Couple of queries to help me switch from SGSII to a WP7

A

ahd

Adept
[font=helvetica, arial, sans-serif]Hey all,[/font]

I’m thinking of switching from my Galaxy SII to a Windows Phone 7 based phone. [font=helvetica, arial, sans-serif]As of now, the switch is temporary till SIII comes out but maybe who knows if I like it, I might just stick to WP7 after all. [/font]

[font=helvetica, arial, sans-serif]Major usage of my phone is in Emailing, Messaging, VOIP, Calls, Navigation, Music, Browsing and News reading. [/font][font=helvetica, arial, sans-serif]I’m dependant on the following apps on the Android :[/font]

[font=helvetica, arial, sans-serif]Swype[/font]

[font=helvetica, arial, sans-serif]Google Reader[/font]

[font=helvetica, arial, sans-serif]Gmail [/font]

[font=helvetica, arial, sans-serif]Google Docs[/font]

[font=helvetica, arial, sans-serif]Google Maps[/font]

[font=helvetica, arial, sans-serif]Google Talk[/font]

[font=helvetica, arial, sans-serif]YouTube[/font]

[font=helvetica, arial, sans-serif]Any.do (Task management Application)[/font]

[font=helvetica, arial, sans-serif]Dropbox[/font]

[font=helvetica, arial, sans-serif]Polaris Office (Full fledged document editor)[/font]

[font=helvetica, arial, sans-serif]IMO (Multi-messenger)[/font]

[font=helvetica, arial, sans-serif]Skype[/font]

[font=helvetica, arial, sans-serif]Teamviewer[/font]

[font=helvetica, arial, sans-serif]My Data Manager (App to keep a track on bandwidth consumption)[/font]

[font=helvetica, arial, sans-serif]and some less frequently used :[/font]

[font=helvetica, arial, sans-serif]Saavn[/font]

[font=helvetica, arial, sans-serif]Zedge[/font]

[font=helvetica, arial, sans-serif]SoundHound[/font]

[font=helvetica, arial, sans-serif]Facebook[/font]

[font=helvetica, arial, sans-serif]So given the above usage pattern and apps that I’m on dependant on, do you think I could switch to WP7 painlessly ? Are there any alternatives available for my apps ? (Swype or something similar is a must)[/font]

[font=helvetica, arial, sans-serif]Couple of more queries..[/font]
  1. [font=helvetica, arial, sans-serif]Also, I’m thinking of getting the Samsung Focus so if I get an unclocked device would there be a possible scare of getting it locked again once I update the firmware (either officially or custom) ?[/font]
  2. [font=helvetica, arial, sans-serif]How is the battery life on the Focus ? [/font]
  3. [font=helvetica, arial, sans-serif]I am not much aware of Sideloading/Jailbreaking of a WP7 device and the Custom ROM scene , is it similar to Android ?[/font]
  4. [font=helvetica, arial, sans-serif]Can I debrand Focus or should I consider Omnia 7 instead ? (I’d prefer Focus as its thinner than Omnia)[/font]
  5. [font=helvetica, arial, sans-serif]What is the best ROM out there and when updating to a newer ROM does it wipes all the data ?[/font]
  6. [font=helvetica, arial, sans-serif]Is there any lag in the phone ? Maybe after installing too many apps (like how some Android phones lag)[/font]
  7. [font=helvetica, arial, sans-serif]Is multi-tasking experience (apps/services running in the background) similar to Android ?[/font]
  8. [font=helvetica, arial, sans-serif]Does Indian marketplace has any restrictions ?[/font]
  9. [font=helvetica, arial, sans-serif]are there any other limitations worth mentioning on WP7 / Samsung Focus?[/font]
  10. [font=helvetica, arial, sans-serif]and what about the plus side of WP7 when comparing to iOS and Android ?[/font]

[font=helvetica, arial, sans-serif]Thanks [/font]
 
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ahd said:
[font=helvetica, arial, sans-serif]Major usage of my phone is in Emailing, Messaging, VOIP, Calls, Navigation, Music, Browsing and News reading.[/font][font=helvetica, arial, sans-serif]
Click to expand...
[/font][font=helvetica, arial, sans-serif]Emailing, Messaging, Browsing, News Reading (RSS reader?), Calls and Music should be a positive experience. I cannot comment on VOIP as I haven't tried Skype or Tango.[/font]

[font=helvetica, arial, sans-serif]WP7 handles these very well but you'll have to adjust to those apps to a certain degree. For example, the Email app in WP7 doesn't have a quick way to 'Mark All' emails, in Android that would mean a fix you could find off the internet or simply by using another app for handling email, WP7 does not have that ability to be so customisable so be prepared to adapt with several quirks like that and live with it (Rule #1).[/font]

[font=helvetica, arial, sans-serif]As for individual apps-[/font]

[font=helvetica, arial, sans-serif]Swype - No (Rule #1)[/font]

[font=helvetica, arial, sans-serif]Google Reader - No idea sorry.[/font]

[font=helvetica, arial, sans-serif]Gmail - Inbuilt email app is good enough.[/font]

[font=helvetica, arial, sans-serif]Google Docs - No idea..[/font]

[font=helvetica, arial, sans-serif]Google Maps - Not sure, but I believe there is a Google Maps app on the market but I doubt whether it has all the features of the Maps app on Android.[/font]

[font=helvetica, arial, sans-serif]Google Talk - IM+ covers it.[/font]

[font=helvetica, arial, sans-serif]YouTube - Yes there is a YouTube app.[/font]

[font=helvetica, arial, sans-serif]Any.do (Task management Application) - Windows Phone doesn't need these kinda apps
<
[/font]

[font=helvetica, arial, sans-serif]Dropbox - Not yet but there is an unofficial app for it.[/font]

[font=helvetica, arial, sans-serif]Polaris Office (Full fledged document editor) - Microsoft Word comes with the phone but I've not used it so I dunno how 'powerfull' it is.[/font]

[font=helvetica, arial, sans-serif]IMO (Multi-messenger) - IM+ is decent enough.[/font]

[font=helvetica, arial, sans-serif]Skype - Yes but its in BETA. But it works well afaik.[/font]

[font=helvetica, arial, sans-serif]Teamviewer - No idea.[/font]

[font=helvetica, arial, sans-serif]My Data Manager (App to keep a track on bandwidth consumption) - None that I'm aware of.[/font]

[font=helvetica, arial, sans-serif]and some less frequently used :[/font]

[font=helvetica, arial, sans-serif]Saavn - No idea.[/font]

[font=helvetica, arial, sans-serif]Zedge - No idea.[/font]

[font=helvetica, arial, sans-serif]SoundHound - If you use a Live ID based in the US, you can use Zune Identifier which is inbuilt into the phone.[/font]

[font=helvetica, arial, sans-serif]Facebook - There is an official FB app which is decent imo and then theres the built in social services in the phone which is pretty good although with a few small problems.[/font]

ahd said:
[font=helvetica, arial, sans-serif]So given the above usage pattern and apps that I’m on dependant on, do you think I could switch to WP7 painlessly ? [/font]

[font=helvetica, arial, sans-serif]
Click to expand...
[/font]

[font=helvetica, arial, sans-serif]Overall, yes I feel.[/font]

[font=helvetica, arial, sans-serif]
ahd said:
[/font]
Click to expand...
ahd said:
[font=helvetica, arial, sans-serif]Couple of more queries..[/font]
  1. [font=helvetica, arial, sans-serif]Also, I’m thinking of getting the Samsung Focus so if I get an unclocked device would there be a possible scare of getting it locked again once I update the firmware (either officially or custom) ?[/font]
  2. [font=helvetica, arial, sans-serif]How is the battery life on the Focus ? [/font]
  3. [font=helvetica, arial, sans-serif]I am not much aware of Sideloading/Jailbreaking of a WP7 device and the Custom ROM scene , is it similar to Android ?[/font]
  4. [font=helvetica, arial, sans-serif]Can I debrand Focus or should I consider Omnia 7 instead ? (I’d prefer Focus as its thinner than Omnia)[/font]
  5. [font=helvetica, arial, sans-serif]What is the best ROM out there and when updating to a newer ROM does it wipes all the data ?[/font]
  6. [font=helvetica, arial, sans-serif]Is there any lag in the phone ? Maybe after installing too many apps (like how some Android phones lag)[/font]
  7. [font=helvetica, arial, sans-serif]Is multi-tasking experience (apps/services running in the background) similar to Android ?[/font]
  8. [font=helvetica, arial, sans-serif]Does Indian marketplace has any restrictions ?[/font]
  9. [font=helvetica, arial, sans-serif]are there any other limitations worth mentioning on WP7 / Samsung Focus?[/font]
  10. [font=helvetica, arial, sans-serif]and what about the plus side of WP7 when comparing to iOS and Android ?[/font]
Click to expand...
1 ~ 5g - I'll leave a Focus user to answer.

6. None whatsoever. The only time I've experienced lag is when the 3d Xbox avatar comes onto the screen, otherwise most of the phone is silky smooth. However don't expect the same experience when using some of the not-written-by-microsoft apps on the phone as they're generally poorly written and do lag at times (*cough* *cough* ... Whats App).

7. Yes but its not implemented properly. Most apps do run services in the background but a lot don't.

8. None that I'm aware of but I do know that if you use an Indian Live ID you'll lose out on the Zune features of the phone. I.e. the phone won't download artist backgrounds, artist bio, artist catalogue and the music identifier won't work.

9. Rule #1.
 
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For Google Reader I just visit the site on IE mobile on WP7 (set "prefer mobile sites" in IE settings), the site is basic but readable. Haven't searched for or tried out any apps for it.
 
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I am using a Focus, here are some inputs:

- once unlocked, you should have no further issues.

- battery life for me is excellent (however I am not a heavy user). You can expect 1-1.5 days with heavy use.

- jailbreaking: Not tried it, however look at this http://www.chevronwp7.com/

- multitasking: I don't have experience with android; but multitasking post WP7.5 works perfectly fine for me.

- indian marketplace: some apps may have restricted access based on location, other than that and what RD274 listed - you should be good.

- google maps: there is an application for it, I use it occassionally.

- Any.do: you will find lots of task management apps - if you need.

-[font=helvetica, arial, sans-serif]Teamviewer: not sure about this, however there some remote desktop apps out there.[/font]

- Office: Word/Excell/OneNote/Powerpoint are all there (with basic editing/formatting) - OneNote with syncing to my pc is the one thing I like the most.

- Focus vs omnia: Focus is much better than omnia imo, thinner/lighter, feels good in the hand/pocket. It would be difficut to unbrand however.

Benifits of WP7:

- Facebook/Twitter/Linkedin/Live support is built into the OS.

- UI is excellent and very fluid - try out a few handsets if you can and compare to android/ios.

- skydrive (an understated cloud storage feature) is also great imo/ and is closely integrated with the os (I use it more often than dropbox now).

- syncing with pc: I have setup zune to sync via wifi, when the phone has been plugged for charging for 10 minutes. My music/pics/videos are always synced thus! on top of it, I have paired my PC(media center) with my xbox - so all my music/pics/videos are always available on my xbox (hdtv) as well (need the pc running however).

Apart from this, if you are a frequent skype user - you might look for phones with front facing camera. I think the next update will have support for skype (with video).
 
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RD274 said:
[font=helvetica, arial, sans-serif]WP7 handles these very well but you'll have to adjust to those apps to a certain degree. For example, the Email app in WP7 doesn't have a quick way to 'Mark All' emails, in Android that would mean a fix you could find off the internet or simply by using another app for handling email, WP7 does not have that ability to be so customisable so be prepared to adapt with several quirks like that and live with it (Rule #1).[/font]

[font=helvetica, arial, sans-serif]However don't expect the same experience when using some of the not-written-by-microsoft apps on the phone as they're generally poorly written and do lag at times (*cough* *cough* ... Whats App).

8. None that I'm aware of but I do know that if you use an Indian Live ID you'll lose out on the Zune features of the phone. I.e. the phone won't download artist backgrounds, artist bio, artist catalogue and the music identifier won't work.
Click to expand...
[/font]

Well thankfully I don't "mark all" emails on Android Gmail so that feature missing wont bother me. And yes WP7 is not much customizable as Android but I have never been a fan of customization much. I prefer using the phone the way the designers and the developers meant it to.

you mean to say Whatsapp is poorly written on WP7 and it lags ? that would be a shocker, I've been using Whatsapp on iPhone and Android ever since and the best thing about it is that it works so flawlessly.

[font=helvetica, arial, sans-serif]
p.rai said:
[/font]

[font=helvetica, arial, sans-serif]I am using a Focus, here are some inputs:[/font]

[font=helvetica, arial, sans-serif]- indian marketplace: some apps may have restricted access based on location, other than that and what RD274 listed - you should be good.[/font]

[font=helvetica, arial, sans-serif]- google maps: there is an application for it, I use it occassionally.[/font]

It would be difficut to unbrand however.

Benifits of WP7:

- syncing with pc: I have setup zune to sync via wifi, when the phone has been plugged for charging for 10 minutes. My music/pics/videos are always synced thus! on top of it, I have paired my PC(media center) with my xbox - so all my music/pics/videos are always available on my xbox (hdtv) as well (need the pc running however).
Click to expand...

I hope Google Maps works well on WP7 or atleast to an acceptable degree and features like directions and bookmarking too.

I would really love that Wireless syncing. I was waiting for that to come on Android.

Why would it be difficult to unbrand it ? I mean, just a clean custom ROM installation should unbrand it right ?

Seems like I better use a US Live ID. Btw, does changing the location in Live ID to US would make it a US account or do I need to create another one ?
 
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- jailbreaking: Not tried it, however look at this http://www.chevronwp7.com/ "This is old, there is a clean ROM that is already unlocked/jailbroken"

- Focus vs omnia: Focus is much better than omnia imo, thinner/lighter, feels good in the hand/pocket. It would be difficut to unbrand however. "There is a clean ROM which debrands it, you will not be able to figure out if it's a Rogers or AT&T"
 
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[font=helvetica,arial,sans-serif]I hope Google Maps works well on WP7 or atleast to an acceptable degree and features like directions and bookmarking too.[/font]
Click to expand...

I have only tried it a couple of times, looked good to me - you can check the app screenshots here:

http://www.windowsphone.com/en-US/apps/7b8bedd5-4368-e011-81d2-78e7d1fa76f8

[font=helvetica,arial,sans-serif]Seems like I better use a US Live ID. Btw, does changing the location in Live ID to US would make it a US account or do I need to create another one ? [/font]
Click to expand...

I had a US id, which would not work by changing the location in the live id (I think it had something to do with a linked zune account). If you have just a live id, with no other accounts (like zune) linked to it - I think it should work.

[font=helvetica,arial,sans-serif]Why would it be difficult to unbrand it ? I mean, just a clean custom ROM installation should unbrand it right ?[/font]
Click to expand...

Sorry, my bad - I somehow interpreted it as physical branding (logo on the set)
unsure.png
. The clean custom rom should remove all software branding.
 
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