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kshah

Windows 7 Phone Actual User Review And Discussion

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Revival of WINDOWS PHONE 7 thread on Rimweb (Hopefully)

I am on WP7, LG C-900 known as AT & T, LG QUANTUM, unlocked GSM since last 10 days.

Brief phone review:

PHONE (Hardware related)

Screen is TFT with high resolution so look good.

Build is strong and heavy.

Keys are pretty stiff so somewhat inconvenient

Design and placement of Fn key and SHIFT key is very stupid.

1500 mAh batter gives reasonable life on GSM as usual 3G battery life s*cks

1 Ghz CPU, 512 MB RAM and dedicated GPU makes phone snappier.

Camera is excellent and HD video recording is of great quality.

OS related

If one uses (especially android / symbian / WM6 - 6.5 user) phone with NoDo OS, it is not difficult to understand why WP7 failed utterly to grab any attention from users. Basically it is designed keeping iOS in mind, I mean because iOS did not supported multitasking MS guys chose not to risk using their brains. Now that iOS support multitasking, they are trying to offer limited / so called multitasking with MANGO update.

However minimalistic approach towards UI is appealing. It may appear dull and boring as home screen or UI allows practically zero customization. But I am sure it is not a great constrain when compared to other limitations.

What I liked about WP7 (MANGO)

Minimalistic UI.

Tweaks are possible through age old technique of REGISTRY

I liked stock mail client. Its good. Mail client support pinch to zoom.

Big fonts on UI.

contact and calender sync as good as android and flawless..

Face book is integrated (I am not facebook user but many people may like it)

IE9 is fast and renders web page precisely. I have not checked for flash support

What I do not like

Pre Mango

1. No multitasking

2. No IM support

3. Browser (IE7)

4. Very limited apps. (Because of policy of MS regarding developer)

5. Small community (now growing).

6. Tiniest possible fonts once inside UI (No customization possible).

MANGO

1. No real multitasking as on now (may be apps limitation) I am not sure.

2. No availability of good quality IM

3. Tiniest possible fonts once inside UI.

4. Very limited apps. (Because of policy of MS regarding developer)

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Good one Sir,

please put some points on Apps / market also

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Nice Review Sir. +1 :)

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I will, tomorrow when time permit

Sent from my LG-C900 using Board Express

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Good to see u Starting a Review on Windows Phone.

Hope More Windows Users to Pop in & Share there views

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This thread has come at a right time. Thanks.

I got my Samsung Focus today. So far, it looks great.

Waiting for the unlock code which i bought from eBay. Expecting to get it later tonight.

Edited by mgdelhi

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So do you guys see as a serious competition to android or iphone?

Sent from my MB525 using Tapatalk

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Screenshots plz :hypocrite:

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Good topic Kalpakbhai. Thanks. QWERT keyboard choice was expected from loyal Epic user..

Windows Phone 7 mobiles does not seem to challenge any competitor except a challenge for Microsoft itself. Too many glaring omissions, drawbacks for it to be a mainstream mobile OS which can take on either Android or iOS. The current generation devices like LG Quantum & Samsung Focus may fulfill the desires of some to have a decent spec smartphone on the cheap. Users who have played with high end Androids are unlikely to favour it as their main handset. Can be a secondary device or a good option for non smartphone users in the family to get one at economy. Even the price advantage with similar specs androids have been reducing in last 3 months with Android handset prices dropping.

Between Samsung Focus and LG Quantum, Focus should be a better bet if QWERT keyboard is not essential for you. As such Windows 7 phone should not require a physical keyboard as it has one of the best virtual keyboards out there. Focus also has Micro SD Card slot, perhaps the only other Win7 phone after Dell Venue Pro. None of the other has it. And Focus has Amoled display.

But Focus users, beware.. Don't remove your Micro SD card ever after you start using the phone. Your entire data may go for a toss and phone may do a factory reset. Read somewhere that because Microsoft never intended to allow use of Micro SD Cards, the OS internally combines the phone storage with card storage and uses it as one. Kind of software RAID in desktop OS.

I don't know but MANGO & other updates might have solved some of the most idiotic annoyances like not able to choose your own ring tone with a music file. Can you believe that!!! Rs 2,000 Chinese phones do that..

And what is the status of turn by turn navigation? Wasn't there earlier.. May be solved now.. Also no maps can be installed locally? And screen rotation issues in QWERT keyboard handsets? Only in few modules screen rotates and not in all!!!

Well enough of the grouse list.. (It's only a sampler.. Not the complete one..)

The point is i am reasonably aware of Windows 7 phone advantages and may be considering it for a member in family..

But it's the drawbacks which scares me as don't have the courage to face the music later on by that person telling me.. આના કરતા અમારો નોકિયા શું ખોટો હતો? (What was so terribly wrong with our good old nokia as compared to this..?)

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@ Genius

Market is very small as compared to APPLE and ANDROID and I am sure it will remain small as Microsoft charges US $ 99 per year to developer to list their apps. By default installing apps on WP7 is not supported except market / zune from back up. WP7 also do not have real file system (may be not accessible on LG as on now for me) So double clicking .xap file and installation is not possible.

Another interesting part is when one tries to download apps from market, it support only one download thread at a time. Another interesting observation is when I try to download big file of say 20 MB on 3G, windows scream and does not download file untill on wifi. So WP7 still assumes that phone is not suppose to DARE venturing into NET on its own. It needs ADULT companion. LOL

We are so used to see thousands of reviews on android so few or few tens on WP7 market seems funny.

However app quality appear to be reasonable - primary feeling. Gamers are happy with XBOX live. I have not even bothered to check it.

@Tanveer

It does not appear to be serious threat to Android / iOS. However it may worth considering for non tech savvy people who like simplicity and functionality over customization.

@ SSR

Screen shots are difficult as I am on MANGO update. For screen shot third party app named WINDOWS PHONE DEVICE MANAGER do not capture screens. May be in short time they will come out with solution.

If interested to know UI, you may download developer SDK and check on simulator.

@Rajan

Removing SD is disaster however I think most WP7 are provided with huge onboard memory.

There appear no reason to believe that WP7 has best virtual KB. It is YET ANOTHER VIRTUAL KEYBOARD. I am not aware if SWYPE or similar keyboards are available on other makes.

I don't know but MANGO & other updates might have solved some of the most idiotic annoyances like not able to choose your own ring tone with a music file. Can you believe that!!! Rs. 2,000 Chinese phones do that..

I do not see any option yet on MANGO for ringtone customization. :Sonrojado:

Screen do not rotate on HOME, PHONE, MUSIC and VIDEO, MARKET etc. Remember it can rotate only if it ever rotated in iPHONE on all screens. Else it is so unfair to demand it from WP7.

However as a secondary phone with QWERTY and for basic mail functions its a good phone at this price. Problem these days with CDMA is very very poor battery life in Ahmdabad so I have no other choice but to keep separate phone for email.

So far I have not seen any app for OFFLINE navigation and also I have not used MAPS so far

Edited by kshah
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That's pretty much what i wanted to know, today market should be strong i guess for set to survive.

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@Kshah: To deploy .xap files You need to developer unlock your phone.

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@ bhutoria

Thanks.

Sent from my SPH-D700 using Tapatalk

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I have a basic query here. Is it possible for the phone OS to be changed similar to what can be done on a PC? I mean like we can shift from Windows to Linux? Is it possible to shift from say Win to Android?

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Technically it is imminently possible to do so. Just requires the necessary hardware drivers and porting the OS to work on that hardware. But in real life, it is not as pervasive/easy as you can change the OS on your PC. Devs and enthusiast community keep on doing that on few devices regularly but it has it's limitations like full hardware capabilities of the phone may not work on another OS.

Some examples.. HTC HD7 essentially a Windows 7 phone runs Android

There have been examples of even iPhone running android in dual boot scenario..

But all this is more in the realm of accomplishing a challenge then widespread everyday use..

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My view on WM7 Phone is like :bash::ranting:

Why the hell they changed their way, W6.1 and 6.5 was good OS, was having lots of things to do.

Looks like some newB from MS is the main developer of this, not even explorer ?

Cant set your own ringtone ...Hell

its like WM6-6.5 was win XP then they say we got better product and gave us buggy Vista(WM7)

only win 8 will help them.....

its an unfinished product. you cant even call its BETA, it pre-alfa

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Yes the initial reviews were so that I never thought of getting one.

One more dropout in the line was Kin-one trust me I had got that phone it didn't had copy paste, nor it fwd SMS ------WHAT ------ yes no contact sync too........ And goes on..

It was beta beta beta of win7 mobile I think.

I loved metro UI though also tested it in windows 8 developer preview, looks very good now one os for all.

Taptalk on ™iPad 2

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I have a basic query here. Is it possible for the phone OS to be changed similar to what can be done on a PC? I mean like we can shift from Windows to Linux? Is it possible to shift from say Win to Android?

Basically No. But in some cases it is possible if the resources are available and the developers are ready to invest time in it. Like N900 has Android ported even though it came pre-installed with MeeGo. So is with Samsung Wave S8500 as it has Bada installed in it but Android port is Half complete.

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@Hitesh ji & Genius: With the Windows Mobile 7.5 Mango update the majority of issues are solved. Moreover, with Mango WP7 is still a worthy contender. Microsoft's tie-up with Nokia also ensures that it is not going to die a pre-mature death. I like the Metro UI. Another point is that Microsoft has set a minimum hardware requirements clause for manufacturers which will make sure the marke is not flooded with all sort of screen resolutions. The only worry is Pricing.

http://www.engadget.com/2011/09/27/windows-phone-7-5-mango-review/

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^^^

We very well know, how MS fix the issues, :censored3::nerves:

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@Hitesh Ji: What happened, you seem to be very annoyed with MS.

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Microsoft-Approved Windows Phone 7 Unlocker Goes Live

Source

chevron-winphone7-logo.jpg

Let the great Windows Phone 7 unlocking begin! ChevronWP7, the Microsoft-sanctioned Windows Phone unlocker, went live today. The project is aimed at "hobbyist developers," giving owners of WP7 handsets the ability to run and test unsigned apps on their phones. Interested parties need a Windows Live ID and $9 to sign up -- that price'll give you unlimited unlocks on a single phone.

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i'm planning to buy the samsung omnia w , really impressed with windows phone 7 ( mango) , just waiting for the price to drop below 18k ...

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I was thinking for opting for a Windows 7.5 Handset HTC Radar abd found following for Windows 7.5:

1. No way to back up SMS.

2. No way to send SMS from PC

3. Lacks PC suite all dependcy on Zune that can work for Music Audio / Video only

4. Cant sync Contacts with PC directly

5. Bluetooth cant transfer files to other Mobiles

6. For ringtones files have to be of fixed Size and fixed duration.

So Windows mobile lacks many basic features

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