Hi I consider buying HD7, I am owning HTC HD2 now, cld u answer my questions pls.
how is HD7 compared to HT2
- Call recording - can some1 test VITO Audio Notes 1.38, does it record both sides?
- Battery Live - HD2 must be charged every day
- playing avi and other formats - no problem at all with HD2 (useing TCPMP)
- email - HD2 can record only on phones memory, so I use Profimail which is much better then original one.
- any navigation? garmin and iGo 8 works perfect on HD2
- is Cookie working on HD7?
- Facebook? working properly?
- Myspace? (not working on HD2)
- Word? (full version?)
- any English dictionares?
Thank you!
I came from a HD2
If i you are a gadget freek and like to play with new things, then go for it. But if you want something that can do everything and not parts then stick with the HD2.
I wish i had waited until things pick up a bit before jumping ship, i would say wp7 isnt ready yet. Ok the basics work but thats about it.
I think your expectations aren't quite right.. Windows Mobile 6.5 apps won't work under WP7. Nevertheless, my thoughts:
- Call recording - can some1 test VITO Audio Notes 1.38, does it record both sides?
Can't find this in the WP7 marketplace
- Battery Live - HD2 must be charged every day
For me, that's true with the HD7, although I've only had it 2 days, and battery life tends to get better after a week or so.
- playing avi and other formats - no problem at all with HD2 (useing TCPMP)
I've not had any problems aside from FLAC so far, but it's probably only a matter of time before apps are out which can play more formats.
- email - HD2 can record only on phones memory, so I use Profimail which is much better then original one.
I've not seen any email apps. I'm happier with the defailt WP7 email experience, compared that that on WM6.5
- any navigation? garmin and iGo 8 works perfect on HD2
Nothing in the marketplace yet, although Bing maps does support rudimentary navigation -- not turn-by-turn though.
- is Cookie working on HD7?
No, and it won't - MS have blocked any changes to the main interface.
- Facebook? working properly?
The Facebook app is one of the most impressive ones I've seen on WP7 to date.
- Myspace? (not working on HD2)
Can't see a myspace app, although the web browser is pretty impressive. I don't use myspace myself, so can't comment on how the website appears.
- Word? (full version?)
There's a Word app -- it'll read pretty much anything you throw at it, but if you start from scratch, it's just a glorified notepad, to be honest.
- any English dictionares?
The SMS app and Word will autocorrect, and underline mistakes.
Thank you guys. I will wait then a month or so, if there is still a lack of applications I will get Nokia E7.
Has anything changed after a month?
Ive still got my HTC HD2, had N8 for a week but it was a crap, considerind HD7
Pls answer the question from post nr1
Cheers
I wish I could change. I already sold my HD2. I really am regretting it. I'm tired of people saying it a brand new OS and give it some time. I think MS sold a barebones OS just to follow the Apple business model. Meaning only add things if the masses demand it.
I still believe in Windows mobile compared to Windows Phone. i think WM was and is still way ahead of it's time. Windows Mobile was MS vision of bringing or taking the PC Mobile; multi tasking and all.
However we live in an AOL Walled garden world which works. People really don't like options. They do want things to work but just don't like to choose. I'm ranting I know but WP7 seems to always get me ranting these days.
I'll hang with MS on this one. I know they're in for the long haul but things really aren't looking good.
alabij said:
I wish I could change. I already sold my HD2. I really am regretting it. I'm tired of people saying it a brand new OS and give it some time. I think MS sold a barebones OS just to follow the Apple business model. Meaning only add things if the masses demand it.
I still believe in Windows mobile compared to Windows Phone. i think WM was and is still way ahead of it's time. Windows Mobile was MS vision of bringing or taking the PC Mobile; multi tasking and all.
However we live in an AOL Walled garden world which works. People really don't like options. They do want things to work but just don't like to choose. I'm ranting I know but WP7 seems to always get me ranting these days.
I'll hang with MS on this one. I know they're in for the long haul but things really aren't looking good.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I agree, bare bone or not, there is many basic functions which are missing.
To me it seems like they released it unfinished. Or for 12 year old girls who want to keep up with face book, i mean look at the color options for the tiles?
Not one male color.
Also I get the whole live tiles, but how different are they from apps. only diff is they are bigger then ur avg app icon ( negative feature ) , and they update, whoopty do, u can set software to display updates on the app icon on any of the OS we see now ( if the developers wanted to), but things like alarm or that I have a new message, I dont need a huge tile to tell me, I have to scroll down twice to see if my alarm is set cause my phone, contacts, sms, and 4 email account tiles ( cause u cant view all 4 from one area, you have to have them separate) are all in the way.
The old small tile bar up top of the screen which told you your signal strength, network, battery and a little alarm bell, was very effective, first rule of good business, dont change what works.
But great features like assignable favs from phone book to access are missing
Im ranting to, and I'm ranting cause if they think this OS is what ppl want then they need to fire their R&D
I know I know its new, its in development, when some one tells me something is new and in development I think of a door way to a building, it opens, it closes, it has a door handle, a lock with a key access, hinges, screws, paint, glass, sealed and their working on the art on the glass and adding thumb print access.
OS 7: they gave us a piece of wood with some glass, some slippery stuff to make it very smooth and said "hold on the hinges will be here in a month". but feel free to stare at the ppl tile as your friends faces rotate on them and tell u when little jimmy is updating his face book status cause he went poop.
Sorry guys just expected more, I know read the past its been talked about, well i have not read it, I though it would be an upgrade from HD2 6.5, instead we went back wards.
They just made it more slick, so slick its empty.
Fair enough, it's not for you, but I would totally disagree about it being a step back.
I think they've got a real winner on their hands. Android is already out there for people who want to tweak to their hearts content, have access to the entire OS, and have a slightly unstable phone as a result.
MS have instead produced a focussed, useable platform that does what it says it will. It provides functionality within one or two presses of the screen, it all integrates very nicely and hangs together well. It's easy and intuitive to navigate, and it VERSION 1!!!
This expectation that a brand new, from the ground up, piece of software will be fully featured and working perfectly is utterly unrealistic. Name me one piece of software that has EVER met those criteria?!?!
In fairness to MS, they have taken the decision to release what works, rather than throw in a few extra features that need a couple more months development and will be buggy and generally drag the whole experience down. They have stated that there will be regular updates, and we have no reason to think that they won't be true to their word. As long as they keep to that, and fill in the functionality then they will have a great OS on their hands.
For those complaining that it doesn't do what WM did, it's not meant to - hence why it's called windows phone rather than mobile - it's not meant to be a pocket PC anymore. Also, MS have said that they will be aiming to make the phone more business friendly with future releases next year - right now it's not intended to be a business machine, that's why WM6.5 hasn't been scrapped.
Personally, as much as I love android, I quickly got bored of it - it tries to be all things to all people, and suffers as a result. It's still a great OS, but it's not what I want. I've been following the development of WP7 for a long time, and had a few chances to play with it at MS events, and it really is fantastic. We all knew it didn't have cut and paste, we all knew it doesn't multi-task, so why oh why do people buy it and then complain about these missing features - it's like buying a bike, then complaining that it's got two wheels missing?!?!
WP7 does what it does very well, it's that simple.
rob_p said:
Fair enough, it's not for you, but I would totally disagree about it being a step back.
I think they've got a real winner on their hands. Android is already out there for people who want to tweak to their hearts content, have access to the entire OS, and have a slightly unstable phone as a result.
MS have instead produced a focussed, useable platform that does what it says it will. It provides functionality within one or two presses of the screen, it all integrates very nicely and hangs together well. It's easy and intuitive to navigate, and it VERSION 1!!!
This expectation that a brand new, from the ground up, piece of software will be fully featured and working perfectly is utterly unrealistic. Name me one piece of software that has EVER met those criteria?!?!
In fairness to MS, they have taken the decision to release what works, rather than throw in a few extra features that need a couple more months development and will be buggy and generally drag the whole experience down. They have stated that there will be regular updates, and we have no reason to think that they won't be true to their word. As long as they keep to that, and fill in the functionality then they will have a great OS on their hands.
For those complaining that it doesn't do what WM did, it's not meant to - hence why it's called windows phone rather than mobile - it's not meant to be a pocket PC anymore. Also, MS have said that they will be aiming to make the phone more business friendly with future releases next year - right now it's not intended to be a business machine, that's why WM6.5 hasn't been scrapped.
Personally, as much as I love android, I quickly got bored of it - it tries to be all things to all people, and suffers as a result. It's still a great OS, but it's not what I want. I've been following the development of WP7 for a long time, and had a few chances to play with it at MS events, and it really is fantastic. We all knew it didn't have cut and paste, we all knew it doesn't multi-task, so why oh why do people buy it and then complain about these missing features - it's like buying a bike, then complaining that it's got two wheels missing?!?!
WP7 does what it does very well, it's that simple.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Thats the problem, we all didnt know, not all of us have been following this thing all this time or its development nor have the time to, but there is basic features which are expected in any phone to have in 2010 era.
Im sorry but not having cut and past on a phone which is all about media is rediculas, it should be part of the code, and its not complicated code, they know how to do it, but if you notice, there is an app out there you can buy that will do it for you. Hence, Microsoft has decided to bank on the app market vs the phone OS sales by giving us nothing and charging us for what we want.
What I predict in the upcoming updates? very basic things, everthing else that we want, that should be part of the basic OS will be available to buy, I dont blame them, it makes perfect sense.
For example, I over slept today, since there is only one setting for volume, I set my phone on vibrate over night so that if I have that one client who just cant wait till 9am to talk to me and calls at 6:30 i dont get woken up, but since the alerm sound is now not working, i sleep right through my 7:30 am alarm.
So the general person would say but no one else needs that, put it ringer on ring, cause most of us wont get calls at 6am right. Say you want to take a mid day nap cause ur head still pounding from going out the previous night, you need your alarm to wake u up but when that girl you chilled with last night calls you five times cause she is emotionaly unstable you dont want to hear it. How would you set that up?
Every phone since, hell 2002 I have seen have the ability to set different ring type and volume on alarm then the master one.
Thats a simple basic feature.
Things like that is what botheres me about this phone, like they forgot to put it in as they rushed it out the door for the holiday season so they can sell them for xmas
@Rysksy
Give it up dude- copy and paste will be in Jan update, along with other stuff. God knows what you did with the alarm but my WP7 phone is set to vibrate for calls and texts and full volume for music/ alarms etc. Press the volume key and you'll see how to do it.
Fair enough to complain about valid concerns, but the comments you are making sound like you haven't actually got one and would just like to have a moan about things which are either well documented and will soon be fixed, or aren't in fact an issue. If you loathe it so much why not sell it (if indeed you do own one), and buy a HD2 again with cash left over?
monkeybutler365 said:
@Rysksy
Give it up dude- copy and paste will be in Jan update, along with other stuff. God knows what you did with the alarm but my WP7 phone is set to vibrate for calls and texts and full volume for music/ alarms etc. Press the volume key and you'll see how to do it.
Fair enough to complain about valid concerns, but the comments you are making sound like you haven't actually got one and would just like to have a moan about things which are either well documented and will soon be fixed, or aren't in fact an issue. If you loathe it so much why not sell it (if indeed you do own one), and buy a HD2 again with cash left over?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I have the HD2 and the HD7, money is not the issue, id spendn 800$ on the N8 or E7 if I could test it before I got it, just no Nokia dealers in my city.
There is not many alarm settings, and when u press the volume key, your options is to either tune the level of ring up or down, or press in top right corner to go to ring or vibrate, there is no profile selection.
When I set my phone to vibrate, the alarm does not sound, it goes off, in a nice vibrating kind of way, but not sound. That is a bit frustrating, for the fact that some times I need to have alarm wake me up but not my calls or messages, dont have that kind of a setting, heck no setting to keep media volume separte from ringer volume, same problem HD2 had to, if I want to watch a movie I turn the volume up in hte movie, then I get a call and it blares at full volume. Those should be independent of each other.
I am not bitter, I just feel that we were given a half finish OS, lots of promises and not much delivered, but they are capitalizing on us buying things from the market to temp fix what we need. And having to wait for update, they know that most of us have 14 days from the time we buy to return, so they set the new release way out, so that every one is stuck with phone if they dont like it, maximize profits for the holidays, very smart of them.
If i was a car maker, i would not put a car on the market, and say " hold on doors coming soon"
Thats all I am saying
Wait a sec....
rysky007 said:
I have the HD2 and the HD7, money is not the issue, id spendn 800$ on the N8 or E7 if I could test it before I got it, just no Nokia dealers in my city.
There is not many alarm settings, and when u press the volume key, your options is to either tune the level of ring up or down, or press in top right corner to go to ring or vibrate, there is no profile selection.
When I set my phone to vibrate, the alarm does not sound, it goes off, in a nice vibrating kind of way, but not sound. That is a bit frustrating, for the fact that some times I need to have alarm wake me up but not my calls or messages, dont have that kind of a setting, heck no setting to keep media volume separte from ringer volume, same problem HD2 had to, if I want to watch a movie I turn the volume up in hte movie, then I get a call and it blares at full volume. Those should be independent of each other.
I am not bitter, I just feel that we were given a half finish OS, lots of promises and not much delivered, but they are capitalizing on us buying things from the market to temp fix what we need. And having to wait for update, they know that most of us have 14 days from the time we buy to return, so they set the new release way out, so that every one is stuck with phone if they dont like it, maximize profits for the holidays, very smart of them.
If i was a car maker, i would not put a car on the market, and say " hold on doors coming soon"
Thats all I am saying
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I am a phone whore and have used just about every mobile platform available and many many many phone devices as well.
I currently have a Samsung Vibrant, HD2 and HD7 and here's my take.
This is not the first phone to come out unfinished and it probably won't be the last. All versions of Apples Mobile OS to this very day have been released with some major feature missing or a ton of bugs. This is really nothing new.
I've been using Android since the G1 and I can remember when many people scoffed at the platform. No one is laughing at Android now.
My HD2 is a pretty phone with a ****ty OS and I hacked and flashed custom ROMs on that thing from day one. My Android devices (all of them) though awesome, have also been customized, Rooted and flashed with all kinds of ROMs. When I used iPhones, I jailbroke them all. Heck, even my iPad is jailbroken right now.
There is no level playing field and there certainly is no perfect phone.
These things take time.
Now granted, some things in Windows phone should probably have been added from jump, e.g. Cut & Paste, but we all know that's coming sooner rather than later.
Regardless, this is a very polished platform that obviously has a lot of room for growth and amazing potential.
The question is can you be patient enough to wait a few weeks/months, or are you going to keep kvetching over the situation?
Once you answer that question, I'm pretty sure your next step will become clear to you
HD7 Really?
So, I got a HD2. . . It has been a decent phone for a few weeks(I got way fed up with my 3G iPhone and found a straight across trade).
It's the usual WMO OS, decent at best. Quite stable, but the menus are just. . . . Well, WMO.
Now, I just ordered the HD7. I called t-mobile and they just wanted to give me this thing. I added a line and renewed a contract and they gave me 2 HD7's for 300 Bucks on some loyalty BS.
So, I went to the T-mobile store to play with it before it got here.
Seriously what gives?
No Background
The tiles look idiotic(the rendering is nice, I guess)
Is there even a file management system?
SPB Shell will not work on it
Can you access the files in a removable storage format?
I guess that about covers it. . . Geez, it's like the iPhone OS in the early days.
rysky007 said:
I have the HD2 and the HD7, money is not the issue, id spendn 800$ on the N8 or E7 if I could test it before I got it, just no Nokia dealers in my city.
There is not many alarm settings, and when u press the volume key, your options is to either tune the level of ring up or down, or press in top right corner to go to ring or vibrate, there is no profile selection.
When I set my phone to vibrate, the alarm does not sound, it goes off, in a nice vibrating kind of way, but not sound. That is a bit frustrating, for the fact that some times I need to have alarm wake me up but not my calls or messages, dont have that kind of a setting, heck no setting to keep media volume separte from ringer volume, same problem HD2 had to, if I want to watch a movie I turn the volume up in hte movie, then I get a call and it blares at full volume. Those should be independent of each other.
I am not bitter, I just feel that we were given a half finish OS, lots of promises and not much delivered, but they are capitalizing on us buying things from the market to temp fix what we need. And having to wait for update, they know that most of us have 14 days from the time we buy to return, so they set the new release way out, so that every one is stuck with phone if they dont like it, maximize profits for the holidays, very smart of them.
If i was a car maker, i would not put a car on the market, and say " hold on doors coming soon"
Thats all I am saying
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
do not know how to google???
Everything you complain about has been covered ad nauseum on the web for MONTHS!!!!
It's not MS's fault you didn't do your homework.
Maybe if you need to put your phone on vibrate when you sleep you should invest in a 10 dollar alarm clock. I've used the same one for over a decade, batteries last about 2 years in it.
If you are within your 2 weeks, I suggest you return the phone.
And FYI, you can adjust the ringer and media volumes separately on the hd2. It's obvious you didn't do your homework on that one either.
samson_420 said:
So, I got a HD2. . . It has been a decent phone for a few weeks(I got way fed up with my 3G iPhone and found a straight across trade).
It's the usual WMO OS, decent at best. Quite stable, but the menus are just. . . . Well, WMO.
Now, I just ordered the HD7. I called t-mobile and they just wanted to give me this thing. I added a line and renewed a contract and they gave me 2 HD7's for 300 Bucks on some loyalty BS.
So, I went to the T-mobile store to play with it before it got here.
Seriously what gives?
No Background
The tiles look idiotic(the rendering is nice, I guess)
Is there even a file management system?
SPB Shell will not work on it
Can you access the files in a removable storage format?
I guess that about covers it. . . Geez, it's like the iPhone OS in the early days.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Once again, a little research before you buy electronics goes a long way.
nrfitchett4 said:
Once again, a little research before you buy electronics goes a long way.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Very true, I got it just because it was cheap. It will most likely be sold due to these issues.
But, come on. . . You can't tell me these issues should not be resolved before a OS is released. Some of these issues are unreasonable.
nrfitchett4 said:
do not know how to google???
Everything you complain about has been covered ad nauseum on the web for MONTHS!!!!
It's not MS's fault you didn't do your homework.
Maybe if you need to put your phone on vibrate when you sleep you should invest in a 10 dollar alarm clock. I've used the same one for over a decade, batteries last about 2 years in it.
If you are within your 2 weeks, I suggest you return the phone.
And FYI, you can adjust the ringer and media volumes separately on the hd2. It's obvious you didn't do your homework on that one either.
Once again, a little research before you buy electronics goes a long way.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Actually I never said that you cannot do it on HD2, thats one of the features I liked on the HD2, so you miss read my statement as I said that since the HD2 had the feature why not HD7.
Im glad that its been covered and beaten up for months on thousands of diff forums. And I will give you the same answer I gave the other person who made that comment. When I buy a car, I dont spend hours on line to research if it comes with brakes and doors. I research if it has a certain adapter or feature, but usually a quick glance to their site or call to dealer can solve that issue.
I dont have time to spend on line reading the thousands of posts.. which i did do a little research about it before I got one, and sorting through the clutter of personal reviews did not answer the question of what it does and does not have.
Especially since many of the posts were, "I took the fuzzy picture the guy took at the private release that was leaked to us and photo shopped it and rendered it 3d view and it looks like there is a small hole for something but I cannot tell what"
Until the product is released and played with, you will never fully know what it does and does not have. Things like cut and paste which many complained about is not a big deal for me. But alarm features, select all, and view multiple email accounts from one place i did not see discussed, why? cause its not important to most avg users who spend hours a day on google or face book,
I run two businesses, time is limited.
^ Yup. . . . So far from what I have seen of this new WMO Phone it is a fail. They really bit the big one on this. The only way I can use this device is if they release a serious update.
I recently had my HD2 stolen, so for the time being, I have had to go back to my old Orbit. I am so jealous of you guys with multiple phones and OSs
Anyway, to get to the point. I was totally in love with my HD2 and am a long time WinMo user and fan. But now I have the chance to look around for a new phone. Sorry, but iPhone doesn't even come into the equation. I have an iPod Touch and that has put me off the whole iOS. So that leaves only Symbian, Android and WP7. And you can kick Symbian off the list as I don't like the look of the OS. So, Android or WP7.
The beauty of the HD2 was that you can run it with Android, so I have already had a lot of use and fun out of that OS. It is smart and polished and with a lot of regular updates to keep it fresh and up to the minute. A serious contender in the replacement market.
My only experience with WP7 is 10 mins playing with it in a T-Mobile shop the other day and from what I have read here and on other sites. As many say, iOS started off the same; bare-bones with room for more as and when the public cry loud enough for it. But those 10 mins playing with it in the shop didn't give me a lot of faith in it. Yes, it's very fluid and slick, but the eco-system is too restrictive, just like the iPhone. And from Microsoft, I expected more... much more. They had 10 years of WinMo experience which in my opinion, they decided to pass up on and follow the Apple route. Copy and paste may not be something everyone uses, but the world scoffed at Apple for not having it until the 3Gs came along. The tiles on the "home" screen are an excellent idea, for a quick glance at what's new, but you could do the same with WinMo with one or two added apps (or just use Titanium, which also told you you had new mails, messages, etc).
In conclusion, I would most likely be replacing my HD2 with a new HD2. OK, WinMo may be old hat and a bit awkward, but with HTCs Sense it runs like a charm. And if I want Android, I can run that too. And who knows, maybe in the not too distant future there will be a WP7 port for it too. The perfect phone for me!
samson_420 said:
Very true, I got it just because it was cheap. It will most likely be sold due to these issues.
But, come on. . . You can't tell me these issues should not be resolved before a OS is released. Some of these issues are unreasonable.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I and most other users don't find anything "unreasonable" missing. It makes calls, texts, emails, plays music, videos, games, has office integration.
rysky007 said:
Actually I never said that you cannot do it on HD2, thats one of the features I liked on the HD2, so you miss read my statement as I said that since the HD2 had the feature why not HD7.
Im glad that its been covered and beaten up for months on thousands of diff forums. And I will give you the same answer I gave the other person who made that comment. When I buy a car, I dont spend hours on line to research if it comes with brakes and doors. I research if it has a certain adapter or feature, but usually a quick glance to their site or call to dealer can solve that issue.
I dont have time to spend on line reading the thousands of posts.. which i did do a little research about it before I got one, and sorting through the clutter of personal reviews did not answer the question of what it does and does not have.
Especially since many of the posts were, "I took the fuzzy picture the guy took at the private release that was leaked to us and photo shopped it and rendered it 3d view and it looks like there is a small hole for something but I cannot tell what"
Until the product is released and played with, you will never fully know what it does and does not have. Things like cut and paste which many complained about is not a big deal for me. But alarm features, select all, and view multiple email accounts from one place i did not see discussed, why? cause its not important to most avg users who spend hours a day on google or face book,
I run two businesses, time is limited.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Time is limited, yet you can't read one review before you buy a phone, yet can post 20 times what you hate about it afterwards. You probably buy an SUV, then complain to everyone when it gets 15mpg, like that is some unknown problem.....
[email protected] said:
I recently had my HD2 stolen, so for the time being, I have had to go back to my old Orbit. I am so jealous of you guys with multiple phones and OSs
Anyway, to get to the point. I was totally in love with my HD2 and am a long time WinMo user and fan. But now I have the chance to look around for a new phone. Sorry, but iPhone doesn't even come into the equation. I have an iPod Touch and that has put me off the whole iOS. So that leaves only Symbian, Android and WP7. And you can kick Symbian off the list as I don't like the look of the OS. So, Android or WP7.
The beauty of the HD2 was that you can run it with Android, so I have already had a lot of use and fun out of that OS. It is smart and polished and with a lot of regular updates to keep it fresh and up to the minute. A serious contender in the replacement market.
My only experience with WP7 is 10 mins playing with it in a T-Mobile shop the other day and from what I have read here and on other sites. As many say, iOS started off the same; bare-bones with room for more as and when the public cry loud enough for it. But those 10 mins playing with it in the shop didn't give me a lot of faith in it. Yes, it's very fluid and slick, but the eco-system is too restrictive, just like the iPhone. And from Microsoft, I expected more... much more. They had 10 years of WinMo experience which in my opinion, they decided to pass up on and follow the Apple route. Copy and paste may not be something everyone uses, but the world scoffed at Apple for not having it until the 3Gs came along. The tiles on the "home" screen are an excellent idea, for a quick glance at what's new, but you could do the same with WinMo with one or two added apps (or just use Titanium, which also told you you had new mails, messages, etc).
In conclusion, I would most likely be replacing my HD2 with a new HD2. OK, WinMo may be old hat and a bit awkward, but with HTCs Sense it runs like a charm. And if I want Android, I can run that too. And who knows, maybe in the not too distant future there will be a WP7 port for it too. The perfect phone for me!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Android doesn't get that many updates. It just seems that way because the android builds for the hd2 pull from all the android OS's. Most of them still haven't gotten an official 2.2 that has been released from google for months.
nrfitchett4 said:
I and most other users don't find anything "unreasonable" missing. It makes calls, texts, emails, plays music, videos, games, has office integration.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
So does a much lower end phone. . . .
It will just take time as always for people that know what their doing to improve upon where the manufacturer has failed.
Man what a weekend. For the last 6 months I've been working may ass off just trying to stay ahead of the game. I'm overworked and underpaid (who isn't these days) and it starting to take its toll. I'm making mistakes I would have never made before. Like last night. I fell asleep early and the dog woke me up to go out. I took her out and in my dazed way back in neglected to lock the door.
I feel like a world class jackass but not for long. I'm looking for a security system. I need something advanced and am hoping among all the techies here there's some experience and advice on where to start looking for the best system.
Things I know I want/need are sensors for all windows, motion detectors, automatic light control, some fixed cameras, some 360 degree cameras. Oh and of course I will need an android app to interact and control the system.
In my case this was my own fault for not locking my door but it really hit home how unsecure my house really is. I have barely a line of defense and its time to get with the program. Even if I had locked the door there were still a number of unsecured entry points into my home.
So does anyone have any experience with home security? Do you have any suggestions on where to start? Have you come across any systems in tech blogs and such that look promising?
I'm beginning to research into all this as we speak but this is unfamiliar territory for me. I'm a tech Guy like you but home security has never been an interest till now. If you have anything to offer as far as what to get, what to do, and what not to do it will be greatly appreciated. Thank you.
I've never tried an Android-based home security system, but I don't see why not. For example, you could install a Schlage LiNK™ system. There's also Alarm.com and ElkDroid. I suppose other home automation tools might be useful.
But, um... are you planning to take your Nook Color with you while you walk the dog? These apps require network access; if you plan to stray more than ~20m from your house, you'd probably need a portable access point. Of course, it's not a problem if you plan to monitor your home while you're at the office (with network access).
Good luck!
Thanks for the reply and links to look into. You made a good point about not having network access to my Nook on a dog walk. I guess in that situation I would use my android phone instead. But while at home since my nook is my go to device I would use it. I don't think the system needs to be android based but I would like an app that would let me monitor the security cameras, turn on and off lights, and be notified of opened doors and windows.
The system needs to be a hardwired system and if possible also be capable of wireless. Maybe I'm going to have to pick one or the other but I haven't figured that out yet. I'm probably going to start out small and cover the most important aspects first so the system would also need to be expandable.
I began searching the net yesterday for information regarding home security. Theres alot! Hopefully as I research and begin making my choices in equipment and monitoring I will update this thread to maybe help others. What ever I choose Android will be a part of the system.
Best security system you can get on a budget is a Foscam camera.
luke121 said:
Best security system you can get on a budget is a Foscam camera.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Do you mind sending me a pm about foscam? My restaurant just got broken into and I'm looking for an economic and proficient way to watch or protect.
Thank you in advance!
Sent from my unrooted Galaxy Tab.
I was robbed last night
I know the feeling well. I've been broken into twice. As a result, I called Brinks and had a system installed. But I kept forgetting to set the alarm and it was costing me $35.00 a month. So I began looking for other alternatives. In the search, I discovered all kinds of DIY things I could do to safeguard my house. So I ended up with a self defense website. You can install door and window alarms, surveillance systems, ect. There is actually a barking dog alarm that really works. A local woman had one and was able to scare an intruder off. I'm sure she thinks it was worth every penny she paid for it.
I was robbed also, about 4 years ago.
They made off with a new 24" iMac, WiFi printer, Gateway laptop, my old ass 8 year old PC with a 15" CRT monitor that I used to run Mandrake and other flavors of Linux on. They also managed to locate my backup hard drive in the kitchen.
I have worked as freelance Web Development & Design for years and lost a ton of work, clients respect and reliability.
I now have two remote backup hard drives (my moms house and my friend) with automation scripts that run nightly.
I use Dropbox on my two Android™ phones + my Nook + my desktop PC + my clients PCs.
As for home security: I no longer advertise on my vehicle, nor promote myself on the streets, I carry the minimum amount of cash, only carry one credit card, don't wear any jewelry, and talk to my children about the dangers of strangers, open the front door, etc.
Plus we have the peace of mind having electronic home security, motion sensors, door + window sensors, etc.
The geek in me wants to install a few webcams throughout the house, front yard, back, etc. and have access to view them via https via one of my websites.
But that'll have to wait.
I have 2 Panasonic Network Cameras with audio. You can monitor the cams on your Android phone with an app. There is a way to set it up for motion detection too.
Thanks for the replies. I'm still searching for the best system to meet my needs. We did check into ADT but I'd hate to pay the 35 dollars a month bill when we have the tech today that would make proffesional monitoring a waste. They do provide the equipment and install which is nice though.
Isn't there some kind of security enthusiast sites like a maximum PC or Tg daily. A site that could get me better informed of my options?
IFLATLINEI said:
Thanks for the replies. I'm still searching for the best system to meet my needs. We did check into ADT but I'd hate to pay the 35 dollars a month bill when we have the tech today that would make proffesional monitoring a waste. They do provide the equipment and install which is nice though.
Isn't there some kind of security enthusiast sites like a maximum PC or Tg daily. A site that could get me better informed of my options?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
The best security I know is, no one can steal your stuff if its all on fire.
For a real serious system that is also open to DIY, I'd strongly recommend the Elk Products M1G Gold system.
A great site to learn more is from http://www.cocoontech.com
Can do extensive home automation as well if that's your wish.
Awesome! Thank you.
Most reviews, specially those websites ( cnet, engadget) with years of praising apple, seem to write in accurate or tritely negative reviews. Why? Many spend have the time on phablet buzz words. One trick is to show and awful graphic of the pen drawing as opposed to our gallery of amazing work. They often dismiss the pen in one paragraph by showing one sloppy handwriting recog test, and leave out all the precision and notation and drawing. Almost no review explains that this is wacom tech that is quite significant with a full digitizer, basically a simple wacom tablet on your phone. They leave out the pressure sensitive and pixel accuracy. I have seen some reviews say it is better than a regular stylus because it has a button ( as if that is all it has). Very rarely do you see reviews talk about the amazing voice recognition systems ( vlingo, google) that work amazing on the devise. And I am getting sick of the no pocket, no one hand reviews that seemed ignore all the youtube videos and raves tot he contrary. I walk my two dogs twice a day with my note in one hand and have no problems. Is it just the press loves apple and does not know now innovation when they see it. It is just strange. I should say that I an 20 yr UI expert who has worked with apple and interactive and 3D design firms and now run ( grad chair) a large interaction design/CS PhD research school - so I have some knowledge of the space. It is just strange - how the reviews just parrot the same inaccuracies and stereotypes while the note sells 2 million units to raving user reviews. My best counter to these reviews is posting the following: Samsung innovated with a design that created the largest display a mobile phone could have ( pocket, comfort, one hand, light) where the typical frustration level that an expert user has with a smartphone vanishes. Between the large display and real-estate you can use touch for fast and causal, the pen for any details ( no more zooming up or missing links with this pressure sensitive, pixel accurate control that also draws, charts, notates and annotates anything (images,maps, web, screens shots) and the 3rd innovation great voice recognition for both commands and email/text input - between the 3 inputs that you can seamlessly move between and the size - this is a gaming changing design for the expert ( browsing, email, texting, scheduler, todo, note taking - type) user.
What are your thoughts about why the press does not do their homework on this phone?
The main tech press has by and large been guilty of crap reviews for a long time (notable exceptions being anandtech and GSMarena). In the case of the Note they'd rather get some sensationalism out of it than really apply themselves to a proper review. That's why I started reviewing products myself - to give a proper and detail users account.
I posted a rant in the 'reviews' thread, but I think it's a combination of:
1) Not spending enough time with the note
2) Trying to use the note exclusively as a phone or tablet. You kind of have to switch how you use it depending no the app. Many reviews insist on using it as a phone and then hating it.
3) Being close minded - not really keeping in mind that some people use pen/paper, some people don't require 100% one handed use, etc
4) Taking a cliche and running with it.
I especially hate the 'too large to be a phone, too small to be a tablet'. I mean really - Why not? You really can't do what you do with your phone or tablet?
- Frank
I agree. I believe they are lazy and closed-minded in equal measures. They may also be blinded by the iDeadEnd that they have been offered to date.
I was discussing the Note with someone the other day. One great point is that I can whip out my note and the pen, and start writing notes straight away. I use Skitch, but others are as good for different people/uses.
My alternative is to use my very slim BT keyboard. That is good, and the entry is cleaner, but the effect on other people during a meeting is quite intrusive. Using the Note just like a notepad, and quite naturally, is a far less intrusive activity, and one that is very quick to start & stop.
I think this is key for me, because people find it less intimidating and more natural. It is not that I care what they think of me, but 'professionally' I need to avoid attention like that.
Dedicated mobile review sites have got the reviews spot on or very close to accurate. They have all praised Note. Anandtech is always professional and their reviews are very well done. I am glad to see that they continued the same focused review style that they used to in past for their PC component reviews when they started reviewing gadgets.
Its those pop culture news / review sites like askmen, cnet ( now a pathetic excuse for a tech review site ) that are dismissing the Note first based on the size and secondly on stylus. After 2 weeks of use I was still discovering new stuff I can do with this S-Pen. Many sites wont even bother testing feature like S-pen thoroughly.
Lot of these sites had dismissed even Galaxy S2 and look what happened.
The actual fun part on such sites is to actually read comments where few tech nerds manage to rip apart whole review into pieced
Agree...
ChodTheWacko said:
I posted a rant in the 'reviews' thread, but I think it's a combination of:
1) Not spending enough time with the note
2) Trying to use the note exclusively as a phone or tablet. You kind of have to switch how you use it depending no the app. Many reviews insist on using it as a phone and then hating it.
3) Being close minded - not really keeping in mind that some people use pen/paper, some people don't require 100% one handed use, etc
4) Taking a cliche and running with it.
I especially hate the 'too large to be a phone, too small to be a tablet'. I mean really - Why not? You really can't do what you do with your phone or tablet?
- Frank
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Click to collapse
I think a lot of it comes down to your first point - they can't spend enough time with the note because there are just too many phones, tablets, netbooks, notebooks, ipods, etc. etc. to review. I spent weeks searching for a decent review before deciding to buy my beloved note... and found only one.
Just as well there are some quality forums and threads to provide more detailed information
Some thoughts going into my second day of use with my new Urbane.
•Battery life is actually pretty good. I took it off charge at 7:30am and it's currently at 72%. The Android Wear app on my phone is telling me I have 12 hours of use left after playing with it a fair bit this morning. It should improve even more as the watch 'wears in'.
•Notifications come in pretty much instantly from my phone. It's frustrating in some regards though - you can't always see images sent to you from Facebook Messenger, sometimes you can. Also, once you dismiss a notification from your watch it's gone for good - you then have to check your phone to see what it was. Having said that, it does give you a very brief period after dismissing it to 'undo' the dismissal, but it's very brief. It would be better if it could archive say the last 5 notifications for you to go and look at after you've dismissed them.
•WiFi seems a bit buggy, for instance when connected to my home network and I turn off bluetooth on my phone or go out of it's range, WiFi does seem to take over but Google Now refuses to work. If I set up WiFi tethering on my phone (and disable bluetooth) it works perfectly so I guess it's just my router - though I don't know what I would need to change to make it work.
•Also (and this is a biggy), don't assume that because the Urbane has WiFi you can just simply log onto any network without your phone being around. This is not the case. Inexplicably, you need to log onto any WiFi network using the Android Wear app on your phone otherwise the Urbane will never use it. There is simply no way to log onto a WiFi network using just the Urbane. Once you've logged on using the phone, the Urbane will then remember the log on information from that point on. This to me defeats the purpose of having WiFi enabled on the watch, you should be able to log on anywhere without the phone..
•The Urbane has difficulty in recognising my 'OK Google' command. Commands issued after that are no problem however. The Urbane gives you the option at set up to choose between US or UK English, but for me that ,made no difference in whether the watch recognised my initial command or not (and you have to factory reset the device to change language...). I did however after some searching online see that after the Urbane is set up properly, it will look at your phones native language and base the information it gives, as well as spelling and metrics on that language. This doesn't help in recognising my initial command, and either my Aussie accent is just too 'Aussie' or the 'OK Google' command recognition is a bit buggy. Perhaps a bit of both lol.
•As someone who takes their watch off as soon as I get home, it's functionality is useless to me after that - unless I go out somewhere and put it back on. I guess at home you'd usually fall back to using your smart phone/tablet anyway. It does feel odd though to discard a $400 smart device like that..
•Heart rate monitoring is good, as is the other fitness tracking the watch does. However, there is two monitoring apps on the device that measure heart rate, Google Fit and and LG Pulse. When you first ask the watch "What's my heart rate", it will give you the choice of choosing which app to use. The problem is, whatever app you choose becomes the default app after that and there is no way to change that as far as I can see.
•Playing with the different watch faces is fun. LG ships the Urbane with 18 different faces to chose from, in various styles. And of course there is a rapidly growing number of user created choices out there as well. Some faces can be a bit buggy but for the most part they are gorgeous or garish, and anywhere in between. It's fantastic to have so many choices.
The biggest issue for me is still the perceived value of owning a smart watch such as this. After playing with it for a day, my thoughts have not changed in this regard.
It's still firmly in the luxury/novelty category at the moment, and I certainly do not need to have it. Is the Urbane worth the price I paid? From a purely technical stand point, probably. The Gorilla glassed OLED display is beautiful, the stainless steel body and overall craftsmanship looks and feels like something the Japanese would make, and the technical mastery of it all as a package feels like a bit of a leap forward, particularly considering where smart watches were a year ago.
But the software is not of the same level, and has a long way to go to really match where the hardware already is. It sort of like having Windows XP running on a 2015 5K iMac - there is a mismatch between software and hardware.
The upside is that Google can, and I'm sure will, improve the software as time goes on. The launch of the Apple Watch ensures that Google will treat Android Wear very, very seriously indeed. And that can only be good for the Urbane.
From a personal standpoint, the Urbane in it's current state is not worth what I paid for it. I would argue even the GWR is still about $100 too high. Do I have buyers remorse? To a degree I guess, but I can see the potential of this device, it can be so much more. The hardware is begging for a heart and soul, and a reason to exist.
I will keep it, and see where it takes me. Being an early adopter and gadget freak in general means that you have to take risks when jumping into and investing in a new product (hello OUYA, yes I got that too at launch lol), that's part of the thrill. Gadgets are a hobby, and a hobby is not worth having if you can't indulge in it every now and then. And obviously I am not alone in investing in the Urbane and Android Wear in general, which makes me feel a bit better.
Anyway, I hope I've given people reading this a bit more clarity in forming your own opinion of the Urbane/GWR. My advice? I would just go for it if you're anything like me, but maybe start off with the GWR.
TLDR, Urbane is an impressive, if slightly flawed device that should get better with time.
Regarding Voice recognition of "OK Google", I'm also struggling with this. It is nowhere near as good as my LG G Watch (square) was, that worked well 90% of the time. The urbane seems to be closer to 30%, and is really annoying me. I'm an aussie too but I'm not necessarily convinced our accents are causing the issue as I swapped straight from my G Watch to the Urbane and noticed problems straight away.
Regarding the default app for heart rate (and others) - to change it go into android wear app on your phone, hit the settings icon, choose your watch (LG Watch Urbane) and there will be an option for "actions" . In the you can reassign default actions.
Dwayne
Thanks for that fix mate!
I find if you lift your arm and wait 1 second before saying "ok google" it works perfect 99.9% of the time.
WOW you're actually right!
An observation of the hardware in general is that these watches are simply too bulky and much more so than they need to be in most cases. Getting the lugs up against the case on this particular watch would have made a huge difference by itself not just in reducing the bulk but the band or bracelet then fits better because it has more "grasp" area allowing for a grippier (if you will) fit for a given level of tightness. In other words the watch can grip better while being looser making it more comfortable to wear. Another... the killer feature these watches need is the ability to mimic a real watch face better and one way to get there is a convincing 3D effect for the screen. It doesn't have to be perfect and of course it couldn't be a battery killer but these smart watches need it. Right now people have some pretty nice stuff out there and I'm in no way taking a shot at some of those efforts which are outstanding work but they cant be convincing without a better screen tech.
Having these two things would move these watches from "what can it do for me" territory into wearing them because of what they can do for you but also just because you flat want to because the damn thing looks nice. Right now its a tool that I toss on the dresser as soon as I'm done with it and the few I know real world with one and most of what I read on the internet implies this is typical. They want to sell these things in a bigger way they need to make them something people wear because they want to because the use case isn't all that great for most people and I don't think having worn one for a while that this will change much because the window between utilizing the watch and it being easier to pull the phone is fairly small.
Keep in mind these are my opinions, I'm curious what other users think about the direction smart watches should be or need to be taking.
krabman said:
An observation of the hardware in general is that these watches are simply too bulky and much more so than they need to be in most cases. Getting the lugs up against the case on this particular watch would have made a huge difference by itself not just in reducing the bulk but the band or bracelet then fits better because it has more "grasp" area allowing for a grippier (if you will) fit for a given level of tightness. In other words the watch can grip better while being looser making it more comfortable to wear. Another... the killer feature these watches need is the ability to mimic a real watch face better and one way to get there is a convincing 3D effect for the screen. It doesn't have to be perfect and of course it couldn't be a battery killer but these smart watches need it. Right now people have some pretty nice stuff out there and I'm in no way taking a shot at some of those efforts which are outstanding work but they cant be convincing without a better screen tech.
Having these two things would move these watches from "what can it do for me" territory into wearing them because of what they can do for you but also just because you flat want to because the damn thing looks nice. Right now its a tool that I toss on the dresser as soon as I'm done with it and the few I know real world with one and most of what I read on the internet implies this is typical. They want to sell these things in a bigger way they need to make them something people wear because they want to because the use case isn't all that great for most people and I don't think having worn one for a while that this will change much because the window between utilizing the watch and it being easier to pull the phone is fairly small.
Keep in mind these are my opinions, I'm curious what other users think about the direction smart watches should be or need to be taking.
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I totally disagree. Have you seen panerai? Hublot? Breitling???? They are all big. Its whats in style, and has been for years.
interfreak said:
Thanks for that fix mate!
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Nice to read your thoughts on it I agree with 99% of it the only thing I would like to see is with Google now be nice to take a breath as you text lol
suzook said:
I totally disagree. Have you seen panerai? Hublot? Breitling???? They are all big. Its whats in style, and has been for years.
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lol Yes, I'm a watch person and own a number of them, surf the forums, etc. I'm guessing I've explained poorly. Its not the size itself so much as the needless bulk. I have several watches that have a face the same size but are quite a bit less bulky. This watch is a prime example with its needlessly large lugs and large bezel around the screen. It has confused no one as to what it is and I would never put it on in place of my real watches which I wear because I like them.
As to watch size in general a lot of people have never made friends with the large watch style, I'm among them. For me 40 to 42 mm is about right and I know a whole bunch of people with the same opinion. That is of course an opinion and I'm old enough to know that they vary and I do of agree that this style is popular right now but the trend is already reversing somewhat. Not surprising really, most people look like crap with a 48 mm saucer on their wrist because they simply are not possessed of the wrist size to put the watch into proportion.and my guess is the truly huge watches are going to continue going away bit by bit leaving the more reasonable 44ish mm sizing as the typical large watch with the larger stuff being outliers. At any rate it isn't just me, most of the reviews talk about the size issue with smart watches in general and particularly with this one where the added bulk particularly at the lugs hasn't been well received.
I take it you feel the size is fine then? You don't think that they might move more of these if they could move to a better and more convincing screen tech?
krabman said:
I take it you feel the size is fine then? You don't think that they might move more of these if they could move to a better and more convincing screen tech?
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Yes, i do love the size. I actually love the screen, Im not sure what you mean? I get compliments constantly. Alot of people ask what kind of watch is that??
Got mine today. Can't work out how to get lg health app to show heart rate data from the urbane. It's meant to appear automatically.
i hate you can't control how long the screen stay on..sometimes I need to time things with second hand...just so frustrating!!
gooner4life said:
i hate you can't control how long the screen stay on..sometimes I need to time things with second hand...just so frustrating!!
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There are some watch faces that do allow you to change this setting (timeout) usually in the android wear app on the paired device. There is also a stopwatch app built in.
This app (StayLit Wear) on google playworks for me
nOISEVAULT said:
There are some watch faces that do allow you to change this setting (timeout) usually in the android wear app on the paired device. There is also a stopwatch app built in.
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This^
And /or this https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.phonephreak.extendedlight
My first impressions so far
part 1 - http://gavinsgadgets.com/2015/06/09/lg-watch-urbane-beauty-and-disaster-first-impressions/
part 2 - http://gavinsgadgets.com/2015/06/10/lg-watch-urbane-part-2/
gavinfabl said:
My first impressions so far
part 1 - http://gavinsgadgets.com/2015/06/09/lg-watch-urbane-beauty-and-disaster-first-impressions/
part 2 - http://gavinsgadgets.com/2015/06/10/lg-watch-urbane-part-2/
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Are you using FaceRepo with Watchmaker? Browse the website with your connected phone, and download the faces directly to the app. It's easy to customize the faces from there...
http://facerepo.com/
slaydog said:
Are you using FaceRepo with Watchmaker? Browse the website with your connected phone, and download the faces directly to the app. It's easy to customize the faces from there...
http://facerepo.com/
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Yes I am now, thanks.
I say "ok google" -> it works (but slowly)-> I ask smth or say "set a reminder" and %50 chance it works for a while (slooowly) and says "offline" -> I get crazy. But if I use google now on the phone everything is smooth as butter. Am I doing something wrong? / Is the watch faulty? / Is the bt connection too slow for spoken commands? / Or what?
TheSanitarium said:
I say "ok google" -> it works (but slowly)-> I ask smth or say "set a reminder" and %50 chance it works for a while (slooowly) and says "offline" -> I get crazy. But if I use google now on the phone everything is smooth as butter. Am I doing something wrong? / Is the watch faulty? / Is the bt connection too slow for spoken commands? / Or what?
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Click to collapse
Speed can vary. I find just say OK Google and wait for the speak now part. Say what you want in one go, no pauses and it works 8/10.
I photographed all my watch faces on the watch to give everyone a better idea of what they look like, and created a gallery.
Google Photos then made a GIF of them lol
http://gavinsgadgets.com/2015/06/15/lg-watch-urbane-my-watch-faces-shown-photographed-gallery/
@interfreak and others - thanks for your input, it has been very helpful! (I'm in for one, will be delivered tomorrow)