I AM IMPRESSED - Move from Android

[dnomadic]

WOW oh WOW!!

I just thought I'd share my excitement as my first post since making the move from the cliche' smartphone picks (Android or Iphone). No knocking of other phones here, I hate iPhone but is a Good OS, I Love Android but I have found a better OS to suit me.

Background: I have had just about every smartphone on Verizon - Blackberry Storm, Droid, Incredible, fascinate, Droid Charge, Thunderbolt, Rezound, Iphone 4s, Iphone 5, Galaxy s 3, Galaxy Note 2, Recently for 2-days the Galaxy S4, a host of other phones which I can't remember. Yes, I switch phones quite often. Haven't been truly satisfied with a phone outside of the Blackbery Storm 2 (I know...But I really liked it when it was working), and the S3, until touchwiz grew stale.

So I played with and tinkered with just about every phone, and I knew that I did not want to try windows phone based on my experience with older Windows phone (Omnia, HTC Touch Pro among others). My, how times have changed. I have been missing out on something truly great until this past weekend. I purchased a Galaxy S4 when it first came out because I was satisfied with my experience with the S3, but after a days use I realized that the Touchwiz experience had grown stale. Not to say that it is not a good device, it was just stale. Lots of great features (and not so useful), but the UI is well....you guessed it, Stale.

I decided to return the Galaxy S4 and pick-up a Nokia Lumia 928. BEST DECISION EVER (as it pertains to cell phones). I thought I would hate the thickness and weight, but the phone fell is great in hand. I have read that it was ugly, but my opinion is that it is a very hot looking phone (white model).

THE OS!!!
Iphone offers a very consistent experience, but it suffers from the moving app drawer boredom syndrom. Android (I love Andorid), is great for customization and widgets are cool, but there is no consistency within the OS and the Apps (apps are seemingly an afterthought). While the OS is great, the inconsistency with Apps, especially with the number of manufacturer skins, leaves a lot to be desired (still my second favorite, I hate iOS). (NOTE: Tried NEXUS 4 and it is my favorite Andorid phone but I couldn't stay with T-mobile) Man, windows phone is just awesome!! It is like a tweener; somewhere in the middle of iOS and Android. You get the customization of Android with and even more consistent experience than Apple.

The way the apps function like the core OS is great. It makes for an easy to use and learn OS (Mother, 56, picked up a Nokia 822 because she though it was simple to use) . This also insures that Apps are as beautiful as the core OS. The beauty of the OS, to me, is the simplicity. The screens are clean, and the polish is shoes shine clean. Smoothest and most slick OS for me – iOS is smooth but it doesn’t do anything (not a knock on Apple, I just prefer something more).

The camera leaves a little to be desired. I have been able to get better pics with my Galaxy S3 and Iphone (but I’m still new with the camera). Videos are another story, I have gotten some really good videos over the past few days.

My only knock, and it is not really knock, and I’m sure I find more after the honeymoon, is the apps list. I know the OS is clean and minimalistic, but the single line list of Apps on the Apps list page, is a hated feature. I would love to see and option like on the HTC one where you can have the apps show up as a 3 by 3 (still clean - preferable) or a 4 by 4 (little messy).

The only other wish list item is a 4-corner menu when long pressing on an app (add color change and activate or deactivate live tile).
Really I don’t have any knocks that would stop one from buying the 928. I love it, it is Mom approved, and my iPhone loving son is getting one this weekend (HTC 8x).

Love List---
App Selection (one;s I want are there)
Nokia Music
Nokia Nav
Build quality and design (not for all)
Screen
Video camera (not the camera, yet)
Fast consistent OS – Super slick
Ease of use
Customization possibilities
MOST OF ALL – I don’t look like every other person on the street.

Yippee --- At 34 I may be too old to say that:grin:

 

[Oxymoron428]

I'm glad you love your new phone! I just got a Lumia 928 two days ago, and I love it! But I've been buying windows phone devices for 2 years now

 

[gerzhwin]

This is a very good read! Thanks for sharing your experience!
Sent from my Windows Phone 8X by HTC using Board Express

 

[vlad0]

The camera's strongest point is flash photography thanks to the xenon flash. The difference between that, and any of your previous phones will be quite big, the difference in IQ during the day will be much smaller. And I am sure that Nokia will be working on improving the jpeg processing further with the upcoming updates.

Thanks for sharing your experience. I find the WP UX much better than the icon grid based ones.. expect maybe Harmattan, that one works very well as well. My only issue is the 3 hardware/capacitive buttons that they require.. get rid of those, and it will be much better.

 

[dnomadic]

what is Harmattan?

I like the three buttons. One of things I disliked about the direction of Android is that they are moving away from hardware buttons to Software buttons convenient and they can be customized --- but I guess I'm just stuck in the past on that issue.

 

[Funky Cricket]

any apps or features you've had to compromise on? I'm about to make the switch most likely, so I'm researching like a crazy man.

 

[dnomadic]

I have found, in my limited used that all I need is available (Save for my USAA Apps), I'm not a huge gamer, so I'm not missing there, Pageone (Check) is avaiable, twitter ( Idon't use it), facebook, instagram clients, group messaging apps, great e-mail client, shopping apps (amazon, ebay, etc), department stores, banking apps, Pandora (Nokia Music is free and better).... all there. I don't feel I am compromising. Outside of the apps, I actually think the phone OS or US just funtions better. There could be more apps but I don't think you will have to compromise.

 

[jleebiker]

I have found, in my limited used that all I need is available (Save for my USAA Apps), I'm not a huge gamer, so I'm not missing there, Pageone (Check) is avaiable, twitter ( Idon't use it), facebook, instagram clients, group messaging apps, great e-mail client, shopping apps (amazon, ebay, etc), department stores, banking apps, Pandora (Nokia Music is free and better).... all there. I don't feel I am compromising. Outside of the apps, I actually think the phone OS or US just funtions better. There could be more apps but I don't think you will have to compromise.

I think that's one of the things people wrestle with the most. The see the smaller count in the store and think "My app isn't there." What they don't relize is 1) The functionality is prob built-IN to the OS and that you don't NEED an app or 2) The app is there, despite the smaller # of apps in the store.

 

[SnatchedIT]

I'm sure we'll get to a bigger store eventually. Luckily we have awesome third-party developers! (twitters alternative clients, apps like 627am or Amazing Weather, itsdagram and instagraph are proof!).
But yeah, I was impressed by the simplicity and power of Windows Phone 8. Also gotta say Nokia is doing a wonderful work supporting with HQ apps (Here services are awesome) and providing rock solid devices.

 

[Funky Cricket]

I don't have a ton of apps, by biggest worries are playing .wav voicemails and file handling. (IE, attaching a document to an existing email chain, or being able to download and move around files of certain types)

 

[Cylemmulo]

Haha You sir are very similar to me, I've had the Droid Incredible, Fascinate, Iphone 4, Iphone 4s, Rezound, Bold 9930, Galaxy S3, Razr HD, Razr M then I bought the S4 for 2 days and returned it for the Lumia and am deciding to stay. I agree with alot of you're criticism on Android, this is a very good mix between the 2, There are a couple of things I'm missing from android but it's mostly just things I have to minorly tweak on how I use my phone.

 

[spectre51]

WP is a great OS. I really enjoy my 920. Wish there was better Google ecosystem support though (damn you google). Only things I really miss are google apps and tapatalk though I hear a client is coming soon.

 

[dnomadic]

Haha You sir are very similar to me, I've had the Droid Incredible, Fascinate, Iphone 4, Iphone 4s, Rezound, Bold 9930, Galaxy S3, Razr HD, Razr M then I bought the S4 for 2 days and returned it for the Lumia and am deciding to stay. I agree with alot of you're criticism on Android, this is a very good mix between the 2, There are a couple of things I'm missing from android but it's mostly just things I have to minorly tweak on how I use my phone.

for once, I think I may be staying put. I really like the phone....that is unless a spec war breaks out like in the Android World.

 

[WanderingTraveler]

for once, I think I may be staying put. I really like the phone....that is unless a spec war breaks out like in the Android World.

Spec war? Most likely not. Remember, Microsoft controls which SoCs the OEMs get to use and the RAM Limits.

Though, if HTC and Samsung decide to wage a war on Nokia using photography, that is another question.

 

[WanderingTraveler]

what is Harmattan?

MeeGo Harmattan.
Swipe UI.
The holy grail of ease-of-use when it comes to UI.

In other words, the N9 experience.

 

[Ridemyscooter86]

Its so funny what you said about the 928 because I too thought it looked kinda ugly in the pictures and when my friend showed me his new 928 in white, I was very impressed with the build quality, look and ergonomics of the phone. I only like th 920 more because its looks different than every phone on the market and I'm in love with the cyan color, other than that, I really liked the 928

 

[dnomadic]

Its so funny what you said about the 928 because I too thought it looked kinda ugly in the pictures and when my friend showed me his new 928 in white, I was very impressed with the build quality, look and ergonomics of the phone. I only like th 920 more because its looks different than every phone on the market and I'm in love with the cyan color, other than that, I really liked the 928

When I was contemplating switching from Verizon the 920 was my choice for the reason you stated, it looked different. I haven't had a Nokia since my first pre-paid phone in the 12th grade (16-17 years ago). Really impressed in the products they have produced....Surprisingly I think the 822 is nice as well, my mother is really loving it.

 

[montsa007]

My only knock, and it is not really knock, and I’m sure I find more after the honeymoon, is the apps list. I know the OS is clean and minimalistic, but the single line list of Apps on the Apps list page, is a hated feature. I would love to see and option like on the HTC one where you can have the apps show up as a 3 by 3 (still clean - preferable) or a 4 by 4 (little messy).

I like to think it this way.

If I were to use an android, scroll the menu (app list) and start any app, there would be times when I had to make my thumb move from the top left to the bottom right, this could mean repositioning my hand if the phone is big for my hands. Consider wp8, I don't have to reposition my thumb at all because its all in a straight line !

I too come from Android, and don't regret the decision at all.

I switched from Xperia T to L720.

 

[Pega5u5]

The camera leaves a little to be desired. I have been able to get better pics with my Galaxy S3 and Iphone (but I’m still new with the camera). Videos are another story, I have gotten some really good videos over the past few days.

My only knock, and it is not really knock, and I’m sure I find more after the honeymoon, is the apps list. I know the OS is clean and minimalistic, but the single line list of Apps on the Apps list page, is a hated feature. I would love to see and option like on the HTC one where you can have the apps show up as a 3 by 3 (still clean - preferable) or a 4 by 4 (little messy).

Yippee --- At 34 I may be too old to say that:grin:

if you look at the posts in Pictures/Videos taken with your 928! you can see what the camera is capable of.

I also moved form Android. and the app list in a straight line took a little getting used to for me, but now i love it. I can easely jump to an app based on the first letter of the app and also if I cant remeber the app name excactly i can search for a partial name. With android I allways had to search on my own; on what page dit I put it or in what group/forlder did I place it.

 

[Neo Nuke]

A tip, btw, once you have a little over 40 apps, you get these blocks of letters that are jump blocks and one always stays at the top. Tap it and jump to the first letter of the app you're looking for instead of scrolling forever. I love this feature ��