A few questions for Windows Mobile 7/7.5 Users...

[GTaudiophile]

1. Are you happy with your experience?
2. What other smartphone OS have you used? (iOS, Android)
3. Do you plan to stick with MS for as your mobile OS? If not, where will you go next?

 

[dpodblood]

I've had my HD7 running no-do for several months now and I can say I am very happy with it. Certainly it is lagging behind Android and iOS in some respects, but it looks like the mango update (which was just released) will be fixing most if not all of those issues. The operating system is very polished, I do not have an iOS device, but having played with them a bit I can the WP7 seems just about as "smooth" as iOS. As much as I love android (I own 2 android handsets as well) I think WP7 is far ahead of android in the smoothness/polish department. A lot of people have complained about the lack of apps for WP7, but I have not had an issue finding what I'm looking for. The only thing I haven't been able to find is an IRC client, which isn't a big deal. There aren't a ton of games when compared to iOS of course, but there are several quality titles there which should keep you busy, and recently I have found the prices have dropped to a reasonable level. Expect to spend about $3-5 for a game or as low as $2 for non XBLA titles, or games on sale. Overall I would highly recommend it, though you should wait for the new phones with the updated mango spec to come out if you are planning on buying one.

 

[ImDonly1]

Can you edit the data settings and mms settings in Mango now?

In the past, if you bought a ATT WP7 phone and unlocked it to use it on one of ATT's prepaid operators, you couldn't get mms or data to work. Did they finally add the option to edit mms and data settings?

Also, will there be a option to enable wifi tethering? By either microsoft or the developer/hacked community?

 

[Deeko]

1) Yes.
2) Android (G1, Droid, HD2, Epic 4G Touch, Vibrant), BBOS (Curve 8330, Bold 9900), WebOS (Pre), Windows Mobile 6.x (SDA, Dash, HD2), Symbian (N95), iOS (iPhone 1)
3) Yes, I am waiting for the Mango phones to be announced to decide if I'm sticking with T-Mobile or moving to Verizon.

 

[Andrmgic]

1. Yes
2. I've owned the original iPhone and iPhone 3g (and 3 ipads), the original moto droid, Samsung vibrant (galaxy s), Motorola atrix 4G and an unlocked Galaxy S II from Europe
3. I'm sticking with Microsoft and Windows Phone for the duration.

I want the Focus S personally.. because it has my favorite feature of the Galaxy S II.. the 4.3" Super AMOLED Plus display..

 

[Doublejr]

1) Yes
2) Symbian, Android
3) Yes

@dpodblood with mango MS opened up socket support, so there is now an irc client, not to mention ssh and telnet.

 

[notposting]

1. Yes
2. Android (toyed with iOS devices occasionally)
3. Yes

Just switched a few weeks ago and promptly put Mango on my Trophy (Verizon coming from OG Droid running various ROMs).

 

[pantsaregood]

1. Are you happy with your experience?
2. What other smartphone OS have you used? (iOS, Android)
3. Do you plan to stick with MS for as your mobile OS? If not, where will you go next?

1. Definitely.
2. Moderate use of iOS.
3. Definitely. If I could get out of my contract, I'd be jumping ship from T-Mobile to AT&T and grabbing a Samsung Focus S.

On the note of tethering: It looks like certain first-gen WP7 handsets will support it once the OEMs update the drivers. Some of the older handsets, however, won't. The HD7, Arrive/7 Pro, and Omnia 7 are apparently capable of tethering with only a driver update.

Tethering itself is built into WP7.5, it just has to be enabled by the driver/carrier.

 

[RedRooster]

I'm very happy with WP7, other than the lack of apps.
I was an iPhone user for 3 years and just got bored of iOS, and I doubt I'll switch back. WP7 does everything I need it to do. Like I say, if WP7 can get some more of the big apps, iOS will virtually have nothing over WP7. And I'm not saying all this just because WP7 is a fledgling platform with single digit market share and I'm jealous of the other big two, I'm serious. Its a beautiful OS that just needs more developer support.

 

[Deeko]

I'm very happy with WP7, other than the lack of apps.
I was an iPhone user for 3 years and just got bored of iOS, and I doubt I'll switch back. WP7 does everything I need it to do. Like I say, if WP7 can get some more of the big apps, iOS will virtually have nothing over WP7. And I'm not saying all this just because WP7 is a fledgling platform with single digit market share and I'm jealous of the other big two, I'm serious. Its a beautiful OS that just needs more developer support.

The good news there is that there is developer support. The WP7 marketplace hit 30k apps faster than any other app market yet. Mango only improves that - the SDK adds a ton of stuff that was necessary for certain apps. Adding things like direct hardware access, socket support, background processes, and local DB support will definitely help developers get onboard. Let me tell you how much of a pain it was to write a heavily data-driven app using XML files in Silverlight isolated storage....

 

[RedRooster]

The good news there is that there is developer support. The WP7 marketplace hit 30k apps faster than any other app market yet. Mango only improves that - the SDK adds a ton of stuff that was necessary for certain apps. Adding things like direct hardware access, socket support, background processes, and local DB support will definitely help developers get onboard. Let me tell you how much of a pain it was to write a heavily data-driven app using XML files in Silverlight isolated storage....

That's good to hear! Not being a developer, I don't appreciate these new functions they added, but it sounds very helpful.
Get that Home Run Derby game off iOS onto WP7 and maybe a Metacritic app of some sort, and I'll lock in to WP7 forever.

 

[TheStu]

1: Very happy with the phone, less enthralled with the desktop software
2: iOS for months, android only for a day or two
3: Hard to say. There are a lot of aspects of WinMoPho that I greatly prefer over everyone else, and really really like the UI design. But I always hear about amazingly cool apps on iOS that I want to mess with, and until I get an iPod Touch or something I will just have to sit back and suffer.

I really miss Apple hardware though.

 

[shortylickens]

I am overall happy with it but I finally decided to spend less time focusing on all the cool things I COULD do, if I had the right hardware (Android) and less time worrying about how pretty it is (iPhone) and more focus just getting shit done and moving on with my life.
WP7 does that perfectly. I'm not saying its the best, I'm saying its the best for me. Especially with Mango cuz I get better support for PIM related stuff like a to-do list now integrated with calender.

I have used an iPhone 4 for a weekend, wasnt nearly as cool as some people think. Ditto the iPad 2. I hate the idea of continually spending money on something I dont even love that much.
I used a Pre for a week, same deal. Cute, not nearly as awesome as they'd have you believe.
Used many forms of Android over the years and while I like the functionality I hate that they keep shoving more shit on it and force you to buy faster hardware all the time. When my Droid contract expired I installed CM7 and loved it. Now I have a nice music/game platform thats free, with tons of cool apps thanks to Amazon.
Used Blackberry for a bit but it did not impress. Basic PIM stuff like calendar was fine, but didnt integrate into my Gmail account very well and I still use the desktop a lot, even with a powerful phone. Also had a Playbook but already did a review on that.
Tried getting back into Symbian with Nokias E71 and while it was a fine experience, they are trailing way behind everyone else in terms of app variety and basic functionality on a fresh phone. Was happy to hear they are going with WP7 in the future.

Will stick with WP7 for a bit now that Mango is out. I bought my HD7 used for dirt cheap on Amazon and slapped a SIM in it. When better hardware arrives I will probably just go that route again. No contract can save me a lot of money if I feel like I'm being abused.

 

[Bearach]

1. Are you happy with your experience?
2. What other smartphone OS have you used? (iOS, Android)
3. Do you plan to stick with MS for as your mobile OS? If not, where will you go next?

1. Yes.

2. Windows Mobile 5/6/6.5, Android, iOS, Symbian.

3. Definitely, Windows Phone to me is just what I need, but I do realise it is not for everyone. Everything feels in the right place. Though I do miss customisations to a point, I would try my hardest to customise it just right, and not even come close to the integration of Windows Phone.

Its enjoyable for me to use, and I've had literally no problems with the phone or OS, which is a huge plus. I'm very pleased with the user experience and Mango without a doubt makes the phone. It is what WP7 should have been from the beginning, and I don't see myself going back to either of the other OS's.

 

[GTaudiophile]

Between WMP7, iOS, and Android, which has the best turn-by-turn GPS navigation feature?

 

[Bearach]

Between WMP7, iOS, and Android, which has the best turn-by-turn GPS navigation feature?

I would say, probably Android. Though never tried turn-by-turn GPS on iOS. Windows Phone 7 has it now implemented, but its not ideal.

Apps could possibly fix this (not tried them yet), and maybe the implementation will change later on, but that doesn't excuse the feature in how it is at the moment on WP7.

 

[shortylickens]

Between WMP7, iOS, and Android, which has the best turn-by-turn GPS navigation feature?

Android, whether stock or 3rd party.
In fact before Mango, WP7 didnt even do voice directions. Dont know if they finally added that or not, lemme check.

 

[shortylickens]

YES!
IT WORKS!!

:awe:

 

[Andrmgic]

YES!
IT WORKS!!

:awe:

It works, but Android is still better for turn-by-turn in terms of native OS support.

This may change once Nokia has their WP7 devices out.. since they have the mapping licenses necessary to do true turn-by-turn.. (i.e. doesn't require user interaction to read the next direction)..

 

[crisscross]

I am moving from a Nokia E71 which should tell you how badly i am in need of a upgrade. I don't like Google and I don't want to go with Android. I would love to get an iphone but it's horribly expensive for an unlocked phone.

The only thing keeping me from going WP7.5/Mango are the new phone from Nokia and others.