Author Topic: Battle of the Smartphone Platforms: Android VS Windows Phone (Read 21805 times)

TriniXaeno · « **Reply #60 on:** January 23, 2014, 01:51:27 PM »

Quote from: Spazosaurus on January 23, 2014, 10:04:50 AM

I still use bookmarks heavily for a variety of things. Haven't yet found anything to replace them. Luckily there's an app called Chrync on WP that syncs google bookmarks nicely.

Sent from my Lumia 820 using Tapatalk

Netscape Navigator called...it wants its bookmark feature back.

Carigamers · « **Reply #60 on:** January 23, 2014, 01:51:27 PM »

Spazosaurus · « **Reply #61 on:** January 28, 2014, 06:37:31 PM »

wow oh wow. fellas, ah had to box up that windows phone for the hour. It just too limited. Yes the apps are there but the functionality.....suckkkssssssssss compared to android. *hugs Xperia Z ultra* OMG baby I missed you!!!

Berzerk · « **Reply #62 on:** January 28, 2014, 06:42:58 PM »

in what way? not trolling just curious to know in what ways the functionality of a high end android are better than a high end windows phone.

Spazosaurus · « **Reply #63 on:** January 28, 2014, 07:10:41 PM »

not even talking high end. Just on the platform level.

I'll give you a real scenario. Lets say i'm browsing on my Windows phone. I cannot pick up my browsing session on the desktop exactly where I was on the phone. This doesnt work vice versa either. I would have to fight up to find my exact browsing position somehow from one device to another.

On the Android i'd just open a new tab and see alllll my open tabs on all my google signed in devices. Not only can I get to the exact page I was on, I get the entire session as well. Not to mention I have access to allllll my bookmarks everywhere, synced in real time. All of this traffic is bi-directional.

Windows phone, lets say I wanted to share a link to a link to a page to a whatsapp group or contact? Nope, can't do it. I'll have to settle for email or sms sharing.

Apps are not context aware. If I open a facebook link, the windows phone doesnt know that and opens in the browser instead of the facebook app. Android opens fb links in the fb app. Actually, any link that is opened Android looks for the appropriate app on the phone and opens it with that. FB, G+, 9gag, engadget etc etc etc all works the same.

Tried the official fb app and a bunch of others, none of them work the way Android official does. Cannot edit comments, some posts do not load at all where the exact same post comes up fine on the Android.

Got tired of the same notification sound on WP from whatsapp from the millions of messages that come in (every message wakes up the screen and plays a sound and vibrates the device, no way to turn off). As if this wasn't bad enough...what??? I can't change whatsapp notification sound? Stuck with the default?? hmmmmm

Meanwhile on android, not only can I choose whatsapp vibration or not, I can change general notification tone as well as group notification tone. Even can set custom tone for individual person!

Wow, the list goes on and on.....

I eh even getting into the tons and tons of ui, look and feel and functionality tweaks available that are frustratingly absent from Microsoft's attempt. Them fellas have reaaaaaaalllllllll work to do to catch up.

MessiaaH · « **Reply #64 on:** January 28, 2014, 07:43:41 PM »

The ability to sync tabs was something lacking even on windows 8, but as of windows 8.1 MS has added the feature. You can manage the open tabs list of multiple pcs. Bookmarks , and all that jazz synced as well. This was only just implemented in desktop version of they OS. I’m guessing it will also be implemented in wp8.1, so that coming soon.

As far as sharing links, you dent have to “settle” for email/sums. It have this thing called copy/paste. Works just fine. And I know its not the specific feature you want, but there is a way to do it. Which is the old school way of copy paste. No word on if the share feature API will be open up to other apps in 8.1

Context aware does exist on the platform , but maybe not for every app. When I open a YouTube link for instance, it opens in metrotube. Functionality is there, developers just need to take proper advantage of it, which in your case they aren’t.

Fb: I use the beta app, recommend you do the same it go have the latest updates, editing comments doesn’t seem to be one, you can delete comments though. But the feature set of fb is beening resolved at a fast rate, plenty things was missing that now fixed, give that one time.
http://www.wpcentral.com/official-facebook-beta-gets-updated-jan

Whatsapp: again, this limitation is not the platform, is developers either lazy or now playing catchup, MS has addressed independent app notifications in an update. Whatsapp will soon release this feature to the masses, maybe in a couple weeks:
http://www.wpcentral.com/custom-notifications-coming-whatsapp-windows-phone

Coming from android where everything is highly customizable, it would seem MS platform rel lacking, but that was by design, much like IOS , difference is, MS bit by bit opening up the platform and allowing what users asking for. I don’t think it will ever be an android though. 8.1 will plug a lot more holes. And come 2015 wp9 should achieve feature parity at least. For me personally, the proa of wp, outweight it’s cons, which is obvious since its my main platform.
For man like you who deeply invested in Google services and customization, you mite have to give the platform more time. Not to mention you missing some of the Nokia sexiness with a midrange device.

I do understand your gripes from a platform level though.

Carigamers · « **Reply #64 on:** January 28, 2014, 07:43:41 PM »

Spazosaurus · « **Reply #65 on:** January 28, 2014, 08:22:11 PM »

I hear yuh. If it isnt the platform thats the limiting factor then developers just blasted lazy. Regardless of where the issue lies, the fact remains that things I have taken for granted on Android i've grown to appreciate all the more because of its absence/difficulty in achieving in WP.

It makes no sense limiting features and introducing them 'little by little' because they need to seriously catch up.

I stand by my previous statement. WP is indeed a decent platform that is workable BUT, the devil is in the details.

Look at another thing. Simple as watching a youtube vid on desktop and being able to jump on my phone and get back that same video I was watching without searching (and vice versa) is a simple thing, maybe easily implemented on WP but the functionality simply isnt there. I dont care what is the reason for this. The fact remains that these little details add the wow factor, something simply not available on WP at the moment.

Hopefully they can see this and get their act together.

Spazosaurus · « **Reply #66 on:** January 28, 2014, 08:35:56 PM »

Another thing. I use hotmail(outlook) as my primary webmail, strange I know but i've had that account forever and have a million services attached to it. Anyway. I tried sending a document as an attachment to a contact what day it was.........I could only send PICTURE attachments. WHATTT?? I couldnt believe it. MS own phone, their OWN mail client. No ability to send a simple MS WORD document.

Hopped over on the Android and sent attachment normel normel...

MessiaaH · « **Reply #67 on:** January 28, 2014, 08:38:07 PM »

They had to do it that way. In hindsight everyone can argue that MS should have taken another approach, just like they argue Nokia should have gone android from the start. But those very decisions could have very much got them dead.

This way is taking longer, but they have the money. And not like they have the market. They lost all. Lol. Taking their time to get it back is wise. They had Torstar all over. Fighting an uphill battle against android and ios. Having to bribe developers , hell even whatsapp didn't want to release an app. Is buy MS buy them off. Same goes for angry birds. Such a basic game, MS had to cough up to get it. I think the developers are exploiting MS and kicking them whiles they down, and dispite all this they still pushing through with what is fast becoming an epic platform with epic devices and technology. Google is the worse. They refuse to release a YouTube app for the platform. And refuse to let MS release they own. (which they did, with all the features, and Google made them pull it.)

Right now Google will not play ball with MS because they fear their strength and ability to monopolize . We as the consumers is who suffer though.

I've been with wp since 7, and compared to where they is now, 7 was a big joke. It takes time for a platform to grow, even more time when faced with these odds, and I think MS doing a good job all things considered.

When Windows 9 / wp9 / Xbox 9 hit. And MS achieve that 3 screens vision, and merge their platforms, and start leveraging all their power, then things will become very sweaty. All this is slated for April 2015. Not too long again.

I as a consumer wish things could move faster also, but from a business and development standpoint I understand why it cant.

MessiaaH · « **Reply #68 on:** January 28, 2014, 08:40:27 PM »

Just checked the word thing, I never had the need, but yes, that extremely gay. I now try from SkyDrive and it only allowing me to send a link to the document. Gay!

MessiaaH · « **Reply #69 on:** January 28, 2014, 11:51:42 PM »

Seems all notification complaints being fixed system wide in 8.1

http://www.wpcentral.com/windows-phone-81-notifications-settings-revealed

Spazosaurus · « **Reply #70 on:** January 29, 2014, 04:23:23 AM »

Saw that notification thing. Well I hope they don't screw up the update.

I'll re analyze when that's out. Till then I can't bear to continue using the wp platform.

Sent from my Sony Xperia Z Ultra using Tapatalk

TriniXaeno · « **Reply #71 on:** January 29, 2014, 02:58:04 PM »

Quote from: Spazosaurus on January 28, 2014, 08:35:56 PM

I tried sending a document as an attachment to a contact what day it was.........I could only send PICTURE attachments. WHATTT?? I couldnt believe it. MS own phone, their OWN mail client. No ability to send a simple MS WORD document.

Hopped over on the Android and sent attachment normel normel...

WOW

This + the whatsapp notifications is unforgivable.

It also explains why the GATT staff members with windows phones are notably absent from our whatsapp group.

DAMN.

That needs to be fixed....and FAST

Totally agreed.

I saw a 1020 in the wild today. The Camera is huge

A guy in the same session also had a 920.

So seems they are gaining some local traction. I asked him why he bought it....his reason....the color and the camera.

Spazosaurus · « **Reply #72 on:** January 31, 2014, 04:47:05 AM »

Unforgivable indeed. I've since leant that the present solution to taming whatsapp notifications is to mute the most active group.

In practice, what I've found is that it goes in the extreme opposite direction. Instead of always lighting up the screen, toasting, vibrating, making a sound AND putting a counter next to the whatsapp icon that indicates number of unread messages, muting does NONE of that. I'd expect that at least the unread count would still show. Instead it does not and entering the app opens the floodgates and allll messages come in at once. It seems that muting just holds all messages on the server side.

Maybe that's how muting works on android as well but this is not the mechanism that should be used to control notifications at all. Better than that man whatsapp. I also believe that Microsoft should be holding these app devs to a higher standard. Available features and functionality should match or exceed the other platforms.

Sent from my Sony Xperia Z Ultra using Tapatalk

Arcmanov · « **Reply #73 on:** January 31, 2014, 08:17:42 AM »

Nope...muting on Android just suppresses the sound and vibration.

You still get the messages, and notifications still show up in your notifications panel that you can swipe away.

Samsung Galaxy Note 3 | VN ROM v5.2 (KitKat 4.4.2) | SwiftKey | Tapatalk Pro

Spazosaurus · « **Reply #74 on:** January 31, 2014, 08:39:45 AM »

Ok the flood of messages could have been due to digicel issues yesterday. Still, no unread count. Have to actually go into whatsapp to see that there are new messages.