WP7 observations so far

[oldpueblo]

The toast notifications will take you there if you catch them while already on your phone. If your phone is locked, you have to unlock it then tap it. Yeah they are meant just for a heads up then you're supposed to see a number on the live tile that coincides. Some prefer that to on Android where you'll have a huge list of things waiting to be cleared.

 

[PAC757]

I also just switched over to WP7 from using Android phones and before there was Android, BlackBerry. I must admit, even though I like many things about WP7, I do still find it lacking in a few areas. IE is just ok, definitely not as easy to use as the many different web browsers Android offers, app selection is not that great, but I knew that going in, and I really don't know if MS is going to get the big app devs on board or not. All in all, I have only had my Focus S for a little over a week, I am going to hold on to it, and use wp7 for the next 6 months and see what becomes of the growth of WP.

 

[Joelist]

Hi Pac!

I am discovering that the more I use the phone the fewer scenarios there are where I even need apps. The hubs and the deep integration of a lot of services makes a lot of typical apps unneeded (for example I downloaded the FB app but have yet to actually open it because just working in the People Hub is giving me everything I use).

As stated in an earlier post, in order to really get the benefit of WP7 you need to think "who" then "what" as opposed to the iOS/BB/Android paradigm of "what" then "who".

As to IE, aside from lacking reflow I am finding it just as easy as the Android browsers.

 

[Joelist]

Well I have a negative to report, although it is more a negative of the phone than the OS in a way.

To be honest I am starting to think that WP7 needs at least a 4" screen to be truly easy to work in. The screen on the Trophy is a 3.75 (I think) and the result is not only that text is crazy tiny to read (and with no reflow that is a killer as resizing it opens you up to having to scroll in both the X and Y axes) but even a lot of the bottom screen software buttons are so small they are hard to push properly in a single touch. An example is the "send" button in text messaging.

MS either needs to make a 4" screen a minimum spec or alternately update the OS to add text reflow and also dynamic resizing of controls to adapt to the screen size. Just my opinion but it is proving to be a usability hinderance.

 

[oldpueblo]

Yeah the trophy sadly is considered a budget device, I wish Verizon had more options for you. They seem to be onboard now for a new device later in the year.

 

[smoledman]

My biggest peeve so far is that search is Bing rather then all-encompassing. I guess we'll have to wait until Apollo to get the full Windows search(apps, contacts, web sites, etc.).

 

[freestaterocker]

My biggest peeve so far is that search is Bing rather then all-encompassing. I guess we'll have to wait until Apollo to get the full Windows search(apps, contacts, web sites, etc.).

Before mango the search button was context-sensitive. I don't think it's coming back...

 

[smoledman]

Before mango the search button was context-sensitive. I don't think it's coming back...

Even on iOS you have to hit the home button-->left swipe to get to search screen.

 

[Joelist]

I should mention an area I have discovered that WP7 completely smokes both Androids and iPhones - how it works as a phone.

Dialing is easy and MS seems to have baked in some really advanced voice control software. It not only voice dials it even reads texts to you and lets you voice text back. This type of functionality not only requires separate apps in Android and iOS it does not work anywhere near as smoothly - I did not need to do anything special to set it up. It just worked.

Even better, pairing to my Bluetooth headset was fast and easy and even better it stays paired all the time (on both an iPhone and an Android I constantly had the earpiece unpairing and repairing). This tells me the software BT stack in WP7 is better coded.

So another plus for WP7.

 

[kevm14]

If the only available solution is "get a different phone", then that's a failure for that OS when there are other OSes that don't require the user to do that.

Not entirely. iPhone doesn't re-flow, but you're stuck with a 3.5" screen. With Windows Phone, you can at least choose a handset with a bigger screen. I don't miss re-flow on my Titan. I actually find it makes the browsing experience less clunky. When I get the odd page that has tiny font, I use landscape and that solves the rest of my problems.

 

[Joelist]

Kevm14 has a point. The iPhone with the combination of no reflow and a tiny screen is in the same boat as the HTC Trophy. The only thing helping it is that there is Opera Mini supports reflow and is available for iPhone.

 

[smoledman]

Kevm14 has a point. The iPhone with the combination of no reflow and a tiny screen is in the same boat as the HTC Trophy. The only thing helping it is that there is Opera Mini supports reflow and is available for iPhone.

The iPhone has so much going for it, it's going to be a blockbuster hit forever.

 

[gapost]

Kevm14 has a point. The iPhone with the combination of no reflow and a tiny screen is in the same boat as the HTC Trophy. The only thing helping it is that there is Opera Mini supports reflow and is available for iPhone.

You can get Opera Mobile on the Trophy if you install a custom rom.

 

[DaveGx]

Im happy with WP7 for the most part but some things still bother me. Not being able to add any type of file to my phone is a bummer. Due to my work, itd be very helpful while working at various sites to be able to connect my phone to my laptop and put any type of file onto my phone so I can email it or take any type of file from my email and put it on my computer. Many sites I have to work at dont have WIFI. I use to have Android and must admit it was awesome being able to do that.

Also, not a huge deal but seems Android and Iphone can stream play video from nearly any website since they allow third party browsers w/ flash. I could stream radio stations that arent found in the Radio apps or live sports and such from various sites. Not so with WP7.

To add to that, being stuck with IE as a browser sucks. It is far too limited and never updated and improved. At least having a real third party browser would give us more options since MS is so thick headed regarding IE. I know there are other "browsers" in the Marketplace but they all just IE with window dressings which is mandatory I guess. I miss Dolphin HD browser from Android. Best mobile browser with tons of options and hardly any limitations.

 

[willied]

And another New Observation - Toast notifications.

This is one I had to adapt to as I am used to the Android system with the Notification Center up top that you swipe down to see all the notifications and if you click one it takes you to the app in question.

WP7 notifications are more like simple alerts to check because something new is afoot. Because they do not link to their source you can't just tap to go to the source. However, I have discovered that it is not a big deal because all I am doing is when I see a toast I just visually scan my start screen (where I have SMS, email and the like pinned) and the tiles themselves tell me if something is there I need to look at.

That said, I for one would find a Live Tile that collected all the toasts and let me see them in order of receipt if I clicked on it useful. Not essential but useful.

I agree. There's needs to be central location with all of your notifications. Though, (like someone already said) when you do get a push notification you can click on the alert and it will take you to it. You can even click on the alert with the lock screen enabled and then unlock it and it will take you to the app.

But we still need a notification center.

 

[N8ter]

I should mention an area I have discovered that WP7 completely smokes both Androids and iPhones - how it works as a phone.

Dialing is easy and MS seems to have baked in some really advanced voice control software. It not only voice dials it even reads texts to you and lets you voice text back. This type of functionality not only requires separate apps in Android and iOS it does not work anywhere near as smoothly - I did not need to do anything special to set it up. It just worked.

Even better, pairing to my Bluetooth headset was fast and easy and even better it stays paired all the time (on both an iPhone and an Android I constantly had the earpiece unpairing and repairing). This tells me the software BT stack in WP7 is better coded.

So another plus for WP7.

You mean lacking a Smart Dialer and opening up the Phone to History instead of the dialer makes it a superior phone to Android and iOS?

I'm sorry, but I am at a lost for words right now.

Be back after I pick my jaw up off the floor.

Number of people that text via voice on their phone is smaller than the number of people that truly have use for Siri (which is also overhyped, though the technology backing it is decently acclaimable).

BT pairing is a bit easier but those other platforms support playing through i.e. car systems better than WP7, ATM. That matters more than easier pairing, IMO.

 

[N8ter]

Can someone do something about the zhizhizhi spammer, please?

 

[oldpueblo]

You mean lacking a Smart Dialer and opening up the Phone to History instead of the dialer makes it a superior phone to Android and iOS?

I'm sorry, but I am at a lost for words right now.

Be back after I pick my jaw up off the floor.

Number of people that text via voice on their phone is smaller than the number of people that truly have use for Siri (which is also overhyped, though the technology backing it is decently acclaimable).

BT pairing is a bit easier but those other platforms support playing through i.e. car systems better than WP7, ATM. That matters more than easier pairing, IMO.

How many people do you know that memorize/dial the actual phone numbers commonly instead of using a contact entry or a search result? History makes more sense since its likely to be more useful more often. Also mine plays voice and music over my cars BT just fine.

 

[DaveGx]

Just to add to my previous rant. I just stopped at a rest area, no WiFi. I couldn't even sync a PDF file from my laptop to my phone so I could email it out. WTH! That is bull $@#!

 

[anotherhawkeye]

I would have liked reflow in the browser as well. I can and have managed without it, but it would have made browsing a lot easier for me.

But there's a lot to love about WP.