longer!

 

[pavvento]

From what I have heard NFC does not have access to OS operations such as turning on/off radios, changing ringer options, etc. If this is true I hope for that to change with an update.

 

[blehblehbleh]

Sock puppet no longer!

Nice. This handle suits you better.

 

[a5cent]

https://twitter.com/joebelfiore/status/267325240479199232

See joe's response... WiFi on.

 

[AngryNil]

https://twitter.com/joebelfiore/status/267325240479199232

See joe's response... WiFi on.

Microsoft should be doing this more. That is, confirming they are fixing or improving little things. These aren't headline features and announcing them early doesn't lessen the impact of the next update when it arrives, since it will likely be glossed over by most tech sites. It will keep fans happy to know Microsoft is at least aware of some of the problems and is working to fix them.

 

[wpoblation]

These shouldn't be incredibly hard coding that is beyond Microsoft's capability:
- Separate volume controls for apps/ringtones (every other platform including dumbphones, and Windows Mobile had this)
- Ability to have at least two browser control buttons for IE
- Numbers row on Keyboard for IE
- Open in Background Tab for IE
- Speed Dial for IE (heck, the entire Windows Phone Start Screen layout (And Windows 8) is a Speed Dial!)

 

[DaveGx]

Nice list. Now than WP8 is out, MS needs to looks at the top 10 things users want (ie custom volume controls) as well as going through each existing hardwired app/function and makes lists on what can be improved/updated/enhanced. Things like Calendar, email, volume, brightness.

There's no excuse why we shouldn't see many significant improvements/enhancements on the next update which hopefully isn't going to take a year or more to roll out.

 

[DaveGx]

For the browser, why can't they have a hidden bar on the top, that comes down if you swype down from the top of your screen?
They really have ******** IE as a browser. Its just way too basic and should easily offer more. This is why I wish they'd just let a 3rd party dev be able to create a browser not forced to be built off of IE. Could say the same for email. Touchdown for Android was an excellent email app as was Dolphin HD as a browser, both 3rd party and top notch

 

[wpcautobot]

You can scrub music that is playing by pressing and holding the next track button.

You can multi-select texts and emails by pressing at the very left edge of the screen for one of the items. A check box will appear and you can check each item you want.

Great list!

 

[dawindbag]

You can scrub music that is playing by pressing and holding the next track button.

That's not scrubbing, that's just fast-forwarding. Scrubbing is being able to drag a slider to any point in a file.

 

[dawindbag]

You need to put WiFi Sync at the top of that list in big, bold font. It's by far the biggest gap in the product considering it existed in WP7/Zune.

Also, Podcast support in XBox Music and auto-playlists. I guess that could be called a Win8 issue, but since it limits WP8 functionality it's worth noting.

 

[wpcautobot]

That's not scrubbing, that's just fast-forwarding. Scrubbing is being able to drag a slider to any point in a file.

Oh you are right.... My bad. At least you can fast forward.

 

[AngryNil]

Reworded all the points to be "suggestions".

For the browser, why can't they have a hidden bar on the top, that comes down if you swype down from the top of your screen?

It makes no sense to me. With Windows 8, they are all-in on edge gestures. With Windows Phone, there are so many instances where edge gestures would make perfect sense... but they've done zilch. Maybe they really did run behind schedule due to the kernel charge and seriously had no time to do much else.

You can multi-select texts and emails by pressing at the very left edge of the screen for one of the items. A check box will appear and you can check each item you want.

Clarified the point slightly. You can multi-select in email, but no select all is the complaint there. You cannot multi-select text messages in Windows Phone 7, if it is different for WP8 then I am all ears.

You need to put WiFi Sync at the top of that list in big, bold font. It's by far the biggest gap in the product considering it existed in WP7/Zune.

Also, Podcast support in XBox Music and auto-playlists. I guess that could be called a Win8 issue, but since it limits WP8 functionality it's worth noting.

Thanks, I added these to a new syncing category. Am I right to assume that "auto-playlists" is akin to what Smart DJ was in Zune?

 

[fardream]

Quite thorough list. Let's pray MSFT will listen

 

[bryan_05]

1. A way to stream .m3u files
2. Pushing "delete" goes to the next email
3. A way to print (PDF or Office) from the phone

 

[twint7787]

After reading a little bit of the thread (sorry I couldn't read all of it because there was just too much bickering, which is normal) I am going to share what I always thought Microsoft did wrong with WP8. You may not AGREE which is completely fine I just wanted to bounce my ideas off you guys.

First and foremost I think Microsoft completely blew the design and implementation of WP8. If they wanted a 3 screen vision they should have made WP8 more in line with W8 and the UI on the Xbox which are grouped into into clusters, but more importantly implement side scrolling. There were a lot of fan renders showing how this would have looked on the phone and I absolutely loved it. They could have still allowed the live tiles to use three different sizes as well.

On the topic of live tiles themselves. They are pretty but limited in their use. I know they CAN do a lot more than widgets per say but I would have liked to see increased usability with them. I was thinking the other day that for some live tiles we should have the ability to execute quick actions. For example (and I just thought about this the other day so relax) what if for text messages you were able to double click on the tile to quick respond to one of your contacts who sent you a new message. Honestly I would just like them to behave slightly more like widgets. You know, like being able to scroll through your text messages so you can quickly see who texted you and what they said.

Obviously this has been a hot topic the last couple of weeks and IDK if MS is planning something, but they need to figure out a notification hub. For the people saying its not necessary please respond with your opinion because I have not seen one that I thought was more EFFICIENT than a notification center accessible from anywhere in the OS. I will leave that alone now...

Ok, now I love the way that apps take up the whole screen but I feel that they messed up here as well. Let me bounce this idea off of you and I actually do want to hear what you guys think about this because I always thought this to be genius lol. I don't mind if they allow apps to take up the entire screen but why not have the swipe down motion bring up the status bar over the app? (or just allow the status bar to always be there......another interesting omission on their part) Not only would you be able to swipe to bring up the bar no matter where you are, but then I would like to introduce the webOs style ability to adjust wifi, bluetooth, and other settings from this bar with possibly a touble tap? Is this where they could implement the notification center in a new and different way.

I have a lot of stuff floating around in my head but I'll stop here because it is a jumbled mess lol. I guess all in all I still love W8 and WP8 from an aesthetic point of view, but I feel there is not enough continuity across platforms (UI wise) yet. I think this really hurts them in what they are trying to do. I don't want to be that guy but I feel like they got this out there but it is soooooo far from polished. When you think about, there are a lot of great features they implemented in WP8 from WP7 but a lot of the hot topics that people were complaining about....they didn't do sh*t.

Bring on the hate!!!!

 

[AngryNil]

If they wanted a 3 screen vision they should have made WP8 more in line with W8 and the UI on the Xbox which are grouped into into clusters, but more importantly implement side scrolling. There were a lot of fan renders showing how this would have looked on the phone and I absolutely loved it.

I think it is very difficult to implement the side scrolling paradigm for phones used primarily in portrait. Could you point us to some of these renders?

I was thinking the other day that for some live tiles we should have the ability to execute quick actions. For example (and I just thought about this the other day so relax) what if for text messages you were able to double click on the tile to quick respond to one of your contacts who sent you a new message.

I added this, though I think this is a fine line to tread and I can see why Microsoft hasn't done it yet. Double taps or some other gesture could work, but I wouldn't want scrolling on the tiles themselves - the home screen itself scrolls so it would become rather fiddly.

I don't mind if they allow apps to take up the entire screen but why not have the swipe down motion bring up the status bar over the app? (or just allow the status bar to always be there......another interesting omission on their part)

It's not new for apps to be able to omit the status bar. I support your idea since I like the look of apps without the status bar and I'm always for wider use of edge gestures. It wouldn't be very different from Android though, since it will still be a swipe from the top.