What I like and don't like

[rdifiori]

I've had the Lumia for a day now, and overall I really like the device. I think has to do in large degree to the fact that it's something new and very different.

I've used almost every Blackberry and for the last year had the Inspire 4G as my daily phone, so my most recent experience is with Android. I was a chronic rooter and tinkerer with the HTC. I've tried many ROMs and am very familiar with everything in most Android ROMs.

Here is what I really like about the Lumia and WP:

-The look and feel of the phone
-The screen, particularly the blacks and ease-of-viewing in sunlight. The blacks are incredible--dead black.
-The proximity sensor works better than most Androids'
-GPS. It locks very quickly, and it stays connected, even indoors. The GPS on the Inspire sucks, regardless of ROM/Radio/RIL/build.prop
-Battery life
-LTE. It flies.
-Ease of use
-Nokia Drive app

Here is what I don't like:

-I think WP takes ease-of-use too far. It's missing even rudimentary settings, like: default web page and confirmation of e-mail delete.
-Size. It's longer than the Inspire, yet the screen is the same size.
-USB data requires Zune. I wish you could just connect it to your PC.
-Widgets are missing. It's a pain to do simple things like: turn wifi/bluetooth on/off, call a contact, view remaining battery%

I'll use it some more and see if the novelty wears off. If it does, I think it's back to Android until WP matures a bit more...

 

[cba191]

Here is what I don't like:

-I think WP takes ease-of-use too far. It's missing even rudimentary settings, like: default web page and confirmation of e-mail delete.
-Size. It's longer than the Inspire, yet the screen is the same size.
-USB data requires Zune. I wish you could just connect it to your PC.
-Widgets are missing. It's a pain to do simple things like: turn wifi/bluetooth on/off, call a contact, view remaining battery%

I'll use it some more and see if the novelty wears off. If it does, I think it's back to Android until WP matures a bit more...

You can pin webpages to the start screen.
You can get something like "connectivity shortcuts" from the app store.
you can pin contacts to the start screen as well.

As for the Zune interface and bqattery %, I can deal with those.

 

[tbonecopper]

Here is what I don't like:


-Widgets are missing. It's a pain to do simple things like: turn wifi/bluetooth on/off, call a contact, view remaining battery%

http://www.windowsphone.com/en-US/apps/96e6649a-5582-45a3-9c5b-a71881e18334

http://www.windowsphone.com/en-US/apps/430cf007-731f-4357-af7b-b897bff25a2c

For short cuts/widgets like that

 

[camaroguy]

I never understood the obsession with battery % as a number. They aren't even close enough to accurate for a number to mean anything more than the picture

 

[Oridus]

You can pin webpages to the start screen.
You can get something like "connectivity shortcuts" from the app store.
you can pin contacts to the start screen as well.

As for the Zune interface and bqattery %, I can deal with those.

Pinning to start is not the same as widgets. The live tiles are not the same as widgets. I would much prefer widgets over live tiles. Live tiles barely give me any information or usefulness compared to widgets. So I personally can see where he's coming from.

 

[cba191]

Pinning to start is not the same as widgets. The live tiles are not the same as widgets. I would much prefer widgets over live tiles. Live tiles barely give me any information or usefulness compared to widgets. So I personally can see where he's coming from.

Fair enough. I just never really liked widgets. The only thing I really care to see on the start page is current time and weather. With widgets, I'd just end up with more widgets for the sake of widgets. I realized that for me, it ended up being more widgets than I needed or wanted, just because I could. Everything else is a push away.

 

[smapor]

Widgets = why Andriod needs quad core.....joking but not really. Can't wait when Andriod users are forced to run malware/antivirus apps. Haha

 

[rdifiori]

You can pin webpages to the start screen.
You can get something like "connectivity shortcuts" from the app store.
you can pin contacts to the start screen as well.

As for the Zune interface and bqattery %, I can deal with those.

Thanks for the pointer on Connectivity Shortcuts. I will check them out.

http://www.windowsphone.com/en-US/apps/96e6649a-5582-45a3-9c5b-a71881e18334

http://www.windowsphone.com/en-US/apps/430cf007-731f-4357-af7b-b897bff25a2c

For short cuts/widgets like that

Thanks!

I never understood the obsession with battery % as a number. They aren't even close enough to accurate for a number to mean anything more than the picture

You know, I agree with that. I'm actually trying to force myself not to check at all. It stresses me out seeing it drop a few percent every time I use it. Who needs more stress these days?

 

[anon(5339784)]

I just found a new connectivity shortcut App, "Toggle", which is cool because one live tile can have two functions at once. Before, I needed either two live tiles (one for wifi, one for cellular to turn 3g on/off) or a live tile to the app where I would manually enter those two subcategories. Now I have one tile which takes me to the cellular settings where I can do what I want (or not), and when I hit back it takes me to the wifi settings, and one more back and I am on the startscreen again. Much easier, faster and takes up less space.

And no I didn't make it.

 

[mdelacoma]

I don't like how the power button is flush with the body of the phone. It's really hard to get a feel for when my finger is actually on the button. Not a problem when the phone is in plain view. But at night or indoors when light is off or low this is an issue for me. Is every 900 like this or just mine?

 

[ousooner314]

Here is what I don't like:

-I think WP takes ease-of-use too far. It's missing even rudimentary settings, like: default web page and confirmation of e-mail delete.

To specifically address the confirmation of e-mail delete - there's no one-step delete option. You have to either long-hold the e-mail and select delete, or, select multiple e-mails and click the delete icon. Both methods require manual initiation and cannot, under normal circumstances, be accidentally done. Due to this, adding a confirmation would break the continuity of the process and tend to get annoying after a while. So, personally, I think it's a good usability decision to not display a confirmation. Hope this helps!

 

[rdifiori]

Having spent more time using the Lumia I'm appreciating more the hardware,the performance, and the look-and-feel of WP.

I also discovered a few more downers. First, the media play has no tone controls whatsoever. I can see maybe not having an equalizer, dolby or SRS, but no tone controls at all? That's just unexplainable to me.

Also, with a BB or Android it so easy to move whatever files you want to the phone. You can use Zune to move photos, videos and music to the device, but you can't use it to copy Excel, Work, PDF documents, etc. For that, you have to copy the documents up to Skydrive (or somewhere on the web), open them on the device, and then save them locally. For a company that practically invented the PC (with FAT), you think they would at least give you an easier way to get content on the device.

 

[jbjtkbw007]

For docs, I don't mind the sky drive interface. To me, that's akin to Dropbox. Just means I can upload files from anywhere without having to tether my phone. I think that's convenient. Maybe that's just me. I have a Droid Bionic right now and I NEVER tether to the PC to load something on. I always do it wirelessly somehow. Something my roommate can't always do with his 4S.

 

[rdifiori]

To specifically address the confirmation of e-mail delete - there's no one-step delete option. You have to either long-hold the e-mail and select delete, or, select multiple e-mails and click the delete icon. Both methods require manual initiation and cannot, under normal circumstances, be accidentally done. Due to this, adding a confirmation would break the continuity of the process and tend to get annoying after a while. So, personally, I think it's a good usability decision to not display a confirmation. Hope this helps!

That is true, but if you are viewing an email, it's very easy to accidentally hit the trash can button. If you do, the email is gone with that single step.