(Official) What WP needs to succeed

[dipayanster]

Re: Windows Phone 8 NEEDS backgrounds! WP8 is getting boring!

metro is near perfect as it is.

 

[dajma00]

Re: (Official) Why I don't like WP8 Part 2 (What WP needs to succeed)

1. Only 1 volume setting for phone, media, alarms? You really wonder, in an advanced world of technology, is this what you get in your audio settings?

2. No VPN support. What?

3. Cannot choose individual colors for tiles.

4. Internet Explorer does not work with my office site that provides real time quotes? I wonder why. UC Browser does.

5. If you setup a wake up alarm, you cannot choose the duration for which the alarm rings.

6. No option for ring once (neither does Android on S2).

7. People hub is much touted? but long press a contact and you cannot do much with it except pinning it to the start screen. I should get option to send contact info, call, send sms etc. etc.

8. Optionally, the lock screen should wake up and show in coming messages and emails. Is that really hard to do?

9. There is no option to switch profiles ? loud, silent, vibration etc. You can only use the volume key to set the volume to somewhere and hope for the best.

10. I have always wondered why I have to pick up my phone all the time even when I am at Windows PC in my office. My phone should be up and running on the PC screen and there should not be any need to pick up the phone once connected to a Windows 8 PC. If MS cannot provide this kind of technology in 2013, then who else? This is something that is expected by MS, not the lame apps we see in the app store, that is mostly waste of time than bringing in productivity.

11. Keyboard: The WP8 keyboard only allows Wordflow. There is no option for Swype. Both should be offered and let users decide which one to use.

12. Wordflow: Even if users are forced to use Wordflow alone, I fail to understand why my contacts are not part of the dictionary automatically? If Wordflow depends upon predicting words, then it all the more important to predict the contact name I am typing.

13. Dialer: This dialer is from the 60s I guess. No speed dial, cannot search for a contact from the keyboard, will have to switch to the contacts list. If you use a better dialer such as the RapDialer, you still dont see missed call notification on its tile and cannot reach the stock call history. What are the MS developers doing whole year?

14. Haptic feedback: Why cant I turn that off? Why waste battery on something you really don?t need?

 

[Dave Blake]

Re: (Official) Why I don't like WP8 Part 2 (What WP needs to succeed)

1. Only 1 volume setting for phone, media, alarms? You really wonder, in an advanced world of technology, is this what you get in your audio settings?

2. No VPN support. What?

3. Cannot choose individual colors for tiles.

4. Internet Explorer does not work with my office site that provides real time quotes? I wonder why. UC Browser does.

5. If you setup a wake up alarm, you cannot choose the duration for which the alarm rings.

6. No option for ring once (neither does Android on S2).

7. People hub is much touted? but long press a contact and you cannot do much with it except pinning it to the start screen. I should get option to send contact info, call, send sms etc. etc.

8. Optionally, the lock screen should wake up and show in coming messages and emails. Is that really hard to do?

9. There is no option to switch profiles ? loud, silent, vibration etc. You can only use the volume key to set the volume to somewhere and hope for the best.

10. I have always wondered why I have to pick up my phone all the time even when I am at Windows PC in my office. My phone should be up and running on the PC screen and there should not be any need to pick up the phone once connected to a Windows 8 PC. If MS cannot provide this kind of technology in 2013, then who else? This is something that is expected by MS, not the lame apps we see in the app store, that is mostly waste of time than bringing in productivity.

11. Keyboard: The WP8 keyboard only allows Wordflow. There is no option for Swype. Both should be offered and let users decide which one to use.

12. Wordflow: Even if users are forced to use Wordflow alone, I fail to understand why my contacts are not part of the dictionary automatically? If Wordflow depends upon predicting words, then it all the more important to predict the contact name I am typing.

13. Dialer: This dialer is from the 60s I guess. No speed dial, cannot search for a contact from the keyboard, will have to switch to the contacts list. If you use a better dialer such as the RapDialer, you still dont see missed call notification on its tile and cannot reach the stock call history. What are the MS developers doing whole year?

14. Haptic feedback: Why cant I turn that off? Why waste battery on something you really don?t need?

#7) In people hub tap the contact you want to send to go to that contact. Then send contact is in the three dot menu.

 

[congusano]

Re: (Official) Why I don't like WP8 Part 2 (What WP needs to succeed)

When I first got my iphone about 5 years ago, I loved it, but quickly found it was missing a lot of features.

Each IOS update slowly added those features, but I always thought "why on earth did they not include this the first time around"?

I believe it is because they were selling points. Put all the features in your phone right away and any future updates isn't really news worthy. But, hype an upcoming update about 3 or 4 "new" features and there is buzz...

I know so many people are very quick to defend MS, but for the life of me, I can't understand why some very basic features/apps that are not present are touted as "this was a smart decision for Microsoft to not include...that app/game/feature/setting sucks anyway and I never use it".

Some people get their knickers in a wicked twist over mention of the want for a notification center, as if their Live Tiles is a bragging feature that would somehow be diluted with a "notification center".

 

[Sunofabob]

Re: Any confirmation on Gapless music playback and inline controls

I agree with both of these, BB's have had that for years and so has iOS. WP is a "smart" OS, it should have some of these basic features as well.

 

[AMERICANRAJ]

Re: (Official) Why I don't like WP8 Part 2 (What WP needs to succeed)

You should get the Lumia 900. I love it!

 

[Sunofabob]

Re: (Official) Why I don't like WP8 Part 2 (What WP needs to succeed)

- The email is disorganized. The only organized part is the "Inbox". If you want to look at sent items you have to dig into folders and you can't see sent items from the Yahoo account unless you sent it from the device itself. Back on BB, if you sent it from any device, it synced across all other devices. It was seamless.
- I really see no issue with the keyboard, that's why you should have stayed with Android in the beginning. WP never mislead anyone to think that you customize that. The real issue is that third party developers don't have access to such an area.
- The keyboard needs to go into landscape mode no matter what screen you're typing on, it doesn't when you're posting from the "Me" tile.
- the text is fine.
- full screen image when calling should be an option but not mandatory. Some of us couldn't care less. I honestly never thought of it until you said something. The People Hub also allows you to instantly link contacts without hassle and keeps them linked separate from where you got them i.e. you can't change the actual FB contact info but you can save it and sync the changes to SkyDrive or google.
- So, Live Tiles are good as individual apps. It allows MS to have their niche when it comes to the behavior of the OS but, you can't complain, if you had "done your research" you would know better. We do need a notification system either way.
- agree with this being a legit complaint.
- Even though you can PIN settings, it's time consuming to have to scroll up and down look for that one setting that doesn't show up in the top list with the others. But, we have apps that allow us to change that.
- He's right though, when your in an album, you can't multi-select images and attach them to the email. Heck, you can only attach photos to an emial your send from the Email app. You have to go to the individual files you want to send and then hit the share button. We should be able to perform similar functions from any app that's connect to an app that allows said function be performed. Ex: I can send a word document to someone via email from the Word app but I cannot attach a Word document from the email app.
- The lack of a status bar keeps everything cleaner in my opinion but I guess the option would be nice.

...it seems that the main issues with us that MS doesn't provide us options. I don't want the WP OS to be "open" like Android or super closed like iOS or buggy like BB7 and previous but I would like the option to display certain things. I should have the option to display the full status bar if I want, at the end of the day, it's my phone. I should be able to perform basic email functions like attachments. I should be able to multi-select photos and others things. There's a nice long list of things but it comes down to options...

 

[Sunofabob]

Re: (Official) Why I don't like WP8 Part 2 (What WP needs to succeed)

I agree with you with the fact that when iOS came along there was no one around to knock them over for being slow but WP is at a crucial point the mobile world that people are upset for these features not being baked in. MS doesn't have the room like Apple did to wait for these updates. It is working to a certain extent. I never jumped on WP 7 because it was missing super basic functions like Copy & Paste but I jumped on WP 7.5 without hesitation because I was done with BB7 and there were some good changes IMO. WP8 does even better but MS dropped the ball with Xbox Music hard. It pisses me off how terrible this experience compared to Zune.

 

[Sunofabob]

Re: List of What windows phone lacking (5 months exprience)

1- Windows Phone 8 Lackings

a) Items that Must be in a Mobile OS which Windows Phone Missing
• Call duration information is not exist in OS (I still can't believe)

• There is No Notification center. If you miss it to see. You miss it.

• Folderizing those bunch list of application list cannot be scrolled faster. And I believe it should have been foldered.

• Photos doesn’t have custom folders. It supposed to be added for customization and also a security key would be good.

• There is no Sound profiles center you need to close vibrating in a long way from settings/sounds.

• Google apps are missing including YouTube at all. No Google apps is something really to be sad.

• Percentage for battery level is not exist natively.

• GPS toggle does not exist so location finding is not working in airplane mod. GPS doesn't work even if you downloaded offline maps and turned wifi on. You need to have cellular signal to make GPS on. So definitely GPS toggle must be build.

• Location center should be letting user to choose which application can use which not.. It is just one option to be on n off..
And somehow periodically I see location icon on top even those map and location background are fully limited, and I can't see what application is currently using my location. And this makes me feel phone is going against my privacy.

• When theme color is changed, OS based native tiles is changing color instantly but the Tiles that have been created by applications, doesn't change color unless being run once. And you need to open all those apps to update new theme color.

• Skype is fully buggy that doesn't let video chat. Neither doesn't work in background fully online. Cannot call online iphone users etc.. It may not be considered as developed application.

• Whatsapp is buggy. Developer said that it’s because of windows platform and porting issues. If you lock screen in whatsapp there won't be any new notification, you need to check it manual. This is so annoying. So after you write you need to leave application. And lock phone to receive notifications. Also It can't send any picture from screen shots. Additional when you return back to application it always needs to be loaded and makes you waited 3 seconds every time which is a huge time that being wasted.

• Cannot close applications. Windows Phone OS cannot close any application. You need to hammer back button 15 times to resume beginning. But somehow also it’s not enough in some cases. There are some apps that asks to be exit and needs confirmations. Some apps directly being closed , some apps goes back inside its navigation like IE n Flickr until start page and then being closed. So Windows phone does not have ability to close app in one standard way.
• In the messaging and, email There is no “Select all option” ... u need to select one by one each mail or message to erase

• I don't know outside my country but in computer when I open find my phone service that never works. It doesn't work at all. Even it is turned on settings. Nokia asked me to ask it Microsoft. And Microsoft didn't reply me. I think for some countries location services doesn't work. In Turkey it does not work.

• Phone alarm should have been working even phone is turned off.

• Text writing should have undo with shaking, sometimes when using shortcut words over keyboard if you press wrong word u cannot go back and fix it so need to re write all. Shake left should make undo which is not exist currently..

• Phone storage does not show you size of application music and pictures. Just there is one cumulative bar which is so useless to show overall instead of separating each kind.

• Where I spend the battery? U won’t know where. This should be adapted because there are lots of people discussing it in forums that battery levels are normal if not for what reason. And since it is new OS and we all end users are behaved like testers, we need to make, things certain.

• Wi-Fi saved passwords or rest of other password doesn't being seen again even there is a thick that says “show password”. There is this option but completely in functional and doesn’t let you to see passwords.

• 3rd party music or video downloader apps makes its work. But those downloaded music’s are not being able to reach from native music applications. It just stays in the 3rd party applications library and can be reach from it. Native windows music player should have been reach all mp3 which is downloaded.

• Rotation option doesn't exist. It is mandatory to be rotated if u hold it horizontally. And it makes phone so un stable in bed when writing. That is so annoying that phone doesn't has this option. It is mandatory to use it vertical.

• When typing text in a text box, there is no standard to how to hide keyboard. Every app works different. You cannot say a certain way to hide keyboard, and scroll to see what has been written. Also scrolling doesn't have a standard way either. Also, Text assisting, words are appearing in some apps, but not appearing in some. It doesn’t have standard too. There should have been one way for everything!

• Physical search button should be configured to run a search application which can be change into Google yahoo etc.. Also search button same time should have been looking email contents and apps

• Random reboots. I can't believe that happens almost every 3 days once and it has been reported more often, with some series..



b) Optional Additions

• There is no Instagram

• Multitasking gestures

• Unable to find enough local apps for turkey,

• Dropbox would be nice addition

• Lock button and keyboard click sound is bad for me. Should be personalized

• Even it has graphics card, which game, exist to use it. We almost don't have a nice 3d game, to be impressed with graphics.

• There is no live tile that shows clock, and date same as HTC does. Also it would be good if native clock app live tile enhanced including selected city times rotating in tile.

• Since start menu is customizable with a theme color , all applications must have been force a icon color weather is native or theme color and user should pick it up how to be.

• Screen brightness is just tree Level doesn't let to make a fine setting. And long way to reach from settings,menu.

• People hub tile should be have an option to show people profile pics or not. Sometimes in formal situations, on the phone stupid profile pics makes me shame.. Also favorite persons should,be included. I don't,want to see some,of ppl there,and I don't,get in,what logic ppl hub selects those ppl

• There is Turkish language support,
There is Turkish keyboard
There is Turkish keyboard assistant
But there, is no voice command for, Turkish language. Downloadable content for languages is just a few. This technology is not completed for many.
Not only voice command but also
Bing search doesn't exist on my native language.

This is the truth.

 

[ahpitre]

Re: (Official) Why I don't like WP8 Part 2 (What WP needs to succeed)

1. Can't delete multiple e-mails at once. Need to delete them 1 by 1. This is really annoying, they should just added and option to toggle all (like in Live/Hotmail or GMail, of course, on the PC).
2. Doesn't have sound profiles (like putting all alerts to silent, except for Phone calls and alarm). Better yet (like BB or Android), schedule a sound profile to run at a set schedule.
3. Start screen doesn't have wallpaper feature. Even dumb-phones can do this. Of course, for this to work properly, you should be able to set the tiles to semi-transparent.
4. Individual volumes for alarms, notifications, ringtones, etc. (like Android or BB).
5. When you are on a call, the other notifications shouldn't sound so loud (leave you deaf).

 

[philpeeps]

Re: (Official) Why I don't like WP8 Part 2 (What WP needs to succeed)

1. Can't delete multiple e-mails at once. Need to delete them 1 by 1. This is really annoying, they should just added and option to toggle all (like in Live/Hotmail or GMail, of course, on the PC).

Hit the "select" button (looks like a list of checkboxes), choose multiple emails, hit trash can.

 

[E Lizzle]

Re: (Official) Why I don't like WP8 Part 2 (What WP needs to succeed)

Hit the "select" button (looks like a list of checkboxes), choose multiple emails, hit trash can.

You can also just touch the very left of an emails title, in the email list, and the checkbox will open up and select the current email.

-E

 

[ListenUpGuys]

You can't attach a document to an email after having typed it, making the Office apps far less useful.
The "Pin new note to start" feature is gone in WP8.
You can't download files in IE straight to your Skydrive. Unknown file types are downloaded to the phone then discarded. It's a bad system.
Even less decent apps and games than WP7.
Crappy location of charge port prevents landscape gaming or video while charging. I don't think any thought was put into this rule. There's a good reason why this position was often avoided in the past (though not by Apple).
The localised .co.uk button on the keyboard is not as useful as .com was.
Crappy client sync software (Zune ir whatever) and poor media format support.
Those jump letters in the app list - adding around 20 extra lines and doubling the necessary scrolling in my case. I don't want them.
Inability to close apps.
Locked down and not enough settings/features for this to work well.

...yeah, I really should've gone Android.

 

[Meow Mix]

Unacceptable issues with this phone

1) The fact that there is no way to turn off landscape/portrait auto rotate blows my mind. I frequently want to use my phone in portrait while lying down.

2) No group texting for Verizon users? What kind of feature phone nonsense?!

3) Unable to view .gif animations in text messages.

4) Talk to text is not inherent in the keyboard, so most apps that have text spaces cannot use the function, and there is no ability to use a different keyboard, the letters have no space between them (and wouldn't a downloadable swipe keyboard be nice?) also there is no minimize keyboard option once it is open, you have to click on something on the page (potentially missclick a link)

5) The browsers press and hold menu is limited (doesn't include copy image link, properties etc) and same goes for a few browsers I have downloaded, and it does not auto-adjust text to a readable size. There is also no page forward option after paging back...

6) Some key missing apps, these will be different for everyone, some of mine include Mint and Grindr, but the fact is there are some important apps that are not available that have no suitable alternatives.

7) SIM card error intermittently disables phone and requires a manual restart


It is a beautifully styled phone, I love the UI, the look, the feel. NFC and wireless charging huge plus, but these issues are causing me to regret the purchase of this phone that fateful november afternoon

Any tips or fixes on these would be appreciated.

 

[quantum tao]

Re: Unacceptable issues with this phone

1) The fact that there is no way to turn off landscape/portrait auto rotate blows my mind. I frequently want to use my phone in portrait while lying down.

I agree

 

[toddro6]

Re: Unacceptable issues with this phone

I am right there with you, buddy. Love the phone, but the lack of some of these basic tools is really hurting me.

 

[jlynnm350z]

I was using my nexus 7 tablet today and I literally can not stand it anymore. I used to love it but ever since I got my 920 I rarely touch my nexus nor do I even want to. It usually lags or it will just sit there and render ( you know that little circle in the middle). Drives me crazy. Can't watch you tube with out it rendering everytime. Sometimes can't even get into the store, just sits there and renders. I'm really turned off by Android anymore. I'm spoiled with smooth fluidity, phone doing what I tell it and not what it wants. Can't even stream movies on my tablet, you guessed it renders all through the damn thing. Google blows. Anything Google, just bla. I like me some Microsoft.

 

[ajua]

Re: Unacceptable issues with this phone

1.- I agree. This is a feature every smartphone should have by now. I think they don't know what to do with the portrait home screen. Just an educated guess, tough. Hoping that it will come sooner rather than later this year.

2.- My carrier doesn't support that feature, but I guess some find it useful, even if there's chat apps everywhere.

3.- Same as above.

4.- They should implement the talk to text feature in a button on the keyboard for apps that support it. On the other hand, the stock keyboard is great and on par with Android (I find the all-caps iOS keyboard annoying to use). The swipe feature could be seen on WP with 3rd party keyboards but I can see tons of crappy apps coming out with just one or two being good.

5.- You are right about the context menu. It is limited and I hope they improve it. Same for a forward button. There's been no love for IE9 or IE10 mobile browsers from web designers, double tapping the text you want to read when there's no mobile version of a page is great to have it zoomed to a readable size.

6.- The app gap as many call it needs to improve. This will only get better as more users switch to Windows Phone. No the other way around because developers are already comfortable with Android and iOS. If they see more users on WP, they will start to care more. Unavailability of some (or many) apps on WP is something users should take notice before making a decision. I have faith that more major apps will come this year. I just hope they arrive soon

7.- That could be your SIM or your phone. Have it checked by your carrier/store.

Those are my two cents.

 

[HannesB]

Re: Windows 8 Calendar is really very bad

Hi,
i am the developer of "Week View 8" wanted to ask you, if you like to try my app: Week View 8 | Windows Phone Apps+Games Store (United States)

It has a free trial and all the features that were mentioned in this thread.
- Week View (of course )
- Month View with readable text
- Search for appointments
- Configurable Live tiles that show the next 5 appointments
- Filters, Replacements, Windows Live Calendar categories and much more...just try it.

regards,
Hannes

 

[Dan Bumbarger]

Re: Windows 8 Calendar is really very bad

For mail, task management and calendars, Palm was actually very good... better than Windows Phone today on all three counts.