Anyone going to buy a Windows Phone 7 Device?

[DeanMc]

I gonna pick up the LG Optimus 7 because my iPhone officially bores me to tears now. I can pick up the Optimus for €50 euro with a stall discount in December! yay!

[gep13]

My HTC HD7 should get delivered today

Gary

[mendhak]

I can pick up the Optimus for €50

You should get it delivered by Amazon Prime.

[stlaural]

I'm waiting for release in Canada I'll go with the HTC 7 Pro as soon as its available. I like the fact that this one still has a physical keyboard.

[gep13]

Yeah, I thought about that, but having used the HTC HD2 for the last year, I am now sort of used to not having the physical keyboard.

[baja_yu]

Couple of things really bother me about WP7, like, multitasking only reserved for MS apps, no memory card support, no data connection support (only sync through Zune software)...

[gep13]

no data connection support (only sync through Zune software)...

What exactly are you referring to here?

[DeanMc]

I find multitasking bad on the iphone, apps stay open all the time and eat my battery life! I heard there are classes in the sdk which handle sudo tasking, ie mimic multitasking by saving/load state from storage.

As for zune, ive used it since it came out, i like the look, i think it may replace media player as the default media centre in windows, also apple seem to do fine with a similar lockdown.

My reservation is the non hot swap with the memory cards but then i cant even change the battery on my hi phone.

As for the model im stuck with the optimus because my country is crap.

[baja_yu]

What exactly are you referring to here?

Connecting the device in data mode, Windows sees it as a external memory storage, just like when you plug in a USB flash drive.

[baja_yu]

apps stay open all the time and eat my battery life!

Actually they don't. In most cases (most apps other than audio or voip apps) they stay in background a very short time (if they don't ask for extension, and that buys them just a little more), and they have lower priority access to system resources. From background they switch to suspended state where the state is preserved but the application doesn't execute any code. So no battery drain there.

[DeanMc]

I dunno i find my phone gets visibly worse the more apps i have used over the day. It was fine before the update to multitasking. Still its not a priority feature for me but i take your point.

[gep13]

Connecting the device in data mode, Windows sees it as a external memory storage, just like when you plug in a USB flash drive.

Ah, I see what you mean.

That isn't really a concern for me.

Gary

[kleinma]

I have a motorola DroidX and I am pretty happy with it. I do have 2 lines though (other line is a standard dumb phone), and I would consider upgrading my other line to a Win7 phone, however I have a few issues with what I have seen so far.

1) No Outlook sync support. I don't use exchange server, and I don't use hotmail. I don't want to aggregate my stuff into hotmail. I just want my stuff to sync with Outlook. Doesn't even need to be emails (so long as I can use POP3 or IMAP on the phone) but tasks, contacts, and calendar in Outlook I use a ton. Right now I use google calendar sync, which at least will keep my calendar up to date. The rest has all been a manual process. Doesn't seem like Win7 phone brings anything else to the table with regards to this.

2) No carrier support for CMDA carriers. I don't know whos fault this is really, but I have Verizon Wireless, and I would not switch to AT&T (which I find to be totally horrible) just for a phone (idiots do that for iPhones though).

3) No GPS (as in turn by turn direction GPS). I use the free google GPS on my droid and love it. I was paying 10 bucks a month for Verizon's GPS service prior to this phone, but no need anymore. It works really well.

I am happy that VZW announced tiered data, so when I do get my second device, I don't have to pay a full 30 bucks for a data plan on it. I am just not 100% sure that device will be a Win7 phone. Hopefully MS pushing a strong wave of updates to keep building functionality. However as it stands right now, it seems the phone is only fully functional if you run exchange and sharepoint servers that it can connect to.

[techgnome]

I believe CDMA Win7Mo phones are in the works... they just weren't done in the initial batch. If I remember right, I'd seen reports that a March time frame was what they were looking for? Verison and T-Mobile are supposed to be the carriers. As for who was responsible for that? The manufacturers... MS only supplied the software, along with the recommended and required hardware specs. From there it was up to the manufacturers. At least that's the way I remember reading it.

-tg

[kleinma]

This is what a top Verizon exec said recently:

When asked about the chances of a Windows Phone 7 device arriving on Verizon's network in the near future, McAdam's response took a more dismissive tone while maintaining secrecy over the company's upcoming handset offerings.

"We like our relationship with Microsoft," he said. "But clearly in the US there are three major mobile operating systems: RIM, Google, and Apple." The executive went on to admit that Verizon does not see Microsoft as a major player in mobile anymore. "Microsoft is not at the forefront of our mind," he added

http://www.electronista.com/articles...verizons.mind/

[DeanMc]

Got hd7 today and i have to say its a great piece of kit i love it!

[gep13]

Got hd7 today and i have to say its a great piece of kit i love it!

Booo!! I am still waiting on getting my delivered. DHL are being a pain in the rear

Should hopefully have it tomorrow.

[DeanMc]

If yo want I can send you a video of me using it

[gep13]

Grrr!!!

[DeanMc]

The only thing I find lacking is the IM, there is none. I thought they may have had a built in application, why don't phone makers have this?

On the plus side its easier to use than I thought and all the usual applications are already waiting to download!

[techgnome]

WHAT? The WP7 doesn't come with IM? What the heck? Even my lowly LG has IM (I jsut can't use it due to lack of a data package)...

-tg

[GaryMazzone]

What LG tech? I have the Remarq also no data plan. Can't seem to buy just a plan phone any more.

[DeanMc]

Nope same as iPhone, yet facebook is built in!

[techgnome]

What LG tech? I have the Remarq also no data plan. Can't seem to buy just a plan phone any more.

the LG CU920... For the most part, I like it. Even comes with TV (if I were inclined to pay for that) and Email capabilities (again, useless to me though since I haven't the data package) ... the big feature I use a lot is the bluetooth... makes it easy to get my pics off the phone and onto my computer.

-tg

[gep13]

Woo hoo, my neighbour took in my parcel, I have my HD7!! Just setting it up just now.

So, far, I am loving it

[baja_yu]

Meebo and Trillian can IM (multiple protocols) through the browser... but I'm not sure how the browser on the phone would handle it.

[gep13]

The only thing I find lacking is the IM, there is none. I thought they may have had a built in application, why don't phone makers have this?

On the plus side its easier to use than I thought and all the usual applications are already waiting to download!

There is a Messenger Application in the MarketPlace.

[gep13]

Okay, this is just plain stupid...

I can't find a way to get the MAC address of the WIFI adapter on the phone, nor can I find a way to allocate a static IP address to the WIFI adapter.

Looks like I am going to have to turn DHCP on in my Router, and use MAC Address filtering to find the MAC address. What were Microsoft thinking?!? This is the one thing that I have found so far that is a big let down with the phone, everything else is so well done!

Gary

[kregg]

Okay, this is just plain stupid...

I can't find a way to get the MAC address of the WIFI adapter on the phone, nor can I find a way to allocate a static IP address to the WIFI adapter.

Looks like I am going to have to turn DHCP on in my Router, and use MAC Address filtering to find the MAC address. What were Microsoft thinking?!? This is the one thing that I have found so far that is a big let down with the phone, everything else is so well done!

Gary

Are you sure this isn't hidden behind the battery, along with the phone's serial number and all that extra stuff?

[gep13]

Hmmm, I haven't checked there, so it could be, but I would have still expected it to be visible within the Phones "About" Section, as it normally is. Also, this still doesn't help with not being able to assign a Static IP Address.

Gary

[techgnome]

I bet it's DHCP so that it can leap from network to network as it finds them as you travel about.... just a guess.

-tg

[gep13]

I bet it's DHCP so that it can leap from network to network as it finds them as you travel about.... just a guess.

-tg

That would be my guess as well.

However, for my home network, I don't use a DHCP server. I can understand why they would do it this way, by default, but I would still expect that there would be an advanced section, where you could tinker with the settings.

Gary

[DeanMc]

Ok a couple of things:

V1.0.0.0.0...... Applications suck. People have had long enough with the sdk, make some good applications please, I really want to give you my money

Turn the brightness down: The phone is very bright and it eats the battery something shocking.

I need some folders: Yes I am a neat freek

Other than that I love it. I have high hopes for the Flicker application which is gorgous and have no problem paying for it to support development. The MSN application is poo though.

I don't suppose anyone would like to develop an IM client with me? I'm going to start planning it next monday. Hell I have been itching to get some development done! Gep and Mendhak, I'm looking at you guys!

[dilettante]

Developers have been avoiding the Phone 7 platform in droves.

It trashed most of their investment in developing for the Windows Mobile platform and the restrictive nature of what's been provided is stifling. Developers have no native code/COM access and even a lot of the .Net CF can't be used effectively. You're left with a form of Silverlight/XNA (gag).

Things have gotten so desperate in Redmond they commissioned a book by Petzold and decided to release it for free: Programming Windows Phone 7 by Charles Petzold.

We'll see how long this platform lasts. So far the big game developers (id Software for one) give it a big yawn.

[DeanMc]

I doubt that is entirely true. I would rather wait to see official figures from MS after the launch quarter than rely on some of the mulch gloating around the tinterwebs at the moment.

I would imagine that realistically the figures will be low until the third or forth quarter while enhancments are made to the development platform and policies.

[gep13]

I don't suppose anyone would like to develop an IM client with me? I'm going to start planning it next monday. Hell I have been itching to get some development done! Gep and Mendhak, I'm looking at you guys!

In all honesty, I want to get into some development on this platform. I have a couple apps that I have for my Windows Mobile 6.5 phone, that I am looking to port over. I don't know how much time I would be able to give you, but I wouldn't say no to helping if I can.

Gary

[gep13]

I doubt that is entirely true. I would rather wait to see official figures from MS after the launch quarter than rely on some of the mulch gloating around the tinterwebs at the moment.

I would imagine that realistically the figures will be low until the third or forth quarter while enhancments are made to the development platform and policies.

This is my take on it as well. There are lots of rumours going round just now, especially with the statements from Bob Muglia at the PDC last week. I am going to wait and see what happens.

Gary

[DeanMc]

Cool, I have one or two small projects I would like to sort out first just for learnings sake so il put together some sort of timescale and work from there.

[gep13]

Cool, I have one or two small projects I would like to sort out first just for learnings sake so il put together some sort of timescale and work from there.

Sounds like a plan.

[dilettante]

Well Windows Phone 7 delayed for Verizon, Sprint, other CDMA networks until 2011 is more than just rumors.