Windows phone worth it?

[Poltergeist93]

Is a Windows phone worth a buy? I've always had a android smart phone and currently have the Moto G. But have been looking into getting a Windows phone(always loved Microsoft products).

 

[Raylz]

It is if you like Microsoft products honestly

Posted via Nexus 4

 

[RumoredNow]

Windows Phone 8.1 is really a huge leap forward. Cortana is one awesome assistant. Nokia cameras and screens are $ per $ way above anyone else in their range. Nokia Here mapping and navigation can NOT be beat in the free with your phone realm of nav tools. Can you say no hassle Office included?

If you want to get your feet wet, try a Lumia 520, 521 or 630. They are all very solid budget phones. I started with a 521 and quickly traded up to a 925. Now that's my daily and I wouldn't go back to Android for a phone.

If you have faith, then take the plunge to a mid or high level device right away. The benefits are: outstanding camera, Office with editing, unlimited global licence on Here maps/nav (rather than regional/country license). The 925 is disappearing off shelves, but the 930 is around the corner. There is now an unlocked 1020 on the Microsoft Store site. 1520 is hot right now.

Don't let the RAM spec fool you, WinPho is not anywhere near as hard on RAM use as Android. Compare by screen size/type/resolution and CPU spec.

 

[UJ95x]

They are pretty great value and like has been mentioned, cameras are great. I just can't get on board with the severe lack of apps and customization.

Sent from my Galaxy S4 running SOKP 4.4.2

 

[RumoredNow]

They are pretty great value and like has been mentioned, cameras are great. I just can't get on board with the severe lack of apps and customization.

Lack of Apps is relative. There isn't anything I want my phone to do that it doesn't. But then again, I'm not a heavy gamer on the phone (or otherwise for that matter) and I don't do social media... So I have everything I need and have never failed to find an application to accomplish what I want.

So far as customization is concerned, I LOVE to fiddle with, tweak, mod, flash devices. Have done enough of it to get myself in trouble more than once. LOL. I just haven't seen the need on my Lumia devices. Honest. Now with Android on the other hand you almost HAVE to unlock/root/customize a device to get it to do what you want. Nothing wrong with that - except most users never bother learning how.

And it's nice when something just works without a lot of fiddling about.

 

[Poltergeist93]

Windows Phone 8.1 is really a huge leap forward. Cortana is one awesome assistant. Nokia cameras and screens are $ per $ way above anyone else in their range. Nokia Here mapping and navigation can NOT be beat in the free with your phone realm of nav tools. Can you say no hassle Office included?

If you want to get your feet wet, try a Lumia 520, 521 or 630. They are all very solid budget phones. I started with a 521 and quickly traded up to a 925. Now that's my daily and I wouldn't go back to Android for a phone.

If you have faith, then take the plunge to a mid or high level device right away. The benefits are: outstanding camera, Office with editing, unlimited global licence on Here maps/nav (rather than regional/country license). The 925 is disappearing off shelves, but the 930 is around the corner. There is now an unlocked 1020 on the Microsoft Store site. 1520 is hot right now.

Don't let the RAM spec fool you, WinPho is not anywhere near as hard on RAM use as Android. Compare by screen size/type/resolution and CPU spec.

Your pushing me more and more over to picking up a windows phone. I really love Microsoft products. The only thing I don't like is if I would have to go with a contract to pick up a decent one. I want some pretty decent specs for one. At least a dual core processor minimum.

Sent from my Moto G using AC Forums mobile app

 

[RumoredNow]

Here is the MSFT Store "No Contract" phones: No Contract Phones - Microsoft Store U.S.

Not sure who your carrier is... There is always eBay and Amazon for anything that is not still in stock at the carriers or the Microsoft store... If you are with AT&T or T-Mo, look for a 925 as it was proclaimed best all around Windows Phone last year by the expert staff at Windows Phone Central.

Also, what budget?


<edit> BTW almost every Windows Phone 8 device is getting 8.1 and the roll-out has begun...
http://www.nokia.com/global/support...oftware-update/availability-in-north-america/

 

[Poltergeist93]

Here is the MSFT Store "No Contract" phones: No Contract Phones - Microsoft Store U.S.

Not sure who your carrier is... There is always eBay and Amazon for anything that is not still in stock at the carriers or the Microsoft store... If you are with AT&T or T-Mo, look for a 925 as it was proclaimed best all around Windows Phone last year by the expert staff at Windows Phone Central.

Also, what budget?


<edit> BTW almost every Windows Phone 8 device is getting 8.1 and the roll-out has begun...
http://www.nokia.com/global/support...oftware-update/availability-in-north-america/

I use Boost Mobile which basically runs on Sprints network. I'm debating about going contract I just don't like the idea of "hidden fees" I was debating about going with Sprint for a contract or MAYBE At&t

Sent from my Moto G using AC Forums mobile app

 

[UJ95x]

Lack of Apps is relative. There isn't anything I want my phone to do that it doesn't. But then again, I'm not a heavy gamer on the phone (or otherwise for that matter) and I don't do social media... So I have everything I need and have never failed to find an application to accomplish what I want.

It's nothing that they shouldn't have though. There's still no official YouTube app as far as I know. A few apps that I use for forums that have a few million downloads on Play aren't available either. Often, the apps they do have are just remakes of the official app (I don't use it personally, but Instagram comes to mind. YT as well, as I have already mentioned).

So far as customization is concerned, I LOVE to fiddle with, tweak, mod, flash devices. Have done enough of it to get myself in trouble more than once. LOL. I just haven't seen the need on my Lumia devices. Honest. Now with Android on the other hand you almost HAVE to unlock/root/customize a device to get it to do what you want. Nothing wrong with that - except most users never bother learning how

The only reason I keep root is so I can make full system backups. I have root apps like Titanium Backup and Xposed Framework, but I can't remember when I last used them. Most of what used to be root only features is now built into the OS, and that list is expanding with newer versions of Android. I know a lot of people who no longer feel the need to root...
In either case, even something as simple as changing my launcher is something I enjoy. I download icon packs and change animations on my phone frequently. I know I'd get bored with tiles quickly.

 

[RumoredNow]

I use Boost Mobile which basically runs on Sprints network. I'm debating about going contract I just don't like the idea of "hidden fees" I was debating about going with Sprint for a contract or MAYBE At&t

Boost makes it tough to line up a phone... Do they even have Bring Your Own Phone? I never heard they do, but haven't followed them.

There are a lot of mvno companies out there (air time resellers) who won't tie you to a plan. Not all of them will let you bring your own device, however. You should do some carrier homework before commiting to a phone.

My experience is that if you want to switch phones around the best bet is factory unlocked phones on a service that uses SIM cards. Easiest route by far.

 

[RumoredNow]

It's nothing that they shouldn't have though. There's still no official YouTube app as far as I know. A few apps that I use for forums that have a few million downloads on Play aren't available either. Often, the apps they do have are just remakes of the official app (I don't use it personally, but Instagram comes to mind. YT as well, as I have already mentioned).

I don't know, maybe I'm in the minority. I don't use apps for things that can be had in a browser tab. And I always prefer desktop mode. Pinch to zoom and the navigation don't bother me... I know a lot of people use an app for a browser substitute, I just don't get it. My YouTube works fine. I visit forums. Just do it all via browser. Any site can be shortcutted to the Home screen as a tile that you can customize.

I guess part of my deal is the way I use a phone. I communicate via voice and text. Check and reply to emails. Gather information from web searches for decision making. Maps and navigation. Photos. Maybe some heavy lifting documents-wise. Reminders / calendars / alarms. Utilities and tools. Things that get concrete tasks done.

I'm not gaming on it a lot (maybe just a time waster and those are better being simple - easy in, easy out). I don't watch videos or listen to music that often or very long on a phone. It's not a social hub. I do NOT obsess over tracking people, finding out their status and updating the world about me. The more people poking at who I am, where I am at and how I'm doing - the more my skin crawls. As for who you are, where you are at and how you are doing? If I care I'll check with you personally - not impersonally via twitface - through a one on one interaction that the entire world is not privy to.

Android (and I assume from reading media and tech reports, iOS also) is increasingly about the things I don't use / want / need in a phone. I think Android is great on a tablet where I read books, listen to music, watch videos, play games - in short - consume content. Android is the correct tool, IMHO, for exactly that job: consuming content. Not effective comm and organizational duty. It's not optimized in that way without a huge amount of hoop jumping and set up.

The more that fans, tech journalists and popular media push iOS / Android as the only two viable solutions to each and every task - the more limited we all are. It's just sad that there is a duopoly that no one can get around. I don't want my freedom of choice restricted. I understand this is an Android site and that I'm swimming upstream here. But there is no reason to try so hard to talk someone else out of their freedom of choice is there? Competition and variety make a marketplace healthy. And variety does not mean Samsung vs HTC vs Sony flavors of Android.

The only reason I keep root is so I can make full system backups. I have root apps like Titanium Backup and Xposed Framework, but I can't remember when I last used them. Most of what used to be root only features is now built into the OS, and that list is expanding with newer versions of Android. I know a lot of people who no longer feel the need to root...
In either case, even something as simple as changing my launcher is something I enjoy. I download icon packs and change animations on my phone frequently. I know I'd get bored with tiles quickly.

Backups? Windows Phone has that very well covered out of the box. I love the cloud capabilities of Windows Phone and the ease of backup/restore I've experienced. Better than Android.

I just feel that the multitasking for what I do is easier on my Lumia 925 than it ever was on Android. Things I want to accomplish seem faster to access and "closer to the surface" on Windows Phone.

As for refreshing things? I refresh the look of my tiles, layout, background constantly. Plenty to fiddle with there to keep the look and feel fresh without adding software patches. Again, I've done all that rooting / hacking / flashing stuff. I know its value and don't discount it - I also know its value and don't overemphasize it.

Is Windows Phone perfect? No. Nothing is. Is it worth someone trying? Dear God, why not? Why fight against someone else picking the thing up? How does it diminish your Android experience? I guess I don't understand the dire warnings; you won't find apps, you won't have root, you won't have a customizable UX...

 

[UJ95x]

I don't know, maybe I'm in the minority. I don't use apps for things that can be had in a browser tab. And I always prefer desktop mode. Pinch to zoom and the navigation don't bother me... I know a lot of people use an app for a browser substitute, I just don't get it. My YouTube works fine. I visit forums. Just do it all via browser. Any site can be shortcutted to the Home screen as a tile that you can customize.

This alone is almost a deal breaker for me. I can't stand the mobile site (and the desktop site is even worse) for a lot of the forums I frequent.
Replying and quoting people is a nightmare. The apps also have live previews of all of the gifs or images in threads, where as on the site I have to click a link for it to open.

I'm not saying Windows is bad by any means. I'm sure it's great for a lot of people, and it has a place in the mobile world, but it is still missing a lot of the things that make tech sites praise iOS and Android. That mostly boils down to apps.

 

[tgp]

Lack of Apps is relative.

The biggest problem I personally face with Windows Phone isn't the lack of apps, but the quality of the apps that are available. Along with that is OS bugs or shortcomings. Notifications are unreliable. Apps lack features. I also prefer official apps when available for the most part. WP has some good 3rd party apps, but they seem to quit working too often when APIs change or whatever happens. Official apps would be updated simultaneously with the changes.

 

[RumoredNow]

Again... I think it goes toward your usage habits. I just don't see any lack on Windows Phone. And bugs? Not so much as Android, in my experience.

It all comes down to the phrase, "To Each, Their Own."

I believe in trying new things in the tech arena and encouraging others to do so as well. One size does not, and never will be able to, fit all.

Thanks for participating in this thread, UJ95x and tgp, to help balance the opinion. I'm going to go devote some time now to Sailfish OS on the Nexus 4 (another nice, new, not mainstay thing to try) and will leave my part of this thread to rest for awhile.

 

[peacefulberry]

I used wp exclusively up until a few weeks ago. A couple of things to mention here: 1. Alot (not all) of the 3rd party apps (i.e. YouTube, etc.) at wp are often better than the originals. 2. Apps work differently on wp, so a dual core wp will often function like a quad core on android. 3. This is a perfect time to try out wp as the next generation os (8.1) is being rolled out now. I would maybe wait a couple of weeks to get a device so I can immediately update it to 8.1. This way you wont have the device for a few days and then update it and possibly be confused. You can do what I did before I first switched to wp and you can visit a Microsoft store or if none is in your area an att or other major carrier store, and just take your time feeling out the os. The Microsoft store is the first choice because they will always have the latest wp devices, and the reps there can answer any questions you might have.

 

[dorelse]

I moved from my HTC One (M7) to my current HTC 8XT (Sprint) device about a year ago now. I can honestly say that with the arrival of 8.1, WP is my preferred mobile OS.

The App gap is mostly closed, with more and more official apps released every week. It would seem that 8.1 has delivered enough API's to make them worthwhile to develop & deliver across all 8.1 devices.

Yes, with 8.0 we did have to get by on some very good, but unofficial apps, but that's mostly done now. I hear the 'no YouTube' app, and that's true...however, Youtube runs so nice in the browser, I've come to a point where I prefer it now.

That's the only real app I'm missing...nope, sorry Amazon Music...that one still bugs me a tiny bit. I personally love the infinite storage I have with SD Card support, and I don't have a banking app, so I've pinned the mobile browse sites as live tiles and don't even notice its not an app anymore.

So I'm not going to say its on par with Android & Apple, but its darn close, but I honestly love it.

For me, the biggest plus is the Dev. Preview program that bypasses the carrier's and delivers the newest OS the second MS is ready to release them in the wild. Yes, there's some risk, but I've been using 8.1 DP since April and 8.1.1 DP is just around the corner!

No more carrier interference! And that right there is why I'll stick with WP for the foreseeable future. I'm a very happy WP customer.

 

[Aredubu]

I use a Nokia Icon and really like it over my G2. Now that HTC is going to release the Windows version of the M8 and LG is working on the same, I am through with Android phones. Just don't need what they have to offer. I have an Android tablet and love it. Similar to what others have said, for what I use my phone for, Windows Phone does it for me, and does it well. Once I get a Windows Phone that has an LED notification, I'll be very happy.

 

[RumoredNow]

I use a Nokia Icon and really like it over my G2. Now that HTC is going to release the Windows version of the M8 and LG is working on the same, I am through with Android phones. Just don't need what they have to offer. I have an Android tablet and love it. Similar to what others have said, for what I use my phone for, Windows Phone does it for me, and does it well. Once I get a Windows Phone that has an LED notification, I'll be very happy.

I just have my Lock Screen notifications go to Glance, which is always on. That way I get the 5 most important notifications by icon right there. I keep in the habit of lying my device face down when it is not in my pocket. I see the Glance screen when I lift the phone or take it out of my pocket... Or, if I'm expecting something to come in I can leave the phone lying face up. After Glance came along I never missed the LED blink again.

 

[Aredubu]

The Nokia Icon doesn't have Glance.

Sent from my SHIELD Tablet using AC Forums mobile app

 

[BitStern]

I love the unique OS and the style of Windows phones, unfortunately they are lacking apps compared to Android & iOS..