[angusdegraosta]

Just out -

http://www.nytimes.com/2014/02/20/te...ework.html?_r=

The author calls WP a "...second-class digital existence." Poor guy can't find his favorite trivia game.

Who pays these people to be shmucks? I hope Nadella and the phone team respond with great stuff in the months ahead. I have a 920, am excited about the Icon, and I really want these kinds of articles to go away.

[etad putta]

Just out -

http://www.nytimes.com/2014/02/20/te...ework.html?_r=

The author calls WP a "...second-class digital existence." Poor guy can't find his favorite trivia game.

Who pays these people to be shmucks? I hope Nadella and the phone team respond with great stuff in the months ahead. I have a 920, am excited about the Icon, and I really want these kinds of articles to go away.

He really didn't say anything that wasn't true. I also have a 920 and it's a great phone, but the OS needs to continue to improve and do it rapidly. The new boss needs to put the pedal to the metal if WP is going to hang around.

[pci2k]

What's really ironic is that the local Microsoft NYC office just moved directly across the street from the NY Times HQ!

[Nogitsune Micah]

There was nothing absolutely positive about that article. Wtf.

It barely mentions the icon. It is more trashing the os while praising android and ios. That was ridiculous

[k0de]

The truth is this. Great phone is the icon. But yes WP is still lacking app support. That is a killer to great hardware. But this is ok. Because apps are raining on WP. WP is right on schedule. At the pace that the apps are coming by 2017 the WP store will be equal to that of the Android and iOS. Only then the race is on. And who ever comes up with better hardware will rule. It is getting interesting I can't wait for 2017.

[mozman68]

Well...he said we would say this...but seriously? Ride sharing apps? Square? Sonos? I started following him when he took over tech at WSJ and unfollowed almost immediately since his posts were so annoying and off topic. ...and then he leaves and goes to NYT.

Who would have thought Apple would have succeeded over Blackberry? Not anyone I ever talked to when the iPhone first came out. When Android came out, did anyone predict it would handily overtake Apple as an OS?

I'm a huge Apple fanboy and love my 1520, but that "review" was useless in helping anyone decide on whether or not to buy the Icon.

[JBConforti]

Well...he said we would say this...but seriously? Ride sharing apps? Square? Sonos? I started following him when he took over tech at WSJ and unfollowed almost immediately since his posts were so annoying and off topic. ...and then he leaves and goes to NYT.

Who would have thought Apple would have succeeded over Blackberry? Not anyone I ever talked to when the iPhone first came out. When Android came out, did anyone predict it would handily overtake Apple as an OS?

I'm a huge Apple fanboy and love my 1520, but that "review" was useless in helping anyone decide on whether or not to buy the Icon.

I remember reading articles just like this when the first android handsets came out. Same tone too, "Just give up, you'll never make it"

[reidbp]

It's a **** article but I also was left disappointed when I went and used the demo today. Posted another thread about it... still considering it but was shocked at the features it lacked, and they had nothing to do with apps.

[angusdegraosta]

These are all good and fair responses. Microsoft does have to step up and deliver. The apps will not come overnight, though. We'll be reading those kinds of articles for months still. First the minimalist OS needs work - not so much the look of it, either, but the little hoops users have to jump through here and there. 8.1 should address most those things. I hope they get voice text input through all the system - not just Messaging, but email and the People Hub at the very least.

With that said, if you're psyched about the Icon, do it. Even the 920 is still a stellar piece of equipment.

[undulose]

Actually, even though I love my 1520, I agree with some of the points that the writer tackled here. It isn't true that he didn't write anything good about Nokia, but I think he just skipped the uniquely excellent features of WP that Android and iOS lack (like Glance support, support for 512 MB RAM devices, etc.)

Truth be told, the reason I can manage with my 1520 lies with my tablet - the Nexus 7. This serves as my primary gaming device, since it has Full HD support to games like Asphalt 8 and PPSSPP.

Still, like I said before, my 1520 (and any other Lumias out there) have a lot of uniquely good features which at least should've been mentioned by the article (on a side note, I also like its word suggestion when typing. It's very efficient than Google's predictive input!) And by the time WP 8.1 comes, a lot of new useful features will leave the article to dust.

Sent from my Nokia Lumia 1520 (RM-937 Malaysia) using Tapatalk

[palandri]

LOL! Who really wants to play with their home thermostat when they're at work?

[Flagz]

LOL! Who really wants to play with their home thermostat when they're at work?

people like me, today we started at 46 degrees and I didn't turn the heat on since it was so nice, when I got off work it was 18 degrees, and my house was freezing. );

[palandri]

people like me, today we started at 46 degrees and I didn't turn the heat on since it was so nice, when I got off work it was 18 degrees, and my house was freezing. );

Not to mention frozen pipes. How low can you manually set your thermostat?

[Laura Knotek]

Not to mention frozen pipes. How low can you manually set your thermostat?

I live in an old apartment building, so I have an old thermostat. Mine only goes down to 56°F

[palandri]

I live in an old apartment building, so I have an old thermostat. Mine only goes down to 56°F

The newer digital ones can go lower, but I really wouldn't want to go much lower than like 65 in the winter and 78 in the summer, due to a couple of cats.

[BobLobIaw]

I always expect articles like this, and don't think this one is particularly bad in the grand scheme of what reviewers typically offer. However, if you gave everyone a Windows Phone and told them to use it, invariably less than 5% would ultimately feel handicapped by using the OS. Most people don't need the newest, greatest thing, and that concept varies dramatically based on demographics anyway. Thus, even if what he says is true it doesn't follow that most people shouldn't even consider using a Windows Phone. He's trying to apply an uber-geek mindset to the average consumer, which just isn't accurate. WP will hopefully overcome this impediment, but as we can see it is a struggle.

[Laura Knotek]

The newer digital ones can go lower, but I really wouldn't want to go much lower than like 65 in the winter and 78 in the summer, due to a couple of cats.

I'd be responsible for damage due to frozen pipes if I were to turn off the furnace and not tell the landlord.

[Laura Knotek]

I always expect articles like this, and don't think this one is particularly bad in the grand scheme of what reviewers typically offer. However, if you gave everyone a Windows Phone and told them to use it, invariably less than 5% would ultimately feel handicapped by using the OS. Most people don't need the newest, greatest thing, and that concept varies dramatically based on demographics anyway. Thus, even if what he says is true it doesn't follow that most people shouldn't even consider using a Windows Phone. He's trying to apply an uber-geek mindset to the average consumer, which just isn't accurate. WP will hopefully overcome this impediment, but as we can see it is a struggle.

I agree. For instance, the 'smart thermostat apps' wouldn't even apply to me (or a lot of other folks who rent).

[Markham Ranja]

Well...he said we would say this...but seriously? Ride sharing apps? Square? Sonos? I started following him when he took over tech at WSJ and unfollowed almost immediately since his posts were so annoying and off topic. ...and then he leaves and goes to NYT.

Who would have thought Apple would have succeeded over Blackberry? Not anyone I ever talked to when the iPhone first came out. When Android came out, did anyone predict it would handily overtake Apple as an OS?

I'm a huge Apple fanboy and love my 1520, but that "review" was useless in helping anyone decide on whether or not to buy the Icon.

Why do you discount other users' needs so cavalierly? The lack of Uber and Pebble (smartwatch) apps make WP incapable of being a daily driver for me, though I do love the UI.

The problem is nothing more than MS being late to the party. Currently, when you have such strong competition in Android and iOS, getting apps was always going to be a challenge. It may not be a problem for you, but for many others, a smartphone is all about the apps.

[Markham Ranja]

I agree. For instance, the 'smart thermostat apps' wouldn't even apply to me (or a lot of other folks who rent).

A lot of new construction will have the Nest and other similar devices. For instance, in Texas, the utility companies will give you a Nest for free with every new electricity connection because it saves energy in the long run. Here in CA, I get Rush Hour Rewards, discounts on my electricity bills because my Nest pre-cools the house before an expected hot period. Anyone who wishes to take advantage of these features will be handicapped by the lack of availability on WP.

[Markham Ranja]

I always expect articles like this, and don't think this one is particularly bad in the grand scheme of what reviewers typically offer. However, if you gave everyone a Windows Phone and told them to use it, invariably less than 5% would ultimately feel handicapped by using the OS. Most people don't need the newest, greatest thing, and that concept varies dramatically based on demographics anyway. Thus, even if what he says is true it doesn't follow that most people shouldn't even consider using a Windows Phone. He's trying to apply an uber-geek mindset to the average consumer, which just isn't accurate. WP will hopefully overcome this impediment, but as we can see it is a struggle.

Wanting to use Uber and Nest is now super-geek level? #TIL.

[Laura Knotek]

A lot of new construction will have the Nest and other similar devices. For instance, in Texas, the utility companies will give you a Nest for free with every new electricity connection because it saves energy in the long run. Here in CA, I get Rush Hour Rewards, discounts on my electricity bills because my Nest pre-cools the house before an expected hot period. Anyone who wishes to take advantage of these features will be handicapped by the lack of availability on WP.

That's true. However, many people rent older properties. My apartment complex is ca 1946; I don't even have air conditioning. The original steel-framed casement windows were finally replaced with thermal pane double-hung windows in 2012.

[muneshyne21]

Have you tried "wellNEZTed"? 3rd party Nest app in the Windows Store. 60 ratings 4 star. Images look good and it has live tile support.

[Markham Ranja]

I remember reading articles just like this when the first android handsets came out. Same tone too, "Just give up, you'll never make it"

All those articles missed out on one crucial factor: the iPhone was only available with AT&T for the longest time, and people on other carriers were the ones driving Android's growth. Also, if you remember, Verizon went all out with Android since they didn't have the iPhone, resulting in the original Motorola Droid series. That, IMO, was what gave Android the crucial momentum it needed.

[palandri]

A lot of new construction will have the Nest and other similar devices. For instance, in Texas, the utility companies will give you a Nest for free with every new electricity connection because it saves energy in the long run. Here in CA, I get Rush Hour Rewards, discounts on my electricity bills because my Nest pre-cools the house before an expected hot period. Anyone who wishes to take advantage of these features will be handicapped by the lack of availability on WP.

Are you talking about the IP controlled thermostat? That's manually programmable.