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Hi, was tossing up in getting a new phone between the HERO and DIAMOND 2. I have watched a ton of Youtube Reviews, read even more written reviews but they all go into the same crap no one really reviews the everyday use of the Hero. Things that matter.
1. How good is the vibrate on this phone?
2. Notification LED. Does it light up indefinately till you view the notification or does it time out? if it does time out can it be changed to unlimited? I know there is software for SMS, Missed Call. But not for email. I need something to be able to light up at a glance even if I have been away for hours.
3. Coming off an iPhone 3GS which has crap battery life just under a day, how does the Hero compare on Moderate use? Would you get 2-3 days?
4. Call quality in terms of earpiece and speakerphone?
5. How does it work as a PIM? Is the Calender still buggy? I remember my G1 you would remove the reminder and it would still show up in Agenda view, but when you go into the item it wasnt there
6. Are the Ringtones loud?
7. Can you Sync to do tasks with Toodledo?
8. Is the Exchange support any good and accurate sync? Contacts, Mail, Calendar?
9. One of the biggest crap things on iPhone is not being able to Snooze reminders. Can the Hero perform this handy function?
10. How good is Web browsing? in terms of page rendering? I read that the new android 2.0 will zoom out to the whole page and fit to screen rather than zoom in closer to one side as old versions did. Is this true?
I am happy to hear any PRO's and CON's from users on here who own or used a Hero.
It would be good if I could if I could test it somehow before I drop $700 on it, but the stores dont have any Demo's. I am in AUSTRALIA also so chance of playing with one in store is slim as 9 outta 10 places just use dummy phones
Hey there
If you live in the US, I would recommend you go to a Verizon Wireless store and try the Droid Eris. Its basically the HTC Hero under a different skin. That's what sold me... I'm almost certainly getting the Hero.
Sorry I can't answer your questions, but thought it might help
I would if I could, but being from AUSTRALIA I dont think we have that model and also even less of a chance of playing with an Android on display.
1. How good is the vibrate on this phone?
Don't know how to answer this question... how do you define a good vibration? You can definitely feel it vibrating if you put it in your jean pocket. That being said, I have never had a phone that doesn't do that.
2. Notification LED. Does it light up indefinately till you view the notification or does it time out? if it does time out can it be changed to unlimited? I know there is software for SMS, Missed Call. But not for email. I need something to be able to light up at a glance even if I have been away for hours.
It will time out (don't know how long though), and cannot be changed.
3. Coming off an iPhone 3GS which has crap battery life just under a day, how does the Hero compare on Moderate use? Would you get 2-3 days?
2-3 days? No way. There is no full screen smartphones which give you this kind of battery life. If you turned off internet, don't play media files, don't talk, simply leave it on stand-by, then it can last 2-3 days. Plug it in whenever you are in your office or home.
That being said, the battery of my phone does last a day typically.
4. Call quality in terms of earpiece and speakerphone?
Loud and clear.
5. How does it work as a PIM? Is the Calender still buggy? I remember my G1 you would remove the reminder and it would still show up in Agenda view, but when you go into the item it wasnt there
Good. HTC has their own Calender app for the Hero (and there are ways to get back the Android Calender app, search this forum). It is nicer, looks better, but runs slightly slower.
6. Are the Ringtones loud?
Loud
7. Can you Sync to do tasks with Toodledo?
No idea.
8. Is the Exchange support any good and accurate sync? Contacts, Mail, Calendar?
No experience.
9. One of the biggest crap things on iPhone is not being able to Snooze reminders. Can the Hero perform this handy function?
Yes, there is a snooze button when the calender alert rings.
10. How good is Web browsing? in terms of page rendering? I read that the new android 2.0 will zoom out to the whole page and fit to screen rather than zoom in closer to one side as old versions did. Is this true?
iPhone 3GS is much much better, due to speed and smoothness. Page rendering is better on the iPhone too.
Hero does not have Android 2.0 yet and it does not zoom out to the whole page by default (yes, it's annoying). Double-click on a section does zoom in, but somehow it zooms in more than I would like to most of the time. Again, iPhone is better here.
Hero's browser can display flash. But it is flash lite and it is not as fast as one would like. Don't expect to play flash games or watch flash videos with it. It is useful though if the site you visit uses flash navigation menu, in that case there is nothing you can do with the iPhone.
Speed-wise it is comparable to the iPhone 3G (non-S), but other than flash the iPhone has a much better browser.
"8. Is the Exchange support any good and accurate sync? Contacts, Mail, Calendar?"
Yes, even better than the iPhone sync. The iPhone supportes remote wipe (don't know for the hero), but the hero can sync mail, contacts and calendar while syncing with your pc or google (you can even do the 3 at once), while the iphone doesn't support mixing iTunes contact/contact sync if there's an exchange account enabled.
Speed : Slightly slower compared to my iPhone 3G (3.1, jailbroken)
The only thing I miss is Safari, but I found dolphin browser to be very usuable, and I'm looking forward to Fennec (firefox). But the stock browser supports downloading whatever you want, and that's a plus.
Thanks alot for both of your replies...
I've had good vibrates like the PALM Centro which rocks your jox off nearly and if you can even feel it while walking. Some of the other phones like Blackberry Bold etc.. The vibrate sounds powerful, but thats about it.. it just sounds hard.. but if your stationary or got it in a pouch you wont feel it. The only way is if you had it on your desk and heard it rumble on your desk.
Damn sux about the LED, I hate that I always had to wake up the iPhone to check if I have anything when I was away from it. A notification LED is an excelent way of knowning when something has happened.
Yeh got to admit the iPhone does have strength in HTML browsing..
Glad to hear exchange support is better than iphone..
Hmmm spead compared to the 3G.. not too bad.. compared to the slowness of Windows Mobile sometimes..
Dolphin browser and firefox coming soon huh?? What about CHROME ported to the Android or is that what the android is using for browsing..I cant remember I read that the new android would open up a webpage much similar to how the iphone would render it when loading.
About the notification light, it kind of flashes on and off slowly and gently. But it only flashes about 1ce every 20 seconds. But it will keep flashing once every 20 seconds for ever realy, it doesnt seem to time out (i have had it flashing in the morning to tell me about an email that i got just before i went to bed)
flash wise, i find that it can manage most online flash video things, and it will even load small games, but it will play them very slowly.
Then most important thing to remember is that on android, and particualy, on HTC phones, things HAPPEN. If later some new phone comes out with an amazing, unique interface, you can be sure that someone here will port it over for hero users.
All the little niggles can be fixed as well, partly becuase android seems to be being updated fairly rapidly, and partly becuase of how little google forces upon you. Dont like the text app? replace it with something else then. Dont like the music app? then ditch that as well. Its a great sence of freedom. Also google isnt picky about what goes on the market. Basicaly, as long as its not porn, then fine. Which means theres lots of apps that apple would never allow becuase they would rival its own stuff. Google doesnt seem to care about that
Totally agree with you CyberWalrus about the Appstore and hate the iPhone how it just doesnt let you get rid of their propriety software like say NOTES (just as an example)
Good to know about the LED, I just received so much conflicting information as some say it will turn off after 5mins and then others say 20mins others say that the Trackball flashes first and then the Green LED.
I mean just would like it like the good old days where when you receive a notification whether it be mail, sms/mms, missed call, calendar event. You receive a notification LED flashing till you attend to it. So its reassuring to hear yours works like that.
I had the G1 before loved the device, clean smooth OS.. unlike Windows Mobile which trys to emulate Windows too much.. Windows should just go from the ground up and redesign there Mobile OS to make it more intuitive they at 6.5 now and they have a bee's dik difference from Mobile 5 and then again Mobile 5 isnt too much better than Windows Mobile 2002/2003.
But yeah enjoying theses phones like Android that are built from the ground up and are focusing on the consumer. As I said loved the G1 but had issues with the PIM which I do really on a lot. My appointments were set to Alarm say 1 hour before and then I would remove the alarm which would remove but then going into Agenda view it would say my alarm is still on. Its lil bugs like that. annoyed me.
But I am wanting to visit Android again after using Symbian, Windows Mobile 6.1 Standard & Professional. iPhone 3GS. THe Pre did look apealing but a bit of a dissapointment after its anticipated release. So Android is looking good and I dont know it makes me feel warm and fuzzy.. I can see a good future for Android.
Hey guys
After experiencing Android Gingerbread on Xperia Arc S and Windows Phone 7.5 on HTC Radar,I've decided to sell my iPhone and go with another OS.
I'm pretty much torn between Galaxy Nexus and HTC Titan.After watching/reading reviews,I still can't decide.
Of course Nexus has a better screen,more customizable OS but on the other hand,Titan has a better camera and I kinda adore the WP7 UI.It's butter smooth
The prices of both phones are roughly the same in where I live.
Thoughts ?
Go for it, I have no regrets.
You mean Titan right ?
My wife's had a Windows Phone (Samsung Focus) since the release and absolutely loves it. I have an 3GS and recently switched over to an Android phone (Atrix 2 running 2.3.5), but I ended up returning the phone and going back to using my old iphone. Android has a ton of cool capabilities, but it's like running linux, the possibilities are endless, but you spend a lot more time tinkering than doing. There's also no cohesive hub for connecting up to your PC and syncing music/videos/pictures, you have a run a number of extra utilities.
The pitfall of Windows Phone is that not enough people use it, so isn't the developer support, so there aren't as many big apps, so not as many people use it.
My big sticking point is that the makers of my motorcycle helmet cam don't have any immediate plans to develop a WP7 version of their remote viewfinder app. Best thing to do is install the Zune software on your PC and browse the marketplace; if the apps are there to let you do what you need to, WP7 (7.5) is pretty badass in integrating between your PC and your Xbox and it feels a lot more polished than the Android or Iphone interfaces.
spd_rcr said:
My wife's had a Windows Phone (Samsung Focus) since the release and absolutely loves it. I have an 3GS and recently switched over to an Android phone (Atrix 2 running 2.3.5), but I ended up returning the phone and going back to using my old iphone. Android has a ton of cool capabilities, but it's like running linux, the possibilities are endless, but you spend a lot more time tinkering than doing. There's also no cohesive hub for connecting up to your PC and syncing music/videos/pictures, you have a run a number of extra utilities.
The pitfall of Windows Phone is that not enough people use it, so isn't the developer support, so there aren't as many big apps, so not as many people use it.
My big sticking point is that the makers of my motorcycle helmet cam don't have any immediate plans to develop a WP7 version of their remote viewfinder app. Best thing to do is install the Zune software on your PC and browse the marketplace; if the apps are there to let you do what you need to, WP7 (7.5) is pretty badass in integrating between your PC and your Xbox and it feels a lot more polished than the Android or Iphone interfaces.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Thanks
Yep the only thing I worry about WP7 is the apps but I searched the market place and I found my essential apps such as Twitter and some games.
twitter and facebook also is built in to the messaging hub, not to say that the app doesn't have extra functions.
After owning Android and WM7 phones I would go with WM7 if I were to stray from my iPhone. I just ordered a Titan with Mango. Giving it another go! I have yet to read a bad review on the Titan or Mango.
I know everybody talks about the customization of Android but honestly, that gets old after awhile. At the end of the day I just want a reliable working device.
theorioles33 said:
After owning Android and WM7 phones I would go with WM7 if I were to stray from my iPhone. I just ordered a Titan with Mango. Giving it another go! I have yet to read a bad review on the Titan or Mango.
I know everybody talks about the customization of Android but honestly, that gets old after awhile. At the end of the day I just want a reliable working device.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I have 1 of each (Nexus & Titan), and if you made me have to decide I would have to go with Nexus/Android.
I have an iPhone 4s as well, it's back in it's box.
Hi there
Im currently a windows 6.5.5 user on an HD2 with custom ROM.
However my upgrade is due in a few weeks and i have been eyeing up the Titan.
Im aware WP7 is a different OS to win mo 6.5.5 but how different? Ive played with Android and it just doesnt do what i want it to so felt the need to stick with the Windows OS.
does the app store for WP7 have enough in it to keep you amused or is it still a bit bare?
Symondo said:
Hi there
Im currently a windows 6.5.5 user on an HD2 with custom ROM.
However my upgrade is due in a few weeks and i have been eyeing up the Titan.
Im aware WP7 is a different OS to win mo 6.5.5 but how different? Ive played with Android and it just doesnt do what i want it to so felt the need to stick with the Windows OS.
does the app store for WP7 have enough in it to keep you amused or is it still a bit bare?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
If you din't find satisfaction from Android Market, I highly doubt Windows Market is yet ready for you. The key features missing right now in my opinion are:
-system back up
-sms back up
-few major apps (I don't care about apps, I've got all that I need)
-customization (we will have unlock hopefully soon!)
Other than this, I think it looks much more professional that Android at most stages. Communication, social networking - is integrated like no other OS and it will only get better with 2 updates in 2012!
If you are someone who has patience for atleast next 6-8 months - Buy titan, you will love it!
If you are someone who has patience but has huge surge of apps daily and huge need to customize things - Get Android. By the time you finish your 2 year long contract, we will surely have Windows Phone 9 which I can bet will be the most amazing OS ever! (here is to wishful thinking!)
In a nutshell I can say, I've gone from WM6- WM6.5- WM6.5.5- Android2.2 -Android2.3- Android2.3.5- WP7.5 and I thought this was the most amazing thing I held in my hand since a long long time! - "It just works"
How you like Windows Phone 7 is really going to depend on how you currently use your Windows Mobile and/or Android phone.
Windows Mobile (and Android) let you go crazy with customization, mods, ROMs, etc. Windows Phone 7 is very locked down. Not a whole lot of customization. But because its so locked down, its incredibly stable (does not crash or slow down as often, if at all). The number one thing about Windows Phone 7 is that it just works. No tweaking, or hacking the registry, or installing modification on top of modification. You turn it on, 15 seconds later, it just works, flawlessly.
If you use Outlook and a USB cable to sync your information (contacts, email, etc.) to your phone, then you can't do that anymore. Windows Phone 7 only lets you sync media (pictures, music, videos) to your phone via the Zune software. Everything else is in the cloud and tied to your Windows Live account.
Windows Phone 7 offers unparalleled connectivity and integration with Microsoft services (Hotmail, Zune, Bing, Xbox Live, etc. etc.).
If you are living alright with the Marketplace currently on Windows Mobile, then the Windows Phone 7 Marketplace easily beats that one easily. Only difference is that without some kind of developer unlocking of your phone, you can load apps from your PC like you could with Windows Mobile.
Really you just have to try it before you really commit. Most people love it, fewer hate it. Coming from Windows Mobile, and depending on your current view of Windows Mobile, you may see it as a giant leap forward, or a big step backwards.
I came from Windows Mobile 6.5, and then Android, and now Windows Phone 7, and I just can't go back to anything else. My phone, just works, and its fast, and fluid, and beautiful, and its got the apps that I need, and the integration with Microsoft stuff that I use.
prjkthack said:
If you use Outlook and a USB cable to sync your information (contacts, email, etc.) to your phone, then you can't do that anymore.
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Click to collapse
You can't load your contacts via USB cable as a USB device, but you surely can sync your Outlook contacts, emails, tasks, calender wirelessly flawlessly too!
Symondo said:
Hi there
Im currently a windows 6.5.5 user on an HD2 with custom ROM.
However my upgrade is due in a few weeks and i have been eyeing up the Titan.
Im aware WP7 is a different OS to win mo 6.5.5 but how different? Ive played with Android and it just doesnt do what i want it to so felt the need to stick with the Windows OS.
does the app store for WP7 have enough in it to keep you amused or is it still a bit bare?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
As you've got a HD2 I'd recommend using Yuki's Win 7 ROM. I did and that convinced me to move onto the Titan (http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=1250869).
As for the other comments on WP7, I agree WP7 is locked down however I'm quite happy with what's available on the Marketplace and I'm convinced that the experts at XDA will find ways of allowing us to mod as with WP 6.5.
Symondo said:
Hi there
Im currently a windows 6.5.5 user on an HD2 with custom ROM.
However my upgrade is due in a few weeks and i have been eyeing up the Titan.
Im aware WP7 is a different OS to win mo 6.5.5 but how different? Ive played with Android and it just doesnt do what i want it to so felt the need to stick with the Windows OS.
does the app store for WP7 have enough in it to keep you amused or is it still a bit bare?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Well WP7 is designed with a different mindset... Namely, that you get all your information as fast and efficiently as possible, and therefore you spend less time playing with the phone and OS itself, and more time using it (as a tool). For example, you wouldn't spend hours a day playing with your screwdriver =D.
When you adapt to this mindset, you'll find Android and especially iOS just cannot compare.
Of course the exception is WP7 has excellent media functions and games. The XNA developer tool allows for beautiful games to be created much easier for WP7, and as XNA is already used for Xbox arcade games, many of those Xbox titles can be and have already been ported to WP7.
Sent from my PI39100 using XDA Windows Phone 7 App
Cheers for the input
I'm looking forward to a new device!
Anyone moved from Android to a Radar? Thoughts? I'm on a GS2 right now and considering a switch.
I moved over from a Evo 4G to the Radar.
For me having to adjust to a smaller screen was a little hard.
The performance is great. I love the UI.
The app's in the marketplace can be a little limited, but I have found some great apps that are better than their counterparts on Android.
I will say that as of now, this platform is not from everybody, but with some of the new devices comming around, and the next few updates, the platform should grow.
I personally love the who WP7 experience. Out of all three of the major OS's, I love this one the most.
I had a Droid Incredible for 2 years, then the HTC Sensation on T-Mobile. This fall I tried an HTC HD7 when I knew I could put Mango on it, and I really liked WM7. I left the HD7 for a Samsung Galaxy 2 because I wanted the 42 mbps radio.
The Galaxy is a fantastic phone, but as soon as I got it I realized that I'd been spoiled by WM7 and no longer had the patience to deal with Android. Android is great if you like to fiddle with your phone and create a very customized experience. But I just couldn't face taking a day to download apps and configure the phone to put my tasks, calendar, podcasts, and contacts front and center.
I dumped the Samsung on eBay and got a Radar, which I LOVE. The advantage of WM7 is that you turn it on, and it just works. I put in my Google and Windows Live accounts and in five minutes everything is right there.
The disadvantage on WM7 is that it works on a different organizing principle than Android or IOS. In addition, the design approach emphasizes a clean simple interface - which also means that some capabilities are hidden and you have to know how to find them. So, there is a learning curve.
The Radar is not for everyone, but for me it's ideal. I like the small size, the clean interface, the internet sharing, and Zune music. The fact that it is not another big black slab is also appealing.
The only negative for me is the 8gb of memory means I have to be selective as to loading music and movies on the phone. Other than that, i think I'll have the Radar for quite a while. Or until I can get my hands on a Nokia Lumia 900.
Im thinking of doing this too. I have never gotten normal battery life on my GS2 no matter what I do. Also like how it seems WP7 works right out of the box. Now just to try and get someone to buy this GS2....
Anyone else with input?
Switched from Android to WP7
I recently switched from the Galaxy S Vibrant to the HTC Radar. The OS's are pretty different, but I'm enjoying WP7. The lack of options in WP7 has saved me lots of time playing with themes, launchers and the sort. The UI is simple, straight forward and doesn't take much to figure out. The battery life is amazing for a smart phone. Turning on the Battery Saver option helps squeeze every last drop of juice from the battery. I haven't looked into how the location service works, but it works ok, not as accurate as a GPS in my opinion. The screen is responsive, clear and made with Gorilla glass. The on screen keyboard is as easy to use as any other on screen keyboard. The predictive text is pretty accurate. The only complaint I have is with syncing. The hotmail account (ya, just like Android and Gmail) doesn't quite sync as fast as Gmail does on Android. The official Facebook and Twitter app are lacking in the syncing area as well. I haven't looked into any unofficial apps yet. Speaking of apps, the app store is a little lacking, but I don't use to many apps. Overall, I like the phone and I'm pleased with WP7 experience. The whole thing is simple and straight forward.
Here's the link to try out the UI in your browser.
http://m.microsoft.com/windowsphone/en-us/demo/index.html
hah2110 said:
Anyone moved from Android to a Radar? Thoughts? I'm on a GS2 right now and considering a switch.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I am. I switched from Galaxy S2 to Rader but have trouble now
Check this http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=1444832
Thanks for the opinions. I'm really on the fence! I feel like it would be wrong to move without having used ics
Sent from my SGH-T989 using Tapatalk
Bump
Sent from my SGH-T989 using Tapatalk
Add me to the migrants - I've just sold my GS2 and purchased a Radar, just got to wait for it to be delivered now. I had a HD7 at the beginning but the battery was crap on it and Mango wasn't even mentioned so I got rid of it but now it looks like the OS is really moving now.
I just moved from a G2 to the Radar and I'm liking it. Only things I'm having trouble with it getting a good GoogleTalk app to IM with all my friends and family. I wish it was integrated much like how Facebook Messenger is. Also being able to use my Google Voice account to make outgoing calls is a bit difficult.
My biggest complaint about the phone is the lack of memory for storage. I download a lot of podcasts and music (through Spotify) to listen to and its already full with just my podcasts. No place to fit the cached music. If i had unlimited data it would be nice but I don't. I usually meet my 5gb quota in a month without streaming.
I think the storage can be a problem but it is obviously dependent on how you use your phone. I mean 16GB is a good minimum to have but I can make do with the 8GB. I can see why there isn't a microSD slot - it keeps the phone simple just having one type of storage. I reckon as long as the cloud continues to expand local storage will diminish.
I thought about this too because I have 7+ gb of pictures BUT, can't you just throw them on Skydrive for when you need them? More and more I think I may jump! I do feel like, on paper, it won't be powerful enough but do mos people really need the power of dual core, etc.
Yeah you can! That's another great thing you get with WP7 - 25GB of free storage! The crucial thing is that WP7 is closed-source, native and optimized for the strict hardware requirements that Microsoft have laid down. It's similar to Apple's approach with their hardware. Like I said the only reason I ditched the HD7 was because of its woeful battery life and not knowing that Mango would come. This phone seems to get it right from what I've read and see and as far WP7 and its associated devices well they are just going to go from strength to strength. I can't wait for it to arrive!
What is the integration with Skydrive like though? Am I just browsing a cloud file directory or is there any sort of gallery integration? Also, if all pics are 2-3mb+, it could be annoying when you are trying to find a picture. Is there thumbnailing, previewing, etc?
You get excellent integration, I've just uploaded some photos and it works really well! Yep you get all that
xspsi said:
I just moved from a G2 to the Radar and I'm liking it. Only things I'm having trouble with it getting a good GoogleTalk app to IM with all my friends and family. I wish it was integrated much like how Facebook Messenger is. Also being able to use my Google Voice account to make outgoing calls is a bit difficult.
My biggest complaint about the phone is the lack of memory for storage. I download a lot of podcasts and music (through Spotify) to listen to and its already full with just my podcasts. No place to fit the cached music. If i had unlimited data it would be nice but I don't. I usually meet my 5gb quota in a month without streaming.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Calling with the GoVoice app isn't too difficult.
I recently switched, but kept my old phone just in case.
I have a Samsung Vibrant [MIUI], Mytouch 4G [MIUI]
and I play with my girls GS2.
The smaller screen is taking me a bit to get used to.
The UI is AWESOME, responsive, quick, etc.
No apps to have quick on-tap shortcuts to disable/enable 3G/4G, brightness... but that's ok.
Not many apps, but a few that are awesome.
Cool if you have an Xbox and/or Windows PC.
It's not for everyone... but I feel like I won't get bored with it anytime soon.
I also think it's better than iOS.
I "switched" a week ago from the GS2 to the Radar. I'm not a heavy user but I like to be connected and synced up with my emails and social networks all the time.
The App Ecosystem on WP sucks and anyone coming from iOS or Android or even BB would agree. They're either lying or don't use apps at all if they disagree.
The smaller screen size compared to the 4.5" is certainly noticeable but not a deal breaker.
The camera functionality on the Radar and is better, and I think the lens is better too. But the front facing camera is only VGA vs. the GSII 2mp.
Battery life is much better on WP and WP works just as smooth.
I enjoy the fact that WP is less buggy than android, but there's a lot of limitations to how to customize the UI and how multi-tasking works (or doesn't work). There's no flash support and I cannot even visit sites that allow me to find out when the next Muni or Bart train will show up, and of course there's no app for that in WP.
The Radar has NO COMPASS so you can't use a lot of apps that utilize a compass and navigation seems to take a bit longer to figure out which direction you're facing (which makes sense).
Anyways, it's like the best alternative to the iPhone for first time smartphone users and for people who aren't app crazy. It's stable and is quite capable. What a change from Windows Mobile.
im really debating on whether i should switch from an GS3 to a lumia 920? i just worry about the app store. are the apps really that limited on lumia 920?
it depends....
If you're talking about applications I would say that the ones that are there are as good or better than Android and for those few that are missing, there are alternatives or 3rd party apps that do the job and in some cases exceed those original apps still missing. So if you're talking about functionality with respect to apps, I would say you'll be perfectly fine with making the switch.
However, if you are a heavy phone gamer and want the latest games and have them for free with ads etc, Google Play is much more ahead of Windows Phone. If you just want light gaming like Angry Birds Star War's, Cut The Rope etc.....you'll be perfectly satisfied.
I made the switch to Windows Phone. I'm not a big gamer, don't really care about gaming on the phone (I prefer a tablet even for light gaming). What I would argue though is that the functionality out of the box, the consistency of the UI1 and the consistency of the apps, and the speed of Windows Phone seriously makes it a better phone than either Android or iPhone.
If you want to drive your car with your phone, or are a heavy gamer and love to tweak your phone over and over and over I would say get Android. If you want a dumb but safe OS with a phone that has a high resale value and you don't mind paying through your nose for an overpriced product which has serious limitations like small screen and proprietary accessories etc, iPhone is for you.
I chose the Lumia 920 and have no regrets whatsoever. Seriously, if you use Google services and you switch to Windows Phone, just get gMaps & Metrotube and that covers pretty much everything (Skydrive is better than Google's offering anyways). I had gMail and switched to Outlook and only use my Google account for Youtube when I'm on the PC. People who say "But with an Android I can get Google Services" are seriously not realizing that there is really not much there, if anything, compared to Windows Phone. Hope this helps you make your choice.
I've contemplated switching myself. My wife has a new lumia 920 and it's a beautiful phone. She's been a Windows phone user for a year and a half now and absolutely loves it. We also picked up a new lumia 920 for my 19yr. old son for Christmas and being an avid xbox guy, he was extremely happy. At least for the twelve hours he had the phone before it got knocked off the table onto our tile floor and cracked the screen. It should be back from the repair shop next week.
I do have to admit that with Windows 8 on all our computers, the integration with my wifes Lumia 920 and her LIVE account is pretty cool. To a large extent, google has the same sort of integration, but it seems quite a bit more scattered with multiple different google apps for different things, where WP8 just seems to sync/integrate everything quietly in the background.
I've always enjoyed "tweaking" my phone. Started with a Nokia e71 and Symbian, moved to an iPhone 3GS and Jailbreaking, then finally to Android where pretty much anything is possible. I'm worried that moving to WP8 would feel a little too restrictive.
That being said, my contract is up for renewal in a couple months and I'm actually thinking of going with a Lumia 920 just to see how I like it. I figure I can always sell it and go back to my i9300 SG3 if things don't workout.
so this is the thing
bigkahuna111 said:
If you're talking about applications I would say that the ones that are there are as good or better than Android and for those few that are missing, there are alternatives or 3rd party apps that do the job and in some cases exceed those original apps still missing. So if you're talking about functionality with respect to apps, I would say you'll be perfectly fine with making the switch.
However, if you are a heavy phone gamer and want the latest games and have them for free with ads etc, Google Play is much more ahead of Windows Phone. If you just want light gaming like Angry Birds Star War's, Cut The Rope etc.....you'll be perfectly satisfied.
I made the switch to Windows Phone. I'm not a big gamer, don't really care about gaming on the phone (I prefer a tablet even for light gaming). What I would argue though is that the functionality out of the box, the consistency of the UI1 and the consistency of the apps, and the speed of Windows Phone seriously makes it a better phone than either Android or iPhone.
If you want to drive your car with your phone, or are a heavy gamer and love to tweak your phone over and over and over I would say get Android. If you want a dumb but safe OS with a phone that has a high resale value and you don't mind paying through your nose for an overpriced product which has serious limitations like small screen and proprietary accessories etc, iPhone is for you.
I chose the Lumia 920 and have no regrets whatsoever. Seriously, if you use Google services and you switch to Windows Phone, just get gMaps & Metrotube and that covers pretty much everything (Skydrive is better than Google's offering anyways). I had gMail and switched to Outlook and only use my Google account for Youtube when I'm on the PC. People who say "But with an Android I can get Google Services" are seriously not realizing that there is really not much there, if anything, compared to Windows Phone. Hope this helps you make your choice.
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I have been a windows phone user for two years now and I will say this much, if you are looking for customizability and playing with the look of your phone, windows phone will bore you to tears. The truth is that once you setup your layout on the homescreen, there isn't much else you can do or will do since it is already setup to your needs and how you use the phone. Like I add tracking packages to the bottom of the screen and once they get delivered I delete them, same goes for games once I finish playing them. So once the screen is setup I would argue that you do get bored after a while and go through different colours depending on your mood or even depending on the Bing wallpaper which is showing that day (if you use that lockscreen feature) etc. There really isn't any other customizability you can do or really will do after a bit because the phone is perfect for a lack of a better term, its perfectly setup for your needs.
I would argue that's a good thing, even though I do wish I can see some animations on the lockscreen etc. At the end of the day the added functionality I get with a Windows Phone and the way it integrates with everything I use, is just too good to give up to get some more freedom with respect to tweaking icons, text, wallpapers, animations etc.
Hope this helps you in your decision....
If you can live with the out of the box WP functionality & experience for the majority of your needs then you will be happy. If the stock apps don't cover the majority of your needs then stick with Android. Of course WP has some great 3rd party apps that add functionality/fill in the gaps, but you may not be able to count on them always working or the program being around in the future. A good example are YouTube apps which may stop working because Google has made a change, until the developers make the necessary changes.
For the best WP experience you are basically going to use Microsoft services Outlook.com/Hotmail/Live. If you have all your info in GMail,Google Docs etc. then you should decide if your willing to migrate it to the MS ecosystem, before moving to WP IMO
Hi. Coming from SGS3, I wanted to know if i could find an apk like Gstrings and Musical lite?
acruxksa said:
I've contemplated switching myself. My wife has a new lumia 920 and it's a beautiful phone. She's been a Windows phone user for a year and a half now and absolutely loves it. We also picked up a new lumia 920 for my 19yr. old son for Christmas and being an avid xbox guy, he was extremely happy. At least for the twelve hours he had the phone before it got knocked off the table onto our tile floor and cracked the screen. It should be back from the repair shop next week.
I do have to admit that with Windows 8 on all our computers, the integration with my wifes Lumia 920 and her LIVE account is pretty cool. To a large extent, google has the same sort of integration, but it seems quite a bit more scattered with multiple different google apps for different things, where WP8 just seems to sync/integrate everything quietly in the background.
I've always enjoyed "tweaking" my phone. Started with a Nokia e71 and Symbian, moved to an iPhone 3GS and Jailbreaking, then finally to Android where pretty much anything is possible. I'm worried that moving to WP8 would feel a little too restrictive.
That being said, my contract is up for renewal in a couple months and I'm actually thinking of going with a Lumia 920 just to see how I like it. I figure I can always sell it and go back to my i9300 SG3 if things don't workout.
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+1 same thoughts here....
Haha you'll suffer
Sent From My Galaxy S3
I did a switch and am unhapppy.
Its just been 18 hrs since i switched from S3 to 920 and am already missing it very much. Its nothing to do with the phone as such. The major thing am missing is the android. If you happen to be an android user for over a year and if you like to play (Not just games but roms etc etc.) then i seriously suggest you NOT to switch.
kaladhar.r said:
Its just been 18 hrs since i switched from S3 to 920 and am already missing it very much. Its nothing to do with the phone as such. The major thing am missing is the android. If you happen to be an android user for over a year and if you like to play (Not just games but roms etc etc.) then i seriously suggest you NOT to switch.
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Agreed.
I had a Lumia 920 for 2 weeks. Fantastic little machine, but I just found myself constantly looking on enviously at my friends' Android phones. Once I got the Nexus 4 it felt like I was back home.
For me, WP8 is too limited and has too many things that drove me up the wall. Type quickly? Forget about the auto-correct working properly, it couldn't keep up (and I'm by no means the quickest typist on a touch screen). Just little things such as the time not being displayed in certain screens at the top, and connectivity icons always being hidden used to irritate me. No notification was another irritant. Yes OK, the tiles would display unread texts etc, but I found sometimes I wouldn't notice them. The Android solution is so much better.
Overall, I just felt like I didn't have the same level of control as I do on Android. If I want to kill a task, how do you do that on Windows?
This can be a good or a bad thing, but I suspect many on XDA will not like it, being that most XDA members are very technically able people.
I thought I would enjoy having less choices and just getting on and using it, but you know what, it had the opposite effect.
exactly my same thoughts..^^^^^.
I switched to 920 at Christmas time. I love my new phone, Windows phone 8 is great, i can modify the home screen as much as I want and I love the live tiles. the only bug bear I had was the wifi switching of when asleep, but that has been fixed in the update I just received
one of the major reasons I switched was the slow uptake of Samsung to update it's phones, if I had not manually updated the firmware my s11 would still be sitting on gingerbread, the fragmentation of Android is hopeless. I only hope the same thing does not happen with Windows.
can you download files from the internet like you can with an android? I download a ton of torrents while i'm at work.
squarebobspongepants said:
can you download files from the internet like you can with an android? I download a ton of torrents while i'm at work.
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maybe nobody here downloads file ?
I not used torrent application myself but I did a search to see what apps in the store from my Lumia 920. I found a dozen so apps that manage and control torrent server software that you would have on your home computer. Some are free and some are paid .99 to 1.99. So at least you can control and manage your torrent server. I would suspect if you had a router based on tomato firmware that has torrent you could control/manage that as well in theory as well.
Sent from my RM-820_nam_att_100 using Board Express
tameracingdriver said:
Agreed.
I had a Lumia 920 for 2 weeks. Fantastic little machine, but I just found myself constantly looking on enviously at my friends' Android phones. Once I got the Nexus 4 it felt like I was back home.
For me, WP8 is too limited and has too many things that drove me up the wall. Type quickly? Forget about the auto-correct working properly, it couldn't keep up (and I'm by no means the quickest typist on a touch screen). Just little things such as the time not being displayed in certain screens at the top, and connectivity icons always being hidden used to irritate me. No notification was another irritant. Yes OK, the tiles would display unread texts etc, but I found sometimes I wouldn't notice them. The Android solution is so much better.
Overall, I just felt like I didn't have the same level of control as I do on Android. If I want to kill a task, how do you do that on Windows?
This can be a good or a bad thing, but I suspect many on XDA will not like it, being that most XDA members are very technically able people.
I thought I would enjoy having less choices and just getting on and using it, but you know what, it had the opposite effect.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
My experience is the opposite many of yours. I have had Android phones since T-Mobiles G1 (I still have it) and I loved all the tinkering I could do with them. I've had Moto, HTC and Samsung. But there was always 'something' that didn't work quite right. Maybe the bluetooth stack wasn't that great or the GPS would show me blocks from where I am. Even the compass on one of them would have me twirling in circles as I sat at a traffic light. Some hardware issues, some software. An update would occur to fix something then another thing would suffer. Many ROMs built here were phenomenal pieces of work and way beyond my skill set. However a fgreat deal of the time even they were not quite done 'baking', for lack of a better term.
I saw the demo of my 920 while shopping for a new phone for my girlfriend. I had my One X for about 8 months. I HAD to have this phone. I've been using it for about 6 weeks now and it just works. That's all I can say. Everything on mine just simply works. GPS, compass, BT, mail services, WiFi...even phone calls! I've embraced the UI so much that I bought a windows 8 tablet and sold my iPad. (I sold the iPad for more reasons than just Windows 8 but that's for a different forum)
The seamless integration between the two is great and, for my purposes, I couldn't be happier with my decision to make this move. Is the app store lacking? Absolutely. But not to the point that I miss my Android phone(s). Don't misunderstand. I really do get why you would miss the flexibility of that OS. If I had time I'd keep one just for messing with. But it's so much easier now that when I want to do something I just do it and the phone cooperates completely.
My 920 from my perspective. Thanks for listening. Now back to your regularly scheduled browsing already in progress.