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Hi Everyone,
Tell me, why would anyone actually choose an iPhone over a Desire/N1?
As I see it, the only thing an iPhone has over the Desire is the volume of apps, but can you give me a list of what the Desire/N1 has over the iPhone?
Speaking as someone who has had WinMo, Nokias etc. I can honestly say that my iPhone 3GS is the best device I have ever had. User interface is functional and simple and I can find an app for everything - plus the apps are mature. JB adds a new level to it, and provides the customisability that I love to do.
What I don't like about the iPhone is the restrictive nature of it, with the extreme control that Apple has. Ofc i have jailbroken the iPhone but Apple are making it increasingly harder to do this and I fear we are not far away from them making it near impossible to do so (hell you already have a situation with the newest phones having a tethered jb - i.e. they need to re-jb if their phone loses power, or is rebooted).
That being said, and my heart being in Linux land, my next phone will hopefully be the HTC Desire. I love the customisability of Android, the less restrictive nature, and for someone like me, I reckon i'll get more fun out of it.
The Desire's hardware beats a 3GS hand down. Android is getting there but is not as mature (obviously) as the iPhone OS, and nor are its Apps. But they are getting there. The Desire is a good enough handset that in a years time, Android really will be competing with the iPhone and your hardware will still be capable.
My wife will get the iPhone....
because the iPhone has the best apps. when it comes down to it, that's all the average smartphone user cares about...
orlandojumpoff said:
because the iPhone has the best apps. when it comes down to it, that's all the average smartphone user cares about...
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And that's the discussion I keep having with my mates. With the Desire's hardware and Eclair+Sense, the only real thing that the stock iPhone 3GS has going for it now is the apps. My argument there is that once a developer has perfected their app on/for the iPhone they'll likely(/hopefully) then be seeking the challenge, and the revenue(?), from launching it on the Android Market. The Desire's/N1's/Droid's hardware specs and Eclair's open customizability and capability would then allow them to take it to the next level.
1. Better UI controls. Android has great homescreens but when it comes to app UI controls, it lags behind Android.
2. More and Better casual applications. Many more games. Can be purchased around the world in 70+ countries. Much more free/promotion games compared to Android.
3. Better camera than the camera of most Androids.
A couple of things the Desire has going for it vs the iPhone:
*Camera: 5MP w/ flash vs 3MP w/o flash
*Screen resolution: 800x480 vs 480x320
*Battery: I can't back this up but I'm guessing the AMOLED display will drain less juice than the iPhone's traditional backlit LCD. Also, removable battery is always better than non-removable.
*Multi-tasking vs no multi-tasking
*Non-obstructive notications
*Useful information on homescreen vs just a bunch of icons
*File explorer
*Text reflow in browser
*Hardware buttons!
On Iphone run a Graphic Engine. Android can runs only a java application.
Luthermax said:
On Iphone run a Graphic Engine. Android can runs only a java application.
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what? This post makes no sense what so ever.
you mean it has a GPU? And are you implying that android phones do not have one?
Maybe you should read up on programming for android:
http://developer.android.com/guide/basics/what-is-android.html
JTHM said:
Tell me, why would anyone actually choose an iPhone over a Desire/N1?
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I went from Nexus One to iPhone 3G S because of iPhone has much better quality apps. Apps make sense as they are thoughtfully designed and hence are easy to use unlike some Android applications which have every feature under the sun but are unintuitive. A good example of this is Astrid.
The good news is 2Do developer have confirmed they are working on 2Do port for Android. Then you will all understand what I am trying to say.
Also, iPhone has much much better games then Android.
raven2000 said:
I went from Nexus One to iPhone 3G S because of iPhone has much better quality apps. Apps make sense as they are thoughtfully designed and hence are easy to use unlike some Android applications which have every feature under the sun but are unintuitive. A good example of this is Astrid.
The good news is 2Do developer have confirmed they are working on 2Do port for Android. Then you will all understand what I am trying to say.
Also, iPhone has much much better games then Android.
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I just find the iphone very limited, I've had the 3GS for a month and I'm terribly bored of it. The only reason I still use it over my old touch pro is because it's faster for web browsing.
Android sounds like the kind of OS I want, very customizable very flexable.
orlandojumpoff said:
because the iPhone has the best apps. when it comes down to it, that's all the average smartphone user cares about...
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Exactly I love the apps and games I got on my Ipod touch but I wouldn't buy an Iphone cause I dont like that Att crappy service.
All hardware aside, you have to approach this as a standard customer. Said customer buys into what marketing sells; buys into all the hype generated around the fanboys spread across the internet; buys what they are told to buy.
Because of the market saturation, apps developed for the iphonepods will be more cared for and mature a lot faster. Facebook is a prime example of this. If you don't use facebook then this example is lost on you The iphone has a fantastic fbook app that keeps you in the app and offers almost all the same functionality as you would find in a desktop browser; almost. Fbook on android however...not even close. This is a deal breaker for those who live and die with fbook.
So you have a bajillion apps being sold every second in apple's app store generating a ****ton of revenue for all involved giving people reason to create solid apps. There is some pretty solid DRM involved (though not unbreakable ) preventing app piracy which leaves the devs with a peace of mind.
Now take the android world. While android is found on more devices now than I could possibly think of, the average user would never know it. There is no advertising (well nothing compared to the viral campaigning apple has successfully pulled off), no customer draw...android is, for the most part, word of mouth.
So with the above in mind, the numbers just are not there for developers to devote a ton of time into making apps comparable to what you will find on the iphone...not yet anyways.
App protection is another biggie. So with both platforms you require the device to be unlocked/rooted in order to get around this. With the android platform it's a bit easier; once you have root, you have free apps. With the iphone it's a bit trickier but still very doable; one layer beyond simply rooting (jailbreaking). Don't kid yourself if you think devs are not aware of this.
Thankfully, the majority of users on both platforms don't use their powers for evil or we would see a serious drop in apps I bet.
So why would anyone choose an iphone? Apps and itunes.
Apps are a big deal; they are a means to keep in touch with friends and family, they are a means to get unlost, to get lost, to waste time, to save time...the better the app, the more efficient you can do all of these tasks.
People want to carry their music with them. Love it or hate it, itunes is here to stay and a ton of people have fully entrusted their music to itunes. an iphone means everything in itunes is easily synced.
Personally, I went from dumbphones to winmo (moto Q on verizon) to the g1 (t-mobile) and never returned to winmo. I switched to att from tmo and without really thinking about it, I gave my g1 to a friend in favour of an iphone3g. I should have just kept my g1 on edge on att...now while still on att, I am happily back to android with my nexus one. For me, everything stated above carries zero weight in value compared to the freedom I have with my n1.
...thursday rants are fun
Simply because Average Joe (or Jane for my part) doesn't read XDA
I think the more appropriate question is "Why would anyone choose the iPhone?".
Consider this scenario:
You're playing a casual game and listening to your music at the same time. You want to change to another playlist. You can't even do that without completely exiting your game.
I can't fathom using a supposedly smart device that can't even handle that simple of a multi-task.
I think the reason why iphone is still a big winner is only because of the apps and games.
Do u guys think good apps make a good OS?
Why Windows is still now the most popular OS?
Daemos said:
I just find the iphone very limited, I've had the 3GS for a month and I'm terribly bored of it. The only reason I still use it over my old touch pro is because it's faster for web browsing.
Android sounds like the kind of OS I want, very customizable very flexable.
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I have had a variety of smartphones from Blackberrys, to Android. My android phones are by far the best ones. I have up my iphone and ordered the G1 for the original release date. Even though at that time it was not on the same level as the Iphone it opened the door for us to have phones like the Nexus One, Desire, Legend, Moto Droid...ect.....tons of phones that give us choices. My Nexus one out the box was amazing, rooting the thing made it even more ridiculous.
As many of you have said previously, the only thing that I can see is better on iPhone than on Desire / Nexus is the Games, so I do not understand yet why you pay so much more if you buy this just for games? why not buy an iPod if you want the games/mp3.
Because its the trendy thing to buy.
I brought an ipod touch when they first came out. I was sick of it within a day. The apps are pretty well junk or gimmicks, I brought a ton of them never use them.
Games yeah right, maybe sitting in the car waiting for someone but really there crap and you are better off just getting on the net and reading XDA
There also to big to put in your pocket and use as an mp3 player.
But good on apple for marketing to the sheep so well and there about to do it again with the ipad!
Hi ,
I had HTC HD , and now i am on my way to buy a new Phone.
I wont buy 3GS , because in 3 months we will have a new Iphone , so that will be sucky sucky. on the other hand - if i pay so much for a phone i want to be able to play on it , and i saw some tests , showing Iphone has much more FPS in games.
is it a GPU thing ? if so , why would i buy the Desire.
currently this is the only thing -
if Desire had good games with good quality 3D and nice FPS . no reason to even consider 3GS or any iPhone .
Hardware (processor speed) comparisons are simply "wrong". Numbers on paper mean nothing because the OS software are not the same. Don't know why people don't get this...
That video that idandush referred is a good example.
I currently have the HTC EVO....and love the phone with a passion, but I don't love how basic the UI/Animations are on the phone and screen changes. It is super fast, but like all phones...it has it's buggy moments too. With the EVO I can change my UI with "home" apps like Launcher Pro which are more pleasing on the eye then the standard sense it comes with....but still lacks the smoothness and super graceful animations that WP7 comes with. The flipping tiles are just an example of some of the animations I am talking about.
Now I know that WP7 has it's short comings...but so did Android at it's launch as well as IOS, but overall it's a solid phone and super fast as well. WP7 will grow as the months and years pass, just as android did with 1.5, 2.1 and 2.2
I had to sit and think if I could do with out some of the better features the EVO has over the HD7, which is the phone I am wanting to switch to.
1. Do without the front VGA camera on the EVO (yes)
2. Do without the "8" megapixel back camera and go down to an "5" (yes)
3. Do without changing how my screen looks every bloody week, lol (yes)
4. Do without the 100,000 apps that are currently in the Android Market place (yes - as I only use several)
I guess the only thing I will really miss is the good friends I have with Androids that I play "android" games with online like wordfeud.
Am I alone in coming from what I think/thought was the best thing that ever happed to smartphone? Are there more people like me, that are switching from Android to WP7....or am I crazy insane and should stick with what I have because it truly is the best of the best?
I just wish Android could be gorgeous and sexy in it's UI as WP7 is!
I moved from a HTC Legend to a HD7. The main thing i miss is the google integration. Mainly google talk & google latitude both of which I used everyday.
Hopefully they will become available for WP7 in time.
Apart from that i'm happy i made the move. The OS is very different from android and really challenges developers to create visually engaging apps. Already lots of apps are available that weren't at launch and as the USA launch approaches I reckon the number of apps will be 2x-3x in time for xmas easily.
I love the UI and it's simplicity and simple but great animations. It really is a solid OS and although on paper it doesnt stack up against android, on a day to day practical level its perfect.
well it is all really a personal preference. I have been using WM since 5.0 (motorola Q) and had the omnia 1 and now the omnia 2. I don't really like android so I will be going to WP7 once it hits Verizon. But obviously you like the droid, but have some reservations. The question is does the lack of FULL multi-tasking, no copy/paste (until Jan) and things of that nature bother you? Obviously you have thought about those other things, so think on these, if they bother you then stick with the DROID, if not give WP7 a shot. As to whether Android is the "best of the best" that is a matter of opinion, no matter what anyone here says, so ask yourself, do YOU think android is better?
Thanks bean_ian and Omega RA....I have thought about the "no" full multi tasking and "no" copy and paste (until jan), and decided I can totally live without those & the other minor shortcomings mentioned a slew of times through out the internet and review websites.
The EVO is superior to the HD7 in many ways....but HANDS DOWN WP7 kills Android in how beautiful, simple, and easy to use the UI is! To me that is what I am buying the phone for, as I mainly use it to surf the net (for info on the go)...HUGE twitter head here, and I use Facebook alot too.
I like pretty, I will not lie...lol. Both phones, the EVO & HD7 are gorgeous body wise, but I want the VERY same when I power it on too.
I went from blackberry with the 8700, to the iphone 2g, to the iphone 3g, to the nexus one, and now to the HD7.
I have experienced all the ball-games in town and I am excited to try out the rookie.
If I dislike it, I will just go back to Android with a Tegra 2 powered phone.
Yes, I've just bought my HD7 and I'm selling my Desire.
Will use it as a gap inbetween Android 2.2 and Android 3.0 whenever that decides to come out. Let's see if the HD7 is enough to persuade me to stay with WP7 instead of selling it in about 6 months for a Android 3.0 phone..
brummiesteven said:
Yes, I've just bought my HD7 and I'm selling my Desire.
Will use it as a gap inbetween Android 2.2 and Android 3.0 whenever that decides to come out. Let's see if the HD7 is enough to persuade me to stay with WP7 instead of selling it in about 6 months for a Android 3.0 phone..
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So you are definetly happy with it "hands down" over Android 2.2? I believe I will be...but like other peoples opinion having had android.
I had a Nexus One and before that a HTC Magic.
asbessette said:
It is super fast,
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asbessette said:
but still lacks the smoothness and super graceful animations that WP7 comes with.
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Could you clarify? You seem to be contradicting yourself...?
Which animations are you on about?
AdrianK said:
Could you clarify? You seem to be contradicting yourself...?
Which animations are you on about?
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He is refering to WP7 being fast and Android though good, not as fast.
AdrianK said:
Could you clarify? You seem to be contradicting yourself...?
Which animations are you on about?
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The EVO is superfast, no doubt, 1Ghz Snap Dragon and all....but every phone regardless of "snapdragon" or not, has it's moments of buggyness.
NOT SAYING that WP7 or the HD7 will be bugless...it too has a super quick 1Ghz SnapDragon, and I'm sure will have it's glitches on the rare occasions. Point being (I guess) would be that the EVO/Android 2.2's speed is certainly "not" a factor or reason that I should to keep it, and not move to WP7.
Some animations include...the screen rotation, with android the screen just turns with no animation - BAM it's turned. With WP7 it turns fast but has a little animated wobble/bounce to it, as it settles into it's new position (very quick one so it's not obtrusive, but a nice touch) - small potatoes to most, but these little touches count to me.
Also the tiles flipping out when you touch a specific tile to "go into" that hub....the tiles fly away, and when coming back to the home screen the tiles flip back in a smooth beautiful way.
There are others, through out the phone that are seen in the slew of videos on the UI found on youtube.
There is just no real nice....smooth animation to Android. Some "home" replacements give it a try, like Launcher Pro....but it's still choppy at best.
Yea I'm migrating from android. Moto Cliq with 2.1 upgrade. Android is nice, but I sick of all the sluggishness.
diablos991 said:
I went from blackberry with the 8700, to the iphone 2g, to the iphone 3g, to the nexus one, and now to the HD7.
I have experienced all the ball-games in town and I am excited to try out the rookie.
If I dislike it, I will just go back to Android with a Tegra 2 powered phone.
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"Android with a Tegra 2 powered phone"
I heard its going to kick everything butt out of the park. I have heard a plathora of new features that its going to come out with. I just hope to do release it to market FAST.
im planning on switching as well... android is great but its looking like the next windows mobile: clunky / inconsistant UI, no guidelines on hardware or updates making it go out of control with fragmentation (different processor arquitectures, speed, screen sizes, shapes, resolutions, etc.) makes it a mess to develop for without p!ssing a few people off because of incompatbility issues, OEM's still release 1. 6 devices today, and most are currently upgrading to 2.1 (wtf? ? isnt 2. 2 the current? ?) multiple app stores, really? poor quality apps when it comes to asthetics and function compared to iOS
AND THIS IS COMING FROM AND ANDROID USER AND LOVER **sorry but thats how i see it**
WP7 really interests me since microsoft will keep tight control on hardware and software thus giving us apple-like experience, and android-like hardware choice. i also loved how they provided all drivers for the snapdragon chip as a supported processor making it use its full potential since its tighter integrated with the OS unlike android where its like a one-OS-fits-all where the lack of optimization can make the strongest cpu fall short of the snapdragon (just like apple makes theirs so silky smooth with slower cpu's than ours) xbox live integration, and great developer interest also makes me sure that it will be a success. just needs time to grow but im willing to evolve with them...
im switching but not 100% since im stock with sprint(which i can cancel) so im on a nexus one on tmo running cyano nightly 226 and ive never seen android running this fast before, cyano really killed with 226 ..anyway im not a big fan of big phones like evo(which i own lol) and tmo is offering the hd7 same size...so i might give att a try with the surround or samsung
Really glad to hear other peoples reasons for leaving the all mighty Android and switching to WP7....definetly enlightening!
I started this post because I felt in my head that I might be trying to talk myself out of switching, with all the MS haters pointing out all the minor lacking issues WP7 has...albeit, it'll all be fixed in time.
I truly want a beautiful experience when I use my phone, not just a beautiful phone being pulled out of my pocket.
I am 100% certain that I will be switching carriers and phones on November 8th when T-Mobile gets the HD7...and selling my HTC EVO. "IF" and when Android comes out with a UI that has great animation and is not so basic looking, I might be back!
I am trying to fully understand this:
A major reason for you liking WP7 is the transitions?
To each his/her own but if you got sick of changing your UI screens I believe you will eventually get really sick of the screen transitions. That was the first thing when I saw the demo that I was praying that I could turn off when I got sick of it.
I am having a hard time accepting all of the initial shortcomings the more I am seeing the end result of these shortcomings. I love the hub style screens but I am not sure if it is enough.
I may end up choosing an Android phone. Maybe the rugged Defy.
nicksti said:
I am trying to fully understand this:
A major reason for you liking WP7 is the transitions?
To each his/her own but if you got sick of changing your UI screens I believe you will eventually get really sick of the screen transitions. That was the first thing when I saw the demo that I was praying that I could turn off when I got sick of it.
I am having a hard time accepting all of the initial shortcomings the more I am seeing the end result of these shortcomings. I love the hub style screens but I am not sure if it is enough.
I may end up choosing an Android phone. Maybe the rugged Defy.
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Yes, the major reason I like WP7 over Android is the Animated transitions "throughout" the phone (not just the screen transistions) and the SMOOTH operations and function of the apps! That is just the major reason....the hubbs that have several apps combined into them is another reason, saving me time.
The functionality/smoothness of the Android UI is far from up to par with iOS and WP7...although Android crushes both is other areas, like the ability to change something. Although I like the ability to change how my home screen looks from day to day or hour to hour...at the end of the week, I'm still longing for a beautiful experience when I USE my phone, or do what I need to do on my phones OS.
krjcook said:
Yea I'm migrating from android. Moto Cliq with 2.1 upgrade. Android is nice, but I sick of all the sluggishness.
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Are you blaming Android for the sluggishness or the fact that the Cliq has a ~530MHz processor in a 1GHz world?
I'm switching to Linux because Windows 7 is just too sluggish on my PIII 900MHz.
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Personally, I won't be making the switch, but that's neither here nor there.
Most every carrier will give you a return period. It's not like you actually risk losing anything (as long as you take care of the phone). Give it a try for your two weeks (or whatever your carrier allows) and see how you like it.
Two weeks is long enough to determine if you love it or if you find the transitions to be annoying as hell when being used.
At about a week and a half, I would try going back to the Android phone for a day or two. If you're annoyed as hell by the Android phone, then keep the WP7.
If you find yourself relieved to be back with the Android phone, keep it.
If it's about even, then think to the future. Is the Android phone likely to get an upgrade (either officially or through a 3rd party ROM)? Is the WP7 likely to continue to get upgraded?
Make a pro/con for each phone & decide which one you'll ultimately be happier with.
For me, the cons for WP7 are too many, but for YOU, it might be reversed.
Ultimately, what fits you better is what you want to determine & the best way to figure that out is to compare/contrast through actual use.
I've seen a LOT of phones demo'd that have super smooth animations, but in actual use, they suck horribly once things are installed on teh phone. Since the WP7 can't multitask, this isn't likely to be such a big deal, but it might be. Actual use is really the only way to know.
I wonder how many tiles you can get on there before it gets ridiculous
Unlike those of us in the US, others can buy Win Phone 7 devices. So what do you think?
I have not tested it yet as mine is arriving shortly.
I think that it does look good and that Microsoft has the right idea.
The only issues that I can see with it is the SDK limitations and the general os limitations.
i love it, it has it's limitation but it will get better.
Used an HD7 for about 30 minutes in the T-Mobile store here. Smooth like butter, and it has 16GB storage.
I'm definitely leaning towards getting one.
Finally an OS that performs like one should on this hardware. Can't even imagine what performance will be like on next-gen hardware.
Up until 28th November I was an Android Fanboy - G1 when it was launched, Desire as an Upgrade.
I now actually prefer Wp7 to Android and love the fact I went and bought a HD7. My desire is now untouched, I put it on Ebay
i just played a bit with one at a t-mobile store... (htc mozart)
very smooth handling in every condition
i dont like pinch to zoom in any browser i used before (opera, safari, whatever android has...) but i like it in wp7 very much
but then there are the known limitations and some of them i realy dislike...
if there was a way to use wp7 device as mass storage my decision would be clear pro wp7...
Had it for 3 days, love it.
Blazingly fast and super solid - yes a few things are unavailable at the moment but its only been out for a matter of days.
Genuinely excited for the future of this OS.
Thanks for the replies. Sounds great. I was hoping to move away from AT&T but, if the WP7 devices are good maybe I will stay with them.
BTW, does anyone have a standalone Zune and care to compare the functionality of the WP7? I have a Zune 80 and love the Zune Marketplace and Zune client.
Love it as well. I miss the the messaging apps available on iOS and Android and some apps are a bit slow to launch, but it is a polished OS especially for a 1.0 with a lot of attention to detail taken on it. In a way it makes Android look like a toy, Aesthetics wise, and it is much smoother natively.
agreed with the ones above, had my HTC Trophy for over 2 days now and i'm really liking it. I see the Trophy as the base model for all Windows Phones. There is no stand out feature in this phone at all, it's all minimum spec, but it works... exceptionally! Games are a little slow on loading, but that's ok, the gameplay itself is fine. This limitation is due to the use of microSD (which you'll probably see in the other HTC phones). But I don't plan on voiding my warranty, and my carrier throws an extra year on top, so i have 2 years warranty. I don't use it for music all that much as i'm more of a radio listener... and let me tell you, when i fired up the radio for the first time this morning... man was it a really nicely designed radio. Simple, only get a bar with the radio frequency on top, and you just scroll left/right, and find the frequency you want. Favourite it, and done. SO NICE!
hmm looks like im really gonna have to get this lol
all good comments.. i suppose to have my HD7 with me right now but my friend could not pick it up in singapore for me... now i have to wait till dec 1st as i cant make it to SG till then..
I LOVE IT. its that simple. There is a few very tiny glitches but i had that with android blackberry and sare i say it ios as well. I do have a couple of poiunts for a few people that moan about some missing features though.
Mass storage - why oh why would you want to use your phone for this i don't get it? the memory inside is for the phone not your pc. Get a memory stick they cost about £20 and will sit on your keyring they are faster and easier to use.
Flash - this is coming very soon adobe and Microsoft have confirmed this.
Copy paste - as above (i suspect the January update for both though flash may come as its own download)
Multitasking - just a battery drain and all the main features do this anyway, the phone is quick at swapping between apps. I don't get why you would want to multi-task beyond what it already does if anyone can give me a good example i will retract that but so far its just "cos we like it that we can" i personally prefer a battery that lasts unlike the desire.
removable storage - once again why would you want this? I have an idea don't buy a load of small cards just get one good one. You can argue that the on board amounts given at launch are poor (i to stated this) BUT, America will get the focus this can be upgraded so to can the dell. The HD7 can be also if you don't mind getting under the back cover. I suspect as with the hd7 we will find others. So there are options even for the most data intensive. Your phone is not a memory stick people.
I personally think wp7 has it right esp for a brand new os that has not even had, dare i call the January update this, service pack 1. I don't like to say i will never touch things again because the world is constantly changing but i will say for now i am so glad i sold my desire and got a hd7 it beats anything else hands down.
I just realized i was so busy fending the so called downsides i forgot to look at why wp7 is the best.
Xbox live - this is so good it makes my nuts tingle though it was a lil slow at first once it has had chance to sync everything up it is amazing. I can see all my avatar stuff in 3d i can see my mates avatars in 3d i can compare gamer scores, i can earn achievements on games i can send messages to my live friends and see what they are doing. Basically all the same stuff i can do on my xbox but on a phone. Plus they will soon have multilayer games not just turn by turn and intergration into actual xbox games.
Zune - By far and away the best music/media experience you can get. Makes iphone look old and rubbish. I have loved Zune since i got my zune hd imported last year. Zune software is easier to use then itunes. It is far better at managing your media and is so good at getting the track data. Plus unlike itunes if it cant find it automatically you can just find it yourself easy as and make sure all the tracks have the right names with a no fuss at all. Put it this way my itunes on my mac has about 80% of the right art my zune has 100% (and for about 8 months i had to use the mac as my main pc due to frying my motherboard so it is nothing to do with me not careing about getting it sorted).
Hubs/live tile - just genius i hardly use my facebook app as i don't need to my friends are asy to contact and find and my pictures are all in one place. Yeah you can collect data together on android but until you have used a wp7, and i do say if your unsure go to the store and play, its hard to explain why its so much better but it just is. updates are right there on the home screen and even the lock screen.
Speed/transactions - This is a zippy os everything is smooth and looks sexy, this isnt a big point for many people i know but, there is no better feeling then when showing someone an email or a text or anything on your phone and it flys there but at the same time looks like something from minority report.
The phone is fantastic. The system is very smooth! The zune feature wit zune pass is great. One thing though, notification sounds for txt and email are very, very quiet (HD7). I can hardly hear them
robart76 said:
The phone is fantastic. The system is very smooth! The zune feature wit zune pass is great. One thing though, notification sounds for txt and email are very, very quiet (HD7). I can hardly hear them
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have you updated the audio controller from htc as it may be coincidence but i thought it was quieter before i did that.
lumpaywk said:
Multitasking - just a battery drain and all the main features do this anyway, the phone is quick at swapping between apps. I don't get why you would want to multi-task beyond what it already does if anyone can give me a good example i will retract that but so far its just "cos we like it that we can" i personally prefer a battery that lasts unlike the desire.
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I disagree. There are cases where multitasking would help, one area would be instant messaging. Also, I have looked at most reviews out there and battery life is on par with similarly specced Android devices. For example, the HD7 vs. EVO/Desire HD. Even my developer WP7 devices battery lasts around the same time as my Captivate.
Sent from my SAMSUNG-SGH-I897 using XDA App
There is no denying the fact that multitasking would help in many cases. I am glad that MS never said they wouldn't allow 3rd party aps to multitask. I am sure it's already in development... may be being tested as we speak
Went from HTC to Samsung Focus, so far i do love the smoothness and speed. Active tiles are a huge plus and can see where this can be beneficial in various ways. Only 'major' things needed is tethering or turning the phone into a WiFi Hotspot (and would like bluetooth rSAP support).
emuneee said:
I disagree. There are cases where multitasking would help, one area would be instant messaging. Also, I have looked at most reviews out there and battery life is on par with similarly specced Android devices. For example, the HD7 vs. EVO/Desire HD. Even my developer WP7 devices battery lasts around the same time as my Captivate.
Sent from my SAMSUNG-SGH-I897 using XDA App
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You're wrong.
With Push Messaging, you get you IMs without the app even running. Multitasking IM applications is a huge waste of battery.
Do you even have a clue what you're talking about?
Also, the HD7 has a weak battery in it. It's around 1230 mAh, IIRC. Most decent phones have 1500 mAh batteries in them. Check that before you make a comparison. Also, use patterns on the two phones may not be identical. It's almost impossible to conduct a decent test for battery life outside of a controlled environment.
I'm new to this forum, but have lurked for a while now. A lot of insightful posts, good debate, and professionalism by almost everyone. It's great as I definitely learn a lot from reading them.
Anyways, to the topic at hand. I'm an owner of an HD7 and an HTC G2 (Desire Z overseas). My G2 for a few months was my daily driver, after I sold my Vibrant and purchased it mainly for the HSPA+, however the physical keyboard was a nice add on as well. I went ahead and rooted the device, installed Visionary temp root, and overclocked to 1.2ghz (found it to be my sweet spot, as I've had freezes with 1.4 and won't even bother trying anything higher). The phone is lighting fast, I installed LauncherPro first thing first, customized the home screen to my exact liking, hooked it up to my Exchange account, and basically turned it into my perfect Android device.
Ever since I sold my 3gs and purchased an HTC Hero (GSM), I fell back in love with Android. I had originally bought the G1 in October 2008 when it was released in the states and grew into the Android ecosystem. I switched to iOS only because the 3gs was released, but I ended up going back. One of the main reasons why I enjoy Android so much is because it has a variety to choose from in regards to everything you can do with the phone. There isn't a thing that isn't possible with the OS and you have to appreciate it's willingness to allow anyone to make that happen. It isn't a system that's shoved down our throats, although I have always been against the OS being on so many devices.
Around a month ago, I started doing some research on WP7. I wasn't familiar with WM6.5 or any other Microsoft phone. All I knew was that you can flash Android on an HD2. The more research I did, the more I began to find myself interested in it, it looked smooth, very fluid, and if there is one thing I missed from my 3gs experience that even with the G2 overclocked I don't have is fluidity. The OS looked solid, and I think it's a bit understating when you claim consumers don't care about that. If anything, the GUI is one of the most important features on an OS, and no matter what the processer or device of an Android ran phone, the device is generally still slow and stuttery. Granted you can fiddle with the settings, mess with animation, change the speed of certain things within' the UI etc. etc. Still, it lacks in that department and the fragmentation of the operating system doesn't help. Also, another issue I have with Android are the keyboards. Yes, all of them. I still can't use swype as imo the learning curve isn't as simple as they make it seem and even using Smart Keyboard (great customer service by the dev btw) as my G2's daily driver still proves to be faulty. Lets not even get started on the stock keyboard. The only one that seems to work the best are the 4'3 inch devices, because the screen is so big. It worked well on my previous Vibrant, but still stuttery. Of course my G2 has a physical keyboard so you would think this would be a moot point. A lot of times I don't even use the physical keyboard for whatever reason.
With enough research, I decided on purchasing an HD7. I don't like buying phone's on contract so I decided to find one on craigslist. I realized a day before the Nexus S was released here that there were quite a few firesales on craigslist. Probably due to the fact that people with TMobile wanted to sell their device to purchase the N-S. At least that's what I assumed, considering I was able to buy a great condition HD7 for $250. To no surprise, he was selling to contribute to the Nexus. At first I was skeptical, didn't know much about the OS besides what I saw on youtube, and I was a little weary of the screen because I read that the colors are a bit faded. Regardless, the phone grew on me. The screen is beautiful for all it's detractors and the colors are fine to me. I'd argue that the Vibrant (and specifically screens with Super Amoled) tend to have an awkward blue tint/hue that becomes quite annoying when you begin to notice it more and more. The whites look blue, the blacks look blue, I understand the hue of the actual screen is blue, still doesn't make up for it. The only problem I have with the HD7 is portraying blacks, as it tends to ghost when you scroll and the smaller letters get skewed. Also there seems to be purple borders on the tiles when you scroll with a black background. For this reason, I changed it to white and found no problem. Aside from that minor issue (that doesn't bother me now because I enjoy the white more anyway), the OS is an absolute monster.
Where do I begin? The positives -
-Keyboard - I'm sorry, but there is NO better keyboard on the market today. Windows Phone 7 is far superior due to the sizes of various screens. IOS has a dandy keyboard but it's either too small on a 3.5 inch display (beautiful retina though, can't deny that), or too big on an iPAD. I've already explained my stance on Android keyboards, and I think it isn't even a close margin. The WP7 keyboard hands down is the most user friendly in the market today. Oh and spellcheck is fantastic as well.
-UI - Most fluid UI in the market today
-Exchange support/outlook/syncing w/calendar/contacts - Fantastic. Don't get me wrong, Android does this well, but for some reason, it's just more enjoyable on the fluid and buttery smooth Metro UI.
-Email - The email client on WP7 is awesome. The pinch zoom in an email box on a 4.3 inch display is smooth and a fantastic experience. Same can be said for the pinch and zoom on IE. I know it re-renders words while Android doesn't, but the 5 finger multi-touch support and amazing scrolling makes it a notch above the Android browser, which with any processor, still has laggy pinch and zoom.
-Netflix - Again, goes back to watching Netflix on demand on a 4 inch or 4.3 inch display. No other phone can boast about that feat. (I know iOS has Netflix)
-Web surfing - See email. Again, smooth like butter. Granted there are random rendering issues and freezes here and there, it's still a great experience being able to scroll and move along as smoothly as it does on such a big screen.
So now I was left with a decision to make. Do I use the HD7 or the G2 as my daily driver? Both have their advantages, and ultimately, I looked at which one had the least amount of disadvantages, and it came down to the HD7. As a daily driver, I mainly use my phone to text, email, check my work email, calendar, and surf the web occassionally. In all those fronts, it works better then the G2. In terms of games and such, the WP7 market is still going, but I have to give the edge to the Android Market simply because it's more well estabilished. I also like the fact that I can download directly from a website like say Gameloft. Gives you the chance to work outside of a walled ecosystem. You have to remember, Microsoft is in this for the long haul. There is no such thing as late in the market. The market constantly grows and if a revolutionary product is released, people will be intrigued by it. Tickle Me Elmo wasn't late in the market, the Wii wasn't late in the market, and automobile companies who are now currently building the future of cars aren't late in the market. There is no such thing, the future is always now, and innovation will constantly be showcased for the masses to witness and endulge themselves with.
If we all stuck to the theory that 4 months of being public is enough time to doom a company, then we're more behind then I thought. They aren't investing millions upon millions of dollars in a company that they're going to give up on in 4 months. Updates will come, fixes will be sent, the product will flow, you must give it some time. To this day, for all it's glory, Android still hasn't managed to update the ever infamous lag in their UI. No matter what device, dual core or not, it's just too fragmented and the GUI is in desperate need of change. I'm not demoting Android by any means, it is in fact a great great OS and one that has ultimately changed the game. But to dismiss a new innovation with as much promise as WP7 is silly. To those who have differing opinions, to you I say just try one out for a little while. If it was capable of growing on me (a self admitted Android fan), then I see no reason why the normal consumer wouldn't be able to feel the same way.
i will have to agree, like you said i admit i am a big big big fan of android os. but i just bought htc surround recently and UI is amazing on this new WP7 phones. people just need to give it some time, thats all
I am also a fan of android, but as someone running a small business, needed something that would not soak up my time messing about with rooting and tweaking. wP7 just does the business for me in a slick and professional way. Sure, there are missing features (document sync to skydrive mostly for me) but the positives outweigh any negatives for me
I used to be a big android fan, and I'm still thinking about getting an atrix, but with android you always have to ask yourself, what is the point of all that great hardware if the OS isn't optimized for it.
I've had a Vibrant and an N1. I LOVED my N1, and I wish I still had one, but I quietly ran out of things I wanted to do with it. I couldn't find a single music player I liked and I quickly ran out of games I wanted to play.
To me, fluidity and music are by far the most 2 important aspects of a smartphone. WP7 and a Zune Pass do this better than any other option.
So many people say NO to wp7 with sevral words;
Sevral people say YES to wp7 with so many words.
Very interesting!
Totally agree with everything the OP has said. Android just isn't a next-gen phone OS IMHO.
Great post by OP.
It's possible to see positives in both, while preferring to use one over the other.
Reflexx1 said:
Great post by OP.
It's possible to see positives in both, while preferring to use one over the other.
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I need to print this out and:
1/. Go back to the ATT store where I met that d-bag rep referenced here:http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=924802
2/. Give this to my buddy who is about to purchase a Nexus S as his first smartphone.
Perfect post about WP7 IMHO.
I think it's a great post. It just goes to show that it doesn't matter which OS is better, or newer/older, or hot at the time. It comes down to what works for you, the person that actually has to use the phone on a day to day basis.
Its this Windows better than other mobile OS?
Why?
Why I have to choose Win phone 7 instead of Android?
Can some one tell me please?
thanks
For me, one sentence will answer all...because we want to try something new and fresh.
However,the usability and satisfaction towards the OS or device are depends on your personal preference.
IMHO, I'm not really satisfied with this new OS,it is still in premature stage.
Much better user experience than WM and Android. More restrictions than both though, but most people aren't affected by this.
WP7 is smooth, clean and simple. It's generally very fast and elegant in operation. But right now it has bugs...at least for the pre-nodo devices. It currently lacks the higher-end hardware associated with the latest Androids and the iPhone, such as no front camera or dual-cpu. It doesn't use a plug & play expandable memory card...though you can expand the system memory with a little complexity on some devices...without voiding the warranty.
MO, its nice and fast with good apps. Big and easy to the eyes fonts.
But the weak point it gave you the feeling the phone is tied down as if you rent instead of owning it e.g. cant transfer documents to pc(not everyone have sharepoint),
no backups on anything(apps with user data or sms..anything) shud the phone needs to be reset or repaired.
If you are a patience type, then waiting for updates will not be an issue for you.
DatDereX1 said:
Much better user experience than WM and Android. More restrictions than both though, but most people aren't affected by this.
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Well, if you're going to confuse User INTERFACE with User EXPERIENCE, than your post is correct. Unfortunately, you are confused. The Experience goes beyond the interface. I'm not going to put my huge list in yet another thread. I'll leave it at that.
@ OP:
In the end it depends on your requirements and how you use your phone. The way I'd rank them, depending on what you need most:
Phone/Battery Life: Nokia (Symbian) > Blackberry
Media: WP7 > iOS (Phones with Bigger Screens, Zune Pass/Zune, etc.)
Gaming: iOS > WP7 > Android (Too many Android games are of terrible quality/bug-riddled).
Browsing: Android > iOS (More Browser Choices, bigger screens, 4G devices, etc.)
Communication (SMS/MMS/IM/eMail and Business Communications): Symbian > Blackberry > Android (WP7 would be in last place here, IMO)
Business User: Windows Mobile > Symbian > Blackberry (BB loses points due to needing BES for decent Exchange support - WM gains points for supporting every Exchange Policy and having Office Mobile 2010)
If having Voice Nav is a huge thing than Android > Symbian > Windows Mobile
If you're an Appaholic: iOS > Android > Blackberry
Since I know where you're probably (even if secretly) coming from, I'll just cut to the chase here... WP7 isn't as good as Android. The User Interface is better and it performs better in many cases (this is device dependent, to a large degree), but the level of services integration in addition to the functionality drop-off going from Windows Mobile to Windows Phone 7 is just not good when compared to other platforms. Microsoft failed to capitalize on their Windows Live services with WP7 (billed as a consumer device) and then they failed harder by locking down the platform so tight that the development community can't even help them close these gaps.
WP7 is a necessary step forward for Microsoft, but the platform is Beta in functionality and Release Candidate in User Experience. From what has been coming out of Microsoft, it also seems like nothing more than a transition platform. Don't get it until Mango releases to all carriers if you are coming from iOS or Android. You never know what the functionality gap is until you actually use this device on a daily basis. Using it for 20 minutes in a carrier store is not enough.
However, for those moving up from a feature phone and don't really want all the extra fluff of a true smartphone OS, then WP7 may suite them well...
MartyLK said:
WP7 is smooth, clean and simple. It's generally very fast and elegant in operation. But right now it has bugs...at least for the pre-nodo devices. It currently lacks the higher-end hardware associated with the latest Androids and the iPhone, such as no front camera or dual-cpu. It doesn't use a plug & play expandable memory card...though you can expand the system memory with a little complexity on some devices...without voiding the warranty.
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+1 on this.
N8ter said:
However, for those moving up from a feature phone and don't really want all the extra fluff of a true smartphone OS, then WP7 may suite them well...
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Well, I personally moved from a "true smartphone OS" (WM) to iOS to WP7 with a couple of brief stops with Android, and it suits me very well. Because I can do more with it, and better, including work (which for me is primarily communication via email and checking/quick editing office documents). While I will 200% agree that WP7 isn't a "PC in your pocket" in terms of power/flexibility/features by any stretch of imagination, and it isn't a business powerhouse, whether and how platforms fit your specific needs is what matters. Each platform has its own specific bugs or quirks which you may not notice at all or they can turn your phone ownership into hell.
You're going to have the "hate it"s and the "love it"s, with a good mix of fanboys in the middle, so my advice is to get an actual device in your hands and play a while with it.
Read about its features and current limitations and if it fits your needs, it has the apps you require and you enjoy it, take it... I know I did.
Avandor said:
my advice is to get an actual device in your hands and play a while with it.
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Actually, this is a crucially important piece of advice. As uniform as WP7 devices are, I had a very difficult time getting a phone for myself. My major problem with the current crop is miserable amount of storage. I had to go for a carrier branded Mozart to get at least 16GB, and while it wasn't SIM locked and doesn't cause too much hassle, I would advise that you avoid branded handsets if possible. You won't get any added value from them but updates will be delayed, among other things.
vangrieg said:
You won't get any added value from them but updates will be delayed, among other things.
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In some cases carrier locked models do come at cheaper prices, which is crucial to some people when choosing their phones.
scionXda said:
Its this Windows better than other mobile OS?
Why?
Why I have to choose Win phone 7 instead of Android?
Can some one tell me please?
thanks
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IMO you are asking the question wrong. It's a bit like asking if a Hummer is a better car than a Prius? With no qualifiers you will get as many answers saying the Hummer as you get people saying the Prius.
Now, let me add some more information. I live in the country, have three dogs (who like going for drives), we get ****loads of snow in the winter and them side roads leading up to the property are not exactly prioritized when it comes to removing snow.
For me it (Hummer) definitely is, but for them there city folks probably not so much
If you'd like to add some more information about what you use your phone for, i.e. what is important to you - I'm sure we'll get you some good reasons why you should (or not) pick WP7.
N8ter said:
Well, if you're going to confuse User INTERFACE with User EXPERIENCE, than your post is correct. Unfortunately, you are confused. The Experience goes beyond the interface. I'm not going to put my huge list in yet another thread. I'll leave it at that.
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The interface is indeed better, and the user experience is also better in general. MUCH better than WM's user experience; you can't deny that.
Similar to how the iphone couldn't do nearly as much as WM when it was released, but the user experience was much better. Everything "just worked" as they say. Some people have issues with WP but most don't have or care about any. It "just works".
Windows Phone 7 is by far the best OS I have used.
Android is very laggy. I can't tell you how many times I went to answer a call and couldn't because my Android device wouldn't respond in time.
Interface is unmatched. Way better than anything Android or iOS has to offer.
iOS is a good OS if you have the latest hardware (iPhone4), but the interface kills it for me. It's very boring.
Gaming experience is really awesome on WP7. Love the XBox Live integration/achievements.
Mostly everything just works without a hitch.
There are still bugs... but as an early adopter, I couldn't be happier.
Having both I say choose Android but watch WP7 for the future.
Currently WP7 offers very little to the customers.
It has very easy and nice interface but equally boring and dull to be honest.
Almost every thing this device can do is limited, maybe besides Zune and Xbox.
If you don't care about any more advanced features WP7 may be for you.
After 3 months of liking it I couldn't stand it anymore.
Limitations driving me crazy, stupid inconsistencies in performance plus Interface which is just a little bit too primitive (even if it's so easy to use).
Many people wrote here alot about both OS'es. Almost everything has been said.
For me WP7 is a massive disappointment. I gave it huge credit, bought my WP7 device for cash in December. But honestly the current situation is simply unacceptable at all.
Crippled features + no support in most countries with Marketplace, Maps, Bing and native Keyboard. If I think of it now I see it's ridiculous.
WP7 definitely is something worth interest because MS has all the services to make a perfect ecosystem in every possible area and that may be amazing. That was one of the reasons I bought it. But they don't do it now at all. You can do 100 times more on any other platform.
I suppose WP7 may be big hit once Nokia will jump on the market and WP7 will be much more opened. I think after Mango update this can be better and better.
But not now. Apparently MS has huge problem with the upgrade system what is not positive. My device still can't be updated although preNoDo was OK.
So a really competitive and finished product can be available around beginning of next year. Not before and it's too long to wait for me - I buy device to do the job!
I guess current WP7 is like an advanced beta where MS has it's learning curve.
And regarding the fluidity I say - people tell myths here.
WP7 lags sometimes terribly and current Android interations are really snappy.
I had a iphone then a Desire HD (which I still have) and now a samsung omnia 7 16gb, I also have a Ipad 1 so have a good idea of all of the OS's. All three are good phones, and getting any of the 3 different OS you can't go wrong really.
However I am loving WP7 so far even with the little quirks, the UI is really awesome and I much prefer it to Android in that regard, I spent hours using launcher pro and icons and lock screen mods and was never happy with how it looked whereas WP7 does all i need on that front and beautifully.
Also it's a lot smoother than android, though to be fair Android is as smooth as you need, the very little lags and jerks you get when scrolling are not big deals and I didn't actually notice them till I had both phones side by side, not sure why people make such a big deal about tiny jerkiness sometimes in the scrolling on Android.
IOS was a little too bland for me and I really wanted a better notification system as well as a bigger screen 3.5 was too small for web pages and gaming, though the amount of good quality apps was amazing, however I had my iphone for 3 years and I really only had about 20 apps, A few games to play when really bored and not at my PC.
Zune is awesome, million times better than Itunes, never used it before WP7 but now I am hooked, will be going from the trial to a paid zune pass too, works very well the streaming.
I also am impressed with the gaming on WP7 some very cool games in the market place, just a pity they are normally a lot more expensive than what you get on the iphone or android.
So overall WP7 does what I need (email, calendar, phone calls, and music with the odd game) and in a beautiful UI, for some people it wont do what they want and that's fine but for me it's great.
The Desire HD isn't used much at all anymore and I will probably ebay it soon. Really hope WP7 gets bigger as in my opinion it deserves a place in the the market even at this early stage of it's life
It completely baffles me as to why people continue to point out that WinPhone doesn't use dual cpus as though it has some negative affect on the phone or it's experience, even going as far as to compare it to Android phones which do use it. With it's first generation processor it still outshines newer Android devices. Performance? WP7 outperforms those dual cpu Android devices. Battery life, as so many have argued is the biggest positive? WP7 still gets better battery life. Also, how many people actually use front facing cameras? Really? I know quite a few people with MyTouchs and iPhone4s who have never done a video chat, and they've owned the devices since launch.
Just had to get that out there.
Really the only things where it suffers are in the app department....once the OS gets it legs(another year or so) it will be on par if not better than iOS. It doesn't beat out the Iphone 4(definitely better than the 3G and 3GS) and some android phones. I say some because Android is highly dependent on the phone you get. With Windows Phone you can pretty much go with any phone and they all work well. Im on my 3rd month with it and I still love it. Ive been through sony android phones, the iphone 3GS and a bada phone as well.
FiyaFleye said:
With it's first generation processor it still outshines newer Android devices.
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Absolutely not true, actually just the opposite.
scionXda said:
Its this Windows better than other mobile OS?
Why?
Why I have to choose Win phone 7 instead of Android?
Can some one tell me please?
thanks
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it's ok .