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[WINDOWS PHONE] Windows Phone 8. From Very Small to Sorta Small.

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Posts

  • WeretacoWeretaco Cubicle Gangster Registered User regular
    Phone arrived! So far so good.

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  • jungleroomxjungleroomx It's never too many graves, it's always not enough shovels Registered User regular
    New update reportedly to be called Portico. Will probably be a NoDo style bringing us to 8.1.

    Rumored updates include notification center, VPN support. Hopefully we get a speed and battery efficiency update and improvement like every other update (not to say WP8 isn't fast... It is)

  • WeretacoWeretaco Cubicle Gangster Registered User regular
    Anyone have a recommendation for a podcast app? I'm in Canada so the built in store podcast stuff doesn't seem supported yet. Something where i can predownload over wifi or stream would be ideal.

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  • DehumanizedDehumanized Registered User regular
    edited December 2012
    Huh, so Xbox Music streaming isn't working on my phone this afternoon. Getting an error message saying that the files can't play on my phone, with an accompanying hex code that is associated with the marketplace being unreachable. I'll give it a few hours to see if it fixes itself.

    In the meantime, Nokia Music is actually pretty good.

    Dehumanized on
  • ZiggymonZiggymon Registered User regular
    Huh, so Xbox Music streaming isn't working on my phone this afternoon. Getting an error message saying that the files can't play on my phone, with an accompanying hex code that is associated with the marketplace being unreachable. I'll give it a few hours to see if it fixes itself.

    In the meantime, Nokia Music is actually pretty good.

    I actually like Nokia music a lot more, the radio playlists are actually pretty good.

  • DehumanizedDehumanized Registered User regular
    Ziggymon wrote: »
    Huh, so Xbox Music streaming isn't working on my phone this afternoon. Getting an error message saying that the files can't play on my phone, with an accompanying hex code that is associated with the marketplace being unreachable. I'll give it a few hours to see if it fixes itself.

    In the meantime, Nokia Music is actually pretty good.

    I actually like Nokia music a lot more, the radio playlists are actually pretty good.

    I'm more of a "listen to a whole album" kind of guy, but yeah it's a really solid service.

  • ArcSynArcSyn Registered User regular
    Have they made any announcements I'm missing regarding 7.8? I'm stuck in my contract for another 9 months so no WP8 for me yet. :(

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  • WeretacoWeretaco Cubicle Gangster Registered User regular
  • DehumanizedDehumanized Registered User regular
    edited December 2012
    WP8's first OTA update (Portico) is rolling out to international HTC 8X devices, and shipping on their 8S devices. Carrier-subsidized devices should probably see it in a few months, I'd guess.

    Features include (but aren't necessarily limited to):
    -Ability to reject an incoming call and respond with a text message
    -SMS drafts
    -Select All in the messaging up (for mass delete)
    -Wifi keep-awake (I think?)
    FIrst%20OTA%20Update%20SMS%20Rej.jpg
    OTA%20Update%205.png
    The default response messages are editable within phone settings.

    Dehumanized on
  • AyulinAyulin Registered User regular
    Anyone with a Lumia 920: does your screen get tinted a kind of grey when it's under direct sunlight? Mine does that, and I'm wondering if it's a defect or a feature (that could maybe be disabled) - screenshots taken when it's like that look the same as they always do, so it seems like a hardware thing (like some kind of "high visibility" mode).

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  • Apothe0sisApothe0sis Have you ever questioned the nature of your reality? Registered User regular
    Yep, they do do that Ayulin. I think it's the auto-brightness going berserk. It tends to calm down after a couple of seconds in my experience.

  • AyulinAyulin Registered User regular
    Ah, cool. Was kind of concerned, though it's not a huge issue.

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  • H*RH*R Registered User regular
    I'm in a wierd situation. I have a Gmail address which I've used for a long time. Lately I've been getting other peoples email due to the dots in my address...it's a long story. Anywho, my Microsoft account is this email address. It's where my MSDN account is linked to and my Xbox. I'm trying to get rid of this email address, or at least really limit its use.

    I bring this up because i'm looking to get a Windows Phone. I've got an outlook email address I'm thinking of switching too, but since things like my Xbox is tied to my old account, can I have two accounts on a Windows Phone? Can I have one account that's really just my Xbox stuff and then another account that is my email, contacts, calender, and app store purchases? I'm not ready to leave Google behind me, though all the sabre rattling is getting tiresome since only users suffer in the long run, but I want my phone experience to be as hassle free as possible.

    Nintendo Network: WarrenMSP
    3DS: 4184-2362-9697
    PSN: Skywarrd
  • DehumanizedDehumanized Registered User regular
    edited December 2012
    You can only link the phone to one Microsoft account in a primary sense (which will be used for XBL and your marketplace purchase history and skydrive), but you can add additional accounts for syncing into contacts, calendar, mailboxes, etc.

    Dehumanized on
  • ArkyrisArkyris Registered User regular
    H*R wrote: »
    I'm in a wierd situation. I have a Gmail address which I've used for a long time. Lately I've been getting other peoples email due to the dots in my address...it's a long story. Anywho, my Microsoft account is this email address. It's where my MSDN account is linked to and my Xbox. I'm trying to get rid of this email address, or at least really limit its use.

    You should be able to change the email address that the Microsoft account is linked to at account.microsoft.com. If you log into your account there it gives you an area to change the email address attached to the account. I haven't tested this out personally, but it looks like it should word.

    H*R wrote: »
    I bring this up because i'm looking to get a Windows Phone. I've got an outlook email address I'm thinking of switching too, but since things like my Xbox is tied to my old account, can I have two accounts on a Windows Phone? Can I have one account that's really just my Xbox stuff and then another account that is my email, contacts, calender, and app store purchases? I'm not ready to leave Google behind me, though all the sabre rattling is getting tiresome since only users suffer in the long run, but I want my phone experience to be as hassle free as possible.

    Hmm, if you're not ready to leave Google I wouldn't really recommend WP8. Google just removed EAS support from their free accounts, so contacts and calendar syncing is going to stop working. I have heard they're keeping support for free accounts that have already been set up on the phone. But new users are sad outa luck. They also recently came out saying that they have no plans to support Windows Phone with apps. Windows Phone does support multiple accounts if they play nicely with the sync. As Dehumanized said, it is possible to have multiple accounts at once, with the "Primary" account being the one that syncs up with app purchases and Xbox.


    To shill bing for a second, the myData area in the account options is pretty awesome. It shows all the topics that bing thinks may interest you, with an option to accept or reject it. Giving you some minimal ability to tailor your search relevance. I'm pretty sure that data is collected from the phone as well, through your Microsoft account, so it's kinda relevant.

  • NosfNosf Registered User regular

    In theory, there's an ATIV S out there with my name on it hopefully shipping to us.

  • AyulinAyulin Registered User regular
    Arkyris wrote: »
    H*R wrote: »
    I'm in a wierd situation. I have a Gmail address which I've used for a long time. Lately I've been getting other peoples email due to the dots in my address...it's a long story. Anywho, my Microsoft account is this email address. It's where my MSDN account is linked to and my Xbox. I'm trying to get rid of this email address, or at least really limit its use.

    You should be able to change the email address that the Microsoft account is linked to at account.microsoft.com. If you log into your account there it gives you an area to change the email address attached to the account. I haven't tested this out personally, but it looks like it should word.

    Just to point something out about this: apparently the ability to do this is temporarily disabled, since they're having issues with it. (Third post from the bottom.)

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  • H*RH*R Registered User regular
    I guess when I mean I'm not ready to fully leave Google I mean I still use Google+ and not Facebook. I still use Google Drive on desktop (along with Dropbox and Skydrive). I have so many things that send to my dicey Gmail account that transitioning to anything might take awhile. I also use Chrome and no other browser. There's still tools that Google makes that I like, I've just had an awful time with Android and Windows Phone looks like it could be a good fit for me, worts and all.

    Nintendo Network: WarrenMSP
    3DS: 4184-2362-9697
    PSN: Skywarrd
  • ZiggymonZiggymon Registered User regular
    H*R wrote: »
    I guess when I mean I'm not ready to fully leave Google I mean I still use Google+ and not Facebook. I still use Google Drive on desktop (along with Dropbox and Skydrive). I have so many things that send to my dicey Gmail account that transitioning to anything might take awhile. I also use Chrome and no other browser. There's still tools that Google makes that I like, I've just had an awful time with Android and Windows Phone looks like it could be a good fit for me, worts and all.

    If you are willing to make changes or little sacrifices then Windows Phone might be a good choice. I would test out a phone first at a store with what you need/require to see if it will fit into what you are looking for.

  • H*RH*R Registered User regular
    I actually did give the 920 about a 10 minute run last night at Costco and it was an excellent expierience. I've also been using the simulator in the devkit to test drive mail and whatnot. I'm really impressed with the OS as a whole, I just want to be able to straddle ecosystems.

    Anything you suggest I try?

    Nintendo Network: WarrenMSP
    3DS: 4184-2362-9697
    PSN: Skywarrd
  • DehumanizedDehumanized Registered User regular
    edited December 2012
    Well, that was much quicker than I expected. WP8 Portico update for AT&T Lumia 920 and 820 customers will be going live tomorrow. T-Mobile HTC 8X customers should start getting notifications tomorrow, as well.

    http://www.wpcentral.com/att-nokia-lumia-920-820-os-update-tom-dec-19th

    I'd expect a gradual rollout, of course. This fixes the random reboot bug and contains small tweaks to the OS software, including tweaks to the camera software to improve sharpness of standard light photos. All users will be notified of the update by January 7.

    Dehumanized on
  • jungleroomxjungleroomx It's never too many graves, it's always not enough shovels Registered User regular
    Hopefully we get some battery life fixes. If I have signal, the phone is fine... but if I'm somewhere with weak signal it drains the battery of my 920 like a colander.

    I know thats something that happens, but I haven't seen a drain this pronounced since the early-mid 2000's and those handsets. It's bad.

  • DehumanizedDehumanized Registered User regular
    Ayulin wrote: »
    Anyone with a Lumia 920: does your screen get tinted a kind of grey when it's under direct sunlight? Mine does that, and I'm wondering if it's a defect or a feature (that could maybe be disabled) - screenshots taken when it's like that look the same as they always do, so it seems like a hardware thing (like some kind of "high visibility" mode).

    Looks like it's a software feature that Nokia implemented on the phone. An update to Display+Touch is rolling out that adds an option to toggle it off (along with the ability to autodim the screen while in Battery Saver mode).

    Nokia%20Display%20Touch%20UPdate.jpg

  • NosfNosf Registered User regular

    Got my ATIV S; pretty pleased with it. Screen is noticeably nicer than my old HTC HD7. Integrates nicely with Windows 8 so far. Little pissy about the wireless here, but I'm sure i'll sort it out quickly.

    First thing I did with it was to drop it and watch it bounce off the carpet into a metal door frame - I'm pro like that, no wasting time!

  • DehumanizedDehumanized Registered User regular
    Looks like my Lumia 920 got the update. ATT and Rogers Lumia 920/820 devices should be getting updates today (or soon), T-Mobile has apparently decided not to push their HTC 8X updates today.

  • WeretacoWeretaco Cubicle Gangster Registered User regular
    Ugh.. waiting on Bell for my HTC 8X update. Common clowns gimme dat update!

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  • WeretacoWeretaco Cubicle Gangster Registered User regular
    edited December 2012
    Sigh Bell..
    We’ve received word from HTC that the company, in collaboration with Rogers, will be pushing it out to customers “immediately,” and will be bringing it to Bell customers “in the future.” While we’re not sure exactly what “the future” entails, nor does there seem to be any reason why Rogers would receive the update before Bell, this is the way of carrier-mandated workflows, folks.

    Weretaco on
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  • jungleroomxjungleroomx It's never too many graves, it's always not enough shovels Registered User regular
    I got the update a few days ago. I never received the notification, I just went to Updates in settings, had it search, and bada bing the update process started.

    While my battery life seems to be better, the camera is definitely sharper (I've got a 920), and the performance is overall a bit snappier and more responsive, I've noticed all of my Angry Birds games are crashing fairly often since either this update or the latest updates from Rovio.

  • ArkyrisArkyris Registered User regular
    Finally got my red Lumia 920; upgraded from a HTC HD7 that had a music bug where it would randomly freeze after songs. I am loving the hardware design of the phone though I was disappointed with the amount of bloat they let carriers put on there, along with seeing a hideous Telstra logo every time I log on - reminds me who really has my balls in a vice.

    My biggest complaint is not being able to access Bing maps and being forced to use Nokia maps unless you want to jump through hoops, but I was aware of that before I bought the phone.

  • DehumanizedDehumanized Registered User regular
    edited December 2012
    Obviously you can't change the boot splash screen, but any carrier-added apps should be uninstallable without any trouble.

    For maps, all the hooks for Bing Maps still exist; here's a simple launcher app that just calls them. As the app description says, you're still using Nokia data -- but in the Bing maps UI.

    http://www.windowsphone.com/en-us/store/app/maps/9e8f8fc5-da17-4b7f-80f3-2dc334de8dac

    Dehumanized on
  • NosfNosf Registered User regular

    Friend got a 920 by way of the work support phone that one of them has to take home now and then. That thing is a goddamn tank compared to my ATIV S. Not really sure what to make of it, but I have mine via work so not too worried about it either way. What I do need is an official Fitbit app; they've got one up on the Windows 8 appstore but not the phone one.

  • amnesiasoftamnesiasoft Thick Creamy Furry Registered User regular
    but any carrier-added apps should be uninstallable without any trouble.
    Assuming they're things that show up in the app list. I'll be damned if I can find a way to remove Verizon's contact sync from my phone.

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  • ZiggymonZiggymon Registered User regular
    Has anyone else having trouble connecting the phone to the sync software for mac?
    I managed to get it working once and it worked fine but now everytime I load up the application on the mac it connects the phone for a few seconds and crashes.

  • SynthesisSynthesis Honda Today! Registered User regular
    So, a few years behind everyone else, I finally got around to setting up tethering with my Dell Venue Pro. Unfortunately--in a repeat of Dell's very lackluster OEM support--I need to switch to composite mode in order to use it (and then switch back if I want to sync my phone), but it works.

    While it might be useful now, the real benefit, I think, comes when I get my hands on a Surface Pro. Tethering has already been figured out for Windows 8, and since I'd carry my phone anywhere I'd take a tablet...hell, mobile internet without wifi.

  • TheCanManTheCanMan GT: Gasman122009 JerseyRegistered User regular
    So I'm finally stepping into the 21st century and upgrading my dumb-phone (Pantech Laser) to a smartphone next month. Chasm was kind enough to steer my search for a cheap (sub-$100) android from AT&T towards the HTC One X. It seems like a great phone, and barring being convinced otherwise it'll be the one I go with.

    But I just realized that I've never even considered a Windows phone. I know absolutely nothing about them (which is only slightly less than I know about androids). Could someone help me with the pros & cons? Assume I'll be just about the furthest thing from a power-user as someone can be.

    **Cross-posted in the Android Thread**

  • DehumanizedDehumanized Registered User regular
    pro: delightful interface, reliable, and a very different experience from android/iOS (more task-focused than app-focused)

    con: poor app library compared to iOS/Android

  • SynthesisSynthesis Honda Today! Registered User regular
    We're actually at the point where app availability is actually quite comparable to iOS/Android outside of certain specific areas (social games and unique service apps like credit card company websites).

    Take a look at the storefront to see if WP has what you need. If it doesn't, you'll find out quickly.

    WP also has a very different level (and higher) level of interconnectivity with your PC (assuming you're like +85% of the world and use Windows) than Android or iOS, considering it still is a "closed garden" type ecosystem. And finally, you actually have a choice between a large number of models (for WP8 and 7.5, less if you only want WP8) unlike Apple, but still fewer than the various Android manufacturers.

  • NightslyrNightslyr Registered User regular
    What do you guys use for Dropbox? There's several choices with middling reviews, so I wonder if there's a consensus here.

  • SynthesisSynthesis Honda Today! Registered User regular
    Nightslyr wrote: »
    What do you guys use for Dropbox? There's several choices with middling reviews, so I wonder if there's a consensus here.

    I do, but just for password management. In which case, it works flawlessly, and has for years. But we're dealing with very small files.

  • NightslyrNightslyr Registered User regular
    Synthesis wrote: »
    Nightslyr wrote: »
    What do you guys use for Dropbox? There's several choices with middling reviews, so I wonder if there's a consensus here.

    I do, but just for password management. In which case, it works flawlessly, and has for years. But we're dealing with very small files.

    Right, but what app do you use on your phone to access it? I mean, I use Dropbox for some of my keepass stuff, and it works on my iPad through my Dropbox app, but there's no official Dropbox app for WP8 so I was wondering what would be the way to go there.

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