# Windows 8, Windows Phone 8, and Xbox



## havi007 (Aug 13, 2011)

Hopefully nobody has started a thread like this. Anyways, this is about the ecosystem Microsoft is trying to build. I am really optimistic on what Microsoft is trying to do. I am ready to give them a chance with their approach. I will start with saying that I have a fallback if it doesn't work out for me. I have a galaxy nexus on Verizon. I am sales rep at an indirect Verizon store. Nobody at my store is really that open minded about windows phone 8. I already have purchased windows 8 pro it should be arriving at my doorstep on Tuesday. We know for a fact Verizon is getting two windows phone in November. I have done my research and decided to get a HTC 8X. I was really mad when Nokia decided to go with an exclusivity deal with AT&T on the Lumia 920. That is the phone i really want to have for a first hand experience with windows phone 8. Oh well this 8X doesn't look that bad. Plus it isn't as thick as the 920 is.

I am really interested to see what Microsoft is trying to do here. I am crazy about the Surface RT at all. No legacy support on older apps is not my thing. I am sure after the new year the Surface Pro is going to awesome but to thick for me anyways. I think the OEMs will make something good tablet.

I found out that my management is going to have a cool program where I can pick any phone at no cost since I have been working with them after a certain amount of time. Do not ask me the details; I do not think they want me to release that. So since I already purchased a Galaxy Nexus on my own I will get to have two phones. Now obviously I am going to do my best to put away my nexus so I will not run back to it I get frustrated I am going to do my best to forget it exist.

Hopefully the 8x is a good phone. I am a bit nervous going down from 4.65 to 4.3 of screen size but I am ready for a better screen tech.

This is not a thread to bash on how shitty you think windows phone is because of apps do not start this. If you were on android since the first year of its release you should now better. Do not dog on windows phone for apps. If you hate it on please give me a valid reason. Prefer if you were a previous owner. Plus we have to take into account that WP8 is supposedly reworked from the ground up so that the apps are really close to the same as it would be on tablets on the windows store.

I just want to see if anyone else is going to take the plunge with me


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## basoodler (Mar 1, 2012)

I really like windows 8, and wouldn't mind trying a tablet by Microsoft. I liked windows on the palm phones/palm pilots of a decade ago. IMHO they were the only true smart phones until the iPhone released. Nokea also makes good hardware.. I would still be a little weary of jumping into a proprietary OS driven phone like apple or Microsoft at this point.

I will say that if windows phone 8 is as convenient to use as windows 8 I may be tempted.


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## havi007 (Aug 13, 2011)

I been contemplating it up until I saw that I can have two phones so I want to make the jump. I wonder how is it is to root it or hack into.

Sent from my Galaxy Nexus using Tapatalk 2


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## havi007 (Aug 13, 2011)

My first smartphone was a HTC mogul on Sprint it had Windows mobile 6

Sent from my Galaxy Nexus using Tapatalk 2


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## number5toad (Sep 13, 2011)

I'm pretty interested in the Surface with the full Win8 version that isn't out yet...it sseems like it might be a good solution for a very portable, but also very functional computer. Not really interested in the phone or the RT.

The new Xbox dashboard is awful. Just....just awful.


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## jimmyco2008 (Apr 5, 2012)

It's like the iPad (Surface)- overpriced, locked down, and still can't do half the things a laptop can do. The ecosystem will also pretty much be Apple's, just with tiles instead of little 5x4 squares of apps.

Honestly, I can't comfortably go with anyone's ecosystem exclusively- Google's has Android, but the laptop thing with Chromebooks, ugh, no way. Windows in the PC department does well, but I would never choose WinMo over Android, and tablets are supposed to be fun and innovative, not "I have an idea: Let's take Windows, and _put it somewhere else!_"

Hmmm... If Micro$oft, Apple and Google all combined forces... hmm. Perhaps we'd get an operating system that can build Android, run Netflix (Silverlight), _and _support the latest games and software.. Oh wait that's OSX... AND can be installed on any old computer. Now it's not.


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## havi007 (Aug 13, 2011)

if Google and Microsoft could become a joint venture.... a man can dream right... to destroy apple. and Google changed Microsoft's philosophy


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## jimmyco2008 (Apr 5, 2012)

Bleh then it would be an oligopoly and it would turn into the PC market where a third party is left out (Windows, OSX, Linux). Or maybe it wouldn't, how would M$ and El Goog settle their OS differences?


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## yarly (Jun 22, 2011)

limiting competition is bad, whether one likes Apple or not.


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## AndroidChakra (Apr 14, 2012)

yarly said:


> limiting competition is bad, whether one likes Apple or not.


I agree 100%. Competition drives innovation.

As far as taking the plunge to Windows 8 I don't think I will be doing so in the near future. I put Win8 RTM on my girlfriend's laptop and she absolutely hates it and it has driven her to use her work Mac more as a personal device than strictly a work device. Conceptually Windows 8 makes sense and the direction they are going with trying to unify our devices is admirable but the complete UI change to Windows 8 just cost them, imho, a large user base. The older, less technically savvy crowd won't/don't like it because everything about Windows they've come to know and love is now been F'd up. Those in the middle ground already contemplating moving from Windows were just now given a reason to do so (just like the Unity interface added to Ubuntu) and those of us that are technically savvy have already made our OS choice or will just use whatever.


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## yarly (Jun 22, 2011)

Best way to deal with the big annoyance of windows 8 is to install start8 for the start menu (which also removes the other start menu on boot as well). http://www.stardock.com/products/start8/


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## AndroidChakra (Apr 14, 2012)

yarly said:


> Best way to deal with the big annoyance of windows 8 is to install start8 for the start menu (which also removes the other start menu on boot as well). http://www.stardock....roducts/start8/


lol ooooooooooooooor Microsoft could have made a product that didn't necessitate paid 3rd party apps.

Personally Win8 doesn't bother me that much but doesn't get me all hot and bothered enough to leave Win7. Maybe I'll feel differently after I use it more or if there is something it has that Win7 doesn't but as for now I won't be jumping ship from Android, Win7 and/or Linux.


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## yarly (Jun 22, 2011)

I don't really care what OS or version of an OS anyone uses, I just provide workarounds for annoyances where they crop out









I still use win7 and win8 is relegated to a VM.


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## blaineevans (Jul 11, 2011)

[sub]Debating purchasing 8.. I have no idea why, but knowing I'm not on the most recent version of my OS bothers me.[/sub]


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## yarly (Jun 22, 2011)

blaineevans said:


> [sub]Debating purchasing 8.. I have no idea why, but knowing I'm not on the most recent version of my OS bothers me.[/sub]


It's 40 dollars to upgrade to Windows 8 Pro (the equivalent to Windows 7 Ultimate) from any version of Windows XP and onward.

I was paid to work for MS last week at a few of their tech events answering development & power user bs questions and such. I unfortunately for better or worse, know way more than I need to about Windows 8 now, haha. I did convert a fair amount of Mac users though. I'm not paid to answer questions still or paid to answer them on the forum, so no one get any notions of entitlement









Also, your font is way damn too small. Thankfully my eyes aren't going bad yet


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## blaineevans (Jul 11, 2011)

Blame IPBoard, it changed my font for no reason! Haha.


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## AndroidChakra (Apr 14, 2012)

blaineevans said:


> [sub]Debating purchasing 8.. I have no idea why, but knowing I'm not on the most recent version of my OS bothers me.[/sub]


I'd wait unless you can come across it free or you're paid to get it. Find someone with a technet license & install. I wouldn't pay for it if I was you.


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## havi007 (Aug 13, 2011)

Yeah I agree with you on that competition keeps technology going.

Sent from my Nexus 7 using Tapatalk 2


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## havi007 (Aug 13, 2011)

I am the same way I always need the latest version of anything. Here are the improvements on windows 8 less bloat boots way faster with you spinning disc hard drive task manager is so much better. There is no need for apps like tera copy since the new copying system is so much better nor the need to have power iso that feature has been added to. I forced myself not to use any mod to get the start button and now I am used to it. Only thing that does annoy me is chrome on metro and desktop are does not share the same data so I had to place a shortcut from my desktop chrome on to the start screen. Besides that I think its a lot snappier oh and screenshots are better too. There are lot more features added, but I don't want to taken out all the fun in discovering them

Sent from my Nexus 7 using Tapatalk 2


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