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What are your top 3 third party applications that you would love to have on your Windows Phone 7 Series? Most used applications for your daily routines, works, entertainment, what not ... Top 3 applications that you have in mind when asked about mobile applications.
Interesting to know so we could see what users expect to have on WP7 in terms of application.
It does not have to be Windows Mobile 6.x applications. If you think certain iPhone / Android / BB / Symbian apps thats fine.
I start with my top 3:
1. Offline navigation software
- like TomTom, CoPilot, iGo.
2. Opera Mini
- I just love the speed, thats all.
3. Good Facebook client
- Microsoft has one for WM6, but I expect much better than that. I read that iPhone version is better.
I basically use my phone for calls, messages and development... being last one like the only reason why I didn't keep my cheap old Nokia phone. Sometimes I'm using weather, GPS, reading emails or google for this or that but that's all and I'm just happy that I just can do such things whenever I would need them. I'm not really a crazy apps freak....
Got to be iGo as one of them for me!
gogol said:
3. Good Facebook client
- Microsoft has one for WM6, but I expect much better than that. I read that iPhone version is better.
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Click to collapse
The OS comes with great facebook integration already built in, no need for an app!
My top apps are:
FPSeCE (Playstation Emulator)
Spacetime 4.0 (Graphing Calculator Software)
Pandora
I know that, but I have doubt with that Facebook integration.
Not that I am saying it is not good, but from what I saw ... the integration is split into 2 hubs ... People hub where you can see status update of your Facebook friends and Photo/Pictures hub where you can see Facebook photo albums of your friends.
With dedicated Facebook app, all those will come in the same flow of information.
Well, not a big deal really, because I am using http://touch.facebook.com via web browser (Opera Mini).
Kloc said:
The OS comes with great facebook integration already built in, no need for an app!
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Click to collapse
gogol said:
Not that I am saying it is not good, but from what I saw ... the integration is split into 2 hubs ... People hub where you can see status update of your Facebook friends and Photo/Pictures hub where you can see Facebook photo albums of your friends.
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Click to collapse
Which, IMO, is the best approach possible. Heck, I might even start using Facebook this way. Why would I need that information in a separate application? Why would I want to view photos in anything but a photo viewing app? Or where else do I need contact information apart from the contact app?
Also, this approach theoretically should aggregate information from different networks in a way that makes sense. I mean, if you are a member of both Facebook and, say, Linked-In, would you really want two separate applications to handle data from these networks?
1.Opera Mobile 10
To read 3 different newspapers each morning on my Omnia II and have all my desktop bookmarks synced OTA to my phone. Been using Opera since v3.0 or so, love it.
2.GSPlayer
to listen to somafm.com !
3. Googlemaps
Works good enough, could be done much better (font size can not be set !) and leaks 2 DC's each time you start and stop it. Have to take another look at bing maps soon
Coreplayer!!!!!!!!
IGO
BattClock (used to display battery info)
For me, if I can reduce time spent then I will choose that way.
Instead of going into 2 hubs to read status updates AND photo updates, I would prefer to just go once to look them all
Like I said, this is not a big deal because there is facebook website itself which can be accessed via web browser.
Probably because I use facebook a lot
Oh yes, the idea of multiple social network integration is nice, dont get me wrong. Probably just because of that, I would start using Twitter! Atm I am only using FB.
vangrieg said:
Which, IMO, is the best approach possible. Heck, I might even start using Facebook this way. Why would I need that information in a separate application? Why would I want to view photos in anything but a photo viewing app? Or where else do I need contact information apart from the contact app?
Also, this approach theoretically should aggregate information from different networks in a way that makes sense. I mean, if you are a member of both Facebook and, say, Linked-In, would you really want two separate applications to handle data from these networks?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Top applications: 'Real' Map-reader/GPS, Ebook reader,
Well, I might not be a typical user (and actually one of the things I liked about 'Windows Mobile Classic' was that it had a diverse ecosystem, catering for non-typical users!) but these are the two apps I use most:
1) A GPS/map-reader that works with real maps (i.e. topographic maps such as, in the UK, the Ordinance Survey series)
- so ideally, Memory-Map will port their software to WP7
2) An ebook reader that can read EPUB and TXT formats
- actually this is such an important use-case for me that I wrote a program to do it (see this thread). I expect to start porting it to WP7 just as soon as the SDK becomes available.
Windows Phone 7 is a paradigm-shift in how phones operate. Apps will no longer be individual screens, but will be subsumed into the overall user interface. Facebook is the most obvious example of that. If you take Tomtom, for instance, it will be peppered all over the phone in any of the following ways;
People Hub: Select a person and then hit the menu option to navigate to their home or workplace
Calendar Hub: Select a Calendar Entry and then hit the menu option to navigate to the Location of that entry.
Bing Search: Hit a search result to be navigated to its location if it is a real world place like a pizza restaurant, for instance. Once Tomtom is installed, instead of just the one option to be directed there by Bing Maps, you'll have a second option as well to navigate there by Tomtom.
Only once you're actually on the road will you get the Tomtom screen up with the 3D view of the road. The rest of the Tomtom UI will be embedded into these hubs.
I'd expect Twitter, Google Maps, Flickr etc to all melt into the phone's UI as simply extra menu options.
I think this is largely why the App list accessible from the home screen is so basic - it won't be the usual way to start an app. Normally the app will be called from a menu in part of one of the hubs. In this way, apps will organically feel like just an extension of the phone's usual functionality. Heck, I can even see the Photos hub doing something like footprints and recording the GPS coordinates, so you can use the Tomtom menu item in there to navigate to the place in the photo!
This is going to be totally awesome. And I think it's partly why the question of "Does it multitask" isn't so clear-cut...
I use my phone as a phone and as a PDA so most of what I need is already there (calendar, alarm, agenda, Excel, etc)
1) But I have to have an ewallet. I use SPB at the moment and fully expect them to port it to WP7.
2) I also would like some ereader that handles most file types (EPUB mostly).
Could care less about the whole Facebook/Twitter thing. Just hope they don't get in the way of how I use my phone. Will have to wait to see how the interface can be changed. If I have to have Facebook/Twitter in the middle of my processes I will probably not get a WP7 phone.
donnaw said:
Could care less about the whole Facebook/Twitter thing.
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Click to collapse
Sorry that doesn't make sense? Do you mean you could NOT care less?
I would like to see all my apps on it I hope I will be able to port them!
I love opera and youtube
giggles33 said:
I love opera and youtube
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Opera should be made redundant by the new version of IE contained in WP7S. Youtube will become a subsumed service as part of the Pictures & Videos hub in the UI, and will simply be another source of video from the cloud, in the same way that Facebook posted videos are. I would also imagine that the Bing search engine will return Youtube hits.
Basically, be prepared for apps to function in an entirely different way to what you're used to - they will become simply extensions of your phone's functionality - many apps will be able to avoid having their own screens at all and instead rely on the hubs to provide their input/output.
Jim Coleman said:
Opera should be made redundant by the new version of IE contained in WP7S.
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It's not likely that we'll see a version of Opera on WP7S as it's impossible to do a decent browser engine in managed code, because alternative browser makers will be the last to get access to native APIs (if ever), and probably IE will be much better than what we have now, but alternative browsers will not be made "redundant" by this. I can bet IE won't have text reflow, for example, which I personally love and severely miss when I try to use iPhone's Safari.
vangrieg said:
I can bet IE won't have text reflow, for example, which I personally love and severely miss when I try to use iPhone's Safari.
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You would lose that bet.
I would like to see Skype on Win Phone 7
Making competitors (Opera must earn a lot of money with their OEM deals) redundant is just plainly impossible nowadays without some sort of "deal" made. It's really very interesting what will happen soon.
So I've finally joined the club and boy am I stoked. So, what are the first things one should do e.g. apps to get, slight customisation, games etc, help your fellow comrade.
I don't know if this thread has been done before, if not, maybe it could be a sticky?
the first advice i could give to you is: read the forums
That's the beauty of WP7. There's no real customization to be done and no real apps to get. You're good to go!
Sent from my GT-I9000M
APPS?
download OEM apps.
download what you need. Marketplace got almost everything
customization? you mean changing the color of the tiles? LOL
radeon_x said:
That's the beauty of WP7. There's no real customization to be done and no real apps to get. You're good to go!
Sent from my GT-I9000M
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Click to collapse
How adorable, another android troll. There's also no lag, a good music player, no fragmentation (It's good to know I can't buy a new phone and have it be outdated next week) and hell, gaming has already about caught up with Android. You guys have more, we have better.
z33dev33l said:
How adorable, another android troll. There's also no lag, a good music player, no fragmentation (It's good to know I can't buy a new phone and have it be outdated next week) and hell, gaming has already about caught up with Android. You guys have more, we have better.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I guess the problem is that the more you feed the trolls , they keep coming back for more.
i just realize that he is using a sgs...
eww.
saldawop said:
I guess the problem is that the more you feed the trolls , they keep coming back for more.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Yeah, it's pretty much a greek tragedy how incompetent these android users are "LOL my phone OS is better than yours *tap 3 times before an app finally pulls up then swipe left or right and watch the lag roll in* Yup, totally better, I troll you."
Ha. That wasn't really a troll. I just meant there's no setup or critical apps you need to get the phone running. Just grab whatever catches your eye from the market and you're golden. I like that aspect of the platform compared to Android. Until you want your phone to do something a specific way, it's bliss.
Sent from my GT-I9000M
kappo78 said:
So I've finally joined the club and boy am I stoked. So, what are the first things one should do e.g. apps to get, slight customisation, games etc, help your fellow comrade.
I don't know if this thread has been done before, if not, maybe it could be a sticky?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Welcome to the world of WP7. Care to share which device you acquired?
MartyLK said:
Welcome to the world of WP7. Care to share which device you acquired?
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Click to collapse
I don't get it, aren't you the one who was pushing the WebOS users to outvote everything on that poll?
If you only get two games, get...
Ilomilo
Aphajax
Both will blow your mind into little wobbly pieces of grey blancmange and raspberry sauce. And all will be well in the world.
Wait! Someone's just put QUORUM down on a TW! Bastard!
radeon_x said:
That's the beauty of WP7. There's no real customization to be done and no real apps to get. You're good to go!
Sent from my GT-I9000M
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
It depends on how you look at it.
Lacking the need for customization at a low level is good (Rooting to uninstall bloatware, etc.), but there are tons of instances where you have to hack the system up just to achieve trivial tasks. Adding Ringtons to you phone, accessing Camera Shutter options, changing the default Search Engine in the Browser (T-Mobile sets it to Google, and some Euro Carrier sets it to Yahoo!). Things like that. You can't even set a home page in the browser (so even though I can't stand searching through Google, there's no way to Set Bing as the home page and just open a new tab and search from there). The OS is literally devoid of options/settings that matter. Can't even toggle between EDGE and 3G to save battery without hacking the phone (and that hack doesn't even work for some phones).
These aren't deep customizations on any other smartphone platform, but for WP7 it requires going beyond rooting or jailbreaking an Android phone. It makes Android a bit easier to use than WP7 when you factor in OneClick Root apps and the ability to sideload applications without scouring threads/the internet for information to get this done (and installing a ridiculously big SDK on your computer - nevermind the fact that it requires a Windows PC as well).
Microsoft got it wrong.
The issue with Android settigs is not that there were too many. It's the way they are presented to the user. They're generally (especially in third party applications from independent devs) just thrown in the user face on one huge page. Decently organized options in groups or tabs... there's nothing wrong with that. They need to add tons of options for the system and stock applications, because making even trivial changes to some behaviors is impossible without going through more work than loading a custom ROM on an Android phone is right now.
Minimalistic is good if you do it right (iOS). Microsoft took it to the extreme and all it does is create a ton of usability faux pas.
z33dev33l said:
How adorable, another android troll. There's also no lag, a good music player, no fragmentation (It's good to know I can't buy a new phone and have it be outdated next week) and hell, gaming has already about caught up with Android. You guys have more, we have better.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Actually, you're trolling him.
He means that the stock functionality in the WP7 system is above and beyond Android and iOS. And it is. Everything comes from Microsoft, integrates nicely, and performs well. Aside from Microsoft and Manufacturer Apps (i.e. HTC, LG, Samsung Apps), there aren't that many apps that you need on a WP7 device to be functional - besides games. Twitter is missing in the People Hub, so that's a biggie, and the Facebook integration doesn't include all functionality, so you need that.
I suggest Twitter, Seesmic, Facebook (Seesmic because it includes both and is a nice hub to use when you don't need heavy duty FB/Twitter functionality). Microsoft has a ton of free apps that are useful. Your manufacturer (especially if HTC) will fill in many of the other gaps. Foursquare is in the Market.
Adobe Reader is in the market. Amazon and Amazon Kindle is there. eBay has a very nice App in the market. Messenger by Miyowa sadly I have to recommend it because it's the best of any Messenger app in the market at the moment.
If you have an HTC phone you don't need a weather app. The HTC Hub Tile is Live for Weather. If not, I recommend Weather bug or Microsoft's little weather app. Weather Channel is a 9MB app and I can't see how that ridiculous size is justified given how WeatherBug and Microsoft's weather app are both < 2MB (if not 1 or below).
Microsoft has a few free games to try out. AlphaJacks is like Words With Friends for Windows Mobile ("Try It" version is free forever, but Ad Supported). Haypi Kingdom is a nice strategy game that is multi-player (also available for iOS and Android, so there is no shortage of people to play with/against).
Office Apps aren't needed (Office Mobile)
NoteTaking Apps aren't needed (OneNote Mobile)
Exchange Clients aren't needed (In-Built Functionality)
Music Players aren't needed (Zune)
Radio Apps aren't needed (Zune)
Slacker and Last.FM exist for Internet Radio.
Shazam is available with Unlimited Tagging.
Microsoft has a List App in the market (and HTC has one in their Marketplace).
Poynt, AP Mobile, IMDb, Fandango are all there.
But there aren't many needed apps, TBQH. Most apps are slower to use than the web browser because they tend to take excessive amounts of time "Updating..." Loading a web browser or performing a voice search often outperforms them, IME.
I'd get the biggies. Personally I'd avoid crap that you don't necessarily need and use the space for stuff that matters (Music, Pictures, Documents, etc.).
You can save documents from SkyDrive to your computer by opening them up from the Office.Live.com website and saving them to your Office Hub in Office Mobile. OneNote Mobile Syncs perfectly. There is an option to keep your Camera Roll in Sync with SkyDrive (this can use a lot of data if you take lots of pictures).
N8ter said:
Actually, you're trolling him.
He means that the stock functionality in the WP7 system is above and beyond Android and iOS. And it is. Everything comes from Microsoft, integrates nicely, and performs well. Aside from Microsoft and Manufacturer Apps (i.e. HTC, LG, Samsung Apps), there aren't that many apps that you need on a WP7 device to be functional - besides games. Twitter is missing in the People Hub, so that's a biggie, and the Facebook integration doesn't include all functionality, so you need that.
I suggest Twitter, Seesmic, Facebook (Seesmic because it includes both and is a nice hub to use when you don't need heavy duty FB/Twitter functionality). Microsoft has a ton of free apps that are useful. Your manufacturer (especially if HTC) will fill in many of the other gaps. Foursquare is in the Market.
Adobe Reader is in the market. Amazon and Amazon Kindle is there. eBay has a very nice App in the market. Messenger by Miyowa sadly I have to recommend it because it's the best of any Messenger app in the market at the moment.
If you have an HTC phone you don't need a weather app. The HTC Hub Tile is Live for Weather. If not, I recommend Weather bug or Microsoft's little weather app. Weather Channel is a 9MB app and I can't see how that ridiculous size is justified given how WeatherBug and Microsoft's weather app are both < 2MB (if not 1 or below).
Microsoft has a few free games to try out. AlphaJacks is like Words With Friends for Windows Mobile ("Try It" version is free forever, but Ad Supported). Haypi Kingdom is a nice strategy game that is multi-player (also available for iOS and Android, so there is no shortage of people to play with/against).
Office Apps aren't needed (Office Mobile)
NoteTaking Apps aren't needed (OneNote Mobile)
Exchange Clients aren't needed (In-Built Functionality)
Music Players aren't needed (Zune)
Radio Apps aren't needed (Zune)
Slacker and Last.FM exist for Internet Radio.
Shazam is available with Unlimited Tagging.
Microsoft has a List App in the market (and HTC has one in their Marketplace).
Poynt, AP Mobile, IMDb, Fandango are all there.
But there aren't many needed apps, TBQH. Most apps are slower to use than the web browser because they tend to take excessive amounts of time "Updating..." Loading a web browser or performing a voice search often outperforms them, IME.
I'd get the biggies. Personally I'd avoid crap that you don't necessarily need and use the space for stuff that matters (Music, Pictures, Documents, etc.).
You can save documents from SkyDrive to your computer by opening them up from the Office.Live.com website and saving them to your Office Hub in Office Mobile. OneNote Mobile Syncs perfectly. There is an option to keep your Camera Roll in Sync with SkyDrive (this can use a lot of data if you take lots of pictures).
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Eh, no real apps to get doesn't exactly sound right. It makes it sound like anything released on this platform is bad.
To OP though, Ilomilo and Twin Blades are the only games I have that live up to my XBL expectations (and sadly I have most of them) there are other good games but Ilomilo overall. other than that Netflix is the only other one I'd deem necessary.
I knew exactly what he means when I read the post. Perhaps English isn't his first language, but it wasn't a hard statement to decipher...
Netflix is useless if you're not a subscriber, so I wouldn't deem it necessary at all. No one is going to subscribe to Netflix just to watch movies on a phone. Just doesn't make sense, IMO. If you're a subscriber, though, have it's nice to have...
The only necessary apps are those for social networking, and XBox Live Extras.
The Manufacturer Hub Apps (some/most of them) are a given.
TBQH, most smartphone OSes are like this. If the platform is missing something, like Android is, the Manufacturers usually add it in (ThinkFree Office, Amazon MP3, MobiTV, Exchange support, etc.).
One thing most of us forgot is Navigation Software. At this point if you want decent navigation with Turn-By-Turn directions, you're basically required to pay a subscription fee for TeleNav or whatever the phone comes with.
I've tried A-to-B Navigation. It's useless for all practical purposes.
Social Networking and Navigation Software are the only ones I'd say are necessary.
Also the Carriers are allowed to change the default search provider in Internet Explorer, so if you're a Bing user like me the usability of in-browser search is... terrible. T-Mobile Maps the Search button (and address bar search) in IE to Google and some Euro Carriers change it to Yahoo. Severely inconsistent and bad considering most people use the address bar to perform searches.
There is no option to change the default search provider. And performing that hack requires more manual labor than rooting and installing a custom ROM on an Android computer (and involves making registry changes, etc. on your Windows PC).
N8ter said:
I knew exactly what he means when I read the post. Perhaps English isn't his first language, but it wasn't a hard statement to decipher...
Netflix is useless if you're not a subscriber, so I wouldn't deem it necessary at all. No one is going to subscribe to Netflix just to watch movies on a phone. Just doesn't make sense, IMO. If you're a subscriber, though, have it's nice to have...
The only necessary apps are those for social networking, and XBox Live Extras.
The Manufacturer Hub Apps (some/most of them) are a given.
TBQH, most smartphone OSes are like this. If the platform is missing something, like Android is, the Manufacturers usually add it in (ThinkFree Office, Amazon MP3, MobiTV, Exchange support, etc.).
One thing most of us forgot is Navigation Software. At this point if you want decent navigation with Turn-By-Turn directions, you're basically required to pay a subscription fee for TeleNav or whatever the phone comes with.
I've tried A-to-B Navigation. It's useless for all practical purposes.
Social Networking and Navigation Software are the only ones I'd say are necessary.
Also the Carriers are allowed to change the default search provider in Internet Explorer, so if you're a Bing user like me the usability of in-browser search is... terrible. T-Mobile Maps the Search button (and address bar search) in IE to Google and some Euro Carriers change it to Yahoo. Severely inconsistent and bad considering most people use the address bar to perform searches.
There is no option to change the default search provider. And performing that hack requires more manual labor than rooting and installing a custom ROM on an Android computer (and involves making registry changes, etc. on your Windows PC).
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Not only that, but I wouldn't subscribe to any version of Netflix because of the cost. I watch maybe 2 to 4 rented movies a month. And some months, none. To have to pay a fee just to use Netflix is wasteful. Yet that's how NF works. I would, however, subscribe to NF if there was no fee. The only cost would be the rental charge.
I have to say the best game for Xbox Live is the Harvest. Feels like diablo with a sci fi twist. The bad thing though is if your a typical Xbox console gamer, you won't find much that will interest you on WP7.
I swear its a new puzzle or tower defense game ever week.
you can of course customise your lock screen, you could also install "pin to start" which apparently offers customised live tile (don't have it myself, not my type of thing". Apps wise, get the HTC You tube app if you have an HTC device, would also recommend pdf reader and the amazon kindle app (if you like books) beyond that, there are nearly 9000 apps to choose from - I think there are even a couple of "fart" apps if that floats your boat...........
I've already mentioned Adobe Acrobat Reader X and Amazon Kindle.
Not all applications have Live Tiles, and TBH without a Live Tile an app would have to be very important to merit a spot on you home screen (no one wants a home screen that scrolls for miles). I have issues keeping Seesmic/Twitter/Facebook on the Home Screen, for example, without a Live Tile. Games like AlphaJax are good cause the Tile is Live (tells you when it's your turn and how many games you have waiting on you, for example).
The HTC YouTube app is good, but it's only for HTC devices (I already said the Manufacturer apps were a given since they fill in obvious gaps in functionality i.e. YouTube, NotePad/List App, Flashlight, Attentive Phone, Live Weather Tile (HTC), Sound Enhancer, etc.).
The customization that I say is missing isn't really "customization" in the XDA-Developers sense.
Setting a Home Page in the Browser, Setting the Default Search Engine in the Browser, and Options for things like how long you want Toast Notifications to stay on the screen aren't any type of deep customization. It's simply a trivial setting that Microsoft needs to add. These things are missing all over the OS and need to be added in ASAP. It acually makes the OS a chore to use in many instances.
They also need to make carriers unable to alter the default search engine. It sucks for people who use a certain search engine, and makes it take 3x longer to perform searches if you don't want to go through Google. There just need to be an option for the three biggies (Bing, Yahoo, Google) or the ability to allow the bing homepage to set itself as the default search engine (or Yahoo, or Google).
After having gone through several other phones(android, iphone) I am settled on WP7 Samsung Focus..... really the only gripe I have is the Facebook app... of course the integration into the People hub is fantastic and no other smartphone can touch that convenience or how nice it works. However, given the importance of Facebook within the mobile market I can't help but wonder why Microsoft struggles so much with the app. It crashes, its laggy, it doesn't render info correctly etc. I know they are paying attention because they seem to update it often enough in order to fix "known issues" as it says in the Marketplace but why is it such a struggle for them to get it to work as it should once and for all. Im wondering if anyone has any insight into this. Is it on the Microsoft side of things or is it Facebook changes that are causing a problem? Does it have something to do with WP7 coding? Im perplexed and find this baffling that an app that is so important in attracting new customers is so poorly executed. Anyone care to comment or enlighten
It's not Microsoft struggling with facebook but Facebook struggling with microsoft. The app was rushed out and is still being frequently updated. Android's facebook app actually took them about 2 full years before it was even as functional as our current facebook app so I think it's a step up but you'd think Zuckerberg could do a little better in hiring coders.
Odd... I've never had it crash, and it seems to be fairly fast for a FB app. The mobile site is still a lot faster, of course - it always is.
The only annoying thing is message threads are shown oldest first, so you have to scroll for eternity to get to the end (newest message) of long threads.
Hello,
I have a sincere and honest question. I came to a conclusion but I hope I am wrong...
- I notice that several months after WP7's launch there is still no official Google Maps app, still no official YouTube app, still no Google Earth app, almost no GPS navigation apps with offline maps.
- All the non official Google Maps alternatives created by third party developers are pretty slow. I asked some developers why, and have been replied that the main reason is that Microsoft forces them to use the apparently sophisticated but very slow Bing map system based on Silverlight (for zooming). As a result the map image takes between 30 seconds to 1 full minute to display on my phone (what a shame). I tested and compared with two iPhone and Android phones using Google Maps, same place, same network, the map image appear in less than 10 seconds.
- Today Shape Services, the developer of IM+ announced that it will not have Windows Live Messenger support because Microsoft doesn’t allow it.
http://www.wpcentral.com/im-will-not-support-windows-live-messenger
Therefore I am starting to wonder why I cannot have Google Maps on my phone. Why so many GPS developers (such as CoPilot or Tom Tom) refuse to join WP7. Or why IM+ cannot have Windows Live Messenger support.... ??
And unfortunately my conclusion is that MS are maybe taking this terrible approach:
* MS refuse to allow apps that they think will duplicate functionality,
* Mainly MS actually want to impose their own services, such as Live Messenger, Skydrive, Bing and Bing Map, despite such services are either not available or mediocre in certain territories. In particular I am thinking of Bing Map which is so bad that it is almost unusable outside UK and US.
Microsoft have the right to take this kind of Apple's approach, ok. But then, as a customer, I would like to know it as soon as possible.
--> Practically does it mean that if I am using WP7 I will be forced to use Bing Map instead of Google Maps, MSN videos instead of YouTube, Bing instead of Google search, etc?
--> Practically does it mean that, as a customer, I will not have the choice between several alternative apps having similar functionality, just because MS will not allow them? For instance, does it mean I will never have the right to use an alternative Keyboard (Swype for instance) instead of the keyboard MS force me to use?
For instance does it mean that there will be no alternative player than Zune? (which also means no DivX|avi, the customer being bound to the only codecs MS will allow)
If so, I would like to know, because it's a weird philosophy, and a philosophy which I am definitely not ready to accept anytime soon... I don't want WP7 to be a new IPhone, even more locked down, with no freedom of choice at all...
Especially if I am totally not satisfied with the quality and efficiency of the various MS services such as Bing.
I probably made the wrong choice after WinMo and was maybe silly to stay loyal to MS.
Am I wrong?
Any clue?
It is google blocking its services from microsoft. They want android to succeed so they dont even give us the code for a youtube app (they gave it to apple for the origional iphone) let alone a google maps. Half of that is pure speculation so don't quote me on it but u try to watch a video in the stock YouTube app (the one in the market made by microsoft) and tell me how it looks.
Not sure why you are surprised, MS has made it clear that WP7 is going to be more tightly controlled than WM was but even then, they are not as draconian as you think. There is a gps program with offline maps available in Germany, Navigon. They have been asked several times if/when their program would be available elsewhere and their response seemed to indicate they were waiting for more users to come on board before releasing it.
As for youtube, MS recently filed a complaint in Europe against google claiming they are not allowing MS the proper access to deliver a better youtube experience. Even then, you have Supertube and Lazytube so I'm not sure what else is needed.
As for google maps, thats a google product and unless it is required that all mapping programs use bing (which is not the case, check GPS Navigator aSpass http://wmpoweruser.com/gps-navigator-aspass-provides-off-like-gps-map-caching/) that is up to google to make available. Swype wont be happening, been said a few time if I recall correctly.
Seems this time around MS it keeping a tight reign on certain categories of applications to ensure WP7 gives a consistent user experience. Just another factor to consider before purchasing a WP7 device.
Thanks for your replies,
So, i understand that WP7 will never have any official YouTube app or any official Google Maps app in the near future.
I can deal with LazyTube/SuperTube to replace YouTube
I cannot deal without the official Google Maps app, as all the other maps are too slow and too basic (no PoI, no Street View, etc).
And what about the fact that Microsoft refuses that Shape Services includes Windows Live Messenger support in IM+
And mainly, what about the fact that it seems almost impossible on WP7 to have:
- an alternative keyboard
- an alternative browser
- an alternative media player?
Whatever IE mobile is ok, whatever the WP7 keyboard is correct, it is a question of choice.
What about if people would like to use Swype instead of the regular WP7 keyboard, or Opera instead of IE?
At least would it be just possible to use such alternative programs? Or is MS' approach to forbid any alternative app?
efjay said:
Seems this time around MS it keeping a tight reign on certain categories of applications to ensure WP7 gives a consistent user experience. Just another factor to consider before purchasing a WP7 device.
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That would be fine only if services proposed by Microsoft were available worldwide (which is not the case) and were decent (which is not the case).
Well about the browser, I can't remember where I read it, but MS said that they are not blocking any browser application (Surfcube is a example)
Newness and Nokia
Hi all
I think that the problems and limitations of WP7 are to do with the fact that it is a new OS. The Mango update will bring a lot of APIs which developers will use to make better applications.
Also, I don't think Microsoft will let WP7, or any of it's main products, fall far behind the competition and I think that part of the deal with Nokia is to bring better mapping/navigation software to WP7 specifically.
Android has clearly had a lot more investment but in a couple of years WP7 will be a serious competitor.
Cheers
andrew-in-woking
arturobandini said:
Hello...
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You've expressed your issues with Bing Maps a lot here but as I said before Microsoft is probably waiting on Ovi Maps to integrate into the OS to make the services useful outside of the US/UK. So I think your frustration will last a little while.
As for Google services I would guess it's more about Google not being interested in WP7 at the moment and Microsoft being happy to have that pretext to promote Bing. It's a new OS so I'm sure that will change eventually. Also remember Microsoft filed a complaint about Google so I might not be too far off.
Copilot, Tom Tom, etc. not being there is just about them not seeing the point with a small user base, that should change too eventually.
Now choice I'm afraid will stay limited. I think clearly WP7 wants to be somewhere between Android and iOS but much closer to iOS (for now at least). I think they will want the OS to mature before allowing alternative solutions (Opera and Skyfire came a while later on iOS). So yes I think you bought the wrong phone as I doubt all this will change in the short term and maybe Android is what you need until WP7 is a strong player.
Personally I'm happy the way things are as WP7 aims to be an OS about integration and that's harder to make when there's too much choice. I'm annoyed about IM+ not having WLM messenger but after Mango that would have been redundant (I would have preferred to have it until Mango, they could have removed it later). Ideally they should be aiming to integrate all IM services to messaging (a huge task). Same goes for other services.
gremmmy said:
Well about the browser, I can't remember where I read it, but MS said that they are not blocking any browser application (Surfcube is a example)
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Surfcube is still IE at its core though.
gremmmy said:
Well about the browser, I can't remember where I read it, but MS said that they are not blocking any browser application (Surfcube is a example)
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That's not completely correct. Surfcube - just like other browsers available on the marketplace - is built upon the IE engine. So all that's different from IE is the UI on top of the engine. Currently it's impossible to provide browsers with other engines like Opera for example due to the lack of APIs. I don't know whether this will change with mango or not.
As a matter of fact, Microsoft is at least partly going a way Apple has been going with their products for years. If you want a mobile device with an OS that you can tweak to your personal desires, you should go for an Android.
Remember, APIs for wp are in their infancy, mango will extend them, who knows how much. But a company like Microsoft push out they first party app and services first is fine with me. If they work right, I won't have to look for an app that does the exact same thing. I love the fact that I don't have to load a crappy Facebook app just to post one thing, or having a built-in upload to Facebook in the camera. And now with the new APIs with integrating apps into different hubs and apps, should "save us from our phones" more.
And for IM+ it could be API isn't available for Live messager.
I'm afraid we won't see any Google Maps before Ovi integration with Bing.
As for browsers all available now are just IE with different UI.
I remember Opera saying they are not interested in making a browser right now.
no loss there, who uses windows live anyway? I spent an hour on the phone a couple of days ago trying to explain to one of my computer illiterate friends how to use it. I eventually had to install it with him and discovered the incredibly horrible and terrible UI.. won't miss it one bit.
pillsburydoughman said:
no loss there, who uses windows live anyway?
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That's the most used IM client worldwide.
pillsburydoughman said:
no loss there, who uses windows live anyway? I spent an hour on the phone a couple of days ago trying to explain to one of my computer illiterate friends how to use it. I eventually had to install it with him and discovered the incredibly horrible and terrible UI.. won't miss it one bit.
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Why didn't you just have him go to www.live.com?
And as stated, its the most used IM in the world. Skype is second.
pillsburydoughman said:
no loss there, who uses windows live anyway? I spent an hour on the phone a couple of days ago trying to explain to one of my computer illiterate friends how to use it. I eventually had to install it with him and discovered the incredibly horrible and terrible UI.. won't miss it one bit.
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skype will have Microsoft logo soon..... and it will be on WP7 included in the OS...
and as someone said Windows live massanger is the most used IM in the world..
if the idea is to impose their own services they wouldnt have allowed flory (gtalk) and they would reject im+ (for using icq, gtalk, and many other non ms services).
if this was the idea they would have rejected shazam encore, since they are going to implement the same service.
unfourtunately i suspect that the issue with wlm is the deal they made with miyowa
as you can see they talk about a a "deal" between miyowa and microsoft for wlm
http://blog.miyowa.com/?p=1118
just search more posts and you can see they mention multiple times have some sort of agreement...
i know its far fetched but i think its more likely that the agreement they made included exclusivity until ms made their own native app. IMO this sounds more reasonable than not allowing duplicated functionality
edit:
personally i hate this, i would like to uninstall the miyowa app (its crap) and use im+ while we wait for native wlm.
revrak said:
if the idea is to impose their own services they wouldnt have allowed flory (gtalk) and they would reject im+ (for using icq, gtalk, and many other non ms services).
if this was the idea they would have rejected shazam encore, since they are going to implement the same service.
unfourtunately i suspect that the issue with wlm is the deal they made with miyowa
as you can see they talk about a a "deal" between miyowa and microsoft for wlm
http://blog.miyowa.com/?p=1118
just search more posts and you can see they mention multiple times have some sort of agreement...
i know its far fetched but i think its more likely that the agreement they made included exclusivity until ms made their own native app. IMO this sounds more reasonable than not allowing duplicated functionality
edit:
personally i hate this, i would like to uninstall the miyowa app (its crap) and use im+ while we wait for native wlm.
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You might have a point there as everything gets dropped except Miyoma Messenger which is so crap I'd rather not have WLM rather than using it. They should be banned from making another app ever again.
revrak said:
unfourtunately i suspect that the issue with wlm is the deal they made with miyowa
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Or it may be with the way IM+ implemented WLM functionality. This could've taken some reverse engineering.
revrak said:
if the idea is to impose their own services they wouldnt have allowed flory (gtalk) and they would reject im+ (for using icq, gtalk, and many other non ms services).
if this was the idea they would have rejected shazam encore, since they are going to implement the same service.
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And don't forget that just-added official Evernote app, which kind of directly competes with the OneNote/SkyDrive/Mesh combo (and currently beats it, IMO).
I know its a bid old but it seems like no one talks about it. After several official and unofficial grooveshark apps has been pulled from the marketplaces, grooveshark has launched a html 5 version.
The problem is that it doesn’t work on windows phone even though i really like my windows phone this is a ground breaker too me.
I really want wp to succeed but the pile of things that wp doesn’t yet support or "missing" is just too many.
http://devjar.me/post/16069427404/windows-phone-7-plagued-by-ie9s-flawed-ajax
There are other music applications on the marketplace. The only difference is that you need to pay for your music with those applications than on Grooveshark.
For me its two things:
1. Windows phone is lacking an important app
2. Other phone users sees this as another features wp is missing (as of proper html 5 support)
and what you are saying is like "oh we don't need skype, we have tango for free calls, and IMs for messaging"