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Posts: 44 | Thanked: 22 times | Joined on Dec 2010
#1
Here's my fourth attempt to replace my N900. Tried N9, Iphone 4s, Galaxy S3.....next up to bat is the HTC 8x. I'm not really trying to provide a review, but just some thoughts I had--

So today is day 2 with the phone and already I'm questioning whether I'll keep it or not. Problem is, if I don't keep it, what do I get next?

Day 2 impressions:
1) Feels a lot of like the N9...not necessarily the OS, but the phone itself. Screen looks similar and just the feel of the hardware. If it had Nokia branding instead of HTC branding, I'd believe it.

2) OS is NOTHING like Windows 8. I have a Microsoft Surface and really like Windows RT. After reading that Win 8 and Win Phone 8 are based on the same code, I figured the phone would just be a more limited version of WinRT...wrong! The only thing even close to in common is the start screen. Apps are different, UI different, settings different..absolutely nothing in common that I can find.

3) Battery life is lacking. It's probably fine for a casual user, but doesn't QUITE last a day with me. Of course it's only been 2 days, but same result both days. The N900 didn't last long enough for me either, until I made a dual-scud setup.

4) No tethering without adding it to my plan...$15/mo extra for something I could do on the N900 for free...bah!

5) No call recording app. This is a huge inconvenience. Now I have to take notes in real-time when talking to people. Before I could just ask questions and participate in conversation and just refer back later if I needed to "remember" any info to my recordings.

6) Everything is so FAST compared to the N900...that's probably the primary reason I'm considering keeping it. Also, like the N9, the screen and transitions look great. Browser is extremely fast and no real complaints other than everything wanting to show you the mobile web page version despite the user agent setting in IE. 16:9 screen makes landscape browsing questionably useful.

7) No multitasking, at least not like the N900. Very disappointing, especially because of what I've read about Windows Phone's multitasking capability. What they mean is that CERTAIN apps can run in the background and everything else can be frozen in its current state and resume when you switch back. THAT'S NOT MULTITASKING!

8) No way to quickly exit apps from the task manager. Microsoft's argument is that because apps are frozen, they don't consume CPU cycles, so there's no reason to close them. Sure...but then you have 6 or 7 windows open in task manager to sort through rather than just the 2-3 apps you're really using. The only way to exit apps is to switch to the app and hit the "back" key...and that's further complicated if the "back" key is used within the app.

9) No way to disable threaded conversations in e-mail. Sure, I know..."everyone" wants their conversations to be threaded. I don't. I want to see messages in the order they came in. I'm out of luck.

10) Bing is basically useless...and although there is a Google app you can manually launch, everything defaults to using Bing and you can't change it. Maybe some people have good luck with Bing, but in the several times it's come up over the last 2 days, the results are pretty much completely useless.

11) Where is the native IM support? Why do I have to use IM+ or some other third party solution that's not well integrated?
 

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#2
Small update:

12) No WiFi survey utility like WifiEye. Minor annoyance but somewhat inconvenient.

13) Another big one...I'm sure I'll get some heat for this one....it's too hard to txt and drive. I've always been firmly opposed to antitexting laws because it's no more difficult to txt and drive than eat and drive or deal with rowdy kids or any number of other "normal" things people do. That's because I had an N900. Txting on a pure touch screen is tough on the road. With an N900 you can type with only a glance down every now and then...impossible w/o real keyboard.

Still loving the web browser tho!
 

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#3
Your #7 and #8 were the reasons why I tried and abandoned Android.

Regarding #12, I don't text while driving, but I leave judgment to others. BUT - I have to say that after 8 years on Treo 600, I find texting on the N900 a bit awkward. There is no way I can do it holding the phone in one hand and type with my thumb only. Plus I find the text too small (old eyes ) and I do not quite agree with the white-on-black colour scheme.
 
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#4
I am using my Lumia 920 now and I do like it. Great screen, best email client, smooth and fast. I agree with you about IM client, except there is integration if you use one of their IM services, but not for google talk. Overall its a good workhorse, but N900 would have been better if finished and better specs.
 
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#5
And I love the fact that I can make fonts huge!!!!
 
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#6
I know true multitasking is great but can someone provide a real life example where it is useful on the phone?

I'm at a point where it feels like it is time to retire my N900, so doing a lot of thinking about what should be next. Been salivating about the N9 for a long time but certain apps I need are not available for it. Really liked how 8x feels in hand but WP is a no go for the same reason. I have philosophical disagreements with Apple so it has to be Android. HTC One X seems like a phone I can live with and in the US ATT has refurb ones basically for free on a 2-year contract.

Last edited by Val Demar; 2012-12-12 at 04:43.
 
Posts: 44 | Thanked: 22 times | Joined on Dec 2010
#7
No updates because..........I've been back on the N900 for the last 10 days. Looks like there has been a lot of progress in the last year. The CSSU-Thumb compiled apps appear to have solved the low memory issue for me and I rarely get paralyzing slow-downs now. Google Maps is available via Java VM, and an updated Flash Player is working. The N900 is still slow in general compared to the 8x, but I think it might be good enough to keep now, at least for another year or two.

Now to figure out what to do with the 8x...maybe I'll give it another shot if they ever come out with a call recording app.
 

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