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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.
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
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Bump
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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.
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.
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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
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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)...
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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
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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.
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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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.
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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.
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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.
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