Develop Bugs

Facebook App MarketPlace 3 issues fixable?

Hi All,
I was wondering if anyone else had 2 issues I've run across since using the Facebook app from Marketplace:
1) Sometime when posting comments, it doesnt send to post, anyone have this problem?
2) Does the Facebook app always have to be re-freshed to see whats been posted instead of it notifying you when something gets posted?
3) I know everyone has the photo album not displaying issue I do too, but when I go to HTC Album, I have a freaking list of folders with either pix or no pix, how to I make them not appear in the HTC album when I am picking albums to view?
Thanx

I had the same issues as 1 and 2 and gave up on the app. I use the mobile website for everything except uploading pics, in which case I use the application.
Kind of a pain until someone smarter than me comes up with a good app.

Sux, dont want to use the website, I know they have it working on the blackberry where its real time updates, you'd think they would have done that with this lite app, whats the point of refreshing manually.

the app is pretty worthless, i rarely use it. the manual refresh is horrible. It'll only download the latest (say 25) posts, and if there are 35 new posts on your wall/feed and you refresh, it will only update 25, and when you scroll through them, it would go from the last of the latest 25 to the latest of when you previously refreshed so there would be a gap in your feed...
i use touch.facebook.com and lite.facebook.como via opera mobile and works out very well.

i no longer attempt to use it to post comments because what i found out is its posting on random old posts. it can cause you to say some things you really dont mean.
my other real issue is it will only load the first photo in an album and just sit there rather than opening the next. and of course you cant see who likes a post. hopefully microsoft will fix these little issues so it will be as complete as it is on an iphone or android.

TJoC,
Thanks for the laugh, Microsoft does as little as possible, and in their eyes it works, Being a expert in windows, dont expect MS to be adding anything to this app, MS rather have you jump to a 3rd party. The one that SHOULD make the app is Facebook themselves. But who are we? Just barnicles on the end of a stick.
I went so far to try the Xperia X1 panel facebook, as much as I like its functionality it also lacks simple basic features, like the ability to comment, like/dislike. You would think someone would be smart enough.

Your right, facebook does need to create the app.. They created the app for the iphone and android, what blackberry? did facebook create that or was that RIM?
also since WP7 is due to be released soon, i think MS dropped the development for this as social networking is a big focus for WP7

MS drops everything trying to make the big buck, if they set a dept up to take care of the little things like this, they'd be amazed how all the little cents would add up. They crippled WinMo 7, from everything I have heard and read, I'll stick to the flexibility of 6.5, not that its great, but sure beats the choking factor. If they are so big on social networking, they sure dropped the ball on that front.

Why is 'our' Facebook app. so behind the iPhone Facebook app.?

Anyone got any ideas?
The iPhone Facebook app. is quick, slick, easy to use.
The one we've got is slow, jumpy, and just not as good in general!
You'd think by now SOMEBODY would have created atleast a mimic.

I got nothing to add except to say, yeah our app is crud.

I don't disagree that the Microsoft developed facebook app is behind the others. That said Opera loads facebook just fine, and it's the full site.
Then again I'll never understand the point of having dozens of apps that accomplish the same thing as loading up the already installed web browser and a bookmark.

I use the mobile Facebook pages at m.facebook.com via Opera 10, you can even choose between regular mobile and touch interface. It works for me!

Probably because the rest of the world buys into the hype put out by Apple.
It's like John Dillinger said when asked why he robbed banks...Because that is where the money is. Right or wrong, there are a TON of iPhones out there, and developers spend their time where "the money is".
I didn't buy into the iphone, simply because I've grown up with the WindowsCE
platform since the Dell Axim X5 days, so it was a natural transition to the Windows Moble/phone platform. That, and I want to customize the interface and functions the way I WANT TO, not how Steve Jobs says.

ditto man, I feel about the same.

mhurg said:
I use the mobile Facebook pages at m.facebook.com via Opera 10, you can even choose between regular mobile and touch interface. It works for me!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
How do you switch to touch interface?

luke6283 said:
How do you switch to touch interface?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Scroll to the bottom of the page and click "Touch Site", or just go to touch.facebook.com

Toleraen said:
I don't disagree that the Microsoft developed facebook app is behind the others. That said Opera loads facebook just fine, and it's the full site.
Then again I'll never understand the point of having dozens of apps that accomplish the same thing as loading up the already installed web browser and a bookmark.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
ditto, m.facebook.com is even better than iphone app IMO

p51d007 said:
Probably because the rest of the world buys into the hype put out by Apple.
It's like John Dillinger said when asked why he robbed banks...Because that is where the money is. Right or wrong, there are a TON of iPhones out there, and developers spend their time where "the money is".
I didn't buy into the iphone, simply because I've grown up with the WindowsCE
platform since the Dell Axim X5 days, so it was a natural transition to the Windows Moble/phone platform. That, and I want to customize the interface and functions the way I WANT TO, not how Steve Jobs says.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
daniel_lfc said:
Anyone got any ideas?
The iPhone Facebook app. is quick, slick, easy to use.
The one we've got is slow, jumpy, and just not as good in general!
You'd think by now SOMEBODY would have created atleast a mimic.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I can tell you this, the app for WM phones is way awesome. It has the same functionality as the iPhone app and the online browsers too. I think it runs smooth, updates quickly, and isn't loaded down with settings. Most of those settings for the other pages is just a bit of overkill. It's always true that the simpler the plan, the better the plan. You can always add to something if you need just a simple extra. You'll just have to write xml codes, if you don't know how and ur a bright person, you can probably figure out how to change those codes to add what you want or remove what you don't want, in a matter of days.
Plus, knowledge is power, I started out in this group just downloading and installing cabs. Now I write my own and have written weather apps alongside NRG that apparently have been stolen by HTC and WM6.xxx. The nifty weather on your screen that's flashy and self updating with a forecast and pretty icons for the weather conditions was 1st integrated by NRG, then Showaco and I kicked it up a knotch and finally duked it out with NRG only to realize that we were both making the same app, everyone and their brother jumped on the bandwagon so much that Microsoft and HTC "took" the ideas and integrated it into their ROM's. No worries, though, that's what this process is all about, learning how to create what is not already available
So, my advice in closing is to spend some time learning how to read xml, and then changing small bits, running the app, and seeing if it loads and does what you want, then slowly bit by bit, you will have an app that is PERFECT for your needs. It my seem impossible at 1st, but where there is a will there is a way, plus, hell you might end up writing something people will pay for or maybe HTC or Microsoft might offer u money for. Give it a shot.

daniel_lfc said:
Anyone got any ideas?
The iPhone Facebook app. is quick, slick, easy to use.
The one we've got is slow, jumpy, and just not as good in general!
You'd think by now SOMEBODY would have created atleast a mimic.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
If it's not an iPhone, it doesn't exist.....
Well, that's the impression you'd get from all the companies that advertise on the TV,
"There's an app for that" - *&%%$%$£$$$T23312£"%!!!!!!!!!!

Toleraen said:
Scroll to the bottom of the page and click "Touch Site", or just go to touch.facebook.com
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Or that yeah, thanks for pointing it out

I agree the app is rubbish, it's main problem is the speed. It spends way too long doing tasks that don't require much data transfer, and dosen't have a progress bar of any kind to explain it's slowness.
I don't like using opera because you have to log in every time and it has no integration with the rest of the system. Not to mention lack of fb chat. I'm not an iphone fanboy (TP2 ) but the iphone facebook is way better.

Pandora/Major apps to support multitask

One of peoples biggest complaints is multitasking well here we go:
Scherotter said while a few major apps will be able to multitask, such as Pandora, the music streaming app that will play in the background while the user is doing something else, independent apps will not, for now. Scherotter said that eventually, independent apps will be multitask-capable, but he wouldn't say when that would be.
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source: wpcentral (I can't post links yet)

Great find. Here is the link -
http://wpcentral.com/multitasking-coming-wp7-pandora-can-multitask-now

I'm pretty sure that was in the initial WP7 reveal back in Feb? The policy seems to be that the big names will get access to multi-tasking (for the moment) and even then only if they can justify why they need it. So basically music apps and maybe IM clients will get it for now.

Well at least there is some multitasking and so its a start

Only thin new about this news is that major apps will gain multitasking, we have known for a while that WP7 will get multitasking
Sent from my SGH-T959 using XDA App

Well that is definately a start, not being able to listen to music in the background while responding to a text or browsing the web would be pretty lame.

Updated: Say it ain't so! Looks like Network World got the quote wrong as Michael Scherotter ask them to make a correction noting: "Great article but with a slight correction; built-in software like Zune can play music in the background. Pandora cannot at this time."

I've heard that going forward they will open up multi-tasking to apps that require it (given a good reason for needing it)

The latest Engadget Show had a lengthy interview with Aaron Woodman who confirmed that multitasking will be on the device and that there are zero technical problems with multitasking on the OS.
Microsoft are working on a compelling user experience to manage the multitasking applications which I think is a good thing. Apple have a good system but it's not perfect and what's the point of just copying the design from a competitor.
As copy/paste is coming at the start of the year I would be surprised if multitasking is not released by end of Q3 next year.

If you look through the marketplace you can see that some apps is using a permission named "RunUnderLock", I guess that that one is true multitasking.
I'm also pretty sure that Spotify have confirmed that they're able to multitask.

Sir. Haxalot said:
If you look through the marketplace you can see that some apps is using a permission named "RunUnderLock", I guess that that one is true multitasking.
I'm also pretty sure that Spotify have confirmed that they're able to multitask.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Last FM and the twitter app is reported to have multitask also actual user has reported it. here ->http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=823129

One thing I use a lot on my current device is Pocket IRC. I hope a form of it is made for WP7 and that it will multitask so you can do other stuff and come back to see if anyone is talking when the rooms get a bit quiet.

Surf cube 2.0

This thing has not gotten near the respect it deserves on WP7... this browser is amazing compared to IE, it renders about a millisecond slower and I have a landscape address bar, better access to tabs, and just a more enjoyable and fun browsing experience. Worth the 1.99 without a doubt.

Is version 2.0 even out yet? I thought the announcement last week said it would come to the Marketplace 'within the next few weeks'.

OGCF said:
Is version 2.0 even out yet? I thought the announcement last week said it would come to the Marketplace 'within the next few weeks'.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Just now came through some time within the last 30 minutes or so. It's so much better than IE.

Really? Awesome! I didn't buy version 1 but I think I'll buy this one. I'll get the trial first.

Best buy I've made next to ilomilo... really an awesome browser.

Downloaded it love it but having trouble loading YouTube videos anybody know why? YouTube works with IE

I love this one but unfortunately the rendering is IE.
So the same issues as stock browser for me.
But the UI is great.

Surfcube 2.0 is great, but the Tile on the startscreen is bad...it's not a square so it destroys the elegant design of the tiles.
That's the only reason for me not to buy it, I can't live with such a fractured startscreen

Hello guys, it's the developer of SurfCube. Thanks very much for this thread, we are very glad that you like our work! Also, thank you for the purchases - every penny we get is going back to development. If you have time, we would really appreciate a rating in the Marketplace.
Let me know if you have any questions or suggestions! So far, SurfCube's development has mostly been request-driven, and we intend to keep it that way,
@Asheyb8: As for playing Youtube videos, unfortunately we as developers have to work really hard to get it done from the browser. Microsoft didn't give us the facilities that would make it easy, and have to settle for lots of hacks.
@skycamefalling: are you using your phone with the light theme? I admit the icon looks a bit out of place there, but we cannot put transparent pixels in it - that would show the accent color instead of the background, and the icon would look horrible with purple, blue, red, etc tile colors. If you don't want to pin the app to the start screen, just use voice recognition to start it

vbandi said:
@skycamefalling: are you using your phone with the light theme? I admit the icon looks a bit out of place there, but we cannot put transparent pixels in it - that would show the accent color instead of the background, and the icon would look horrible with purple, blue, red, etc tile colors. If you don't want to pin the app to the start screen, just use voice recognition to start it
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
No, I am using the black theme because the display is a SAMOLED. I just tried the light theme and there the tile of your Surfcube looks good because it is a black square and fits the other squares on the startscreen.
With the black theme you cannot see the black square around the cube-icon, so it looks like there is only the cube. Between all the other square tiles of the startscreen this looks bad. It would be nice if the tile would have a colour different than black so it stands out from the background.
Of course, this is just my opinion...but I don't think my collegues would be happy if I started talking to my phone to open your browser

skycamefalling said:
No, I am using the black theme because the display is a SAMOLED. I just tried the light theme and there the tile of your Surfcube looks good because it is a black square and fits the other squares on the startscreen.
With the black theme you cannot see the black square around the cube-icon, so it looks like there is only the cube. Between all the other square tiles of the startscreen this looks bad. It would be nice if the tile would have a colour different than black so it stands out from the background.
Of course, this is just my opinion...but I don't think my collegues would be happy if I started talking to my phone to open your browser
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Interesting, I guess it is a matter of taste - I personally love the icon on the black theme, because it stands out - but I feel it is out of place on light, because of the different square color.

vbandi said:
Hello guys, it's the developer of SurfCube. Thanks very much for this thread, we are very glad that you like our work! Also, thank you for the purchases - every penny we get is going back to development. If you have time, we would really appreciate a rating in the Marketplace.
Let me know if you have any questions or suggestions! So far, SurfCube's development has mostly been request-driven, and we intend to keep it that way,
@Asheyb8: As for playing Youtube videos, unfortunately we as developers have to work really hard to get it done from the browser. Microsoft didn't give us the facilities that would make it easy, and have to settle for lots of hacks.
@skycamefalling: are you using your phone with the light theme? I admit the icon looks a bit out of place there, but we cannot put transparent pixels in it - that would show the accent color instead of the background, and the icon would look horrible with purple, blue, red, etc tile colors. If you don't want to pin the app to the start screen, just use voice recognition to start it
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Hello. It's great you're here.
I have a question:
Is it possible for you to build browser based on different rendering engine than IE built into WP7?

doministry said:
Hello. It's great you're here.
I have a question:
Is it possible for you to build browser based on different rendering engine than IE built into WP7?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
at present nope. even though i'm not the developer, i know it isn't possible.

The Gate Keeper said:
at present nope. even though i'm not the developer, i know it isn't possible.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Yes, you are right. Technically it is possible, but it would require tons of work, and most likely, even then it wouldn't be smooth and fast enough. Same goes for porting an existing browser engine.
However, HTML5 support should hit WP7 this year, and I expect the IE engine we are using to be updated, too.

Thanks. I was asking mainly because of annoying problem with support for certain pages, not html5/flash related.

vbandi said:
Hello guys, it's the developer of SurfCube. Thanks very much for this thread, we are very glad that you like our work! Also, thank you for the purchases - every penny we get is going back to development. If you have time, we would really appreciate a rating in the Marketplace.
@Asheyb8: As for playing Youtube videos, unfortunately we as developers have to work really hard to get it done from the browser. Microsoft didn't give us the facilities that would make it easy, and have to settle for lots of hacks.
Hacks? so youtube won't work at all? That is a pity since its a very cool browser, is there no way to get around this?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Click to expand...
Click to collapse

AsheyB;11281266
Hacks? so youtube won't work at all? :confused: That is a pity since its a very cool browser said:
By hacks, I don't mean OS hacks or anything illegal. I mean, we as SurfCube developers have to do a lot of extra work, some of those may not be too elegant, and may not work in all circumstances.
But if enabling video support in a third party browser is possible at all, rest assured, we will do it.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse

vbandi said:
Interesting, I guess it is a matter of taste - I personally love the icon on the black theme, because it stands out - but I feel it is out of place on light, because of the different square color.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Just a quick note to say that I also really like the cube icon on the black theme (SAMOLED screen here). It gives the app an elegant look that makes it stand out from the other tiles, and I like periodic alterations from the standard theme (Surf Cube, AP Mobile, Office, Newsroom, etc.). Kudos on the version 2 release, by the way; it's the best browser purchase I've made on the platform.
Would it be possible to have the tabs in the next release able to completely rotate as an option? Also, do you know if it is possible to do any sort of text reflow on zoom with 3rd party browsers based on the IE render engine? I would guess not, based on the browsers that are out today, but it's one of the features I really miss from Opera.
Cheers, and keep up the good work.

VelJharig said:
Would it be possible to have the tabs in the next release able to completely rotate as an option? Also, do you know if it is possible to do any sort of text reflow on zoom with 3rd party browsers based on the IE render engine? I would guess not, based on the browsers that are out today, but it's one of the features I really miss from Opera.
Cheers, and keep up the good work.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Thanks - if you really like SurfCube, a 5 star rating in the Marketplace helps a lot
I am not sure I understand what you mean by rotating the tabs, can you elaborate on that?
Text reflow is unfortunately not possible - I have found no way to determine the current viewport of the browser. Even if there was, it would require tons of html / javascript trickery, and may not be practical. I miss text reflow, too - but most sites can be read pretty well in landscape mode.
Cheers

I tried out the first version and at first I thought it was a browser where you rotated the cube not only to different settings pages, but also to different tabs of the browser (for instance, one side of the cube is Google.com, and the other could be set at yahoo.com, etc).
To me that would be more useful as I don't go into settings very often. Favorites would be the most used setting, and I don't use that very often.
So what if you could make it a cube with each side a different tab, and be able to specify a different start page for each side of the cube...
If it already does something similar, I apologize.. it is cool though.

Mango is here... Where are the apps?

Remember when people were complaining about a lack of good apps and all they could hear was "There's no API for that, wait for Mango, bla bla bla...".
Developers have had the tools since when? May, June, July? Yet the only worthy app we've seen is WhatsApp. At a time when people are preordering the iPhone 4S like crazy, isn't it time WP crank it up a bit?
Why can't I have something as simple as Audible for instance (heck, there isn't even an Amazon app outside the US)? It's like the world stopped with Mango, I don't get it.
[Insert "you're to impatient", "buy an iPhone" comments here]

a good chat client. WhatsApp, IM+ DO NOT count as good chat clients. They are both broken, slow, buggy, laggy and half the time don't even work. If someone now says IM+ works then I'll ask them to use it on iOS or Android and see what 'works' REALLY means.

I must admit I was all excited about getting Mango and having Live tiles on the home screen.
Sadly there are hardly any good apps to use, And even fewer with live tiles.
{I would love Twitter to have a live tile}
The little things like no WiFi tethering and no decent Navigation app for WP7 is testing my patience as well. I am hoping Nokia will rectify these short comings as I really do love the windows software.
I just hope the hardware that this platform deserve is released soon.

TuneIn radio has been updated to Mango, and now supports background audio. That's the best update I've had - use that app all the time. Other than that a few of my map apps (Bingle Maps, GMaps) open quicker, but that's it really.
Yeh is a bit of a let down so far; still no augmented reality apps yet, or properly good WP7 exclusive games (could we have *one* FPS please?)

another complaining thread sighs....

sayonical said:
another complaining thread sighs....
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
well WP7 isn't a bed of roses as you might think it is. For those who paid through the roof have the right to complain if the platform doesn't meet their expectations.

agp64 said:
..... The little things like no WiFi tethering and no decent Navigation app for WP7 .....
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Click to collapse
Maybe Navigon Navigator does'nt support your region but for 95% of the users Navigator IS a decent navigation app (and version 4 should to be released soon to the market i read somewhere).
There will never be an OS that will fully forfill YOUR needs but when it does what the majority of users want it's on the right way.

I dont get the "no good gps apps" argument. Is Garmin Streetpilot not available in the US or Europe?

How about this. Let's come up with a list of the apps that we really want and some of us can start to ping them (via twitter or email) to see whether or not they are working on a WP7 app and any idea when it's coming.

Im getting 5+ updates everyday and most are for mango. It takes time.
Sent from my T8788 using XDA Windows Phone 7 App

PG2G said:
How about this. Let's come up with a list of the apps that we really want and some of us can start to ping them (via twitter or email) to see whether or not they are working on a WP7 app and any idea when it's coming.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
There's an idea I can run with instead of countless posts moaning and groaning!
I'll start
Ereader.com (Back when I had my pocket pc, then android so I have a lot of books on there, would love to have this on wp7) However Barnes and Nobles own the company now and they have the nook so probably a hopeless cause....
A Barnes and Noble Nook app wouldn't hurt though...
sent the tweet: @BN_care will you be releasing a Nook app for Windows Phone 7? I'd also like to read my ereader.com books on my windows phone. Help!

the92playboy said:
I dont get the "no good gps apps" argument. Is Garmin Streetpilot not available in the US or Europe?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Garmin is US only, Navigon so far is only available in Germany (?)
Sent from my Samsung Omnia 7 using XDA Windows Phone 7 App

Peew971 said:
Garmin is US only, Navigon so far is only available in Germany (?)
Sent from my Samsung Omnia 7 using XDA Windows Phone 7 App
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Canada also has Garmin, and works awesome for those interested.

This is pretty much the reason I can't see myself switching. I have an iPhone. Why do I want to move to a platform where I can do less than I already can? I really want certain apps on WP7 before I move or I just cannot justify moving. It may be an unimportant app to most people, but an app like Grindr is something I don't want my platform without. Not to mention I have a free turn-by-turn app with iOS(which I believe Nokia is going to be addressing, and is most likely the hardware I'd be buying if I got a Windows Phone).
A lot of people on here(from what I've noticed) are saying that WP7 needs to get more unique apps. While that's nice and all, I want already existing apps. Most of my friends also have iPhones, and I don't want them to tell me to pull up an app and be unable to. I don't really care about the "look what my phone can do and yours can't." I care about being able to do all that they can at the very least.
Many people on here care about games and think that could be the main selling point of WP7. I just don't see it happening. While it's a small sample size, most people I've met pretty much only pick up simple games like Angry Birds or Cut the Rope(if that). I just don't feel that a large majority of smart phone owners want to play action-packed RPGs on their phones. We have computers and consoles for that. And while it might be a nice novelty to be able to once in a while, again, the only games people I know as well as myself play are the simple pick it up for a few minutes and put it back down games.
Next comes the photography apps. I almost never take pictures, but many, many people do. I don't have a WP7 to compare apps with, but I'm curious what the photo apps on there are like. I have Camera+, Hipstamatic, and Instagram on my phone. How do non-native apps(and I guess the native app) on WP7 stack up to those? I hope Nokia will save the day in terms of excellent camera quality, but the in-app editing is also a pretty important feature to me(when I do actually take pictures) and others.
The Windows Phone OS looks pretty amazing, but I just can't justify moving until it can do all that my iPhone can in terms of apps relevant to me. I'm hoping by WP8 it will be all I want and more, and just maybe it will be able to suck me out of the Apple ecosystem. The live tiles are a pretty excellent concept, and while it's compelling, I need more apps to be available. People almost always develop for iOS before they develop for Android or WP7, so it definitely leaves something to be desired in that department.
The only thing I'd be pleased with is the fact that Skype integration is coming. On that token, I already have a Skype app with video calling on the iPhone. So Microsoft has definitely got to step up their game, get existing apps on this platform at all costs, and make sure their own in-house apps completely blow the other platforms' alternatives away.

the92playboy said:
Canada also has Garmin, and works awesome for those interested.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
While iOS and Andorid have MapQuest for free with virtually all the features of Android's Google Maps and Navigation for free.
http://wireless.mapquest.com/
Uses Navteq map data, BTW. Guess they were better at negotiating a licensing deal than Microsoft...

whistler-nl said:
Maybe Navigon Navigator does'nt support your region but for 95% of the users Navigator IS a decent navigation app (and version 4 should to be released soon to the market i read somewhere).
There will never be an OS that will fully forfill YOUR needs but when it does what the majority of users want it's on the right way.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
That's all well and dandy for those that have access to it. But there are many areas in Asia that still have no way to navigate offline.
It seems to me that a majority want WIFI tethering to avoid having 2 data plans, The same reason I want it.
My 4 year old Nokia had WIFI tethering and world GPS maps.
I do love this OS. I am hopping Nokia maps will make it our way soon.
---------- Post added at 10:06 AM ---------- Previous post was at 09:54 AM ----------
Bl4ke said:
This is pretty much the reason I can't see myself switching. I have an iPhone. Why do I want to move to a platform where I can do less than I already can? I really want certain apps on WP7 before I move or I just cannot justify moving. It may be an unimportant app to most people, but an app like Grindr is something I don't want my platform without. Not to mention I have a free turn-by-turn app with iOS(which I believe Nokia is going to be addressing, and is most likely the hardware I'd be buying if I got a Windows Phone).
A lot of people on here(from what I've noticed) are saying that WP7 needs to get more unique apps. While that's nice and all, I want already existing apps. Most of my friends also have iPhones, and I don't want them to tell me to pull up an app and be unable to. I don't really care about the "look what my phone can do and yours can't." I care about being able to do all that they can at the very least.
Many people on here care about games and think that could be the main selling point of WP7. I just don't see it happening. While it's a small sample size, most people I've met pretty much only pick up simple games like Angry Birds or Cut the Rope(if that). I just don't feel that a large majority of smart phone owners want to play action-packed RPGs on their phones. We have computers and consoles for that. And while it might be a nice novelty to be able to once in a while, again, the only games people I know as well as myself play are the simple pick it up for a few minutes and put it back down games.
Next comes the photography apps. I almost never take pictures, but many, many people do. I don't have a WP7 to compare apps with, but I'm curious what the photo apps on there are like. I have Camera+, Hipstamatic, and Instagram on my phone. How do non-native apps(and I guess the native app) on WP7 stack up to those? I hope Nokia will save the day in terms of excellent camera quality, but the in-app editing is also a pretty important feature to me(when I do actually take pictures) and others.
The Windows Phone OS looks pretty amazing, but I just can't justify moving until it can do all that my iPhone can in terms of apps relevant to me. I'm hoping by WP8 it will be all I want and more, and just maybe it will be able to suck me out of the Apple ecosystem. The live tiles are a pretty excellent concept, and while it's compelling, I need more apps to be available. People almost always develop for iOS before they develop for Android or WP7, so it definitely leaves something to be desired in that department.
The only thing I'd be pleased with is the fact that Skype integration is coming. On that token, I already have a Skype app with video calling on the iPhone. So Microsoft has definitely got to step up their game, get existing apps on this platform at all costs, and make sure their own in-house apps completely blow the other platforms' alternatives away.
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Great post Bl4ke.
The cross platform apps are a must for WP7.
I still cannot believe Skype is not available for WP7. My friends laugh when I tell them I do not have Skype on my phone.

It is a disappointment ... coming to WP7 from Android ... I patiently heard the argument that the apps will come once mango is here ... and considering such quick deployment of the update, I was hoping the developers will take notice and flood the market with apps... instead all I see on the marketplace is the same set of apps being repeated in the featured section ...
1. There isnt a decent chat client for WP7
2. Youtube playback seems to be slow
3. No third party browsers ... IE9 does not support text reflow ... i see myself scrolling sideways and downwards ...
4. Bing navigation is so crippled ... thanks to their deal with Navteq
5. Facebook client looks ancient .. Twitter client is marginally better ... where are the live tiles though ?
I can continue ranting but honestly, I feel really sad about how slowly the new apps are coming in ... It was almost the same when I was with Symbian and the Ovi store basically did not grow ... I sometimes get so annoyed with WP7 that I wish to put my sim back in my LG Optimus One (a very midrange phone) ... but heck, I can do a lot more with it ...

k4ce said:
It is a disappointment ... coming to WP7 from Android ... I patiently heard the argument that the apps will come once mango is here ... and considering such quick deployment of the update, I was hoping the developers will take notice and flood the market with apps... instead all I see on the marketplace is the same set of apps being repeated in the featured section ...
1. There isnt a decent chat client for WP7
2. Youtube playback seems to be slow
3. No third party browsers ... IE9 does not support text reflow ... i see myself scrolling sideways and downwards ...
4. Bing navigation is so crippled ... thanks to their deal with Navteq
5. Facebook client looks ancient .. Twitter client is marginally better ... where are the live tiles though ?
I can continue ranting but honestly, I feel really sad about how slowly the new apps are coming in ... It was almost the same when I was with Symbian and the Ovi store basically did not grow ... I sometimes get so annoyed with WP7 that I wish to put my sim back in my LG Optimus One (a very midrange phone) ... but heck, I can do a lot more with it ...
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I am coming from WM 6.5 and its an utter let down and nothing but regrets..
following are some apps which dosent need any further API release, nor any hardware shortcoming:
A 'decent' wallet app. (code wallet pro)
A decent agenda and appointments app (pocket informant)
A call monitoring app, calculating PEAK/offpeak/weekend minutes (phone dashboard) Basic call times is missing from call history.
An application to send SMS on particular time and date, like a SMS scheduler.
SMS backup application.
A Data monitor to calculate how much 3G/WIFI data I am using, weekly/daily/monthly/yearly.
A call/SMS blocker.
Audio recorder to record incoming/outgoing calls automatically. (resco audio recorder)
Last good game which lasted more than one day from start to finish was on 5/18/11: plant vs. zombies. You dont need APIs to make a good nor is their any hardware limitation. There were games in begining but now its just pathetic.. COLLAPSE? Burn the Rope? I mean seriously.. Why we still call it a 'smartphone' with dumb games like that?
All the apps right now are so basic.. and all the 'mango' updates have been equally basic. I guess mango was all about flipping that tile to show other side.. thats it.. we got the flipping tile.. NOW WHAT? WTF can I do more with this phone than just stare at that flipping tile??

Quality apps take time to make. MS did give a decent window to prepare apps, and Kinsoft apps was able to get their apps updated, but we only enabled fast resume - the easiest Mango feature to add. Some of these other features/API's take more time to add or even require a ground-up approach. So give it time.

Wp7 is new. You knew what you were getting yourself into when you bought into the platform.
WP7 won't be perfect overnight. Takes time. If you don't have the patience or certain features are as vital to you as oxygen then by all means sell your wp7 and jump to the flourishing app store of iOS or Android.
Sent from my HTC HD7 using XDA Windows Phone 7 App