Anyone been paying attention to the Windows Phone 7 lately?

[lekky]

Sorry, but I use my PC extensively. PCs, in fact, as I've got several: one at the office, one at home for gaming, which is a pretty machine-intensive activity. What with messing around with drivers updates and overclocking, I belong to one of the demographics most susceptible to getting the OS borked. What blue screen? Not seen one for a long, long time.

Vista sucked donkey dicks, but mostly it was a performance problem. Had it on a laptop, hated its guts, but no blue screen either.

You're a lucky one then, I have a 2 desktops at home, 3 laptops and a desktop at work, so I also use PC's quite extensively, and I'll tell you that Windows isn't as stable as you make it out to be (but as i said before i'm excited by winmo 7, and do enjoy my x64 win 7)

 

[grainysand]

No, really, I don't get it. Admittedly, I take some precautions with my machines (noscript, hosts file updated to blacklist ad/malware servers, one malware scanner and a MS Security Essentials). What do people do exactly to crash their OSes constantly and/or necessitate a reinstall?

 

[dmodert66]

Something as simple as installing a bad driver can bluescreen vista/xp. I do support, and I see blue screens all the time. Some are VERY difficult to correct (ie., boot up using disk utilities, etc. Find the directory of the bad file that caused the blue screen and manually delete (all in DOS). Much like you, I rarely get blue screens myself, but for the average user it is a frustrating and common occurrence.

 

[IOWA]

Something as simple as installing a bad driver can bluescreen vista/xp. I do support, and I see blue screens all the time. Some are VERY difficult to correct (ie., boot up using disk utilities, etc. Find the directory of the bad file that caused the blue screen and manually delete (all in DOS). Much like you, I rarely get blue screens myself, but for the average user it is a frustrating and common occurrence.

That doesn't make it the os's fault though... just today I had to hunt down one of those task manger killer virus's on my gfs laptop

 

[dmodert66]

While I *kind of* agree, I also *kind of don't*. We are in a day and age where connecting a new device (and by extension, a driver), should not "break" windows to the point of a BSOD. I can understand a pop up window saying the device can not be installed (or something similar), but to bring the whole OS to a halt due to a driver doesn't seem right to me. Just my opinion though...

**EDIT** To be fair, I have yet to see a BSOD with Win7. Only Vista and prior. Not to say that it doesn't happen, but so far seems to be a much more rare occurrence.

 

[grainysand]

Something as simple as installing a bad driver can bluescreen vista/xp. I do support, and I see blue screens all the time. Some are VERY difficult to correct (ie., boot up using disk utilities, etc. Find the directory of the bad file that caused the blue screen and manually delete (all in DOS). Much like you, I rarely get blue screens myself, but for the average user it is a frustrating and common occurrence.

The thing is that most of the time if you break Windows, it's due to user error. You browse like an idiot and click on links willy-nilly, so you get viruses/malware. You delete system files so it no longer boots up. You overclocked your GPU a bit too much so it overheated. It's like crying that Android is a terrible OS because you rooted, flashed a bad radio and now your device is bricked.

There's a reason I have such contempt for Mac users. They're most of the time tech-illiterate twits who don't know how to use a computer properly, so the only thing they can use is something locked down that doesn't let you tinker with either the OS or the hardware. Which is fine by me; let OS X become the home of idiots much like the iPhone. More geek cred and an excuse to be elitist for me.

 

[clitrenta]

At the risk of getting the troups up in arms, I also RARELY have issues with computers. I've run all manner of MS OS's and currently have Windows 7 at home. I don't do crazy things on it and treat it with respect. Since putting Windows 7 on the thing, I have had 0 issues with it. But then, even when I had Vista on it, I didn't have issues (although I really hated UAC). I still say Windows 7 is what Windows should have been all along (better late than never) and Windows Phone 7 will follow in its steps. I just wish I didn't have to wait until the end of the year to see it because it might really give my Android a run for its money.

 

[saltorio]

I'm definitely no fan of MS. Been trying to get away from them as much as possible for years (getting an X10 will help in that matter alot as I'll no longer need Outlook for syncing my phone contacts and calendar).

However, I'll give credit where it's due. I switched to Vista a little over a year ago, and have only once ever seen a BSOD or had the system lock up, and that was my fault. Vista is beautifully stable, and I hear Win7 is even better.

Still, I'm not at all interested in WP7.

 

[grainysand]

Win7 is really, really much better performance-wise. I highly recommend it if you're eligible for a free upgrade or something similar.

 

[saltorio]

Last May my secondary HD (a 4 month old Seagate) kicked the bucket, taking all my non-backed-up personal files with it. I wasn't too happy.

Once I got the replacement, I decided to swap a few of my HDs around, and as part of that process re-installed Vista and all my software. Pretty much took me my whole birthday week (which I had taken off work).

As such, I'm sticking with Vista for now. I do plan to pick up Windows 7 when I next need/decide to re-install my OS, but I'm in no rush.

 

[grainysand]

Ah, installing Win7 fresh (as opposed to an upgrade) is actually quite smooth! I did it myself not long ago to switch to x64 as you can't just upgrade with that (bawwww) and was surprised at how easy and quick it was.

 

[saltorio]

Ah, installing Win7 fresh (as opposed to an upgrade) is actually quite smooth! I did it myself not long ago to switch to x64 as you can't just upgrade with that (bawwww) and was surprised at how easy and quick it was.

I know it'll go quickly, especially as I won't need to go through the process of the service packs and all the updates as with Vista (though last time I was smart and imaged my OS with all my software onto a spare HD). The slow part is installing all my software afterwards.

Anywho, back to the subject at hand:

With all the 'announcements' regarding WP7 this week, it looks even less appealing.

• No multitasking.
• No copy/paste (...uhh ...WTF ...didn't they learn from Apple).
• No memory card support.
• Apps only available through their app store.

I think there were a few others, but with all the Android and WP7 announcements I've forgotten.

Sounds like they're copying the iPhone formula (screw-ups and all) right down to the letter. Why not just buy an iPhone.

Dumb. Dumb. Dumb.

 

[Caloy]

I would suggest a fresh install vs upgrading. It would take a lot more effort doing so, as you have to Back-up all your important files, formatting your HDD, Installing your new OS (In this case Win7). Installing the required drivers, restoring your backed-up files and documents then installing your programs/software. But at least you're not carrying any junk you don't need from the previous state. It's like an efficient way of spring cleaning your computer while you upgrade to Win7.

 

[grainysand]

Sounds like they're copying the iPhone formula (screw-ups and all) right down to the letter. Why not just buy an iPhone.

Dumb. Dumb. Dumb.

I read. Seems amazingly bizarre for them to copy-paste (ha) Apple's formula word to word.

 

[IOWA]

I personally hope these are false facts.. but no one knows. Bgr engagdet and the like are dead wrong quite often

 

[saltorio]

I personally hope these are false facts.. but no one knows. Bgr engagdet and the like are dead wrong quite often

Well, most of this info is quoted directly from MS at their own developer conference. It's not like these are rumors or comments by "unnamed MS sources". That's why I tend to believe them.

With that said, WP7 is 8 months away, and alot can change between now and then (especially on the software side where release features can be changed right up to the last minute).

Time will tell.

 

[IOWA]

Well, most of this info is quoted directly from MS at their own developer conference. It's not like these are rumors or comments by "unnamed MS sources". That's why I tend to believe them.

With that said, WP7 is 8 months away, and alot can change between now and then (especially on the software side where release features can be changed right up to the last minute).

Time will tell.

My thought is (trying to be logical) ms is trying to feel out john q. Public with these announcements. Hopefully they are getting the message. You know what would be a good idea? A toggle switch. To go inbetween full blown mt mode, and iphone simpleton mode. Best of both worlds, truely appealing to everyone.

 

[saltorio]

That's what I figured too. Though the Copy/Paste decision is dumb any way you look at it.

A "simple mode" switch would be great. But in the end I don't see features like memory expansion and software downloads away from the app store as detracting from the ability of basic users to use the phone.

On something like Andoid, people can live off the Andoid Market without ever downloading and installing apps from 3rd parties, and can completely ignore the expansion card slot if the phone comes with a decent amount of onboard memory.

I hate consoles, and a closed system like the iPhone or what MS is proposing are essentially mobile consoles. With more and more dumbphones coming with the ability to install java apps and widgets, the iPhone looks more and more like one of them and less like a 'smartphone' to me. Unless things change, WP7 will be lumped into that boat too.

 

[IOWA]

That's what I figured too. Though the Copy/Paste decision is dumb any way you look at it.

A "simple mode" switch would be great. But in the end I don't see features like memory expansion and software downloads away from the app store as detracting from the ability of basic users to use the phone.

On something like Andoid, people can live off the Andoid Market without ever downloading and installing apps from 3rd parties, and can completely ignore the expansion card slot if the phone comes with a decent amount of onboard memory.

I hate consoles, and a closed system like the iPhone or what MS is proposing are essentially mobile consoles. With more and more dumbphones coming with the ability to install java apps and widgets, the iPhone looks more and more like one of them and less like a 'smartphone' to me. Unless things change, WP7 will be lumped into that boat too.

Agreed. Expandable memory is a must for me though... and so are 3rd party apps. I really hope wm7 doesn't do this....

 

[gogol]

I did followed all the news about WP7, watched their MIX10 recorded sessions/keynotes.

And that was the reason I ordered HTC Desire!

I was hoping it turned good, but apart from hubs and Xbox integration, there is nothing else good.

Jump ship to Android now from WM6. Cant wait till April!

 

[lekky]

No copy and paste? I use this every day..

 

[grainysand]

According to Microsoft, people "don't really use it" anyway. Yeah okay then.

 

[Fonseca]

Copy and paste is coming in an update after launch. I guess they figured that it was dumb not to implement it.

 

[IOWA]

if there was one thing winmo had everyone beat at it was copy and paste. you could anywhere and paste anywhere. they need to improve on androids copy and paste.

 

[gogol]

Whats wrong / need to be improved on Android copy paste?

if there was one thing winmo had everyone beat at it was copy and paste. you could anywhere and paste anywhere. they need to improve on androids copy and paste.