From Mango to Apollo: The HTC Windows Phone 8X on the Daily
by Dustin Sklavos on January 28, 2013 12:01 AM EST- Posted in
- Laptops
- windows phone 8
- Windows Phone 8X
- HTC 8X
Essentials: Search
One of the places where Windows Phone 8 has done an excellent job of moving forward is the "Search" function. As one of the three buttons mandated on the bottom of the actual phone, this should've been a more robust feature in Windows Phone 7 and 7.5, but I never used it on the Dell Venue Pro. It was easier for me to just type whatever I wanted to search for in the browser window.
In 8, though, things are a bit different. Now there are multiple pages under Search; in addition to conventional web search results, there's a page for News, a page for Movie Showtimes, Local Videos, Local Deals, and Local Events. This feels much more robust. On top of that, whatever you enter into the search bar will provide you with a list of web links for whatever you've searched for, along with local, media, and shopping results. Compare that to the less powerful Search function in WP7.5, which only produced local and image results alongside web.
I couldn't tell you exactly why, but I just find myself using Search far more in WP8 than I did in WP7.5. It feels like a more useful tool and less like a trojan horse for Bing.
Essentials: GPS Navigation
While it's still not the catastrophe that Apple Maps was on release, Bing Maps continues to be a sore spot for Windows Phone. The map quality itself is fine, and Microsoft has worked with Nokia to integrate vector maps, but the actual navigation leaves a lot to be desired. Simply put: Bing Maps doesn't provide turn-by-turn navigation. This was something I found myself missing intensely from my time with Android, as Google's navigation is frankly excellent. With the default Bing Maps, you have to tap the display to get the next direction instead of it just simply being read to you as you approach it.
All isn't entirely lost, though. Until recently, users of Nokia-based Windows Phones had access to Nokia Drive for turn-by-turn navigation, but as of the 23rd, anyone using a handset based on Windows Phone 8 now has access to a beta version of Nokia Drive for free. This finally adds the turn-by-turn navigation that Bing Maps was so desperately lacking, and to me this offers a legitimate solution to a baked-in feature that competing phones sporting Android and iOS have been enjoying for a long time now.
Essentials: Camera
The camera app on Windows Phone 7.5, or at least with the Dell Venue Pro, was frankly mediocre at best and downright terrible at worst. As someone who enjoys foisting pictures of his cat to the internet, the Venue Pro was an exercise in frustration. White balance was never accurate, detail was poor, and image stabilization was nonexistent.
If you switch to Windows Phone 8, though, you'll definitely see a benefit. Windows Phone 8 enjoys more detailed controls for the camera, face detection, and Lenses functionality (the default Bing lens allows you to scan barcodes and text and use it to search online.) On top of that, you benefit from the advances that have gone into smartphone camera hardware in general. The WP8 camera is more responsive, easier to use, and produces far superior point and shoot photos than the Dell Venue Pro did.
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Myrandex - Tuesday, January 29, 2013 - link
Eh many Android phones these days are sold without 4.x unfortuantely, especially in the lower end / prepaid / unlocked lower priced phones out there.deathgod - Tuesday, January 29, 2013 - link
And people buying those phones won't really benefit or care about having the latest version of the OS. They just want a phone that meets their needs. That's like me buying a iPhone 3GS today and expecting it to have all the features and performance of a 5.Based on the sales of Android handsets the majority of people that have a problem with fragmentation are tech authors. I don't see many people buying cheap Android phones and complaining about not having JB.
drumhellar - Tuesday, January 29, 2013 - link
In the article, you seem to be suggesting that WP 7.5 didn't allow you to group contacts, and that was a new feature with 8. However, that's incorrect. WP 7 does allow you to group contacts (and send messages to groups, and all the other things you can do with groups).Reikon - Tuesday, January 29, 2013 - link
"but Google users will only have to sacrifice some of their apps"Um... how having to sacrifice all of our apps for heavy Google users? There are no Google apps on WP except useless search.
jeffkro - Tuesday, January 29, 2013 - link
Until I see that windows phone has the same or equivalent apps that I use all the time on my android phone I can't make the switch. I'm also really tied into the google ecosystem, drive, docs, gmail, etc but I guess I could switch to MS equivalents.N4g4rok - Tuesday, January 29, 2013 - link
Out of curiosity, What apps in particular?The switch from Google to Skydrive is somewhat easy to manage. I don't remember how much Google Drive lets you store for free, but Skydrive will give you 7GB and a good way to create/manipulate office documents. Other than the differences is storage space and access methods (which is kind of a big deal), everything else will feel right at home.
whickywhickyjim - Tuesday, January 29, 2013 - link
I find it very annoying that the tiles + applications screens do not tilt. Also, live tiles should be way more customizable with colors display options. The lack of these things are just lazy.stanwood - Tuesday, January 29, 2013 - link
I love my 8X. Happy to have left iOS behind since I do not use Mac elsewhere. And the integration with Windows 8 is great for Music, SkyDrive, OneNote, etc. Love the custom tile placement and good multi-tasking support.Main complaints on phone: autofocus not as predictable (improved with recent firmware update), button placement is optimal for one-handed grip in left hand. but I like to use my right. I still hit the Search and Back buttons by accident all the time. I think Apple got this one right. One button to rule them all please.
On the OS, the only thing I've missed is taking contact info from map search and pulling it into my contacts.
Bobs_Your_Uncle - Wednesday, January 30, 2013 - link
"IT" being basically whatever it is you choose to rock, or carry, or sport, or..er,...uh...use?Many strongly held opinions & preferences very passionately expressed. What it ultimately comes down to is the choice YOU get to make to do your own thing.
Thanks, Dustin, for a very well written op-ed explaining that which you appreciate in the WP8 platform while, at the same time, acknowledging & expressing appreciation for the respective strengths of all the various major platforms.
Should someone wish to take delight in berating a given platform, taking glee in it's struggles & hoping for it's failure, that is indeed that persons privilege. It's unfortunately a very negative approach to take toward making one's way through life from day to day, but it is one's privilege none-the-less.
I would view the failure of any platform provider with regret, as more available options usually provides very tangible benefits for all consumers, in addition to stimulating innovation through competition.
Again, thanks to Dustin & to all of the AnandTech Anointed for providing exceptional journalistic content on the tech that touches our daily lives. And for being ethical, honest & positive in your approach.
(If I want negative, agenda driven, duplicitous & disingenuous B.S. I'll simply turn the T.V. on to ...... oh, any number of options.)
sunflowerfly - Wednesday, January 30, 2013 - link
As an iPhone user that also hates iTunes simply refuse to use it. iOS works just fine from iCloud, and Apple is actively moving it further that direction with every update. I actually think a pc without iTunes, but with the iCloud Control Panel works better than a real Mac.Overall a great article, I am bullish on Windows phone as well. I gave my 74 year old mom a Windows Phone 7.5 on T-Mobile, and after a short learning curve she loved it. We only sold it when it was apparent that 7.5 had no future. She gets along with one of our old iPhone 4's just fine today.