Whats wrong with the Notifications in WP7

[Dave Blake]

I have had Android, Blackberry, webOS, Windows Mobile and Windows Phone 7 devices out of all of them I like the notifications in WP7 the best. When I get a call the phone rings when I have a voice mail I get an alert both of these are fallowed by a flashing green light on my phone. When I get an email I get an alert same goes for text messages. All of the email, text, voicemail and missed calls are shown on the lock screen and on there appropriate live tile. What I want to know is for those of you who think the notification system on WP is inadequate what are you missing?

I say give it some time get to know the WP system. The WP7 system of notifications might be different than what you are used to but that doesn't make this system bad it just makes it different. Maybe this system is not what you want exactly but I think, given time, you will grow to love the Windows Phone way of doing things.

One thing I really like about WP and notifications is how if when using bluetooth if I get a text I can listen to the text and reply to the text without ever even looking at my phone. No other system does that.

Dave

Update: So far the main issue with notifications are:

1) Toast Notifications disappear with out being read
2) Some would like a controllable blinking LED for notifications
3) Allow apps to add notifications to the lock screen

 

[thed]

Everything you said here is true, but you didn't mention notifications from third party apps, specifically toasts. I think there are a number of ways to improve here. If a toast comes in and you don't see it initially, then you have no way of knowing what the toast said unless you open up the app. I'd like a way to quickly view all the toasts I've gotten recently.

Another idea is to allow third party apps to show a notification count on the lock screen just like the built in apps. I do like the lock screen but this would make it even better. MS could even make this optional if you don't like it.

Live tiles are useful, but toasts are still lacking a bit. Other than that I think notifications are great.

 

[Dagolara]

When I get a toast and I can't get to my phone, in the what 15 secs or so it lasts, I'd like to know what it was somehow.

 

[foosball]

And where the heck are the toast notices for emails? I'd at least like a preview of the email without having to launch the email app.

Does this get fixed with Mango?

 

[Winterfang]

Facebook notifications take forever to come out and some times they never come.

 

[Res215dg]

Everything you said here is true, but you didn't mention notifications from third party apps, specifically toasts. I think there are a number of ways to improve here. If a toast comes in and you don't see it initially, then you have no way of knowing what the toast said unless you open up the app. I'd like a way to quickly view all the toasts I've gotten recently.

Another idea is to allow third party apps to show a notification count on the lock screen just like the built in apps. I do like the lock screen but this would make it even better. MS could even make this optional if you don't like it.

You took the words right out of my mouth!

One of my biggest 3rd party notifications I rely on is eBay- I know it plays audio when an auction listing is about to end, but I would love some type of notification to stay on the lock screen so in case I can't hear the notification, such as at work or in the mall, I'm out of luck

 

[scottcraft]

The things I like about notifications on WP7 are notifications on the lockscreen and the ability to swipe away a toast notification. The things I don't like are the led only flashes on missed calls and voicemails. I would like to see the notifications from emails and such to appear at the top like toast notifications with a pull-down shade similar to android, but keeping the ability to swipe them away. I like WP7 notifications better than the iphone, but coming from a droid there are things about them I don't care for.

 

[selfcreation]

Booooyaa!

 

[nyquistjack]

1) No flashing light from emails and texts. Very problematic for me texting my wife as she is rarely looking at her phone, so has to turn it on to see if she missed a text from me.

2) Disjointed. I'd like to have one place to go.

3) I would like the ability to dismiss a notification (or list there-of) without opening the app. In webos I would just swipe them away. Android you can clear them all, but you can only clear them ALL. Need to dismiss one at a time OR all of them.

4) More information on the lock screen. I like being able to glance over and see I got an email and seeing "Babycenter - Your Baby is 6 months old" and realizing I can ignore it for now.

Not notification related...but I really wish opening the keyboard unlocked the phone

 

[1jaxstate1]

Some type, any type of way to know I have a new email/txt/tweet/fb post... when I get back from taking a piss, with out having to pick my phone up and look through it. This is the phone that suppose to let you get back to doing things..."really", not when you have to unlock it to check for certain messages.

I would settle for just having icons on the lock screen.

 

[nyquistjack]

Some type, any type of way to know I have a new email/txt/tweet/fb post... when I get back from taking a piss, with out having to pick my phone up and look through it. This is the phone that suppose to let you get back to doing things..."really", not when you have to unlock it to check for certain messages.

I would settle for just having icons on the lock screen.

We were all thinking it, I love that you said it!

 

[mbair]

One of the things that I miss most from my BB Storm, is the vibration notifiications. I keep my phone on vibrate 95% of the time and with those notifications I was able to tell the difference between a work email, a personal email, a text or a phone call by the different vibrations. No sounds and didnt even have to look at the phone.

Perhaps my Trophy has that capablilty and I havent found it.

 

[bear_lx]

my htc hd7 has a green flashing led notification light when i miss a call, text , or email.... hahahahahaha sorry you samsung users dont!!! hahahahaha especially you selfcreation LMAO

 

[1jaxstate1]

Are you serious? WTF!

my htc hd7 has a green flashing led notification light when i miss a call, text , or email.... hahahahahaha sorry you samsung users dont!!! hahahahaha especially you selfcreation LMAO

 

[bear_lx]

yea seriously it does... i hated that my samsung fasciante didnt have one when i owned it before this phone... i mean come on, ever droid on the market had a led notfication light, but not my samsung fascinate... one of many reasons why i gave up on them... also my htc hd7 has a flashlight app that uses my dual led's as a super bright flashlight with 3 different intensity levels

 

[Cyterio]

I agree with most of you on the addition of lock screen notification icons. I don't necessarily need a toast notification on every email I get, but a blinking led notification for sms and email would be nice. I guess we all have to remember this is a completely new OS and it can't have everything from launch. I love what WP7 has so far, they are off to a great start!!!

 

[erasure25]

The ability to customize LED notifications for calendar, sms, and email would be nice. We should be able to set different colors and duration of LED blinking.

 

[Jake_M]

I REALLY wish the green light flashed for emails and texts, as that's primarily what I deal with. Missed calls/voicemails aren't a big deal to me.

I still prefer webOS' notifications the best.

 

[Apoc]

I also wish the windows logo or some type of light would blink to notify you of a missed call, text, or email. I miss this in my Nokia E devices. Also, sure wish it was some app or built in feature to let you know of your battery & data usage, would be great!

 

[Dave Blake]

Thanks for the replies everyone I am adding the suggested changes to the first post I want to make a list of what everyone would like to see. Thanks for opening my eyes to what we the users of Windows Phone want. Who knows maybe Microsoft reads this stuff maybe we can teach them something. Who knows maybe they will give us what we want.