Focus or Quantum?

[VernonEL]

I am able to get a free WP7 phone through AT&T in a couple weeks. I will probably go with the Focus or Quantum. I don't care about screen size or clarity. It has come down to being about the physical overall size, and the potential for using/needing a physical keyboard.

Any and all input is greatly appreciated, so here are a few questions for current Focus users:

What are the major differences between using portrait and landscape keyboard modes?

How often, if ever, do you wish you had a physical keyboard?

How do you feel about the differences between OEM apps?

Are you ever worried about breaking it in your pocket?

How is the "pocketability" of the device?

Do you know of anyone finding that they prefer a belt holster?

Do you use a protective case?

Thanks!!

 

[selfcreation]

hmmm

- i was told tha you cant do lanscape mode with the full keybored On MOST of the pages on Wp7 ( witch is kidna dumb and the reason i dint get the LG ) but i can in most Importent places , like MS office and Txting. when you use a SEARCH engine ( BING and int he MARKETPLACE it stuck in PORTRAIT MODE. so you cant really use your phisical keybored.

- NEVER! the Virtual keybored is AWSOME and they really have gone a logn way sint the original shiity touch keyboreds.

- for OEM apps: Meh , w/e nothing that great so far , LG does have the VOICE TO TXT doh witch i kidan find FUNNY and USLESS considereing you have a FULL QWERTY keybored, lol

- from experiance in selling Phones , the sliders are ALWAYS the first to to break or cause your phone to BUG out! BUT! they have gone a logn way so it might be better then previous Sliders.

- Focus feels GREAT in my pocket , SO GREAT that sometimes that i often cant find it cause its to light and Invisible . ( i have tomany pockets )

- I use to use a belt clip case , but i find annoying when i sit in my car , and siting all together. but thats personnal.

- i am currently NOT ussign a case cause i find the FOCUS is too prety to have a case , but if i get a nice case , ill for sure use it

 

[firedancer1189]

Hey Burn,

Did you go to any of the local Alltel stores in Fargo to compare the two in person? I just went to the one here in Grand Forks and they said that due to the recent acquirement of WP7 phones by AT&T they did not have any working models on display yet and reminded me I had 30 days to exchange my choice if I wasn't satisfied.

I found their reasoning for not having any WP7 phones on display a bit odd to be honest. Also I think it would really hurt sales for Microsoft by not having any on display but plenty of iPhones and Android devices.

Just wondering if that is the case in Fargo as well.

 

[Rico]

I am able to get a free WP7 phone through AT&T in a couple weeks. I will probably go with the Focus or Quantum. I don't care about screen size or clarity. It has come down to being about the physical overall size, and the potential for using/needing a physical keyboard.

Any and all input is greatly appreciated, so here are a few questions for current Focus users:

What are the major differences between using portrait and landscape keyboard modes?

How often, if ever, do you wish you had a physical keyboard?

How do you feel about the differences between OEM apps?

Are you ever worried about breaking it in your pocket?

How is the "pocketability" of the device?

Do you know of anyone finding that they prefer a belt holster?

Do you use a protective case?

Thanks!!

I prefer physical keyboard for longer bouts of text entry, but I've gotten used to the on-screen keyboard. I initially liked using landscape for the bigger keys, but given how easy it is to hit the capacitive buttons on the Focus, and the fact that I got tired of rotating the phone, I keep it in portrait mostly. There's not enough benefit to a hardware keyboard (and the bulk) for me now, maybe after the update my opinion will change.

In terms of landscape support in the built in apps, basically, if you need to enter text from within the app, it will work in landscape. The portrait only apps are the home screen, Zune (Music + Videos), phone dialer, marketplace, and the people hub. The main screen of the Office hub is portrait only as well, but once you dive into the Office apps you have the option for landscape.

The OEM app selection really isn't a reason to buy any of these phones over another.

The Focus is very pocketable, and for the moment I'm carrying it bare but I'll get a case soon. I'm not sure why you'd worry about breaking your phone while in your pocket, and I hate belt clips for the same reason as the poster above me.

One nice thing about the Focus is that at the moment it's the most hackable of all WP7. The best thing for me is the fact that you can use it to tether, as I'm doing now. Had it not been for that, I may have waited on WP7 altogether.

The one potential downside to the Focus is that it's slow to charge when the screen is on. I often tether and text (as I'm doing now), with the occasional Zune download via my Focus, and if I'm on a website with a white background the phone almost feels like it's draining. Keep in mind that a USB connection carries a fraction of the current that a AC adapter does, so I don't expect it to charge as fast. I see why the longest amount of time before the screen shuts off is five minutes. I could probably get through most of the day on a charge, but even after over a month I can't seem to put my phone down.

 

[VernonEL]

Corporate Support for WP at AT&T stores in ND

Hey Burn,

Did you go to any of the local Alltel stores in Fargo to compare the two in person? I just went to the one here in Grand Forks and they said that due to the recent acquirement of WP7 phones by AT&T they did not have any working models on display yet and reminded me I had 30 days to exchange my choice if I wasn't satisfied.

I found their reasoning for not having any WP7 phones on display a bit odd to be honest. Also I think it would really hurt sales for Microsoft by not having any on display but plenty of iPhones and Android devices.

Just wondering if that is the case in Fargo as well.

Fire,

AT&T (corporate, mind you) is pretty much worthless as far as promoting Windows Phones in their transitioning markets like ours with Alltel. They have just recently (five days ago) received working models for inventory, but I had to ask them to bring them out and unpackage them. So, yes, they do have them now, but they don't know anything about them. When I picked up my CDMA Bold to get a WP as a GSM replacement and to stay grandfathered in, they worked the upsell angle. Understandable. But in addition to trying to sell me a car charger, they wanted me to buy a microSD "for my Windows Phone" which I replied that I would only buy a 32g (which they didn't have) if I knew I was going to choose the Focus. The store manager was "absolutely sure" that Focus, Quantum, and Surround had "external microSD card slots". I asked him to show me because "I may have been mistaken". He easily proved himself wrong and somehow had much more important things to do in his office after that.

Sorry for the little rant there.

There is a corporate AT&T store in Detroit Lakes which I have been told has working models on display, but many of their customers go to the Fergus Falls retail store which is much better. They have great support, good device selection in general, and even though they haven't been trained by corporate about the Windows Phones, they really care, and have done some research themselves. Talk to Kristi. (Tell her the Windows Phone Ethanol Guy sent you!! She'll know!)

Yes, I am very disappointed in how Alltel/AT&T has handled the Windows Phones roll-out. Microsoft should be putting more pressure on them to promote the OS. So far I've mostly seen device specs and nothing really showcasing the OS. Bummer.

 

[VernonEL]

Objective Input Much Appreciated

I prefer physical keyboard for longer bouts of text entry, but I've gotten used to the on-screen keyboard. I initially liked using landscape for the bigger keys, but given how easy it is to hit the capacitive buttons on the Focus, and the fact that I got tired of rotating the phone, I keep it in portrait mostly. There's not enough benefit to a hardware keyboard (and the bulk) for me now, maybe after the update my opinion will change.

In terms of landscape support in the built in apps, basically, if you need to enter text from within the app, it will work in landscape. The portrait only apps are the home screen, Zune (Music + Videos), phone dialer, marketplace, and the people hub. The main screen of the Office hub is portrait only as well, but once you dive into the Office apps you have the option for landscape.

The OEM app selection really isn't a reason to buy any of these phones over another.

The Focus is very pocketable, and for the moment I'm carrying it bare but I'll get a case soon. I'm not sure why you'd worry about breaking your phone while in your pocket, and I hate belt clips for the same reason as the poster above me.

One nice thing about the Focus is that at the moment it's the most hackable of all WP7. The best thing for me is the fact that you can use it to tether, as I'm doing now. Had it not been for that, I may have waited on WP7 altogether.

The one potential downside to the Focus is that it's slow to charge when the screen is on. I often tether and text (as I'm doing now), with the occasional Zune download via my Focus, and if I'm on a website with a white background the phone almost feels like it's draining. Keep in mind that a USB connection carries a fraction of the current that a AC adapter does, so I don't expect it to charge as fast. I see why the longest amount of time before the screen shuts off is five minutes. I could probably get through most of the day on a charge, but even after over a month I can't seem to put my phone down.

Rico,

Thanks for the great input! It helps!

 

[VernonEL]

Rooting

One nice thing about the Focus is that at the moment it's the most hackable of all WP7.

This is not something I have ever done, but have been considering it. I really know nothing about it and really don't have any idea if it's something within my technical capabilities. I'm very interested though, mostly to see if I could do it.
Elaborate if you like, but maybe it's worth starting another thread because I'm sure there are others that feel similarily.

 

[firedancer1189]

I am also curious to this as well. I consider myself pretty tech savvy and am very good on computers however this whole hacking/homebrew/chevron stuff has thoroughly confused me so far.

Any insight would be nice from anyone who knows a thing or two about it.

 

[selfcreation]

Focus is just more hackable in this sens:

- you can see battery % ( by going in to the dignostic )
- change phone volume
- add theetering

as for the HOMEBREW apps its quite simple:

- Chevron is a BASIC programe that you install on your Computer that alows you to UNLOCK your phone (jailbreak) then side load HAcked or homebrew apps . very easy to use , point and click.

Here are a phew GOOD links to Jailbreak your phone and find Hack apps ( that normaly cost $$ that u can now get for free )

Mobilism • View forum - Windows Phone

On that link , on the first page you see : you have a jailbreak section ( shows you how to do it evan has ALL the programes for Download that you need )

and farther down the page you have the hacked aps ( so far ) and maybe some homebruws

this site is also good for : wp7, WM , android , iphone, ipad , for any jailbreable phone

Other links:

(jailbreaking) http://www.1800pocketpc.com/2010/11...reak-download-everyone-can-sideload-apps.html

(homebrew apps) just rung some search in google.

your welcome