1. Nguyen1's Avatar
    Have you checked out glance screen? It's essentially Lumia's version of the LED.
    I personally love windows os mobile. At least the 8.1 denim update. I don't want to try windows 10 mobile.

    Glance works well. You can customize all sorts of tiles for everything on your home page. It's actually quite fun and can be colorful, too. You can have transparent tiles, and the live tiles are useful. I've customized memo notes I put on home page. You can choose whatever color you want. You can change the size of your tiles.

    I use a lumia 830 and it flies. Nokia optimized it very well, so don't be fooled by low specs on windows phones. On just 1gb ram, this phone is just as fast as my passport. Faster than my wife's iphone6s+. Miles beyond my junk android junk thing. I'm speaking from practical usage, not lab condition benchmark tests.

    I think the app store has more of the useful apps that most people like than bbw which is comatose. I think most people on bb10 devices would abandon it were it not for cobalt and android apps. Windows apps store offers a free app every day from among the normally paid ones.

    The bb10 hub system is still superior, and flow is more efficient overall with bb10, but w8.1 mobile is, for me, better than android. W8.1 could use better file management, but the user experience is good.

    For business, i'd say the passport is more appropriate. But for general usage, windows phone has the overall better ecosystem and still receives support from microsoft.

    Windows phones are cheap now. You can get almost any but the very top ones for under $100. The lumia 950 or XL is probably the best you can get now from microsoft, unless you wish to try the hp elite phone which is pricey, or the Alcatel phone that is very similar to dtek60 but on a different OS.


    The Guide is definitive. Reality is frequently inaccurate.
    Kot Prada and Tim-ANC like this.
    02-18-17 12:48 PM
  2. CharlieV's Avatar
    Will a windows phone link to your laptop or computer for Notifications and sms?

    Edit; I checked. It will.
    Last edited by CharlieV; 02-18-17 at 04:09 PM.
    Tim-ANC likes this.
    02-18-17 02:24 PM
  3. Kot Prada's Avatar
    Still waiting for my 950XL to substitute Z10... will catch You later.
    Tim-ANC likes this.
    02-18-17 05:26 PM
  4. Nguyen1's Avatar
    Will a windows phone link to your laptop or computer for Notifications and sms?

    Edit; I checked. It will.
    Windows phone also uses ONEDRIVE transfer stuff between devices. I guess it's similar to blend but more functional now since blend is eol.

    The Guide is definitive. Reality is frequently inaccurate.
    Tim-ANC and Kot Prada like this.
    02-18-17 05:41 PM
  5. CharlieV's Avatar
    I recently started migration between G Suite and Office 365 for Business (for all purposes) for my small office, and that is why I have a fascination with the Windows phone devices. In fact, I just checked swappa for prices and watched a couple of reviews of the HP Elite x3. They are super cheap, in my book. I already use a Surface Pro 4 for most computing tasks.

    OneDrive is a good alternative to Google Drive, and I am trying to use it exclusively. I've paid for a year of service of Office 365 Busines Premius for 5 users, so I need to like it; I am paying roughly the same for G Suite while I decide. Little trickles of wasted spending like that really bug me.

    I always get excited about a device then take stock of the apps that I actually use. Basically, calling, email, and SMS are my big ones, but I sometimes print from a device to a mobile printer, and sometimes use a billing app (which costs dearly, for the service, each month). Basically, the billing app, in terms of captured time that would have otherwise been lost, pays for dozens of extra phones a year, and a few computers as well. The "app gap" is so over-hyped and oevr-rated, but there are legitimate qualms, in rare instances.

    The other app that I make considerable use of is BBM (Enterprise), which I presume is a no go for Windows phones.

    Phone security (physical, software, and from malicious apps) is a big concern of mine, professionally.

    EDIT: And I would be wrong to so presume. I just googled it and there is a BBM for Windows Phones. Nice!
    Tim-ANC and Kot Prada like this.
    02-18-17 06:11 PM
  6. Tim-ANC's Avatar
    Skype:


    I use Skype all day. Our team has a running group chat for general communication and we have regular voice calls with screen share. I have mostly used the Win10 desktop software for Skype. I have ran Skype on BB10 occasionally but as we know, the BBW android port and the Amazon versions are problematic.

    WM10 mobile app is called Skype Preview. If you update your Win10 PC regularly you probably received the app recently.

    I am really impressed with Skype Preview on the 950XL. It is very refreshing to run this app on a device it was designed for and it even receives updates. While the desktop version has the full features, the mobile app is almost as good. This last week I ran Skype only on the 950XL. It handled chats, calls and screen shares just fine. I really enjoy being able to step away from my PC and still be "with" the group. Also nice to free up some PC task bar space and system resources. I've wanted my Passport to work like this but it was always a frustrating experience. Oh, and Skype preview is dark theme.

    I have witnessed a few problems with notifications from the app. Perhaps some tweaks will help this. If only there was some way to feed the notifications to some type of central location; some kind of messaging hub...

    Shortcomings compared to desktop: The audio quality is reduced. I use a wireless headset to connect to the phone via bluetooth. My PC connects to the headset via dedicated dongle which enables it to function at its best. File sharing on PC is simpler because it downloads directly. On the 950XL, I download to Onedrive then open from PC. Takes a bit more time and a few more clicks. Screen sharing on my large monitor is always preferred. However, these are shortcomings all mobile devices would have.
    Kot Prada likes this.
    02-19-17 12:35 AM
  7. Tim-ANC's Avatar
    Glance works well. You can customize all sorts of tiles for everything on your home page.
    I might be confused on what the glance screen is. I think this is the Glance screen:

    Passport vs Lumia 950XL-wp_ss_20170219_0001.jpg

    This is shown when I wake the phone by clicking the power button. Swipe up to go to the Start screen.
    02-19-17 01:03 AM
  8. Tim-ANC's Avatar
    Will a windows phone link to your laptop or computer for Notifications and sms?
    I should look into this. I do have PC Outlook running all day to react to my company exchange email coming in. Not sure I want another nag, but it is nice to turn Outlook off some times.

    Little trickles of wasted spending like that really bug me.
    Spoken like a true entrepreneur

    I just googled it and there is a BBM for Windows Phones. Nice!
    I haven't found it in the WM10 Store and the link for the WM10 app on BlackBerry's website in broken. Perhaps some are using an older version of it or its only active on WM8. I am trying to ween myself from BBM. So far, I don't miss it.

    Still waiting for my 950XL to substitute Z10... will catch You later.
    I thought you got one already? Anyway, get on it. Looking forward to your perspective.
    Kot Prada likes this.
    02-19-17 01:14 AM
  9. erguduju's Avatar
    One major problem with windows 10 mobile is that you can not backup your phone on your computer. You have to use the cloud, microsoft's one drive. This way your privacy goes down the drain. Another thing is that if you use the phone without creating a Microsoft account you can not use the office suite to create new documents.
    The phone might be nice hardware-wise but your data is not private due to the OS.
    Tim-ANC likes this.
    02-19-17 04:04 AM
  10. AllanQuatermain's Avatar
    Passport v Lumia 950XL, I have both and I prefer the Passport over 950XL, apps for Windows phone are being removed or no longer supported and the software updates can bring problems and it does overheat at times, should you buy a 950XL only if it's at a fire sale price. sadly the choice is now Android or Apple IOS,
    Tim-ANC likes this.
    02-19-17 04:11 AM
  11. Tim-ANC's Avatar
    One major problem with windows 10 mobile is that you can not backup your phone on your computer. You have to use the cloud, microsoft's one drive. This way your privacy goes down the drain. Another thing is that if you use the phone without creating a Microsoft account you can not use the office suite to create new documents.
    The phone might be nice hardware-wise but your data is not private due to the OS.
    I didn't know that about backup. I do prefer to backup to my own systems.

    Privacy: Only way to ensure that is to kill your uplinks. All of them.
    02-19-17 04:17 AM
  12. Kot Prada's Avatar
    One major problem with windows 10 mobile is that you can not backup your phone on your computer. You have to use the cloud, microsoft's one drive. This way your privacy goes down the drain. Another thing is that if you use the phone without creating a Microsoft account you can not use the office suite to create new documents.
    The phone might be nice hardware-wise but your data is not private due to the OS.
    At least, it works. I've lost all my data from Z10 after last update. And restore from backup simply doesn't work. Pretty interesting way to keep my data secure on BB - just to delete it without way to restore.
    Tim-ANC likes this.
    02-19-17 06:27 AM
  13. erguduju's Avatar
    Let me tell you about my setup. I use a passport SE as my main phone and a classic as a backup. I have installed link on 3 computers, one with win 7, one with win 8.1 and one with win 10 pro. I have backups on all three. On the phones I use contactsimex for contact backup and restore (free), all-notes backup, xbac and ultimate backup and I use all to backup on SD card.
    The cloud is a solution easier to use but without privacy and if you do not have Internet connection you are out of luck.
    Tim-ANC likes this.
    02-19-17 09:32 AM
  14. Invictus0's Avatar
    I might be confused on what the glance screen is. I think this is the Glance screen:

    Click image for larger version. 

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    This is shown when I wake the phone by clicking the power button. Swipe up to go to the Start screen.
    That's your lock screen, you might have to enable glance separately.

    https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/...ur-lumia-phone
    Tim-ANC and Kot Prada like this.
    02-19-17 10:13 AM
  15. fatclue_98's Avatar
    I might be confused on what the glance screen is. I think this is the Glance screen:

    Click image for larger version. 

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    This is shown when I wake the phone by clicking the power button. Swipe up to go to the Start screen.
    Hey Tim,

    Glance is active when your phone is asleep. What you have pictured is the lock screen. Glance is set for 15 seconds, by default, after you put the phone to sleep. Picking it up will trigger Glance so you can see your notifications without having to wake your phone up. I don't have a Lumia handy to give you the pathway to set up Glance (sorry).

    Also, I read your post about the Linked Inbox to make it more like the Hub. As a former Passport user myself, this didn't work too well for me. What I did was pin each individual account to the home screen so you see which account is alerting you via Live Tiles. An added benefit is that with pinned accounts you can go to settings>system>notifications and assign different ringtones for each account so you know which one is alerting you without even having to touch your phone. You can also assign different signatures, etc. from the Outlook settings.

    I miss my Passport "bigly" but Office365 is so much better on WM and Remote Desktop is leagues ahead of the iOS rendition.
    Tim-ANC and Kot Prada like this.
    02-19-17 06:50 PM
  16. Nguyen1's Avatar
    Setting up glance is easy. Go to settings, look in extras, you'll see "glance screen" go there and you can customize how you want glance to appear, IE., how long, which notifications, "always on" or not, etc.

    The Guide is definitive. Reality is frequently inaccurate.
    Tim-ANC likes this.
    02-19-17 08:32 PM
  17. YesAndNo's Avatar
    The passport SE is the best ! That is why I bought 4 to last me a long long long time.

    Posted via CB10
    Tim-ANC likes this.
    02-19-17 08:58 PM
  18. ryder55's Avatar
    The passport SE is the best ! That is why I bought 4 to last me a long long long time.

    Posted via CB10
    4?!?! Haha niceeeee!!!!!!!!! Android fans want to trick us with grosssss android lol.

    Posted via CB10
    Kot Prada likes this.
    02-19-17 09:14 PM
  19. johnny_bravo72's Avatar
    4?!?! Haha niceeeee!!!!!!!!! Android fans want to trick us with grosssss android lol.

    Posted via CB10
    While some delusional BB10 fanboys want to trick BlackBerry Android users into thinking that BB10 is still alive!
    02-20-17 04:04 AM
  20. erguduju's Avatar
    I have found that it might be possible to perform a partial backup on sd card. There is an application called contacts+message backup that is free and made by Microsoft. It works on windows mobile 10 and 8.1. I did not have enough time to perform tests but I will and I will post here.
    I do think that 950XL is a nice and interesting phone and beeing a Windows user it make sense to use the same OS on the phone but every time I find some thing against win phones. I have a test phone with win 8.1 and a test one with win 10 so I speak from experience.
    Thank you all for your sharing the experiences with win mobile and lumia 950xl.
    Tim-ANC likes this.
    02-20-17 04:29 AM
  21. Tim-ANC's Avatar
    Typing and Swiping:

    I listed the VKB as a con because I prefer a PKB and the Passport's is the best I've ever used. However, I don't want to rehash the VKB vs PKB debate. Instead I'll describe using the WM10 VKB.

    I have only used a VKB on my Z10 (adequate) and wife's Samsungs (annoying). The 950XL is on par with the Z10 except there is no word flicking and you need to push the shift arrow to capitalize a letter. Word prediction and learning is quite good. There is a swipe feature though. It is accomplished by touching the first letter of the word then swiping the finger through the spelling of the whole word without lifting it from the screen. A blue line that follows the finger to indicate where it has been. When the finger is lifted the word is inserted with a space after it. It works well and useful if I want to type something quick while the phone is on my desk. There is a cursor control on the keyboard activated by touching a blue dot then swiping in the direction of the arrows. The longer the swipe, the faster the cursor moves.

    Lack of word substitution is a big drawback. I use a lot of word and phrase short cuts as substitutes for quicker typing on BB10. For example if I type CB, it will render as CrackBerry. I have PhraseExpress PC software to do perform the function too. Maybe there is an app I can get for WM10.

    Passport vs Lumia 950XL-wp_ss_20170220_0006.jpg

    Passport vs Lumia 950XL-wp_ss_20170216_0002.jpg
    Kot Prada likes this.
    02-20-17 07:59 AM
  22. Caroline33's Avatar
    I love use Passport than Lumia. Because of reliability and consistency.
    Tim-ANC likes this.
    02-20-17 08:06 AM
  23. Tim-ANC's Avatar
    I don't have a Lumia handy to give you the pathway to set up Glance (sorry).
    Setting up glance is easy. Go to settings, look in extras, you'll see "glance screen"
    I set it up for always on and I dig it. Thanks to you both.

    What I did was pin each individual account to the home screen so you see which account is alerting you via Live Tiles.
    Yes, I did that for gmail. Been debating if I should do for all but you confirmed it's the thing to do.
    fatclue_98 likes this.
    02-20-17 08:10 AM
  24. Tim-ANC's Avatar
    Funny. I complained earlier the 950XL was giving sound notifications for no apparent reason. I have my wallet on the desk and set the phone on it to prop the face up at an angle so I can see it better. The ding would usually happen when pressing the power button to unlock but not always. Troubleshooting this, I had it flat on the desk and could not duplicate the problem. Giving up, I flopped it back on the wallet then ding again. Turns out, I have a card in my wallet that has an NFC chip. NFC was turned on in the phone. Occasionally when unlocking the phone I would lift it a little then tap it back down on the wallet.
    02-20-17 11:19 AM
  25. Drg84's Avatar
    Just a heads up, not every windows phone supports every app. Or even glance screen. Windows phone has a very strange hierarchy when it comes to the lumia. Some have gorilla glass, some don't, some actually get slower with the next generation, ie 630-640. It's confusing. I do believe that you can backup to your desktop via the lumia app, but don't quote me on that. Now the 950 is the flagship, so you should get all the features, and good luck with the uwp apps. Microsofts future as a phone os depends on universal apps

    Posted via CB10
    Tim-ANC likes this.
    02-20-17 11:46 PM
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