A Long Time Microsoft User Tries Android: Guess What? It’s Great!

[Grabber5.0]

I don't think I'd be able to make calls or send text messages if I didn't have my contacts in a Google account. Modern smartphones don't store contacts on the SIM.

Sent from my Moto X using Tapatalk

A contact is a contact - it shouldn't matter where they are stored. I know it doesn't matter on webOS and doesn't matter on Windows Phone or BB10, so I doubt it does on Android. I can confirm this and report back.

 

[Laura Knotek]

A contact is a contact - it shouldn't matter where they are stored. I know it doesn't matter on webOS and doesn't matter on Windows Phone or BB10, so I doubt it does on Android. I can confirm this and report back.

I needed a Google account to buy apps anyway, so why not use Gmail for my contacts instead of outlook.com?

Sent from my Moto X using Tapatalk

 

[Grabber5.0]

I needed a Google account to buy apps anyway, so why not use Gmail for my contacts instead of outlook.com?

Sent from my Moto X using Tapatalk

I just wanted to clarify for others using Microsoft cloud services that they don't have to move anything to use an Android device, including their primary contact storage account, away from their Microsoft cloud account. I did confirm that it works as expected - Android was just as happy to call and text a contact in my Outlook.com account as it was my Google account. I'm actually embarrassed I even had to check, since I used an EVO 3D for 9 months as my primary device, which had plenty of my contacts that only existed in my work Exchange account. :/

 

[larrynj]

There are many things I like about android over WP but conacts certainly isn't one of them. I've been struggling with contacts in the week I've had Android. I have contacts in 3 places, on exchange server outlook which are my main ones I use 90% of the time, also in my gmail & outlook.com accounts. When I downloaded my contacts my phone listed what seems to be every single person I ever emailed anything. Email addresses that I emailed one thing years ago showed up in my contacts. I set the setting to only show those with a phone number which helps. But I still have contacts in there multiple time. I see where I can manually merge them but that is time consuming. Is there an easier way that I am missing? WP did all this automatically without ever thinking about it.

 

[anon(9057135)]

Amazing Post! I went from WM to Android because, Well, Customization! I agree that the Windows Phone app was More Polished/Better and that it has more features. I hope that Microsoft can fix that!

 

[GrandGerminator]

I just wanted to clarify for others using Microsoft cloud services that they don't have to move anything to use an Android device, including their primary contact storage account, away from their Microsoft cloud account. I did confirm that it works as expected - Android was just as happy to call and text a contact in my Outlook.com account as it was my Google account. I'm actually embarrassed I even had to check, since I used an EVO 3D for 9 months as my primary device, which had plenty of my contacts that only existed in my work Exchange account. :/

Hello !
I'm a user from Windows Phone, just switched to a 2014 Moto G, and I have a lot of problem to sync my contacts from my outlook.com / microsoft account. When I go to settings, account, add an account, I can't find outlook.com account or microsoft account. When I set up an exchange account to try to sync with my account, the sync always fails... I also tried the Outlook app... But can't sync to the phone's contacts too :/ If you have an idea !

 

[Grabber5.0]

Hello !
I'm a user from Windows Phone, just switched to a 2014 Moto G, and I have a lot of problem to sync my contacts from my outlook.com / microsoft account. When I go to settings, account, add an account, I can't find outlook.com account or microsoft account. When I set up an exchange account to try to sync with my account, the sync always fails... I also tried the Outlook app... But can't sync to the phone's contacts too :/ If you have an idea !

I do wonder if they've made it harder to add a Hotmail/Outlook.com account to Android recently.. when I added the account to my Nexus 4 running Android 5.1, I had to copy the server setting GSM from my Lumia, because it wouldn't detect them properly and entering m.outlook.com it failed to log in. I had never had to do that before. The other weird thing, as you said, there was no Outlook.com option - it's listed as "Exchange" and the icon is the "M" from the old gmail account type used on many phones - as does my generic IMAP account for my website.

 

[GrandGerminator]

I do wonder if they've made it harder to add a Hotmail/Outlook.com account to Android recently.. when I added the account to my Nexus 4 running Android 5.1, I had to copy the server setting GSM from my Lumia, because it wouldn't detect them properly and entering m.outlook.com it failed to log in. I had never had to do that before. The other weird thing, as you said, there was no Outlook.com option - it's listed as "Exchange" and the icon is the "M" from the old gmail account type used on many phones - as does my generic IMAP account for my website.

Thakns for your answer !
Could you please explain how you did to succeed ? I still have my lumia, so I can do as you do expecting to success too !

 

[Grabber5.0]

Thakns for your answer !
Could you please explain how you did to succeed ? I still have my lumia, so I can do as you do expecting to success too !

I got the server name from the email+account settings for my Microsoft account on the Lumia, I remember that much. Once I changed the server name on my Nexus Exchange account to that server, it finally logged me in. I think you can add it from the main accounts list or from the contact app accounts list. I will have to do it again to remember exactly how, because can't remember off the top of my head.

 

[Grabber5.0]

I did it again from the main settings->accounts, tapping add account, and selecting the Exchange type with the gmail "M" icon. I used the Hotmail alias for my account, and it detected all of the server settings automatically this time. Now that I think about it, I think I have experienced that before - my Hotmail address autodetecting and my outlook.com address not, even though they are aliases for the same account. Once I entered my password, I was presented the options screen where I could choose what all data I wanted to sync to my phone.

I tried to attach a screen shot, but I got an error.

 

[GrandGerminator]

Thanks a lot for your experience.
I'll try that as soon as possible and keep you in touch

 

[aidedesk]

Odd I've been using Android for like 3-4 years first time i've heard of Microsoft office on Android. Must have come out recently.

At the moment I'm happy with a third party office suite which is also free.

 

[larrynj]

Odd I've been using Android for like 3-4 years first time i've heard of Microsoft office on Android. Must have come out recently.

At the moment I'm happy with a third party office suite which is also free.

It's been a year or so I think. I know I read a couple months back they hit 100 million downloads iso & android combined.

 

[eruptflail]

How do google services compare to Microsoft's Cortana? I use Cortana a lot and was wondering how she performs on Android vs Google Now.

 

[Laura Knotek]

How do google services compare to Microsoft's Cortana? I use Cortana a lot and was wondering how she performs on Android vs Google Now.

Cortana is not yet available on Android or iOS.

I've never used Cortana or Google Now by talking to my phones.

I use Google Now for my interests. It works just as well as Cortana for that purpose.

Sent from my Moto X using Tapatalk

 

[thatdennis]

Wow hahah same here too. I am usually exclusively Microsoft, but with the lack of essential apps for me, I have to switch to Android. Yet now, in Android, the Microsoft ecosystem I am heavily invested in, is there.

 

[crystal_planet]

Thank God someone like you is here, Laura.

It is with a sadness and excitement that I renewed my contract and ordered an LG G4 to replace my Lumia 1020.
I'm worried about sluggishness, bloatware etc from all that we have read before, and I'm a little skittish with the learning curve I'll have to endure but I'm sure I'll muddle through.

I suppose now I'll need a Google account.

 

[Laura Knotek]

Thank God someone like you is here, Laura.

It is with a sadness and excitement that I renewed my contract and ordered an LG G4 to replace my Lumia 1020.
I'm worried about sluggishness, bloatware etc from all that we have read before, and I'm a little skittish with the learning curve I'll have to endure but I'm sure I'll muddle through.

I suppose now I'll need a Google account.

Google account is required for the Play Store, but you're not obligated to use Gmail if you don't want to.

I haven't experienced lag in the past 3½ months, and I have an older device than you do.

LG isn't as bad as Samsung in terms of bloat. In my case I don't have any, since I'm running stock Android.

I've heard the G4 has a great camera!

I'm currently waiting for the new Moto X and new Nexus to be released. I'll get one of those or the G4 later this year.

Sent from my Moto X using Tapatalk

 

[crystal_planet]

So, I've had my phone for about 24 hours and I'm relieved to say that the learning curve wasn't nearly as steep as I initially thought. The LG G4 is also a beautiful piece of hardware - leather back - what a great touch.
- Android version of Microsoft apps bother me - they are actually better than the WP variants.Way better.
- This site is absolutely brilliant in terms of hand holding for newbs. The how to sections are a Godsend as well as the article on essential apps.
- Apps selection. Wow. It all starts with Nova imho.
- Notifications - I'm getting a little weepy here. EVERYTHING can have them.
- This part needs to be bolded. Customization and tweakability. Oh, my......So much choice.

 

[Doohickie]

I recognize Laura's name from the WP forums... hi there.

I just finished my 2 year commitment with my current phone, an HTC 8X with WP8. This was my first smart phone. I love the OS, but the fact that so many apps are missing from that ecosystem makes we want to look into Android.

Unlike Laura, I'm not "heavily invested" in WP. Although I like it, it was my first experience with smart phones and I don't mind trying something different. I'm on ATT&T and their free/cheap phones include:

LG G Vista, G2, G Flex2, G3, G3 Vigor
Samsung Galaxy Mega 2, Galaxy Note 4, Galaxy S5, Galaxy S5 Mini
Motorola Moto G, Moto X (2nd Gen)

From that "class" of phones, does anyone have any recommendations of what I should get? What are the pros and cons of the "best" of those, and are there any other brands I should look at?

I'm not a developer, so I don't need a fancy, high power device. I use it for calls and texts, social media (FB) and surfing the net, and simple offline games. Some things that seem neato include long battery life, ability to add storage (mini SD?), maybe some Euro capability (at least texting if not voice), good ergonomic design (boy my HTC 8X looks clean, but the buttons are TERRIBLE), maybe I'll think of something else....

I can do the compare things on the AT&T site, but they don't have the more subtle advantages/disadvantages that you figure out when you start using a device.