50 replies to this topic

[Neobond]

OK, admittedly only using it for a day on my new HTC 8X but there are obvious issues with this phone and OS that need improving in my opinion
I am coming from iOS which I've used since 2009.

The Hardware

• The button for the camera couldn't have been put in a worse place on the handset, this sucks.
  
• The rest is awesome

The OS

• Seriously Microsoft, all the search button does is open Bing? Worst implementation of a hardware button yet, it also adds unnecessary bloat to the UI as a Search icon is needed in individual apps as well.
  
• Back button doesn't always work in apps, it can back out of a current app page or out of the app completely, not consistent.
  
• Network/WIFI indicator isn't always shown, you have to manually swipe down to see it. I would have preferred to have this on display all the time, including within apps.
  
• No combined notifications center. This is quite annoying, it is quite new in iOS and I already miss it!
  
• The keyboard can be different per app??? and sometimes the keyboard is even white! (I am using the dark profile of WP8 theme) this makes it confusing to use. I am certain there are at least 3 keyboards (one being white) with keys placed differently @ present or not on the main keyboard, and there could be 4 or maybe the keyboards vary per app?
  
• Start screen isn't like Windows 8 where it can be horizontally wide, only option is vertically long instead (inconsistent again).
  
• Spelling/word suggestions when typing isn't OS-wide, sometimes it's there, sometimes it isn't.
  
• You can't select all/copy/cut/paste all the time in text fields universally like in iOS which is annoying if a site is having issues meaning I have to manually type my email address in each time again (I got this when trying to link linkedin with the people hub).
  
• Can't set alerts per app. I don't want sound/vibrate for every Facebook notification but I do for Whatsapp/Viber for example. You can have all sound alerts (other apps) or none at all.

Can't remember others right now, may add to this later.

[Syanide]

"Spelling/word suggestions when typing isn't OS-wide, sometimes it's there, sometimes it isn't."

Coming from Android, but can this be context sensitive? For instance, some input fields disregard suggestions (url bar for instance), at least with SwiftKey.

[+articuno1au]

It's to do with the control used to activate the keyboard.

It's ****ing irksome >.> Older apps are generally the ones that fire the crappy keyboard, but it depends..

[Neobond]

Added "Can't set alerts per app. I don't want sound/vibrate for every Facebook notification but I do for Whatsapp/Viber for example. You can have all sound alerts (other apps) or none at all." which I forgot to add in originally, and is bloody annoying!

[+articuno1au]

That's a setting in the applications.

Facebooks settings will allow you to tweak notifications.

You can turn off "Run in the background" which essentially does the same thing >.< (sans apps doing anything >.>)

[AR556]

Yea, I think the search button opening Bing is a dumb move as well. I wouldn't have so much a problem with it if I could select the search provider. It is what it is I guess. Using the back button to close programs annoys the crap out of me with Internet explorer. Having to taptheshit out of the back button, going through multiple previous pages till it decided to close. God help you if you want to close it from Youtube. When you hold the back button and see whats running, what would be wrong with adding an "X" to the corner of each to allow you to simply close the application? Its maddening the how simple something could be and see how they decided to implement it. When the iPhone was first released, people bitched about no copy/paste. When MS released WP7, they made the exact same mistake. Stuff like that needs to be in DAY ONE or your OS isn't ready. You're not going to get ahead of the competition by following in their footsteps.

Some of my WP8 issues:

1. Can't pick a custom sound for anything other than ringtones.
2. No task manager to see whats sucking your battery dry.
3. Start screen doesn't rotate.
4. No Forward button.
5. Loading times on stuff like phone/network options.
6. Would like some options in dealing with attachments. Sent a ringtone to myself, but all WP8 would let me do was play it. No options to save or anything.

Regarding notifications, I remember reading Microsoft saying they wanted to add it, but ran out of time. I think we'll see it added although we'll probably have to buy a new phone to use it. Now that I actually have a smart phone and care, this whole carrier getting in the way of software upgrades is a real PITA.

[slade37]

With WP7, you press and hold the back button to get a list of programs running. I'm guessing it's still in WP8. It's more of a task swticher and only shows the apps that are running. I'm not sure if you also wanted services and such.

[what]

Well, WP isn't the same as iOS, but it's a shame that so many basic issues present in WP7 still aren't sorted in WP8. No proper notification centre is a big omission - if you don't have a live tile for an app and you miss the toast, you don't get a notification.

The irregularity with the back button is a developer issue and the changing keyboard is meant to reflect the field - email address entry is easier when @ is on the main page, but for general typing the @ symbol is pretty useless so gets hidden.

I don't really see the point in using the start screen horizontally. You hold the phone vertically and all your tiles are maximum one swipe away.

[MorganX]

Neobond, on 25 December 2012 - 12:58, said:

Added "Can't set alerts per app. I don't want sound/vibrate for every Facebook notification but I do for Whatsapp/Viber for example. You can have all sound alerts (other apps) or none at all." which I forgot to add in originally, and is bloody annoying!

You actually get Facebook notifications? The same day?

[Mikeffer]

Neobond, on 25 December 2012 - 12:02, said:

OK, admittedly only using it for a day on my new HTC 8X but there are obvious issues with this phone and OS that need improving in my opinion
I am coming from iOS which I've used since 2009.

The Hardware

• The button for the camera couldn't have been put in a worse place on the handset, this sucks.
  
• The rest is awesome

I like the camera button, it's perfect for when you're using the phone as a camera, however I almost always activate the camera as I go to lock the damn thing!

Neobond, on 25 December 2012 - 12:02, said:

Seriously Microsoft, all the search button does is open Bing? Worst implementation of a hardware button yet, it also adds unnecessary bloat to the UI as a Search icon is needed in individual apps as well.

Yeah, very odd this, almost seems like it might be down to a patent issue?

Neobond, on 25 December 2012 - 12:02, said:

Back button doesn't always work in apps, it can back out of a current app page or out of the app completely, not consistent.

I used to have this issue in Android too, I'm sure it's probably down to the developers. It can be annoying though I agree.

Neobond, on 25 December 2012 - 12:02, said:

No combined notifications center. This is quite annoying, it is quite new in iOS and I already miss it!

Yup, this is a bugger. I don't always want to pin every app and a little number in the corner for a lot of apps isn't very helpful

Neobond, on 25 December 2012 - 12:02, said:

The keyboard can be different per app??? and sometimes the keyboard is even white! (I am using the dark profile of WP8 theme) this makes it confusing to use. I am certain there are at least 3 keyboards (one being white) with keys placed differently @ present or not on the main keyboard, and there could be 4 or maybe the keyboards vary per app?
Spelling/word suggestions when typing isn't OS-wide, sometimes it's there, sometimes it isn't.
You can't select all/copy/cut/paste all the time in text fields universally like in iOS which is annoying if a site is having issues meaning I have to manually type my email address in each time again (I got this when trying to link linkedin with the people hub).

I'm hoping these is a developer issue.

Overall I'm enjoying WP8 however, coming from Android CyanogenMod, it's way to easy to feel that the OS needs a bit of spit and polish.

[+Ely]

AR556, on 25 December 2012 - 13:26, said:

Some of my WP8 issues:

1. Can't pick a custom sound for anything other than ringtones.
2. No task manager to see whats sucking your battery dry.
3. Start screen doesn't rotate.
4. No Forward button.
5. Loading times on stuff like phone/network options.
6. Would like some options in dealing with attachments. Sent a ringtone to myself, but all WP8 would let me do was play it. No options to save or anything.

1-) Hmmmm care explain exactly what you mean? I have downloaded an app called "Free Ringtones" I just 'Download' and then 'Save' ringtones that I like from there then I can use them in any option which allows me to set a specific sounds ie: a contact's specific ringtone.
2-) Press and hold the back button? also there's an option under 'Settings/System/Applications/Background tasks in there you can allow or deny specific apps from running in the background (some apps you cannot deny access though)
3-) Yeah that's just designed like that, it would be cool to have an option for that, but I really don't see great advantages of such an option.
4-) Hmm I could swear it was there? lol but maybe not, I have been using WP7 for the last 2 years and just now switched to WP8 on this phone yeah bummer it appears to have been removed
5-) Yeah a little bit of lag there sometimes, but nothing too bad, just a slight delay I noticed sometimes while loading Wi-Fi networks etc.
6-) http://www.windowsph...nes-to-my-phone or you can just connect your phone to you PC, then on your PC go to Computer and you should see your phone there under "Portable Devices" and you can just drag and drop sound files to the Ringtones folder using Windows Explorer.

Hope that helps a little, I also dislike the fact that they do not let you set Google as the default search provider, it was possible on WP7

[Darrian]

Neobond, on 25 December 2012 - 12:02, said:

OK, admittedly only using it for a day on my new HTC 8X but there are obvious issues with this phone and OS that need improving in my opinion
I am coming from iOS which I've used since 2009.

The Hardware

• The button for the camera couldn't have been put in a worse place on the handset, this sucks.
  
• The rest is awesome

The OS

• Seriously Microsoft, all the search button does is open Bing? Worst implementation of a hardware button yet, it also adds unnecessary bloat to the UI as a Search icon is needed in individual apps as well.
  
• Back button doesn't always work in apps, it can back out of a current app page or out of the app completely, not consistent.
  
• Network/WIFI indicator isn't always shown, you have to manually swipe down to see it. I would have preferred to have this on display all the time, including within apps.
  
• No combined notifications center. This is quite annoying, it is quite new in iOS and I already miss it!
  
• The keyboard can be different per app??? and sometimes the keyboard is even white! (I am using the dark profile of WP8 theme) this makes it confusing to use. I am certain there are at least 3 keyboards (one being white) with keys placed differently @ present or not on the main keyboard, and there could be 4 or maybe the keyboards vary per app?
  
• Start screen isn't like Windows 8 where it can be horizontally wide, only option is vertically long instead (inconsistent again).
  
• Spelling/word suggestions when typing isn't OS-wide, sometimes it's there, sometimes it isn't.
  
• You can't select all/copy/cut/paste all the time in text fields universally like in iOS which is annoying if a site is having issues meaning I have to manually type my email address in each time again (I got this when trying to link linkedin with the people hub).
  
• Can't set alerts per app. I don't want sound/vibrate for every Facebook notification but I do for Whatsapp/Viber for example. You can have all sound alerts (other apps) or none at all.

Can't remember others right now, may add to this later.

I can see how you might consider most of that annoying. However, I must point out that Windows Phone had the "metro" UI first, so the tiles flowing vertically instead of horizontally being inconsistent would be failure with Windows 8, not Windows Phone 8. Personally, I'd prefer if there was a setting where you could change it to the direction you prefer, or at least have it change to horizontal when you turn the phone sideways.

[Neobond]

Darrian, on 25 December 2012 - 18:04, said:

I can see how you might consider most of that annoying. However, I must point out that Windows Phone had the "metro" UI first, so the tiles flowing vertically instead of horizontally being inconsistent would be failure with Windows 8, not Windows Phone 8. Personally, I'd prefer if there was a setting where you could change it to the direction you prefer, or at least have it change to horizontal when you turn the phone sideways.

Yeah it's just all the advertising as well where you see a very wide page and a small (Windows Phone) screen somewhere in between all that showing it can scroll left and right; you'd expect the same behavior with the Start Screen I'd have thought?

[+sanke1]

I found the whole WP8 OS to be half baked with steep learning curve. I hate the fact that many obvious options/indicators like network name, WiFi strength are hidden when they could have been easily exposed in the empty space. Just makes power users feel like babies who need diaper changing.

[Avatar Roku]

These are mostly n00b complaints so not gonna say much about it, but as for vertical vs. horizontal -- a phone is held vertically while a PC has a horizontal display. This is not inconsistent, these are two different devices that are used differently.

Scrolling horizontally on a phone would require a lot more scrolling and effort than scrolling vertically. There is no good reason to make the operating systems 100% identical when they're running on different devices,

WP8 is a lot better than Windows 8, which makes sense as it's already had 3 major revisions.