DaveyLC
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Registered: 8th Oct 08
Location: Berkshire
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WM8 is a well thought out OS and actually quite nice to use but it has one massive flaw.. There are very few main steam applications available 
WindowsRT is dieing a death in general because no-one can be arsed to write anything for it.
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evilrob
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Registered: 16th Mar 12
Location: Your mum's house
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quote:
Originally posted by DaveyLC
WM8 is a well thought out OS and actually quite nice to use but it has one massive flaw.. There are very few main steam applications available
One of this objectives of this switch was to find out how true the "doesn't have any software" argument you hear down the pub actually is. Basically it isn't true. I have been pleasantly surprised by both the availability and quality of apps on Windows Phone 8.
You must have missed the list of 'usual suspects' I posted on the previous page. Here it is again:
quote:
App availability/alternatives:
You may also have missed that all apps are free to try for typically a period of 7-10 days, so if you can't find a free official app for whatever service it is you require, it won't cost you anything to try a paid-for third party one before deciding if it's worth the 79p or quid or whatever.
Since actually owning a Windows Phone, I've found it caters for most of my needs straight out of the box, but for anything else I've found an official or third party solution that meets my requirements with little or no effort. I could quite happily use Windows Phone with only the stock apps it comes with because the browser is so good, but I've actually found I use the following ones every day now and suit my needs better than what I was using on my previous phone:
2Day task management app:
http://www.windowsphone.com/en-gb/store/app/2day/b4440e3b-85b7-493e-93bf-6d512671818a
NextGen RSS feed reader:
http://www.windowsphone.com/en-gb/store/app/nextgen-reader/643381de-4724-e011-854c-00237de2db9e
Insider Pro box of tricks:
http://www.windowsphone.com/en-gb/store/app/insider-pro/4cd69917-a022-40ce-8272-d258998746aa
MetroTube YouTube client:
http://www.windowsphone.com/en-gb/store/app/metrotube/8d93224f-2808-e011-9264-00237de2db9e
[Edited on 16-10-2013 by evilrob]
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evilrob
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Registered: 16th Mar 12
Location: Your mum's house
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quote:
Originally posted by DaveyLC
WindowsRT is dieing a death in general because no-one can be arsed to write anything for it.
I can't comment on the availability / quality of apps for Windows RT because at this stage I don't currently and have not ever owned one.
I can tell you that there are apparently over 120,000 "Metro" apps according to the website MetroScanner with an average of 190 new apps submitted every day so far for the month of October:
http://metrostorescanner.com/#/?platform=ARM
Like my switch to Windows Phone, though, I'm more interested in what it can do out of the box - which is being an affordable, well-made tablet for consuming content from the internet, that happens to come with Office - rather than whether or not I can get Candy Crush Saga on it.
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Rob_Quads
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Registered: 29th Mar 01
Location: southampton
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It's interesting to see how many manufacturers have recently dropped their RT product line and have stated they are not going to produce the new version
When manufacturers are dropping it's hit up be a bit of a hint how the sales are going
Personally I can only see the market for the windows arm tablet get smaller and smaller as the intel one becomes more and more efficient
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evilrob
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Registered: 16th Mar 12
Location: Your mum's house
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It's no secret that the phone/tablet market is ruled by Android and iOS.
I'm keen to find out for myself why Microsoft aren't doing better than they are. Based on my Windows Phone experience so far I don't think it's because the products aren't up to scratch.
I'm not too bothered about what other manufacturers are or aren't doing with the Windows RT platform; I like the way the Surface looks/feels, and from what I've seen of Windows RT (Mrs has one, but I don't get to play with it - either she's on it, or it's out and about with her in her bag), I like what it does.
Seeing as Microsoft are bringing out second generation Windows RT devices, and Nokia are allegedly bringing out a WinRT tablet too (I realise they are more or less the same company now) - I think WinRT will be around long enough for me to get bored of it and move onto the next thing.
In the meantime, if Windows RT pleases me as much as Windows Phone, I'll be a happy bunny.
I do see what you're saying, though - maybe Windows Phone OS will be upscaled to become Windows Tablet OS and WinRT binned off at some point; that would make some degree of sense.
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evilrob
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Registered: 16th Mar 12
Location: Your mum's house
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Cool story bro:I couldn't find my usual headphones, so resorted to the ones that came in the box with the phone.
I assumed they'd be shit. They're actually brilliant!
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evilrob
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Registered: 16th Mar 12
Location: Your mum's house
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I've not bought any new Microsoft devices. Still loving the Nokia Lumia 920 Windows Phone.
Just waiting for this bad boy to be released:
http://www.nokia.com/gb-en/phones/tablet/lumia2520/
Anyone else had a punt on a Windows Phone?
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Kyle T
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Registered: 11th Sep 04
Location: Selby, North Yorkshire
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I think I'm a few more chats away from convincing our telecoms guy at work to try out Windows phone for corporate devices.
We've been a BES company for years, but it's gone a bit wayward recently with iOS, Android and Blackberry (ActiveSync) devices being scattered around.
Hoping to get my hands on a device next week, probably only cheaper ones such as the Lumia 625 but more than competitive with the blackberries we're currently handing out...
Lotus Elise 111R
Impreza WRX STi
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AndyKent
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Registered: 3rd Sep 05
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Review of the Nokia tab on engadget yesterday.
Good, but has the same problem as the original Surface in that you can only stand it up in one position with the keyboard attachment.
Otherwise a good option.
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Brett
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Registered: 16th Dec 02
Location: Manchester
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Finally did it, Rob. Just called retentions and got what I think is a good deal.
Nokia 1020 on 4G tariff
3GB data
Unlimited texts/Calls
£35
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evilrob
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Registered: 16th Mar 12
Location: Your mum's house
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quote:
Originally posted by Brett
Just called retentions and got what I think is a good deal.
Nice! - I would agree.
[Edited on 05-02-2014 by evilrob]
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evilrob
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Registered: 16th Mar 12
Location: Your mum's house
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quote:
Originally posted by AndyKent
Review of the Nokia tab on engadget yesterday.
Good, but has the same problem as the original Surface in that you can only stand it up in one position with the keyboard attachment.
Otherwise a good option.
Yeah... I've been hanging on for Nokia to get their shit together and release the keyboard case, and the White version of the tablet. The keyboard case has turned up (at £150 FFS) and no sign of any colours other than Red or Black.
I think I might just go and get a Surface 2.
[Edited on 05-02-2014 by evilrob]
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Brett
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Registered: 16th Dec 02
Location: Manchester
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Well, I love it 
I want one of these charging pad things. Are they grippy? Just because it looks like they're not as wide as the phone and I'd hate to bump the chest it's sat on and it fall off  Is there decent stands that work the same? Like official stuff, not ebay china junk.
Also, is there a way to keep the wifi symbol in the top bar when the screen's unlocked so I know it's connected? Seems to show in lock screen but the slides away when you unlock it.
[Edited on 06-02-2014 by Brett]
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evilrob
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Registered: 16th Mar 12
Location: Your mum's house
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There's no way to keep the WiFi symbol at the top, but you can swipe down from the top when on the Start screen (where your Live Tiles go) and it will show for a few seconds, or you can use Insider Pro app to put a live tile on your Start screen.
I've heard the wireless charging adaptor for the 1020 is pants:
http://www.minimallyminimal.com/blog/nokia-lumia-1020
I dont understand why they didn't build it in - the 920 has wireless charging without the need for any snap-on bits.
The cheapest place I've found to get proper Nokia stuff is on Amazon. I particularly like the extra external rechargeable USB batteries you can get (DC-16, DC-19, DC-50 etc):
http://www.amazon.co.uk/s/ref=nb_sb_noss_2?url=search-alias%3Daps&field-keywords=nokia+dc-&rh=i%3Aaps%2Ck%3Anokia+dc-
[Edited on 06-02-2014 by evilrob]
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Brett
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Registered: 16th Dec 02
Location: Manchester
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Do you have to have that additional case for it to work then?
Spot on about pull down for wifi lol, didn't try that.
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evilrob
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Registered: 16th Mar 12
Location: Your mum's house
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Yeah, you need that horrible looking case for wireless charging.
You're not missing out really - I've got two wireless charging bases I bought when I was going Nokia crazy - almost never use them. It was the coolest thing ever for about a day.
[Edited on 06-02-2014 by evilrob]
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Brett
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Registered: 16th Dec 02
Location: Manchester
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Fair enough
One more thing, how can I kill background apps? i know I can set which are allowed to run in background in settings, but is there a shortcut like android/ios to see what's going on?
Oh and am I right in assuming Insider only ever shows 99% battery? Doesn't seem to go to 100.
Oh and another, why the hell is it when I turn it off it says goodbye then just reboots? 
[Edited on 06-02-2014 by Brett]
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evilrob
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Registered: 16th Mar 12
Location: Your mum's house
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Hold down the back button. You'll then get thumbnails of your running apps which you can scroll through left and right - there is an X in the top right corner you can hit to close.
(Assuming your phone has shipped with Windows Phone GDR3 - go to settings -> phone update to check)
There's really no need to do this though, Windows Phone OS does a good job at managing resources.
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evilrob
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Registered: 16th Mar 12
Location: Your mum's house
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For some reason you can't charge a Windows Phone when it's off. It will always boot itself up.
[Edited on 06-02-2014 by evilrob]
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Brett
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Registered: 16th Dec 02
Location: Manchester
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Awesome, thanks. Spot on about back button thing.
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evilrob
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Registered: 16th Mar 12
Location: Your mum's house
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I have seen Insider show 100% before, it quite often shows 99% though; not sure whats going on there. Wonky algorithm probably.
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Brett
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Registered: 16th Dec 02
Location: Manchester
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Not necessarily windows phone related, but since you're so knowledgeable..
I got the phone this morning as an upgrade with microsim. Been using an S2 up till now with regular sim. When is it the microsim should kick in? Just said no service all day and my old phone is still working. Doesn't say anything about it in received docs.
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evilrob
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Registered: 16th Mar 12
Location: Your mum's house
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No idea - I imagine it's got a lot to do with how many other activations/deactivations are in the queue and how many staff are available.
I'm with Three - I went into one of their shops, the changeover took about 4 hours to kick in from the time they initiated it.
You might need to call them and give them a nudge.
[Edited on 06-02-2014 by evilrob]
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Brett
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Registered: 16th Dec 02
Location: Manchester
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Fair enough, cheers 
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pow
Premium Member
Registered: 11th Sep 06
Location: Hazlemere, Buckinghamshire
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Chop your old sim down, I did that when I got my new phone
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