Database Users

Do you own a Focus claim it here tell us what you think?

Samsung Focus​Beautiful, crisp, or a cheap piece of junk. I would like to know.
I would like to know if you own a Focus or are considering purchasing one. I believe that word of mouth is important so I ask the community to place their thoughts about the Focus here. Also I would like just 1 post from each member who is writing their own review. Remember you can edit your post. Help me out and if you actually own a focus let us know in the poll.
Try to look at the below review for a format. Of course it is your review so write it how you see fit.
Top things I love about my Focus:
1. Thin
2. Light
3. Beautiful screen
4. SD expandability
5. Fast and responsive
6. Diagnosis Screen
Top things that need improvement for my Focus:
1. Better SD support
2. Power charging should be on the bottom of the phone
3. Power button should be on the top of the phone or harder to press
4. Screen can scratch all be it very hard to do so.
How is my windows experience on the Focus:
1. Marketplace can be buggy
2. Games are fun and vibrant
3. Programs are stable
What would you like to see improved in you windows experience on the Focus:
1. Need to allow multitasking as an option for GPS and third party audio programs.
2. Wish marketplace would show how many download an app had
3. More live tiles
4. In email adding folders to sync is cumbersome.
Who would you recommend buy this phone?
I would recommend this phone to anyone. This is the best phone I owned.

I pretty much agree with what you posted. I've really come to like WP7 and the Focus although, there is still much work to be done on the OS.
I guess if Samsung had one with a physical keyboard, I'd be all over it.

It's so fluid in motion, readable and highly consistent in design. Overall, I've got to give MS a big thumbs up. The UI is beautiful and functional.
My only real complaint is the occasional marketplace freeze.
I've had a number of android devices and I've had more than one iPhone.. I was ready for something fresh and different.. and so far this is fitting the bill quite well.
Now make with the updates, Microsoft... some new features would be nice.
As for the focus itself, it's a nice piece of hardware. The screen is gorgeous, battery life seems decent, speaker sounds good, calls are clear. It has a little creak do it if I grip it too hard, but it doesn't feel like it's going to break. I'd pretty much put it even with my Samsung Vibrant.. it is plasticky, but it doesn't feel cheap.

I've had my Focus since they released them publicly. The hardware is great overall. I have two iPhones (3G and 4), a Droid, Blackberry 9000 and a new Torch. The iPhone sets the bar high, and in my opinion the Focus easily competes head to head with the iPhone in terms of the screen and performance, maybe even better for speed. So far I haven't had any problems with it, in terms of the hardware. No unexpected reboots or lock-ups. I've soft-reset it a couple times on my own, and did one hard-reset to attempt to get wireless Zune sync working (still doesn't work), but that I'm sure is an OS problem. I do wish Samsung just stepped up with 16GB of NAND storage from the get-go though. Sure, an optional SD card is nice to have, but the way WP7 uses storage it doesn't surprise me people are seeing random crashes and data loss. WP7 essentially combines both storage types as one large storage, but expects performance to be the same and that's not reasonable. There's really no reason why they couldn't make NAND the primary, and SD secondary for more static things like music and documents.
In the beginning battery life was pretty bad. But I think it just took a few charge cycles to correct that. I get almost two days out of it without wifi. With Wifi it drops to maybe a day and a half at most.
The AMOLED screen is just awesome. Clear, bright, smooth.
I'm looking forward to MS releasing a WP7 update though. There are so many little bugs/features that are missing, besides the popular copy/paste that I rarely use anyway.

I agree with the first post.
I (STILL) only get all of one bar of signal in my house with it. AT&T signal was bad seven years ago and hasn't improved which kind of forces me to return it and wait for a CDMA version. At least with Verizon I get three & four bars everywhere in the house. Too bad I have to wait another month or two to get a WP7, because other than not being able to make or receive calls at home I really like the Focus a lot.

Pretty much agree with the first post. I really like this phone.
When reading email, I wish there was a way to make the font bigger that would also word wrap so you don't have to move back and forth to read the email. Either autosize to a larger font with word wrap, or just let me select a larger font size.
I love the voice search! It's worked for me in noisy resturants and standing along side a busy road. Impressive!

I really like my Samsung Focus primarily because in my usage the OS has been stable, fast, and really easy to navigate.
The lack of available applications (for whatever reasons) is a huge issue. I own both an iPhone and Droid X. If I didn't have those phones on which to use apps I think I'd be a little less kind at this moment to WP7 and the Focus
Overall I think what MSFT has TODAY is a great first smartphone for someone who has not used one before.
Will this progress to a serious contender in the smartphone space? I don't know but I'm hoping that it can be one of the top 3.

webdev511 said:
I agree with the first post.
I (STILL) only get all of one bar of signal in my house with it. AT&T signal was bad seven years ago and hasn't improved which kind of forces me to return it and wait for a CDMA version. At least with Verizon I get three & four bars everywhere in the house. Too bad I have to wait another month or two to get a WP7, because other than not being able to make or receive calls at home I really like the Focus a lot.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
iPhone's reception fairly blows, also, and AT&T is awful at my house. I bought a zBoost YX-545 GSM/PCS repeater, stuck the antenna in the attic where I get at least a couple reception bars and put the unit in the upper floor of the house. That now gives me 4 or 5 bars throughout the house and yard and helped the iPhone considerably and does just as well with the Focus. If you have any reception at all, this is a better solution than AT&T's hit-or-miss microcell.
Personally, I like the screen and the weight. It's so nice being able to pull it out of my pocket, take a quick glance at the screen to see if there's anything of interest and, if not, pop it right back from where it came. The screen is bright, easily read at arm's length and laid out well. The commercials about "saving us from our phones" actually made sense once I used the phone for a few days. One thing that drove me nuts about the iPhone was the form and weight. It's akin to having a brick in my shirt pocket and the weight makes it practically jump out of my pocket any time I bend over a bit. The Focus has a much nicer form with the rounded edges, it's thin and it's relatively light weight means it's been less prone to wanting to slide out of my pocket. It's being so thin and rounded makes it more difficult to pick up off a flat surface than the iPhone.
I've used iPhones for the past 2 1/2 years and while the iPhone has it all over the Focus as far as functionality, what the Focus currently does is so much easier to do that I believe I'm ready to commit and forget about the 30 day return policy. All in all, the benefits and potential very much outweight the few drawbacks that exist, such as the plastic feel and mediocre reception.
Oh...and the expandable memory is a HUGE plus after 2 1/2 years of a phone I couldn't even open. Yes, I've read that plenty of people have had problems with it but using a Sandisk 8GB class 2 SD card I've been able to put some 10 GB of music on the phone without so much as a single hiccup in any way. I suppose Sandisk is still the best for a reason...accept no substitutes!

JDiddyC Review
(in conjunction with previous noted items)
What I like:
1. Integration of FB, apps and Live Skydrive, etc. Seemless!
2. Ability to customize the tiles on the home screen
3. Live tiles! Need I say more!?
4. Accessing info and sharing is quick and easy
What I don't like / needs development:
1. For the love of God, please let us use Bing Turn by Turn and not PAY for provider specific apps or add-ons!
2. Zune / Music portion needs work
- Channels would be nice
- Why do I have to pay for songs via AT&T when I have zune pass? This should work like market place on the Zune HD!
- Please let me use music I have on the device as a ringtone!?
Overall satisfaction:
LOVE IT! I feel pretty confident that changes to the OS and apps will come in the near future that will hopefully address the few things I don't like. Although I fear there are some agreements with providers around GPS and turn by turn directions that may keep us hacking to get around them.

Top things I love about my Focus:
1. Thin
2. Facebook Integration
3. Beautiful screen
4. SD expandability
5. Xbox Live
6. Fun UI
Top things that need improvement for my Focus:
1. Multitasking or at least backgrounding (i want pandora!!!)
2. When the Screen is locked i shouldnt be able to power off the phone with just the button! Come on now that should be common sense.
3. Flashlight app that acually uses the LED
4. Volume controls that are not all in one (i shouldnt have to turn my phone back up to 30 after playing a games at 10 because the games too loud, in turn making my ringtone way too quiet)
5. Cut, Copy, Paste!!!
How is my windows experience on the Focus:
1. Marketplace and UI can be buggy (especailly when downloading)
2. Games are fun and vibrant but with a lack of games ive grown interested in with other platforms
3. best camera phone implementation with the shutter button and ease.

bump
Can a moderator sticky this

I love the focus ALOT! I bought it outright at Rogers for $630! Its unbelievably fast and smooth....its the most fluid phone I have ever used in my life to be honest....I handed it over to my gf! Why? because I take alot of pictures and video, and so far while the focus has been good at both, it doesn't hold up to my Xperia X10,,,therefore I went back to my X10...but I play with the Focus all day long. If somehow they could write a camera app (like Vignette for android) and make the pictures cleaner in low light then the Focus would be my primary phone hands down.
Overall I'd give this phone a 9.5/10 just because I feel the camera is lacking slightly.

Lovin My New unlocked Samsung Focus
Samsung Focus is the BEST WP7 phone hands down right now! Just wished 3G and MMS would work with my T-Mo service Provider.
Anyone find out how to get into the MFG Mode?
I have been through the whole Diagnosis Mode, changed about every setting i could change and still no MMS.
btw.. thx sandrobber for listing all the codes for the diagnosis menu!

Just bought 3 foci (sp), Originally got one for my step father who had been working on some old handmedowns and wanted a real smart phone of his own and one for my wife who hated her Pure with such a purple passion that I was almost ready to overlook my no Apple rule and get her an Iphone. They both are loving it.
I went ahead and got one for myself. I have to admit I did a lot of waffling between the focus and the quantum.
Personally I think the quantum's size and form factor is slightly superior. It was just the right size to fit in my hand and be worked easily with one hand while the focus is just a tad on the large size to be truly comfortable.
That said I ended up going with the Focus because damn it's a huge gorgeous screen the potential for expansion and general overall ratings it's getting on the hardware side.
My past experience with smart phones has been with winmo and palm OS. Part of my decision to go with the Samsung was because of my experiences with their older smart phones. In fact I just ran across my old I300 the other day while sorting through some old boxes and the damned thing still runs just fine after a quick charge.
Pro's
that huge screen.
smooth seamless performance.
did I mention that huge beautiful screen?
Expandable memory
Con's
Bing button is too damned easy to hit.
form factor is just a tad to big to be used consistently with one hand.
Who thought putting the USB port on the top was a good idea?
Market place is buggy and has locked up on me several times requiring a reset of the device.
Other thoughts
As a former winmo user I'm definitely missing some of the features that I knew weren't going to make it into this os. I still think it was rather stupid to drop active sync and myphone for this platform. I understand some of the rationals but it's still missed.
Same goes for the lack of access to the files system (in particular the lack of drag and drop and real support for SD storage)
That said the phone is incredibly user friendly. My wife who hated the hell out of her Pure took to this thing like a duck to water and she's far from technically competent with this sort of thing in that she's a fairly typical user who's not interested in tinkering with a device just to get basic functionality. as such this works great for her.
For my part I very rapidly got my start page re-arranged the way I liked it with my tiles organized in the manner in which I typically need them.
I'm still learning things about it like it was a bit of a surprise when my step father showed me how to voice dial calls. (so damned easy it never even occurred to me to try.)
So far everyone I've shown the phone to has been impressed (primarily Iphone users) and several have already expressed an interest in switching to WP7 as soon as their contracts come up for renewal. Especially those who aren't using Iphones since they'll be able to keep their old unlimited data plans with these devices.
I have very high expectations for the future of this platform. As soon as MS gets a couple basic features pushed out (copy/paste, task switching) and developers start getting some quality apps out I see this platform being quite competitive with Apple.
I get that there are some things that it's just never going to match winmo on and that functionality will be missed but after watching Apple dominate the market so thoroughly and observing users such as my wife beating their heads against the WinMo experience I can't really fault MS for shifting design philosophy.
Considering the fact that this OS has only been out a couple months I'd say it's off to a nice start. Sure it would have been nice to have had cut/paste and multitasking so I wouldn't have to listen to the apple fanboi's teases (hey at least it's got MMS out the box) but it is a fully functional smartphone right out the box that can already do many things much easier than my old 6.5 phone could.
Now I just have to find a good case for it.

Happy Focus owner, elated to be a part of a truly 'smart'phone era.
This phone was the best investment I ever made.
After purchasing the phone outright from Rogers in Canada, I paid an ebay guy $15 to unlock it.
I came immediately to XDA-Developers for guidance with my new toy. The community here is excellent; with a level of knowledge far beyond my wildest expectations.
Once I followed the advice of everyone here, I was able to unleash the full power of the phone on my preferred network, SaskTel.
Prior to this phone, I got a contract a year ago with a Samsung Omnia. My carrier wouldn't push the OS update, and Samsung didn't offer it direct to consumers. I was forever stuck on a crippled WinMo6.1 OS.
I am looking forward to future updates provided direct from Microsoft. This was perhaps the most significant reason I bought into the idea behind Windows Phone 7 as a future-proof platform.
The reasons I chose the Focus are the same as most around here. The SuperAMOLED screen is just a wonder to behold, and I find myself just scrolling the lists just to see the brilliance of the display in action.
Memory expansion is another boon for this device. Having at least one option in the Microsoft launch lineup with this feature is key to the platform's success. I believe like the handset manufacturers, that everyone has different needs in a device.
Storage is a need some of us have. I like the security behind the S in SD. I believe the way MS implemented the expandable memory is the way to go from a security and usability standpoint.
My final reason for choosing this phone was to test the ability of my service provider to bring alternate devices to the table. My carrier just upgraded to 3G+ from CDMA. Having a SIM based solution opened the Focus as a possibility.
I am satisfied with my carrier's network, and the phone, and the apps.
I looked at the iDevices and Android devices before making this purchase. While the iDevices were pretty much all out of my price range for the flexibility provided, I considered the Samsung Galaxy line.... in particular, the Galaxy S Vibrant (known by other names on other networks, so let's not quibble).
The only thing that kept me from the Android platform was how cumbersome it was to use.
While there are some mobile enthusiasts out there who will claim that the platform is lacking, I have never once been in a situation where I thought to myself, hey I wish I could multitask. Once something draws me away, the back button is right there, my little friend.. who always helps me back to whatever experience I engaged in before the distraction.
Personally I do not care for MMS, as my carrier charges me per use. at that rate, I can use my unlimited data and share over Facebook and SKydrive to those I want to see my photos. As a result I haven't even tested to see if the feature works with my carrier's current APN settings.
My only pain point is that a few of the features that were demoed early in the year, are not yet available in Canada.
For instance, Bing searching does not bring back local maps. The city where I live has too small a population for 2D overhead maps. I find all of this interesting, as I do have birds-eye within the bing maps silverlight experience on the desktop.
Another feature our lovely land to the north is missing is the Zune Pass. I would happily pay for the ability to link Shazam to Zune, unfortunately due what I presume to be legal reasons, the zune pass is not presently available.
===============================
My only hope now is that someone out there will create a Kinect-Based Star-Trek Exploration game that allows me to use my WP7 device as the infamous Tricorder.
I think that would totally kick ass. I'm thinking of a title we'll tentatively name "Star Trek: Red Shirt Adventures" Where you get to explore the worlds of Kirk's day, and all those up until Picard's day.
In this fashion a good story teller could preserve Trek Cannon and shed some light on the rich history to us causal trekkies. Maybe the objective is to burn through 1000 lives in a single play through.... who knows.... it was an idea, which I give openly to the internet to turn around and capitalize on, as I lack the ambition. Surely with XNA architecture as a base on both platforms, this should be doable.

Skex said:
3 foci (sp)
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
correct

Finally a phone I love
Even though I've been in IT for 30 years, I had my first taste of smart phone ownership a little over a year ago with a BB Bold. I never needed one, but finally WANTed one. It was okay, but slow and not the easiest thing to type on. On 12/27 I upgraded to a Samsung Captivate. I really like the keyboard, but the darn thing kept powering off all by itself. When I noticed board postings about others' Captivates doing the same thing, I was determined not to play "let's see if this one works" and I traded for a Focus on 12/31. It is absolutely lovely. The only complaints I have are 1) the keyboard is a bit to small and 2) the hidden "diagnosis" settings really need to be easier to access. The good thing about that is I have joined groups like this one, where I am learning things I didn't know I wanted to know!

First day, first customer!!!
I have been a loyal WM/PPC user (iPAQ, Axim, 3125, TD2), and have been waiting for this phone. Having used TD2 and several Softbank (Japan) phones, I desire the following (only):
(a) Smart dial
(b) Toggle switches for Bluetooth/Wifi (like Cookies Home tab) on the Home Screen.
Nevertheless, very happy with my Focus.

[Q] Switch from Tilt2 to Focus?

I think this may be a no-brainer. I spend so much on my Phone bill, that ATT is going to give me a Focus for free. (or one of many other phones of my choice).
I just got my Tilt 2 is running the exact way I want it to. Should I upgrade? How happy are you with WINMO 7 and Focus?
Yes I know it's a freebe, but if ATT is planning on coming out with another phone, I don't want to use up my free turn now. That's the only thing holding me back. Thanks.
Will

william8004 said:
I think this may be a no-brainer. I spend so much on my Phone bill, that ATT is going to give me a Focus for free. (or one of many other phones of my choice).
I just got my Tilt 2 is running the exact way I want it to. Should I upgrade? How happy are you with WINMO 7 and Focus?
Yes I know it's a freebe, but if ATT is planning on coming out with another phone, I don't want to use up my free turn now. That's the only thing holding me back. Thanks.
Will
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
If you have the Tilt working the way you want it to, why would you switch? The Focus has functionality pretty much on the level of a severely retarded iPhone. It's nowhere near and nothing like the old Windows Mobile. Mine is sitting on my desk without a sim while I wait to see if Microsoft is actually serious or if I'll be getting an Android phone this summer. I've actually used my old Fuze more recently than the Focus because even tho it was slow, unstable and barely usable half the time, the other half of the time it did almost anything I needed to get done.

I am a previous Tilt and Tilt2 owner. I am now a Focus owner. The limitations of WP7 are out there and pretty well known. If any of those are critical to you, then don't switch. If you want a completely refreshing experience, no memory problems, apps that actually close when you close them, and not having to worry about constantly tweaking your phone, go with WP7. I don't regret it for a minute. Everybody is so worried about c&p (which is coming) and multitasking... there is something to be said about the WP7 experience. It has really grown on me. I go days without a soft reset. Marketplace occasionally hangs, which is my only complaint. The beautiful thing is that they are still on the first release. The most under talked about feature of WP7 is the People hub. It is really amazing how simple it is yet how it integrates all my contacts. I'm also a big OneNote user and I love this version. I do like a hardware keyboard, but this soft keyboard is just as good as the iPhone. Critics like to say the iPhone's keyboard is better because how could something be as good as an iPhone? Well, it actually is. I had an iPhone between my Tilt and Tilt2 and the WP7 keyboard is just as good. WP7 is not perfect (yet) but it's a great start. I don't even think about my Tilt2 anymore. I figured I'd buy the best of the first set of phones (Focus) early, then wait for a good second gen one to come out and get that in a year. I don't regret my decision for a second and would never go back.

FUZE
I moved from my FUZE to a Focus on December 27th and have never looked back. Like you, I got my FUZE where I wanted it with a custom Energy ROM and lots of tweaks and apps. It was an ongoing process that I had learned to live with. I had the Focus for 4 days before I swapped the SIM out of the FUZE. In fact, my FUZE is still on the charger.
All of this crap about C&P and multi-tasking is a tempest in a teapot. I haven't missed either and I use my phone hours each day. It is smooth, seemless and everything just works like WM 6.5 should have. I can't explain here what I love about WP7, it would take too long. You have to experience it to really understand.

This summarized my thoughts exactly.
smuook said:
I am a previous Tilt and Tilt2 owner. I am now a Focus owner. The limitations of WP7 are out there and pretty well known. If any of those are critical to you, then don't switch. If you want a completely refreshing experience, no memory problems, apps that actually close when you close them, and not having to worry about constantly tweaking your phone, go with WP7. I don't regret it for a minute. Everybody is so worried about c&p (which is coming) and multitasking... there is something to be said about the WP7 experience. It has really grown on me. I go days without a soft reset. Marketplace occasionally hangs, which is my only complaint. The beautiful thing is that they are still on the first release. The most under talked about feature of WP7 is the People hub. It is really amazing how simple it is yet how it integrates all my contacts. I'm also a big OneNote user and I love this version. I do like a hardware keyboard, but this soft keyboard is just as good as the iPhone. Critics like to say the iPhone's keyboard is better because how could something be as good as an iPhone? Well, it actually is. I had an iPhone between my Tilt and Tilt2 and the WP7 keyboard is just as good. WP7 is not perfect (yet) but it's a great start. I don't even think about my Tilt2 anymore. I figured I'd buy the best of the first set of phones (Focus) early, then wait for a good second gen one to come out and get that in a year. I don't regret my decision for a second and would never go back.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse

Thresher said:
This summarized my thoughts exactly.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Double ditto. Also went from Tilt -> Tilt2 -> Focus. Minor bugs are annoying, but the upsides win over the downsides

william8004 said:
I think this may be a no-brainer. I spend so much on my Phone bill, that ATT is going to give me a Focus for free. (or one of many other phones of my choice).
I just got my Tilt 2 is running the exact way I want it to. Should I upgrade? How happy are you with WINMO 7 and Focus?
Yes I know it's a freebe, but if ATT is planning on coming out with another phone, I don't want to use up my free turn now. That's the only thing holding me back. Thanks.
Will
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
The Focus is a great phone. To say that it's as functional as a severely retarded iPhone is extremely shortsighted and entirely subjective. If you find usb thumb drives to be too cumbersome for mass storage, need wifi internet sharing (the Focus tethers great with my Win 7 x64 laptop via usb), vcard support, or to send video via mms (although the camera in my TP2 sucks so bad I never used it) then stick with the tp2.
That being said, the Focus is MUCH faster and way more stable. Even oc'ed to 748 MHz my tp2 was extremely laggy, especially when sliding out the keyboard. I never thought I'd be able to do w/o a hardware keyboard, but, this one is fantastic. Unlike the iPhone, the auto-correct is right 95% of the time.
I, personally, can live w/o the missing feature for the time being.
Also, you may want to wait for the LTE rolling out later this year. If you're in one of the cities that will get it, it should be much faster than the current 3G and WP May introduce phones supporting it by the end of the year.

A lot of really nifty new hardware got announced at CES this past week. But then, if you're willing to wait, something better is always going to continually be coming down the pipe. If you're looking at what's out right now, you can do much worse than a Focus.
Personally, I much prefer using my Focus over my old Tilt2. About the only thing I really miss is the ability to connect to IRC. That one does irk me. Other than that, I really am digging the new toy.

I went from an HTC Wizard to the Tilt - I never got the Tilt2 - to a Samsung Focus. Only rarely do I miss a physical keyboard. I miss some of the apps - SPB Wallet, Vito Audio Notes Touch and Mobipocket Reader. I miss syncing Office docs but I don't miss Activesync issues. Occasionally I miss the Tilt's scroll wheel and Dpad but I'm getting over it.
The Focus' screen is so beautiful and the WP7 interface is really a joy. I love this phone - it's fast and responsive and pretty as hell. I know that I'll find new apps to replace my old ones in time and I'll adjust to the differences.
My advice is that if you have programs on your Tilt2 that you can't live without then you should think twice before moving on. But if you go into a store and take a look at the Focus you might just get one anyway.
As mentioned before if you're into social networking the People Hub just handles that integration really well. Also if you use Windows Live Photo Gallery Online and or Facebook for pictures the Pictures hub handles this great.
I'm not a gamer so the Xbox live thing doesn't do it for me.
So, I love the Focus but I'm waiting for the apps to catch up.

Here are my two choices.
1. go from tilt2 now to focus
2. wait and use my freebe on another phone in the future that ATT will carry.
???

wspaw said:
The Focus is a great phone. To say that it's as functional as a severely retarded iPhone is extremely shortsighted and entirely subjective. If you find usb thumb drives to be too cumbersome for mass storage, need wifi internet sharing (the Focus tethers great with my Win 7 x64 laptop via usb), vcard support, or to send video via mms (although the camera in my TP2 sucks so bad I never used it) then stick with the tp2.
That being said, the Focus is MUCH faster and way more stable. Even oc'ed to 748 MHz my tp2 was extremely laggy, especially when sliding out the keyboard. I never thought I'd be able to do w/o a hardware keyboard, but, this one is fantastic. Unlike the iPhone, the auto-correct is right 95% of the time.
I, personally, can live w/o the missing feature for the time being.
Also, you may want to wait for the LTE rolling out later this year. If you're in one of the cities that will get it, it should be much faster than the current 3G and WP May introduce phones supporting it by the end of the year.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
It's not short-sighted, it's the way it is. I bought a Focus the day they went on sale but every day brought about at least a couple situations that the iPhone and Fuze could easily meet and the Focus had nothing. If it did any less Walmart could package it with a prepaid card and stick it on the rack with the $25 Nokia phones that come with $30 of talk time. I don't give a damn about copy/paste, the thing that made me put the sim card back into the iPhone was that the camera doesn't save it's settings. How asinine is that? Doesn't anyone at Microsoft even use a camera? Didn't anyone bother testing it? And *I'm* the short-sighted one? That's why I don't buy that rubbish about how it doesn't have any useful features because "it's two months old". And as hard as it was to believe, the browser is actually WORSE than the WinMo browser which, in the very least, could play audio and video streams. I'm half surprised WP7 didn't come with Trumpet Winsock to make a data connection. WP7 is stable because there's practically nothing to crash or freeze. WinMo is fast, too, when it has nothing to do and a 1 GHz processor to do it on. So if I had a Tilt2 and wanted something that was actually responsive and approached the same level of functionality, I'd get an iPhone or a decent Android phone for, I'd guess, the next year given how long it took Microsoft to get the current rendition of WP7 out the door.

markgamber said:
It's not short-sighted, it's the way it is. I bought a Focus the day they went on sale but every day brought about at least a couple situations that the iPhone and Fuze could easily meet and the Focus had nothing. If it did any less Walmart could package it with a prepaid card and stick it on the rack with the $25 Nokia phones that come with $30 of talk time. I don't give a damn about copy/paste, the thing that made me put the sim card back into the iPhone was that the camera doesn't save it's settings. How asinine is that? Doesn't anyone at Microsoft even use a camera? Didn't anyone bother testing it? And *I'm* the short-sighted one? That's why I don't buy that rubbish about how it doesn't have any useful features because "it's two months old". And as hard as it was to believe, the browser is actually WORSE than the WinMo browser which, in the very least, could play audio and video streams. I'm half surprised WP7 didn't come with Trumpet Winsock to make a data connection. WP7 is stable because there's practically nothing to crash or freeze. WinMo is fast, too, when it has nothing to do and a 1 GHz processor to do it on. So if I had a Tilt2 and wanted something that was actually responsive and approached the same level of functionality, I'd get an iPhone or a decent Android phone for, I'd guess, the next year given how long it took Microsoft to get the current rendition of WP7 out the door.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Not saving camera settings is just dumb (I seriously doubt this will be an issue for long). The browser is far better on WP7. It accesses and renders pages faster than my wife's iPhone, let alone the TP2 (IE, Opera, Opera Mini, Skyfire, etc.). At least it WILL support flash compared to the iPhone. Can you edit Office docs on the iPhone? Kinda. But, the Office hub on the Focus is considered to add great functionality to the phone by many people. TP2 can do some of this, too, if you don't mind the lag. Typing is far more accurate for me on the Focus, coming from a hardware keyboard. Believe it or not, that affects the functionality of the phone, at least for me. The Focus can tether without additional cost. If you care about music the Zune Pass is outstanding. The Focus might not have much functionality for you, perhaps, but many others would disagree. Then again, maybe all of us happy Focus users are just retarded Walmart patrons.

All I have to say is I loved my Tilt2! I got a Focus with my upgrade. I figured I keep my Tilt2 to fall back to if I didn't like it. Needless to say I loved the Focus so much I gave...did you hear me... gave my Tilt 2 because I couldn't even justify putting a price on it. That's how different the Focus is. I've read all the complaints and ironically it's the exact same ones people gave as a reason the Iphone would fail. Hell I even mocked Iphone owners. Well we know how that turned out.
As far the browser, here in New Orleans(signals vary in every region) WP7 IE is faster than any WM browser I ever had Opera 9,9.5,9.7, 9.7 with Flash,10 beta,10 Mini,Skyfire, UCWeb6,6.7,7,7 release2, NetFront 3.4,3.5,4,4 updated, Bolt,Iris, Pocket IE, Uzard. The sad thing is all of these damn browsers were installed on my phone because none were good enough. With the Focus I released much like the Iphone people I mocked, I don't need most of that bullcrap. I don't know if the IP4 has a different browser version than the 3GS, but WP7 IE is just as fast and accurate. as my nephews 3GS.
As for saving camera settings, I never taught of this till you mentioned it. Now that you mentioned it, it sounds crazy to me to save the settings. I constantly take pictures with my phone for work. Unless I'm in the exact same conditions then saving the settings would be just a big pain. Obviously, someone in the Microsoft meeting must have mentioned this. Damned if they do damned if they don't.

bennyj71 said:
As for saving camera settings, I never taught of this till you mentioned it. Now that you mentioned it, it sounds crazy to me to save the settings. I constantly take pictures with my phone for work. Unless I'm in the exact same conditions then saving the settings would be just a big pain. Obviously, someone in the Microsoft meeting must have mentioned this. Damned if they do damned if they don't.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
You still are using a fixed set of settings, the default ones. If you are OK with those is no problem, but a user should still be able to customize the settings and then save them instead of always going back to default.

I am in my first day of "playing" with a Focus, coming from a Tilt 2. Sometimes I think I should have not started.
I love the simplicity but I miss the flexibility.
So far the biggest con for me is the small font used in various places that I find hard to read after using the phone for a while. Maybe it is time for glasses but get them only for the Focus? Too bad the font size cannot be adjusted other than the places where zooming works. Speaking of zooming I miss the reflow of text, so now after zooming I constantly have to scroll sideways to read a page.
When I got the Tilt 2 I thought I was going to use the slide out keyboard more. Turned out that I rarely used it so that was not an issue moving to the Focus. I do find the Focus keyboard very sensitive. The slightest touch or even coming close enough to the screen without actually touching registers on the touch screen. Even though the Focus screen keyboard keys are very close in size to the Tilt 2 screen keyboard I have lots of typos with the Focus. I guess though that this is something that gets overcome with time.
WiFi... cannot connect to hidden networks??? Please Microsoft, reconsider this.
Once connected to WiFi what is there to do other than using WiFi for data instead of 3G? I cannot connect to my Windows Home Server to save pictures and other documents or to load some documents for the road. I know I can go thru Skydrive but that's extra steps and maybe I have documents I would rather not upload to a third party server.
I would like a common email tile on the home screen instead of individual tiles for each account. The visible home screen is limited. HTC Sense does this beatifully.
Various apps that I use save their data somewhere in the phone's memory. I would like to be able to back it up at least by copying it to my laptop or home server. I do not see any sort of file management at the OS level where I could do this. Some apps save their data in the cloud... again a third party server.
But I do have another 25 days or so to play with the Focus. I'll see how things change.

Started with a Tilt --> iPhone --> Tilt2 and now Focus. The phone does have its quirks but I believe the pros outweigh the cons. The onscreen keyboard easily rivals or surpasses that of the iPhone. Transition between programs is fluid and seemless. The link with Xbox Live is awesome!
This is only day 2 of playing with this guy and I'm already hooked.

Just upgraded from the Tilt 2 (prior to that I used the original Tilt and then the Fuze) to the Samsung Focus -- and I will not be looking back. Finally a phone that works when I need it to! I'll trade a few, very minor limitations that I can work around for the lightning fast responsiveness of the WP7.
I can't count the number of times with the Tilt/Fuze/Tilt 2 that I stood outside an elevator needing to quickly look up a meeting room number or sitting in a meeting and needing to look up a phone number only to have it slowly lumber through the process at a snails pace with people waiting all around me in frustration. I need a phone that works in real world - real time - business situations. So I really value the simplicity and responsiveness of the Focus.
It's a keeper.

I also came from the long line of HTC phones and the iPhone3Gs. I upgraded to the Focus the day it hit the streets and as others have said I have never looked back. I do miss some of the customizing and some of the apps but in time they will come. I knew the limitations going in and while some of them have been a pain the pros way outweigh the cons. If MS keeps their word and gets the updates out and keeps them coming they have a big winner on their hands.

JamesAllen said:
I moved from my FUZE to a Focus on December 27th and have never looked back. Like you, I got my FUZE where I wanted it with a custom Energy ROM and lots of tweaks and apps. It was an ongoing process that I had learned to live with. I had the Focus for 4 days before I swapped the SIM out of the FUZE. In fact, my FUZE is still on the charger.
All of this crap about C&P and multi-tasking is a tempest in a teapot. I haven't missed either and I use my phone hours each day. It is smooth, seemless and everything just works like WM 6.5 should have. I can't explain here what I love about WP7, it would take too long. You have to experience it to really understand.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
My sentiments exactly. As a former Fuze owner, the only thing I miss are the physical keyboard, and specific apps. I purchased my Fuze the day it came out, and used it heavily during that time. I still find myself clicking on the search button to end a call, but that's a habit I'll break soon enough.
The keyboard is probably the best soft-keyboard I've tried, and I'm still learning little tips to make it even easier. That said, I really do miss the hard-keys.
The only other area of concern are the apps. I had a number of apps that I used daily, which sadly aren't yet available for Win7, and possibly may never be available.
Still, this phone is just amazing. It is extremely responsive to gestures, screens load quickly, and the screen will blow your socks off. Everyone who gets their hands on it just love it.
Now I purchased mine off contract on eBay for an incredibly good price. I doubt I would take on another contract with a phone this early in its development. If I were you, I'd wait it out a little longer. The Tilt2 is a good phone especially with custom ROMs loaded.

Wait until after the MWC in February. Some new WP7 phones might be announced then.

Android on samsung focus?

Hello all.
I wonder if it's possible to install dual boot on samsung focus, with
Windows Mobile 7.
Thanks.

^^ someone get hot on this. WP7 is just terrible. I wasted money on this phone.. Need android now lol.

If you don't like WP7, get urself a Captivate. They even share a same battery. I'm out of laggy, battery draining Android.

afriedguy said:
^^ someone get hot on this. WP7 is just terrible. I wasted money on this phone.. Need android now lol.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I can understand people wanting both OSes, but if you just want Android, you should just sell your Focus and buy the Captivate. The latter is a better looking device (I have one).
I go back and forth between the two, and each has clear advantages and disadvantages over the other. If I had to pick ONE, I would probably go with the Captivate (custom ROM), but the Focus isn't very far behind, which is saying a volume about the first execution from Microsoft.
I am no MS fanboy (and is there such a thing?), but I think WP7 is something MS got mostly right first time around. There are clearly issues with WP7, but nothing compared to the first incarnation of Android (just ask people who had to endure through the early devices -- e.g. HTC G1 -- and their subsequent updates). Android prominence didn't materialize until 2.0 (Eclair) with Motorola Droid and a flurry of subsequent 2.x-based devices from Motorola, Samsung and HTC.

enigma00 said:
I can understand people wanting both OSes, but if you just want Android, you should just sell your Focus and buy the Captivate. The latter is a better looking device (I have one).
I go back and forth between the two, and each has clear advantages and disadvantages over the other. If I had to pick ONE, I would probably go with the Captivate (custom ROM), but the Focus isn't very far behind, which is saying a volume about the first execution from Microsoft.
I am no MS fanboy (and is there such a thing?), but I think WP7 is something MS got mostly right first time around. There are clearly issues with WP7, but nothing compared to the first incarnation of Android (just ask people who had to endure through the early devices -- e.g. HTC G1 -- and their subsequent updates). Android prominence didn't materialize until 2.0 (Eclair) with Motorola Droid and a flurry of subsequent 2.x-based devices from Motorola, Samsung and HTC.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Same back and forth here
For most of the time my SIM is in Focus cause the long-lasting battery life and better working GPS. My captivate usually cannot last longer than 18 hours without flight mode. But when I'm out of town I switch to Captivate. Bing map has too little information.

amtrakcn said:
Same back and forth here
For most of the time my SIM is in Focus cause the long-lasting battery life and better working GPS. My captivate usually cannot last longer than 18 hours without flight mode. But when I'm out of town I switch to Captivate. Bing map has too little information.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Similar here...
Captivate +'s:
+ Tons of apps
+ Better market/shopping experience
+ Better search + voice recognition
+ Better Google service integrations (e.g. Google Voice, Books, etc.)
+ Better maps (including Navigation)
+ Flash support
+ Better looking (subjective but the textured backcover looks 100x better than the plastic one on the Focus)
+ More ways to customize (e.g. change the launcher)
+ Multitasking
Focus +'s:
+ Better Exchange integration
+ Better MS Office support (e.g. very accurate view of pptx files)
+ VERY fluid UI (try smooth pinch to zoom on Android)
+ Better music player + PC sync (Zune is second to none)
+ Better international roaming support (e.g. adjusting to timezone in Calendar)
+ Better battery life by a long shot
+ Better GPS signals and faster fixes
+ Dedicated Camera button + LED

I'm very disappointed because I wanted the focus samsung also bear
the android.
I see many applications for it, and everyone says that the android is better.
I'll probably sell because I like to take advantage of the phone and not
I think that having the wm7 possible.
Thank you all

Android is complete trash. They only good cuz they open source. Most of the Apps are completely garbage. Some of them are useful. Very laggy horrible UI. It will never be like Windows Phone 7. Just few updates on the Windows Phone and Android is done.

Freddy2Fred said:
Android is complete trash. They only good cuz they open source. Most of the Apps are completely garbage. Some of them are useful. Very laggy horrible UI. It will never be like Windows Phone 7. Just few updates on the Windows Phone and Android is done.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I am quite speechless but we all have our opinions...
Sent from my ADR6300 using XDA App

I'm currently running both (Focus and Captivate) as stock. Focus is very slick with the UI and very it's very fluid with no lag. Captivate has nice WiFi hotspot capability, no MMS issues and no SD card issues. And yes swapping the battery is simple since it's the same battery for both models. Sometimes one phone can't do it all. If Apple had a user replaceable/swappable battery, and changed to a Micro or Mini USB type connection to PC, had SD card slot, they would have a clear winner. But they don't hence the WP7 phone. I'm actually glad to be back on the MSF platform after many WinMo phones, and can't wait for the updates. I would say out of the gate, MSF and Google have good phones and same with Apple. It just might be that no one will build an ultimate phone as then we would have no incentive to buy the latest model as quickly as we do now. That would affect everyone's bottom line (sales revenue $) but eventually the device is not where the money will be with these phones. It will be services and the "cloud" and that is where Microsoft will win. So for now we all live half decent phones. Eventually some one will build a great phone, to equally match the sevices from the cloud. What Microsoft did with the PC OS they will do with their phone platform. So hang onto those Samsung Focus devices because it will be a pleasure to own.

lol, i switched from iPhone 4 to WM7, besides less app selection, the phone performs equally well in terms of speed and UI transition.
Played with android in stores as well, slow UI and from what i heard... battery die quick.

goncasmc said:
I'm very disappointed because I wanted the focus samsung also bear
the android.
I see many applications for it, and everyone says that the android is better.
I'll probably sell because I like to take advantage of the phone and not
I think that having the wm7 possible.
Thank you all
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
No phone on earth got dual system support so far.
Focus is a WP7 device, even if someone put Android on it by chance, it's going to buggy and unusable.
Stop everyone says. U should say urself.
Isn't u that using ur own phone?
Many people think WP7 is superior to Android, I agree with them.

amtrakcn said:
No phone on earth got dual system support so far.
Focus is a WP7 device, even if someone put Android on it by chance, it's going to buggy and unusable.
Stop everyone says. U should say urself.
Isn't u that using ur own phone?
Many people think WP7 is superior to Android, I agree with them.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
You should try the HTC HD2, i got one and i have run all Windows Mobile 6.5, Android and WP7 in it. I got a focus now because i switched to AT&T for work reasons, but i still have my HD2 as a backup. If you want to be able to switch between OSs, that is the phone for you.

ZaidSenall said:
You should try the HTC HD2, i got one and i have run all Windows Mobile 6.5, Android and WP7 in it. I got a focus now because i switched to AT&T for work reasons, but i still have my HD2 as a backup. If you want to be able to switch between OSs, that is the phone for you.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I have mine setup that way and i love it . I am on WM7 most of the time though, unless i go out of town and I need navigation. I have a Focus as well but had to give it to my younger sister because she lost her Captivate, but she did like the Focus much better due to better battery life, fb integration and overall very fluid ui.

check out AtoB app on windows phone 7.
it has turn by turn navigation. not perfect, but, pretty usable

I fell victim to the WP7 promise
I purchased a Focus within a week of it being released. I knew there were shortcomings but really did believe all the Hype of a quick update process to get some of the missing features in. Now that the update process has been completely botched with "Copy / Paste" being the only apparent "feature" added. Even worse now knowing the [email protected] controls the release of the updates I doubt I'll see the things I really need until sometime next year.
I can't wait that long. I travel and need a real navigation program. I use Pandora and Sirius XM and I miss having that on my phone. Also my banking App and all the websites that use flash and do not work.
Last week after learning the "official" update is no where in sight for this phone (I don't think I should have to screw around trying to force an update) I went and bought a Motorola Atrix. This is my first Android and my first non-WinMo phone in something like 12 years.
Now I have what I need. The Motorola is pretty slick and with all the little "widgets" you can get more info up front than the live tiles provided.
I am a die hard MS fan but I truly think they blew it with WP7. I even considered going back to my old Rhodium because it did more than the Samsung, it was just underpowered and therefore constantly crashing. I think I'll be happy with this Atrix though.......so far it has it all.

kjdinoc said:
Now I have what I need. The Motorola is pretty slick and with all the little "widgets" you can get more info up front than the live tiles provided.
I am a die hard MS fan but I truly think they blew it with WP7. I even considered going back to my old Rhodium because it did more than the Samsung, it was just underpowered and therefore constantly crashing. I think I'll be happy with this Atrix though.......so far it has it all.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Looks like the features you need currently works better on Android, but I think Atrix is still not a great choice.

I'll be one happy person if they ever port Gingerbread to the Focus.
Sent from my SGH-i917 using XDA Windows Phone 7 App

LOL!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!1

yup i totally agreed that android is completely trash, google buy back android and claimed that its theirs which so shame of them , laggy , bad battery life and so on are something which not necessary to mention anymore as this is so well known, horrible UI , stupid browser without gpu accel, it suck really..if you think android is that good , do not buy samsung focus then, because a good mobile OS dont need dual OS, one OS for all already enough..the answer is Windows Phone 7

Just turned my DVP back on after 6 months

And it worked. Got Mango'd and updated. Woohoo.
In May I left for android. WP hardware is just 2nd or even 3rd class in comparison. However, I do like windows phone. In looking at the upcoming releases, and the partnership with Nokia, the hardware gap should close.
So I turned the dell on for grins. And I still like it. My current droid is the bionic. No comparison, hardware wise. But is wise, WP is the way to go.
With the new leadership over at Microsoft, and Nokia in the mix, the future looks good...imo.
I'll probably wait on Apollo, but look forward to the move back.

I have been on android for years and just can't go back to it. Reminds me of Windows ME. It is a necessary evil.
I have a few Dell Streaks and I just updated 1 to see if gingerbread helped at all, and it did not. Mind you I unbloated, deoxded and cleaned it out and it is still slow, chunky and very annoying to wait for.
My mango dvp so far is the best OS i have had. It is simple, it works, and it is quick. I have easily over 100 apps on my dvp and it doesn't slow down..
the kicker for me is..
I can have bluetooth headset on, navigon navigation running, do a voice text back and forth and not miss a beat. Something I could never do on any android device and I had a few.
I think Apple and MS have the right idea when it comes to having a closed OS. I am sick of manufactures loading garbage like Samsung and HTC.
Thinking about the lumia 900.

Krad said:
I have been on android for years and just can't go back to it. Reminds me of Windows ME. It is a necessary evil.
I have a few Dell Streaks and I just updated 1 to see if gingerbread helped at all, and it did not. Mind you I unbloated, deoxded and cleaned it out and it is still slow, chunky and very annoying to wait for.
My mango dvp so far is the best OS i have had. It is simple, it works, and it is quick. I have easily over 100 apps on my dvp and it doesn't slow down..
the kicker for me is..
I can have bluetooth headset on, navigon navigation running, do a voice text back and forth and not miss a beat. Something I could never do on any android device and I had a few.
I think Apple and MS have the right idea when it comes to having a closed OS. I am sick of manufactures loading garbage like Samsung and HTC.
Thinking about the lumia 900.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Yeah, I'm looking at it too. I can't wai. I may delay until laer in the year to see what verizon does though. Problem is, tmobile only has low end phones. Don't care for att. Verizon is so android and so mad at ms, windows phone will not be included.
My bionic is far superior to any windows phone, hardware wise. But the operating system on my dvp...I love it. I won't mind paying full price for a new windows phone that has acceptable hardware.

fingers cross for next year's rumored "wp super phones" with apollo.

weatherx said:
fingers cross for next year's rumored "wp super phones" with apollo.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I can't imagine a super phone from Microsoft. I would rather have an Operating system on the phone that will link 'all' of the Microsoft features and services, without gimmicks. I would love skydrive to be more versatile. I would love to be able to stream my music from a skydrive like cloud. In fact, a do more cloud presense, with flexibility would be great. I like how Google and Amazon Music allow streaming. Zune is fine, I like it and have a subscription. But I want that cloud storage access.
After being in the Android world for most of the year, I see great ideas, but horrible quality control. Its too freakish...though I have the Bionic....I really want to be back on Windows phone. Hardware is the ONLY reason I am not.
I read somewhere about speed of the dual core phones vs the single core. What came into play was the amount of available RAM. Many Windows phones have 512 or less RAM. Most new Androids are all at 1g. Some people are pointing to this as part of the speed difference many people associate with processor.
I think consistency and steady improvement will bring Windows Phone back. Anyone read the article online the other day about the mismarketing of Windows phone and how it would have been better off being markedted as the xPhone????

alodar1 said:
I can't imagine a super phone from Microsoft. I would rather have an Operating system on the phone that will link 'all' of the Microsoft features and services, without gimmicks. I would love skydrive to be more versatile. I would love to be able to stream my music from a skydrive like cloud. In fact, a do more cloud presense, with flexibility would be great. I like how Google and Amazon Music allow streaming. Zune is fine, I like it and have a subscription. But I want that cloud storage access.
After being in the Android world for most of the year, I see great ideas, but horrible quality control. Its too freakish...though I have the Bionic....I really want to be back on Windows phone. Hardware is the ONLY reason I am not.
I read somewhere about speed of the dual core phones vs the single core. What came into play was the amount of available RAM. Many Windows phones have 512 or less RAM. Most new Androids are all at 1g. Some people are pointing to this as part of the speed difference many people associate with processor.
I think consistency and steady improvement will bring Windows Phone back. Anyone read the article online the other day about the mismarketing of Windows phone and how it would have been better off being markedted as the xPhone????
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
i've seen pretty convincing arguments on why more ram doesn't really benefit windows phone, given allocations to apps--it's somewhere on xda. and honestly at this point i haven't seen convincing evidence that dual core does what they claim to do (i.e. LOWER power consumption compared to single core at low load). seriously, look at the battery capacity of dual core phones. some extra cpu speed is nice, but that's not where the bottleneck is.

weatherx said:
i've seen pretty convincing arguments on why more ram doesn't really benefit windows phone, given allocations to apps--it's somewhere on xda. and honestly at this point i haven't seen convincing evidence that dual core does what they claim to do (i.e. LOWER power consumption compared to single core at low load). seriously, look at the battery capacity of dual core phones. some extra cpu speed is nice, but that's not where the bottleneck is.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I agree with you on that. I have my dell, on wifi, running along side my bionic on wifi. The dell doesn't handle my wifi n very well.... but....side by side...the bionic is faster in access. alot faster....no...just enough to notice. Some apps run better on the bionic compared to the dell....like facebook and twitter. Working with the bank of america app, the dell was better.
but what I really noticed was the battery. I am approaching 48 hrs on my dell, and I'm at 40%. I've had to recharge the bionic 3 times in that same timeframe. To be honest, it could be the LTE. But, i've been home for most of that 48hrs. So I've been on wifi. The bionic is supposed to override the lte when wifi is on. I don't know if this is an android thing...or an lte thing or what.
Just watched the Nokia presentation at CES and the introduction of the Lumia 900. Unless something else comes up...that might be my next phone.

alodar1 said:
I can't imagine a super phone from Microsoft. I would rather have an Operating system on the phone that will link 'all' of the Microsoft features and services, without gimmicks. I would love skydrive to be more versatile. I would love to be able to stream my music from a skydrive like cloud. In fact, a do more cloud presense, with flexibility would be great. I like how Google and Amazon Music allow streaming. Zune is fine, I like it and have a subscription. But I want that cloud storage access.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Have you tried the SkyDrive App ? load your music up and stream away !

PaullikesWINMO said:
Have you tried the SkyDrive App ? load your music up and stream away !
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I loaded it but did not look at it....trying it now. If it does what you say....next stop Nokia 900

alodar1 said:
I loaded it but did not look at it....trying it now. If it does what you say....next stop Nokia 900
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
won't stream. it will do a 1:1 song play...unless I missed something

May be switching from Android to WP8

My contract is over soon, and it is a great time to get a new phone because I have so many choices being a Verizon owner. When I saw the HTC 8X i fell in love with the design. It apparently fits great in the hand, feels thin, and is silky smooth in terms of hardware.
However, I knew i needed more options, so, being a current Android user and loving its software, I started to anticipate the HTC DROID DNA, a 5' 1080p beast of a phone supposedly coming out around the same time as the 8X (end of November). I continued to do research on both and found out that I like the WP8 Start Screen a lot more than I like Android's homescreens.
But I am afraid of the software of WP8. It's great and all, but I may miss the PhotoSphere, live widgets, quick settings, apps (!!), and outstanding developer support that Android offered. I'm afraid I will need those features down the line and not be able to use them with my WP8 device. I have a Surface and a Zune and want integration. However, Android has SkyDrive and Xbox Music available in Google Play.
So I'm kind of in a pickle right now. I want integration and functionality, but Android has everything and then some. Help guys! What do you suggest I do? Stay on Android or switch to WP8? Personal experiences would be helpful; however, blanket statements/generalizations will not be tolerated because I hate them very much. Also because there are always two sides to those statements, and I want this to be a friendly thread, not one that I am going to regret posting. Thanks in advance for your help, guys!

I suggest you start using paragraphs.
You have a lot of apps in the windows phone marketplace. Probably not with the same name, but if you need something, you usually find that something.
IMO, Windows Phone is vastly superior to android in many, many ways. They give you a lot more control over your devices (apps can't do things behind your back without your approval unlike on android), the system is a lot more stable, the battery life is usually better due to hardware optimizations, and much more smooth. I suggest you pick a nokia instead though, they have great apps in there, including free music downloads through nokia music.

mcosmin222 said:
I suggest you start using paragraphs.
You have a lot of apps in the windows phone marketplace. Probably not with the same name, but if you need something, you usually find that something.
IMO, Windows Phone is vastly superior to android in many, many ways. They give you a lot more control over your devices (apps can't do things behind your back without your approval unlike on android), the system is a lot more stable, the battery life is usually better due to hardware optimizations, and much more smooth. I suggest you pick a nokia instead though, they have great apps in there, including free music downloads through nokia music.
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I would've wanted the L920, but I'm not waiting 6 months for it to come to Verizon. Nokia apps aren't necessary for me; I don't drive and don't really use Maps too often.

Drive and maps aren't the only things nokia has. In fact, these two are available to all windows phones 8.

I don't need them, tbh. However, I'd be happy to take them if a high-end Nokia phone came out on Verizon. Anyway, off-topic. What about Xbox Music and SkyDrive? They are on both Android and WP8.

i really like the new devices. im sure once microsoft sees how they sell apps and such will be growing. im on the same boat although im not ready for an upgrade for another year and a half these new phones will be plenty caught up with development and should be pretty similar to all these new phones coming out within the next few months.

I'm due for an upgrade with Verizon in December. I was looking at Nokia 920. Too bad it's not Available Until 6 months.
Sent from my DROID RAZR using xda premium

So you guys are saying that i won't miss out on all the features of Android?
Sent from my PIMPED OUT MIUI 4.1.1 Fascinate

You physically cannot tell the difference between 720p and 1080p on a small screen that is found on a phone (think like 26 to 32 inches is where you can start seeing it)
Just so the screen resolution isn't what sways your final choice.
However I find myself missing my WP a lot ever since it broke and I got stuck with the GS3. For me WP is just better. Specifically the keyboard is way better in WP.
As for applications WP has all the ones I use anyways. Fun fact I find I use my android less than I used my WP. I think its because for me it seems to take longer to get to the application I want to use and it feels that android has less smooth scrolling than WP. Of course I'm on stock which is probably why its slow, but my WP was stock too.
Sent from my SAMSUNG-SGH-I747 using xda app-developers app

Dadstar said:
I don't need them, tbh. However, I'd be happy to take them if a high-end Nokia phone came out on Verizon. Anyway, off-topic. What about Xbox Music and SkyDrive? They are on both Android and WP8.
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Both of them will obviously be on WP, since they are microsoft's creation. You will also like Nokia Music -> free unlimited music.

PhotoSphere seems to me to be very similar to Microsoft's Photosynth which has been available for iOS and Windows Phone for a long time.
Concerning Apps I would suggest you ask around the forums for particular Apps that you need, so people can tell you wether they exist or if there is a viable Alternative. XBox Music will be coming to additional platforms but as far as I know it currently isn't available and following Microsoft's track record with those things you will have it available on iOS months before it arrives on Android.
SkyDrive is available as an App on Android. The difference in usage is in the integration. SkyDrive Images show up in the Pictures Hub pretty much the same as if they were on the device itself. I just drop an Image into the according folder on my PC and it shows up where all my pictures show up. It's the same with office documents (if you use those).
So while the functionality itself is there on Android the experience of using it is superior on Windows Phone. But this works the other way round as well. While GMail works reasonably well on WP it simply works better with the GMail App on Android.

Wow. I'm getting really excited for my 8X now. Thanks guys!
Sent from my PIMPED OUT MIUI 4.1.1 Fascinate

I'm kinda in the same boat as OP. Currently enjoying my Galaxy Nexus but I'm mad that it's got VZW's taint all over it. Does Microsoft handle the updates for WP8 and doesn't take BS carriers when it comes to pushing them out? I like constant security updates, and Android just can't seem to handle that.
I want a Nokia because I've heard they're great but the 822's display won't cut it with it's resolution for me if it's anything like PenTile. I'm thinking about ditching VZW when my contract is up if it doesn't get the Nexus 4 (doubtful it will) so I don't know if I'd use my upgrade on any of VZW's WP8 lineup. The Nexus 4 still has these beat when it comes to unsubsidized pricing.
The only other thing keeping me from WP8 is that I heard there was a lack of a good turn-by-turn app and no notification center. Both of these are kind of turn-offs. But the UX, fluidity, Start, and Microsoft-handled updates are quite enticing.

Same dilemmas for me guys. I'm working at Nokia and have tested both new Lumia devices and they really are awesome. While I like the design of the 820 and how it feels in the hand, the display of the 920 is far superior. The 820 has just an average display imo, it is bright but not very sharp, given the low res and poor pixel density (217 lol..). Other than that it is quite the smooth operator and really a pleasure to handle. The thing about it's big brother is that it is kind of uncomfortable to hold and I don't like the rather sharp edges.
I am now debating with myself if I should go for a WP8 device since the OS is just awesome or get one of these http://android-sale.com/xiaomi-phone-2.html as soon as it becomes available. You cannot deny the bang for your buck with these, though I am a bit afraid when it comes to warranty and customer support + you cannot really play with the device beforehand. I was waiting for the new Nexus but I think it is disappointing and especially fragile with that glass backcover. I was even considering an iphone because of the smoothness since I've really grown to hate the android lag which is present even on latest quad cores....But after using a 4S for a whole evening I cannot imagine myself doing this daily, it is just too limiting and I fail to see how people say it is so 'easy' and it 'just works' - well it just works with more steps than android or wp...But that is another topic of course.
As for the apps, I am currently using around 40-50 apps on my droid and all of them (EXCEPT DROPBOX, mind you..) are available on WP. The development frameworks for WP8 and the support for DirectX, and also the shared core with windows 8 will surely attract alot of devs and app number will grow in the coming year. I have to say that the windows phone store might not have so many offerings, but the design, fluidity and and general look is just stunning. So is the whole WP8 ui. For example, I think the so much praised iOS app store looks terrible and is a pain to navigate throug. Play Store on the other hand is very functional and easy to use but looks plain and boring.
Well well, this is my pov, I think I will be getting a WP after all but let's see. Maybe I will buy the xiaomi device if it is possible, simply because of the price/spec ratio + I love MIUI, since it is as if you are not using android.

You don't need dropbox, you have skydrive.

mcosmin222 said:
You don't need dropbox, you have skydrive.
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I have to disagree with you, dropbox is very light and useful, also a lot of users have quite some storage space on dropbox and would like to have it available. Not to mention that I know a friend of mine has a small company where they run 100Gb+ shared dropbox folders full of working data. They sure cannot force all employees to go windows phone because of skydrive or the other way around. So yeah, lack of dropbox IS a big minus.

You still have dropbox on WP. just checked xD

mcosmin222 said:
You still have dropbox on WP. just checked xD
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Isn't it some 3rd party app? Btw I think I'm fully converted now, just played around with the city lens app and tried some offline maps. **** is ca$h

Dadstar said:
Wow. I'm getting really excited for my 8X now. Thanks guys!
Sent from my PIMPED OUT MIUI 4.1.1 Fascinate
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Hi Dadstar, I recently switched from a Lumina 710 (Windows 7.8) to a Samsung Galaxy Note II (Android-Jelly Bean) and I will give you some of my perceptions.
1. Note II is a remarkable phone, unbelievable screen, and some really cool apps.
2. Lumina 710 was a solid phone, but after the screen size of the Note II, I could never go back and settle for a small screen.
That being said, the Lumina 710 is way ahead of the Note II in voice dialing over bluetooth. I would never have to get my Lumina out of my pocket to make a call (I have about 1200 contacts in Outlook with multiple listings for each), but with the Note II, it is a constant battle of it being slow to decide who it thinks I want to call and then gives me multiple choices on the screen. So it really defeats the role of voice dialing over bluetooth and that is a deal breaker for me and I am sending the Note II back within the 14 day trial period. Hopefully, Tmobile will come out with a new Windows 8 phone soon. Ken B.

Google announced Nexus 4 for 350$! Thats a steal..but as the dust settled, and the picture became clearer, it is for anything but that price..So, I am with the OP on this one too...
8X or N4??
On one side, you have a large display, quad core processor et all...and on the other you have a dual core, with the same sized screen as I have now. Also, with Android, there are tons of apps and games I can get (sometimes for free).
SO, Will i sacrifice a smoother OS for an OS that may not be that smooth but has tons of other features...?