[jack1059]

I like to try os's. Recently got an upgrade from my provider. Could choose anything. Have android. Live bb. But wanted to try something else. Went Lumia 830 windows phone. Only one day in and I have to say it's worse then BlackBerry for functionality. I had fallen for the reviews and the user base numbers and assumed it was slightly better than BlackBerry. Not so. I can't drag and drop photos or music like I can in blackberry. And the app situation is way worse. The apps they do have are nicely done but that circle of usable apps is much smaller than bb. My z30 is much more usable than the new Lumia 830. I'm a bit of a geek and will give anything a go, but honestly BlackBerry is far better than windows phone 8.1.

Posted via CB10

[pttptppt]

I agree. Except that I must admit, windows phone is better at camera (much better pics although I find iPhone pics to be the best) and Cortana (as good and sometimes better than Siri)

Posted via CB10

[BK_NY_RAY]

BlackBerry Assistant is better than Siri in multiple things as well.

Posted via CB10

[pttptppt]

BlackBerry Assistant is better than Siri in multiple things as well.

Posted via CB10

But much slower

Posted via CB10

[Gus]

Windows phone is terrible. I had a Nokia lumia 920 as a secondary phone. Windows forces you to have a windows id that is tied into hotmail account. Also, there is no option to store your calendar on the phone only. It is stored in the cloud and phone.

Posted via CB10

[cgallaer]

I have a Passport and a Lumia 928. While I like my Lumia, OP's observations are spot on. WP is a great step up from a feature phone. Easy to use, WP8 runs great regardless of the phone's specs, and the cameras on the mid to high range Lumias are some of the best available on a smartphone. That being said, BB10 destroys WP8 in terms of apps (thanks to Snap, BlackBerry World, and Amazon), email, file management, multitasking and so much more.

Blackberry Passport SQW 100-1, 10.3.0.908

[jack1059]

Haven't had much time in the camera yet, but I was pretty happy with the BlackBerry z30 camera. Yes it's not the best but it's not the worst either. All in all the z30 camera is acceptable. Lumia may be better, and that reason I went with it, the rest of the os experience just isn't worth it.

Posted via CB10

[Tre Lawrence]

I actually like where MSFT is steering WP8. Soon as it gets the ecosystem portion figured out, it'll be great.

I'd actually give WP8 credit for resisting the urge to implement something like a runtime. Yes, the app situation there is thin, but native development wins with rank and file consumers IMHO.

[Cozz4ever]

Blackberry very much to address the camera issue

Posted via CB10

[Couver81]

Surprised to hear the app selection was worse. I know Microsoft has also struggled to get top apps but assumed they had fared better than BlackBerry because of the extra cash they had.




Posted via CB10

[jack1059]

I honestly think BlackBerry just works better. Windows phone wins on fluidity of os but loses on the basics like drag and drop, and app selection. Run time aside


Posted via CB10

[thymaster]

I can't really say anything about Windows RT because I haven't committed myself to use one for more then a month. At first glance it looks good but I can't see myself loving the flat tile interface. Other then that welcome back to BB and have fun.

[MmmHmm]

Surprised to hear the app selection was worse. I know Microsoft has also struggled to get top apps but assumed they had fared better than BlackBerry because of the extra cash they had.




Posted via CB10

Microsoft has fared much better at getting top native apps. Windows phone doesn't have an android runtime though so it doesn't mooch off of android. Imagine BB10 without an android runtime, Blackberry World without android ports, no Snap, and no Amazon app store. That would be a level playing field with windows phone, and under those terms, the windows phone ecosystem is much much better. Microsoft could slap an android runtime on windows phone too, but has decided to try to build an all-native platform. Long term, I think it's a better strategy than relying on a competing platform's apps and letting your own native app development community wither.

[qbnkelt]

I've got no problems with my Lumia 1520.



Native banking apps, insurance, Instagram, My Fitness Pal, Tapatalk, Pinterest. That's my usual set of core apps and I've got them natively.



Device is smooth with just a bit of stuttering but nothing that kills me. Camera is excellent.



No issues at all.



Live tiles can be set up any way I want to show my background as much as I want. Nice alternative to a notification centre. And of course outlook is excellent. Gmail....meh.....



Sent from my SUPER HOT Nokia Lumia 1520 via Tapatalk

[greenberry666]

I was considering going for a Lumia until my girlfriend got one and I realised that the OS would make me feel crippled.

But I do think WP is going places and in the future, with more features and refinements, it could well be an option for me. In the UK WP is being pushed very aggressively.

Posted via CB10

[Soulstream]

Windows phone 8 is the best OS for low end devices. Lumia 520 is probably the best low-end phone you can buy. Also WP has the Microsoft online services: One Drive, Bing etc and most of them are just as good or even better than the Google variants.

Also they have a healthier native app selection. Top apps came to WP8 while BB10 has to do with Android apps. Also there is the danger that if Google gets upset at any time, they could potentially block Snap.

[qbnkelt]

Windows phone 8 is the best OS for low end devices. Lumia 520 is probably the best low-end phone you can buy. Also WP has the Microsoft online services: One Drive, Bing etc and most of them are just as good or even better than the Google variants.

Also they have a healthier native app selection. Top apps came to WP8 while BB10 has to do with Android apps. Also there is the danger that if Google gets upset at any time, they could potentially block Snap.

Exactly. The whole Android solution runs at the pleasure of Google. If they ever decide to play hard ball there will be the possibility of some hard negotiations, during which time folks wiill have to rely exclusively on BBW and the browser.

If that's OK with folks, I'm happpy for them.

Sent from my Q10 using Tapatalk

[yohannrjm]

Honestly, a lot of what the OP complained about can be put down to the adjustments required when you make a change in ecosystem. WP is not BB10, and it shouldn't be.

I have a Lumia 1520 too, and it's a great phone - large, lovely, interface is great, very responsive, and has a great camera and software. Cortana is lovely - probably the best virtual assistant available. The camera blows away the iPhone camera, and all the other phones I tried, with the exception of the 1020.

However, I prefer working in the BlackBerry interface, and the Windows Phone app situation is a little worse.

There are things that could be better with WP8.1, but the same could be said about BlackBerry and everything else. You have to adjust to the ecosystem you're in.

Sent from my Passport using Tapatalk 2

[jack1059]

Sorry but no. Not bring able to drag and drop music or photos isn't an adjustment. It's basic functionality that ms haven't nailed yet. My jpg photos still won't show up in the photo app. And if wp has the apps you want that's great. Enjoy the phone experience. It just doesn't have the apps I want.

Posted via CB10

[yohannrjm]

We can disagree on this point. I've never missed that functionality, but I can see why it may be important to some people.

It's just like some people don't like BlackBerry because there's no Google Maps or native Instagram. It's important to them, and they don't want to adjust to BlackBerry.

Sent from my Passport using Tapatalk 2

[qbnkelt]

Sorry but no. Not bring able to drag and drop music or photos isn't an adjustment. It's basic functionality that ms haven't nailed yet. My jpg photos still won't show up in the photo app. And if wp has the apps you want that's great. Enjoy the phone experience. It just doesn't have the apps I want.

Posted via CB10

It's a *different* way to manage your files. Not sure why your photos don't show up, mine are all there.
I run four platforms simultaneously, They all do things differently. It *is* an adjustment to each platform's solution.
And yes, the apps I use are in fact there natively, as I mentioned. That works better for me than using another platform's apps.

Sent from my Q10 using Tapatalk

[Jakob Greve]

The Lumia phones are in generel.: 1. Young people who want a cheap colourfull phone.
2. People wanting a great camera phone whist wanting something other than Sony

BlackBerry doesn't fall into either of these categories so I don't find it fair to do a direct comparison of the two. Also you're probably a business user who doesn't rely to heavily on MS Office. As such Windows Phone is probably not for you.

Btw. Never had a Windows Phone myself but find it pretty easy to spot the different demographics.

[dbmalloy]

There really is no better or terrible with all name brand name smartphones... It all comes down to personal preference...if you think about it all phones do the same thing albeit differently... to call a phone terrible of bad is simply silly.. maybe for the said user but not for everyone... My Neighbour has a Nokia and Apple 6 plus... She loves both and uses them for different things.....I look at the devices for what it does...not how it compares to another device.... this way for me at least... I can enjoy what it has to offer as opposed to being negative off the get go by going the comparison route... all have unique things to offer... for me I find Apple ease of use of the bat is appealing... the tinkerer in my love Android due to its customization abilities..... Blackberry for productivity..... Have not played with WIndows Phones much so I do not have much of a opinion yet...... have my personal preference ( Blackberry )... not because I think it is better ... it just does what I need best for my needs....

[yohannrjm]

These sorts of complaints remind me of people who go to foreign countries and then complain that things, food and people are 'not like home' or 'not what I'm used to'.

If all the phone ecosystems worked exactly the same, then what would be the point? I like the diversity available.

EDIT : That being said, some of the OP's critiques are spot on. While WP8.1 has more 'big' native apps, there's no recourse for people who want access to specific apps that are not available. Smartwatch support is nonexistent, and the way WP8.1 handles background apps is annoying.

Sent from my Passport using Tapatalk 2

[spacemanZ10]

I find the OS on windows phone horrible, it's virtually impossible to move between open apps, it's one or the other.
In its defence the apps they so have work better than the native BlackBerry 10 ones ( twitter LinkedIn And browser) due to this I find myself using it more unfortunately!

Posted by my splendid Z10