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    All Things Windows Phone - Apps, Phones, and Discussion

    Discussion in 'Smartphones and Tablets' started by mrXniick, Aug 5, 2011.

  1. Step666

    Step666 Professional chubby Chris Pratt impersonator

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    Yeah, that's what a lot of the comments I read have talked about - IE10 uses different touch actions to other mobile browsers.
    Instead of touchstart/touchmove/touchend, it uses something like MSPointerMove or something (I'm not clued up on the technicalities).

    That said, a lot of people have pointed out that Google Maps were working fine in the browser before the redirect was put in place.


    Anyway, Google have said they're working to resolve the issue already, so whatever the reasoning behind it it doesn't make much difference.
     
  2. Mitlov

    Mitlov Shiny

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    The issue is not Google not supporting WP in the first place...it's that you used to be able to do stuff (Exchange ActiveSync with Gmail, access Google Maps with WP7 and WP8 phones), for two years in fact, but the minute WP starts to build some momentum (i.e., Nokia stock triples in 60 days), they engineer in incompatibilities with Google's online services that didn't already exist, giving extra selling points on the Android side for an Android-versus-WP comparison.

    Here's google maps working just fine on a Lumia 920 before they put up the filter that blocks WP devices:



    Other users have reported that if they make a change so that the browser doesn't identify itself as IE10, they are still able to access and interact just fine with Google Maps on a WP8 device. So it's not a limitation of the browser.

    And Google's argument that they're "working on a fix" is BS for the media. There wasn't a problem for two years until they put up a block for WP devices. This problem they're "working on fixing" is one they created a week ago.
     
    Last edited by a moderator: May 12, 2015
  3. Step666

    Step666 Professional chubby Chris Pratt impersonator

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  4. Step666

    Step666 Professional chubby Chris Pratt impersonator

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  5. Mitlov

    Mitlov Shiny

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    I'm really hoping a WP8 Nokia--even the entry-level Lumia 620--comes to US Cellular. Nokia is doing fantastic things right now.
     
  6. Vogelbung

    Vogelbung I R Judgemental

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    Hardware's nice, I was even gravitating towards the 820 too since the 920's waaay too big and while the 8X is doing fine now, I inherently distrust HTC - but the OS throws away too much for me in terms of how it handles media. And Skype still doesn't work like it does in iOS.

    I'm most likely going back to Zune and WP7 for now as my "everydays" - and move my iP5 up to a third or second-string. I'll probably keep one of my WP8 handsets in reserve, see how the media stuff shapes up in WP8 over the next few months and maybe check out the upcoming niche players before committing again.
     
  7. Kuu

    Kuu That Quiet Person

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    I'm trying to get myself an 8X when I run across some money, would work for me so I can give my grandparents the HD7 I'm using right now~
     
  8. Kuu

    Kuu That Quiet Person

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    I got 7.8 manually loaded onto my HD7, its a bit buggy in the sense that a few of the settings options don't work (WiFi, mainly), but none of the broken ones are anything I usually mess with anyway. I'm not seeing too many changes outside of some icons and the new start screen, but I'm still poking around.
     
  9. Mitlov

    Mitlov Shiny

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    Loaded 7.8 on my 7 Pro with the help of Zune PC software. Everything seems a bit smoother and faster, and the annoying bug where audio playback would stop when I unfolded the keyboard is gone. The home screen is the main difference (more color options, resizing tiles, no gutter). I've noticed you can now set Bing's picture of the day to be your lockscreen--a nice little touch, though not groundbreaking.
     
  10. Kuu

    Kuu That Quiet Person

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    I need to see if I can sell 7 Pro (arrive), but I don't think I'd get much for it being that its locked to sprint, its EOL'd, and I'm still paying off that bill since I don't use it (I'm not paying 75 a month for dial up speed when T-Mobile's 3G is multiple times faster).

    That and the screen's too small to me.
     
  11. Mitlov

    Mitlov Shiny

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  12. hockeymass

    hockeymass that one guy

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    Is Microsoft going the way of Apple and laying claim to basic shapes?
     
  13. Mitlov

    Mitlov Shiny

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    Microsoft didn't complain; I did.

    And while I don't think it's worth a lawsuit, I do think the combination of live tiles and 2D chromeless widgets is pretty darned derivative.
     
  14. killkenny1

    killkenny1 Too weird to live, too rare to die.

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    I actually thought it was a new HTC WMP. Looks kinda cool that combo.
     
  15. Mitlov

    Mitlov Shiny

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    It is definitely nice hardware, no argument there. And yeah, I don't blame you for that initial impression.

    [​IMG]

    [​IMG]

    EDIT: Is it always 10:08 and cloudy in Taiwan?
     
  16. Vogelbung

    Vogelbung I R Judgemental

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    As long as you're within the scope of the skin. Stray outside that and you're dumped into Holo... or worse.
     
  17. hockeymass

    hockeymass that one guy

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    I'm well aware that it was your complaint. The point stands. It's not live tiles, it's news stories in square boxes. I don't see any tiles with calendar information or messages or phone icons. You might as well say that live tiles are a ripoff of the Facebook news feed. Everything is a copy of everything now, apparently.
     
  18. mattcheau

    mattcheau Notebook Deity

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    no such thing.
     
  19. H.A.L. 9000

    H.A.L. 9000 Occam's Chainsaw

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    You make Holo sound like some tumor. It would be amazing if it were used as intended by it's creator. IMO, Holo and Metro are the only two defining UI ethos ATM, because iOS is so fricking tired.

    As far as the M7 and Sense 4.0... I think the M7 is, in picture, beautiful hardware. Software wise, I despise Every single version of Sense with a burning hot passion not found outside the corona of the sun.
     
  20. ZaZ

    ZaZ Super Model Super Moderator

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    Quick question, hopefully someone knows, but I was trying a game the other day and accidentally set my birth year as 2011. Now the My Family settings in Windows Phone 8 won't let me buy anything. Is there some way I can reset this? Thanks.
     
  21. Micaiah

    Micaiah Notebook Deity

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    Set up My Family on the Windows Phone website | Windows Phone How-to (United States)

    If you sign in to account.live.com, you can change your birth date there as well.
     
  22. ZaZ

    ZaZ Super Model Super Moderator

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    Thanks TG. I went to account.live.com and it has the correct date. I couldn't see anywhere in the My Family settings to change it, nor do I have any other accounts there, but could download stuff before. I suppose I could reset my phone, but I'm not sure if that will fix it.
     
  23. killkenny1

    killkenny1 Too weird to live, too rare to die.

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  24. Mitlov

    Mitlov Shiny

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  25. Vogelbung

    Vogelbung I R Judgemental

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    It's kind of funny to see the particularly Apple-addled elements of the tech press / bloggerati actively avoid any mention of Microsoft when talking about flat design when they're responsible for bringing it front and centre.

    BTW guys, I bugged out. Tired of going back to square one, and then waiting again for basic problems to be solved. De-camping back to Android and iOS at least for the rest of the year.
     
  26. Vogelbung

    Vogelbung I R Judgemental

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    Wha? Last post was mine a month ago?


    Engage reverse ragequit.

    Power 8x back up, reinstall all apps, hunt for unlocked 920 on craigslist/fleabay that doesn't look hot - and as a last resort, buy one new again.

    Using JB every day just underscores how much Android sucks monkey testicles in the little things which matter on a daily basis. And I'm ditching the Z10 - I like it, but not enough for it to be an everyday companion. Back to Windows=first-second-and-possibly-third-string / iOS=last-string for me (until something else comes out and I go "Oooooohthatlooksinteresting").
     
  27. killkenny1

    killkenny1 Too weird to live, too rare to die.

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    Is there like a website there you unload all your used stuff. Wonder if I could jump on some fancy deal :D.
     
  28. Vogelbung

    Vogelbung I R Judgemental

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    I probably could start a site, though when I get rid of something it usually goes into storage for a while. I dumped the 920 too fast this time, I'd fully expected not to return to WP8 for a while. Still, could have been worse - I could have dumped the 8x as well (though sadly, I notice that's the one going on SIM-free closeout offers now).

    Ultimate disposal depends on how I bought it - if me personally then I usually lowball myself on craigslist (though not drug-addict low) for it to sell fast. If purchased thru business then I usually give it away or collect it until I can get a broker in. More often than not usually these days it's the latter (even though their offers tend to be lower than lowballing myself on craigslist :rolleyes: ) as people I know became a bit too accustomed to getting free stuff handed to them.

    When the datacenter / local testing's over, you can expect to see a whole bunch of machines disappear from my sig (and a far larger number in reality, since I have multiples of many of them) - centrally hosted apps FTW, or that's the theory. They'll be kept for a while, then again, ultimately brokered.
     
  29. Micaiah

    Micaiah Notebook Deity

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  30. Vogelbung

    Vogelbung I R Judgemental

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    Ooooh, have Metrotube but I guess I should give it a try.

    EDIT: OK so wow. WP7 is left out of Youtube. There's being Apple and getting people to dance around your new stuff like morons, and there's what MS is doing with WP7 which is dropping it like it's fresh dog turd. It's stuff like this that will seriously pee people off - the people who championed WP - and swear off your wares for ever, MS.
     
  31. killkenny1

    killkenny1 Too weird to live, too rare to die.

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    Was there really any point in WP7 then? I mean, I have an Android 2.3-something and I can still get every application available in the market (at least the major and most necessary ones).
    When I decide to upgrade my phone, WP is an interesting option for me, I would like to try it out, but since they kinda don't care about the users I might look the other way and that doesn't do them any good. After all, Vogelbung can't buy all Lumias out there...
     
  32. Mitlov

    Mitlov Shiny

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    I'm not going to swear off Microsoft's wares forever, but I am pretty peeved over mainstream apps like YouTube not working with WP7. Particularly because certain carriers (i.e., US Cellular), are still selling WP7 phones instead of WP8. A whole lot of WP just feels half-hearted: Microsoft's promotion of the OS, OEMs' support for it (except for Nokia), Nokia's attempts to woo US carriers, developer support, etc. I carried the flag for more than a year always expecting "the big push" to come in the next month or so, and it really feels like it never came.
     
  33. Vogelbung

    Vogelbung I R Judgemental

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    RT and WP8 are my least favourite Microsoft OS's now because

    a) They show a lot of promise

    b)
    They're not updating either anywhere near fast enough to really follow through with a). The email and calendar for example in RT/Pro Metro environment went from "totally pathetic" to "laughable" in 6 months - so at this rate, it'll just be "a bad joke" this time next year.

    c) OK so there's a) but it doesn't make up for a lot of features being almost alpha, incomplete, or just plain missing.

    The last point is especially bad in media - there are glaring holes in functionality. Pro also suffers from b) & c) but it has 'full Windows to make up for the undeveloped nature of Metro. RT can't hide behind that.

    I've given up with trying to sync my own stuff and podcasts in WP8, and actually went to fleabay for Lumia 800's to be my music + podcast phones again. Since I usually carry three handsets that means I'll be all-WP now, as in addition to my two WP8's, one of the WP7.8 Lumia 800's has ousted the iPhone 5 - which will be in reserve along with the Z10. But I take no particular pleasure in it - the choice of WP8+7 just happens to be the least worst compromise right now in that all of the other platforms have either even worse issues or lock me in in some way that I don't like.

    I've given up on RT. If support for Zune gets any worse or if the pace / cumulative effect of WP8 updates remains the same towards the latter part of this year, it might be the push I need to drop WP8 as well and decamp completely to iOS though I really dislike the way iTunes deals with media.
     
  34. Mitlov

    Mitlov Shiny

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    I switched to Spotify. In terms of user interfaces, I think it's Zune > Spotify > Xbox Music. And Spotify's library seems to be a bit broader than Xbox Music's, although the store isn't as nice to browse through.
     
  35. Vogelbung

    Vogelbung I R Judgemental

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    Yeah, if it was just music I'd just use Spotify - though since Zune + Music Pass is still a better experience for me so I'm back to doing that on the L800's, though obviously I have the ability to use CrapBox Music on WP8. The real problem is podcasts (and to a lesser extent music, though still an issue) in that there's no playcount support in WP8. It's a deal-killer. The only way WP8 is better than Android in this respect is because remote and lockscreen support actually works consistently.
     
  36. Kuu

    Kuu That Quiet Person

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    I found the YouTube app not working on 7.5/8 a bit annoying but MetroTube so, meh.

    I AM starting to get annoyed with the fact that even the few things I want to do with my phone I can't do because /reasons/. Steam app for chatting? Nope (and the web UI has issues staying connected for me for some reason, probably due to power management). Skype? Supposedly fixed in 8 but ehh, I haven't been able to test that out myself.
     
  37. Vogelbung

    Vogelbung I R Judgemental

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    Skype is sorta-kinda fixed in P8 in that if you're constantly on it, it is quite usable.

    It however disconnects for me after maybe a couple of days of non-use (my Skype use is pretty sporadic and not necessarily a daily occurrence, but is very long on each occasion I use it - it's for conferences) and W8/RT behaviour is equally flaky - while iOS will annoy the hell out of me by ringing every iPad I have signed in (which is actually what I want) regardless of how long I leave them.

    This is really poor - clearly they've given up on WP7 but W8RT should have been one of the flagship Skype experiences as a Microsoft product. The Surface RT is pee-poor in this respect just in terms of hardware (the array mics actually picks up noises behind the RT better than it does in front) and the crappy-compared-to-iOS Skype experience does it no favours.

    It just all kind of feels like I'm in a giant public beta. I mean it's something that both Google and Apple do, sometimes to more egregious levels, but you don't expect it of Microsoft, and what's more the products that are providing the beta experience are actually served better in many isolated cases by their competitor's products as the front-end. That's what's most frustrating.
     
  38. Mitlov

    Mitlov Shiny

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    ...and carriers continue to sabotage WP. A coworker recently went into AT&T to talk about what phone to get. The salesman told him not to purchase a WP8 phone under any circumstances, and that "Microsoft is going to stop making phones by 2014." The salesman encouraged him to get an iPhone instead, with a Blackberry Z10 as a second-best option (that's an out-of-left-field suggestion there). He ultimately walked out with a Galaxy S4 preorder.
     
  39. gdansk

    gdansk Notebook Deity

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    That turned out better than I expected.

    Anyway, my Zune still works. I like the Zune HD (don't judge me!). It is small, durable, really nice screen (OLED), great battery life and good audio quality. Where it failed was "applications" (I didn't expect this but fellow consumers did) and price. It's interesting to see that Microsoft based their future interface off of a failed product.

    Not particularly related: I have no idea what Microsoft is doing with WP8. The operating system itself seems good. Hardware seems good (Lumia please). Why is WP continuing to fail? I won't buy one because it doesn't have the "halo" edge. For example, Apple always has "we're Apple." Android devices have top end hardware. For example the SGS4 has a 1080p screen and dual-quad core processors. Microsoft's best point is "We have Nokia." That's not enough for me.
     
  40. H.A.L. 9000

    H.A.L. 9000 Occam's Chainsaw

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    Maybe they were mistaken? Maybe everyone is still in the beta?

    <param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/_elqLDSt36k?version=3&amp;hl=en_US"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/_elqLDSt36k?version=3&amp;hl=en_US" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" width='560' height="315" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true"></embed></object>
     
    Last edited by a moderator: May 6, 2015
  41. Vogelbung

    Vogelbung I R Judgemental

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    Yeah, cuz everyone's not rushing out to copy bits of it, right? ;)
     
  42. gdansk

    gdansk Notebook Deity

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    It is certainly a usable interface for touch devices. Lots of Android theme imitations out there, anyway...
     
  43. Mitlov

    Mitlov Shiny

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    Here's a screenshot from my Galaxy S3 running Launcher8.

    [​IMG]
     
  44. Vogelbung

    Vogelbung I R Judgemental

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    That reminds me of any number of Shenzhen knockoffs...
     
  45. H.A.L. 9000

    H.A.L. 9000 Occam's Chainsaw

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    That is a funny point. You can see bits of Windows Phone throughout all current smartphone OS's. A bit here, a bit there. Android has taken quite a few UI ques.
     
  46. Mitlov

    Mitlov Shiny

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    The HTC One springs to mind. That's a 180-degree turn in the style of HTC's weather-and-clock widget, and by the way, nice live tiles there HTC.

    [​IMG]
     
  47. Mitlov

    Mitlov Shiny

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    First Verizon got the Lumia 928, now T-Mobile is allegedly getting a Lumia 925. All slightly different, but all at the core the same flagship with the same OIS camera.

    Nokia Lumia 925 leaked in low-res press shot

    I can't help but think that Nokia should have launched all three phones on all three carriers simultaneously in November 2012. I hope this isn't too-little-too-late, because I have a great fondness for the Lumia 92x and want to see it succeed.
     
  48. H.A.L. 9000

    H.A.L. 9000 Occam's Chainsaw

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    Well, when I suggested that's what they should have done to begin with on The Verge, I almost got told off. IMHO, the single 920 should have launched across all US carriers with no modifications except radio bands and, regrettably, carrier logos. There should NOT be this many Lumia models. It's almost brand dilution. Then to add insult to injury, Nokia is still launching phones with 512MB of RAM (L720).

    By the time Verizon gets their 928, the next version of Lumia will be coming out.
     
  49. Mitlov

    Mitlov Shiny

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    Another thing I don't get is that the numbering.

    Verizon: Lumia 928, Lumia 822.
    T-Mobile: Lumia 925, Lumia 810.
    AT&T: Lumia 920, Lumia 820.

    AT&T is consistent. The number for T-Mobile and Verizon doesn't fit at all. It could have been Verizon got the Lumia 922 and the Lumia 822, and T-Mobile got the Lumia 921 and the Lumia 821, y'know?
     
  50. Step666

    Step666 Professional chubby Chris Pratt impersonator

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    Nokia won't have the clout to do that though, especially not in the US.
     
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