Android user, but would like a Windows phone...

[fredriks]

Out of curiosity, what are you missing? I was fully invested in google services. Drive, Maps, Photos, Music, Wallet, Hangouts, you name it. But windows phone had an alternative for everything except Google Wallet (which I can still use online) and some Chromecast features, like casting from 3rd party services: Netflix/Hulu. I can still cast personal media and from Youtube which is all that I find important.
I guess I could see having this problem if you aren't actually willing to switch to Microsoft services, but I feel like that comes along with the territory of using these phones.

I'm a heavy user of hangouts and haven't found any good way to use it on wp. Have 2 chromecast and 2 apple TV and haven't found a good way to cast. Spotify doesn't support cast to chromecast audio. Haven't found a way to sync pictures to Google photo. Missing some apps I use frequently and those exist aren't to good.

 

[nausky]

I'm a heavy user of hangouts and haven't found any good way to use it on wp. Have 2 chromecast and 2 apple TV and haven't found a good way to cast. Spotify doesn't support cast to chromecast audio. Haven't found a way to sync pictures to Google photo. Missing some apps I use frequently and those exist aren't to good.

My question was mostly aimed at Google services in particular. When I switched, I dropped Google music, drive, and photos for Onedrive and Groove. But not all doom and gloom for the Google services depending on what you need.

IM+ is the current solution for Google Talk. If you arent aware: 1 on 1 "Hangouts" messages use an old service called Google Talk. Hangouts circles (group chats) aren't accessible on Windows phone, so definitely a problem if you use those a lot. I'm actually working on making a universal google talk client because IM+ has a dated look. It's an 8.1 app so it's inherently slow, but it works just fine. I ended up finding the switch to Skype to be pretty painless because way more people in my circle use it. Both are pretty awful services, but skype calls are so much better in quality compared to hangouts calls. I get that this isn't something you can choose though, just stuck with whatever your friends use. Fortunately for me most were only trying Hangouts because I asked them to.

TubeCast handles Youtube casting more reliably than Google's own app, and PlayCast handles personal media casting. For everything else I use Continuum either wirelessly or through the dock. No experience with Apple TV so I'm afraid I can't offer suggestions to anyone looking for solutions on that front.

Functionally, I've only lost Hulu casting because there's no universal app to use continuum with. On the app front, they all do what I need, many are nicer than their 1st party counterparts. YMMV of course.

 

[captaincalamity]

I am a long time Android, iOS and Windows phone user, probably the main thing I miss from Google is the MAPS, they are so much more accurate than BING especially in the UK and the windows phone unofficial apps are just not up to the job if you ask me. But the UI and live tile functionality is so good, Android and iOS just dont come close. OK android has widgets, but they are no where near as functional as live tiles or pin to start. If only Microsoft made friends with Google, the world would be their oyster

 

[techiez]

use here maps instead of bing

 

[rollindice]

get lumia 640 or bucks , unlock at at&t website and enjoy ecosystem

 

[Tiiger88]

At least you should get Lumia whit possibility to update W10M in future or whenever the update will be available...!

 

[KylePrince3]

The 640/640XL is definitely the best specs you can get for a decent price (as low as $30 at times) if you just want to try out WM, though if you like the metal band on the 650 I'd wait for that one. I wouldn't recommend a flagship if you're coming from Android, because it's a lot of money to put into something that works basically the same with additional ****** options (Windows Hello, Hey Cortana, Continuum) and you will probably be disappointed. I love WM and I still use my 640, but I immediately regretted buying the 950 for the reasons I described and I have an Android Nexus as well so I switched to iPhone for all the apps.

 

[libra89]

The 640/640XL is definitely the best specs you can get for a decent price (as low as $30 at times) if you just want to try out WM, though if you like the metal band on the 650 I'd wait for that one. I wouldn't recommend a flagship if you're coming from Android, because it's a lot of money to put into something that works basically the same with additional ****** options (Windows Hello, Hey Cortana, Continuum) and you will probably be disappointed. I love WM and I still use my 640, but I immediately regretted buying the 950 for the reasons I described and I have an Android Nexus as well so I switched to iPhone for all the apps.

Yeah, for me, it's hard to justify paying $500+ for a phone that has some apps that aren't good (which I use on a regular basis), when I could pay $300 for one that has mostly good apps. I'm a fan of Windows Phone, but it's better to start out at a safe point and then go from there.

 

[ScrubbyXD]

I would recommend doing a 640 with 8.1 first for a few weeks, then go with the insider app to get W10M.

What you need to see is 8.1 first because it will give you a better handle on what we see. 8.1 is smooth as butter on even the lower end devices, the metro interface is....well love that or leave it, and cortana works great.

My fear is you will see the obviously unfinished W10M and not be able to appreciate both it's current advancements and where it will be when it's done. Because it's not done and many aspects are honestly crap. The performance is not good (that is generous), the UX is all over the place, and cortana integration is basic and not robust. Its kind of embarrassing and you will not be impressed.

Also keep in mind MS is hoping to push this out too all 8.0 and 8.1 phones. I'm sure coming from the android world you know there are only a handful of phones that get any OS update and fewer 2 year old+ ones that get an OS update on android.

 

[vadonkey]

I have a t-mobile 640 that I am looking to sell. It has WM10 on it. It really is a nice phone, but the lack of apps has made me go to the dark side. Not sure what its worth.

 

[stogie5150]

I am doing the same thing the OP is doing, But I already have my 640. I am coming from Nexus 6. I put my SIM in this afternoon, and started setup. So far, some things I like, some I don't. The 640 is dog slow next to my Nexus. I constantly wait on the phone to load. Facebook, Facebook messenger, and instagram are MUCH less full featured than the android versions. I am missing some apps, Like Walmart ( I order scripts for four people and having that app to scan them in saves me loads of time.)

I DO like outlook, it puts all my accounts together nicely.

Groove music...holy hell, I have to BUY space on OneDrive to put my music to play it? I have over 100 GB of music! I sent a message to MS tonight to confirm that.

Tiles....well....so far, I don't see the advantage. Yes, they update. Some of them. The Calendar tile only shows events for ONE day, the current day...I am used to seeing three or four days so I can plan ahead....

I miss the freedom to set things like I want them already. I am running the W10 preview...it just isn't intuitive as I thought it would be.

I am not going to give up though, I intend to give it a week and see if I can live with it or not. I want to like it, I really do.

 

[Christopher Kendalls]

640, 650, and 550. 550 will probably be my next phone. 640 is good, but it is running WP 8.1. The thing about WP 8.1 are the idiosyncrasies between different iterations of the OS. Like the difference between Cyan and Denim. And the fact that a lot of us cannot get Denim because our carriers block it. So I lean towards the 650 and the 550 for that reason alone. Sure, you could get an 8.1 phone under $100 but why would you, unless you just need a phone, like, yesterday. I already purchased a 635 for $40. I'm riding this one out until it doesn't turn on anymore.

If you can get a 640 for like $20, which is what it was through GoPhone during Christmas, then by all means. But if you don't need the phone, or can afford to spend more, I would. Granted, Windows 10 is still buggy, and going through some issues, but the apps, particularly the system apps, are far superior to those on WP 8.1. You'll recognize most of them because they should work as well as whatever Microsoft apps you have installed on your Android device.

Conventional wisdom says get a 640 for less than $50. Understandable. But 8.1 is the past, and 10 is the future. Its like suggesting that we try out KitKat or Lollipop. You really won't know where Windows Phone is going if you're using an 8.1 device. Sure, you could update it through the Technical Preview but why put yourself through that.