Why i'm abandoning Windows Phone


Recommended Posts

I have to say first that the platform itself is fantastic. It's stable, it's well designed in my opinion but i feel i must abandon ship and switch back to Android.

Windows Phone 7.8 of course has been replaced by Windows Phone 8. My Lumia 800 device is missing out on certain releases that are only available for Windows Phone 8 for example the new Facebook beta and Temple Run.

The device should be capable of running such apps so why am i being left out? I've only had it since the beginning of last year!

Windows Phone 8 has more apps but it doesn't seem that there are many major releases to choose from there either.

I'm sad to leave Windows Phone. I hope that in 12 months time when i'm due to upgrade again that the situation has changed. I just can't be doing with this anymore.

Anyone else abandoned ship or perhaps just switched to Windows Phone?

Link to comment
https://www.neowin.net/forum/topic/1151680-why-im-abandoning-windows-phone/
Share on other sites

yeh i did same. switched back to android as I felt lacking too much on windows phone. im on the nexus 4 and the phone together with android gives me just everything i want. android has a strong ecosystem in the meanwhile. ill give windows phone another try in a year or so.

yeh i did same. switched back to android as I felt lacking too much on windows phone. im on the nexus 4 and the phone together with android gives me just everything i want. android has a strong ecosystem in the meanwhile. ill give windows phone another try in a year or so.

Yeah the Nexus 4 is quite awesome. Does everything, and does it very well. Like a little supercomputer that thing is.

Only thing I'll be upgrading to in the future, would be the Nexus 5, if that's what it'll be called.

  • Like 3

I love me some Nexus devices, but they really need to be more generous on storage or add an expansion slot.

More storage means more money, lots more money.

But yeah, the options to buy 32 and 64 gig models would be a bonus.

I think the general idea was to get a powerful phone out and keep the price low, and mission accomplished.

Yeah the Nexus 4 is quite awesome. Does everything, and does it very well. Like a little supercomputer that thing is.

Only thing I'll be upgrading to in the future, would be the Nexus 5, if that's what it'll be called.

i like your comment of a little supercomputer

e.g. I was streaming a movie from my PC to my TV in the living room. the movie was in english. my mate asked for subtitles so i fired up my nexus 4. downloaded the .srt as a .zip file. dezipped the file and copied the .srt file from my nexus into the movie folder of my pc. all that with my phone. my mate was like WTF...

thats the sort of things a phone does not need to do at all. but mine can do it. thats what i love about the android ecosystem. you always find a solution at little to no costs with little to no efforts. as long as windows phone is not there i would just miss too many things occassionally.

you have to ask yourself what you need out of your phone. i for my part want the maximum possible. so im sticking with android and the nexus line.

  • Like 3

More storage means more money, lots more money.

But yeah, the options to buy 32 and 64 gig models would be a bonus.

I think the general idea was to get a powerful phone out and keep the price low, and mission accomplished.

It doesn't have to equate to a lot more money. The 32GB Nexus 7 is a good example of that.

I have a feeling that money is the issue as to why WP7 users are being abandoned. MS wants to sell more Windows phones but feel the cost of upping WP7 users to WP8 would be too much, though i could be wrong. Anyways, When i was first interested in smartphones, i only wanted an android phone since i heard the name. The others didn't appeal to me.

you have to ask yourself what you need out of your phone. i for my part want the maximum possible. so im sticking with android and the nexus line.

exactly my feelings; I prefer Windows Phone because I'm fine doing stuff like that on my PC if it means (IMO) a nicer experience, but if I were looking for a phone to do it all I would definitely go with Android

I'm sticking with Windows Phone because I don't want to switch over to Google services besides Youtube.

i never understood that privacy concern users have.

there are thousands of companies worldwide that collect and analyze data. even if they dont belong to google, im pretty sure that google has a stake in many of them.

so why bother, you have no control over it anyways.

It doesn't have to equate to a lot more money. The 32GB Nexus 7 is a good example of that.

No doubt. I never really thought of that. Was thinking more in the line of how much Apple charges for their devices depending on how much storage they have.

A 32GB Nexus would be perfect. For me anyways. I don't actually like mem cards, they never truly work properly.

I'm doing quite fine with my 16GB, got lots of apps, most of them useful, some I don't really need, but apps are small.

Got lots of big games and I don't really need them on it all at once, but do. And got more music than I actually need at one time.

Also have pictures and stuff, but anyways, I still have 2 gigs left

Oh, I also was kinda leary on forking out lots of money for a phone as I've been threw many, even had a Galaxy S1 which I thought was a piece o junk and expensive for what ya get. But after using my Nexus 4, which I bought cuz it was cheap and the specs were so fantastic, I'd definitely fork out top dollar for one with more storage space now. I'll definitely be buying a Nexus 5 even if it's way more expensive with more storage.

As with all newer eco-systems it will have its share of hiccups and adoption. When you have the two 800 lbs gorillas sitting in the same room as the chimp who do you think will get the bananas first?

I have used all sorts of flagship phones including the Lumia 920 and before it was even big the Lumia 900 and the Lumia 800. I also have the Samsung Focus which was a decent phone.

I moved to Apple due to the Eco-System and since then moved towards Android HTC ONE after not really enjoying the Nexus 4 or the SIII. I have settled down with the HTC ONE and will test run the Lumia 928 on Verizon.

I hope the FB and potential Instagram apps will have people move towards the WP Eco-System a little faster. It deserves a shot at it because the OS is really that good. I know more people would move over if the eco-system was in place with the apps they really love were on the WP platform.

As many have mentioned 20K great apps is better than 800K okay apps. Because in the end that number can be 2 Million for both iOS and Android and it won't make a difference since no matter what country you live in you will only use so many go to apps. You just hope those apps are polished. All things being equal with Apps that were as polished on each Platform I think that WP would be a solid 2nd place if not first. iOS has a better polish currently. WP needs to add better toast notifications, have apps developer use less of the Standards MS set and create outside of the box. Once they can show that Apps designed this way can be successful then others will follow.

I love my Surface Pro and people ask me about it all the time. They think it has its own "APPS" per se and I have to explain it to them that its Windows 8 in a tablet. I do believe the RT did hurt MS some in the understanding of the difference. They were horrible post install to show people how to access things. Short cuts needs to be explained and a manual needs to be forced open upon completion of the install to show people how to navigate. Get them to understand the basics and they will want to learn more. Confuse or failure to communicate to them the design ideas and they will just get lost and frustrated.

MS has admitted to a harder learning curve and that is on them. They messed up and didn't think about giving more instructions post setup to help people get along. The MS stores are not as helpful at setting up lessons or making sure people get free lessons upon purchases. They should have hourly courses with an "intro" to Surface or WIN 8.

Just small things and it can make hugh impacts.

My HTC ONE looks like WP8 with Launcher 8 and many people ask me why and I tell them that I find the interface of the WP8 phones the best interface and when they check out my Launcher they agree.

Come on MS and other developers make this eco-system stronger by at least matching and then exceeding our expectations on your next apps. FB will be a hit I know and Instagram has better potential. Look at Evernote. They know how to make apps and update to make them better!!

i never understood that privacy concern users have.

there are thousands of companies worldwide that collect and analyze data. even if they dont belong to google, im pretty sure that google has a stake in many of them.

so why bother, you have no control over it anyways.

I never understood privacy concerns either.

What is Google finding out exactly? As far as I'm concerned, no one online is finding out private info about me.

Nothing that can't be found in real life anyways. They ain't finding out how much times I get laid, or don't, or how many times a day I jerk off.

Other than that, what is classified as Private?

I'm also not a paranoid type, so it could just be me. I have 3 cameras pointed in my direction which never ever has bothered me, no matter what I'm doing.

Bothers other people though, but I don't care. If they don't like it, beat it!!

yeh i did same. switched back to android as I felt lacking too much on windows phone. im on the nexus 4 and the phone together with android gives me just everything i want. android has a strong ecosystem in the meanwhile. ill give windows phone another try in a year or so.

Pretty much my thoughts. See if Windows Phone gets the main apps and if so i'll switch back.

I have a feeling that money is the issue as to why WP7 users are being abandoned. MS wants to sell more Windows phones but feel the cost of upping WP7 users to WP8 would be too much

Very valid point and probably accurate because upgrading old handsets means selling less new ones but i feel it was a terrible move as loyal customers with handsets JUST a year old are missing out!

thats the sort of things a phone does not need to do at all. but mine can do it. thats what i love about the android ecosystem. you always find a solution at little to no costs with little to no efforts. as long as windows phone is not there i would just miss too many things occassionally.

This. Since leaving Android for Windows Phone there have been little tiny Apps that i took for granted before that i can no longer gain access to! Partly why i switched back.

I hope the FB and potential Instagram apps will have people move towards the WP Eco-System a little faster. It deserves a shot at it because the OS is really that good. I know more people would move over if the eco-system was in place with the apps they really love were on the WP platform.

Definitely!

I am planning on selling my Galaxy S 3 here in a week or so and picking up the Lumia 928.

i hope you enjoy it and get what you want from it!

Specs are irrelevant when it comes to WP.

I'd say thats a fairly accurate statement but i still think the lack of decent apps contributes toward this. There is nothing really to test the power of a Lumia 920 for example.

The only reason I would be concerned with specs of the phone is to ensure that OS/Apps/Games run smoothly and don't lag. I can ensure you that WP8 doesn't suffer from these problems. I have been using Lumia 920 for last two months ( Switched from Galaxy S3 ) and I have not looked back. There are lack of apps and games too. A lot of times these don't come to WP8 and even if they do, they might not be free compared to other OS but this whole idea of using another phone which has better specs is pointless especially since at the end of the day both WP8 and Android/iOS users want that their usage shouldn't suffer.

On Android, there are very few apps and games that actually use the quad core or have been optimized for it tbh.

  • Like 3

Very valid point and probably accurate because upgrading old handsets means selling less new ones but i feel it was a terrible move as loyal customers with handsets JUST a year old are missing out!

Well, WP7 is CE-based and WP8 is NT-based. One of the biggest problems with upgrading all WP7 device to WP8 would be re-writing all the drivers for all the phones. That would have been a huge project and could risk bricking many phones. Huge expense and huge risk with very little reward.

Although somewhat disappointing, there are some very good reasons behind their decisions.

  • Like 1

i like your comment of a little supercomputer

e.g. I was streaming a movie from my PC to my TV in the living room. the movie was in english. my mate asked for subtitles so i fired up my nexus 4. downloaded the .srt as a .zip file. dezipped the file and copied the .srt file from my nexus into the movie folder of my pc. all that with my phone. my mate was like WTF...

thats the sort of things a phone does not need to do at all. but mine can do it. thats what i love about the android ecosystem. you always find a solution at little to no costs with little to no efforts. as long as windows phone is not there i would just miss too many things occassionally.

you have to ask yourself what you need out of your phone. i for my part want the maximum possible. so im sticking with android and the nexus line.

weird....if you were streaming from your PC then why not use the PC to do all that? I'm a bit curious though about the process. it seems a bit far fetched.

the part that's stomping me is that part about copying the file to the movie folder on the computer. are you saying you used your phone to copy the file to your computer? if so then do tell how because android doesn't support natively.

weird....if you were streaming from your PC then why not use the PC to do all that? I'm a bit curious though about the process. it seems a bit far fetched.

the part that's stomping me is that part about copying the file to the movie folder on the computer. are you saying you used your phone to copy the file to your computer? if so then do tell how because android doesn't support natively.

first of all, i didnt want to leave the couch watching the movie because the PC streaming it is in another part of the flat. i was simply too lazy to walk there.

but regarding the process, it works like that:

1. browse to subscene.com and download the .srt file desired (comes as .zip)

2. use the free app ES Datei Explorer, navigate into your download folder and dezip the file. copy it. rename if necessary.

3. use again ES Datei Explorer to connect to your shared movie folder on the PC (the app can connect and browse network folders, even stream from them to your phone in any chosen movie player)

4. paste the copied .srt file into the movie folder you just connected to

5. tell your mediaplayer that you want to use subtitles (my WD Digital Live device does that with pushing the button subtitles on the remote)

thats actually it. not really far fetched and done within a minute. sure, i could walk to the pc. but then i am a tech enthusiast. why not just using my phone for it...

Apps are super important, probably more important than the phone itself. I'm still puzzled as to why WP is still struggling getting apps after all this time. Blackberry even has more quality apps.

The situation's not as bad as it's often made out to be and has actually been improving a lot over the last few months. Here's an analysis that WMPowerUser did recently comparing the top 25 free and paid apps in the App Store to the WP Marketplace:

Windows-Phone-Apple-App-Store-Alternative.jpg

80% of the apps are available (90% if you just focus on the top 10) either as first party apps or credible alternatives. Furthermore, the missing apps are generally games or non-essential gimmicks like Google Earth.

Your comparison with BB is complicated. Traditionally, app support for BB has been very good because the platform used to have a decent share of the market. As a result, lots of older popular apps are available for that platform. However, I'm not sure that that will continue given the fact that the platform is effectively dead and BB10 is flopping. I'd say that BB even suspect that they'll have trouble attracting developers which explains why they've decided to add support for Android apps.

As for quality, I'd say the general quality of WP apps is extremely high because of the quality of the dev tools.

  • Like 2

Sorry you had to jump ship but I kinda understand. I love the platform and my Lumia 800 but if I had to upgrade I'd really have to think it through whether I wanna stay or switch to an iPhone (or maybe a Nexus).

Sadly there's a lot of basic features still missing to the OS. I can't think of many now, but they're there. One example is keeping wifi on when the phone is locked. I don't know if they fixed that on WP8 but even if, it took bloody ages! And it's still there on 7 and probably always will be :(

Apps are ok, altho updates take ages to be released, like the Foursquare app that's been promised or this Facebook update. Most games are missing. On 7 they had the lack of native code to blame, but now that's gone and the problem is still there.

That said I love a lot of things about Windows Phone, like how smooth and clean the interface is and how so many services are integrated as well but it still needs a lot of work and I'm not sure I wanna keep being a beta tester (yup, Nokia, it's NOT over).

By the way, the updated Facebook app should be coming to 7.8 too :)

This topic is now closed to further replies.
  • Recently Browsing   0 members

    • No registered users viewing this page.
  • Posts

    • ...but you're Johnny, from Australia?    
    • Glow 26.9 by Razvan Serea Glow provides detailed reporting on every hardware component in your computer, saving you valuable time typically spent searching for CPU, motherboard, RAM, graphics card, and other stats. With Glow, all the information is conveniently presented in one clean interface, allowing you to easily access and review the comprehensive hardware details of your system. Glow provides detailed information on various system aspects, including OS, motherboard, processor, memory, graphics card, storage, network, battery, drivers, and services. The well-organized format ensures easy access to the required information. You can export all the gathered data to a plain text file, facilitating sharing with others for troubleshooting purposes. No installation needed. Just decompress the archive, launch the executable, and access computer-related information. Glow runs on Windows 11 and Windows 10 64-bit versions. Glow 26.9 changelog: New Features The processor hardware detection engine has been significantly enhanced beyond traditional Intel and AMD architectures. Native support is now available for modern platforms such as Apple Silicon (M-Series) and the newly introduced NVIDIA Spark. In addition, all ARM-based processors can now be accurately distinguished between ARM32 and ARM64 architectures, providing precise hardware reporting. This marks a major milestone for Glow's hardware detection capabilities. The RAM manufacturer identification algorithm has been expanded. JEDEC vendor codes for popular brands such as Patriot, PNY, Team Group, GeIL, Lexar (Longsys), and Asgard/Gloway have been integrated into the database. This significantly reduces the likelihood of incorrect or "Unknown Manufacturer" results and improves overall hardware detection accuracy. New Public IP Address and Internet Service Provider (ISP) features have been added to the Network section. To ensure reliability, this information is retrieved from the trusted service ipwho.is. When Hiding Mode is enabled, no requests are sent and these features remain hidden, as they may expose sensitive information. The search engine used in the Installed Drivers, Installed Services, and Installed Applications sections has been enhanced. You can now perform more flexible and accurate searches using initials, partial matches, and loosely arranged character sequences. The TS Preloader loading bar has been rebuilt using our modern TS Custom Controls graphics library, developed entirely in-house. As a result of this infrastructure upgrade, the loading bar now features smooth rendering and rounded corners that align with the visual style of Windows 11. [TS Updater] A new validation algorithm has been added to check whether the target application is currently running before the update process begins. Bug Fixes Resolved a condition that could prevent TS Preloader from shutting down safely during rare application crash scenarios. Fixed a text alignment issue in the Network section affecting the display of DNS addresses. Alignment is now rendered correctly. [TS Updater] Fixed an issue that could prevent the updated application's executable "*.exe" file from being located after the update process. [TS Updater] Fixed a bug that could leave outdated "*.sha256" files in the application directory after an update. [TS Updater] Fixed a rare issue that could cause subfolders to be moved into the root directory after an update. [TS Updater] Fixed an issue during the first launch that could cause flickering and a temporary white window appearance due to Windows Defender interactions. Changes A small improvement has been made to the internet connectivity detection algorithm. Connectivity checks are now performed in the background with minimal impact on the user interface thread. The keyboard shortcuts in the top menu have been reorganized and simplified to provide a consistent experience across all Türkaysoft applications and to avoid potential conflicts with standard Windows shortcuts. The TS Preloader splash image has been updated with a Türkiye-themed stadium design to celebrate Türkiye's qualification for the 2026 FIFA World Cup—its first appearance in 24 years. Congratulations, Türkiye! The TS Custom Controls module has been updated to version 26.6, delivering improved stability and a more polished visual appearance. [TS Updater] The application icon has been redesigned to provide a more modern and refined look. Note: Always unzip the program before using it. Otherwise you may get an error. Download: Glow 26.9 | 1.8 MB (Open Source) Links: Glow Homepage | Screenshot | Github Get alerted to all of our Software updates on Twitter at @NeowinSoftware
    • DWARF mini review: the world's smallest smart telescope for night and day sky captures by Steven Parker DWARFLAB reached out to me asking if I was interested in checking out the DWARF mini, which is a portable astronomy telescope designed for amateur astronomers. Why do I say it's for amateurs? Well, for starters, it's not what you'd call "high end"; it's more of a professional-grade starting point for amateurs serious about capturing what's up there in our night and day skies. A typical amateur astronomer is most likely thousands of dollars deep into the hobby, and I will make no claims that this DWARF mini (at a fraction of the cost) could replace it all, okay? Well, if you read on, it will be clearer what I am trying to convey. Disclosure: DWARFLAB provided a free sample without any editorial input or review pre-approval. I have always been interested in looking up and observing the night sky. I see satellites crossing the sky above my garden most nights, and I am always looking at the moon. Yeah, I have a 200MP camera on my phone, but at 200X zoom, AI takes over and makes the pretty moon pictures that I snap, the DWARF mini does not, you get an actual true picture of what you can barely see with the naked eye. Before we start, let's share the highlights of the DWARF mini in bite-sized format: Pocket-Sized & Ultra-Lightweight Weighing just 1.85 lbs (840g), the DWARF mini easily fits into a backpack or large pocket. Its all-in-one, compact design makes it the ultimate grab-and-go digital telescope for hiking, camping, or traveling to dark-sky locations. Intuitive App Control & Built-in Sky Atlas Go from unboxing to your first shot in just 3 minutes! The DWARFLAB App provides a seamless experience with an interactive star map. Simply select your target and start exploring without the steep learning curve of traditional setups. Auto GOTO & 360° Pivot Freedom Enjoy pinpoint automated tracking with full 360° rotation. Powered by a high-sensitivity Sony IMX662 sensor (1/2.8-inch, 2.9μm pixels), it captures amazing, low-noise astro details, bringing faint nebulas and star clusters to life with stunning clarity. Pro-Level EQ Mode & Long Exposure Unlock advanced deep-space imaging with Equatorial (EQ) Mode. Supporting impressive single-frame exposures up to 90 seconds and featuring built-in light pollution filters, it easily cuts through city glow to reveal intricate celestial structures. Smart Cloud Processing & All-Ages Fun Effortlessly enhance your raw data with integrated cloud processing for professional-grade results. Perfect for beginners, kids, and adults, this telescope makes exploring and sharing the wonders of the universe an exciting, family-friendly adventure. The packaging is a pretty minimal affair with the outer box opening like a flap to reveal the plastic mould of the DWARF mini sitting in it. Below, the Sun filter, charging cable, cleaning cloth, and documentation can be found. DWARFLAB also provided a Mini Hydraulic Tripod ($89.99), and I highly recommend getting it if you plan on purchasing the DWARF mini, as it fully supports the motorized tracking feature of the telescope; plus, at 840g, the weight of the telescope, you will need a tripod that supports more than the weight of a smartphone anyway. What's in the box DWARF Mini Smart Telescope × 1 Sun Filter x 1 Type-C to Type-C Cord x 1 Cleaning Cloth x 1 User Guide With that out of the way, here are the full specs: DWARF mini Dimensions (DWH): 60.70 mm x 100.38 × 183.61 (2.39" x 3.95" x 7.23") Weight: 840g (1.85lbs) Aperture diameter: 30 mm (telephoto), 3.4 mm (wide angle) Image Sensor: SONY IMX662 1/2.8" (Telephoto) OmniVision OS02K10 1/2.8" (Wide-angle) Focal length: 150 mm (telephoto), 6.7 mm (wide-angle) Equivalent focal length: 1016 mm (telephoto), 45 mm (wide-angle) Shutter Speed: Tele - 1/10000-90s, Wide - 1/10000-30s Maximum exposure time: 90s (telephoto & wide-angle), Both in EQ mode Rotation range: Lens: 225°, Base: 360° Effective Pixels: 2.07M Maximum Resolution: 1920 × 1080 (Telephoto & Wide-angle) Built-in filters: Astro, Dark, Duo-Band (Telephoto), Astro (Wide-angle) Output: JPG, FITS, TIFF, MP4 Shooting Mode: Photos, Videos, Astronomy, Burst Shooting, Time-lapse Photography Storage: 64 GB Battery: Built-in 7000 mAh, supports external USB charging Charging Port: Type-C NPU: 1 TOPS Features: WiFi, NFC NFC One-Touch Connection Astronomy Post-Processing/Appointment Shooting/Astronomy Mosaic Wi-Fi Transmission Range: 15m (open environment) Color: Black Compatibility: iOS & Android smartphones/tablets Warranty: 2-years (24-months) MSRP: $399 Design Charge port On/off button Lens On the DWARF mini itself, it is a pretty minimal affair. On one side, there is a Type-C USB port to charge the non-removable 7000 mAh battery, and on the other side, a large button to power on or off the telescope. The button is flanked by an LED that is green when connected via the DWARFLAB app, or lights up red when being powered off. Below the button, there are four LEDs that indicate battery power. The DWARF mini does not have any sharp edges as all sides are rounded off; it has a good heft to it, but the weight of it feels quite balanced in the hand, so it isn't top or bottom-heavy. On the front there is the DWARFLAB logo which is quite small and there are no other markings on it. The tripod offers full 360° rotation of the motorized base, which allows for tracking for the time-lapse mode, but also for the 90-second captures of nearer objects in the sky, such as the Sun or the moon. Usage To get started, simply power on the DWARF mini and open the DWARFLAB app, tap on Connect, and it will scan for the DWARF mini over the Wi-Fi network. The device supports both 2.4 GHz and 5 GHz Wi-Fi, as well as Bluetooth for discovery, so connection issues were minimal in my experience with it. As previously noted in the specs, the DWARF mini will stay connected with a phone or tablet up to 15 meters in an open environment, such as a backyard. Lighting status Powering on: The green circular light will rotate and breathe in turn Powering off: The red circular light is gradually extinguished Connecting: Green light strip rotating Connected: Green light strip solid/always on 4 lights 1= 0-25%, 2= 25-50%, 3= 50-75%, 4= 75-100% battery power To view the full lighting status, such as tracking mode and connection failure, you can check the user guide on the official DWARFLAB page. DWARFLAB app Above, you can see the steps undertaken to connect the DWARFLAB app to my Galaxy S26 Ultra. Weirdly, I got an alert that a firmware update failed to get uploaded to the DWARF mini the first time, but upon retrying, it worked. Then place the DWARF mini outside, make sure your smartphone or tablet is connected to it, and then head back inside, because you can manage it from the comfort of your home. Simply enter the Atlas tab in the app and search for what you want to capture, and then tap on the camera icon; the DWARF mini will then attempt to track the object and give you a live view right on your connected device. Results I've had the DWARF mini since April, but even though my garden is south-facing, I had a lot of trouble trying to capture a good image of the moon. In the end, it was possible after I took it with me on a trip to my parents in Southend, UK, at the end of May. Here is a capture of the moon, resulting from 20 stacked images over a 90-second exposure. What you are seeing here is not AI-assisted. A good example of what I mean is the latest flagships with their 200MP cameras claiming to capture things like closeups of the moon, and while they are not as good as the above example on the DWARF mini, the resulting image on smartphones is actually AI-assisted above 30X zoom. Here is an example of a similar shot at the moon at 200X zoom using an HONOR Magic8 Pro. The difference is clear. Next, here we have a shot of the daytime moon. Here is a shot of Arcturus, the red giant star, which is the fourth brightest in the night sky. As previously mentioned, it could be a bit clearer, but clouds passing in front of it muddied the shot a bit. The Sun The DWARF mini also ships with a sun filter, meaning you can take great shots of the sun as well. Tracking Sun Resulting (stacked) shot Live zoom The pictures themselves are limited to Full HD, and some of the examples actually came out in HD (1280x720), but this is because the standard telescopic result is in 720p while "Wide" is in 1080p. Above you can see how in the app the Sun is tracked, the resulting capture, and Live zoom. I have only scratched the surface of what is possible with this telescope; I found several examples online of shots of the Milky Way, among others, such as nebulae and galaxies. All of this requires patience and knowledge, although if you know what you are looking for, simply enter it in the Atlas tab in the DWARFLAB app, tap the camera icon, and the telescope will attempt to track it. Conclusion The good The DWARF mini definitely places itself in a price point that makes astrology accessible to anyone looking to get started in the hobby. Say you want to have a closer look at the moon, simply enter it in the Atlas, and the Live view also lets you zoom in and snap pictures. The bad Some issues I came across while operating the DWARF mini were that it sometimes failed to connect unless I held my smartphone right next to it, and finding and tracking sometimes took several attempts to get it calibrated. I discovered that it helped if I sort of positioned and pointed the telescope in the general area it was supposed to detect, but this obviously wouldn't work with objects you can't see with the naked eye; more testing is required for that. Another bit of advice is to ensure that the lens is clean. While making the examples of live zooming on the sun, I discovered that the telescope lens and sun filter were not completely clean, and only after cleaning with a microfiber cloth was I able to get a decent shot of the sun. Where to buy and a coupon Okay, $399 is not cheap for a side hobby, but nor is a $1,500 smartphone flagship that you'll most likely have for a couple of years. This is a one-time entrance into astrology, and it won't become obsolete in one year like a smartphone. It's a thumbs up from me. The DWARF mini is available to buy right now in the U.S. and U.K. at the links below. DWARF mini for $399 on the official site DWARF mini for $399 on Amazon U.S. Use the NEOWIN5OFF coupon code for an additional 5% off at checkout (expires June 21) As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases.
    • Adobe Acrobat Reader Dis Continued
    • The name, you mean? If so, it's actually the objects common name. There's another one called NGC 7293 which is also known as Helix Nebula (because we're looking at a helix structure top down) but other times also known as the Eye of God. You'll understand when you see it
  • Recent Achievements

    • One Month Later
      lamborghiniv10 earned a badge
      One Month Later
    • Week One Done
      lamborghiniv10 earned a badge
      Week One Done
    • Reacting Well
      X-No-file earned a badge
      Reacting Well
    • One Month Later
      pestcontrol46 earned a badge
      One Month Later
    • Week One Done
      pestcontrol46 earned a badge
      Week One Done
  • Popular Contributors

    1. 1
      +primortal
      504
    2. 2
      PsYcHoKiLLa
      270
    3. 3
      Skyfrog
      75
    4. 4
      +Edouard
      71
    5. 5
      FloatingFatMan
      69
  • Tell a friend

    Love Neowin? Tell a friend!