So, who else got a WP7 phone?

[Deeko]

The lack of Zune functionality compared to a Zune HD is disturbing. Why can I share my current song to facebook on my Zune HD, but not on my Facebook integrated phone? I don't understand why they could take all the Zune HD functionality and put it in this phone. Also, offering to sell me music for cash as the default, when I have a Zune pass, is really annoying. I have to long press and select "download."

Like other parts of the OS, I'm sure whatever is missing will be added later. I'm particularly sad about the lack of SmartDJ, I hope they get on that soon.

 

[MrX8503]

I wish notification LEDs were more robust on smartphones.

I have an iPhone4 and it has no notification LED. As smartphones become a bigger part of our lives, I see this as something kinda important. My phone vibrates and I dunno if its an SMS, Email, Facebook, Calendar Event, etc.

 

[vhx]

Questions.
Is there no custom ringtone support?

Anyone know if the apps will be tightly controlled like Apple or more like Android?

 

[SLCentral]

I wish notification LEDs were more robust on smartphones.

I have an iPhone4 and it has no notification LED. As smartphones become a bigger part of our lives, I see this as something kinda important. My phone vibrates and I dunno if its an SMS, Email, Facebook, Calendar Event, etc.

This. I am considering returning the Focus solely because of a lack of a notification LED. This is my biggest gripe with the iPhone and I can't believe I'm actually using a phone without one now.

 

[vshah]

notification leds is one of my favorite features of my nexus. the trackball has an rgb led and can glow any color you ask it to. cyanogenmod lets you customize the glow for every different app that performs notifications. i have it set to the following:

green: gmail
white: google talk
cyan: google voice
blue: text message
orange: calendar event
red: missed call
yellow: my turn in wordfeud

 

[Deeko]

I wish notification LEDs were more robust on smartphones.

I have an iPhone4 and it has no notification LED. As smartphones become a bigger part of our lives, I see this as something kinda important. My phone vibrates and I dunno if its an SMS, Email, Facebook, Calendar Event, etc.

It seems like a curious thing to lack. Maybe they said "Well, Apple doesn't have it, so why should we?" That doesn't mean it isn't a useful feature. Its also gotta be very easy to implement.

To me, its not a deal breaker, but its definitely annoying.

 

[Andrmgic]

That was a gripe of mine with my samsung vibrant as well.. no notification LED.

My HD7 has an LED.. but I don't think it gets used for notifications.

 

[Deeko]

That was a gripe of mine with my samsung vibrant as well.. no notification LED.

My HD7 has an LED.. but I don't think it gets used for notifications.

At least that opens it up to be added in the future in a software upgrade. In a phone like the Samsung Focus where the LED is entirely absent, that's not possible.

 

[Crono]

I'm waiting on the Dell Venue Pro (aka "Lightning") to show up at the Dell store (Nov 15th if I am not mistaken).

I've been using a Kin One for the past few months and I've been looking forward to getting a WP7.

 

[Nebor]

I've been using a Kin One for the past ferw months

So you're that guy!

 

[MrX8503]

notification leds is one of my favorite features of my nexus. the trackball has an rgb led and can glow any color you ask it to. cyanogenmod lets you customize the glow for every different app that performs notifications. i have it set to the following:

green: gmail
white: google talk
cyan: google voice
blue: text message
orange: calendar event
red: missed call
yellow: my turn in wordfeud

Thats pretty slick.

Notification LED isn't a deal breaker for me, otherwise I wouldn't own an iPhone, but I would find it very useful if my phone had one.

I'm sure Apple wouldn't want to muddy up their design with an led, but they could just easily add a small one in the ear peace behind the grill.

 

[Crono]

So you're that guy!

Yep.

The rest of the 9,000 or so Kins I believe are in some stockroom in Alaska. I have the sole functioning Kin...

Anyway, I'm trying hard to not pull the trigger and order the Samsung Focus. Looking forward to getting the Venue Pro.

 

[fluffedup]

I bought a Focus on Monday, and I really like it so far (though, I'm not sure anyone would dislike a product they've just bought which involves not only its upfront cost, but a contract to send another company ~$100 each month for 2 whole years)...

I'm coming from a decidedly not-smartphone, so the lack of multi-tasking and cut/copy/paste really hasn't been an issue. Maybe whenever those features are added I'll wonder how I ever functioned without them, but until then, it's OK with the only real hassle being the slight delay in opening up applications which "I just had open a minute ago."

I was in the market for a Windows Phone 7 device based on the strength of the ZuneHD "pivot" (Metro, I guess) interface, and I think it works well, especially when application developers conform to this design style (IMDB works and looks ideally), but I wish they had included more of the ZuneHD features in the Music/Video section of the phone interface.
1) the double-column home screen from the ZuneHD is sorely missing (though I understand it doesn't really fit in with pivot interface of pretty much everything else on the phone, but it's nice to have history, new, and favorites one tap away from the main menu without needing to swipe. It would be out-of-place with respect to the rest of the interface, but it's one of the "smartest" features on the ZuneHD.
2) Artist artwork seems dodgy. Sometimes the phone gets it, other times it doesn't. It seems like the ZuneHD gets the artist artwork during sync, while the phone pulls it from WiFi/cellular the first time a track by the specific artist is played. The artist "wallpaper" in the music player is one of the classiest features of the ZuneHD and WP7 music players, and I die a little inside when I get the solid black background. Well, it's not that big a deal, but still...
3) Smart DJ
4) Different conversion rules for syncing video -- not sure about this one without doing additional testing, but most .avi files containing XviD video and mp3 audio were a simple "transfer" to the ZuneHD when syncing. The Zune software does a "convert then transfer" when sending them to the phone. Not the biggest thing, but quicker is always better. I need to do more testing before reaching a full conclusion on this one. (for those wondering, the temp file it finally transferred was WMV video and WMA audio, as to be expected)

Aside from the media player, I've run into two hiccups and one ergonomic decision I don't agree with ...
1) How do I turn off the camera sounds? I've looked throughout the settings and found nothing. Am I missing something?
2) I need to buy a 3rd party application to crop and rotate pictures? The applications are low priced ($0.99 or 1.99) so that's not the issue, but they seem like such obvious features that they would have been included by default? Am I missing something here? I think the HTC WP7 devices have additional camera options installed by default - is this what they mean?
3) I'm no fan of the extremely granular volume control for the ringer. 1-30 is nice, but "low—medium-low—medium—medium-high—high" has worked well for every other phone I've ever had. BUT, I do understand I'd want this level of granularity for speaker/headphone playback, and it minimizes duplicate controls for the same core functionality. (though whether "ringer" and "playback" should be considered the same "core functionality" sounds like it could be a contentious debate).

All that said, of course, I really, really like the phone. I've waited since they first announced the operating system (in May?), and it's even gone above my (high) expectations. The negative comments above are unfortunately easier and more fun to elaborate upon than the positive aspects which have already been detailed in most of the professional reviews, including the words "smooth," "fast," "nice to look at," "truly different," etc.

 

[hanoverphist]

Aside from the media player, I've run into two hiccups and one ergonomic decision I don't agree with ...
1) How do I turn off the camera sounds? I've looked throughout the settings and found nothing. Am I missing something?

my samsung phone doesnt have that control either, i just put the volume to vibrate or silent and the camera doesnt click anymore.

2) I need to buy a 3rd party application to crop and rotate pictures?

man, i hope not... the media album in my phone gives me all kinds of edit options, id hate to think they decided to charge for them.

3) I'm no fan of the extremely granular volume control for the ringer. 1-30 is nice, but "low—medium-low—medium—medium-high—high" has worked well for every other phone I've ever had. BUT, I do understand I'd want this level of granularity for speaker/headphone playback, and it minimizes duplicate controls for the same core functionality. (though whether "ringer" and "playback" should be considered the same "core functionality" sounds like it could be a contentious debate).

hell, id love to have more than 5 settings for volume on my player. thats why i dont use the touchplayer from samsung, not enough control over the volume. wmp gives me 5% increments, i like that.

im starting to waver on my hopes of getting a wp7 phone, but im still intrigued by parts of it. thanks to all you beta testers feeding us info!