With This Phone, I Convert Thee

[Witness]

Try getting an Android or iPhone user to convert to Windows Phone. It's not easy. Eventually, some of them see the light and pick one up but that's far and few in between. Try getting your friend who is still using a feature phone to Windows Phone - the Lumia 640, specifically. Much easier. Low cost and a ridiculous value for the money. Those are the guys to target and they'll almost certainly love it. Who knows, maybe they'll want a premium version of the phone after using it for a while - by then, the flagships will be available.

Anyways, here's a new L640 I helped a friend unlock and setting up. Going to show him how to move around the phone later. Gotta hold their hands.

 

[worldspy99]

Got my Lumia 640 two days ago to play with and I must say I am impressed. That is a whole lot of phone for very little money
Good luck with your smartphone conversion therapy session!

 

[gordonfink]

How's it compare to the 830?

I've contemplating switching to the 640 for a daily for now, and selling the RM-985 830. As far as I can tell, 8GB vs 16GB, slightly lesser camera, and lack of wireless charging are the only differences.

Got my Lumia 640 two days ago to play with and I must say I am impressed. That is a whole lot of phone for very little money
Good luck with your smartphone conversion therapy session!

 

[libra89]

I'm not really one to convert people but I enjoy reading the stories.
If it counts, I stopped my dad from getting a samsung phone and he got a 640 instead! This will be his first smartphone and I think he'll really like it.

 

[worldspy99]

How's it compare to the 830?

I've contemplating switching to the 640 for a daily for now, and selling the RM-985 830. As far as I can tell, 8GB vs 16GB, slightly lesser camera, and lack of wireless charging are the only differences.

You are right about the differences. I am enjoying it. I will put the camera through a few more paces and let you know.

 

[Witness]

I'm not really one to convert people but I enjoy reading the stories.
If it counts, I stopped my dad from getting a samsung phone and he got a 640 instead! This will be his first smartphone and I think he'll really like it.

The "conversion conversation" doesn't start unless they express discontent with their current OS, they like a particular thing about WP or in this case getting ready to upgrade. Otherwise, it's like discussing politics or religion-haha #truestory. Other than the app gap, folks I know that have used the WP UI have a tough time looking at iOS/Android UI afterwards. Once you go tile, you don't want that other dog pile.

 

[gordonfink]

I just went to the MS Store at the mall to play around with a 640. Had the 830 there, so I could compare them side by side.

Must say I was impressed with the 640. Most notable differences that I saw were:
- no camera button
- 635-type plastic back and sides, as opposed to aluminum (not bad, necessarily - like an iPhone 5C)
- soft keys for home, back, and search
- Denim, with update 2

Other than that, they were twins. I can't believe you can buy that phone for $80.

 

[Pieter Wolff]

Let's see, I have a 720 and waiting for a brandnew 640. My girlfriend also has a 720, her son I talked into a white 630, my own son I converted into a cyan 535 and finally a friend's father picked up a new 640 last week. Now let
me try to convert the pope!
P.S. I'm extremely happy with my 720 but due for an upgrade. Wanted a 830 but they're nowhere to be had anywhere in South Africa. So that 640 better be extremely good! :wink:

 

[Galway 77]

I think a problem for people switching is maybe having to pay for apps again.. If Microsoft threw in 30-40 dollar store credit with new phone purchase, I think a lot more people would jump on board..

Posted via the Windows Central App for Android

 

[gordonfink]

I think a problem for people switching is maybe having to pay for apps again.. If Microsoft threw in 30-40 dollar store credit with new phone purchase, I think a lot more people would jump on board..

Posted via the Windows Central App for Android

Once you own an app, you own it. If you get a new phone, it will restore to the new phone if you set it up from a backup. If you don't, but you log in under your MS ID, the store will show that you own the app, so you can install it.

I have apps that I own that I haven't reinstalled when I've changed phones, because I found that I didn't use them. It still shows that I own them.

This 640, for ATT at least, is only $80. No way you're getting a store credit for half that. This phone could cost twice that, and still be a good buy.

 

[Galway 77]

Ah, didn't realize that..good to know..I thought if you bought it on the Google play store, if you changed to Windows phone, you'd have to repurchase it.. Didn't necessarily mean for this model of phone at this price point...lol

Posted via the Windows Central App for Android

 

[brooose]

You will have to repurchase an app, if you are moving from Android or iOS to Windows. If you upgrade a Windows phone to a new Windows phone, there will be no additional charge.

 

[Galway 77]

I thought that alright... I just meant that with the new flagship phones coming soon, it would be easy to roll 20 dollar store credit into the price of the phone or something to entice people with Android or iPhone to switch.I know they can't just give money away, but it's a simple fact of life that people love free stuff, even if they pay for it one way or another in the end

Posted via the Windows Central App for Android

 

[worldspy99]

Let's see, I have a 720 and waiting for a brandnew 640. My girlfriend also has a 720, her son I talked into a white 630, my own son I converted into a cyan 535 and finally a friend's father picked up a new 640 last week. Now let
me try to convert the pope!
P.S. I'm extremely happy with my 720 but due for an upgrade. Wanted a 830 but they're nowhere to be had anywhere in South Africa. So that 640 better be extremely good! :wink:

I can ship a 640 from the USA to you...where are you in RSA? I might be coming to Joburg in December this year.

 

[anon(6078578)]

I often wonder how much of the Windows Phone problem is simply that Microsoft still having a "bad guy" perception problem as a legacy of its past compared to say Google. The reason I say this, is that when I had my Lumia 521 I really thought the app store had reached a turning point in that finally it looked we were getting the big names, then all of a sudden it seemed a lot of apps were effectively being abandoned or outright being pulled. I am sure Google refusing to play ball no doubt added to this too.

I know that back in the days of Windows Mobile, there seemed to be developers who were not keen to develop apps simply because it was Microsoft. I don't seem to hear of developers shunning other platforms in the same way, but perhaps I'm wrong?

 

[aybarrap1]

The problem with apps, or lack thereof, is more connected to user share than any thing else. WP share compared to android and iOS, independent and together, is extremely low. Getting more people on WP and bringing up market share is the way to attract developer interest.

 

[Pieter Wolff]

I can ship a 640 from the USA to you...where are you in RSA? I might be coming to Joburg in December this year.

Thanks very much for your kind offer but my service provider has ordered the phone just over a week ago and is awaiting delivery by courier any day now. I live in a Cape Town suburb.. So let me be patient and all will be well...

 

[captaincalamity]

The problem is people who are into Iphones, just think apps, apps and more apps, they see adverts with games/apps with available on Itunes or Play, nothing is ever advertised for Windows Phone, conversation ends there.

Talking to an Androidian:
People who are into Android, see specs, specs and more specs, 2.5Ghz Quad core 64bit, 3GB ram, Quad HD screen....errr 1GB ram and old tech processor, must be crap, plus it doesn't have apps and microsoft phone I read is going to die by the end of the year.

"but look at how slick and smooth the whole phone is"....."yer but its only got 1GB ram and really cheap"...."yes that called amazing value for money and well created UI"...."couldn't go back to 1GB ram even the flagship only has 2GB and an old 800 snapdragon"...."yes but it doesn't matter, even the Iphone 6 only has 1GB ram, WP is smoother than that"...."yer but I hate Iphones".....impossible conversation

Talking to an Iphonian:
but look at how slick and smooth the whole phone is"...."hmm its not made by Apple"...."No its made by Microsoft"..."but its not an Iphone"...conversation pretty much ends there.

We have a battle on our hands.

 

[Jcmg62]

I'm catching them young....I've got my 9 year old seriously hyped up about getting her first windows phone when she hits 10 next year. I've been feeding her a diet of surface pro 3, xbox one and windows 8.1 / 10 for a year now so she's totally indoctrinated and can't wait to have a phone like her old man.....muwahahahahahahahaaaaaaaaa.....

Sadly I lost my 15 year old to Apple last year....sniff.....she tried the Lumia 800 and concluded it was worse than her old Blackberry. She just wouldn't be swayed. Sad, sad stuff.....

 

[realwarder]

How's it compare to the 830?

I've contemplating switching to the 640 for a daily for now, and selling the RM-985 830. As far as I can tell, 8GB vs 16GB, slightly lesser camera, and lack of wireless charging are the only differences.

I have both. WM10 on a 640 and daily 830.

They both perform the same. 640 feels lighter. Camera is not as good but not terrible. Can't say I'd rave over the 830 camera and miss my 920 camera.

Worst 640 design feature: speaker covered on flat table. No camera button.

830 feels and looks more premium. That's the only perk.

640 is amazing value for money as it's basically the same.

I'd never recommend a 830 over a 640 to new person. And to me the 640 is basically disposable level so it's a phone you can use and not care about if that makes sense.