Related
Here is a list of features for the iPhone,
* The mobile version of OS X or whatever it is the iPhone runs takes up 700MB
* There's no way to cut, copy, or paste text!
* No A2DP support.
* Sorry, music can't be used as a ringtone
* On a PC the iPhone syncs with Outlook for calendars AND addresses
* It supports Exchange 'in some capacity'
* Document file reading -- but not editing -- for PDF, Word, and Excel (only).
* Adobe Flash support is officially out. It's just not in the browser.
* No kind of embedded video support.
* It will take snaps, but won't record video.
* Oh, and no MMS.
* No voice dialing, either.
* Contact groups can't be emailed as contact lists.
* Apple says between 300-400 charges the iPhone will lose battery capacity -- you'll send it in and get the cell replaced for a fee.
* Apple will be rolling out periodic updates
* Voice quality is said to be good -- not great.
Aren't you glad you bought an Athena not an iPhone?
I look forward to laughing at iPhone owners. Now I have nothing against apple, but this thing costs a bomb and has half the features.
Athena owner meets iPhone owner,
"hey, thats a pretty phone. Can you do blah with it?"
"No the iPhone wont do blah. Ooh, thats a huge 5"screen you've got, wow! I wish my iPhone could do that! AND that, and that! Hold on, battery is dead. No I cant replace it, no spare. I have to post it back to apple now."
I think you might have missed out:
"Wow a touchflow screen - shame the resolution is so low....."
It could be worse
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Absolutely. And it would be hard to make the Athena better...
Of course, there's always something that could have been better, but compared to other phones or the iPhone, the Athena is miles ahead.
Moskus said:
Absolutely. And it would be hard to make the Athena better...
Of course, there's always something that could have been better, but compared to other phones or the iPhone, the Athena is miles ahead.
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And only twice as expensive, too...
Give the Athena OS and hardware the sort of R&D Apple put into making their stuff work - but instead of cutting back on what it does, make it ALL work properly
Its an interesting first attempt, but they've got a fair way to go before it becomes a 'smart' device, rather than just a sexy phone. No 3G, unable to update OTA from Itunes, a fairly 'closed' platform (until people defeat that ) puts me off this 1st generation phone. I read today of rumors that 3G will be fixed for the European Release (via Yodafone), but the extended contract lifetimes with Mobile providers is very offputting.
I'm gonna wait till gen2 or even gen3 to see if the phone becomes 'smart' enough to warrant the screen size and how it pans out with the apple-chefs or the true apple upgrades. And I've never bought into the apple form over function that they've adopted since imac days.
Im afraid a stylish device with eye candy transition effects, just doesn't justify the large costs, restrictions and appaling array of non supported features for me.
I blame Microsoft and the manufactuers who make windows Mobile devices for their distinct lack of advertising, the cost of which is an array of people happy to call this the "god phone" despite much better and affordable and vastly less restricted technology being out there. With the exception of its multitouch interface its comparatively using the technology specs of a Windows 2003SE device.
To Apples credit though millions of people getting ready to sign up for two years to get one of these and tolerate an "activation fee" so I don't know what category to give them the thumbs up in, but they have obviously done something right.
Although I am still shocked that such a media driven device lacks the capacity to set mp3 ringtones, that should be on the top of apples first update to fix.
I think us geeks tend to forget that most people don't care of what is going on behind the eye candy. They want to use a stylish and easy-to-use phone.
For instance, go and show your parents, or any people in their forties-fifties who are not technology freaks, the iPhone and a Windows Mobile device, let them "play" with it for their use (i.e., place and receive calls, and maybe some SMS), and in the end ask them to choose one of the devices. I can already guess their choice....
In my opinion most of use are too much technology-centered, and find it hard to believe that Apple tries to center the device on its users...
Why did the first iPod have such a great success, when many competitors offered a screen for viewing videos, an FM tuner and voice recording for a lesser price?
Just my two cents (and anyway this is an eternal debate, so please don't start the usual flame war )
Silviu
RichardKAthena said:
And only twice as expensive, too...
Give the Athena OS and hardware the sort of R&D Apple put into making their stuff work - but instead of cutting back on what it does, make it ALL work properly
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Yes it's twice as expensive, but you should compare the iPhone to the HTC Hermes or the new HTC Kaiser.
Does iPhone support UMTS/HSDPA? Nope
Does iPhone support Exchange/Push Email? Nope
Does iPhone support any Remote Desktop apps? Nope
Does iPhone support user-created apps? Nope
Does iPhone support any 3. party software at all? Nope (at least not yet)
Can I then even use this phone? Nope...
Moskus said:
Yes it's twice as expensive, but you should compare the iPhone to the HTC Hermes or the new HTC Kaiser.
Does iPhone support UMTS/HSDPA? Nope
Does iPhone support Exchange/Push Email? Nope
Does iPhone support any Remote Desktop apps? Nope
Does iPhone support user-created apps? Nope
Does iPhone support any 3. party software at all? Nope (at least not yet)
Can I then even use this phone? Nope...
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Click to collapse
So, in fact, you want a mobile computer, not a mobile telephone
There's a very big clue in the name - iPhone. phone. Not iReallytinycomputerthatevenpeoplethatdon'tlikeAppleseemobsessedwithbecausedeepdowntheyknowApple'scomputershavethebestuserexperienceandtheyallwantitinapocketsizeddevice.
Sure, Apple could make a device like the Athena. And like the Athena, it would cost more than a MacBook, and like most UMPCs, it would sell in tiny amounts compared to the easy to engineer, wide-market appeal MacBook.
RichardKAthena said:
So, in fact, you want a mobile computer, not a mobile telephone
There's a very big clue in the name - iPhone. phone. Not iReallytinycomputerthatevenpeoplethatdon'tlikeAppleseemobsessedwithbecausedeepdowntheyknowApple'scomputershavethebestuserexperienceandtheyallwantitinapocketsizeddevice.
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Well I get along with my other devices as the Qtek 9100, HTC TyTN, S620 and MTeoR.
The Pocket PCs support most of the points I specified, and the smartphones does at least support Push Email and 3. party software.
So, to me and I guess other users that likes how Smartphones powered by either Windows Mobile or Symbian, the iPhone won't do it. If you're a "standard users" that actually like those "simple" phones from Nokia or Sony Ericsson, the iPhone might suit you.
Digital.Diablo said:
Its an interesting first attempt, but they've got a fair way to go before it becomes a 'smart' device, rather than just a sexy phone. No 3G, unable to update OTA from Itunes, a fairly 'closed' platform (until people defeat that ) puts me off this 1st generation phone. I read today of rumors that 3G will be fixed for the European Release (via Yodafone), but the extended contract lifetimes with Mobile providers is very offputting.
I'm gonna wait till gen2 or even gen3 to see if the phone becomes 'smart' enough to warrant the screen size and how it pans out with the apple-chefs or the true apple upgrades. And I've never bought into the apple form over function that they've adopted since imac days.
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Apple stuff never gets good until third generation.
Apple II - 4K-16K typical, upper case only.
Apple II Plus - 48K, shift-key mod...
Apple //e - lower case, better keyboard, 128K with extended 80 column card.
Macintosh - 128K RAM, 400K floppy - essentially useless.
Macintosh 512K/e - 400 or 800K floppy, still not upgradeable at all.
Macintosh Plus - 1-4Mb via SIMM expansion, 800K Floppy, SCSI.
iMac - first gen, I'd argue, was the 233MHz Bondi range. Unreliable and slow.
Then we got the SE types and colours. They were better.
And then I consider the eMac to be the true 3rd gen iMac - G4, flat CRT - and they were pretty good. I used one as my main office machine for a couple of years, but I've now got a 24" Intel iMac which is near silent and has a beautiful screen for the money. (My G5 runs dual 20" cinema displays).
iPod has been a little different, but I think the 3rd gen iPod got it right - I don't like the click wheel as much as the scroll wheel and 4 button layout. Harder to use in the car and not illuminated.
I really hope Vodafone don't get the iPhone deal. Their current data plans are useless.
Moskus said:
Well I get along with my other devices as the Qtek 9100, HTC TyTN, S620 and MTeoR.
The Pocket PCs support most of the points I specified, and the smartphones does at least support Push Email and 3. party software.
So, to me and I guess other users that likes how Smartphones powered by either Windows Mobile or Symbian, the iPhone won't do it. If you're a "standard users" that actually like those "simple" phones from Nokia or Sony Ericsson, the iPhone might suit you.
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Bingo! That's precisely the market Jobs wants. This is "simple phone" with balls, not smartphone. This is "SE Walkman phone" with a UI that doesn't make you want to smash the handset and enough storage to actually hold some music out of the box.
Look at my signature. What do I use? I choose to use WM devices and have done for a decade; I was using smartphones whilst most of the people on here were still in nappies figuratively speaking (I used to use a lashup of datacard and Windows CE handheld, then the Nokia 9000 came out). I love these devices; my Ameo is nicknamed "The Guide" because it really is like the Hitchhiker's Guide To the Galaxy - connected to the sub-ether net, access to all the information you can imagine, entertaining, communicative - it's a great device.
iPhone doesn't suit me. But I'm fully aware of the market that it is aiming for and I think that constantly harping on about how it isn't a good competitor to WM devices, or lacks x features, is really silly; if the iPhone doesn't do what you want, don't buy one, especially if an existing product does do what you want. It really does seem to be that everyone WANTS an iPhone, but can't justify it and feels the need to complain
Which for Apple, is fantastic. OMGWANT! is exactly what they want people to do with their products, and that people feel compelled to post about what it doesn't have and why it is no good for them is a clear indication that they really wish it DID do all these things, so they could have one.
I think I own about 100 computers currently and 5 or 6 phones. If I want iPhone I'll have one anyway, but since it's only got 8GB, it won't replace my 80GB iPod as a music player - it'd be a whole extra device with a frustrating inability to cart all my music, thus ensuring I have to choose some to keep on it, and with no reason to use it instead of my Ameo.
And that's just fine by me, because the Ameo, flawed as it is, is still pretty damn good.
I'm intrigued to see how the OMGIWO (Oh my Gawd, I want one) effect lasts with iphone. Initially when the pod launched, it had this effect, but these days, every joe and his mate's got one, so there's nothing interesting to see when you get it out in public.
However, I suspect my Ameo will be pulling the crowds for a couple of years to come! Only today did I have a fella asking me all about it, and when I went through the spec's he nearly wet himself. HTC/T-mobile can probably chalk up another sale!
Digital.Diablo said:
I'm intrigued to see how the OMGIWO (Oh my Gawd, I want one) effect lasts with iphone. Initially when the pod launched, it had this effect, but these days, every joe and his mate's got one, so there's nothing interesting to see when you get it out in public.
However, I suspect my Ameo will be pulling the crowds for a couple of years to come! Only today did I have a fella asking me all about it, and when I went through the spec's he nearly wet himself. HTC/T-mobile can probably chalk up another sale!
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When I got my Ameo, I ended up with my girlfriend buying one, two mates getting them, and about four more wanting them but not having the cash/being stuck on contract.
iPods are still good, but they're a commodity device now. I replace mine every year as long as there is a significant/useful upgrade; I pass the old one on to someone, though my 20GB one needed a new battery (and was then killed by a third-party USB/Firewire charging lead that also blew the Firewire bus on my G5 >_<)
Phones always attract more attention as a lekking device (look it up ). iPhone will do well for that, I think, and the tactile user interface will go a long way.
RichardKAthena said:
lekking
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A lek is a gathering of males, of certain animal species, for the purposes of competitive mating display.
Sounds like Scottish version of what we say (In Jest) "Right, lets all get our c..ks out and start waving them around." Your's is more 'polite' though.
The one thing that the WM5 needs is better out of the box skins. I've installed a black one (ying/yang I think) from this forum and it pee's all over the out of the box ones from MicroT-Mobilesoft. I'm not buying into the hype I'm afraid. And I think there does need to be a better explanation of the iphone NOT being a PDA/smartphone, just a smart-looking phone. Just out of interest, am I correct in remembering that my Ex's pink ipod-mini had a basic personal organiser function - A calendar with reminders?
I agree with much of what has been said - the Ifyyphone is aimed at a different market. Therefore...
Moskus said:
Does iPhone support Exchange/Push Email? Nope
Does iPhone support any Remote Desktop apps? Nope
Does iPhone support user-created apps? Nope
Does iPhone support any 3. party software at all? Nope (at least not yet)
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...these are all fine - an Iphoney doesn't care about these things
BUT
Moskus said:
Does iPhone support UMTS/HSDPA? Nope
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That is unforgivable these days.
Digital.Diablo said:
A lek is a gathering of males, of certain animal species, for the purposes of competitive mating display.
Sounds like Scottish version of what we say (In Jest) "Right, lets all get our c..ks out and start waving them around." Your's is more 'polite' though.
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Click to collapse
It's true, though - you see how people are with their mobiles. Showing them around, having the latest models, the best features. Sometimes the most bizarre models get to be desirable - that unremarkable thing Panasonic/someone else sold that was the "Beckham Phone" for example. The Ameo is one HELL of a lekking device, but it suffers the same problem as my car does - gotta explain it. If I wanted to pull 'birds' as my normal peer group goes for (filthy goffick type here, I'm afraid), then the RX8 doesn't get a look in compared to a Focus ST, because the ST is loud, familiar and known to be quick. The RX8 has a bloody Wankel FFS. Sure, when someone gets in it and you boot it, there's this look of comprehension that kicks in, but on the road, it's a vaguely flash, odd sounding car.
Can't use it to pull if you have to get nerdy. Unless you like nerdy girls. In which case, well, my gf bought herself an Ameo after seeing mine. Says it all, I think
(also, oddly enough, she's in Birmingham. I'm going to have to listen out for that phrase now )
The one thing that the WM5 needs is better out of the box skins. I've installed a black one (ying/yang I think) from this forum and it pee's all over the out of the box ones from MicroT-Mobilesoft. I'm not buying into the hype I'm afraid. And I think there does need to be a better explanation of the iphone NOT being a PDA/smartphone, just a smart-looking phone. Just out of interest, am I correct in remembering that my Ex's pink ipod-mini had a basic personal organiser function - A calendar with reminders?
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I think the messaging app (at least the one on the Ameo, as they're apparently different on other devices like the Treo 750w) needs a lot of work, and the preferences panels are horrid, they look like they were drawn in Visual Basic by an NC Computing Student. A bad one. But yes, better skins go a long way towards fixing the crude look and feel.
iPods-with-displays have address book and calendar synchronisation, no editing (I think, the key to the PDA paradigm), and of course read-only notes.
3G?
http://www.newswireless.net/index.cfm/article/3466
As someone who works in the school system here in the US, I've used many Apple products over the years. One thing all of the Apple devices have in common that I have used is that they are too restrictive. They are all closed systems. I want to make choices, not have them made for me. I'm not some simple idiot that can't make my own decisions. This is the main reason I won't be buying an iPhone. Frankly I'm not that happy with Windows either (it's heading too much in this direction as well). I prefer Linux and I would like to see it show up on more phones.
There are some really nice things about the iPhone, but as long as Apple keeps being restrictive, I won't be using their products.
Pyrofer
Actually I don't care what you think, I have all the different devices that I wish, so its just another " mobile experience". And you don't have base to judge that (only specs to compare)
For me it's better have an Iphone that a lot of Windows Mobile Devices (most of them are EQUAL) I'm saying that because I have both...
It's very sad limited people without curiosity and criteria to evaluate other platforms, It just like Linux (opensource) people that ignore Microsoft innovation products, just like You do with Apple.
Thanks god I have money to spend in shinny new gadgets...
Has anyone noticed how ridiculously expensive and overpriced applications are in the Windows Mobile Marketplace?
For one, their selection of applications are terrible. So far they're just a bunch of badly designed generic apps that don't feed any real purpose. The games are horrible too.
The only decent application I wanted to buy was Pac Man, but that's like £5 !!! for a measly game that probably only has 5 levels and I'm only going to play when I'm bored.
. I just want a decent Twitter application that has kinetic scrolling and doesn't show that horrid side-bar control.
. A decent media player with visualisations and coverflow.
. A few nicely designed touchscreen games including ones like Tweeter that makes use of the G-sensor.
It makes no sense for Windows to release all these devices and advertise that WM is a social device when their marketplace is a bunch of bollocks.
ilabstudios said:
. I just want a decent Twitter application that has kinetic scrolling and doesn't show that horrid side-bar control.
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http://code.google.com/p/pocketwit/
I agree. I am very disapointed with the marketplace myself. I was expecting thousands of high quality cheap and free apps but that's not what we have yet. I am hoping that this is only due to the fact that it's been 10 days since its release and must be hard to get thousands of apps ready to go in the first few months. I am confident though that microsoft is ready to compete with android and iphone so must surely have something more in mind than they currently have.
Unfortunately it has nothing to do with Microsoft. The WinMo software companies haven't adjusted yet to that fact that there is a central place for the average user to hit and find their competition. Something like SPB could be as pricey as it wanted, because it could take the average user forever to find any quality alternatives. They have the advertising dollars, placement on carrier websites, etc. Now there's a spot for a smaller competitor to get the same exposure. But it'll take time for them to pop up.
$30 for any mobile app is retarded. I'm really disappointed that since release day, I'm only seeing 10 new apps in the store. Maybe the "what's new" button is broken, but there's a couple on the results page I installed day 1 of Marketplace being open
The lack of apps is probably not helped by the fact that, as I understand it, Microsoft charge an extra $10 or so for each country to list the app in (and require that the app be localized for that country) so I'd assume that a good chunk of people developing apps in the US aren't going to push their apps beyond the US (I'm no developer so haven't read the full pricing details but that's the gist of what I've seen in some MS developer forums with people questioning why their apps aren't available)
It'll especially be true for free or cheap apps - if you've made a free app, would you pay out to make it available to other countries?
The only reason I can see for restricting apps to a country is if they are purely regional - TV schedules for a particular country, or train schedules or something.
Steve.
Well, I'm in the US, so not really an issue. Trust me, not missing much if they are actually holding out on pushing to other countries.
I'd also guess the word is out to developers that Marketplace is a good spot for their software to turn freeware and end up on a torrent so perhaps they are holding off until Microsoft fixes the security.
Jesus shoe tapping finger clicking Christ, give it a chance its only just started. I have already seen a lot on there for free and under 70p... just wait and be a bit patient.
give it a chance its only just started
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I would if that were the case. Unfortunately, Marketplace has been exposed to developers months before it was officially released, which is why I am confused as to why there are so many cheap applications. I'm sure that there will be more applications coming soon, but I'm more concerned about the pricing and quality of applications. When I watched the first keynote last year on the coming of Marketplace I had higher hopes than his.
I realise that some iPhone developers have investment from other companies and some of them even have a development team working on the apps, but still.. look at the type of stuff Android have compared with Windows, it's ridiculous. It's as if no real developer wants to develop on the WM platform.
I feel that their advertising campaigns are misleading. They're trying to get across the fact that WM is now social and more application orientated when so far all I can find on the marketplace are overpriced applications that seem like it was developed for WM5.
Personally I don't think 6.5 is going to be a huge success, TechCrunch has already given it a bad review. WM7 better be different.
Btw. In the world of technology, there's no room for 'Oh give it a chance' type attitude. Technology companies usually have once chance of pulling something off. Hence the reason why companies like Google or Apple spend millions of dollars on market resource, trial testing and development research.
Marketplace? Pah!
http://www.freewarepocketpc.net/
I've been relying on the RSS feed from this fine site for the past couple of years or so, since my original TyTN, TyTN II and now my Touch Pro 2. It's a great site, has introduced me to great programs like NoniGPSPlot, has new applications all the time and finally - it's all free (and not warez free, but genuine software).
Great stuff - Microsoft saw what Apple were doing too late and have done too little me thinks to succeed.
I love my Windows Mobile phone; but Apple's iPhone taught Microsoft and other mobile developers how important eye candy in a phone OS was. Google's Android OS will be taking the lions share of future mobile phone sales and I see Android phones surpassing the iPhone.
Unless Microsoft do something right, not many peeps will want a Windows Mobile device in a few years time...
So far the only good to come out of the app store is Zenonia...badass rpg... 10 bucks though But well worth it in my opinion! If you like old school snes hack and slash rpg's, this game is for you. Full sound, decent story, just great overall. For me, there's point in playing my old favorite snes games on my phone because with sound, to me its pointless. and not using sound is the only way to get an snes emulator to run smooth; regardless of which one it is ( morphgear, smart-whatever its called, or pocketsnes
Paulplex said:
...
Great stuff - Microsoft saw what Apple were doing too late and have done too little me thinks to succeed.
I love my Windows Mobile phone; but Apple's iPhone taught Microsoft and other mobile developers how important eye candy in a phone OS was. Google's Android OS will be taking the lions share of future mobile phone sales and I see Android phones surpassing the iPhone.
Unless Microsoft do something right, not many peeps will want a Windows Mobile device in a few years time...
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I see plenty of commercials for iPhones and Google phones on TV but absolutely none for WinMo phones. MS really needs to start promoting itself in this market.
S
How about the annoying fact that I don't get a chance to choose where to intstall the app. They all go directly to device memory. That sucks balls!
Paulplex said:
http://www.freewarepocketpc.net/
I've been relying on the RSS feed from this fine site for the past couple of years or so, since my original TyTN, TyTN II and now my Touch Pro 2. It's a great site, has introduced me to great programs like NoniGPSPlot, has new applications all the time and finally - it's all free (and not warez free, but genuine software).
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nice one !
Theres a cab floating around here to fix that...
moSess said:
How about the annoying fact that I don't get a chance to choose where to intstall the app. They all go directly to device memory. That sucks balls!
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mpicart said:
Theres a cab floating around here to fix that...
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Click to collapse
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=568806
@Paulplex - Thanks for the link. I know I can get free applications quite easily, that's what I've done so far. However most of them aren't to 6.5 standards, the majority of them are still coded for use on old WM5 phones.
When you spend hundreds on a phone you expect to install applications on it that are intended for such a high-end device. The only application which is worth installing is the Myspace and Facebook app, and even those aren't great.
I regard my phone as my house in a way. When we buy a house, we intend to fill it up with furniture, usually the more expensive the house, the higher quality the furniture. The same should apply to phones, in that instead of furniture we require high quality applications. But where are they? SPB is the only one I can think of.
do you people think that bill gates and the people at microsoft are just gonna sit around and allow apple to dominate the app frenzy in the market for pdas and devices? dont u think that most people at microsoft all have winmo devices? do u really think any employee would have an apple iphone?...so of coursse thousands of new gsensor apps are on their way of being placed on the marketplace or in development...obvious with android showing that they have developers also who are pumpin out apps for them..microsoft is doin the same thing..give them time the winmo app store just came out..and a gsensor phone for a winmo device first showed up only a yr ago..so they have a bit of software catching up to do with these new devices. HTC thank god...droped 6 new phones for the north american market just this month alone..with the tp2 being the first in september..(htc pure,htc hero,htc tilt 2,htc imagio,htc mytouch) so basically with 6.5 also droped...htc has done their part by stacking microsoft with a heavy set and multy array of phones to crush the competition i.e iphone 3gs or whatever version its at now. microsoft is not gonna sit around and allow apple to dominate the app market..and they sure as hell arent gonna let android..a new OS that has no business gettin their OS on htc devices, surpass them either...remembr bill tried to buy out google but they rejected a couple yrs ago. And u all know bill gates has a winmo devices,prolly a htc touch hd or the new imagio...dont u think he wants a huge selection of apps himselve? trust..were not the only ones on the heals of microsoft to get these developers in line..and get these apps rolled out...plus half the apps apple has for the iphone are useless and they are just puttin them in commercials to show that they have a **** load of apps...half the apps they have could be bunddled up with other apps like how a spb traveler or mobile shell app is but they are just tryin to show off how many apps they have..plus most of all the developers for apple just have the change a couple scripts around in their apps and all the same apple apps could be made into cabs and become winmo apps...so the **** isnt hard..the microsoft winmo team execut8ves or w/e u wanna call them need to get their marketing department working full throttle and start shipping new apps with these new phones...i repeat HTC has done their part..now its time for the software to catch up...
"Windows" isn't a device, "Windows" doesn't release devices, and "Windows" doesn't sell devices. "Microsoft" isn't any of those things, either. Microsoft is a company that produces an OS that runs on LOTS of devices (some phones, some PDAs, and a whole lot of things that are neither).
Plenty of time for this thing to get up to snuff.
But that said, the real problem is that while there aren't that many WM OS out there, (5, 6, 6.1, 6.5) and most apps will pretty much install in either, the different hardware config makes it a different ballgame, especially with games, no pun intended. Some phones have buttons, some don't. Some games will work only in landscape, some will not, some will work on both. And not all phones are exactly finger friendly. They're meant to be used with a stylus for the most part, the finger's a secondary thing.
So yea, these developers will have their hands full, unless of course they want to limit their market to particular devices only.
So that being said, my gripe is that none of these apps are telling me they're to be used in a particular hardware platform.
@moegdaog, I'm a developer myself, so I realise the number of new applications that will come soon, however that's not what I was specifically talking about.
I'm more concerned about the level of development on applications and games. Why so many developers opt to develop for iPhone isn't because of a bias view-point, it's because the tools they provide mean that they can develop a high-end application and start earning money as soon as it's in the marketplace.
However the type of developers are not the same. iPhone developers are usually younger, multimedia orientated so they probably have skills in web, graphics and illustration, where as Microsoft developers are usually a lot older and more prone to developing utility (function) based apps and have very limited skills in anything else. Most developers aren't able to outsource and so they are left with a rubbish application.
My worry is that yes there will be many applications within marketplace but will they actually be worth all that money and will any investors support the development of these apps. Also how will these applications differ from what we have seen on Android and iPhone.
i know im not the only one that thinks this....i love new features and upgrades just as much as anyone but it seems the goal of windows 7 is to take away the customization experience of windows and bring consumers closer with microsoft then closer 2 their device. No flash, No skins, limited apps, and lets be honest who wants a device that looks exactly the same as another person device, u could take a million hd2 and none will look exactly like mines
jbanga86 said:
i know im not the only one that thinks this....i love new features and upgrades just as much as anyone but it seems the goal of windows 7 is to take away the customization experience of windows and bring consumers closer with microsoft then closer 2 their device. No flash, No skins, limited apps, and lets be honest who wants a device that looks exactly the same as another person device, u could take a million hd2 and none will look exactly like mines
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I say save these comments till after it comes out and you actually use it.
And it's Windows Phone 7 Series, not Windows 7.
dwizzy130
anything short of 5 pages and this thread will be a failure!
dwizzy130 said:
I say save these comments till after it comes out and you actually use it.
And it's Windows Phone 7 Series, not Windows 7.
dwizzy130
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I'd agree if it was for ALL comments on the awesomeness OR failure of WP7s.
lol all im saying is if we wanted a zune we would buy a zune!
seriously ever since the thing came out they been talking about
making it a phone and now this is new news?
psht! they have a few ideas on point though like the whole
finger friendly thing, but to me its like buying a new house
with thin walls or move into a comfy old brick home
yeah the lighting fixtures is up to date but what about the foundation
I love the new interface. I love the accent that is being layed on the text. From what i've seen it's like browsing through a magazine. Well thought, because in the end, mostly it's text with what you're dealing with on this type of devices.
No really, i'm very thrilled about the new design. And with the new silverlight based development framework I think that we can expect more useful applications that are focussed on what they are supposed to do and less on the user interface.
The UI is awesome. Other than that, it's just an iPhone copy with the same bad policies, like censorship and no multitasking, no file system access etc.
seed_al said:
The UI is awesome. Other than that, it's just an iPhone copy with the same bad policies, like censorship and no multitasking, no file system access etc.
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WP7S, No cutomizability, locked eco system, no multi tasking.
Dont u think it defeats the purpose of WinMO.
I hope it will be a big failure. The reason i got WinMO instead of anything else is because of the power of freedom it has. WP7S killed that.
and yes, its just as hyped up as iphone before it was release. NOthing more. Its not revolutionary, its just pretty with no brain.
The start or home screen may look pretty, but its functionless. U have to scroll a lot to see info. I think the novelty will wear off faster then the iphone.
Good post, Frostlance, very good post... it's sad how they destroyed everything good about Windows Mobile. I'm not at all interested in a stupid locked down system.
seed_al said:
Good post, Frostlance, very good post... it's sad how they destroyed everything good about Windows Mobile. I'm not at all interested in a stupid locked down system.
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And not only that, they way they made WP7S Backwards incompatible also means MS just killed WinMO6.5 and previous versions.
Developers are abandoning WinMO 6.5 1 by 1, started with adobe , then Skype, and many more to come.
We were waiting for Flash 10.1 anxiously, seeing the beta version test on OUR HD2, but in the end, they discontinued their support for WinMO.
As Steve Ballmer Said " OS are nothing without Developers, Developers Developers , (he goes on saying developers many2 times)
And that is the fate of WinMO 6.5. With no Developer support, Our BELOVED OS, is becoming NOthing.
To tell you the truth,ive been a loyal WinMO user since 2000. I relied heavily on its apps (esp medical applications,helps me a lot with my work as a doctor and manage my patients data). Now ive heard from a friend in skyscape,a major medical apps developer for WinMO, that they will also discontinue support for WinMO. Now this really saddens me really.
For a phone(expensive phone in fact) which i bought just 2 months ago, will no longer provide me new apps, new updates to my medical apps, no flash (A BIG WASTE , With our huge gorgeous screen,we cant even load flash content!).
I envy those using android, updating their OS constantly, and getting apps like google earth,goggle and etc which we were once promised to be given,now all left is a dream.
MS has killed our beloved WinMO. It is a sad news for all of us. WP7S is more like a curse then a blessing.
I'd rather buy an iPhone than any WP7S device.
Both are locked down crap systems without multitasking from my POV.
Espentf said:
I'd rather buy an iPhone than any WP7S device.
Both are locked down crap systems without multitasking from my POV.
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But WP7S has better hardware and a better UI. So, IF you buy a locked down crap system, you really should get a WP7S phone.
But of course, you shouldn't buy a locked down crap system.
seed_al said:
But WP7S has better hardware
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Do we know enough about the iPhone 4 to be sure that its hardware will be inferior to WP7S phones? We'll be about half way between that and its replacement when WP7 starts to get going.
Shasarak said:
Do we know enough about the iPhone 4 to be sure that its hardware will be inferior to WP7S phones? We'll be about half way between that and its replacement when WP7 starts to get going.
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We know nothing about iPhone 4, but Apple's iPhone hardware has ALWAYS been at least half a year behind HTC's. I don't expect that to change.
iPhone 4 would need a WVGA display, a 1GHz processor, 448MB RAM, a five megapixel camera with dual LED flash, much much better materials... in order to be "only" half a year behind again. In other words: No way. They're not going to catch up anytime soon.
seed_al said:
We know nothing about iPhone 4, but Apple's iPhone hardware has ALWAYS been at least half a year behind HTC's. I don't expect that to change.
iPhone 4 would need a WVGA display, a 1GHz processor, 448MB RAM, a five megapixel camera with dual LED flash, much much better materials... in order to be "only" half a year behind again. In other words: No way. They're not going to catch up anytime soon.
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The strange thing is that if the WP7 is really a closed down system without multitasking it would not need such advanced hardware for it. The need of so much memory and processor power is precisely because of the multitasking when a user can run several applications simultaneously. Otherwise you can have a good user experience with much less memory and processor power like in case of the iPhone.
This thread will be better if it has a poll on it.
I think it is hyped too. I really prefer the HTC interface and customization freedom of the HD2 against the new design of windows mobile 7. I have my device so customized that I can access every feature with a few clicks (AE button plus and multiple button press) I dont see that coming soon in WM7, you need to scroll a lot with your finger to actually go anywhere. And what botters me more is that it looks like "multimedia oriented" and not "bussisness" oriented.
If they close the platform like Apple they will loose al the support of the comunity. I really think WebOs look more interesting as a new modern platform (but they still lack variety of applications)
If there is no oficial WM7 update to the HD2, I really dont care. (we know the chef here will be realising it and even with a newer rom)
What not being said may be the most revealing.
Other than a few picture and limited stories from just a few people (MS insiders) what do we really know about WM7?
With all the stories about what WM7 cannot do, you start to wonder if there is something that we are not being told about the new OS.
For instance:
* MS Voice Command has not had any real updates for a number of years. Is there a (much improved) new version in WM7?
* Wireless/Blue tooth set up? (better setup etc?)
* Haptic interface,
* camera and other elements used in a more interactive way for interface?
* New/updated/Improved version of transcriber?
Or is MS really just going to bring out a dumb version of Windows Mobile, for the dummys, and to more directly compete with iPhone, and continue the development of the OS version (6.5) they already have for the business users, and the more adventurous?
We still remember XP/Vista don't we, lets hope MS learn't something!
No option for both? I think bits are great and bits are over hyped.
1) Maybe it´s going to be the same story as with Win Vista: faulty, crappy, resource-hungry, no benefits. Good for the basic user that only surfs with IE, listens to music, watches videos, e-mails and uploads videos on YouTube
2) NO software is uncrackable ! Wonder what the experts here on XDA will do with WM7 ! When I received my HD2 in November it wasn´t much more than my Touch HD, a little bit faster though. Now with all the geniousses here in this forum it is a rocket of a PDA that spared me the investment into a Sony Vaio P
3) I eagerly wait for the HD3 at the end of the year, wait this time some months ´till I buy it. First I will see what the leading programmers here will do with it, then buy it and flash it with a cooked ROM from this forum. And maybe this cooked ROM will be rebased on WM6.5.x or a hacked WM7, able of multitasking.
4) When I will buy HD3 (or whatever it will be called) I buy the hardware (1,5 GHz Qualcomm, ROM/RAM etc.) and I want it to be FAST. Like with Win Vista the hardware will be eaten up by WM7-software giving no speed advantage. Like with my Sony Vaio TT92 which is equipped with WinXP and which is much faster than most of the desktop-PCs for MY use of the Vaio (no gaming, prof. medical work) I will rely on the experts here to cook a ROM that´s faster than lightning for the APPS, ´cause I don´t care if the basic software is WM6.5.x or WM7, TF3D, HTCSense or what, I want my preferred apps to run fast and smooth w/o hangup.
Conclusion: trust the people here, THEY will make the best outa the new HARDWARE, not HTC, not Microsoft ..........
gm_fisher said:
Or is MS really just going to bring out a dumb version of Windows Mobile, for the dummys, and to more directly compete with iPhone, and continue the development of the OS version (6.5) they already have for the business users, and the more adventurous?
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I'm afraid that's exactly what they are doing. Everyone - including MS - is green with envy for the zillion$$$ Apple are making with teenagers and "wanna-look-cool" adults who spend their time on social networks or mms-ing pictures. Little brains, fat wallets. No surprise manufacturers and carriers LOVE them and would do ANYTHING to please them.
MS had a decision to make: continue to fight on two fields (business and dummies) and continue losing to RIM on the former and to Apple on the latter? Or instead concentrate on one, playing the cards (like hardware) where the competition has always been behind?
WPS7 is just that.
Do I like it? Hell, no.
Would I have done the same thing had I been in Steve Ballmer's shoes? Probably yes.
Will their strategy succeed? Probably no. Unless Steve Jobs screws up big-time...
gm_fisher said:
We still remember XP/Vista don't we, lets hope MS learn't something!
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Click to collapse
Looking at Win7, I think they learnt that crappy-buggy OS's should never ever make their way into the market. However keeping looking at Win7 on other PC's makes me wish I will still have the option for XP when my laptop replacement is due in June.
I don't think MS will be stupid enough to allow WPS7 to be crappy-buggy like Vista, but most likely WPS7 will be as alienating to business users as Win7 is, leaving them in fact with two choices:
a) BlackBerry (for most)
b) Android (for power users)
Actually there is a third one for the (very few) adventurous: cooked WinMo ROMs.
I'm fairly new to smartphones, having had the Tilt2 for only about six months after about four years with a Treo 650, but one thing seems to be increasingly true about Windows Mobile phones: If you want the greatest capabilities, you just have to get an iPhone, not a Windows phone.
It just drives me crazy that all the good apps are iPhone. Deposit checks to Chase Bank without deposit slips or going to the bank using your iPhone camera AND THE CHASE DEPOSIT APP FOR iPHONE! Netflix, play movies on iPhone or trailers on Windows. AT&T U-verse download and play movies...on your iPhone. These are three fairly new ones that come to mind, but it is this way for seemingly everything. Even TCM's new movie schedule app is for iPhone, Droid, and Blackberry...Blackberry for crying out loud...but not Windows.
It's another 18 months before we can upgrade for a reasonable price from our two HTC Tilt2 phones to iPhones. If Microsoft wants to increase its market share, it needs to offer subsidies to developers. Windows 7 Mobile is not the answer...we don't buy computers for the sake of the operating systems. It's for the programs that run on the OS. Isn't it the same with smart phones? They all make calls and take bad photos. It's the other stuff that is the difference.
Am I wrong?
Youre absolutely right, however with over 300,000 downloads of the windows phone 7 SDK already, I think the next version of windows will have plenty of apps to enjoy. Microsoft is also wanting developers to release a free demo of all software, so we can check out any app to make sure we want to buy it. With the integration of XBOX Live, playing games online with other windows 7 users and the focus on gaming, WP7 is going to be awesome. UI definitely looks great and there are rumors that the day the marketplace opens up there will be over 100,000 aps submitted and available. Things really are looking up for microsoft phones. I know I'm getting one!
MPlayer: will let you stream hulu and bbc and others.
Movies for rental: Check out Amazon Unbox. It's part of amazons video service, where you can rent and buy movies and tv shows. You can have the settings set to automatically download a mobile version of the movie or show you are getting. Though I've never tried it with a rental. I usually just buy tv shows for 99 cents. Downside is it is not streaming, but download to pc and then transfer to your phone. Another option is to use
It's true that some of the very new apps will probably never see a WinMo 6.x port since the platform is switching to WP7, but calling it an "application desert" is a stretch. I have over 100 different programs installed to my phone, with everything from musical instrument simulators to various business tools and games. There's a huge number of free programs as well as a lot of high quality paid-for programs. Check the "apps worth installing on the tp2" for a good sample of the free applications you can get.
bowserb, as you said, you are new to smartphones, so with a lot of respect i want to share something, my experience with smartphones is a little more than yours, motorola q, blackberry, htc 8125, samsung epix, samsung blackjack, htc touch and know i have a tilt2, and beleive me its much more phone than the iphone
windows mobile and iphone are two differents worlds, windows is more for professionals and business people, focussed in getting the job done, excellent in word, excel, pp, (create and edit), emails capabilities, outlook and exchange sync, etc,etc, then as a second priority is the music, videos, etc,etc
on the other hand iphone is the phone for teenagers, to play, to think they have the ultimatte machine (go to a high school and teel me if dont see al least a hundred of them in 110 kids), you need aplications for everything, let me explain, when you are to compare a phone you have to do it from the box, which one is more capable without going to itunes or marketplace, there the iphone dont have a chance, in others words if you dont jailbreak the iphone its almost useless, my sister and my brother have them, so i know what im talking about
if you want real games and real tv, you have xbox, playstation and a flat screen
MS doesn't care about its market share for Windows Mobile 6. Mobile is a tiny part of MS's business, completely insignificant compared to sales of PC operating systems, Office, etc. It remains to be seen how much MS will even care about Windows Phone 7. With WP7, its possible they can make money off the mobile market like Apple and Google have, but that remains to be seen. It would require a whole new level of support and financial commitment than MS has shown in the past. MS has proved they can make money from a new market (XBOX), if they see it as a viable potential opportunity and throw enough resources at it. But if they go into half-hearted, they will fail now that Apple and Google already have a substantial hold on the market.
Yes, commercial developer support for WM6 is drying up with WP7 coming in the next couple months. But there is still a huge user supported base, many will argue. If you want more support from MS and other commercial developers, its not going to happen. They have all moved on.
The underpinnings of WM6 is just too old for developers to make backwards compatible applications. All the WM products up to version 6 are based on the same Windows CE code from 2000. So you can see why there is little desire to make an application for this outdated OS, when there is a modern updated version coming out in a few months.
And don't forget about Android. The iPhone is all the rave for the uninformed. But if you want a OS that has a huge user community, and tons more customization and function than the iPhone, then Android is what you want. Unless MS can really turn things around, I'm almost certainly going Android for my next phone.
Since you want an Iphone so bad.....
Here is my two cents on an iPhone.
Yes, I agree with you it has a lot of nifty apps, in various categories. On of the other side, a "phone" is for making calls. I have 3 cousins, and a few family friends who have Iphones, they hate the "phone" part of it because it drops calls, and lags on the phone screen severly. I know many people who have smartphones who send internet to their iPhone's to do what you were talking about with the Chase banking things and stuff. The new iPod Touch has a camera and mic if I'm not mistaken.
My dad used to be subscribed to a PocketPC magazine, and they ranked iPhone top of the line for apps, but worst for phone usage. Even worse than regular phones (ie non-smartphones).
Whatever you want to do is up to you though.
App desert?
Thanks for the comments, guys. I had no idea that WM6.5 was an update of Windows CE. Last time I used that OS was on a Casio PDA...a really long time ago. (Note for the younger crowd: A PDA was smartphone without the phone.) About Windows 7 mobile--will I have to buy a new phone to get it, or will there likely be an upgrade available from HTC?
MS Office. I can't imagine iPhone Contacts being a clumsier, more limited application than on the Tilt2, where contacts show up multiple times and all with m next to the name. Word and Excel are OK, but I almost never use them, even though they are indispensable on my desktop computer.
Dropped calls on iPhone. I suspect that is an AT&T problem, not iPhone. My Tilt2 drops calls all the time, as did the Treo 650 before it and the Sony/Erikson before that. Isn't that the reason people are clamoring for iPhone on Verizon?
iPhone is for teenagers? How do you know I'm not one? And even though I'm not, why should they have all the fun? No I don't really care about music and movies on my phone, but the ever growing list of useful and practical apps for the iPhone would seem to make that platform the choice of all age groups!
Anyway, this reply is mostly rhetorical. In 18 months, it will be time to survey the smartphone landscape.
redpoint73 said:
MS doesn't care about its market share for Windows Mobile 6. Mobile is a tiny part of MS's business, completely insignificant compared to sales of PC operating systems, Office, etc. It remains to be seen how much MS will even care about Windows Phone 7.
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They better start caring, mobile phones are going to be replacing PC's for many folks in the future.
txrider said:
They better start caring, mobile phones are going to be replacing PC's for many folks in the future.
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They do. They are investing billions into WP7.
bowserb said:
About Windows 7 mobile--will I have to buy a new phone to get it, or will there likely be an upgrade available from HTC?
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Click to collapse
WP7 will be for new phones only, and an official upgrade is out of the question. The Tilt2/TP2 does not meet the stiff hardware requirements mandated by WP7. From the processing power all the way to the hardware button layout, it doesn't meet the new WP7 standards. Wouldn't be surprised if the smart folks on XDA will get some form of hacked version to work on Rhodium, but propably won't be quite the same experience as on a phone that runs WP7 natively.
redpoint73 said:
WP7 will be for new phones only, and an official upgrade is out of the question. The Tilt2/TP2 does not meet the stiff hardware requirements mandated by WP7. From the processing power all the way to the hardware button layout, it doesn't meet the new WP7 standards. Wouldn't be surprised if the smart folks on XDA will get some form of hacked version to work on Rhodium, but propably won't be quite the same experience as on a phone that runs WP7 natively.
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Even the high end HTC HD2 will not get an official upgrade to WP7, it has been said by Microsoft and HTC....
If the people on here can do it...that's another story...
Hello,
I would like to know if anyone can test two apps, the only two really important to me.
Opera for android: apkpure.com/opera-with-free-vpn
ProtonMail: apkpure.com/protonmail-encrypte
I have not yet buy the phone, I would just like to know if the app works really well.
I do not want android phone or apple, I do not like the interface of these 2, too geek, not at all pro.
Can someone try to install these 2 app on his 950? And tell me if it works well?
Do you have tips for installing apk on Windows phone?
Can you please try to install those apps for us and make a small tutorial ?
The Lumia 950 and 950 XL are Windows powered phones. They don't run Android. Windows 10 Mobile has no notion of what an apk file is. It has it's own package.
Despite an excellent phone (if you don't care about apps, beside the select popular ones, and open to Microsoft ecosystem of the time), I would advice not getting it. The ecosystem is gone.
Support for the OS has been terminated from Microsoft (including security update end of last month). The phone got almost 4 years of support. It is a very old phone. Support of apps are being terminated if they are not already. In addition, the battery probably needs to be changed, and finding a good one (and not a cheap one or old production one), due to the very low popularity of the device, will be difficult. A poor or old battery results in fluctuating power delivery, mixed with the phone design flaw of not being able to manage this issue properly, leads to strange behaviors including random restarts and crashes.
The only web browser you have on this phone, are all using Edge web browser engine. And sadly, a growing number of sites are not fairing well, because the version of Edge on the phone is now old (much older than Edge on full Windows 10 on PCs), and already the web browser has a very small percentage of usage, and even that is being scrapped to be replaced with a new Edge that Microsoft is working on, which is based on Chromium engine. Keep in mind that "Windows 10 Mobile" is not "Windows 10". They are 2 different OSs. To be clear, the only similarities are some underground kernel level components, APIs, and the fact that they can run UWP apps, the name, but that is about it. It cannot run Windows executable files (*.exe). They are none with VPN. You can setup VPN on the phone if you want, which you'll need to toggle on/off when needed.
For Mail, your options is the Windows 10 Mail app which comes with it.
As for Maps, it is the same one as Windows 10, which hasn't been updated since Windows 10 Mobile was discontinued. It features old maps that are over 1 year old, possibly more depending on your region.
never buy apple or public star android
This is so bad, the 950xl have a better performance , a largely better screen quality and a largely better sound than the others Lumia or Google phones , for half price than a pixel 3 or a Lumia 8.1 ...
Microsoft was very good on hardware , specially the screen quality.
Google and Apple are billionnaires, who *insert at will* all users datas on their phones... Totally lose their minds about internet freedom place and give all datas to governement who *insert at will* people with stupid and non human laws and taxes.
You cant imagine what is it buying an Android or a Apple phone interface for me.
Hope Microsoft Will reborn and take advantage of all good skilled developers , instead of making some big browser without an well and easy dev console.
The last question is :
Is OPERA MINI old xapp file will be different than edge browser , and can it be Install with a tool ?
mayapi said:
This is so bad, the 950xl have a better performance
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Click to collapse
Hmm no. That is not true (or I am not sure I follow you). In fact, a Snapdragon (and yes that has shocked me) 670 (the one in the Pixel 3a, as example) is actually a bit faster than the Snapdragon 810 in the Lumia 950 XL. Qualcomm managed to really push performance forward over the years (~4 years). And in addition, the newer Qualcomm chips are much harder to throttle than the 810, due to their much reduced power consumption under load. While Microsoft brought some PC innovation like heatpipes to the Lumia 950 XL making it the few phones on the market with the 810 that could actually record 4K continuously without skipping after 30sec or so (due to throttling), it is still can throttle if you can take a lot of pictures in a row with little pause (due to the post processing on images) and other extended demanding tasks. So yes, at the time of release it as great, today, it is really not, sadly.
a largely better screen quality and a largely better sound than the others Lumia or Google phones , for half price than a pixel 3 or a Lumia 8.1 ...
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At the time of release, sure. However, today and since a few years ago (and longer for some) many phone manufactures, add some color preference adjustment like the Lumia series has, so you can adjust things somewhat. I have to say, that one thing surprised is that both iPhones and Android powered phone still doesn't have automatic contrast adjustment to make the screen more visible to read under the sunlight. It only relies on the screen being able to be bright enough. That said, Microsoft doesn't make screens. OLED is made by 2 main manufactures in the world: LG and Samsung. For mass production product, these are essentially your only choices as a phone manufacture.
Microsoft was very good on hardware , specially the screen quality.
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Yes they were, same as Nokia. And we can see that skill continue today with the Surface line systems and the XBox One S and X model (which where made by the Surface team, contrary to the first release model of the XBox One).
Sadly, while they had amazing hardware, the software was lacking, and developer support was already dying when Windows Phone 7 was released.
Ballmer monkey'ing around and screening "developers developers developers" doesn't do **** to grow developer interest in Windows when you have nothing to deliver, not to mention (at least based on leaks and rumors) complete miss management on many aspect of the company at the time. Including but not limited to different teams discourage to help other teams, have teams re-invent the wheel for something that already exists in the company, missing out on huge market opportunities, ignoring competitors despite internal alerts being raised, upper management and CEO being disconnected from reality in their own bubble, treating the company like it is the 90's while we are well into the 2000's. making the Windows Phone team fight for survival internally since day 1, lacking resources and internal political power to do their job. Forcing Microsoft employees and developers to use their own frameworks and solutions which many are rushed out, and as a result poorly done and clunky to work with, just to have a "Microsoft solution" of something that already exists in the market and has been there for years being polished and took all its time to develop correctly and be optimized. Not to mention that Microsoft never put actual effort in selling Windows phones, with 0 advertisement, and 0 bonuses of any kind to cellphone store and providers while both Apple and pretty much all Android manufactures, gave substantial returns to sales staff and companies to promote and push their device. This has greatly helped Samsung and Apple, and look where they are now.... Anyway, I am going on a tangent.
Returning back, all this has changed. Of course, it isn't a next day thing. Company culture, especially of the size of Microsoft, takes a long time to change, but results shows. When now, today, you have Windows 10 on ARM, not even officially launched, just soft lunched, with expensive, limited quantity, primarily US only, ARMed based systems, fraction of the current Windows 10 Mobile user base, has more developer excitement for then Windows Phone as a whole, shows how things turned. Heck, no one used to care about icons being changed in Windows 10 and Office, now it is all the rage. An extreme soft launch OS, already has big player interest without the company throwing any money at developers. Just on top of my head you have: Firefox, Chrome, Chromium, (and of course, the new Chromium Edge), and full VLC on Windows 10 on ARM or is in the active works.
Microsoft has changed, they are open, they actually listen, actually do serious actions to promote developers interest, knows where it can and can't compete and goes its own way, and let competition take its course, allow Microsoft employees to use whatever is available outside of the company to make great software and great experiences for the user.
So yes, I am sure that if they try again (not yet, however, later), things can be different. But there is still a lot of work to be done for the company. They still need to continue to work on their image, and shows that time have indeed changed for the company.
Google and Apple are billionnaires, who all users datas on their phones... Totally lose their minds about internet freedom place and give all datas to governement who people with stupid and non human laws and taxes.
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Click to collapse
Hmmm... Do I go in Microsoft dark history? If I do, you'll probably hate the company as much as Google and Apple, if not more. Company direction have changed. If we go by today, Apple has been much more protective of user personal data than Microsoft (and of course Google). Their business model is selling services (and one can say accessories too, based on their financial reports). That is their focus. Microsoft is complicated, because they touch a multitude of products and services, and you have products and service that crosses each other. For example, Microsoft does sell your user data if you use Bing, and Microsoft/Bing advertisement platform (which Windows 8/10 made apps can use).
However, if it is a question of trust, or "least evil" from your perspective:
You can limit what Google get from you if you have an Android device. Nothing stops you from installing Microsoft excellent and well reviewed Launcher to replace the Google's launcher, if you use Pixel device, or don't like the manufacture of the device one. You can also use the many great apps from Microsoft on Android including Edge web browser. The only thing that will touch Google is if you use Google Pay feature (which I don't think it is actually a deal braker) and Google Play Store (you could use alternative stores technically, but let's assume you want the best security mixed with a large store where you are sure to find everything at their latest versions as they are released). Same for using Cortana instead of Google Assistance.
Mix that Android phone with Windows 10 "Your Phone" feature, and you are set with a similar/better experience that what Windows 10 Mobile users used to get (MS pulled the plug on this).
You cant imagine what is it buying an Android or Apple phone interface for me.
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Click to collapse
First, let's stay professional, please.
Second, I can perfectly relate, (as I am looking at my Lumia 950 XL that I am actually using as main device), this is not helped that Windows Phone 7, 8 and Windows 10 Mobile had many features that was ahead of their time. But with Android Q on the way, and with "Your Phone" (at least if you are part of Windows 10 Insider program, not sure how it is on the official release version as of the moment of writing), feature parity with Windows 10 Mobile, and has it's own benefits and feature set that Windows 10 Mobile didn't have.
The last question is :
Is OPERA MINI old xapp file will be different than edge browser , and can it be Install with a tool ?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Nope. Any web browser found in the MS Store had to comply with the fact that they had to use the OS built-in web browser engine. The same policy applies for iOS devices, but not Android.
---------- Post added at 03:13 PM ---------- Previous post was at 03:05 PM ----------
Personally, I am getting Pixel 3 or 3a soon (haven't yet decided. Not interested in the Pixel 4 ugly design).
Why?
-> Yes, it is Google and I don't like it, but I know I'll stick to Microsoft ecosystem for the most part.
-> Unlike Apple, I can switch to Microsoft ecosystem for the most part.
-> Google did demonstrate to me, that yes they do provide 3 years of support in both security and sofware update. I expect to get not only Android Q with the Pixel 3a, if go with it, but also Android R and S, beside the security updates and firmware updates.
-> Android has custom ROMs powered by a large and active community, so if there is anything, I can switch separating myself more from Google, and have, in some ways, extended device support.
-> Pixel 3/3a series has genuinely a better camera than the Lumia 950 XL, justifying the upgrade for me. The Lumia 950 XL did have a camera that was, in my opinion, 3 years ahead of the competition. While these days are over, it is nice to actually get an updated camera and not one equivalent, or worst a downgrade.
Toilet Paper said:
(...) -> Pixel 3/3a series has genuinely a better camera than the Lumia 950 XL, justifying the upgrade for me. (...)
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Google Pixel 3a VS. Microsoft Lumia 950: Comparison
I would not be so sure that the equipment, ten times more expensive, is worth its price only because of the camera.
Lumia 950 is currently very cheap on the secondary market.
If someone does not have, I recommend that you buy this model for the pleasure of owning and using good equipment.
I am an enthusiast of the android, but I can also appreciate good solutions on a different platform.
ok google, please spy my apple
ze7zez said:
I would not be so sure that the equipment, ten times more expensive, is worth its price only because of the camera.
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Buying a phone at the price of UHD TV is not a good argument for justify the fresh tech inside.
For this reason, i will never buy a phone that display a half of a tv for double price.
I think essentialy to Apple who let users think its a good opportunity to be usefull in buying a 4k display smartphone for the triple price of the 4K Tv, assumong it is less ressources... Less ressources ok but less cost also mister Cook ! :laugh:
mayapi said:
Hello,
I would like to know if anyone can test two apps, the only two really important to me.
Opera for android: apkpure.com/opera-with-free-vpn
ProtonMail: apkpure.com/protonmail-encrypte
I have not yet buy the phone, I would just like to know if the app works really well.
I do not want android phone or apple, I do not like the interface of these 2, too geek, not at all pro.
Can someone try to install these 2 app on his 950? And tell me if it works well?
Do you have tips for installing apk on Windows phone?
Can you please try to install those apps for us and make a small tutorial ?
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BTW WIndows has a built-in VPN system. Android has it too, but I like Windows more.
MOD ACTION:
mayapi said:
ok google, please spy my apple
Buying a phone at the price of UHD TV is not a good argument for justify the fresh tech inside.
For this reason, i will never buy a phone that display a half of a tv for double price.
I think essentialy to Apple who let users think its a good opportunity to be usefull in buying a 4k display smartphone for the triple price of the 4K Tv, assumong it is less ressources... Less ressources ok but less cost also mister Cook ! :laugh:
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I have edited your post since it is in violation of our forum rules. As a friendly reminder, here is an excerpt of those mentioned rules:
2. Member conduct.
2.1 Language: XDA is a worldwide community. As a result, what may be OK to say in your part of the world, may not be OK elsewhere. Please don't direct profanity, sexually explicit language or other offensive content toward Members or their work. Conversely, while reading posts from other members, remember that the word you find offensive may not be offensive to the writer. Tolerance is a two-way street.
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2.5 All members are expected to read and adhere to the XDA rules.
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Please refrain from this kind of language and try to make a point in a reasonable and respectful manner.
As a new member I understand that you still have to adapt to this enviroment. I am sure you understand the point of my message.
Have a good time on XDA
Cheers,
mrjuniork (Forum Moderator)