Anyone else not syncing with their computers via USB anymore?

[ninjaap]

I just realized, while commenting on another thread, that I am no longer tied up by wires. Ever since I switched to L920 (and now 1020) and Windows 8 - since Zune has become useless - I've found myself going wireless (including charging). I think I've used Windows Phone Connector, or whatever its called once, and I completely forgot about it. We can now update/upgrade software via cellular radio, and sync our files to the cloud (Skydrive and ATT) and access them from any device. Hell even my music (Xbox Music) that was stored on my broken laptop just appeared on my new laptop and on my new phone without me even lifting a finger.

Yes, I know we still need it for times when we don't have internet access, but I can't remember the last time I did not have internet access. I just find it so much more liberating.

 

[iamtim]

I plug in for charging (don't have the wireless charger) and for transferring music since I don't have an Xbox Music Pass.

 

[ninjaap]

I plug in for charging (don't have the wireless charger) and for transferring music since I don't have an Xbox Music Pass.

I don't have Xbox Music Pass. You don't need it to sync your music to the Xbox Music cloud. You just need it to download songs and videos from the store.

 

[iamtim]

You just need it to download songs and videos from the store.

Right. But I have gigs and gigs of iTunes music and imported CDs which didn't come from the Xbox store. There's no way I'm going to buy them again, so I cable sync the MP3s onto my phone as needed.

 

[ninjaap]

Right. But I have gigs and gigs of iTunes music and imported CDs which didn't come from the Xbox store. There's no way I'm going to buy them again, so I cable sync the MP3s onto my phone as needed.

Hmmm... Half of my songs didn't come from xbox music. Mostly, from CD and downloads from various sites. But they all sync to the xbox music cloud fine. Is iTunes downloaded music not compatible?

 

[pavvento]

How do you get the high res photos off? Also, with Xbox music, are the songs just available for streaming? I know on Windows 8 there is the option to download them physically from the cloud to the computer, but I can't find that option on my phone.

Thanks!

 

[iamtim]

Is iTunes downloaded music not compatible?

Protected iTunes music is, you have to convert it to MP3. But that doesn't really matter, the only way my iTunes music shows up through Xbox music on my phone is if I sync it to the cloud through my laptop and then have an Xbox Music Pass on my phone. I'm not going to spend $10/month when I can sync the music via cable for free.

 

[tgr42]

Until there's a file manager that works over wi-fi (like ES File Explorer on Android for example), or the current USB phone/computer interaction experience can be enabled over wi-fi instead of USB, I'll be transferring files via USB. No way am I wasting my time and Internet bandwidth transferring my private data through a server on the Internet somewhere just because of stupid OS limitations. I'll decide what gets stored on my phone and how+when it gets stored there. And relying on streaming is out of the question until wireless data is available everywhere I want to use my phone with reliable service at a reasonable price, which I highly doubt will be happening anytime soon in the United States.