ScottC

Then you have clearly made up your mind about it - WP7 is not for you. I'd recommend Android or iOS, or alternatively, find a Windows Mobile 6.5 phone like the HD2. Personally I think you are missing out on a fantastic OS, and it is a shame you can't give it a chance.

ByrdluvsAWACO

I read that some phones actually toast sd cards if they're not a specific type. Your card may no longer be readable.

That's exactly what I was thinking. The HD2 looks like its the most versatile phone on the market today. It would be nice to have one that can dual boot WM 6.5 and Android. iOS is not an option at all.

Unfortunately, MS decided to go the iOS route and remove the useability of Windows. Believe it when I say that I am very disappointed that I will have to abandon the Windows platform.

DYKWIA

So, that's a no then

ScottC

The thing is - Microsoft went the direction that everyone wants them to go. I have an HD2 in front of me, and I find the thing to be a total piece of crap. By the time WM 6.5 was skinned with Sense, the whole OS was a horrible mess. There are a lot of interface tweaks, but a well dressed turd still stinks.

WP7 offers what the masses want - no messing with file systems or other crap. It just works, it is fast, it looks good.

So yes - people who like their phone to be more PC than phone will be disappointed in WP7.

Have you considered something like the Nokia N900? Maemo may be right up your alley - and once MeeGo comes out, it may do even more of what you want.

Jimmie76

Welcme to FT.

wco81

Another account of sales:


http://wmpoweruser.com/windows-phone...d-performance/

tony2x

I have my WP7 phone, have had it for a few weeks now and I absolutely love it. The only downside is the relative lack of apps but once there is a turn by turn nav app, Angry Birds and a couple of others available the iPhone will be on eBay.

It is the UI that does it for me, I love the 'at a glance' live tiles on the homepage and the general smoothness and modern feel of it.

I got the HTC HD7 because the Samsung Omnia isn't available here yet which was my first choice.

UALOneKPlus

Garbage is pretty harsh. I'd like to see your review after a few weeks or months with it. Right now it sounds like you love the idea of something new.

To me, the WP7 UI is so simple, like going back to a RAZR UI. I loved the RAZR when I first got it, but I was soon frustrated with what it couldn't do.

WP7 is like that. It's something new and exciting, but it's so limiting and has so many shortcoming. Soon the honeymoon period will be over and we'll see what happens.

I've had Android for over a year and I still love it, by far the best OS for mobile phones. I've always hated the Zune UI, and I suspect WP7 will be the same. Playing with it in the stores made me dislike it even more.

nkedel

THe big difference between it an the RAZR UI limitations is there were no major firmware upgrades nor apps (in the sense we know them today; I think the RAZR was new enough to do downloadable j2me or brew games, but they were pretty minimal.)

So many of the limitations of the WP7 platform are likely to go away - some of them pretty soon in the grand scheme of things, assuming (probably safely) that this is a project that M$FT has a serious commitment to. MSFT is still a company with very deep pockets - there have been a few flash-in-the-pan projects that have died swiftly and others that have languished underresourced for years.

In fact, I suspect that even some of the limitations which are by-design in terms of iPhone-like locked-down-ness may get eased; MSFT does not have the ideological purity or heavy consumer focus of Jobs' shop.

moman

The more I use WP7 the more I like it. This is becoming the phone of my dreams. So far it's rock-solid stable and having Zune integration means that it syncs up my podcasts automatically in a way I've never experienced before. Bing maps not only shows locations, it shows satellite pictures as well.

All in all, WP7 is a very well put together product. Once the next release is out, with cut/paste, multitasking, and outlook tasks, it will be the best phone available.

rybob1

I know I'm a little late to this discussion, but I wanted to share my impressions of the Windows Phone - both as a user and a developer.

I've tried every major platform, other than Blackberry, starting with Windows Mobile 5 in roughly 2005-ish. I stuck with Microsoft through WM 6.1, when I finally got fed up and switched to the iPhone 3G, followed by WM6.5, switching to Android and finally landing on the Samsung Focus via AT&T.

After having the phone for roughly 2 months now, the hardware/graphics of the phone still blow me away. Its a big clear screen, slim comfortable size that fits easily in my pocket, and is incredibly light weight. The plastic however is a bit on the slippery side, and found I needed a case to help protect it and give me a bit more of a grip on the device.

Software, Microsoft calls their new UI "Metro", and I love the simplicity of it, but hate/hated the lack of customization of it. Meaning, your background color on the main screen can be either black or white, but they suggest you don't use white because it will use your battery quicker. The tile can be one of 12 or so colors, including pink purple, brown, lime, orange, green, blue, red and a few others. No option for picking a custom color.

Additionally, each developer has the option of creating their own tile that will appear in the app menu, or the main menu, when you "pin" something to it. I find that the richness of the majority of the app icons give the phone a more polished feel to it.

Some of the things I am happy about with the phone/OS:

What I don't like:

Overall, I'm very happy with phone and software, and feel it is a major improvement for Microsoft, and while it doesn't yet put them on the same playing field as Apple, I do believe the Windows Phone is just as good as the Android, but I know other will disagree.

As a developer, I find the phone incredibly easy to develop on, and it is using the same technologies, mostly, that I use to develop applications for the standard PC, and the web.

Finally, I'd kinda like to take a minute as a developer, and plug my new app, for anyone that does have a Windows Phone. It just hit the marketplace yesterday, and is called "Tail Tracker". It allows you to search the FAA registration on any FAA registered airplane. The app will provide you with the information on the owner, airplane, seats, engines and any pictures from the web. I'm working on an update that will make it more social, allowing to to tag the tail as being at a certain airport, and being able to see a history on all of the places that a tail has been seen. If you want to try it out, its free, and a link to it is in my signature.

wco81

Do WP7 phones come with turn-by-turn navigation?

Or is there a third-party app. like Navigon or TomTom yet?

How are the Bing maps in Europe, compared to the Google maps?

Looking at a GPS for an upcoming trip to Europe. Garmin Nuvi 3790 is $400. But the HTC HD7 unlocked is $480 from an Amazon seller.

QuietLion

I'm very happy with the battery life, speed, and aesthetics. Eagerly awaiting ical support and more apps. The maps app has turn-by-turn directions, but not spoken aloud.

Good integration with live.com mail, calendar, and appointments if you're willing to put your life in the cloud.

QL

broadwayblue

In a word, no. After years of waiting for a decent Win Mo OS I moved on...and I don't see myself leaving Android any time soon.

ScottC

I'm the same - but that is because Android is so much more mature. I'd be interested to see where WP7 is in 6 months or a year. It can only get better.