Android 2 WP8 Switch. The Apps Overview - Motorola Photon 4G

Stuck with Photon 4Gs at Gingerbread, I decided to take the plunge to Windows Phone 8. I am pleasantly surprised by the fluid and responsive UI, and a quality OS under the hood. Nokia Lumia 920, though little bulky, is a very good device.
I ran a comparison of apps that I will miss due to this switch and came up with this list. I used 'Zemna AppList Backup' on Android and imported the resulting file into Excel. I then rated the useability of each app (Disclaimer: rated -- as it relates to me only) and came up with this list. Ofcourse, FlipBoard, Instagram and Google Drive are the heavy hitters. But, this might also result in I being less productive on the tech front -- which is perfectly fine

Good to know I can get by if I ever switched. Not gonna happen but nice to know it wouldn't be the end of the world.

khatta said:
Stuck with Photon 4Gs at Gingerbread, I decided to take the plunge to Windows Phone 8. I am pleasantly surprised by the fluid and responsive UI, and a quality OS under the hood. Nokia Lumia 920, though little bulky, is a very good device.
I ran a comparison of apps that I will miss due to this switch and came up with this list. I used 'Zemna AppList Backup' on Android and imported the resulting file into Excel. I then rated the useability of each app (Disclaimer: rated -- as it relates to me only) and came up with this list. Ofcourse, FlipBoard, Instagram and Google Drive are the heavy hitters. But, this might also result in I being less productive on the tech front -- which is perfectly fine
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I think that fluidity and stability will have me switching in a few short months. I hear great things from people who own WP and I cannot wait to check it out for myself. Thanks for the run down of apps too!

Related

From Android?

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.

Recommendation from Desire HD to Lumia

Hi to all,
Sorry about the question. Just want some opinion and i dont mean to promote/demote android or wp7.
I have desire HD, but mine having problem with random reboot, poor battery life(after overnight charge can last 7am-2pm)...thinking on getting a phone with better batt life with heavy use on whatsapps and browsing.No gaming or other funny2 apps on android
I should have buy another better android phone but now i already having other android devices (samsung plus 7.0 and Noontec android HD player).Now thinking on getting Lumia 800,do it have a good batt life?
Some say yes, some say no. I found mine decent enough, and I used it pretty heavily.
I did this switch about a week ago, having had a negative experience introducing my Desire HD to a marble floor at high velocity...
Basically I love the phone - the facebook/twitter integration is fantastic.
Probably worth saying though that the battery life isn't fantastic. Just about on a par with my Desire HD, though I do find the indicator to be somewhat overly cautious - 50% charge remaining looks more like 30 on the little display (reached this at 4pm today) ...
I use social sites, push gmail, spotify streaming (1hr), 10 SMS and approx 1 hr calls plus other minor stuff and generally get about 16 hours before charging. I suspect if you use it more you will get less. not a problem for me as it sits on the charger at work, but may be more relevant if you can't do that ...
The only thing I miss from my Desire HD is the Internet Sharing functionality, which is there in WP7.5, just waiting on Nokia to update it ...
The size and display are beautiful - I carry an iPad 2 for things that benefit from a larger screen, but am currently finding myself using the phone more for emails etc.
I heard a lot of negativity around the door covering the USB port, but I quite like it ....
You might want to see what happens with the Lumia 900 as well - that may have a bigger battery and better battery life (or it may not).
hoyoyo80 said:
I should have buy another better android phone but now i already having other android devices (samsung plus 7.0 and Noontec android HD player).Now thinking on getting Lumia 800,do it have a good batt life?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
As a Lumia 800 user, I find the switch to be very painful and counter-productive. Here are some of the issues that I have encountered:
Extremely poor battery life. I cannot stress this enough. On normal usage (non-smartphone activities), it is fine. But try using Nokia Maps for 15 minutes or so and you will see the battery drain very, very quickly. And Nokia Maps is not even close to what Google Maps can do in terms of features.
No multi-tasking. Imagine this: you are in the middle of an action game when you accidentally press the Search button. Boom! The search interface pops up. Your game? Gone.
STILL NO USB OR WIFI TETHERING/HOTSPOT!!! Aarrrggghhh!!! It's 2012, not 2002.
Over-zealous OS lockdown. No third party dialer (those on the market aren't real dialer replacements). No folders for apps. No USB mass storage (fortunately, you can enable this through a simple registry tweak).
Very expensive games (compared to iOS or Android) with generally lower quality graphics.
Having said all this, your requirements may be very different from mine. It does have a nice & responsive UI, very good social network integration, nice MS Office hub and a nice email application. Some people swear by Lumia 800.
CervezaPorFavor said:
No multi-tasking. Imagine this: you are in the middle of an action game when you accidentally press the Search button. Boom! The search interface pops up. Your game? Gone.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
That's a load of rubbish. Long-press the back button and the task manager appears.
I've just migrated from Android to WP7 on the Lumia and am much happier. Now I'm not messing about flashing ICS roms every week I trust my phone with my data.
hoyoyo80 said:
Hi to all,
Sorry about the question. Just want some opinion and i dont mean to promote/demote android or wp7.
I have desire HD, but mine having problem with random reboot, poor battery life(after overnight charge can last 7am-2pm)...thinking on getting a phone with better batt life with heavy use on whatsapps and browsing.No gaming or other funny2 apps on android
I should have buy another better android phone but now i already having other android devices (samsung plus 7.0 and Noontec android HD player).Now thinking on getting Lumia 800,do it have a good batt life?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
You will definitely like the Lumia 800 if you're coming from a Desire HD (I owned and hated that phone XD) the newer models of the Lumia 800 hasn't had any problems with battery life. For whatsapp and browsing, it's fine. Gaming drains as usual. See if there's anyway to lend one. To see how battery works out for you.
Nice point of view, yes, I don't do game on small device,even on tab I found it hard. But no tethering? How about near future,since my laptop will share internet from phone. I just want a simple phone with social n web browse.Thanks all
Sent from my GT-P6200 using XDA App
BlitterTwisted said:
That's a load of rubbish. Long-press the back button and the task manager appears.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Not all games/apps can handle that gracefully. Fusion:Sentient would simply restart the game while Wordament would reset the score (when "switched out" at certain point).
Hi,
got my Luma on Saterday and i love it, i have came from an Desire, the differance is amazing, smooth and fast, will not be hicking this, hope there will be more apps comming out, had to wait a while before the android mrket got some decent apps.
the batteryis hard to judge got mine on all the tme, playing games or music downlaoding music frome zune (for free for 14 days woho)
came from desire s not going back
go for it..you will not regret it..you will get better battery life than the desire hd no matter what..my friend still has a desire hd and im trying hard for him to not convert to iphone..
the lumia is so seamless..so flawless..i had actually converted from the desire s to an lg optimu 7 but immediately realised i needed the lumia..got one from ebay and it really is amazing..try it..just try it..
OK.I'm convinced. One more thing, I regularly take photos during my work time. But my office desktop dont hve zune(can't install anything w/o admin permission) ..so can I access photo w/o zune or access SD card directly(I already google but can't find answer)...
Sent from my GT-P6200 using XDA App
hoyoyo80 said:
OK.I'm convinced. One more thing, I regularly take photos during my work time. But my office desktop dont hve zune(can't install anything w/o admin permission) ..so can I access photo w/o zune or access SD card directly(I already google but can't find answer)...
Sent from my GT-P6200 using XDA App
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Ahhh...ok, I have another solution, when you purchase your phone, download the app Skydrive, it's Microsoft's cloud connected to your Hotmail account, so you can upload your photos there and access them through your email account, that way you don't have to install anything and it's easier for you to upload pictures to that and load them on to your phone when you get home to your PC vice-versa.
Bought a lumia Hope its fullfil my needs...but look like it will...need to test batt life
Sent from my GT-P6200 using XDA App
Hi everybody,
I kind of in the same situation. I am currently an Android user, and I really like it, but two things bother me:
- OS Fragmentation, I hate having to install custom roms every time because the official update never comes, and manufacturers usually leave 6 months old devices forgotten.
- Another thing, I've noticed that WP usually have "less powerful" hardware than Android, there is no big race for dual or quad cores... That tells me that the OS doesn't need that much power to run smoothly.
Said that, i have a few questions. What is the expected longevity for this phone? Is it expected to receive the next OS update? and finally, what are the main drawbacks you find for the OS and are they expected to be solved in future updates?
Thanks in advance and cheers
WitchMX said:
Hi everybody,
I kind of in the same situation. I am currently an Android user, and I really like it, but two things bother me:
- OS Fragmentation, I hate having to install custom roms every time because the official update never comes, and manufacturers usually leave 6 months old devices forgotten.
- Another thing, I've noticed that WP usually have "less powerful" hardware than Android, there is no big race for dual or quad cores... That tells me that the OS doesn't need that much power to run smoothly.
Said that, i have a few questions. What is the expected longevity for this phone? Is it expected to receive the next OS update? and finally, what are the main drawbacks you find for the OS and are they expected to be solved in future updates?
Thanks in advance and cheers
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Microsoft and Nokia have been doing quite well as far as OS and firmware updates are concerned. Sure there are lots of country variants for the firmware and they may not be released at the same time, but the wait is nowhere near as long as what Android users typically have to endure.
Also, OS updates seem to be quite independent of firmware updates (correct me if I'm wrong). At least this is the case for Lumia 800. So that makes it a lot easier for Microsoft to push new OS updates to WP users directly.
As for the hardware, you are correct. WP (up until now) does not really require multi-core CPU in order to run smoothly. Lumia 800 is packed with a single-core 1.4GHz processor, so it is quite a powerful phone. My only gripe is the under-powered GPU for gaming. 3D games look less appealing compared to their Android or iOS counterparts.
As for the drawbacks, I have already listed quite a few in the previous page.
For me I think I was happier with android, but the installation of new roms was a great pleasure for me, not a drawback.
The OS runs smooth as anything on its 1.4ghz core and I never use my phone for 3d gaming so I really have no need for a faster proc.
The biggest drawback for me are the following.
-Some of the 'simplification' of the OS is mid-boggling. If you turn down the volume because its late at night, or your music is too loud expect EVERYTHING on your phone to have a lower volume, the ringtone, the alarm, the games, the notifications etc. I have been late for work 3 times now because I had dropped the volume of my alert tones late at night and I subsequently had no alarm.
-The apps are lacking but expanding all the time, sometimes I get a bit frustrated by the 'no results' when searching for a slightly more obscure app feature. Android just has everything.
-The navigation is a long way off being as good as google navigation but is decent all the same, but NO WAY POINTS (stupidity!). That being said I still think google navigation is still a way off the market leaders like tomtom.
Basically for a day to day phone and for its core features, it is excellent. But dont expect to be able to customise anything other than your home tiles (sometimes). If an OS 'feature' could be considered to confuse a simpleton then you can bet your arse it wont be there.
BlitterTwisted said:
That's a load of rubbish. Long-press the back button and the task manager appears.
I've just migrated from Android to WP7 on the Lumia and am much happier. Now I'm not messing about flashing ICS roms every week I trust my phone with my data.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
When I played NFS Underground an accidently pressed the Search button, when going back to the game it didn't continue. It started all over. So no not a load of rubbish. Only native apps has continue on "multi-task"
It's not only native apps, third party ones can do it, as long as they're coded for it.

[Q] Unsure about choosing the 920 over GS3

Hi everyone!
I am about to buy a new phone and I have decided to wait no longer (especially with the Christmas sales) and I am choosing between the Lumia 920 and the Galaxy S3. I am unsure which one to choose as each one has different benefits. My specific needs (above using at as a phone) include medium/heavy gaming, music, occasional video marathons (on planes etc.) and web browsing.
The Galaxy S3:
More powerful graphics processor (Mali400MP>Adreno 225)
Better battery life (especially with upgrades)
Google Play (Many games are not available on WP8, which matters a lot to me, especially emulators)
Better Storage (Micro SD Card Slot + 16GB > 32GB)
The Lumia 920:
More recent, less 'outdated' (Lumia 920 will be flagship for longer in WP8)
Windows Phone 8 (I tried it in the store and loved the interface)
Better camera and Build Quality
From my research currently the Google Play is far more populated than Windows Phone and has far more full featured games and apps although Windows defiantly can improve. Furthermore, the Galaxy S3 is no longer going to be the 'big samsung flagship' anymore and with Exynos 5 games may no longer be optimized for it / have to run at lower settings whereas the 920, although it has a worse GPU, will be the flagship for longer and new games will be optimized (although these games will mainly be catchup to Google Play).
Please help me I don't know which one to choose!
Thank you for reading!
Edit: Added another bonus to the Galaxy S3
In US and Canada, Galaxy S3s with LTE have the exact same CPU/GPU as Lumia 920. The Samsung Exynos quad core processor is only used in countries where no LTE is supported. So, the so called GPU advantage really depends on where you are. On top of that, most Android games are not really optimize for the Mali GPU. So the advantage won't help you much there. Same goes for the UI experience on Android. Even with the quad core processor, the Android home screen UI will still lag behind the single core Windows Phone 7 home screen, not to mention the WP8 with dual cores
Specs alone doesn't tell any story of real world experience.
foxbat121 said:
The Samsung Exynos quad core processor is only used in countries where no LTE is supported. So, the so called GPU advantage really depends on where you are. On top of that, most Android games are not really optimize for the Mali GPU. So the advantage won't help you much there.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Well I live in the UK and will most certainly be buying neither on 4G so I will be getting the Exynos 4 quad. From what I have seen on the web and from my friends it seems that most games are optimized (run smoothly and with good graphics) for exynos (look at Nova 3/Asphalt 7/Need for Speed MW compared to Tegra 3 or even the Lumia 920s own Adreno 225 running in an android phone for example) so I would say that the Mali 400MP is a bonus to the Galaxy S3 considering gaming is a large part of why I want a good phone in the first place.
I definitely prefer the 920s User Interface and smoothness over the Galaxy S3 however, its just that it has a better GPU and far better App/Game selection.
Well from that reasoning, I'm not sure why you don't pick iPhone. Its GPU is way faster than anything out there (see here http://www.anandtech.com/show/6330/the-iphone-5-review/11) and its app collection and games are certainly surpassing Android.
I use both WP and Android phones. I can tell you that the only advantages android has is paper specs.
You are picking phone from the wrong aspect. You need pick an eco system first, then compare the spec within that eco system.
Sent from my RM-820_nam_canada_246 using Board Express
I don't like the smaller screen of the iPhone and personally I don't like iOS so that is out of the question (it is also a lot more expensive in the UK).
Why I am comparing spec between 2 Operating Systems is that either way, Mali 400 would allow for more graphically demanding games as it is more powerful.
At this point I'll probably choose the GS3 mainly for the app store.
Thankyou for your trouble though.
Due to the fact most websites uses a white background, the GS3's OLED display will consume a great amount of battery.
Sent from my GT-I9100 using xda app-developers app
Dr.Molestratus said:
Due to the fact most websites uses a white background, the GS3's OLED display will consume a great amount of battery.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
This is true for web browsing but for general use on non white backgrounds (general use) OLED consumes less battery than LCD. From what I have read online is that in general use the Galaxy S3 has better batter life (GSMarena even rates the GS3s web browsing as an hour higher, although the Lumia 920 will have a brighter screen at the 50% at which they conduct their tests).
My lumia 920 battery lasts me for about 2 days with moderate usage. With heavy usage it lasts for a day (same as my HTC Incredible S). After using SGS3 and Lumia920, I'd say that the Lumia provides for a much more fluidic experience than SGS3. The camera is simply superb. And it is built like a tank.
I don't mind the fledgling ecosystem of WP8, it will take time to catch up. But whatever apps I need for my daily use (like Endomondo or Evernote, etc.) are present in the WP8 market.
farhadtarapore said:
My lumia 920 battery lasts me for about 2 days with moderate usage. With heavy usage it lasts for a day (same as my HTC Incredible S). After using SGS3 and Lumia920, I'd say that the Lumia provides for a much more fluidic experience than SGS3.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Now I am not sure what to get. It basically boils down to, at the basic level, app store (GS3) vs user interface (Lumia 920)
You just have to play with them yourself to make a judgement. There is no universally accepted answers to this question. Everyone has different prorities.
foxbat121 said:
You just have to play with them yourself to make a judgement. There is no universally accepted answers to this question. Everyone has different prorities.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I guess this is what is the right thing. I will probably go with the GS3 because I am sure to have all the apps/games I want and also it is quite a bit cheaper.
Thankyou!
Jaken326 said:
I guess this is what is the right thing. I will probably go with the GS3 because I am sure to have all the apps/games I want and also it is quite a bit cheaper.
Thankyou!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
That's a good decision as apps/games are more important for you.
Jaken326 said:
Hi everyone!
I am about to buy a new phone and I have decided to wait no longer (especially with the Christmas sales) and I am choosing between the Lumia 920 and the Galaxy S3. I am unsure which one to choose as each one has different benefits. My specific needs (above using at as a phone) include medium/heavy gaming, music, occasional video marathons (on planes etc.) and web browsing.
The Galaxy S3:
More powerful graphics processor (Mali400MP>Adreno 225)
Better battery life (especially with upgrades)
Google Play (Many games are not available on WP8, which matters a lot to me, especially emulators)
Better Storage (Micro SD Card Slot + 16GB > 32GB)
The Lumia 920:
More recent, less 'outdated' (Lumia 920 will be flagship for longer in WP8)
Windows Phone 8 (I tried it in the store and loved the interface)
Better camera and Build Quality
From my research currently the Google Play is far more populated than Windows Phone and has far more full featured games and apps although Windows defiantly can improve. Furthermore, the Galaxy S3 is no longer going to be the 'big samsung flagship' anymore and with Exynos 5 games may no longer be optimized for it / have to run at lower settings whereas the 920, although it has a worse GPU, will be the flagship for longer and new games will be optimized (although these games will mainly be catchup to Google Play).
Please help me I don't know which one to choose!
Thank you for reading!
Edit: Added another bonus to the Galaxy S3
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Hi mate on one work I can say you will be surely disappointed if you buy any Windows 8 based mobile that for sure and the reason below:
I am already a Galaxy s3 users and I can only say the few thing about it at glance, the only person who help you who use old windows phone and new Windows Mobile 8 and a Android or Galaxy S3 user, I am using Galaxy S3 since November and its flawless and perfect beautiful, actually I had to choose between Galaxy S3 and Iphone 5 (unlock) I havent those phone before buying, I seen both the phone in three store at the day on Iphone 5 launch day and seriously I feel iphone 5 like tiny, restricted screen size and look like cheap toy and I decided to go with Galaxy S3, recently my t-mobile contract was on due and I choose to got Nokia Lumia 820 instead of 920 because the price it selling is not a worth, the plus point of 920 is the Video camera only which can shoot smooth video, but in photo camera 920's performance is on par with Galaxy s3 and iphone 5 in some condition bit better or worse other than that there is no advantage of having any windows base base because of immature, incomplete, buggy and deficient with the most basic feature or software like No Notification LED, No File manager, Can't save apps on SD card, and same volume level
Here is my worst experience with Windows phone 8 and Lumia 820 and I think that experience with the Lumia 920 would be same or some case litte worse or only a bit better,
When I buy Lumia 820 I am happy with its design and screen quality despite or low resolution ppi but I am overall happy with the look and feel because its a removable battery perfect for one handed and not bulky or brick like 920, problem start when 820 start freezing and restarting and lack of basic functionality like no file manager or sound profile and lacks of basic features, and support of SD card is tricky only few card can work with 820 and I tried 4 different types of card but only one seem to be working file and poor battery and other problem I decided to give it back, one more thing wireless charing plate is become useless when you use case or cover in this situation you have to choose between wireless charing or case
(1) Design point of view really really light and please to use comfortable and fits in any kind of pocket and not bulky at all
(2) Apps market: you just type the name and android market must have those apps, games, books, magazine and newspaper etc.
(3) The android is the completely flexible software you can change or choose you own dialer, sms apps, themes, launcher, notification, keyboards homescreen look
(3) most importance factor is SD card if you have existing SD card from other phone you can insert and use it even you can connect External Mouse, Keyboard or hard drive through connector
(4) Notification LED most importance for me to sure that I will not missed any missed calls or sms etc while I put my phone go around
(5) Removable battery, useful just imaging you were on the long travel playing game etc and your phone died removable battery can be handy
(6) Excellent file manager and you pur any file like pdf, .doc .xls .ppt divx, .ogg, jpg .tiff .mov .wmv and it can open out of box or through apps
(8) you can pur case or cover and it doesn't look bulky
I just want to see the Windows phone 8 working so I decided to choose Lumia 820 but I cant even think about dumping Galaxy S3 and switch to any Windows phone 8 phone..... hope it will be enough to decide for you any other
Jaken326 said:
Hi everyone!
I am about to buy a new phone and I have decided to wait no longer (especially with the Christmas sales) and I am choosing between the Lumia 920 and the Galaxy S3. I am unsure which one to choose as each one has different benefits. My specific needs (above using at as a phone) include medium/heavy gaming, music, occasional video marathons (on planes etc.) and web browsing.
The Lumia 920:
More recent, less 'outdated' (Lumia 920 will be flagship for longer in WP8)
Windows Phone 8 (I tried it in the store and loved the interface)
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
You can have a Windows style Tile interface on Android. There are many launchers available and someone has made a windows phone style one. Android is about choice. If you don't want to have to make choices buy windows. If you want choices, don't buy windows. The lumia is a lovely handset. But let's be honest, all the debate about handsets feeling nice in the hand is pointless when people put their expensive handset in a case.
battery life on my gs3 is not stellar. my old atrix 4g that I let my wife have still has better battery life than the gs3. its decent and generally gets me through my work day, but moderate usage will generally require me to plug in. fixing to ditch the gs3 and go for the 920 and give the w8 ecosystem a try for a while. just upgraded to w8 and picked up a new 360 slim..... so i'll see how it goes.
At the end of the day both have phone and messaging and a web browser. Apps are typically shortcuts to web counterparts, with the exception of games.
If you value having the latest OS then the Nexus 4 is the best option, but sadly Google seem to think it is 2007 and that 8GB is enough.
I went from a S11 to the 920. Love it, a great phone!
It reminds me of when I first bought the S11 almost two years ago, everyone said that the app store was empty compared to Apple, that the apps were rubbish that were there, etc.
The Windows store does not have as many apps at the moment, but I am not missing any apps from my Android, you get Office and the Nokia maps and apps are great, don't miss Google one bit.
BUT I don't play games on my phone, so cannot help you there.
Some comments kill me
onlinejobwork said:
Hi mate on one work I can say you will be surely disappointed if you buy any Windows 8 based mobile that for sure and the reason below:
I choose to got Nokia Lumia 820 instead of 920 because the price it selling is not a worth, the plus point of 920 is the Video camera only which can shoot smooth video, but in photo camera 920's performance is on par with Galaxy s3 and iphone 5 in some condition bit better or worse other than that there is no advantage of having any windows base base because of immature, incomplete, buggy and deficient with the most basic feature or software like No Notification LED, No File manager, Can't save apps on SD card, and same volume level
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Your comment is so biased. You know nothing about Windowsphne 8 OS. How hell you can talk about Lumia 920 if you never hold it in your arms?
I had Galaxy S3, sold it the third day and got Lumia 920. And I'm totally happy because Lumia is so beautiful to touch, to feel, to watch and to use comparing to Galaxy S3. Samsung is so cheap, made of cheap plastic and doesn't really feel solid at all. Nokia is a way better device overall. Speaking about Windowsphone market. You can find most needed apps on it. As for games, I really don't care because I don't play a lot. So Lumia 920 satisfies totally my needs. And it is so classy and prestigious in hands. It is my best phone I have ever had so far!
Jaken326 said:
Now I am not sure what to get. It basically boils down to, at the basic level, app store (GS3) vs user interface (Lumia 920)
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
My personal preference, as an Android user since it was introduced is now the wp8 OS. I like the interface more than I miss the wider breadth of apps. Selling my HTC One X and keeping the Lumia 920. After about 4 days of use there was no doubt in my mind. 5 weeks later I'm confident enough that I am sharing this opinion with you now.
Both are great units and OS's. You really can't go bad either way. It's just which way will be "gooder" for you? (I'm kidding with the "gooder" of course)
I wouldn't put too much stock in battery life. I've had an SG3 i9300 for 3 months now and my wifes had here Lumia 920 for about a month. One may have better battery life than the other, but both last more than a day for us. If pushed my i9300 might have slightly better battery life, but my wifes i9300 has LTE. Again, both phones easily last the day (0600 to 2200) with plenty of battery to spare (probably over 30%)
In my opinion, if games are important to you, then you would be happier with the i9300 SGS3, However if you are an Xbox 360 gamer as well, you might be quite happy with the Lumia 920. At least that's what my son tells me. He received a Lumia 920 for christmas and likes it because it allows him to earn achievements. He also tells me smart glass is pretty cool but I think that's an option on the SGS3 as well.

[Q] Switch from S3 to lumia 920?

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.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
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.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
+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.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
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.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
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.

Thinking of switching

So as of late, I have been seriously considering switching to a 920 after using android for awhile, and I was wondering how some of you guys feel about the 920, specifically if you have come from Android. Main thing really holding me back is the new hardware put out like the Xperia Z, HTC One, or the S4. Your thoughts?
I had been using android non stop since like 2010 and honestly i got a bit bored of it (and a was quite a flashaholic). WP8 is amazingly fluid and i absolutely love the build quality of the 920. The only real downside is lack of apps. I currently switch between my 920 and my Nexus 4 because i can't decide which to sell.
Sent from my Nexus 4
Coming from a EVO 4g - I don't miss Android, but I did miss Google Maps at first. I have gotten used to Nokia Maps and Drive though and now like them quite a bit. Overall I like Windows Phone better. I have all the apps I need, so the smaller number of apps doesn't bother me. I think the quality of apps is much better on windows. I have not seen a better phone than the 920. The screen is by far the best I have ever used. The camera and video is amazing. I have not seen all the phones you mentioned though.
I bought a Galaxy S2 outright about a year and a half ago. Came from Apple and android was just the best thing that happened to me. So sick of Apple's ball and chain. Anyway, my contract with Telstra recently allowed me to get a new phone. I was going to go with the Galaxy Note II, but saw some things about the 920 that caught my eye. I liked the idea behind wp7 but thought the home screen didnt fit quite enough information on it. When I saw what WP8 looked like plus the features of the 920, I thought I should give it a go. Definitely the best decision I could have made. I dont know what it was about android but there was something that was just starting to bug me and was becoming stale. WP8 and Lumia 920 are just beautiful to use. Camera is ok (not groundbreaking, or maybe Im biased as I own a 'Real' camera) But taking videos with the stabilization is great. plus the video quality in general is quite good. Microphones are a notch above the rest too. Screen is brilliant, build is great (although I am construction worker so I have it locked away in an otterbox regardless). Sure there's not the app choice, but they are certainly coming, and all the apps that the average person -needs- are there. As a Smart Phone, it is in my opinion the best.
I went from Android to WP7.... because i was not satisfied with the stability of the OS... There were really a lot apps Missing back then.... But i really like how fluid an reliable WP was... The phone functions are most important to me...
Recently i bought a new Android Phone just to see how much has changed since than and if I'm missing out something with my Lumia 920...
Im using both now.. but I will stay with Windows Phone.. I get to used to it..
I just works.. no need for custom ROMS and tweaking around... There are
some apps missing but most of the popular one are available or there are solid alternatives...
Check if the app that you really like and use are on Windows Phone..
I don't mean games... the most are boring after 4-5 days anyway..
If not .. and you really need them stay with android.. else give WP8 a try... you won't regret it... The Lumia 920 is really the best phone i ever had!
One more thing i love about the 920 is the choice of colors you get. Most android phones only have one or two color choices (but most all are still dull)
With the 920, you get to choose between eye popping red or yellow, a glossy elegant white, and the sophisticated matte cyan and black. I had the white but got switched to the red and I love it
Sent from my Nexus 4
The short answer is come on over! The long answer:
The hardware is impressive, especially the Lumia 920 right now. If you are not completely on the google bandwagon then jump in, the waters fine.
As for pc connectivity, it can't be beat. Windows 8 has a tile dedicated to it, music and photos "just sync". iJoke about iTunes because it's laughable by comparison, and import your library for free. Then there's Nokia Music, Microsoft Xbox music, Spotify, and get free Pandora Premium for 2013 http://bit.ly/17Oac2m
Use your phone as a touch mouse for your netbook/Surface with "mouse without borders". Navigate your XBOX with smartglass, play games on xbox/8pc/phone/tablet that is purchased once on the Store.
Twitter, facebook, are fully integrated into the People app, share a photo with three clicks from taking the picture to all of your networks (again, except Google). Linked in is almost fully integrated, you have to download the app but it plugs itself in.
Hotmail, Yahoo, Gmail, Aol, messenger, fully integrated into the platform, get all of your email in one place, see all the details from all your contacts in one place. Calendars too (except Google! Microsoft will update that by July to connect after Google cut them off (see them as a threat methinks)) Skype works flawlessly and also integrates once you download the app.
GoogleTalk = IM+Pro (again, Google v. Microsoft) use a 3rd party app if you really want to.
Maps are solid, provide great navigation information, 8 out of 10 on the redirect if you go off course and no live traffic (yet). I only say this because google maps is faster at turn redirection if I miss a light, but that will improve and I don't use it all the time.
No notification drawer, but you get live tiles which do the same / similar job! No email notification? Not true! The live tiles just flipped, oh look! Five new emails from all my inboxes. Same for text messages, phone calls, etc.
Want updates on specific folks? no problem, put their live tile on your screen, see facebook posts, tweets, phone calls, photos, text messages, skype interaction and more on the tile. Not doing it for you? Click the tile and dive into every interaction you have with the person, all the history is there.
Apps Apps Apps... not all of them, and many by fans of first party developers. But get your head out of your phone. What is the more important app, or set of apps you need? check www.windowsphone.com and decide what you can live without before you make the switch. Is Instagram worth staying on Andy? Will it help you to know that Nokia confirmed that it is coming to WP8 this year? Can you do without for a short while? I don't use it, but I say yes you can!
My example is I like to use Springpad, no WP8 app. But look, Evernote is here! and on Windows 8, and on my Surface Pro. So I switch. Same with Dashlane to Lastpass.
Tethering: Yup
Headset: Holy cow this thing is quick to connect to all of my devices
Sound Quality: How's HTC Beats audio (HTC8X) or Dolby Digital sound (Lumia 920) for great audio?
NFC?: Check, and implemented, and working
Wireless charging: got it, works, nuff said
Camera: 920 has the best low light camera. (that last item there, was a period.)
Bluetooth: fantastic.
Processor: ZOOM (really, nuff said)
Screen (if you have 20-20 vision, you'll be fine) I have better than that and screen looks fine to me.
Battery life: holy cow. four days light use. 12 hours (easily) heavy use). My galaxy note dies repeatedly after about 8 hours.
Also, if you have a bluetooth headset on, it will whisper your incoming texts and allow you to listen, reply, and call hands free. Everyone will ask you who you are talking to. Bonus!
Bing vs Google. Who cares? I'm on a Microsoft kick, I'm going to run with it until Google gets their heads out and starts playing nice. Bing does a good job at finding the same answers that Google does, in a much more eye candy fashion.
What's to gripe about?
For me, Path (coming), Mint (no roadmap), Ally bank (coming), Manilla (unknown), YNAB,(no), Square (no), Paypal (check),... again, critical? nope. Want? yep. Surface pro and tethering to the rescue, problems solved.
Let us know what you decide (and if you took time to read all this.. I'm winded...)
afght19 said:
Coming from a EVO 4g - I don't miss Android, but I did miss Google Maps at first. I have gotten used to Nokia Maps and Drive though and now like them quite a bit. Overall I like Windows Phone better. I have all the apps I need, so the smaller number of apps doesn't bother me. I think the quality of apps is much better on windows. I have not seen a better phone than the 920. The screen is by far the best I have ever used. The camera and video is amazing. I have not seen all the phones you mentioned though.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
gMaps Pro is good replacement for Google maps but not free (also free version available)
btw.
for use Bing maps on Lumia just install this
http://www.windowsphone.com/s?appid=9e8f8fc5-da17-4b7f-80f3-2dc334de8dac

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