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I thought I'd start a review page for the Touchpad. I got my Touchpad on Tuesday and have spent a good bit of time with it. In general, I see a lot of potential. I am disappointed that it took so long and isn't better than it is.
Now I understand most of the poor reviews that the unit has gotten. Comparing a first generation product with a 2nd or 3rd generation product doesn't is not likely to be very positive. But, most of us thought, between HP and Palm, the unit would be a lot further along. Perhaps HP is too big to be creative and responsive enough for a fast moving market like phones and tablets. However, to be fair, the things the unit does well, it does very well. And, what it doesn't do well, it generally doesn't do at all.
First, the weight. Personally, I like the feel of it. A few ounces either way really doesn't make much difference. It has a good balance and feels solid.
Second, the WebOS. I am new to it, but so far, I am impressed. The multitasking is really well done. The setup on the unit was simple and logically organized. There is a somewhat intuitive feel to the interface, even though if I knew more, it might be even better.
I setup my Exchange client with no problems and it works well. I will try to add some more accounts later for testing.
Now for the items I am disappointed with. I know it sounds like I don't like the unit, but I do, and it is so close. But, unfortunately, close only counts in horseshoes and nuclear war.
First, as far as I can tell, whoever designed this either never used an iPad or Android tablet or didn't use it much. They don't understand the first rule of the smart device market: You have to have some key working software. Okay, there is some, but in general, it is a real disappointment. There will be lots of other things needed, but everyone wants video, music, news, and a way to move data around. A lot of people will want a time manager, too. If you missed that in the design, you missed the key items.
It plays MP3s well, but without Pandora, it doesn't really matter much.
The worst thing so far is that the video player is useless. Most of the videos I see and use are AVIs and they don't work at all. And only about half of the MP4's have worked so far. One of the top priorities needs to be a movie player that isn't useless. Something like VitalPlayer for the Android.
You also need a good news reader. If you have an Android you get News360 or Pulse. Where is the comparable product?
Oh, by the way, it isn't terribly easy to find anything in the Appstore. It doesn't give enough granularity. It is hard to find the diamonds amoung the trash.
The other item that is needed is a file manager. Something like ES File Explorer on the Android. It allows you to move files from the LAN to the Local file structure and to move files inside the unit. I know the idea is that WEBOS handles it. But as far as I can tell, I have to hook up to a PC to move files. There is a paid app in the app store, but it doesn't do enough.
I have used Android up to this point. A year ago, it was pretty bad. But, today it is a great competitor. WEBOS can be there, too, but it can't take very long or there won't be a market. If HP is counting on business users only, they are probably DOA. From what I have seen, other than e-mail, business use takes a back seat to personal applications on tablets.
What do you think?
7-25-2011 It is getting better
Today, I downloaded KalemSoft Media Player and Gemini File Manger. They each fill at least part of the gap in the functionality of the Touchpad. The KamelSoft Media Player has added considerable functionality to the media play including additional codecs for AVI, etc. And, the MP4s that didn't work with the built in player seem to work with it. It is a $6.99 item but, so far, it seems to be a good investment. I had to add an app to my Android 2.2 unit to get the same capabilities, so it is makes sense that I will have to do the same for a first generation WEBOS tablet, I guess.
The Gemini File Manager is a valuable addition, because it has a nice two column, full screen, interface and has networking capablities. Currently it only works with Dropbox. But it is a step in the right direction. I had to download a file manager, ES File Manager, with this functionality for my Android also, but it was free. ES File Manager allows local network connection, which is pretty useful. This is pretty inexpensive at $2.99 though.
Last week, I downloaded SpaZ HD Beta Preview 1 to use as a Twitter client. It is worth a look. I have enjoyed learning how to use it.
I have download several news readers, but so far nothing that is as good as Pulse or News 360. NewsRoom is a start, but it is still in the phone format.
Pandora works, but it is in the phone format. And, that doesn't really matter much to the functionality.
So things are coming along. With a few more apps, it will be almost as good as my Android for my daily use. Android and iPad have a lot of apps, but how many are of any real use?
There are a few things missing. A working RDP app is essential for small businesses. A solid time management package that interfaces with Quickbooks would be useful, also.
Agreed, thanks for that review
Sent from my Nexus S 4G using XDA Premium App
Well, I am wrong about at least one thing. There is a Pandora app. It works, but it is a phone app and takes a little getting used to. But, it seems to work well.
I bought Newroom hoping it will be like Pulse. It is also a phone app and will take some work to get used to. But it might do some of what I want until a better app comes along. I also bought TapNote for Touchpad which I think will be a good tool, and Internalz, so I can get to the file structure. It is a phone app, so it will be a little strange until it is upgraded.
I downloaded TED, which is a source for seminars that seem to be pretty diverse. The first one I watched was great. It showed off the video pretty well.
I'm still impressed.
I prefer to buy the Touchpad than iPad. Because Touchpad is a way better than other tablets but is a bit buggy yet, but with time and devs, all can be solved.
Good luck with devs and with OTAs touch pad FAIL and webOS phones are butt ugly with a nice OS
Sent from my PC36100 using XDA Premium App
I actually want to buy a touchpad....only if it doesn't become a dead system and gets reasonable support compared to android and iOS from developers
I would have to add that the font rendering is the ugliest since Windows 3.11. Seriously. The UI itself is beautiful, but reading web pages or mails hurts your eyes after a few minutes. The fonts look like they are smudged, like the screen is blurry. It is a huge fail and the biggest downside IMO. Sure, application load times are really bad, and there are no apps. But apps only need to be loaded once, and the number of apps might change. The incredibly distracting font rendering won't go away
Send an email to: Leo Apotheker, Sean Robison & Steve DeWitt. They need to hear from you.
First name.Last [email protected]
Think it's Stephen but will check. No hear back from me then it's that.
Sent from my Sapphire/dream using XDA App
Can only print to HP printers.
-1. My HP laptops can print to my Canon printer
Can't wait for Android on this thing
I bought one of the firesale units and starting playing with it. I have some questions:
1) It don't seem to support ad-hoc wireless networks. Is there any software I can add or configuration change I can make to change this? I have a Windows Mobile cell phone that can share its connection over wifi, but its ad-hoc only.
2) I put some pdfs and an m4v and flv video on the device, organized in folders. I go in acrobat reader and it seems to find the pdfs, but just puts them in a single list, rather than showing the file hierarchy. I would like to be able to browse the file hierarchy and touch a file and have it open in an appropriate player or reader. I have a lot of pdfs to put in the device and they need to be organized, not one big list.
3) Acrobat reader and Quick Office seem to be a little slow to load. I am wondering if there is an app that is quick loading that will show a file hierarchy and show or play pdf files and videos, similar to GoodReader for ipad?
4) Is there anything that will play .flv video files? The m4v video showed up in the photo viewer, but not the .flv
Thanks in advance.
guyandhisdog said:
Can only print to HP printers.
-1. My HP laptops can print to my Canon printer
Can't wait for Android on this thing
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
So can my Lenovo laptop.
But this isn't a HP laptop.
Sent from my HTC Sensation Z710e
I know its not a HP laptop. Just sayin, one HP product can and one (newer) can't. That = -1
anyone else notice that this thing seems to crash/freeze alot? have to reboot quite often.
treestump said:
anyone else notice that this thing seems to crash/freeze alot? have to reboot quite often.
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Click to collapse
have u updated the pad? i've been playing with mine for 2 days and havent had a hang up or freeze yet.. u might have a faulty model
I haven't gotten my HP Touchpad yet. Heck, still listed as "shipping soon" from Amazon/eCost.
This may be useful for improving performance until we have Android running:
http://www.zdnet.com/blog/mobile-news/how-to-improve-the-performance-of-your-new-hp-touchpad/3866
hurrpancakes said:
So can my Lenovo laptop.
But this isn't a HP laptop.
Sent from my HTC Sensation Z710e
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I read a review that said you can print to other printers but its a bit harder. Don't no the details sorry but at least you can. (supposedly)
starfcker69 said:
I haven't gotten my HP Touchpad yet. Heck, still listed as "shipping soon" from Amazon/eCost.
This may be useful for improving performance until we have Android running:
http://www.zdnet.com/blog/mobile-news/how-to-improve-the-performance-of-your-new-hp-touchpad/3866
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Picked mine up Saturday morning and found that article yesterday. By all means do what it says, helps a lot. The more I use my touchpad the more I like it. Great little $100 investment IMO. Really wish there was a Wordfeud or Words with Friends app for it though. Preware should be installed on every WebOS device.
starfcker69 said:
I haven't gotten my HP Touchpad yet. Heck, still listed as "shipping soon" from Amazon/eCost.
This may be useful for improving performance until we have Android running:
http://www.zdnet.com/blog/mobile-news/how-to-improve-the-performance-of-your-new-hp-touchpad/3866
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Thanks a lot for this link! I don't even have my touchpad yet but i look forward to being able to poke around with it and get every ounce of performance possible.
Are there any other good resources for WebOS tweaks or mods? Ultimately i'll probably put android on this thing (once the devs do all the hard work) but in the meantime, i'd like to see just how usable the device is as-is.
my gripes:
browser - not as good as Android's. some pages had minor render issues, some menus didn't work right. some flash videos would not play.
browser - only way to go "back" is the back arrow at the top left corner so you have to keep your thumb near it.. awkward to hold. why no left swipe or something?
lists, any - no scroll bars! i added like 100 bookmarks then it's a pain in the ass to get from top to bottom. have to swipe down like 10 times
camera - no app is included to use it other than skype.
video player - videos files are shown as group of big icons, no way to change that to a list view, and the space allocated for the name does not have enough characters
no way to change the icons on the taskbar?
serious lack of good apps that are designed for touchpad .. maybe a dozen that i ended up keeping.
no included rss reader, calc, notes, etc.
i don't believe the Bing navi app has 3D mapping or live rerouting (for use with tether) and i didn't see any in the market.
no voice to text function ?
doesn't support mkv or avi out of the box (same for Android, iOS) .. have to reencode videos from usenet. there is a (1) paid app that can play these apparently, haven't tried it yet
no video out, rear camera, back / search / menu buttons, low-res screen, heavy... but you know that going in.
App Store - no sorting options (ie, #downloads, #reviews)
.....
things i like:
hardware is solid, battery life is impressive, viewing angles excellent, and the GUI looks polished. OS is reasonably responsive and stable (after ota update). basic functions (wifi, web, email, IM, a/v playback) work as expected.
good deal for $100.
I like my 32GB Touchpad so far, I applied the improvements and it does seem better, I have to try the overclock. It's good for the price I paid, but not for it's starting one. I'd still like to see Android on it and I hope there's more development both on webOS and Android for it.
For your news reading needs you could try the Mosaic app, it's similar to Pulse with its own twist.
os10 said:
my gripes:
no way to change the icons on the taskbar?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
You can by going into the Launcher and touching an app for a few seconds so you can move them around.
Other than a rooted Nook tablet I don't have much experience with Android. I'm coming from an iPhone4 and looking forward to something new.
What are the must have utilities and apps?
Any tips or must have, must do things?
I've seen doubletwist mentioned and Samsung uses Kies.
Looking forward to Note...
See the Guide for NOOBS sticky at the top of this forum ^^^^
thinguy said:
Other than a rooted Nook tablet I don't have much experience with Android. I'm coming from an iPhone4 and looking forward to something new.
What are the must have utilities and apps?
Any tips or must have, must do things?
I've seen doubletwist mentioned and Samsung uses Kies.
Looking forward to Note...
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I have never used kies with either my captivate or infuse. Don't see the need with other apps, as well as the fact that you can just drag and drop files onto your phone's storage. Syncing reminds me of an iphone, and is stupid in my opinion. Drag and drop allows you to only add the files you need/want, and is much faster in the long run.
I suggest using Google Music for your music, it automatically uploads up to 20,000 songs automatically from your itunes or windows media player to the cloud so that you can access them wherever.
If you use grooveshark at all, check out Dood's music streamer. Allows you to use grooveshark on the go without paying for premium service. If you have not used grooveshark before, check it out on your computer.
Google voice provides a simple, visual voicemail system, though I think I have read somewhere that the note has visual voicemail built in? Could be wrong.
XDA app is a must, though I assume you use that on your Nook already.
Dropbox is useful for documents, as well as google docs.
The note comes with S Note and other various apps that make use of the S pen.
Dolphin Browser HD is a great replacement browser that I have used with all of my androids.
Evernote is useful for taking notes that can be accessed on your phone or any computer. I hope the S pen can have some functionality with this app.
Root explorer is definitely worth the few bucks it costs to have access to all of the files on your phone.
Titanium backup is a must if you are into ROMing your devices, as it will allow you to restore your apps after every flash with ease. The free version works, but you have to approve every app install. I suggest buying the full version, as the restore process is fully automated and can run in the background or with your screen off, making the process much less cumbersome.
Other than that, we will have to wait and see if apps such as rom manager and such will be of any use to the flashing process once the devs get their hands on the device and start pumping out custom roms.
OP, i'm also as green as you on the Android platform. I have an iphone 4s and got the Note just to explore Android.
jpeg42 said:
See the Guide for NOOBS sticky at the top of this forum ^^^^
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Have you read it? Its just Android definitions and reserved spots for future use. No specific info on tips, advice or apps.
welchertc said:
I have never used kies with either my captivate or infuse. Don't see the need with other apps, as well as the fact that you can just drag and drop files onto your phone's storage. Syncing reminds me of an iphone, and is stupid in my opinion. Drag and drop allows you to only add the files you need/want, and is much faster in the long run.
I suggest using Google Music for your music, it automatically uploads up to 20,000 songs automatically from your itunes or windows media player to the cloud so that you can access them wherever.
If you use grooveshark at all, check out Dood's music streamer. Allows you to use grooveshark on the go without paying for premium service. If you have not used grooveshark before, check it out on your computer.
Google voice provides a simple, visual voicemail system, though I think I have read somewhere that the note has visual voicemail built in? Could be wrong.
XDA app is a must, though I assume you use that on your Nook already.
Dropbox is useful for documents, as well as google docs.
The note comes with S Note and other various apps that make use of the S pen.
Dolphin Browser HD is a great replacement browser that I have used with all of my androids.
Evernote is useful for taking notes that can be accessed on your phone or any computer. I hope the S pen can have some functionality with this app.
Root explorer is definitely worth the few bucks it costs to have access to all of the files on your phone.
Titanium backup is a must if you are into ROMing your devices, as it will allow you to restore your apps after every flash with ease. The free version works, but you have to approve every app install. I suggest buying the full version, as the restore process is fully automated and can run in the background or with your screen off, making the process much less cumbersome.
Other than that, we will have to wait and see if apps such as rom manager and such will be of any use to the flashing process once the devs get their hands on the device and start pumping out custom roms.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Thanks, I forget that it can be handled like a normal usb device/storage.
I need to try Dolphin, using Opera on Nook now and it's better than the default but still lacking. The firefox app seems terrible/incomplete.
thinguy said:
Other than a rooted Nook tablet I don't have much experience with Android. I'm coming from an iPhone4 and looking forward to something new.
What are the must have utilities and apps?
Any tips or must have, must do things?
I've seen doubletwist mentioned and Samsung uses Kies.
Looking forward to Note...
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I use a captivate and have used froyo and gingerbread. I suspect you will find the gingerbread used on the g-note okay but not as polished and as smooth as your iOS. That said, the new android ICS (using cm9 alpha, build 16) is is incredible. Smooth, clean, powerful and intuitive. A pleasure to use, I believe It offers the best of both worlds. The ease of apple and the configurable power of android.
Since you have a nook you can try it out, the nook ics rom is very usable and will give you a hint of the g-note goodness to come with the ics operating system the xda guys will cook up. I have a nook to, and if you have rooted it, the ics install will be relatively simple.
The following list are some Apps you might find worth looking at, and depending on your interest, might even be worth paying for.
Music; I use Power Amp, paid app. clean seductive interface, lots of audio magic for the music lover, and great developer support.
Files; Webdav; paid ver. Nice little app let's you wireless mount your android as a drive so you can cut/paste files and folders as you would to and from any other drive on your PC. Great for lots of audio book files, movies, or just cleaning up your phone. You can use 3g instead of wifi but I've never tried it.
Podcasts; Dogcatcher, paid app. simply the best. Its biggest competition is Mypod. I used it for over a year, but never was able to get comfortable with its interface. Dogcatcher....you can just start using it, and it has lots of options.
Sling player, TV goodness, paid app and home box. Watch anything straight from your home cable, sat., or ota tuner, perfect if your a sports nut.
Launcher; Nova , free app. I am still testing but it is just so sexy and free so I figured I give it a mention.
Radio; Tune in , free app. music sports news radio stations with easy search presets. It is to good to be true but I haven't found a downside yet.
Browser; Dolphin HD, free app. I can't get excited about this one. It works, the speed is good, and it is not going to choke on flash. I would like to recommend Opera but it has been very buggy lately, I don't think it is playing nice with ics.
Google chrome is getting great reviews but it doesn't support flash. Then there is Boat browser and Quick Ics browser both show great promise but not sure about them yet.
I've got a G-note on order, for the lte and its monster screen. The thing is, since I got ics, my captivate is such a pleasure to use and play with I don't know how I'll survive waiting for a ics port.
Oh, and samsungs kies program might have some use but I've never found it.
Sent from my SGH-I897 using xda premium
vizographic said:
Browser; Dolphin HD, free app. I can't get excited about this one. It works, the speed is good, and it is not going to choke on flash. I would like to recommend Opera but it has been very buggy lately, I don't think it is playing nice with ics.
Google chrome is getting great reviews but it doesn't support flash. Then there is Boat browser and Quick Ics browser both show great promise but not sure about them yet.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I'm very disappointed to hear that Opera is buggy with ICS--it's my favorite browser by far. <sarcasm>Fortunately</sarcasm>, we probably won't have a working ICS ROM for I717 any time soon. For the OP, this is Opera Mobile, not Opera Mini--the latter handles all traffic through opera's servers and compresses images to speed up browsing for slow phones or phones with poor connections, but the result is that many webpages with active (javascript or flash) content just don't work right.
Also a word of warning for the OP: if you choose Dolphin, make sure you are rooted and block en.mywebzines.com (and maybe some other related URLs) through your hosts file. The spyware seems to be removed in the latest update, but I still won't trust a browser that, at any time in its history, forwarded essentially all of your web activity to a third party server. There's a long thread around here that discusses these issues in more depth.
Browsers are very much a matter of personal preference though; also, if you use a browser that matches your desktop browser, it makes syncing the two much easier--firefox, opera, and chrome all have great sync capabilities between their desktop and mobile counterparts.
Thanks for the link, a very disturbing read regarding the Dolphin Browser HD. I took aggressive data mining for granted, but damn the DB-hd boys are into strip mining personal data...... thanks again for taking the time to post...
OP, please forget i even mentioned Dolphin
(i going to.. ; ) and give Opera a shot. He is right were not gonna be on ics for good stretch, and by the time we are any quirks will be ironed out. It is a great overall program with lots of features. It has usually been my daily driver since the long gone days of windows mobile.
Sent from my SGH-I897 using xda premium
root question?
Since ICS is a ways off, If we root for TiBU, or Root explorer to remove certain system apps, will we get ICS FOTA, or will we not get it without unrooting and replacing all bloat we removed?
So my question is -any advice for those of us who root but want the OTA ICS when it comes out?
Should have put this out first- will the method for the international version for root work for the ATT one?
I am due for an upgrade later this month. I am an Android user of phones & tablets for more than 3 years so i am very used to the OS with its massive customisations, etc. But i have been noticing in the background that Windows Phone 8 is slowly gaining fans and i would like to know why. I'd like to convince myself. In particular i'm interested with the Lumia 920 and the newer 925/928 model:
1. Does the Lumia have a Bluetooth feature that can connect to any Bluetooth wireless speakers? And can one send files via bluetooth to any bluetooth-enabled Android phone?
2. Does the Lumia have a quick toggle to settings to instantly turn on or off settings such as wifi, Bluetooth, brightness, etc. (much like the notification drop down bar of Android)
3. Is there a customisable equaliser settings to the new Lumias? Surround sound? Bass? Preset EQ settings?
4. Can I set a Playlist, edit a Playlist name and set songs to a Playlist on-the-fly? If no then what app can do that?
5. Can I drag n drop files from my Mac to a Lumia with a need or no need of another software?
6. Can I still access my Google apps & services such as YouTube, Gmail, Maps, Currents, Chrome, etc.?
7. Is there a pinch to zoom feature in zooming objects for taking photos? Is there an option to easily share them via Email, Bluetooth, Twitter, Instagram, Dropbox, etc.? A way to set photos as a phones's lockscreen wallpaper? A way to edit photos and share them? if so which app do i need?
8. Any "swype to type" typing feature? (For faster typing)
9. Any good alternatives music player, video player for the Lumia?
10. Notification Centre - is it true that one can view a notification (from email, Twiiter, Facebook, etc.) on the lock screen? And how do i "access" or see my notification? Do i swype or just click it?
11. Is there a unified & a fully customomisable news app similar to Google Currents?
12. Sideloading apps - is this possible with WP8? Is there an alternative app store other than WP8's?
Android has tons of alternative/3rd-party app stores where one can look, download & install .apk files on almost any device available out there. Is this also possible with WP8?
13. Would the copy & paste capability be possible in almost anywhere ON THE device itself? How do i copy & paste btw?
14. A way to set Google as a default search option?
15. Software updates - found this "1308" update but it would seem there is the newer "1314" update. What's the real deal? Is it true the 1308 update vastly improved the camera's features and the battery life? ('cause i can't see that info on the website) And how often would those "minor" updates be like performance updates, battery life improvements, new features, etc.
16. Any good note-taking app?
17. How does one go back to view last viewed sites on IE10? Is it any way possible to save them on the hard drive of the phone so i can view them again & again?
18. A way or possibility to print wirelessly to a bluetooth wireless wifi printer?
19. Can one create folders (like a folder for Games, News apps, etc.) like in Android?
20. A very good .pdf viewer please?
21. Can i easily edit a Contact's name, phone number, details, etc.?
22. Can i set a Calendar event or note?
23. Is there a way to edit or change the tile icons on the "main" home screen?
24. Does the camera of the Lumias (in particular the 920) is BSI and HDR features?
Again, read of reviews that the camera is good but photos can sometimes be "washed out" and looks blurry when zoomed in.
25. Screenshots - With Android there is a way to take a screenshot of your phone's current screen. IS this possible with WP8? If yes then how?
26. A good alternative to Google Maps where i can check for transport updates and how to get from point A to B or how to find nearby shops or restaurants?
27. How often does Nokia or MS updates their phones?
28. The battery is only 2000mAh which compare to Android or iPhones is very tiny. How long does the phone lasts for Music? Video? Moderate use?
Please advice. Thanks.
1. yes
2. yes but via apps from market (Windows Store)
3. no but Lumia have equalizer setting and Dolby headphone settings
4. yes and no... you can add songs to playlist and you can with WP app for PC/mac you can make playlist but few things missing
5. yes
6. yes with IE or apps from Market, you cant have other browser, only IE (or Nokia Xpress Browser), maps also with IE or with other app (gMaps for example)
7. yes. yes (direct and also with apps from Market. yes. yes. in most case is enough Nokia apps but if you need more just search market or use App Highlights to suggest you apps
8. yes. WP keyboard is rudimentary but you can swipe with finger to type
9. no. in reality, all players from Market is only shell to original windows player...
10. when notification come, is shown short time in top of screen and if you click it, open it... if you dont click, notification closes and shown on lock screen (wallpaper all missed notification with icon and number)
11. is tons of many apps in Market, i dont use it but think no problem to find right one
12. yes and no.... can sideload but only original apps downloaded from Windows Store and loaded from SDcard if Lumia have SDcard slot. No other alternative stores. WP is most secure OS and in 2 and half year no any type of malware or viruses found on Windows Store because this restrictions
13. copy paste working, just select text and select copy icon, same with paste...
14. yes, in IE settings
15. 1308 is latest, 1314 is only AT&T update and not available for others...
16. a lot of them in market...
17. you can go back and you can bookmark but no save page option
18. not tried but think no...
19. you can create folders, anything like normal storage when connect via USB
20. official is good also others in Market
21. yes, on phone or on Live account on web http://mail.live.com/?rru=contacts
22. yes
23. yes and no... in basically you cant change tiles but also apps on market which can you make own style tiles and give him options
24. yes... Nokia 920 make great pictures...
25. yes, press windows button and power button... and this working where you want (apps, games, settings)
26. Here apps from nokia gives you most good navigation, travel and exploration features completely free with Maps, Drive, City Lens, Transit apps
27. booth... Nokia almost every week give new updates and improvements for their apps and settings
28. in normal use two day, less use 3 days for me (but i turned off many apps from working in background)... for music one day or little more is normal... all depend how many you use and set options in your phone. and newer let battery to discharged... this an brick phone... wireless charging is great thing, and if you can, get original Nokia plate for charging.
many of this answers is here
http://www.windowsphone.com/en-us/how-to/wp8
I'm not looking for a Nokia Android phone here. Sure some questions i have been asking were"asked" before that is why i had to slightly change as to how i ask a specific question.
So far i like some of the replies in here. Very interesting OS compared to Android or IOS. For me one way to really know if i like a phone is to go to a shop. Which i've done today.
I went to an O2 store and saw the Lumia 920 & the 925. Both headphone jack were closed as i wanted to try out the vaunted Dolby headphones sound enhancement. The sales rep explained that he cannot do something about anything as he seem to suggest the brackets around the phone that covers the headphone jack is to "prevent the phones getting stolen". Jeez. An early turn off so i went to an EE shop instead.
EE had a working Lumia 920 so went to try it out. Camera seems slightly better than my S3 but noticed there were very few settings to dabble. Wasn't very much convinced with the Dolby sound enhancement (GSMArena were right after all); I wasn't sure if the software of the unit i was given was updated but i was using a mid-range 2-month old Sony earphones i must say. Even after changing the EQ to Custom sound was still somehow "flat" and lacking personality. Was able to try send a file from my S3 to the 920 with a bit of ease although it took about a minute which by todays' standards isn't great but isn't bad either.
What i still don't like:
1. Lack of an alternative app store
2. Lack of alternative browser
3. Lack of a really good altenrative music player with my above needs
4. Lack of .mkv and .srt support in video player
5. Slowness in transferring files via bluetooth
6. The need for a software in order to transfer files. Although someone did menttioned i can just copy & paste files and put them in a folder.
7. Uninspiring and seemingly flat audio/music quality when headphones are connected (even with Dolby On)
8. Non-removable & "low capacity" battery
9. Small 4.5" screen
10. Lack of or the inability to print to a wireless printer
11. Inability (?) for the phone to act as a wifi hotspot
12. Lack of swiping action for faster typing on keyboard
13. Inability to set Google as a search option
14. Inability to save a webpage as a .pdf file for future viewing
15. Few camera options & settings
16. No ability to edit a photo within OS/device
17. Inability to create folders tiles (for quick access to apps)
What also bothered me when i was in the EE shop was what the sales rep told me. She said that many people have been returning their Lumia 920s (i.e. rate of Lumias being returned were MANY!) for repair because of various problems such as bad incoming/outgoing call quality, screen issues and rebooting/crashing issues. She also bluntly advised me to get a Galaxy S4 or the HTC One instead.
Doesn't help with building up confidence does it?
Only the AT&T version allows you to tether and have up to 5 devices connected to it. But you have to have the second tier data package. Yes you can print to a wireless printer over WiFi (maybe another AT&T exclusive). It uses windows for godsake. If a PC can do it, this phone can do it. As for camera settings. It's a phone. If you want camera settings, then get a camera.
All app can be made into a tile simply by tapping and holding until the menu pops up to pin to desktop. The the file can be resized and positioned as you want it.
Google as a search option? Just make it your browser homepage. So what if it is just one more click. Has society really become this lazy?
That small screen is IPS and blows away all the other phones out there regardless of size. Also the gorilla glass is near diamond hard. Ok exaggeration but it is much harder than any other display out there.
You must have missed the edit photo option. You can cut, crop, change colors, and all kinds of edit options. Maybe that is another AT&T only feature.
My low capacity battery last 12 hours under full load and recharges in two with the wireless charger. Not sure what you want, but it is a computer in your pocket and you will not get phone life out of the battery.
Saving a webpage as a PDF. an Andy will not do that by default. So just wait for an app to be made. Or hey just bookmark it and view it over wifi.
There are alternative app stores for WP8. you just have to get into the right click. They are not made public since MS would shut them down.
There are three browsers that are free on the app store and six more you can pay for.
Did you even really try this out yourself or just let others opinions sway you like a typical sheeple? You know the site you keep referring to is biased against WP and MS products. So of course they will give this phone a negative review.
I am sorry to sound harsh but you tried one version from one provider. They are different. There are at this moment three types of 920 out there. The AT&T, The Rogers, and the all others. Each have some variations in functions and quality. As well as variations in the OS.
You also don't need software to transfer files. Not sure where you got that from but if the phone is plugged into a PC it behaves just like a USB drive and can be explored by windows explorer and you just drag and drop files just like another hard drive.
Bluetooth for file transfer is old school and slow. The S3 as well as the Lumia has a tap to send feature that when both phones are near each other you just select a file, select tap to send, find the other phone in the list and tap it. The other phone if feature is turned on will acknowledge a waiting file. You confirm it and it transfers over the TTS network between the phones. Faster than BT by the way.
There are several MKV players in the store, but they are not free.
I'm sorry but it just sounds like you are picking the phone apart and trying to convince yourself not to get one. If you are happy with Andy then the Lumia is not for you just to be blunt. Most Lumia users are tired of Andy or iPhone and that is why they switched. You will not get the customization of Andy with this phone. What you will get is a good rugged phone that has an OS that runs it like it should with minimal apps to perform most day to day things. You will get a camera that rivals lower end SLR's in quality even if it does not have all the bells and whistles. Yes there are SLR users here who have compared the pic quality and in some case it was better on this phone. You will get an OS that runs smoothly and fast and again does what it should. I will say it one last time. If you are happy with Andy or iPhone then this phone is not for you. This phone is a first phone, or a phone for those tired of the cookie cutter phones/OS's out there.
I do not think GSMArena is "biased" to WP & MS products. Why would they? Please enlighten me. The reason they have "negative" reviews of the Lumias is because its the truth i suppose. And the truth sometimes hurts isn't it?
And you might also ask yourself: why would the sales person be biased in saying the rate of returns is enormous because of such & such issues? Please enlighten me. Of all shops i went to (O2, EE & Carphone Warehouse) most of them sell (YES) Android phones (as many companies make Android phones...duh!), iPhones AND Windows phone 8 phones.
Again, let me ask (and challenge you)...why would the sales person be biased? I don't think its because they use Android phones most of the times. I simply don't think so. These people are trained to use and be familiar with ALL types of phones. The only reason i could think of is their reputation. Many returns (for repairs or otherwise) will ultimately have a negative effect on them.
I also heard of incompatibility with the EE network. If the phone is 4G-ready/capable it shouldn't be a compatibility issue. Its the issue of the maker of the phone (and OS) itself isn't it? If the phone is not up to what it can do or is capable of doing then i would rather go for a tried and tested and familiar phone & OS that is Android. I'm aware some companies release different versions of their phones depending on the country/market but still that doesn't help at all.
Also, the trouble with these shops is their phones are most of the times not updated so the software & other improvements are not there for you to experience. The headphone jack might be "locked" by the braces holding the phone or the phone isn't charged at all. Its a lose-lose situation.
Look i am not looking for a perfect Nokia Android phone as i will not find one. I know its either Windows Phone 8 or Android OS.
I made myself clear on my previous reply about my experience in the phone shops and the negative things i have known and read.
If i get the Lumia 920 right now on a 24-month contract with EE will they allow me to return the phone simply because "im not happy with it"? I guess we all know the answer to these question. All they care about is getting money from you and that's it.
Doesn't inspire confidence does it?
I know AT&T gives you a 14 day return period even on a 24 month contract. If you go beyond 14 days then they hit you with the phones full price if you break contract. The issue is not the phone, with 4G. 4G from provider to provider is on different frequencies. This phone like all others only supports 4G and LTE on certain frequencies. If your provider does not support those frequencies then there is nothing that you nor Nokia can do. You need to bust your providers balls to support the other frequencies as well. Good luck on that though since they will just tell you to use a phone they provide. If you want the Lumia to function 100% then you have to buy it from a provider who supports it and use their network. Buying it and trying to use it on a network that it was not intended for will result in fail most of the time. Or the very least a lot of flashing and tweaking and still may not be 100%.
I will say it again. If you like Android and are happy with it then stay with it. To me it sounds like you have already decided against this phone anyways. You Are not going to get somebody in a Lumia forum to flat out tell you not to buy it. So if you are looking for somebody to confirm your feelings you won't get it here. The bottom line is that this phone is not for somebody who is happy with their current OS. This phone is a phone for those just starting or those just fed up with the other stuff out there.
Well thank you all for your replies and insights.
If i get a Windows Phone 8 phone right now i feel it is a way backward not forward. I'm familiar with Android OS so i think i'll stick it out with them.
As a long time android user (since the T-Mobile G1 so about 5 years) i decided to try the Lumia 920 a few days ago and so far i`am loving it, so here are my first thoughts :
- The speed and lagless performance of the OS powered by a dual core cpu instead by a quad- or octocore cpu that is required for android. Clearly the OS and hardware are far better optimized than android. Also i had no reboots or fc`s so far.
- Many specific Nokia apps like Drive that enables navigation without a data connection required as you can download and install maps from the country`s you need.
- Seemless integration and synchronisation with Google and great data/contacts/calender transference when setting up the phone.
- Though there are obviously less apps available than with iOs and android there are many more than i initialy thought and most good and important apps are available. Only Dropbox is limited imo as it doesn`t sync and add automaticaly.
- Great camera and speakers.
- Good call quality.
I didn`t think it was going to be as good as it turned out so far but atm i don`t miss android at all and so i might stick with WP8 for a long(er) while than i anticipated.
Hope the coming update planned for July will bring some more goodies
if any problem with Google sync, simple set Google account via advanced setup
settings - email+accounts - add an account - advanced setup
- add your account info
- select Exchange ActiveSync
- add other data (dont forget to enter full email address for username), for server use m.google.com
- Sign in.... that's all
for calendar's problems look Microsoft advises
http://microsoft-news.com/sync-google-calendar-events-to-windows-calendar-app-via-outlook-com/
P.S.
Also must have app for WP is Store Deals to check latest discounts and occasional free periods for pay apps
Don't know what you mean about seemless integration with Google Calendar. Can't edit it at all. I had to follow Microsoft's tip and subscribe to it via Outlook.com but you can't edit the Google calendar that way as it is read only. Email and contacts are great. Hopefully the update that includes CalDAV support will fix the calendar issues.
Spectre51 said:
Don't know what you mean about seemless integration with Google Calendar. Can't edit it at all. I had to follow Microsoft's tip and subscribe to it via Outlook.com but you can't edit the Google calendar that way as it is read only. Email and contacts are great. Hopefully the update that includes CalDAV support will fix the calendar issues.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
If you use Google calendar which i don't changes you make on the regular calender on the phone will sync to the google calendar and vice versa if you change google calendar on the PC. Just use the normal calendar on the phone and it should sync with your other calenders linked through google or hotmail.
Solarenemy68 said:
If you use Google calendar which i don't changes you make on the regular calender on the phone will sync to the google calendar and vice versa if you change google calendar on the PC. Just use the normal calendar on the phone and it should sync with your other calenders linked through google or hotmail.
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Click to collapse
Sorry I was getting my windows devices mixed up.....It is working for me on WP8 just not Windows 8
Agreed in everything.
worst problem I found in WP8? Whatsapp...not always updating, got the notification but not the message....and we really need a good video player with mp4, avi and srt support.....and a notification center.
Any MS guy ever read this forum?
ramping said:
Agreed in everything.
worst problem I found in WP8? Whatsapp...not always updating, got the notification but not the message....and we really need a good video player with mp4, avi and srt support.....and a notification center.
Any MS guy ever read this forum?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
whats app working fine for me... no missed or late notification....
also avi and mp4 files work fine... and dont except or hope for srt (or any other subtitle) player... f you hope for this, you not learn anything about WP....
dxdy said:
whats app working fine for me... no missed or late notification....
also avi and mp4 files work fine... and dont except or hope for srt (or any other subtitle) player... f you hope for this, you not learn anything about WP....
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
YXPlayer can play videos with srt subtitles....but it´s a crappy app.
Still waiting for the VLC official app.
Anyone expiriace any problems with whatsapp?
Mobtel063 said:
Anyone expiriace any problems with whatsapp?
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Click to collapse
I don't use it; I use Skype and MetroTalk. Skype's not free but I'm not going to worry about paying on average $60 a year; $5 a month. It doesn't require my universe to have the identical app on the other end.
Quick question...
I really, really, really detest my Xperia S now, like really detest it.
The lagging, god-awful camera, the freezing, everything.
I would try to install a custom Rom, but my Bootlocker unlocked allowed is: no.
I'm really not a high-end user. No interest in games, or intensive apps.
Camera, browsing, travel apps are the main interest for me.
I can get rid of it and pay approx £60-£100 to get the Lumia 920
Would you guys advise it?
steevio_uk said:
Quick question...
I really, really, really detest my Xperia S now, like really detest it.
The lagging, god-awful camera, the freezing, everything.
I would try to install a custom Rom, but my Bootlocker unlocked allowed is: no.
I'm really not a high-end user. No interest in games, or intensive apps.
Camera, browsing, travel apps are the main interest for me.
I can get rid of it and pay approx £60-£100 to get the Lumia 920
Would you guys advise it?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I bought the 920 to replace the xperia t I had, best thing I ever did
It's fast, fluid, no freezes or hangups, battery life is great for me, the camera is awesome and I love the wireless charging.
If you can live without the modding and just use your phone for what it is then I don't think you'll be disappointed.
Sent from the event horizon of a quantum singularity
steevio_uk said:
Quick question...
I really, really, really detest my Xperia S now, like really detest it.
The lagging, god-awful camera, the freezing, everything.
I would try to install a custom Rom, but my Bootlocker unlocked allowed is: no.
I'm really not a high-end user. No interest in games, or intensive apps.
Camera, browsing, travel apps are the main interest for me.
I can get rid of it and pay approx £60-£100 to get the Lumia 920
Would you guys advise it?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I have been an iPhone user and then a multitude of android phones user (Samsung) before embracing WP8.
My opinion: iPhone is fine if you just want a phone that works - although Apple lost me after the release of the iPhone 4: I was obviously holding it wrong when I wanted to make a call so it mostly wouldn't iOS is simple to use and has lots of apps, but is a walled garden.
Android, while open and extremely customizable, really annoyed me: at first the phones were fine, then became laggy over time. I also found I was frequently rebooting the phones daily. You shouldn't have to install a custom ROM for it to work smoothly. While there are a lot of apps, they are mostly poor quality compared to their iOS counterparts.
So I decided on trying out WP8 around 4 months ago and bought a Lumia 920. First off the build quality is excellent, it's a solid lump of a phone, not tacky plastic feeling like the Samsungs I had. The operating system has NEVER lagged on me...EVER. I only found out a few weeks after I'd had it how to reboot it, and I only did that to find out how to, not that it needed it. Although not nearly as customizable as the androids, I personally got bored doing so with the Samsungs anyway. I love the Live Tiles on the Lumia 920. Again there are nowhere near the amount of apps as iOS or Android, but those there are I find to be as good as iOS apps.
The camera is excellent. So good in fact that when my other half wants pictures taken she asks me to do so - she has an iPhone 5.
At first I was worried by the fact you cannot use a memory card, but honestly I find the 32gb onboard to be plenty - never had to go through and delete stuff to make more room. An added bonus is the wireless charging - I still think it's witchcraft :laugh: no idea how or why it works but it does lol
So in summary, yes - I thoroughly recommend the Lumia 920 for your needs: the camera is great, the stock browser is quick and I never had a problem with it and navigation is top notch.
Thanks so much for your replies.
I have had the phone for 4-5 days now and I am absolutely delighted by the decision. Possibly the best hardware change/update I've ever made.
I am finding excuses for taking pictures, such is the quality of the camera, enjoying getting to grips with the new layout and O/S, trying to find decent apps for certain things I used on Android, the main one being the notes app, which was sat on my Android home screen and I used regularly as a 1 click solution to add a note and remind me of things.
Something like that, as a simple live tile would be great, but haven't found such an app yet. (Any you guys suggest?)
I was initially very concerned by the battery life. I took it out with me after an initial charge and found the battery draining away at an alarming rate, even with it in my pocket!
But as I'm sure you're well aware, there's the changes to remedy this;; turning NFC off, location, background apps, getting used to exiting an app with the back button etc.
Great battery life now.
Just ordered a case and I'm one happy bunny!
My god, the Xperia S seems like a distant nightmare now! :victory:
Hey guys
So today I decided to give the Windows phone a shot. Been an avid Android user and follower since it started But decided that I should really give the other operating systems a shot. I just went and got myself a Lumia 925 and if I'm correct that phone is T-Mobile's variant of the 920 correct? I didn't see a thread for the 925 so I think this is where I belong. So with that here are a few questions I have before I dive into my brand new 925.
Just briefly looking through the forum here, I noticed some ROM's here. Are these different versions of the WP software or are these developers personal tweaks to it? I know with Android depending on what phone you have, you can root it and install the latest version of Android on it, currently 4.3, even if your phone prior is only at 4.1.2.
My other question is what apps does everyone here recommend on getting. I know the app market here is really lacking and its a total shame about that. I am pretty integrated into the whole google network (Gmail, Drive, Music, G+, etc). I use some social media apps but those are't too important to me. Suggestions for other apps would be amazing.
Really looking forward in giving this a test drive and in advance thanks for all of your help! :highfive:
no major differences in many variants of same versions... just every operator have own branded versions of firmware.. no way to root or unlock phone (not talk about SIM unlock)
phone market have enough good applications...
but Google and Microsoft have "cold" war and dont except major Google apps on WP platform
Nokia have own alternative for maps, HERE bunch of apps (Maps, Drive, Transit and City Lens) and very good Nokia Music service...
first at all install SysApp Pusher to easy access to Nokia apps and system apps updates
also check for Store Deals and myFreeApp to get notifications about promotional period of pay apps to get it for free
for Instagram use 6Tag
also check guides on http://www.windowsphone.com/en-us/how-to/wp8
for offline navigation you can use Nokia Drive+ or pay for Navigon USA, Garmin StreetPilot or CoPilot GPS (if you have legal licences you can use it on CoPilot without purchase new)
GetThemAll to download stuff from websites (videos, etc.)
Stop the Music! for stopping (kill) media player (or free alternative from market, just use search)
dxdy said:
no major differences in many variants of same versions... just every operator have own branded versions of firmware.. no way to root or unlock phone (not talk about SIM unlock)
phone market have enough good applications...
but Google and Microsoft have "cold" war and dont except major Google apps on WP platform
Nokia have own alternative for maps, HERE bunch of apps (Maps, Drive, Transit and City Lens) and very good Nokia Music service...
first at all install SysApp Pusher to easy access to Nokia apps and system apps updates
also check for Store Deals and myFreeApp to get notifications about promotional period of pay apps to get it for free
for Instagram use 6Tag
also check guides on http://www.windowsphone.com/en-us/how-to/wp8
for offline navigation you can use Nokia Drive+ or pay for Navigon USA, Garmin StreetPilot or CoPilot GPS (if you have legal licences you can use it on CoPilot without purchase new)
GetThemAll to download stuff from websites (videos, etc.)
Stop the Music! for stopping (kill) media player (or free alternative from market, just use search)
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Awesome, thanks for all the info will definitely check out all the apps you suggested. Ya I know Google and Microsoft aren't on the best of terms as of right now which only really hurts the users in the long run. Thanks again for your speedy reply!
Xg3nFatality said:
Awesome, thanks for all the info will definitely check out all the apps you suggested. Ya I know Google and Microsoft aren't on the best of terms as of right now which only really hurts the users in the long run. Thanks again for your speedy reply!
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Click to collapse
925 is enhanced version of 920 regarding camera, but without wireless charging integrated and also slimmer due this fact
Don't try 920 ROMs on 925 and vise verse..you will brick your phone.
Don't switch. Android might be slower but it has so much more to offer. There is no free video player on the Windows 8 phone. Nothing that can play MKV for free. There is no built in flash support so sites on the web that still use flash don't work. That is an issue with all mobile devices now though. You can't block unwanted calls. There is no app that allows you to do that as there is no app that is allowed access to the kernel thanks to MS protection Nazi's. As soon as my contract ends next year I am going back to G4. This phone is just locked down too tight.
Solarenemy68 said:
Don't switch. Android might be slower but it has so much more to offer. There is no free video player on the Windows 8 phone. Nothing that can play MKV for free. There is no built in flash support so sites on the web that still use flash don't work. That is an issue with all mobile devices now though. You can't block unwanted calls. There is no app that allows you to do that as there is no app that is allowed access to the kernel thanks to MS protection Nazi's. As soon as my contract ends next year I am going back to G4. This phone is just locked down too tight.
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Click to collapse
Actually in the amber update that is now a built in ability to block both calls and text from specific numbers, though you have always had the ability to save a number and set a blank ringtone for it.
Most of the videos I play are either podcast or streamed via PlexApp both of which work great, and if not, you can always convert them using Zune, granted it is a bit of work.
Solarenemy68 said:
This phone is just locked down too tight.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
That's what it makes it so fun fiddling with it!
dont forget about the wifi calling that t-mobile has.. while the other ROMs do not has it.
Since the Amber Update Gmail works fine, as does Google Calendar, both in the Native WP apps.
Get Metrotalk for Google Voice. It takes a few moments to configure but once you do it works as well as Google Voie for IOS including the ability to call from the App.
I too just switched from Android and I'm still on the fence. Most of the Apps I use are here but the are some near dealbreakers like Sirius/XM and my IP Camera app that are not present and probably never will be.
On the other hand, there are a lot of nice included features like SkyDrive and Nokia Pro Cam. Unfortunately, the choice is not clear cut. You have to figure out whats important to you.
I myself was hell bent on being a one device guy. Had the Galaxy Note and Note 2 so I'd have EVERYTHING all at once. Now with the Lumias (especially the 1020) getting such great cameras I may stick with Windows Phone. I do still have an Android Tablet though to get me by.
Then again, Sony's stuff at IFA like the Z1 or the QX cameras are so intruiging. Though, the Lenses won't work with Wndows Phone, or any phone bigger than 5 inches.
So, once again, I'm left scratching my head. Do I go back to the best all around device like the Galaxy Note 3? Or do I stick with the best camera? Or do I compromise, get a middling Android Phone like the S3 or Optimus G so I can slap one of the Sony QX lenses on it? So many decisions!