O2 up for sale, and leaving WM world after 10 years -- sad

[Guest pine]

started to use WM since 2000, started with the PDA (ipaq, casio device), then to the phone w/ first the original HTC XDA, then XDA2, HP 3650 (?), Eten M600, Eten x800, cingular 3125 (for my wife), htc diamond, and O2. enjoyed each one of them and enjoyed flashing ROMs since eten x800 days.

Flashed O2 rom probably 20 times since last Nov when I purchased it. spent who knows how many hours to cook it and configure it to my like and re-install all these apps collected over the ten years. I would say I was happy with it although could be annoyed when searching up and down for some hacks etc, and when spending 2-3 hours re-install everything after each ROM flash. It contains almost all if not all the functions that I would like my cell phone/pda to function. Considering how much time I spend with it each day (if not counting my work computer at work and my wife at nights), it is well my closest dear.

And I am always proud of one of anti-iphone i-want-to-control-my-phone folks.

but with a baby born, I find myself short of the time and patience for all these rom flash, re-setting, waiting for opera to load webpages, experiment with registry value to gain the last 4 MB of memory. I can't image myself to spend another entire afternoon to flash the rom and re-install every pieces of software. I can't image myself to search all over internet for new applications.

and then, windows mobile has met its end.... no one would develop/update new apps for it anymore, and from all we can see, the WP7 is becoming iphone.

So, I bought a cheap Android device (Acer S100) just to see how it looks like. the plan was just to play with, but still using O2 as my day-to-day device.

After a week of usage, my O2 is up to sale and I would not say I would look back. what do I like about Android

1. the entire UI just look sleek and FAST FAST FAST

2. it is even more customizable, and will be more in future, and there are tons of linux developers out there

3. its browser is FAST FAST FAST compared with opera. maybe I have not used HD2, but O2 is probably the next fastest WM device in US now, and I am tied to AT&T.

4. more and more apps are only for android but not WM now, and suddently I find myself much more niche apps

5. most apps found in android run faster than in wm.

6. it is so each to install apps, uninstall apps, back up apps with its data/setting in android.

7. most apps in android costs a couple of $, and most WM apps that I like costs >$10.

8. much more free apps in android are of high quality, compared with what you can find in WM, where the functions might be there, the UI is just ...

9. the promise of full flash in up-coming android 2.2

10. the cross-platform nature and the likelihood of me getting an android tablet in near future. there won't be windows mobile tablet ....

11. I like the multi-touch during browsing, then it needs to be capacitive screen, then the tiny buttons of WM does not work anymore (although I still would love finger nail if I can have multi-touch at the same time)

12. apps/os are more integrated as one piece. for example, in note app I would like insert a picture, then a dialog pops up asking me to choose the resource, which could be another apps that has registered itself of capable providing picture in the system.

13. a bad app can not mess up your system... it won't install random stuff to your \windows directory, and you can uninstall every piece of any app.

now it all comes down to applications.

I would say for all the functions that I use in wm, i find the same, similar or even better apps in android already. examples like, off-line google reader client, browser, picture editing, pdf reader, bar code scanner, weather, recorder, timer, map, gps navigation, scientific calculator, stocker trading, remote desktop, vnc....

now what I miss from WM world

1. integration with outlook. Android hates outlook. there are three options a). use HTC sync if you have HTC android device :). use acer sync if you have acer device, but it apparently does not work in my case c). sell your soul to google and sync your outlook to google through software like gsyncit.

there are some 3rd part sync software (try to mimic activesync), such as companionlink and missing sync. None of these options work the same as activesync (which I like), but I am ok to live with them

2. integration with exchange. Android hates exchange. but there are 3rd party software to handle. HTC's htc sync, roadsync, touchdown.. all work quite well

3. No valid electronic wallet app....... this is suprising to me, consider how many good ones we have in WM. and there is NO one that allows you to sync with a desktop version of the same software. Ewallet now only has a viewer on android platform, which I now live with. there is a company is developing WalletPro which tries to mimice the Ewallet, but the desktop version is still in early beta.

4. No good note take app that can sync to your desktop. I LOVE onenote, and use it in WM all the time. it syncs back to my desktop onenote which keep ALL my info. I can also easily sync outlook note. none of them exists yet in Android world. although some app can sync to 3rd party website, such as snapitc.com, evernote. Evernote looks promising, but right now, its android client does not cache notes locally, and needs network connect to work and it is not onenote.

5. if you want ot jot down some notes without typing, like sketch, and would like to it syncs back to computer, either in outlook notes or word docs. you are out of luck.

So, it is really interesting. when we wm guy gets a phone, we first want to save some info from my desktop to the phone and get some info back from phone to desktop. in Android work, these functions are after thoughts.

it is really sad to move away from WM world in which I lived for 10 years. but the taste of other side is too good to be ignored. I might move back to WP7 sometime, but for it to happen, MS has to play the office / desktop integration really good. if MS just follow iphone's footsteps, rather than be the best combination of android and iphone, I don't see how it comes back to market and grab the mobile computing world

if anyone wants a good O2 with tones of accessories, drop me a note.

[Guest ED2O9]

As much as I hate to admit it, I'll probably be following your path in about 16 months when my phone is up for renewal. As much as I love the WinMo community, it seems like the direction MS is taking with Win7 is contrary to the open, developer friendly platform I chose over the spoon-fed iPhone world. Honestly, the Android community seems to have taken on the WinMo persona, with the added benefit of hardware that is optimized for all the stuff we love. Currently, I'm very happy with my O2, and I'm pretty certain it will carry me through the next year or so without any complaints, but the more I see about Win7 and with every new Droid phone that hits the market, the writing on the wall gets clearer.

[Guest JohnJayJrV]

Sad, but I too will becoming a robot the next time I need to upgrade. That damn incredible looks awesome. And with LTE coming next year I'll probably get a Android LTE phone. I still love my O2 and will enjoy it while I wait...

jv

[Guest speedfrog]

i agree with you but, you can just use SPB mobile to get all your personal data, programs, tweaks and every setting you had from your previous rom

Edited May 19, 2010 by speedfrog

[Guest jebise]

i really love the O2 and it is my first wimo and my last. I haven't really had the experence to try android i really like the iphone coz it just works and i wish the O2 preformed the same way. I didn't get the iphone coz i hate apple and there out dated hardware. O2 was the best for the money vs hardware and really only lacks RAM and openGL drivers. If almar can get android working i may use the O2 for a while longer otherwise once my contracts allows me to change phone i will be going android maybe WP7 as android sill lacks in a few areas.

[Guest qtilt]

I'm also definitely done after the O2. I use it mostly for music and video, but there are almost no good music players. WMP, PocketPlayer, and S2P all freeze at one point or another. I'm sick of the constant resets, the scrounging for memory. After playing around with my friend's droid, i don't think i can go back to WM. The interface is just so much more fluid. WM's app base is nearly non-existant and android's is constantly growing.

The one thing i don't like about android is the lack of Coreplayer/TCPMP, but a good open-source android video player should be completed by the time i switch.

I was looking at the Samsung Galaxy S, but am having second thoughts about it after the horrible drivers, low memory, and dust-filled screen of the O2. I'll probably be looking at the next HTC, hopefully with a Tegra 2 chipset.

[Guest kdkinc]

The O2 (i920 version) is fortunate to have very good chefs that place much time into fine working rom's.

But now you ask who did they learn some of their skills from ?

Yes much was self taught.

However a lot came from chefs that blazed the trail on 900 & 910 to make the Omnia what it is today .

Where are all these chefs gone ? They all got captured by the ROBOT.. One returned for a week but was soon assimilated back into the core.

The question here is why have so many left but none really returned. I think "PINE nailed it,if you want a controlled device get a Iphone or WP7 phone.

come on September 8Th...

:) ;)

[Guest Snow02]

I'm also definitely done after the O2. I use it mostly for music and video, but there are almost no good music players. WMP, PocketPlayer, and S2P all freeze at one point or another. I'm sick of the constant resets, the scrounging for memory. After playing around with my friend's droid, i don't think i can go back to WM. The interface is just so much more fluid. WM's app base is nearly non-existant and android's is constantly growing.

The one thing i don't like about android is the lack of Coreplayer/TCPMP, but a good open-source android video player should be completed by the time i switch.

I was looking at the Samsung Galaxy S, but am having second thoughts about it after the horrible drivers, low memory, and dust-filled screen of the O2. I'll probably be looking at the next HTC, hopefully with a Tegra 2 chipset.

Kinoma is a great music player. Mortplayer works well also, just not as feature rich.

[Guest azza6]

Where are you from? Can you inbox me with an email address or a way to contact you? I wouldn't mind another O2.. :)

EDIT: I see you're from the states. How much do you want for it and would you be willing to sell to Australia?

Edited May 20, 2010 by azza6

[Guest chokia]

I just want android or any OS in my storage or sd card doing double or triple boot with WM, like i did to my desktop and notebook (having multiple boot with OSX and Ubuntu)

Because i cant afford to loose:-

1. Microsoft Myphone

The ultimate sync to the cloud, not to Google Gmail server like android or the paid service MobileMe of the iphone to Apple server. I really dont bother about active sync after each time ROM updates because of Microsoft Myphone.

2. Microsoft Exchange

I work in the company that uses Exchange server, for email, appointment, meetings, calendar, task etc. Im surprise it reaches my phone first than the company ethernet network to my office computer. So i dont have to be on my desk to know whats going on the very second those items sent to me.

3. Microsoft Voice command

MVC is the ultimate voice app, it reads your email, sms, appointments, time, battery level, start application etc while driving, plays your music according to your voice chosen genre, artist, album. It may not reply sms as you speak like android (i wish it had but there is app for Wm that can do that) but the rest of its function blows android voice command out of the water.

4. Video Call

Iphone and Android have sent the mobile communities to the year 2000. It may not significant to the american as you guys just had your 3G few years back and video call was just a myth, but the rest of the world already had 3G and video call since they were 1st introduced. Not to mention FM radio that is still non existence on Android phone.

5. Flash

Flash is so important not just to watch youtube cause there are other "tubes" that uses flash to play video on the internet pages too. Plus booking online cinema seats online requires flash as well. IE6, Opera Mobile and especially Skyfire for Wm able to display desktoplike website on your phone display. Android and Iphone are fast? that because they run Opera Mini like browser that doesnt display multimedia content. HTML5? it will be fullfledged functioning after the post apocalpse world (provided you survived 2012)

6. Nimbuzz

Nimbuzz for WM blows Symbian version to the oblivion. It does VOICE CALL for Yahoo Messenger, live Messenger, Google Chat, and not just skype. it also allow you to chat on facebook and twitter. Avatar and file transfer supported including video. It may not allow video chat like fring yet but the rest of its function, fring can only dream to have.

7. My Storage

The best about O2 and WM, we can install application in my storage, there is no point having "millions" of applications in the appstore but you have to install in the device. (not to mention to run even two application simultenously or make my storage as usb drive or bluetooth tranfers for iphone case)

Plus the superb camera/video and quality of Samsung, i dont trust HTC camera even for their future HD video or 12 megapixel phone. I would still choose samsung for that.

[Guest FerdiBorbon]

Leaving the Windows Mobile phase too, jumping on the robot boat, windows is just falling behind with apps, ui , etc andiod just seems so much more polished and fast.

Galaxy S here i come!!!

[Guest hsuchitmp]

just bought my omnia ii. i really like it because this is my first winmo phone. and lots of cooked rom for flashing. but after reading this topic makes me want to cry :rolleyes: though im not yet familiar with android but it looks like everyones going there. i should have waited for galaxy s

[Guest babyjosef17]

I too am leaving very soon. In all honesty, we really have no choice. Me being more of a hardware geek rather than OS. Even if I wanted to stay loyal to the now will be called Windows Classic. I just cannot get myself to stay using phones with outdated hardware.

All new phones now are ditching WM and going for andriod. and the next Windows is also joining the no-freedom bandwagon. So what is left for us?

Goodbye, WM. It has really been fun. Really!

But unlike you guys, I am not going robot, I will be going to the Ocean!! Ride the wave, I want to try Bada. I am optimistic of its future and I want to be part of it.

Thank WM for all the memories, whether good or bad, I cherish all of it.

[Guest blaziblade]

I also have the same thoughts as you. LOVED my Omnia 2. But sadly. i will be moving the andriod after my contract ends next year =( still along way to go.

[Guest xkill3rprox]

I too agree with the post but all things have pros and cons, everything will get outdated sooner or later. I'm waiting for the BADA OS too as i think that it's promising enough to compete when it's released into the market.

[Guest Krecik2002]

Well, it looks like Microsoft has already abandoned WM 6.x.x platform so do hardware and software companies. I doubt if we will see any new WM phone from HTC nor any other important company. Also we won't enjoy any cool applications using Snapdragon+HD2's multitouch screen power. I even doubt if we see SPB mobile shell 5 (unless they have it almost finished) for WM.

I plan to change phone around the Christmas and incoming months will give answer if it's going to be iPhone HD, Android or Bada device. As for today, WP7 seems to be worst piece of crap, something similar to iPhone but most probably will end up with 1% of iPhone's software library and user base...

[Guest jharbin]

A fellow at the company I work at got a Verizon HTC Incredible.

I don't know if it is Incredible but it is Impressive - I got my i920 (Verizon) O2 when it first came out, but I'm thinking seriously about getting our IT guy to pull some strings to get me an (very) early upgrade.

[Guest dwallersv]

The O2 (i920 version) is fortunate to have very good chefs that place much time into fine working rom's.

But now you ask who did they learn some of their skills from ?

Yes much was self taught.

However a lot came from chefs that blazed the trail on 900 & 910 to make the Omnia what it is today .

Where are all these chefs gone ? They all got captured by the ROBOT.. One returned for a week but was soon assimilated back into the core.

The question here is why have so many left but none really returned. I think "PINE nailed it,if you want a controlled device get a Iphone or WP7 phone.

I'm sad to say that my future is described by this thread as well.

I've been a fan, and stuck with, WM for a decade or so for the same reasons as many have stated here: Open platform, "real" operating system.

For those very reasons I hate the iPhone. It makes the Microsoft iPhone (a.k.a. Windows Phone 7) a hated beast as well.

I was discussing this whole debacle with a friend of mine during the Sharks/Blackhawks playoff game monday -- someone with an droid -- and was saying that I'll hang on with my O2 as long as I can, if for no other reason than the investment in software I have there already, but will be moving on to Android on the next upgrade.

The difficulty for microsoft is that they're going to lose all of us that care about these things, and if/when Windows Phone fails in the market, will have a near impossible time getting us back with a resurrected Windows Mobile (in the extremely unlikely event that actually happens).

By then, Andriod will be well on its way to a vibrant open platform with all the "hackers" making it what WM used to be: A platform that can be tweaked and customized in great depth... the main reason I (and many others) have stayed with WM.

[Guest qtilt]

Where are you from? Can you inbox me with an email address or a way to contact you? I wouldn't mind another O2.. :rolleyes:

EDIT: I see you're from the states. How much do you want for it and would you be willing to sell to Australia?

sorry, but I'm not planning on selling it. I'll probably just use it till it falls apart, then jump ship to android.

[Guest awarner]

If it was not for Google selling your usage patterns etc I would have tried Android but as I do not trust Gmail with my personal data I would have to buy a third party app to sync directly with my pc.

[Guest azza6]

sorry, but I'm not planning on selling it. I'll probably just use it till it falls apart, then jump ship to android.

I wasn't talking to you, lol. Sorry. I was refering to the OP "O2 up for sale" :rolleyes:

[Guest das7771]

I too am leaving WinMo. I can upgrade on 5/29 and thats when I will order the HTC Incredible. My wife has the HTC Eris and I have not messed with it since the day I bought it for her. But after seeing the Incredible on TV, it got my attention and I have been messing with the android os for the past couple of days. Although it's not perfect it's something new and there are a crap load of apps for it whether free or paid. Once the incredible gets rooted then it will have that much more to offer. I just hate the fact that almost all WinMo devices I have owned, I have absolutely hated until I flashed my first custom rom on it. The lack of apps and decent games on winmo is just tiresome. I really can't stand resistive screens, after playing games on my ipod touch and just can't look back. I would never own an iphone for all of the obvious reasons and I think the Incredible with all of it's features and hardware will actually persuade me to keep a phone for more than six months. That's just my two cents.....

I will be selling my Omnia 2 in about 3 weeks so if you interested pm me and we will see what we can work out.