Switching platforms? | Thinking of leaving?...comment here!

[fatclue_98]

@fatclue_98
You have owned a 950 XL right?
I do not know what it is about the 950 XL but the screen size and size of the actual device or just pleasant. I can get to everything on the phone and with a large screen. It scales almost everything perfect now. Back a year ago I struggled with that. So glad Microsoft is coming with the c-shell and then the full game will be on...maybe not for the 950s but for all hw to come later it will do well for.

Yes I have and yes, there was a certain "holdability" about it that belied its size. I think that's just a byproduct of the WM UI. The Idol was also a very nice handset to hold and didn't feel like a 5.5" device. For me, the XL's power button placement and it's feel was just so off. YMMV of course but I'm not the first to complain about that.

I may have to look into the Pixel XL. The Nexus experience has been enlightening to say the least.

 

[nate0]

Yes I have and yes, there was a certain "holdability" about it that belied its size. I think that's just a byproduct of the WM UI. The Idol was also a very nice handset to hold and didn't feel like a 5.5" device. For me, the XL's power button placement and it's feel was just so off. YMMV of course but I'm not the first to complain about that.

I may have to look into the Pixel XL. The Nexus experience has been enlightening to say the least.

I think I am going to sell a couple of devices in preperation for what OnePlus puts out in a couple weeks. If I do not go that route, I am still fond of the s6 edge+ and will keep hunting for a cheap one...

 

[N1cks]

And I'm assuming when you say Nine Mail keeps Outlook.com and Google in sync, you're not saying it actually syncs data between them you actually mean it allows you to use your Outlook.com and Google contacts on an Android are you? If it did sync them, that would be kind of cool

You can actually get by pretty well without using Google contacts or calendar on an Android.

I confess I don’t know how Nine Mail works – I was under the impression that it synced Outlook.com’s contacts/calendar with Google’s equivalent.

So, Nine Mail is a standalone email, calendar, & contacts app that has two-way sync with Outlook.com which you can set as default…

If I set the Nine Mail calendar to default … will Cortana read from this?

Because if that’s the case, then yeah – you don’t need the Google Calendar app at all…?

I guess if you want to use Outlook for Android (calendar & email) you could disable the notification from Nine Mail – and just use Nail mail in the background to keep the contacts & calendar in sync.

Also, thx for the info

 

[nate0]

Ya Nine rocks on Android. The iOS version will too when they release it.

 

[N1cks]

There's another option for Android users not willing to put up with Google and that is the BlackBerry Hub services. It's the closest thing to native Outlook on WM in that you can pin each account to your home screen. If you also go with the BlackBerry Launcher then you also get badges for each account you pin.

I hadn't considered Blackberry. This is good to know.

They've some nice phones: All BlackBerry phones


Re: the Galaxy S8, can it be set-up to be 'non-Google' i.e. can the default Samsung mail/contacts/calendar apps two-sync with Outlook.com?

 

[fatclue_98]

I hadn't considered Blackberry. This is good to know.

They've some nice phones: All BlackBerry phones


Re: the Galaxy S8, can it be set-up to be 'non-Google' i.e. can the default Samsung mail/contacts/calendar apps two-sync with Outlook.com?

I have my S8 set up so that the only sync from a Google account is for app data. BlackBerry Hub handles email, contacts, calendar and my FB & LinkedIn contacts too.

 

[N1cks]

I have my S8 set up so that the only sync from a Google account is for app data.

Could you please elaborate.

For you contacts/email/calendar, are you using the Samsung apps? Does everything sync two-way i.e. if you edit a contact in the phone's contacts app, will it sync back to outlook.com?

 

[camaroz1985]

Yes I have and yes, there was a certain "holdability" about it that belied its size. I think that's just a byproduct of the WM UI. The Idol was also a very nice handset to hold and didn't feel like a 5.5" device. For me, the XL's power button placement and it's feel was just so off. YMMV of course but I'm not the first to complain about that.

I may have to look into the Pixel XL. The Nexus experience has been enlightening to say the least.

If you want an Android phone, I can't recommend the Pixel enough. The software isn't bogged down with skins, it is smooth and fast. It worked as good 6 months in as it did the day I got it (only had one issue, but the built in 24/7 tech support was able to help fix that). The camera is great as well, fast, and takes amazing low light pictures, seemingly pulling light from nowhere without much noise.

Not having a good first party phone was what kept me from trying Android for a long time. Samsung was so popular it seemed like the first party, but I couldn't get over how the interface looked/worked. Every time I used a family member's or friend's it just seemed so childish and sluggish. With the Pixel, Google has a great device, and had I stayed with Android I would have for sure kept it for a long time, but I am actually looking to trade it for a 7 or 7+ now. The S8 hardware is beautiful, but I not enough to make me want to leave my Pixel.

 

[fatclue_98]

Could you please elaborate.

For you contacts/email/calendar, are you using the Samsung apps? Does everything sync two-way i.e. if you edit a contact in the phone's contacts app, will it sync back to outlook.com?

I stated in my post that I use the BlackBerry Hub for all my PIM syncing. I don't use any Samsung apps except the Gear app for my watch. Even my Gmail account is synced via the Hub.

 

[dov1978]

If you want an Android phone, I can't recommend the Pixel enough. The software isn't bogged down with skins, it is smooth and fast. It worked as good 6 months in as it did the day I got it (only had one issue, but the built in 24/7 tech support was able to help fix that). The camera is great as well, fast, and takes amazing low light pictures, seemingly pulling light from nowhere without much noise.

Not having a good first party phone was what kept me from trying Android for a long time. Samsung was so popular it seemed like the first party, but I couldn't get over how the interface looked/worked. Every time I used a family member's or friend's it just seemed so childish and sluggish. With the Pixel, Google has a great device, and had I stayed with Android I would have for sure kept it for a long time, but I am actually looking to trade it for a 7 or 7+ now. The S8 hardware is beautiful, but I not enough to make me want to leave my Pixel.

Umm...you do realise the Nexus range has been Googles first party phone for years before they simply rebranded as Pixel?

 

[camaroz1985]

Umm...you do realise the Nexus range has been Googles first party phone for years before they simply rebranded as Pixel?

Yes I realize that, but they didn't interest me until the Pixel came out. I should have said a first party device that felt like a premium product, a la iPhone.

 

[PerfectReign]

Also touchwiz is something else...in a bad way.

The android keyboard/g-board for me is horrific. Even on a 5.5" phone I struggle with the VKB on android phones. Never have that issue moving back and forth with iOS. The W10M keyboard to me is very nice. Next is the iOS kb, very fluid indeed. Android virtual keyboard for me...eek.

Touchwiz is just awful. I rooted both my S2 and Note 2 because of it. On both devices I installed Cyanogen.

I do love the Microsoft keyboard. I have the hub Keyboard on my work SGS6 and the WordFlow on my Iphone 7. Of course my X3 and 950xl have stock.

 

[fatclue_98]

Touchwiz is just awful. I rooted both my S2 and Note 2 because of it. On both devices I installed Cyanogen.

I do love the Microsoft keyboard. I have the hub Keyboard on my work SGS6 and the WordFlow on my Iphone 7. Of course my X3 and 950xl have stock.

Besides the overall bloat in terms of the installation itself, TouchWiz looks so cartoonish. It's certainly not a professional looking OS. Windows Mobile and iOS both have a clean, mature look to them that wouldn't be an embarrassment to a CEO at a board meeting.

 

[tgp]

Windows Mobile and iOS both have a clean, mature look to them that wouldn't be an embarrassment to a CEO at a board meeting.

Considering the fact that Samsung phones are heavily used in enterprise, I doubt CEOs are embarrassed by Touchwiz.

 

[fatclue_98]

Considering the fact that Samsung phones are heavily used in enterprise, I doubt CEOs are embarrassed by Touchwiz.

Ask Larry Page why he still uses a BlackBerry Bold 9900 at meetings.

 

[nate0]

Ask Larry Page why he still uses a BlackBerry Bold 9900 at meetings.

The corporation I work for would not touch an android with a ten foot pole. Others have embraced them or are trying but have walls of security between themselves and the device. The fact that Samsung puts out a device every year is cool and all but says nothing to me about their innovation or real goal in mind. There is a reason the 950 xl is still a great device and yet 2+years old. Samsung milked the micro USB port forever, until the S8. When getting sucked into the consumer driven hole it's hard to get out of it I bet.

 

[tgp]

Ask Larry Page why he still uses a BlackBerry Bold 9900 at meetings.

I would if I could. Is it because he is embarrassed about TouchWiz?

 

[anon(50597)]

I would if I could. Is it because he is embarrassed about TouchWiz?

Yes. He doesn't want to use the same OS as his teenage children.

Sent from mTalk on my SP4

 

[PerfectReign]

found an interesting thing today. On my Windows phones, the Audible app is slow to load and often hangs. However, it does have two things my new Iphone Audible app doesn't have. First, I can stream books instead of downloading. Not a big deal, but i prefer that. Second, I have a setting that makes the app not auto-load and play when I connect to bluetooth. I am so annoyed that my books constantly start playing when I get into the car now with my Iphone. Just emailed audible about that.

 

[camaroz1985]

I wonder if it is because it is the first app alphabetically that would play on bluetooth? Is this just with bluetooth or with CarPlay?