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The Windows Phone

I finally met someone who has a Windows Phone and I have to ask this but why would anyone choose Android over Windows? I’m a huge iPhone and iOS fan but if I was gonna change to another system it wouldn’t be Android (which to me looks like a cheap Apple clone) it would be to Windows Phone. Instead of trying to make their operating system look like an iPhone they’ve done something completely different and I love it.

I got to play around with the phone briefly but visually I found the system appealing with smooth and cool animations. From what my friend demonstrated to me it’s also a very social networks friendly phone allowing you to stay connected with close ones in a similar way you would on Facebook.

If you have an iPhone or Android phone you can actually try a demo of Windows Phone by visiting the following url from your phone:
https://aka.ms/wpdemo

108 replies on “The Windows Phone”

I recently had a brief hands on with Cajie’s HTC running Windows 7 and I was surprised to see how smooth and easy to use it was compared to my previous HTC (running windows 6 mobile)

I now have an HTC Desire (Cynanogenmod 7, OS 2.3.7) but I’m planning a move to Windows in my next upgrade. Although I was initially enthusiastic about Android the recent issues with quality control on published apps has made me really question the ‘free for all’ style of the Android app market.

Clone of Apple? Have you actually tried android to find how significantly different it is? unless you mean android and balckberry “cloned” icons from apple… riiiiiiight. Noticed similarities between iMessage and blackberry’s bbm? or the io5’s sliding notification bar and android’s old one? the equivalent of the icloud has long been available on android. Add to the list the multiple browser tabs browser, swipe ability when screen locked, WIDGETS, etc.. Think again.

So Android invented browser tabs and Widgets? Have you ever tried using Firefox on your desktop or have you ever seen widgets on a mac? They were both around before Android. iMessage and BBM literally have nothing in common.. like nothing at all, not the way they work nor the way they look. If you’re an Android fanboy that’s fine with me just try not to sound brainwashed.

Typo: A typing error.

Ignorance: Not knowing when to use different homophones.

Arrogance: Arguing that your ignorance is just a typo.

I tried Windows Phone 7. The interface certainly is different, which is a refreshing change (especially from iOS).

For me I wasn’t wowed by it; but a quick play with the device certainly shows that a lot of thought as been put into the UI. I like the ability to personalize my device (especially the layout of the homescreens) which is why I will never get rid of my Android phone; and now that Ice Cream Sandwich is out my phone just keeps getting better.

The lack of applications is really a turn off for me; and I’m not even an apps guy. What I really need (and I was surprised wasn’t available) is Skype! Strange since Microsoft now owns Skype.

I am getting rid of my BlackBerry since the last hold out that I had on BBM is moving on to iPhone. So I am now thinking of getting either a Windows 7 phone or the N9; and leaning towards the N9 since it does everything out of the box:

1. Skype (built-in)
2. Twitter (built-in)
3. Facebook (built-in)

Why is it important that it does Skype, Twitter, and Facebook out of the box? Downloading an app is quick and painless.

i used iphone 4 for 1 month. sold it to someone at a loss of 50 kd.

now i use samsung galaxy s2 (android)

nothing like it… i love android.

any other phone to me is useless.

dont know about you guys.

I like the new windows phone ! but i think there is 1 huge glitch which surprisingly nobody is recognizing ! that is the right arrow knob on top right, i mean wtf that knob is blocking the whole right side screen real estate?! o_O. as soon as they recognize it and fix it to a gesture or something i aint gonna buy it…

Why is that a glitch? It’s a design element. I like it. Tells me that there is something to the right.
It’s intuitive – just like the entire UI. I never have to “figure” out things.

yeah i know but why is it block the whole right side screen ? look closely i think you didn’t get my point ! look there is nothing below the knob till the bottom of the screen !

I know what you mean because I am a Windows 7 phone user.
But keep in mind – this is metro UI. Simple and easy to use is the key element of the UI – and that could include lots of empty real-estate.

No need to fill up every pixel of the screen with blocks of icons. 🙂

While Micro$oft is pushing winmo heavily (and paying nokia $1 billion to do so), it is still too early to see what, if any affect they have on the market. I’ve owned a few htc models that ran windows in the past, and to be frank, they sucked and were years behind symbian. The newer windows 7 models from htc/samsung/nokia look really nice physically, but the OS seems still immature and reminds me of android 1.6 . But its biggest challenge is the lack of available apps which is what everyone wants these days.
In the big picture, Android is the most common phone OS and will dominate the market even more this year. Winmo still has a chance, considering the Blackberry is losing market share rapidly.

Yeah. I jumped ship from iPhone to Windows. As of now, it is the perfect phone for me.
It’s integration to Exchange and Office is just amazing. It’s Facebook integration is much better than iPhone.
Live tiles just work.
Zune is simple, elegant and super fast.
Only 2 things I miss right now.
1. Skype – that will come soon…ish.
2. Nike+ – That’s not gonna happen very soon, so I will still need my Nano.

From my experience windows have always failed when it comes to phones, although I’m a Windows user but not on phones. I currently use Android and very satisfied.If I ever wanted to buy a new phone it would be a faster Android phone. No one needs to be brainwashed when it comes to loving Android cause it’s a fact even Apple Co-founder Steve Wozniak admits that Android is better. As for Android being a clone I can assure you that iphone is a clone itself.First Phone with a user interface of icons was launched by Palm. Palm even had touch screen but used stylus. Windows phones had 3rd party applications even the idea of app store was available before the iphone. The iphone was innovative cause they combined the technologies of other phones, and android improved on the iphone. One thing about the iphone that pisses developers is that now they steal their ideas from apps “Siri” is a just one example.

Woz hasn’t had anything to do with Apple for over 25 years…

Secondly if you could please provide us with links showing where the iPhone cloned itself from that would be great. From what I am aware of there was no phone like the iPhone before the iPhone but I could be wrong hence why a link would be helpful. I hope you didn’t mean they cloned themselves from Palm. Have you used a Palm PDA? I have used a ton, still have the Tungsten T in a closet somewhere. I can assure you palm and iphone have nothing in common.

Also Siri wasn’t stolen, they purchased it.
https://articles.businessinsider.com/2010-04-28/tech/30050270_1_siri-mobile-platforms-search-business

Well said Mark! I tried Android for a while but I kept reaching towards any sharp object to bash my head in! It was that annoying! It felt as if Android was trying too hard to become what Apple was but with all the confusing parts in! Not to mention their selling point of “it’s all open source and developer friendly!” Well I don’t think of it that way, if a phone is too messy to maintain and has too many sneaky options then it’s not doing it’s job of becoming a smart phone!

I haven’t tried Windows Phone but did check out that tutorial once but I guess you’d have to see it to judge.

But seriously well said!

I am sure all 3 look amazing and get better day by day, but whats putting ANDROID on top of all is the freedom it offers.
While in iOS or WinMo you have to either use a boring software or crack the OS to do simple things like save a ringtone, song or video files, not to mention if you want to make a file transfer.

1. the market speaks for itself. survival for the fittest.
2. google’s business model is in the benefit of the people. imagine the internet without it considering that almost all they provide you is free, money comes from the business.
3. Android lowers the cost of the devices since it’s free to use by manufactures.
4. open source means there are no hidden privacy issues unlike the location logging found the past year in iPhone.
5. Apple did not invent the smart phone or touch screens or icons. they just succeeded in marketing it.
6. Android has much more features than the iPhone but Google is bad at advertising them. cloud, voice commands and your notification drawer have always been on Android.
7. Android is much more flexible and less restrictive. your phone is yours to do whatever you want with it, it does not bother you with copyright issues.
8. guess who uses Google maps and YouTube on their platform. google is service oriented, they just want to offer you their internet services in Android.
9. at the end we’re consumers, buy things with no emotional attachments. let the corporates fight for you.

Mark, check out the icecream sandwich interface.. You just might like it..

Motorolla is coming out with Razr Maxx which has a 3300 mAh battery and guaranteed to last you a day no matter how heavy a user you are…

First of all I know they purchased Siri no need for a link, what I’m saying is buy it or copy it are both legal cause they claim it’s a feature. 2nd I’m talking about things copied not created like icons. When we say voice commands does that mean Siri or android created it of course not but what made Siri special is the advanced features, that’s why Android are working on codenamed Majel. Even if they eliminate flash that doesn’t mean Android will die, even the android market is changing.

https://goo.gl/8cuHD

https://goo.gl/ApUmc

https://goo.gl/PMOik – read info and check link below

https://goo.gl/n56bq – Section 9 is now section 11 since it got updated.

I could have provided you with more links but damn you SOPA.

So your problem with Apple is they buy apps? How does that effect your life? Does it matter that iTunes was created by someone else and then Apple purchased it? No of course it doesn’t. Same with every other App Apple purchased.

Now regarding your links I don’t know what you’re trying to prove. The only think the links you provided say is guys listen, if you upload an app and it doesn’t mean Apple can’t release one similar.

Let me explain it to you in a simpler way. If you upload a Solitaire game onto the App store it doesn’t mean Apple can’t also release their own version of Solitaire.

HOLY $%@#$%@$& !!!

The world is going to end!!!

Mark just put up a picture and blog post about a… NOKIA, and he actually said “they’ve done something completely different and I love it. ”

lol 😛

Android fanboys: If you’re going to come in here and say that Android isn’t a clone of iOS at least bring in your best guys to argue this. So far one guy thinks iOS is a clone of Palm Os and another guy thinks voice commands and siri are the same thing.

If you guys think popularity dictates which phone is better then both these phones sucks because the Nokia 1100 is more popular. Same with the operating system, if you’re judging by popularity that means Windows is better than Linux and OSX.

you know the difference between Android as an OS and a Launcher app for Android? In case you haven’t noticed, Apple never sued Google; rather they went for Samsung and Moto. I’ll leave this for you to figure out.

Nokia 1100 isn’t a smart phone, let me know when you change the subject.

Windows 7 is bad? man, the 90’s Windows Me disaster ended. Where have you been?

so you have tiny little servant hobbit in your iphone called Siri? how cute…

Never said Nokia 1100 was a smartphone I used it as an example to prove to you popularity doesn’t mean better. Do you believe the Nokia 1100 is the best phone in the world? Is a Camry better than an Mercedes S-Class just because it’s more popular?

You’re comparison is broken. Popularity is a measurement when 2 products are in competition of serving the same purpose and market segment. You cannot compare a Camry to an S-Class but you can compare the lexus to it and then you can judge by popularity. Similarly with smartphones.

That’s not how it works. Popularity doesn’t mean better and camry and s-class can be compared since they both serve the purpose of transporting you. But if you want more direct how about windows xp vs windows 7? Xp is more popular but do you think it’s better? 😉

Win 7 is the sequel to XP. They’re not competing products that are launched against each other. Additionally, it is the natural course of software upgrade process that the version popularity will move gradually from the older to the newer version.

In Android for example, The previous version (Ginger Bread) is still more dominant over the newer version (Icecream Sandwich). But they’re not competing.

Dude 🙂 stop messing with me 😛

so i can’t compare cars to cars and now i can’t compare os to os. I guess based on that thinking you can’t compare android to ios since they’re both different os’s.

as I said, compare all you want but when products are in competition of serving the same purpose and market segment. Win XP doesn’t compete Win 7, it’s a sequel. Camry doesn’t compete a Mercedes, different class and different market segment.

iOS VS Android is valid when you consider a high-end hardware Android phone since Apple doesn’t have a range yet. Additionally, some people argue that Android is internet service oriented while iPhone is more towards the user experience.

Well…. This is an endless debate. But choosing a mobile or mobile OS is purely depends on the persons.
I am not a socialite person and a total geek.. so I prefer the mobile give me freedom. And that is Droid.
I am not a Nokia or Iphone hater. Used all from Symbian to IOS to Winmo and Droid.
Currently I prefer Droid on any other OS.
You have tons of options in Droid. And IOS no choice other than Iphone.
Winmo for the time being very new. Still a kid and it will remain Kid

It’s futile to argue with an Android brainwashed fanboy, if that OS is so great, why they didn’t make it before the first iPhone (2007) as simple as that, that’s if the iPhone cloned “most” of the Android innovative techs? if the Androiders are so geeky and smart and all that, why Google and Samsung whining about Apple’s touchscreen patent? why they don’t create/invent (like from scratch) a new technology to at least let the whole world admire their efforts… for once..

Honestly Patrick, a big part of Android’s appeal is that people like you don’t like it. I’m not trying to be insulting, but that is truly how I feel.

What a coincidence, a big part of the iPhones appeal is that people like you don’t like it. I’m not trying to be insulting, but that is truly how I feel.

My closed system hasn’t infected my phone with a trojan that took over my twitter account which is what happened with two friends who were using the “open system” android phone.

1. Since the iPhone came out first then Android users are much less biased since they went with Android after seeing or possibly using iPhone. That tells you that these people either made an honest comparison or hate something so much in the iPhone, enough to make them ditch it. Additionally, I don’t see the relation between greatness and market leadership.
2. Yes, in the current state; Apple stopped making new things. They just copy features of Android and the jailbroken iOS but most of the time they spend their time suing others. That’s why they gave you a bad implementation of cloud services and a buggy new iOS.
3. This is the patent you’re talking about:
“[a] computer-implemented method, for use in conjunction with a portable multifunction device with a touch screen display, [that] comprises displaying a portion of page content, including a frame displaying a portion of frame content and also including other content of the page, on the touch screen display”

You haven’t seen touchscreens before the iPhone?
Or you want a touchless interface? I opt for attaching a mouse to my android…happy? You know they couldn’t use this patent to sue anyone, right?

create/invent? do you seriously know the difference between an awarded patent and an innovative idea?

Saad I can understand why you’re so passionate about Android but you can’t just say stuff without providing sources.

1- What’s the percentage of iPhone users that shifted to Android? What’s the percentage of Android users who shifted to iPhone?

2- By stopped making new things you mean what exactly? Isn’t Siri a new thing? Isn’t the 4S camera a new thing? Isn’t cloud a new thing? What about their newstand?

3- Have you even read the original patent? I’m guessing you haven’t since you think it’s a patent for just a touch screen. The patent file is 63 pages long and is called “List Scrolling and Document Translation, Scaling, and Rotation on a Touch-Screen Display””

For those interested here is a link to the patent pdf https://www.google.com/patents?id=n7WxAAAAEBAJ&zoom=4&pg=PA1#v=onepage&q&f=false

So as I said you can’t just state random things without actually providing a source.

1- There are 2 scenarios, Android being first smartphone of a user or a transition from iPhone. Regardless of the source, look up all reporting companies of current market share for smartphones OS. You will see Android with over 50% market share but device-wise, it will be the iPhone since the Android is available from multiple hardware manufacturers.
2- If you consider the customizable Android desktop (widgets, live wallpaper, transition effects) as an enhanced clone of iPhone’s desktop interface. Then Siri is basically an enhanced clone of Android’s voice commands. For the cloud, it doesn’t even come close to Android’s. I can literally throw my Android out the window and get a new one and all I need is to log-in with my google account.
3- No I won’t read a 62 pages patent. Nonetheless, I would if I had to since it’s part of my job. There are millions of patents are there and very few are usable or realistic. Most of Apple’s patents are vague, broad or silly to a point that they couldn’t use them in court. I’m not gonna quote the whole internet for you; it’s full of whining Apple fanboys and unrealistic patents that aren’t doing any good. If you want something interesting, see this https://www.engadget.com/2012/01/05/elan-apples-paying-us-5-million-for-multitouch-patents/

I am not against apple’s products, I am just against their approach to business and the mindset of their fanboys. Apple brought together multiple already-existing technologies in one package and under one eco-system and did amazing marketing. It produced easy-to-use products and they appealed to many people including those afraid of technology. Just like facebook, they did not invent the social network but they succeeded at it. Nonetheless, they aren’t the innocent apple that they seem to be. They try to get as much patents as they can regardless of their usefulness only to use it as a weapon to crush competition when they can and obviously that didn’t work well. Why do we have to think of patents as that novel idea that came from a company out of their kindness to humanity. Patent is a tool now, a business tool and Apple is running a business; they want money. Don’t get me started on their marketing…Time Capsule 😮 Retina Display 😮 …hello backup and highres LCD. Nothing new buddy.

Android is hated by apple fanboys because it does not tickle them in the same way apple does. It’s straight forward, it’s blunt and it’s geeky. It does not help you fantasize of living the Minority Report. Google treats technology from the IT-guy point of view, not the marketing people. Yes the phones are ugly and the OS can look messy but at the end of the day it dominated the market. You don’t have to accept it but this is the situation.

Android is a cheap IOs clone?
I think you meant The clone that suppressed the Original that actually “Works Out Of The Box” upon purchase. Inb4 Cloud.

Don’t bother to reply me. Too lazy.

same as it is futile to argue with an apple evangelist. We’ve all been there after the first couple of years of the iphone launch: apple woo-hoo fanboys so attached to their obsession to the extent of having their self-image attacked by not embracing that obsession. It takes an open mind to try something different. Most of these “Android brainwashed fanboys” you call owned iphones previously, which should be you first hint. Maybe it’s better we go back to criticizing burgers; i agree.

ANDROID O BASS

WIL BAJI KHASSSSSSS

now ignore the footnote

*Secret Apple fan boy who is tired of seeing his beloved iPhone in the hands of EVERYONE

Atm i have both the galaxy nexus and the nokia lumia. Trust me the nokia sucks unbeilavbly after using it for a while.

Damn – what happened to this since I left my comment. Yikes.

Maybe the reason a lot of people have this need to hate the iPhone, is because it seems that everything that comes on the iPhone, is accepted with great amazement by iOS fans – where the same thing has been available on other platforms for a while; but all of a sudden now its the next big thing and everyone starts convincing others that it was the best thing since kunafa.

Here is why I still use Android, and these are things that I am sure are soon to come to iOS and then everyone will be – again – wowed and amazed.

1. Ability to browse the app store online – from any computer – and push apps to my device. Unless you have an Android device, you cannot appreciate what a big advantage this is. I can sit at the office, browse the market, buy an app, and it will be downloaded automatically to my device. This is not possible with iOS; you have to use the device (not really ideal, especially if its the iPhone); or a computer with iTunes. Give you an easy example – suppose you are at the office; you browse Gizmodo and like their ‘App of the Day’. Now you have to search for the same app on your iphone/ipad. For Android users – its simple – click on the link in the browser, sign in (if you haven’t already), and then download.

2. Integration with other services – for example, unified contacts; native SIP/VoIP integration – on my Android, I can directly call someone using Skype without having to open Skype and having to call them from there.

3. Live widget on the screen, especially for social services like twitter and facebook. One tap to send an update. In fact the entire widgets interface.

4. Sharing. Simple to explain – take a photo, and try to send it to your friend’s laptop via bluetooth. I still don’t know why I can’t do this from the iPhone.

5. Make it your own – themes, widgets, home screen customization, launchers. Its all about what you want and how you want. iOS – others control this; but at least iOS users have a wide variety of covers for their devices.

6. The advantages of being an open platform. Tons of hardware choices (for each budget); and also open to scrutiny. This also means (as others have discovered), that you have to be smart about what you download. I love people that go ahead and download pirated games on Android, then complain that Android sucks.

Right now, my biggest annoyance with Android – and this is a big one:

1. For the love of God – put some filter on the Android Market for tablet applications – and make them easier to find.

I really like Apple’s hardware (I love my Macbook Pro), but their iOS platform, I just can’t get behind it.

The rest of you guys, thanks for the entertainment! I just wish I had remembered to bring some popcorn.

The iphone will end up like the Nintendo Wii. Yes everyone loved it when it first came out and ran to buy one, and Yes mothers and grandmothers kept buying it for its accessibility . But now you only hook it up when you have a toddler in your house who keeps bugging you about your Galaxy S2.

The post is about a windows phone, yet you purposely inserted a sentence trashing the android. This is called flame bait, and is a classical symptom of fanboyism.

Really, think about it. You say you are a huge iOS fan, followed by a sentence saying that Androids are cheap clones of iOS. You wonder about all those misguided and blind souls who chose the wrong path, why do they do this to themselves? Why would anyone choose Android? Can’t they see the truth that thy Steve Jobs hath revealeth?

…In a post about a windows phone!

I’m not getting your point.

I don’t like android and i stated that in my post. What’s the problem? It started an interesting debate between ios and android is that a bad thing? What’s your problem if we want to battle it out on which os is better? If you don’t enjoy debates just skip the comments.

I have Nokia Lumia 800 and I love it. I ordered it from Amazon UK. If I were you, I wait for Nokia Lumia 900.

Windows Phone 7 OS is awesome and most essenial apps are available and growing.

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