What's up with the secrecy???

[cp2_4eva]

Microsoft announced loads features for wp8 that weren't available for wp7, ages ago, at the same time they told us about the lack of upgrade path for wp7.

They may well have secrets, but it's only going to be a couple. The feature set of wp8 is already miles ahead of wp7.

If that isn't enough, and the list of announced phones doesn't have a must have unit for you, then sounds like you need to make the jump to android.

I know which WP8 device I would get, but the device itself isn't going to get people to buy it. People need a compelling reason to switch to WP8. If they can't save a video file from their e-mail to their phone, then they might be bothered like I am. MS hasn't promised to fix all the short comings of the OS. There are basic functions that the OS is missing that would be great if we had them now, but we have to wait for a big OS update to get it. Reminds me of this Samsung commercial I saw the other day. "Oh you can finally change the volume of ringtones and music separately? We had that a long time ago"

[YT]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=McavDHTBSqU[/YT]

 

[jabtano]

I may have to agree with you on7.8 as.it looks how I'll be sticking with device as t-mo isn't going to carry any high end devices for WP8 and no 8x is not high end

Sent from my HD7 using Board Express

 

[TJWINS]

I may have to agree with you on7.8 as.it looks how I'll be sticking with device as t-mo isn't going to carry any high end devices for WP8 and no 8x is not high end

Sent from my HD7 using Board Express

Well the rest of the mobile industry considers the 8X as high end. Also, T-Mobile is getting the Ativ S. I hope you are not consider only the 920 as high end...

 

[stephen_az]

It's been RTMed, meaning it's not ready to ship on phones. Manufacturers still have to do their thing.

Sorry that Microsoft isn't Apple, where it only needs to RTM to itself, or Google, where it decides to choose a favourite so it RTMs when the first product ships. Ever wonder why Android devices launch with an old Android build, months after the unveiling of a new version?

Windows Phone has no devices that can launch today and as such, Microsoft is holding back OS features. If it didn't, everyone would be complaining about how WP8 is "vapourware" (I would have included "late", but plenty of sites have already spread that nonsense).

How could you just come in here as spout logic at people? Excuse the sarcasm but this is exactly the part people just don't seem to get. Apple puts out one product and Google gives Android away. With Apple they know to the day when a product or an upgrade will hit the streets. With Google most devices come with a manufacturer applied skin over older builds with no guarantee you will ever see an upgrade. As an owner of a Transformer Prime, it was also pretty easy to figure out that Android is a poorly designed and poorly optimized OS that has its market position because it is free. Microsoft going RTM simply means that it is locked down, not that the myriad of hardware partners are finished. There is a lot more to a Microsoft licensing agreement with its hardware partners than here it is, go do what you want with it. Look at the Windows desktop side. Windows 8 was RTM'ed in August (as Windows 7 was several years ago) - the release of Windows 8 products is several months later.

 

[1jaxstate1]

Wait, you think MS don't have hundreds if not a thousand of phone that they could show off WP8. You think MS is waiting on a OEM so that they can show off their device. Ridiculous

 

[JamesBondage]

I don't even think it's an disadvantage for MS. The announcement of WP8 caught my interest for that OS first. I would have forgotten all about it if there hadn't been so many reminders like the presentation of Lumia 920 over a certain period of time. If MS showed all the features in one presentation, there would have been one big bang and silence afterwards (especially after the announcement of iPhone 5). As it is now, they stay in mind and media by feeding us one piece of information at a time.

 

[crystal_planet]

Agreed. All I've seen so far is resizable tiles. Really? That's it? Microsoft is taking on Apple and Google with "resizable tiles"?!

I desperately want a third choice when it comes to mobile OS and our best hope is WP, but I'm so dismayed to see Ballmer and crew bragging about "resizable tiles".

Ha! Do you think MS blew its load with tile size? Not a chance. If that was the case the best possible scenario would be WP users would stand pat with 7.8 (because that's what they're getting too). The worst possible scenario would be a mass defection to Android and Apple.

No way in heck MSFT is betting on their future with that.

 

[PG2G]

Resizeable tiles are the only UI change we've seen. They have shown plenty of other stuff, and some of the most important stuff is going to be the additional capabilities that developers will have.

 

[Joelist]

What have they shown? Nothing I can discern. And yes the OS at present has huge issues with missing functionality (like text reflow) and nothing at all has been said about them.

 

[power5]

Hahahaha, GS3 comercial is AWESOME. It puts those Mac vs PC commercials to shame.

 

[SnailUK]

. If MS showed all the features in one presentation, there would have been one big bang and silence afterwards (especially after the announcement of iPhone 5). As it is now, they stay in mind and media by feeding us one piece of information at a time.

They showed the vast majority of wp8 features months ago in the big developers conference.

All the SDK "leaks" I've seen are just confirming stuff we already know about.

The "secrecy" will just be a couple of cherries on top the cake. Probably just Eco-system stuff about how WP, Xbox, and windows 8 sync nicely together.

 

[iSeeiSheep]

Sorry to disappoint you but Windows 8 is nothing to get excited about.

They botched up the UI look and feel. I have been running the RTM since it hit MSDN.

You'll quickly notice the issues on self installs, so I'd suggest buying a new touch device for the HAPPY effect.

I don't have touch screen so it bugs me. Also the tiles need the newer high resolution glossy displays or it loses visual appeal - that's my take.

There are plus sides -

Performance is amazingly fast

Hyper-V is free (enterprise version)

Powershell has many new commands - cloud focused

Storage is much improved

Data deduplication - advanced users will love it

Server 2012 they got right!!! So that will make MS's Cloud business grow even if Windows 8 does not so well.

RUMOR - A SERVICE PACK IS COMING FAST. UI FIX MAYBE???

 

[1jaxstate1]

I'm thoroughly enjoying Window 8.

 

[iSeeiSheep]

I'm thoroughly enjoying Window 8.

You like it? Are you using it on a tablet or a desktop.

I like some aspects like the games and music. Would like it better if the tiles sorted themselves and allowed you to create nested groups - like the XBOX tile does on WP.

Another plus is the apps are modular so they are easily updated without modifying the entire OS.

Title graphics make me want to vomit!!! I wish the could be customized to balance the color scheme. A bit of depth to make them less flat would be nice.

I put my tiles into named groups but its not where I'd like things to be yet - much room for improvement still

 

[1jaxstate1]

I'm using it on a laptop. I say I like it, I guess I should say I don't mind using it. I'm normally in desktop mode. None of the programs I use are windows 8 app. So it's just like windows 7 with a prettier start screen for me.

I must say IE is horrible now. I don't know what they are doing with the full screen mode. I just downloaded chrome and avoid it.

 

[Gken]

I feel excited about all the secrecy... I check headlines every day hoping for some leak, some rumor, some announcement, some revelation. I want a pre-order button... NOW!

What makes it frustrating is keeping everybody else patient and not to rush into another purchase just because of instant gratification.

Patience is something we all seem to lack these days.

Haha I feel you here buddy. Haven't been this excited about Microsoft stuff in ages. Surface wp8 and the 920 looks like I'll have a nice little dent in my wallet come the end of october. The marketing department is doing their job well for me at least.

 

[VagrantWade]

I'm using it on a laptop. I say I like it, I guess I should say I don't mind using it. I'm normally in desktop mode. None of the programs I use are windows 8 app. So it's just like windows 7 with a prettier start screen for me.

I must say IE is horrible now. I don't know what they are doing with the full screen mode. I just downloaded chrome and avoid it.

You don't have to use the new IE fullscreen mode. You can just run IE from the desktop like always.

 

[based_graham]

Speaking of Windows 8 I love Windows 8 can't go back to 7. Win8 gives you the best of both worlds efficiency of a smart device and power of a PC.

Secrecy people nailed it if Microsoft revealed everything why bother waking up everyday to check to see if theirs a leak.

I mean its cool MS should keep it a secret and have a huge launch party. To make it big in America you have to do things BIG it has to be a spectacle just like the NFL every week. Sorry releasing the L920 right now wont affect iPhone numbers at all but if they release a solid marketing campaign this Fall/Winter it can defiantly favor MS way in the long run.

I think MS is keeping key features like Social Integration, Instagram and maybe awesome Xbox Live first party titles on hold. Halo on your phone... Just maybe.

I like this secret new MS see how they don't release anything for the Xbox as well too much competition. Windows 8.. Windows PC only competes with MAC's no need to hide anything.

 

[jjmurphy]

Meant to join this thread last night, but I fell asleep first. Let's not forget a couple of things:
1) Microsoft has been pretty smart about the timing of things this year. If you look at the past 6 months in tech, outside of the iphone launch, all the talk has been MS upgrading, improving, or showing services or devices.

2) Back in June, MS was clear that there would show all of the consumer features at a later date. I would bet that date is in 1-2 weeks at most. The invite will be on a Friday to an event on Tuesday. Expect the invite to be the 12th or 19th of October.

3) If you haven't bought a touch screen monitor for windows 8, you should. The OS goes from good to shining amazingly well with a touchscreen monitor.

 

[GoodThings2Life]

Sorry to disappoint you but Windows 8 is nothing to get excited about.

They botched up the UI look and feel. I have been running the RTM since it hit MSDN.

You'll quickly notice the issues on self installs, so I'd suggest buying a new touch device for the HAPPY effect.

I don't have touch screen so it bugs me. Also the tiles need the newer high resolution glossy displays or it loses visual appeal - that's my take.

There are plus sides -

Performance is amazingly fast

Hyper-V is free (enterprise version)

Powershell has many new commands - cloud focused

Storage is much improved

Data deduplication - advanced users will love it

Server 2012 they got right!!! So that will make MS's Cloud business grow even if Windows 8 does not so well.

RUMOR - A SERVICE PACK IS COMING FAST. UI FIX MAYBE???

So what you're saying is they "botched" the UI in your opinion and that makes it crap, but everything else is cool, so what the heck, you'll throw out some wild rumor about a quick service pack turn-around, because what... deep down you realize your dislike is ridiculous?

Sorry, I don't mean to make fun, it's just the way you expressed yourself on the post. Windows 8 is actually quite decent. I've been using it full time since Consumer Preview. It took some getting used to the new paradigm.

But I find myself in the Desktop 99% of the time, and I suppose once I get a touch device I'll flip back and forth more, but for now on a traditional laptop I'm serious... I only see the new UI when I'm logging on or unlocking my laptop from sleep mode.

And dump Aero was a brilliant move! Without that graphics processing overhead, I have nearly doubled my battery life on my laptop (4-5 hours went to around 8 hours). I'm sure there's other improvements in the OS to help that, but I know graphics changes were a big part.

Anyway, the point is... it is entirely possible to use Windows 8 and rarely touch the new UI. It's entirely possible to use it and never touch the Desktop too. Or use both. So hating the OS because of the UI is just silly.