From android to windows phone?

Forums › Legacy mobile platforms (Windows Mobile, Palm OS, Web OS, Symbian, Meego, Blackberry) › From android to windows phone?

Stan

929 posts

Ultimate Geek
Inactive user

#132372 19-Oct-2013 22:43

I have been an android user ever since the HTC desire was first released but I am considering changing with my next phone purchase.
The issue I have with android is the slow down over time and the phone crashing (touchwiz has stopped responding etc) and am wondering what sort of experience windows phone users have as far as stability, speed (fluid interface) and particularly web browsing ability.
Not a heavy app user mainly web browsing, maps,music, tethering and social networking apps. I understand that my local bank will most likely not have an app but thats something I can live without.
Has anyone else made the switch?

1 | 2 | 3 | 4

5695 posts

Uber Geek
Inactive user

#917561 19-Oct-2013 22:51

WP should be a good choice for you with the things you mentioned that are important to you

Even the cheapest $299 WP8 a Nokia Lumia 520 is fast and fluid UI, doesn't slow down

PS isn't the title the opposite way around? Android to WP ;) ?

Stan

929 posts

Ultimate Geek
Inactive user

#917568 19-Oct-2013 23:01

Haha so it was thanks for that Ninja edit
What about say 6months down the track still like out of the box?

1080p

1332 posts

Uber Geek
Inactive user

#917569 19-Oct-2013 23:01

I think your thread title is the wrong way round or I just need to sleep.

I switched from Android to WP and never looked back. I love the integration work they have done and everything is slick and works as expected. Interface is especially nice. It feels like the phone version of a high end car, really smooth transitions and impressive performance.

I am most impressed by their app crash handling. Instead of the phone freezing it seems able to simply gracefully kill the app and bow back into the home screen - you can test this by installing baconit (the reddit app) and opening a bunch of image posts in very quick succession. If you ignore the low memory warning it'll eventually crash.

I've used two Lumia devices so far, first the 800 then, after I was tossed into a pool with it in my pocket, the 900. Both devices perform amazingly well. I was most impressed when I upgraded from 7.5 to 7.8 that there was precisely zero "slow down" which is something every Android device I have ever used has had happen to it. Even most iDevices too.

The built in music app is great and I personally love the Zune software on my PC (wireless sync!)

Web browsing is normal from what I have experienced with phones. Not super fast but not bad either. Maps are great, I love the Nokia Transport integration. If you're not in one of the major centres expect your local buses to be missing for the time being. Tethering is simple and works well. I've always experienced a good range and strong signal but there is rarely a reason to leave the phone more than ten metres from your tethered device so I haven't 'properly' tested that.

Social networking is extremely nice. The messaging centre integrates Facebook, SMS, and Twitter (probably more on WP8, I haven't used it yet) into one interface which is intuitive to use. I'll often switch between SMS and Facebook chat (not a Twitter user) among friends and it is nice to be able to chat on both platforms at the same time and from the same place.

You can also install the stand alone Facebook, etc... app in addition to or instead of using the integration but I prefer integration.

All in all, 10/10: highly recommend the transition. Come join the WP master race. :)

nathan

5695 posts

Uber Geek
Inactive user

#917573 19-Oct-2013 23:09

Stan: Haha so it was thanks for that Ninja edit
What about say 6months down the track still like out of the box?

WP doesn't get bogged down and become slow

I've still got a WP7 here that I've been using for 3 years that is still going fast and fluid UI

jeffnz

2870 posts

Uber Geek

Trusted

Lifetime subscriber

#917628 20-Oct-2013 08:53

all computers slow down over time if they aren't maintained and I'm sure windows phone operating system is no different to the PC system. If its slowing down and thats your only reason for wanting to change it may be the wrong one so i would suggest trialing one as the operating systems are very different.

I think change is good but do it forthe right reason, maybe reset your current phone as well as it sounds like a memory issue

Galaxy S10

Garmin Fenix 5

nathan

5695 posts

Uber Geek
Inactive user

#917630 20-Oct-2013 08:58

But Windows Phone OS is different from the PC OS, its fast and it stays fast forever

Stan

929 posts

Ultimate Geek
Inactive user

#917641 20-Oct-2013 09:24

jeffnz: all computers slow down over time if they aren't maintained and I'm sure windows phone operating system is no different to the PC system. If its slowing down and thats your only reason for wanting to change it may be the wrong one so i would suggest trialing one as the operating systems are very different.

I think change is good but do it forthe right reason, maybe reset your current phone as well as it sounds like a memory issue

But if all you are doing is browsing the internet, social networking, SMS and calling I would not expect it to only take 6months for an s3 slow down this much. However it has been the same for every android device I have owned.
I have a pc that had not been reformatted for 2 years the only reason I reformatted it was recently was because I installed windows 8 and upgraded a lot of the components and before I did it was still responding the same as when it was new.
Android IMHO is to buggy and bloated.

Equinox IT

Cloud spending continues to surge globally, but most organisations haven’t made the changes necessary to maximise the value and cost-efficiency benefits of their cloud investments. Download the whitepaper From Overspend to Advantage now.

jeffnz

2870 posts

Uber Geek

Trusted

Lifetime subscriber

#917642 20-Oct-2013 09:32

@nathan of course its different as is Android and IOS but they still slow down over time, correct or has windows got a phone that doesn't get cluttered up??

@Stan mate I was trying to help thats all, by all means change if it means that much to you it doesn't effect me at all.

In my experience all OS's are buggy at some stage unless of course WEindows have that oen sorted as well and have no need to do software updates

Galaxy S10

Garmin Fenix 5

mckenndk

911 posts

Ultimate Geek

#917643 20-Oct-2013 09:33

I tried moving when I lost my GSII while traveling I bought a HTC Titan which I have to say was an ok phone once you got your head around things like the the facebook intergration etc.
I gave the HTC Titan away when I got the 920 to a person that used a bottom of the range Android phone and he finds it good with the choice of button sizes (Big for ones he uses alot, small for not so used ones etc) and perfers the email app over the Android one.
I have since gone back to android but have a Lumia 920 to play around with.

My Biggest problem with it was the lack of apps that I was use to on Android which is improving every day and a good podcast manager ( have have since found one I like).

I perfer swype for writing text's/emails in Android but after using the Windows Phone for a while it has good prediction on what your next word might be so you are usually clicking words above the keyboard instead of typing them in which was good.

Having a dedicated camera button that works even if the phone is locked is good for getting the quick photo/movie that you might have otherwise missed due to the time it takes to find the app in Andorid.

Maps wise I have used Nokia Maps (Now Here Maps) since the N95 and they are alot better than they use to be but still lack alot of the location information that the likes of Google maps has but you probably won't end up on an airport runway like Apple Maps.
If you find a street/business etc missing you can fill in the details and they will mail you out a post card with a confirmation number which you put in on their website to confirm the address exists (It took about a month for the postcard to show up).

psychrn

1603 posts

Uber Geek

ID Verified

Trusted

#917644 20-Oct-2013 09:33

Im a recent convert to WM phone 8 ( Lumia 1020)
Over the years Ive come from Symbian- WM6-iOS-Android-WM Phone 8 so Ive tried I think all of the Phone environments.
It was really only a small learning curve to switch this time. Probably helped that I use a Windows 8 Desktop PC.

The smaller market place has not really bothered me. Most of the apps I used I was able to get.
The social integration is excellent as people have said.
The phones are solidly made. I was attracted by the camera on the Lumia 1020.
The UI is smooth.
Only downside so far for me has been the battery drainage then im a heavy user.

GZMCC. Lenovo Yoga C640. 8 gb Ram and 256Gb SSD, Cam Am Spyder 2016 F3 LTD. GoPro 5 Black, Samsung S22 Ultra, Huawei Watch D. Samsung S6 Lite Tablet, Amateur Radio Callsign ZL1CJH

crackrdbycracku

1168 posts

Uber Geek

#919100 21-Oct-2013 12:25

I moved from Android to Windows Phone 8 (Nokia 720) and I think it is great.

I would sum up the differences by saying that with Android there is probably a way to do anything but you will have to figure it out for yourself and accept any unforseen consequences. With Windows Phone there may not be a way do to certain things, I can't find a free alarm clock app which will use my music as the alarm tone, but what is there will work. It will work first time, it will work everytime and it will work as you expect.

Before you buy check out the way contacts are handled, People. It took me a while to get used to it but now it is one of the reasons my next phone will also be Windows.

Put it this way, I've had the phone six months and that whine about the alarm above is the closest I have come to a complaint.

Didn't anybody tell you I was a hacker?

reven

3743 posts

Uber Geek

Trusted

#919103 21-Oct-2013 12:32

i went from iPhone 4 to Windows HTC 8S to Samsung S3 (s3 is my favourite phone yet).

My issues with WP8 were
- "Other" folder grew to over 2GB and couldnt be cleared. On a 4GB phone with about 1GB for system, this left very little room for apps and I had to delete all my apps to download an update the phone then reinstall my apps. They may have fixed this by now, but I dont think so.
- Apps weren't there, my biggest app I use is the banking app, but you said you can live without that, so personal choice.
- Couldnt install apps on to the SD card, so the cheaper 4GB model phones I wouldnt waste your time with.

What I did love
- Live tiles, amazing, loved my pictures on the homescreen
- Contacts was very nice too, loved the changing contact photos on my homescreen
- Transitions between apps/menu, its a very smooth interface

If you get a 8GB or 16GB and you can live without your banking app, you will probably be happy. I just prefer android now days.

Inphinity

2780 posts

Uber Geek

#919104 21-Oct-2013 12:34

Depends what you're after, really. Windows Phone is pretty nice, but I have not had issues with slowdown on Android, and there's lots of things I do that work on Android but not on Windows Phone (I had an S3 since launch, and now an S4, and have a Lumia 720 for work, which is about 5 months old, if anyones wondering my comparison points).

I'd happily say the WP device is great for someone wanting a reasonably simple phone experience that just works out of the box. But if you want anything outside said box, tough luck.

nakedmolerat

4629 posts

Uber Geek

Trusted

Lifetime subscriber

#919124 21-Oct-2013 12:46

I had Lumia 920 for a short time but I don't really like it despite using it as my ONLY phone for three months. What I don't like about it?

1. Lack of apps (I thought I don't need that many apps but I was wrong)
2. Slow update(s) to fix issues
3. Keyboard (I prefer Swype-type keyboard)
4. No sd card slot
5. I prefer Google maps
6. I personally believe the OS is not yet mature

YMMV

nathan

5695 posts

Uber Geek
Inactive user

#919152 21-Oct-2013 13:06

nakedmolerat: I had Lumia 920 for a short time but I don't really like it despite using it as my ONLY phone for three months. What I don't like about it?

1. Lack of apps (I thought I don't need that many apps but I was wrong)
2. Slow update(s) to fix issues
3. Keyboard (I prefer Swype-type keyboard)
4. No sd card slot
5. I prefer Google maps
6. I personally believe the OS is not yet mature

YMMV

4. buy a WP with an SD card slot, the 920 doesn't have one
5. there are several Google Maps apps in the Store

1 | 2 | 3 | 4