Windows Phone 8.1

[OzRay]

I finally succumbed and bought a modern smartphone, after years of using a lesser device. I know I'm in the minority when it comes to Windows phone users, but I have to say that I'm immensely impressed with its capabilities and don't regret the decision for one moment.

I now even have half decent mobile phone camera:

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I just wish Olympus would provide a camera control app for Windows phone.

Anyone else individual enough to use a Windows phone?

 

[wjiang]

I would, except for the app eco system at present. Now that Windows has fully converged between mobile and desktop I hope that it will take off.

My next phone may well be a Windows one.

 

[agentlossing]

Why, I've used a Windows Phone since 2008! Except, well, right now I have a Google Nexus 6 now, for at least 18 months, at which point if there's a new and good Windows Phone model out in the large-screen category, I'll fly straight back into the coop.

Which model is it? My work firewall doesn't like the link.

 

[OzRay]

I'm really interested in where the apps fall short. As I posted in my blog, this is what each system provides:

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How many apps does one need? I know that there will be specific ones that some people desire, and not everyone's going to be satisfied with what is available, but how many are truly valuable and useful?

 

[OzRay]

Why, I've used a Windows Phone since 2008! Except, well, right now I have a Google Nexus 6 now, for at least 18 months, at which point if there's a new and good Windows Phone model out in the large-screen category, I'll fly straight back into the coop.

Which model is it? My work firewall doesn't like the link.

I bought the Nokia Lumia 630 with Windows phone 8.1. It's not the latest and greatest (having come out around Apr 2014), but it was very well priced and works beautifully.

 

[phigmov]

I've got a pair of cheapo Lumia 525's (one work, one personal) - I find them to be pretty good. Camera isn't great but thats not my primary (take calls) or even secondary (read email) or tertiary (txt) use for the devices.

 

[agentlossing]

The mid-range Lumias are probably the best value in smartphones these days... The 1520 has an extraordinary camera, if you're into big phones. Only reason I traded it in was the fact that after a year and a half there was nothing new in that category, and I've always been a fan of Nexus branded devices. The camera on this thing is awful, though.

 

[agentlossing]

I'm really interested in where the apps fall short. As I posted in my blog, this is what each system provides:

Subscribe to see EXIF info for this image (if available)

How many apps does one need? I know that there will be specific ones that some people desire, and not everyone's going to be satisfied with what is available, but how many are truly valuable and useful?

I find the apps topic to be hideously overblown. Sure, there are a few apps you still can't get on WP8.1, camera companion apps being a major lot for us, but there are also some pretty amazing apps on WP8.1 that don't have counterparts in the other realms. Not to mention a lot of baked-in features that are slicker and faster (and more intuitive!) than the competition. Trying to reach a comfortable equilibrium with podcasts, for example, on my Nexus was a ridiculously hard experience!

 

[OzRay]

There are certainly a lot of post-processing apps available, but why Olympus didn't include a Windows phone camera app is baffling.

 

[wjiang]

I'm really interested in where the apps fall short. As I posted in my blog, this is what each system provides:

Subscribe to see EXIF info for this image (if available)

How many apps does one need? I know that there will be specific ones that some people desire, and not everyone's going to be satisfied with what is available, but how many are truly valuable and useful?

Specifically the stuff from the likes Olympus, Sony, Panasonic, etc. It's the sort of stuff that made desktop Windows so dominant, that's hurting it in mobile space.

 

[agentlossing]

Not sure it's so different from having a version of Android (5.0.1) that the Olympus app only sporadically works with

Sent from my Nexus 6 using Mu-43 mobile app

 

[OzRay]

Specifically the stuff from the likes Olympus, Sony, Panasonic, etc. It's the sort of stuff that made desktop Windows so dominant, that's hurting it in mobile space.

Yes, manufacturers don't seem to be on the ball when it comes to these things, but then that's not their main core business. I just installed a Brother printer app on my phone and while I got the printer IP recognised via wireless, the app didn't do squat after that.

 

[Chris5107]

I have a windows phone and love it. There are occasionally apps that are missing. For instance, my bank has apps for android and ios and not windows. There are the few examples like this but nothing that really bothers me. Overall, I find the phone much easier to use than android devices and IMO better than IOS. We have all of them in the family and I am tech support for each.

I am surprised windows phone has not been more popular. For my needs it is nearly perfect.

 

[OzRay]

My wife appears to be very comfortable with using the phone, so that to me is a clear indication that it's very user friendly. She sent me a text and even managed to include a coffee cup icon (she was having a coffee with a friend).

 

[OzRay]

An interesting article here about the future of the big mobile phone manufacturers: http://www.news.com.au/technology/g...tphone-companies/story-fn6vihic-1227252684782. The article is all about hardware centricity, so I think if anything, the likes of Samsung will be affected more than anyone else. Apple and Microsoft are still heavily in the software sphere, especially Microsoft, so cheaper hardware is not likely to affect them that much.

 

[Art]

Olympus share app for iphone (and ipad) is outstanding. Remote live view, remote power zooming, photo transfer, etc. Apparently, more apps will be coming with the introduction of Olympus Air. I see no alternative to iOS anytime soon.

 

[OzRay]

Olympus share app for iphone (and ipad) is outstanding. Remote live view, remote power zooming, photo transfer, etc. Apparently, more apps will be coming with the introduction of Olympus Air. I see no alternative to iOS anytime soon.

Olympus Capture for Windows is exceptional, I'd hazard a guess that's it's significantly better than any of the apps for Android/iPhone, but it requires a PC or tablet (and a USB connection). Maybe Windows 10/Windows Phone 10, which is supposed to integrate all Windows devices may be the answer, or maybe that will be sufficient stimulus for Olympus to consider a Windows phone app. Never say never.

 

[val]

I have the Lumia 920. It's great although I think my next phone will be the 735 successor.

camera is indeed excellent. Some of the shots that I've seen from the 930 and 1020 have been bloody ridiculous.

There is a third party WIFI app for Lumix cameras, NC Dari for remote shooting and LumixView for transferring shots.

 

[Andym72]

I'm running both iOS and Windows Phone. My iPhone is sticking around because I have an iPad as well, and as others have said there are some categories of apps, like banking apps or companion apps for consumer electronics, where the providers of those apps seems to be blind to Windows Phone.

Otherwise, Windows Phone has plenty of apps. I've got about 120 apps on at the moment. I can highly recommend DSLR Toolbox and myPhotoTools.

I first bought a Lumia 630 in May, but in January I found an amazing deal of a nearly new Lumia 930. The 630 now sits in my glovebox, powered off, as an emergency phone with a PAYG SIM.

 

[OzRay]

I think the situation varies between countries. I can get banking apps for my Windows phone so, in that regard, commercial entities seem to be somewhat on top of these things. That said, the two banks that I use haven't been that diligent in making the exercise entirely seamless, compared to my normal PC internet banking experience.

In part I can understand that, as it makes sense to cater to the majority, but I can't see it being that difficult to include what, in any sense of the word, is a fairly major player in the technology world.

My old semi-smart phone also now sits in my glovebox as an emergency phone.