Windows Phone 8 Summit

Dangelus · June 20, 2012, 12:45:11 PM

Watched the whole thing today, very impressive. This and with all the Surface announcements the future is looking pretty bright at Microsoft.

I may turn to the light side for my next smartphone! :)

http://www.engadget.com/2012/06/20/microsoft-introduces-windows-phone-8/?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+weblogsinc%2Fengadget+(Engadget)

KingIsaacLinksr · June 20, 2012, 05:45:50 PM

The only way I'll move platforms is if that platform has better apps and better support for said apps. So...we shall see.

King

Dangelus · June 20, 2012, 06:04:21 PM

Ideally is prefer a native Linux device but it would be nice to purge Apple once and for all. I can't afford to live in their ecosystem and the experience is much better when you go the whole hog with them.

KingIsaacLinksr · June 20, 2012, 06:06:55 PM

Quote from: Dangelus on June 20, 2012, 06:04:21 PM
Ideally is prefer a native Linux device but it would be nice to purge Apple once and for all. I can't afford to live in their ecosystem and the experience is much better when you go the whole hog with them.

Problem with Linux is lack of support...maybe that'll change but yeah.

Although really, its expensive to be in anyone's ecosystem, MS by all appearances won't likely change that anytime soon. Just buying Windows OS 8 is looking to be spendy.

King

Dangelus · June 20, 2012, 06:57:16 PM

Quote from: KingIsaacLinksr on June 20, 2012, 06:06:55 PM
Quote from: Dangelus on June 20, 2012, 06:04:21 PM
Ideally is prefer a native Linux device but it would be nice to purge Apple once and for all. I can't afford to live in their ecosystem and the experience is much better when you go the whole hog with them.

Problem with Linux is lack of support...maybe that'll change but yeah.

Although really, its expensive to be in anyone's ecosystem, MS by all appearances won't likely change that anytime soon. Just buying Windows OS 8 is looking to be spendy.

King

Well Linux actually has tons of support from a development point of view. Its worked on my thousands of community developers across the world every day. Android is built on Linux and Linux runs millions of consumer electronic devices. Many countries run Linux on official government systems and also in education. Heck parts of the US military have adopted it and they've even commissioned drones that are Linux controlled.

In terms of cost PC hardware is cheaper than Mac hardware and there is much more diversity and independence for the consumer. If I want a laptop there are a handful of Mac options and at least a few hundred PC options.

There is no doubt about it, the best quality tablet device at the moment is an iPad. It isn't the most flexible device but nothing comes close to it's build and stability. Again though there is only a handful of choices when it comes to an iPad. If Windows 8 succeeds in the mobile / tablet space there will be plenty of choice, some at the lower end of the market too. It's exciting times.

I got an iPad because I wanted a tablet device but I'd ditch it tomorrow if I could. I'd rather have a tablet PC that was a lot more open. It's crazy that I have to Jailbreak my ipad just to have the ability to email any type of file as an attachment direct from the mail app for example.

You're right about the apps, support I don't think will be an issue. Microsoft are pushing and doing a lot to promote Metro app development, it's in their interest. Diversity and choice of apps will be the key. There are over 100,000 apps in the Windows Phone store right now. Yes there are millions in the iOS store but I bet you couldn't name 100 apps that you use religiously. There needs to be a balance of quality and quantity.

From the presentation I saw today they have some great things planned for Windows Phone 8. Of course it's not going to come close to iOS or Android popularity any time soon but I'd take a strong third choice. :)

Bryancd · June 20, 2012, 07:50:30 PM

Aps are the name of the game right now. Without them, they can't compete. The reason iOS is 60% of the mobile market isn't that it's so much better then Android or Windows. And the phones are pretty ubiquitous. It's the pas the keeps Apple in the lead and it will be a massive challenge to overcome that advantage. Certainly not in the near term.

Dangelus · June 20, 2012, 09:32:55 PM

Quote from: Bryancd on June 20, 2012, 07:50:30 PM
Aps are the name of the game right now. Without them, they can't compete. The reason iOS is 60% of the mobile market isn't that it's so much better then Android or Windows. And the phones are pretty ubiquitous. It's the pas the keeps Apple in the lead and it will be a massive challenge to overcome that advantage. Certainly not in the near term.

Don't think they are even aiming to grab significant market share but it's great to have an alternative. They have the majority of the "essential" apps and Words With Friends is coming soon ;)

KingIsaacLinksr · June 20, 2012, 10:12:00 PM

Quote from: Dangelus on June 20, 2012, 09:32:55 PM
Quote from: Bryancd on June 20, 2012, 07:50:30 PM
Aps are the name of the game right now. Without them, they can't compete. The reason iOS is 60% of the mobile market isn't that it's so much better then Android or Windows. And the phones are pretty ubiquitous. It's the pas the keeps Apple in the lead and it will be a massive challenge to overcome that advantage. Certainly not in the near term.

Don't think they are even aiming to grab significant market share but it's great to have an alternative. They have the majority of the "essential" apps and Words With Friends is coming soon ;)

What do you mean "essential" apps?

While your right, the number of actually good Apple apps is up for debate. But the same could be said for the 100,000 window phone apps. How many of those are actually not farting apps? Or other pointless apps just thrown in to make a quick buck. That number irritates me everytime Apple or Microsoft state it and I wish there was actually a number for apps that were good. If there truly was 200,000+ iPad apps that are well designed, why does my iPad only have a 84 of them? (And being broke has nothing to do with it ;))

Linux might have a ton of development support, but for me there isn't much to make me want to move to Linux other than to play around in the OS. Game support is worse than Mac and Mac isn't exactly great on videogames, though that looks to possibly change with Gamecenter and Apple's push in that regard. I would like Linux to become a third-strong contender, but as it is now its not much, yet.

In any case, its as I said. You want me to move over to Windows or Droid? Have the apps that make me want to move over to it. I am not strictly bound to Apple, especially as we're starting to see quality tablets and phones coming out. But for me, its apps that keep me opening and enjoying my devices :). (Though...lately gaming on iOS is starting to piss me off as it feels like nothing but a freemium scamming wasteland right now...and I'm afraid we'll see the same thing happen to Windows Phone in due course if it hasn't happened already)

King

Dangelus · June 21, 2012, 12:30:37 AM

This thread is getting a little broad but:

Apps on a phone, what I was saying is similar to what you at saying. Having millions of apps is all well and good but how many of those do you use day to day? I can count them on two hands probably. You probably haveva bigger list than me but I think all 3 of the platforms we have been discussing pretty much cover all the bases when it comes to the everyday user. Essential apps to me are what the average consumer would need. Mail, Facebook, Twitter, web browser, some sort of message app, Skype, photo apps, etc.

Linux game support has come along way in the last few years. Loads of current games work pretty well in WINE. You can play WoW and even Diablo 3 is working. Steam even works via WINE although a native Linux Steam app is on the way also. Ubuntu have recently done a deal with your favourite software house EA ;) and they have some of their titles in the Ubuntu software centre.

I've been a Linux user for many years so I am bias but you can't beat the catalog of free software available on the platform. A lot of it is of the quality of commercial software. It s a niche OS though, most people who use don't even know it because it's buried in their devices or it's running most of the servers on the Internet.

QuadShot · June 21, 2012, 07:27:32 AM

Dan, you don't "HAVE" to jailbrake your iPad...you CHOOSE to do something unethical.

KingIsaacLinksr · June 21, 2012, 08:56:53 AM

Quote from: QuadShot on June 21, 2012, 07:27:32 AM
Dan, you don't "HAVE" to jailbrake your iPad...you CHOOSE to do something unethical.

Umm....what? According to US legislation, we are legally allowed to jailbreak our iPad/iPhone. Don't ask me to quote which law, but I know we can as Apple made a big fuss about it until the courts decided it was ok.

King

QuadShot · June 21, 2012, 09:00:00 AM

King, so flipping what? My POINT is that he said he HAD to jailbrake his iPad. But there is a difference between HAVE and CHOOSE. Surprised they didn't teach you that in college. And it's not like it's a big surprise about the possible limitations Apple devices may have. So why the flip would someone buy something, especially spending quite a bit of money on it, KNOWING it won't do what you want?????

KingIsaacLinksr · June 21, 2012, 09:30:30 AM

Quote from: QuadShot on June 21, 2012, 09:00:00 AM
King, so flipping what? My POINT is that he said he HAD to jailbrake his iPad. But there is a difference between HAVE and CHOOSE. Surprised they didn't teach you that in college. And it's not like it's a big surprise about the possible limitations Apple devices may have. So why the flip would someone buy something, especially spending quite a bit of money on it, KNOWING it won't do what you want?????

My question is why you say its unethical. As it really isn't unethical to jailbreak/root devices.

King

Dangelus · June 21, 2012, 09:37:12 AM

Oh man.

I HAD to jailbreak the iPad to get the functionality I wanted and I CHOSE to do it. There you go. Every device has limitations and part of the fun for me at least is pushing those boundaries.

Without this mindset we wouldn't get most of the innovation we have, especially in the computing world. You wouldn't be holding a shiny iPad in your hand if not for this attitude and your TiVo or whatever set top box you got that runs LINUX wouldn't exist. :)

What a world it would be if we just accepted what we were given and told that's all you can do with it eh?

And yes I knew iPads were limited but they are simply have the best build and best software selection of any device available (at the moment) and that's why I went for one. When it gets superseded I'll weigh up my options.

Bryancd · June 21, 2012, 10:01:05 AM

Love a good dust up! :) Out of curiosity and ignorance about the term, jailbreaking means taking a device and installing software other then what it came with to do functions it wasn't designed to do, is that correct?