WP8, the third ecosystem?

[ScoobyDoes]

Since i lost my Nokia N9 a month ago I went back to my old Symbian in anticipation of the new 920 with Windows Phone 8.

Given I need a new laptop in the new year for work and the likely event is that will be Win8 are we in a position to say that a) Nokia might be saved on the back of WP8 and b) the growth of the OS is almost guaranteed given what must happen in corporate PCs/Laptops over the next year or two?

I'm asking because I took the plunge into Meego a year ago and loved it on the N9. The phone was fast, simple, had true multitasking and just enough apps to get done what I needed (though, of course, missed out on a lot as well). I didn't want to be sucked into iOS or Badroid and Nokia typically make very good, durable hardware.

It is also a worthwhile question given the lack of development in the iPhone between recent incarnations and there might be more people at this stage preparing for the switch?

[Strong Eagle]

Samsung and HTC have also announced WP8 offerings. It's where I am going to go... Android sucks.

[SingLaw]

I'm also planning on switching once the 8x and 920 are released here. iOS is ok, but if feels so dated at this point.

[nakatago]

The Samsung offerings had lackluster reception. The HTC phones, on the other look great in more ways than one.

That said, Windows needs to get its s&%t together with the ecosystem. It's bad enough that they had upgrade incompatibilities in two successive versions of Windows phone 7.

There have been rumors that Microsoft will produce their own phones (like what they did with Surface). However, OEMs are already crying foul over that. If Microsoft does push through with that, Nokia will be in trouble if Elop doesn't get his head out of his arse.

On a personal note, I would want ALL these ecosystems to thrive as proper competition would push each other to improve. I'd had it with the litigation as a strategy crap.

[ScoobyDoes]

I will weigh up (pun intended) the 8X from HTC as well given how heavy the 920 is supposed to be but the issue I have with the HTC is..... Nokia's Apps.

Maps & Drive specifically.

Having their Drive available offline, free, worldwide with turn-by-turn voice navigation and continually updated is worth as much to me as the difference in price and weight to the HTC until I know what will be available on that. I used it on the N9 and now my E66 again and it saves a bomb in a seperate SatNav, it simply works.

I'd had it with the litigation as a strategy crap.

I just wonder if HTC faces a law suit from Nokia regarding the look of the 8X? It is too much like the 900, N9 and now 920.

[nakatago]

I will weigh up (pun intended) the 8X from HTC as well given how heavy the 920 is supposed to be but the issue I have with the HTC is..... Nokia's Apps.

Maps & Drive specifically.

Having their Drive available offline, free, worldwide with turn-by-turn voice navigation and continually updated is worth as much to me as the difference in price and weight to the HTC until I know what will be available on that. I used it on the N9 and now my E66 again and it saves a bomb in a seperate SatNav, it simply works.

I'd had it with the litigation as a strategy crap.

I just wonder if HTC faces a law suit from Nokia regarding the look of the 8X? It is too much like the 900, N9 and now 920.

Another plus point for Nokia: the phone will be a collector's edition if Nokia ends up fading into oblivion.

OEM fight! http://www.phonearena.com/news/HTC-thro ... 8X_id36145

[ScoobyDoes]

Another plus point for Nokia: the phone will be a collector's edition if Nokia ends up fading into oblivion.

Yeah but I just get the feeling W8 and WP8 are going to be a very powerful combination. Microsoft have taken quite a hit in the last few years but I they be more understanding than before, and actually going out to produce quality software instead of maybe holding back as they tended to do.

Honestly, I don't like the look of the tiles. They are too blocky and remind me of 1970s cars in the US, which were inherently rubbish and couldn't handle for chocolate. So long as they work, though, I might learn to like them. I am, though, going to have to learn how to use them as the inevitability of a laptop upgrade in the office and the fact Windows is still so dominant means choice is next to zero.

[nakatago]

Another plus point for Nokia: the phone will be a collector's edition if Nokia ends up fading into oblivion.

Yeah but I just get the feeling W8 and WP8 are going to be a very powerful combination. Microsoft have taken quite a hit in the last few years but I they be more understanding than before, and actually going out to produce quality software instead of maybe holding back as they tended to do.

Honestly, I don't like the look of the tiles. They are too blocky and remind me of 1970s cars in the US, which were inherently rubbish and couldn't handle for chocolate. So long as they work, though, I might learn to like them. I am, though, going to have to learn how to use them as the inevitability of a laptop upgrade in the office and the fact Windows is still so dominant means choice is next to zero.

That is if MS doesn't alienate Nokia if/when it manufactures its own phone.

I've used WP7 and while it looks nice, I find animating the tiles and transitions take too long (~2 seconds). Haven't tried 8. Let's see if WP8 takes off, maybe there would be enough feedback. I figgered WP7 adoption was so low, not many people gave quality comments on what would have made it better.

Although, a lot of people are hating how mouse-unfriendly W8's GUI is. I would've gotten a copy myself if the machine I intended for it didn't conk out. (FWIW, my other machine which is also my daily driver runs Ubuntu.)

[curiousgeorge]

@Scooby
So what did you end up with?

I have W8 on my PC and Laptop, Win8 RT on my Surface and WP8 on my nokia 920. The integration between all the platforms is fantastic, finally glad to be totally free of the iOS/iTunes thing, though I still have an occasional fiddle with my 7" android tablet for e-reading when the kindle is dead.

[ScoobyDoes]

Yo....

You lucky Barstool! I had to go to Johor the day N920 was launched and if I ordered from SingTel online it would take nearly a week to deliver, by which I was heading to HK so I ended up with........nothing. There is no stock island wide and generally the news is I have to wait a couple more weeks, maybe even mid-February. The longer I wait, the less time I have to wait for the Portico update and maybe a better Whatsapp.

Last week I checked with Nokia HK and they had stock only last Friday, a bit cheaper (~S$50) than here but it only came with a HK/China warranty so I decided to wait till there was some here.

I have narrowed down my choice of laptop to a Toshiba or Sony and will definately get the 920 when there is one for me to get. I have always been weighing up whether it would be better to start with the laptop then sync with a phone rather than start on the phone...... so I am thinking to get the laptop first, in the next week or two.

I have started rearranging a new Outlook.com account to make everything run smoothly, I hope.


Really pleased you find the integration working. That has been my whole purpose so I'm pleased you are proving my thoughts right. The next thing is to try and limit my expose to Googe since they seem to be going against their own mantra of not being Evil.




EDIT: 31st, just took the plunge and bought the 920 so am now in the process of setting it up.... will come to the laptop later when I get around to buying that. I am only a little confused right now about the best way to get my contacts over but other than that, seems okay at the moment.

[SingLaw]

I've had a 920 for about a month now and, other than Starhub's terrible 4G coverage, have no major complaints.

Probably my biggest peeve is that there isn't a reliable taxi booking app for WP8 and that gothere.sg doesn't have an app for WP8. Fix those two things and I'll be very happy.