Former WM owner coming back to windows

[itsmebryan]

Hi, everyone I'm new here.

I had WM phone back when they were called Pocket PC. I got sick of ATT bad service and dropped calls (here in Los Angeles) that I gave up my beloved TP2 switched to Sprint 2 years ago. I got the EPIC 4G on the launch day. It was their flagship keyboard(KB) phone and android has been great so far.

But, I made a deal with my son if he got all "A"s and "B"s I would give him my EPIC. Well with about 2 months left in the school year he worked hard and only has 2 "C"s both at 78%. So, I started looking for a new phone. I have an upgrade coming but, no flagship KB phones. I have to have a KB because I run my business from my phone. After trying Win8 preview I thought this interface would be great with a touch screen. Then, I thought about window phone 7. I checked and the only phone on sprint was the Arrive. It was a year old and but, it had good reviews. So I found a store that had a live demo and I tried it. It was very smooth and I liked it.

So I started my search for one. After days of searching ebay I found a refurbished Arrive for $150 shipped 10 minutes ago and bought it. I see used ones selling for over $170 so I thought I got a good deal. This way I can try it out and if I don't like it I can sell it an get my money back and still keep my upgrade for the (hopefully) new Window 8 phone coming out at the end of the year. Now, I got to figure out how to get my contacts and calender over to the Window Phone when it gets here next week.

So, please don't get mad if I ask a few dumb question. Bryan

 

[freestaterocker]

Welcome to WP7! Have you tried the WP7 virtual keyboard? It's really quite fantastic-provided your device has 8107. (Mango OS introduced a bug that negatively affected the incredible accuracy of the software keyboard, and causes it to periodically vanish during use. 8107 OS update fixed it, but to my knowledge T-Mobile is the only US carrier that's pushed it out so far, meaning the only way to get it is to 1 Buy a device on T-Mobile 2 Buy an unlocked, unbranded device 3 Buy a device released after the update was released from MS or 4 force the update. Fortunately wpcentral offers a step by step tutorial for option 4.) I recommend wandering into a T-mobile or ATT store and playing with one of the new models. You will be pleasantly surprised.

 

[J4rrod]

Welcome to Windows Phone! I promise you'll enjoy it much more than Android. There's much more fluidity, friendliness, and stability. The social network integration is unmatched. Since you run a business, Office and the cloud (SkyDrive) is baked right into the OS. You can sign into the accounts on the phone associated with your calendar and contacts and they will sync automatically

Sent from my Samsung Focus S using Board Express.

 

[itsmebryan]

Thanks for the welcome. I can't use the update on window phones web site?

 

[J4rrod]

I'm not sure what you're asking. In order to update the device to Mango (7.5) you must download the Zune desktop client at http://www.zune.net/download, plug up your device, and you will receive an update.

Sent from my Samsung Focus S using Board Express.

 

[itsmebryan]

Welcome to WP7! Have you tried the WP7 virtual keyboard? It's really quite fantastic-provided your device has 8107. (Mango OS introduced a bug that negatively affected the incredible accuracy of the software keyboard, and causes it to periodically vanish during use. 8107 OS update fixed it, but to my knowledge T-Mobile is the only US carrier that's pushed it out so far, meaning the only way to get it is to 1 Buy a device on T-Mobile 2 Buy an unlocked, unbranded device 3 Buy a device released after the update was released from MS or 4 force the update. Fortunately wpcentral offers a step by step tutorial for option 4.) I recommend wandering into a T-mobile or ATT store and playing with one of the new models. You will be pleasantly surprised.

I was talking about his statement that only T-mobile has the 8107 update. While I was doing research I went to the window phone site. They made it seem like all you had to do to get the 8107 update is download it from Microsoft. Is that not true? Or can you only get it from your carrier?

I'm not afraid to get my hands dirty. All my phones have had modded roms from xda-developers since WM 6.0 and I'm typing this on a modded HP TouchPad that dual boots to WebOS and Android. IMHO WebOS is more refined then android. So, if I have to do manual that's fine.

 

[jimski]

All Windows Phone updates; OS or Firmware, are pushed by Microsoft through the Zune Desktop software. But Carriers need to request the update before MS puts it in the queue.

You can always go the custom ROM route, but if all you need is 8107 it is rather easy to install on ay device that has not yet received it.

Sent from my HTC Surround using Board Express

 

[rchillin]

Unfortunately, the updates come from the carrier. However, you can choose to "force" update your phone (at your own risk). If you check the HTC Arrive forums, someone there has forced update their Arrive to 8107 and has been pleased. wpcentral has a tutorial forcing the update, but make sure you do the language packs correctly.

 

[eric12341]

There is also a custom ROM for the arrive by DFT that is based off 8107 I believe. It also includes the ability to tether which has not yet been enabled in the stock ROM like it is on T-mobile. You may also find that the onscreen keyboard is more accurate than the one found on the epic 4G. An area that may be of concern if you get the arrive is that Sprint's 3G network is overloaded in many areas and as a result you may experience 3G speeds in your area peaking at only 220kbps during peak periods and 778kbps off peak. If you have WiFi in your home this may not be an issue.

 

[WinPhan7]

I am an owner of the HTC 7 Pro, which is the same device as the Arrive, only through US Cellular. Honestly, you don't need the 8107 Update. Oddly enough US Cellular pushed the update to its phones and there is no difference. The 7 Pro/Arrive has the slide out keyboard. I blogged for the USCC site for a while and nobody had an issue with the keyboard disappearing. The main issues with the 7 Pro/Arrive is it's quite vulnerable to blown speaker. If you don't have to, no need to with 8107. My Titan needs it however as the disappearing keyboard is a constant.

Sent from WinPhan7.5! using Board Express

 

[freestaterocker]

I was suggesting he try the virtual keyboard so his choice of devices would be greater than one, and so he could maybe end up on a better/faster network. There are alot of great WP devices out there...

 

[freestaterocker]

I was talking about his statement that only T-mobile has the 8107 update. While I was doing research I went to the window phone site. They made it seem like all you had to do to get the 8107 update is download it from Microsoft. Is that not true? Or can you only get it from your carrier?

I'm not afraid to get my hands dirty. All my phones have had modded roms from xda-developers since WM 6.0 and I'm typing this on a modded HP TouchPad that dual boots to WebOS and Android. IMHO WebOS is more refined then android. So, if I have to do manual that's fine.

Honestly I was a qwerty die-hard before my HD7. The software is THAT good. If you don't have to have all the bells and whistles I recommend T-Mobile. The Radar and the 710 are both fantastic devices if the smaller onboard storage isn't an issue. Nokia has the faster processor, which has a noticeable effect on browsing speed, as well as the amazing Nokia-exclusive apps, but the Radar has the ffc, and the superior battery life. Also worth considering, is the fact that the HTC Hub is, imo, the best weather app available on WP.

 

[itsmebryan]

I got my Arrive on Monday and played with it on wi-fi. I got it activated yesterday and it updated to 7.5 when I got home. So, it will take awhile for me to adjust to the new os. I just have one problem. I can't turn my phone off when I try to charge it overnight. If I turn it off and plug it in. The phone turns back on. If I plug the phone in and try to turn off the phone it turns back on. What am I doing wrong. Thanks, Bryan

 

[speedtouch]

Now, I got to figure out how to get my contacts and calender over to the Window Phone when it gets here next week.

So, please don't get mad if I ask a few dumb question. Bryan

Hi, Bryan. Welcome to your new home!

So where are your contacts right now? Are they in Google Contacts, Yahoo Contacts, Microsoft Exchange? If your contacts are "in the cloud" you'll just need to sign into that account on your WP7 device and you'll have access to those contacts. Super easy. Calendar works the same exact way.

 

[itsmebryan]

Thanks. I got all my contacts over. It's fine so I just have to get use to it.. The only things I'm trying to figure out now is:
-how do charge the phone with the phone off. It keeps turning on every time I plug it in.
-where can I find an app that shows at least a week of appointments.
-does it have a browser that supports flash
Thanks for any info

 

[aaronchow]

Welcome. I've also used the Windows Mobile before (6.5), but back then I was pretty much a Treo user. It reminds me of the good old PDA era. I miss my Sony Clie and the Dell Axim...

 

[SolunaKitty]

Windows Phones are turned on when plugged in; that's just how it is. WP cannot load Flash.