Miscellaneous
Here are some other noteworthy observations
regarding Windows Phone 8.
The OS is very large. Developers now have applications
that can communicate with other third party applications. This means that if
one application needs to send you to another application to provide relevant
content, it can do so. For example, Yelp app can launch applications on your
favorite GPS to provide you with step by step instructions on how to go to a
Mexican restaurant with every word of praise.
If you like the keyboard before, you'll
love it now. Almost nothing changed, although Word Flow (renamed version of
Quick Correct from Mango) has improved slightly. While predictions and editing
of Word Flow are usually quite accurate, we still prefer a separate row of dots
that is more accessible. We also found that the keyboard often refuse to edit a
shortened form of the word - or even understands, in most cases. Unfortunately,
the opponents of the keyboard continues to be stuck with it, because the third
party Keyboards cannot be attached directly to the operating system to help cut
and paste everything you write.
Developers can take advantage of
Microsoft's TellMe service, which can be accessed by long pressing the Start
button. While the service is able to open the voice application, it is the
ability to further support and provide special orders in this application. For
example, we can start on Hey DJ music by saying "Hey DJ, play Call Me
Maybe". (Of course, if that's what you prefer). This is the first API
feature which will depend on the developers to integrate it into their apps or
not.
Developers
can take advantage of Microsoft's TellMe service, which can be accessed by long
pressing the Start button.
While it is not a common feature that
people want, the ability to take screenshots is very important for tech-savvy
people. We are confused about why it is ignored for too long, especially if one
considered multitasking feature was added to Mango last year, including a few
cards made from screenshots. To take advantage of this opportunity, you just
press the Start key and power button simultaneously for 1 second.
Windows Phone 8 has double plus outstanding
colors for its theme collection, bringing a total of 20.
The Calendar is similar in Windows Phone 8.
WP8 offers support for 60 languages and
50 language keyboard UIs.
One small complaint we have with Windows
Phone is that it generally lacks proper clock battery in a conspicuous place.
Unfortunately, this is still the case with WP8, although it can be found
without much work as a sub-text in the settings menu (found under the
"battery saver").
Office Hub has witnessed several changes,
including the mobile versions of Office 2013 applications (Word, Excel and
PowerPoint); OneNote Mobile also disappeared from the hub because it has become
its own stand-alone application. The list of Office documents can be
synchronized across the different platforms of Microsoft, making it easy to
move from desktop to phone or tablet and vice versa. PowerPoint allows you to
view the slides in portrait mode and landscape mode, and it also allows you to
see a full slide instead of just an outline of the slide title. Word has added
full screen reading mode, and supports existing Excel charts, handles and other
UI improvements.
Windows
phone 8’s office
Talking about OneNote, as we have
mentioned, it is now alone as a Live Tile and an individual application. While
most of them have similar functions, WP8 has included the ability to send
photos to the application, and you can also use TellMe to read your notes.
Microsoft continued improvements in how
Windows Phone integrates with its cloud service, called SkyDrive. This is not
surprising: one would expect you to encourage companies to use its own cloud
services, but many WP users will be disappointed about the lack of storage
available; anyone registering a new account will receive a total of 7GB of free
cloud. Technically, it's better than what Apple and Google offer its own cloud
storage, 2GB, but the difference will not be enough to convince potential
customers to change, as well as the fact that very few (if any) cloud services
to provide a separate application for the system integration. The competition
in the cloud market continues to heat up, because some phones have set the
precedent by offering 25GB or 50GB of Dropbox storage. Based on its current
position in the market, Microsoft can expand SkyDrive storage as an attempt to
attract new customers.
Microsoft
continued improvements in how Windows Phone integrates with its cloud service,
called SkyDrive.
We like the idea of glancing notice while
watching the Start screen, but we have concerns from the outset that we do not
actually have to see the important notice while in other applications (beyond
occasional banner). With plenty of space available in the status bar hidden
above the screen, it would be great to see Microsoft take on the additional
customization options for the announcement here.
Conclusion
With the exceptions of a few new features,
Windows Phone has not changed much in the past two years. However, the new
version of the operating system platform feels more innovative and brings some
freshness that we feel as we initially eyeing firmware. We request support for
hardware related to the current market, and Microsoft has brought it: we want
more integration and custom applications, since this time it has been improved
over WP7. Indeed, Windows Phone 8 is what we want to see from Redmond at the
beginning. There is only one important question still hanging over it; how will
developers react to it like? In 2012, the operating system was only as strong
as its ecosystems, and despite Microsoft's best efforts to sell the foundation
for the development of reputation (over 100 thousand applications so far),
Windows Phone is still struggling to seem relevant enough to attract popular
applications. However, what the new firmware possesses has greater potential than
WP7 ever; Microsoft has finally put out the suitable frame to become the
foundation for desirable development. We will also see that many customers may
be attracted to the Windows 8 operating system of Microsoft phones when they
start investing time and money into the desktop version or tablet. No doubt -
Windows Phone 8 is clearly improved over its predecessor, and it is long
overdue. Overall, we liked what we saw, but users and developers are eagerly
waiting for this update since Windows Phone platform was unveiled for the first
time. It's still not perfect, but Microsoft has finally caught up with rivals
in many ways (and there are some clever new features in the process) and in
doing so, they have momentum. However, if Microsoft lost momentum in the near
future, we find that the operating system would be difficult to recover.
Windows
Phone 8 is a great improvement over its predecessor.
Advantages
·
Much-improved Start and Lock screens
·
Incredibly smooth performance and solid battery
life
·
Supports modern hardware components
·
Guest user support with Kid's Corner
·
Syncs with iTunes
Disadvantages
·
Unproven ecosystem, despite Windows 8
compatibility
Verdict
·
Windows Phone 8 is a great improvement over its
predecessor, but it has to be considered if developers are ready to support the
platform.
