Guys, I'm interested in buying this phone http://negrielectronics.com/catalogsearch/result/?q=9193&order=relevance&dir=desc but my problem is my eyesight and I need something that enlarges everything on the phone. NOT just the font when you write or something.
Less space between icons, utilizing the space better and instead of like the way the iphone was (sample)
John Smith 888-444-555
Have something more like this
John Smith 888-444-555
You know, use the space instead of just wasting it.
I tried years ago with my LG 9800 putting people's pics on there so I could see who was calling and still, they wouldn't let me use the whole screen for the picture but only a small portion in the middle.
With the help of one of the guys here, I found this http://www.touchxperience.com/en/applications/advanced-configuration-tool.html but of course, unless I have the phone, I can't test it.
The same guy suggested I get someone here to help me and write something for me so here I am.
I found this DROID app that says "Font Size globally enlarges text in all apps (Email, SMS, Maps, Home, Weather, Calendar, Widgets, ...)."
That's kinda what I want but possibly even bigger icons to boot.
Now, for my use and where I am, I have been recommended the 9193 so it would be great if someone here that has one could do something and show me how big things can get (if this is possible).
Thanks
George
Hi George and welcome.
I am sure someone on XDA can help you out.
I will move your thread to the Themes and Apps forum where you will probably get a better response.
Good luck with this venture, hope you find what you seek.
WB
Thank you Mr. Banana sir
I hope I can get some help too. Man, I can't believe this should be so hard. I mean, I'm not the only ol' fart around am I?
'preciate it
Oh, and I changed the title since you moved it.
Thanks again
George
There is a global "text size" setting which can be changed in WM. It will change the text for most of the system. Unfortunately some programs do not obey this setting and will default to small fonts - there's not much you can do about those programs though rather than get the developer to rewrite them.
I´m using zoo(o)mer a program that enlarges your sight.
Just try .
Guys, I don't have the actual phone nor do I have access to one.
Is there anyone here that can do this and show me a screen capture or something?
Ideally, putting it on a scanner and scanning it would be great. That way the size of the unit is accurate and I can compare it to other phones.
Thanks
George
Get one and add stuff
I have the T9193 and Zoomer is about your best bet at the moment, it will allow pinching to enlarge in most programs and areas in the phone.
When it comes to the phone calls etc there are some great apps developed on here that enlarge keys etc and use the vast space of the screen so blokes like us can see to do what we need to do without glasses.....mostly.
I use Iconsoft Phonex 2.2 for the dialer app, everything is nice and large!
Zoomer works great.
The phone is brilliant so get one add zoomer and Phonex and you will be very happy.....mostly...there will be the odd spot to annoy you but you will be able to live with it.
Well, I may have to take your word for it and of course, if I don't like it, I can just send the phone to you for a refund, right?
Seriously though, that sounds good.
Don't suppose you're in a position to do some screen captures, video or a scan of the phone so I can see what I'm doing?
Where do I get the zoomer and phoenix and how much are they?
Are you running 6.5 on there and is there anything different in 7?
Thanks guys
George
PhoneEx is good. But when I try to send an email from the contact of PhoneEx, "send from" will be "outlook mail'. Is it possible to change it to "hotmail", if yes, how?
Thanks a lot!
Is outlook mail the only choice?
Mind you, I would probably do it directly from the server like I do now but still, I hate outlook
give it a search... im quite sure there are lots of solutions instead of using outlook.
(p.s. I dont have mobile internet plan so i dont use the email function that often. but im sure you will come up with lots of solutions. the hd2 is great )
Hell, as long as it does the other stuff I want it to do, that's gonna be a minor thing since I tend to do my mail directly from the mail server anyway. I was just curious.
I'm hoping to get a reply on the zoom and phonex questions soon and I might go ahead and buy the phone tomorrow or something.
Thanks guys
George
Guys, while I'm at it, I just realized I should post my "wish" list here for you to comment on it and what's available and not on the 9193.
I actually sent this to Negrielectronics.com and they've been working with me to find the right phone so again, I want to put a plug for them 'cause they've been great!
Anyway, here it is in "kinda" order of importance to me...well, except for the first few, they are just questions I added later.
Cell Phone Wish List
1. Voice recording for PHONE conversations
2. Voice recording for other conversations, as in voice memos with built in mic.
3. Phonebook limited to memory size or are there size limitations?
4. Can I import my information from my Palm PDA?
5. Ability to have LARGE Letters and Numbers
6. LOUD RINGER and ability to put any ring tone on it. I will attach the one you put on the last phone so you can see it.
7. Loud Volume on phone
8. Loud Volume on speaker
9. Function as modem for getting online. NOT a must but would like to.
10. Pop e mail so I can check my mail if I want to.
11. Good browser capabilities (think iPhone)
12. Large clock so I can see it easier. You know, when the phone is in standby mode and you want to check what time it is. I love the clock that’s show in the picture of the HTC Touch HD2 T9193
13. Predictive dialing (I liked this from the HTC Vox that you let me try. Very cool. You dial and it keeps trying to guess which number you want. I’d LIKE this but NOT a requirement.
14. Latest Bluetooth version
15.
16. PREFER Real keyboard but not a requirement. I’ve gotten used to dialing on the screen and I don’t text at all.
17. GSM/3G/Fast Internet speeds. Probably going to use it on AT&T. I was never very happy with Verizon and for me at least, ATT worked better. Note, Ryan recommended T-Mobile and I will probably go with that, if nothing else but for the cost.
18. I don’t need a whole lot of the cool gadgets and features on it. I don’t do music or watch videos or download stuff. If it has a good browser like the iphone, that would be great but I mainly want a good PHONE. Camera is good to have and I do actually use it. Liked the one on the iphone and that the lens wasn’t too damn wide. That always pisses me off.
19. I would like a way to connect a corded headset, preferably without adapters.
20. I don’t care if it’s windows or not as I don’t plan on having letters and spread sheets on it. I have PDA’s for that.
21. At least 500 numbers in the phone book. Maybe predictive
22. I do NOT want a flip phone!
23. If it has keyboard on the front, I need LARGER buttons, NOT like the blueberry. My fingers are too thick for that.
24. Also, I would like the option to return it to you if it doesn’t work with my hands free in the car. Just like I did with the Vox and I would be happy to pay some fee for this if necessary.
25. As a phone, the Vox was superior to the iPhone but two things I didn’t like. Size of everything of course and it sucked at displaying web pages. I would actually like to change my requirement. I WOULD like something that displays web pages as well as the iPhone does. It did a beautiful job and I MAY need this feature in the future so if you guys are going to recommend something with a little larger screen, type HTC or iPhone, then I would like something that displays the web pages properly. Of course, it could be that they all do that now, I don’t know.
26. Ryan, I talked to Kenwood to find out which Bluetooth version it had as the handsfree unit was built in but they had no clue. Big surprise there. THIS is the unit I have from Kenwood (DNX8120) and although they didn’t have a list of compatible phones, there is a page on their site where one can look up the compatibility so I’m sending you that instead so that when the guys find a phone that’s suitable for me, they or I can go online and check it.
http://www.kenwood.com/cs/ce/bt/index.php In the first drop down menu on the left, select DNX8. underneath select DNX8120 and under that, select INCLUDE and then on the right, find the phone I’m getting.
Well, I think this is about what I can come up with.
IF I get a laptop with built in wireless that I can use would I have to have an account for that and again, would I be stuck with the higher priced plan or how does that work
I've got a phone, nah nah nah nah nah nah...
Alright boys, I went with the Desire for AT&T from Negri Electronics (and by the way, if someone wants one, they've got 50 of them coming in monday or tuesday) so I need to ramp up the search for apps to make me see things better
Oh, and linky if someone wants it http://negrielectronics.com/htc-desire-a8183-android-att-850-us-na-3g-unlocked.html
They've got other versions if you don't want AT&T by the way.
Later yall
George
So let me preface by saying Ive gone from iPhone to Android and have been watching WP since launch and plan on it being my next OS after I can get a hold of an off contract Verizon phone relatively cheaply or when my upgrade is up. I love how fluid it seems with its native apps and I want to get away from my buggy and laggy/stuttering Droid X (Which is the same for everyone I know with one).
But there's some things that you really don't take into account when you don't actually use the device everyday, so I figured Id ask here and see how WP stacks up.
What I am looking for info on:
-I use Android's file system to store non-market/root APK's to reinstall apps after wiping/updating the phone and such. I would like to unlock my WP for things like screenshot utilities; how does that whole scene work in a quick summary? I know about Chevron, but how are these apps distributed, updated etc.?
-How are non-native apps with scrolling smoothness these days in Mango? I cant stand the lag and stuttering in Android.
-Can you download from IE to the file system with homebrew? How about natively?
-How does Skydrive work for installers/loading installers, PDF's and other non-Office files? Can you browse it like a filesystem, as I currently use it as a Network Drive on my PC anyways.
-Does the universal volume setup become an issue? I use my phone as my PMP with headphones all the time, then I need it to be on vibrate for class and in general, also alarms randomly, and occasionally I play games with the media on. Will I be missing alarms or leaving the ringer on in class if I don't pay close attention or is it mainly just when going headphones to media? I dont quite understand how it works specifically.
-Quick ways to toggle WiFi and screen brightness with homebrew?
-Back up options for app settings and things if a wipe happens?
-Do you find yourself ever getting annoyed with the animations or the app list for less used apps that still get accessed once in a while?
-How bad is board reader for browsing forums or the free reddit apps? They dont have great ratings.
-Am I going to be panning a lot in IE without text reflow? I usually browse/do everything in portrait and dont like landscape much FYI.
Anything you really miss about Android or iOS?
I only know of TouchXplorer for HTC for file management but im sure there are others for the other brands. Not sure how you would go about storing files for re installation. Dont think anyone has figured out how to invoke the xap installer from files on the phone. Most of these apps are found here on XDA
Most apps are pretty smooth. Depends on the dev. Id say they are all smoother than android though.
Dont think you can download to the file system from IE
You can access Skydrive from the office hub. You can open media files and pdfs etc. Once again not sure about install files.
I havent had a problem with the volume. I use my phone for media and games. I just put it on vibrate when i need to which is easy to do on the lock screen.
Cant toggle from the homescreen yet, there are apps that are shortcuts to the setting though
There is a homebrew backup program here on XDA somewhere
I dont get annoyed by the animations. They make for a nice experience
The XDA app is a version of board express i believe and its not too bad. I Haven't tried any of the Reddit apps
There is a bit of panning. I find its just easier to find a good zoom level that you can read it on
Hope i helped
Mike415 said:
What I am looking for info on:
-I use Android's file system to store non-market/root APK's to reinstall apps after wiping/updating the phone and such. I would like to unlock my WP for things like screenshot utilities; how does that whole scene work in a quick summary? I know about Chevron, but how are these apps distributed, updated etc.?
I've never used TouchXplorer, so I don't even know if it is compatible with Mango, but if it is it would be the only file explorer option I know of. WP is not designed as an open system, so file explorers are not officially supported.
-How are non-native apps with scrolling smoothness these days in Mango? I cant stand the lag and stuttering in Android.
I have around 175 third party apps installed on my phone, and at least half of them exhibit enough lag/stutter that it is noticeable, and some are quite annoying, even some of the major apps (such as Accuweather.com and USA Today). Generally, it seems that if an app is fetching data from the internet while it is also rendering to the display, you will probably notice some lag/stutter. I've never owned an Android, but from the videos I've seen on YouTube and also from what I've observed watching my son use his Samsung Captivate, the lag (at least in third party apps) is comparable.
-Can you download from IE to the file system with homebrew? How about natively?
All apps are sandboxed on WP, so downloading to "the filesystem" is not supported.
-How does Skydrive work for installers/loading installers, PDF's and other non-Office files? Can you browse it like a filesystem, as I currently use it as a Network Drive on my PC anyways.
Again, I don't know about homebrew, but generally speaking SkyDrive only supports photos and Office documents from your phone.
-Does the universal volume setup become an issue? I use my phone as my PMP with headphones all the time, then I need it to be on vibrate for class and in general, also alarms randomly, and occasionally I play games with the media on. Will I be missing alarms or leaving the ringer on in class if I don't pay close attention or is it mainly just when going headphones to media? I dont quite understand how it works specifically.
This one is a bit tricky. As far as missing alarms due to turning the ringer on or off, that is probably not likely. Turning vibrate-only mode on or off is remarkably simple on WP. Just wake up the phone, press either volume control, and then tap the ringer icon to toggle it on or off.
However, that is the good news. The bad news is that the universal volume means that having the volume high enough to be able to hear the phone ring from your pocket also means that any app, game or media will also blast out of the phone at annoyingly loud levels. And conversely, if you turn the volume down far enough to play a game or listen to music at a comfortable level, but forget to turn it back up when you are done, you will miss calls, guaranteed. It has happened to me more times than I care to count.
-Quick ways to toggle WiFi and screen brightness with homebrew?
Quick setting toggles are not supported. You can, however, get a reasonably adequate shortcuts to the four main toggles (WiFI, 3G, Airplane mode, and Bluetooth) on your start screen. The unfortunate annoyance is that, depending on how you lay out your start screen, you may have a few button presses/scroll swipes necessary to complete the toggle of a setting). As for brightness, there is no toggle support for that.
-Back up options for app settings and things if a wipe happens?
There is no support for backup of app settings, game saves or SMS messages, period. None at all. You can (using a homebrew app) perform a complete device backup, but it cannot be transferred to another device.
-Do you find yourself ever getting annoyed with the animations or the app list for less used apps that still get accessed once in a while?
Do the animations annoy me? Yes. Contrary to the apparently popular opinion here, I find much of the animation on the start screen to be gimmicky (the people hub, game hub, and "me" hub icons especially so). And many third party apps flip their icons for no reason at all, just for the sake of flipping it. For example Flixster flips the tile between a static photo of a currently-playing movie on one side (with the program icon in the corner), and the program icon filling the tile on the other side. It serves no purpose.
With that said, SOME of the app tiles are VERY useful, such as most weather apps, which usually flip between current conditions and forecast conditions. Being a weather junky, I love that feature.
Regarding the app list, it is more than just an annoyance, it is a major frustration for me, every single day. With no app grouping capabilities at all (I wouldn't care HOW it was implemented, I just want SOMETHING implemented), finding apps in a long list can be a real chore. I don't like it at all. If you only ever plan to have 20 or 30 apps, it might be OK. But if you need more than that, the number of taps and flicks and swipes needed to find and launch an app can be time-consuming.
-How bad is board reader for browsing forums or the free reddit apps? They dont have great ratings.
I've only used the trial version of Board Express, and didn't like it at all. Most of the reports from people here are that it is painfully bad to use.
-Am I going to be panning a lot in IE without text reflow? I usually browse/do everything in portrait and dont like landscape much FYI.
That depends entirely on the layout of the web sites you visit. On some sites, the tap-to-zoom works very well, and makes the text fill the screen (without reflow, of course) at a nominally readable size. But on other sites, it just doesn't help at all, and I end up panning quite a bit.
Anything you really miss about Android or iOS?
I've never owned either, so I can't say. However, unless things change I will most likely be moving to an iPhone within a couple of months. WP has a LOT going for it, but unfortunately (for me) it still has too many gaps in its features, and some of them are too annoying to just live with them and wait patiently on Microsoft.
I hope the features that I need do get added in future updates, because I'd be happy to switch back. But after reading the snarky attitude of many of the fans here, I can't help but wonder if that same attitude isn't prevalent at Microsoft, which would kind of imply that those features won't be coming any time soon.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
My answers are in blue.
To be honest, from your questions, I would say you would be better off staying with android, don't get me wrong, i love wp7 and it does everthing i need it to do, but you may find some of the stuff you want is not available and get frustrated.
I just switched and am very happy! After two years on android, wp7 feels so smooth and coherent
IMHO, go to a store or carrier centre and request a WP7 and play with it, as from what I believe, everyone has their own preferences.
My advise would be to stay away if you're a tweaker, which is sounds like you are.
pillsburydoughman said:
My advise would be to stay away if you're a tweaker, which is sounds like you are.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I was though, but sometimes you get sick of constantly flashing roms, chaning things around, and want something that just works.
I'm happy that now it seems as if I have much more time since I'm not constantly fiddling with my phone 24/7.
I guess that is dependent on the person themselves though
What I am looking for info on:
-I use Android's file system to store non-market/root APK's to reinstall apps after wiping/updating the phone and such. I would like to unlock my WP for things like screenshot utilities; how does that whole scene work in a quick summary? I know about Chevron, but how are these apps distributed, updated etc.?
*No, you will be stuck at your pc for deploying XAPs. However Dotcomp says there is a way to deploy XAPs from IE.
MS security is a complete joke, you can just download the XAPs from MS.
-How are non-native apps with scrolling smoothness these days in Mango? I cant stand the lag and stuttering in Android.
* Well get used to it, its the exact same on WP7. However there aren't many apps with long scroll list, most take advantage of Metro.
-Can you download from IE to the file system with homebrew? How about natively?
*NO, and no
-How does Skydrive work for installers/loading installers, PDF's and other non-Office files? Can you browse it like a filesystem, as I currently use it as a Network Drive on my PC anyways.
*Skydrive was a afterthought on this OS, my opinion. Works great for Office documents, OneNote, and pics. That's it.
-Does the universal volume setup become an issue? I use my phone as my PMP with headphones all the time, then I need it to be on vibrate for class and in general, also alarms randomly, and occasionally I play games with the media on. Will I be missing alarms or leaving the ringer on in class if I don't pay close attention or is it mainly just when going headphones to media? I dont quite understand how it works specifically.
* Depends on you. I'm used to multiple volume settings, so its a pain to me.
-Quick ways to toggle WiFi and screen brightness with homebrew?
* If you can call a wifi icon on homesreen quick, then yes, other than that NO.
-Back up options for app settings and things if a wipe happens?
*If on the go, NO. If at your PC, http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?p=19341502#post19341502
-Do you find yourself ever getting annoyed with the animations or the app list for less used apps that still get accessed once in a while?
* Actually the animations are what make this phone. They're pretty quick and elegant. I like the live tiles, but they ruin the glance and go concept, because I have to wait on it to flip.
The app list is horrid.
-How bad is board reader for browsing forums or the free reddit apps? They dont have great ratings.
*Board Express made by Tapatalk, is nothing like Tapatalk on Android or IOS. It is like a sick joke. The browser is faster on WP.
-Am I going to be panning a lot in IE without text reflow? I usually browse/do everything in portrait and dont like landscape much FYI.
* Double tap usually makes the text readable, but if the site has text and pictures you want to see, you're SOL.
Also if you like to read comments, or deal with a HTML5 website, you will find yourself having to load the full website a lot. I can't even get the smartphone version of mobile sites, IE9 doesn't render some correctly.
Anything you really miss about Android or iOS?
YES! GOOGLE APPS! GAMES!
Youtube on Android is the greatest, Lazytube comes close but you have to pay for it.
Im used to sitting on my couch and flinging websites and videos from my phone to the TV(google tv), impossible on WP7.
Custom SMS, ringtones, and email notifications. You can do custom ringtones but its a hassle.
I can say I like the Email on WP7, however its not instant like on IOS or Android.
Oh, there is no auto update option. If there is a app that needs updating you have to open the market and tell it to update.
---
All of that being sad, you could still be Happy using WP7. It just totally depends on what you use your phone for.
{
"lightbox_close": "Close",
"lightbox_next": "Next",
"lightbox_previous": "Previous",
"lightbox_error": "The requested content cannot be loaded. Please try again later.",
"lightbox_start_slideshow": "Start slideshow",
"lightbox_stop_slideshow": "Stop slideshow",
"lightbox_full_screen": "Full screen",
"lightbox_thumbnails": "Thumbnails",
"lightbox_download": "Download",
"lightbox_share": "Share",
"lightbox_zoom": "Zoom",
"lightbox_new_window": "New window",
"lightbox_toggle_sidebar": "Toggle sidebar"
}
my lady took over the vibrant, lol.
-------------
Another thing, some people say they get tired of flashing custom roms on Android. The exact same OPTION is avaliable on WP7. You don't HAVE to flash either.
there are no custom roms for my phone...
I was continually trying to get my phone smoother, and smoother on android.
I just don't feel the need to with this. Once again, just my own two cents. I never said that it would be the same for everyone
Thanks for the replies so far. It helped me get a better feeling for WP and it seems like I should really just wait for all the new OS updates like Ice Cream and iOS 5.x+/iPhone 5 before diving into WP. I am a slight tweaker of Android, but I don't actually want to do that very much anymore. I just want a phone that works and suits my needs. Android suits my needs, but doesn't really work great and it annoys me.
WP seems like it would be okay for me. Im not an app whore anymore since Ive been a smartphone user for several years now and I pretty much just like to be able to get the news, read some forums, text a lot, use yelp to find places to eat, and occasionally pass some time on leisure games. Android is pretty weak as far as finding decent games IMO and I think WP could actually be better in that regard (iPhone is the only one I would consider good for leisure games, but if Ive gotten by on Android this long I think WP could be okay, especially since I still would have an iPhone and Droid for those games). Right now, using Launcher 7 on Android I only use 2.5 screens of tiles so Im not going to have too much of an issue with the app list I think (Homebrew folders support will do me fine in that regard as I can toss all the leisure games in there also).
What I am still unclear on is viewing PDFs that are hosted on websites because its a situation that I run into frequently enough that I need it to be able to view PDFs from sites or Skydrive (Either one). Can I navigate with IE to a site with a link to a hosted PDF and view it or not?
Can I leave my phone on vibrate (no ring) and still play headphones without turning the ring back on in doing so? This would be a huge issue if not because I can't be having my phone go off in class all the time. I rarely take my phone off vibrate, so I want to make sure I can leave silent/vibrate on and still play Zune without turning the ringer back on.
Does vibrate mean that alarms only vibrate and dont sound? ie. do I need to take my phone off silent ringer/vibrate all night if I want to hear an alarm in the morning?
--
I like how well Microsoft has seemingly written WP and I think eventually it will be great after Win8 and WP8. Maybe I just need to hold off for those phones and not waste money getting an off contract phone. If Win8+WP8+XBOX+Live services doesnt bring very tight integration and some nice new features, I think I'll lose all the faith Ive put into Microsoft the past 15 years.
Mike415 said:
Can I leave my phone on vibrate (no ring) and still play headphones without turning the ring back on in doing so? This would be a huge issue if not because I can't be having my phone go off in class all the time. I rarely take my phone off vibrate, so I want to make sure I can leave silent/vibrate on and still play Zune without turning the ringer back on.
Does vibrate mean that alarms only vibrate and dont sound? ie. do I need to take my phone off silent ringer/vibrate all night if I want to hear an alarm in the morning?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
With Mango both of these issues are addressed. You can put your ringer on vibrate and still listen to music, and even adjust the volume without affecting the "vibrate only" setting. However, when you turn the ringer back on, it will be on at the current volume setting, not what it was before.
Also, you can have the ringer on vibrate and still hear alarms. In fact, alarms are now treated as "special" by the OS, and they ignore both the volume and ringer (vibrate) settings. They start low, and get progressively louder until dismissed.
Mike415 said:
I like how well Microsoft has seemingly written WP and I think eventually it will be great after Win8 and WP8. Maybe I just need to hold off for those phones and not waste money getting an off contract phone. If Win8+WP8+XBOX+Live services doesnt bring very tight integration and some nice new features, I think I'll lose all the faith Ive put into Microsoft the past 15 years.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
WP will eventually be fantastic, and the ecosystem will mature. But I have to be honest and say that for me it isn't there yet, and it is unclear how long it will take to get there. If your only option right now is to go off contract to get a WP device, I would have to suggest that you wait at least until Apollo is released (which, by all credible accounts will be Q4 of next year).
My reason for saying this is because each time Microsoft does fix a problem, they do an admirable job. But they need to (IMO) be more aggressive with their release schedule. Following the "one small release mid year and one major release annually" model isn't enough. There should be smaller patch releases to address issues, rather than making people suffer with them for 6+ months.
Mike415 said:
Thanks for the replies so far. It helped me get a better feeling for WP and it seems like I should really just wait for all the new OS updates like Ice Cream and iOS 5.x+/iPhone 5 before diving into WP. I am a slight tweaker of Android, but I don't actually want to do that very much anymore. I just want a phone that works and suits my needs. Android suits my needs, but doesn't really work great and it annoys me.
WP seems like it would be okay for me. Im not an app whore anymore since Ive been a smartphone user for several years now and I pretty much just like to be able to get the news, read some forums, text a lot, use yelp to find places to eat, and occasionally pass some time on leisure games. Android is pretty weak as far as finding decent games IMO and I think WP could actually be better in that regard (iPhone is the only one I would consider good for leisure games, but if Ive gotten by on Android this long I think WP could be okay, especially since I still would have an iPhone and Droid for those games). Right now, using Launcher 7 on Android I only use 2.5 screens of tiles so Im not going to have too much of an issue with the app list I think (Homebrew folders support will do me fine in that regard as I can toss all the leisure games in there also).
What I am still unclear on is viewing PDFs that are hosted on websites because its a situation that I run into frequently enough that I need it to be able to view PDFs from sites or Skydrive (Either one). Can I navigate with IE to a site with a link to a hosted PDF and view it or not?
Can I leave my phone on vibrate (no ring) and still play headphones without turning the ring back on in doing so? This would be a huge issue if not because I can't be having my phone go off in class all the time. I rarely take my phone off vibrate, so I want to make sure I can leave silent/vibrate on and still play Zune without turning the ringer back on.
Does vibrate mean that alarms only vibrate and dont sound? ie. do I need to take my phone off silent ringer/vibrate all night if I want to hear an alarm in the morning?
--
I like how well Microsoft has seemingly written WP and I think eventually it will be great after Win8 and WP8. Maybe I just need to hold off for those phones and not waste money getting an off contract phone. If Win8+WP8+XBOX+Live services doesnt bring very tight integration and some nice new features, I think I'll lose all the faith Ive put into Microsoft the past 15 years.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Hi Mike,
Like you I mapped Skydrive as a network drive and simply drag/drop my pdf files there. PDFs are natively supported on wp7 once you download the official adobe pdf app.
The PDFs will show up on skydrive in the Office Hub. Infact if you use the Documents folder as the "root" of all your files and simple create folders within there, they will all show up in the office hub's skydrive folder. As you see I have a "PDF" folder with all my pdfs. You download them when you select it and it is saved to adobe's app storage locally on the phone.
Skydrive on the phone will also stream audio and video files! Sometimes my friends would share a video or some music with me and I'd be able to access it natively!
You can view any pdf or office document (provided it is in later version format i thnk office 2007 up) hosted on websites. It will download and open in adobe/office.
Also OneNote is absoulely terrific in the Office hub for syncing notes to the PC/web and phone. I use it extensively to manage my classes!
Hope this helped.
Mike415 said:
What I am still unclear on is viewing PDFs that are hosted on websites because its a situation that I run into frequently enough that I need it to be able to view PDFs from sites or Skydrive (Either one). Can I navigate with IE to a site with a link to a hosted PDF and view it or not?
Can I leave my phone on vibrate (no ring) and still play headphones without turning the ring back on in doing so? This would be a huge issue if not because I can't be having my phone go off in class all the time. I rarely take my phone off vibrate, so I want to make sure I can leave silent/vibrate on and still play Zune without turning the ringer back on.
Does vibrate mean that alarms only vibrate and dont sound? ie. do I need to take my phone off silent ringer/vibrate all night if I want to hear an alarm in the morning?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
PDF's are just working fine. Just install Adobe's PDF app and IE will automatically hook them and forward them to the app. Same on SkyDrive, you can even zip those PDF's as WP is able to look into zips.
As for the sound it should work the way you described. Volume control is for everything on the device but the button for vibration is only for the ringer. So if you mute your device via volume rocker then everything will be muted. If you only press the vibrate button then only the ringer will be silenced.
Awesome, guys. Great replies. The volume issues and PDF issues seem like they would be fine for situations like mine. Loved the screenshots!
Really I dont see too many issues not to switch over eventually, as the replies here have quelled my main doubts. As more apps come and current apps are optimized theres very little reason to not switch for most people. Its just that damn app list!
Good thing there's homebrew folders now though!
Mike415 said:
Awesome, guys. Great replies. The volume issues and PDF issues seem like they would be fine for situations like mine. Loved the screenshots!
Really I dont see too many issues not to switch over eventually, as the replies here have quelled my main doubts. As more apps come and current apps are optimized theres very little reason to not switch for most people. Its just that damn app list!
Good thing there's homebrew folders now though!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
thankfully the games go into your xbox live folder though...
also you can tap a letter to quickly bring up all letters where you can quickscroll from letter to letter to find apps you have.
scoobysnacks said:
thankfully the games go into your xbox live folder though...
also you can tap a letter to quickly bring up all letters where you can quickscroll from letter to letter to find apps you have.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
and search too. I actually prefer the app list to iOS pages of icons. The applist I know exactly where to find it alphabectically using the jumplist. Need twitter? Tap a letter jump to T and its in that group. iOS its a "which page is it?' scenario.
The homebrew folders is also pretty nice. I use it for all my "News" apps and "Social" app but it doesnt have live tiles so it defeats the wp7 purpose of glance and go
scoobysnacks said:
thankfully the games go into your xbox live folder though...
also you can tap a letter to quickly bring up all letters where you can quickscroll from letter to letter to find apps you have.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
sayonical said:
and search too. I actually prefer the app list to iOS pages of icons. The applist I know exactly where to find it alphabectically using the jumplist. Need twitter? Tap a letter jump to T and its in that group. iOS its a "which page is it?' scenario.
The homebrew folders is also pretty nice. I use it for all my "News" apps and "Social" app but it doesnt have live tiles so it defeats the wp7 purpose of glance and go
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I was just planning on throwing all my leisure games (non-XBOX LIVE) in folders. Does the XBOX Live hub hold non-Live games too? I wouldn't really need folders if all my games were in the XBOX hub, but I was thinking that it was only for Live games.
Mike415 said:
I was just planning on throwing all my leisure games (non-XBOX LIVE) in folders. Does the XBOX Live hub hold non-Live games too? I wouldn't really need folders if all my games were in the XBOX hub, but I was thinking that it was only for Live games.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
the live hub holds all games!
It's a good thing too, I have a ton of games
scoobysnacks said:
the live hub holds all games!
It's a good thing too, I have a ton of games
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
The only drawback of the xbox live hub is that is missing the jump list. I'd really love to see it in there too.
On topic:
I'd really recommend you go into a mobile shop and try different devices. I for one came from Window Mobile 6.1 over 6.5 and Android (2.1 and 2.2) all the way to Windows Phone. First I was missing several things I know from my former mobile OSes. But once I got used to the limitations (which were a lot more before NoDo and Mango), I've never ever looked back. I'm a proud WP7 user. But it really depends on what you use your device for.
Ok, so after having worked with this for a while, I thought it was time to share my findings
I love the idea of a smart watch and a smart phone working together
I've had a Pebble with my iPhone, but for me, there were a few things missing,
YouTube has had some great videos and on the back of these, I've found that the iPhone can in fact do quite a few things with the Gear 2
After first pairing the watch with the iPhone (turn off and then on the Bluetooth option, and then check the box marked 'Make visable', then your iPhone can find the device.
So, with that done:-
Phone calls work between the devices ( find someone with a Samsung device, ensure your contacts etc are on that device, even temporarily, and you'll get your contacts and contact photos on your Gear2)
Notifications unfortunately don't work....BUT, Siri does...kind of!
If the devices are connected and Siri is activated, the sound comes through the Gear speaker.
So, with the new 'Hey Siri' feature, you can activate Siri by speaking into your watch and using it that way.
I find that I can ask Siri to read my text messages, send text messages etc etc etc. now bear in mind, 'hey Siri' only works if there's power to your iPhone, and I have a juice-pack and so my device has power. Yes, a long winded way of using it, but it works for me.
I use my gear 2 for all the fitness elements and heart rate, and it works for me.
Also, The official Google app works through the watch, Google Maps reads out your directions to the gear 2 too.
Now you may say that Apple are making a watch, and you'd be right....but I don't want to pay £300 for a watch!. I was lucky enough to get a mint condition gear2 for £70, and the added bonus is the battery is getting me a good 2 days battery life.
So, if you're interested in having a go, all this also works with the Gear 1 which can be picked up even cheaper.
I'd welcome your comments
Ok....you sold me on it. I too, have and iPhone 5S and was considering a Gear 2.
Nice one
Let me know how it goes
You can, of course, always sell it!
One thing I meant to add was that I use the camera an awful lot too.
Yes, again there's lots said about cameras and mega pixels etc etc blah blah, but, I find it very handy for 'quick' pictures, and the 720p videos cool!
I periodically connect it to my computer to put/change music etc and that's when I drag the pics & videos of it.
They then automatically fly upto to Dropbox ready for distribution whenever I wish.
I use the Dropbox Carousel app for photos ( just can't get on with Apples Photos Cloud thing...it's still too flaky for me), and so I've got pictures wherever I need them!
I was even on the Samsung website today looking at the additional watch bands and picked me up a bargain strap for just £14!!
They have some nice designer ones too
So for me, it's working nicely right now
pglandscapes said:
Nice one
Let me know how it goes
You can, of course, always sell it!
One thing I meant to add was that I use the camera an awful lot too.
Yes, again there's lots said about cameras and mega pixels etc etc blah blah, but, I find it very handy for 'quick' pictures, and the 720p videos cool!
I periodically connect it to my computer to put/change music etc and that's when I drag the pics & videos of it.
They then automatically fly upto to Dropbox ready for distribution whenever I wish.
I use the Dropbox Carousel app for photos ( just can't get on with Apples Photos Cloud thing...it's still too flaky for me), and so I've got pictures wherever I need them!
I was even on the Samsung website today looking at the additional watch bands and picked me up a bargain strap for just £14!!
They have some nice designer ones too
So for me, it's working nicely right now
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I love it but it is a pain in a way because when I pair it with my iPhone using the bluetooth tap trick, the time zone is always 2 hours ahead of my time zone ( I am in the Eastern Time Zone )
Other than that, besides the limited functionality due to me having an iPhone 5S, I still love it. Hope someone figures out how to make them talk to each other in the near future. :highfive:
Hmmm not sure in the time zone thing
I'm in the UK and all I did was ask someone to pair the gear initially to get the right time
As daft as it may sound, you could always pick up a beat up old S3 to use as a'hub' for your gear..
Well there is always this thread here...
http://forum.xda-developers.com/gear-2/help/tizen-mod-3-time-zone-option-t2989414
Maybe we can figure out how to get it working for each other. LOL!!!!!!
Others have said that they have gotten the gear to work with Caller ID with their iPhones but I have not figured it out. Any ideas PG?