Going all-Microsoft - UPDATE: Got a Lumia 930; tis brilliant

[evilrob]

Bored of Apple. Recently deleted all my iPhone apps, and only reinstalling the ones I actually use. Net result: it turns out I don't actually need any apps. I also want to buy a console purely to play GTA V. I will be keeping my Macbook as a main computer - but will try to do most stuff in Windows 8 (at least for a while - I have too many OS X-only tools I do actually use every day).

Requirements in order of importance:

Phone: Calls/texts, decent camera, light email/web browsing, music/radio, Sat Nav, need to be able to stream to telly/speakers
Tablet: Intermediate e-mail/web browsing, films, light work (code edits), music, need to be able to stream to telly
Console: GTA V

With that in mind, I'm thinking of swapping the following:

iPhone 5 with TomTom app and retro cable-based charging
iPad 3 (has actually been sat in a box waiting to go on eBay for months)
Apple TV
Spotify subscription
iTunes for movie purchasing / rental
Gmail for email

For:

Nokia Luma 920 Windows Phone with Nokia Drive SatNav and wireless charging pad (because despite the 925 supposedly having a better camera, I prefer the pictures the 920 produces with the latest software update, I'd choose the wireless charging, extra storage and cheaper price over the thinness/metalness/expensiveness of the 925 and can't be bothered to wait for the 1020)
Surface RT 32gb with Type keyboard cover and Wedge mouse
Xbox 360 (mostly for GTA V but also to act as a conduit for content streamed from Windows phone/tablet to telly)
Xbox Music Subscription
Xbox Video
Outlook.com for email

Anyone else got the full monty Microsoft ecosystem experience?

How are the Xbox Music / Video stores to live with? Decent selection of content? Reasonably priced? Reliably delivered?
How easy/reliable is it to stream stuff from Windows 8 / Windows Phone / Surface to the telly via Xbox Glass? (i.e. replicate iPhone/iPad to Apple TV via AirPlay; I don't have a DNLA-enabled telly)
What's Outlook.com like to live with?

My main concern is that while at face value the Microsoft ecosystem should allow me to do my internets and consume content nicely, it will just all be a bit, well, Microsoft and do irritating things like not work reliably, properly or crash on an intolerably frequent basis.

Don't get me wrong, I'm not unhappy with my current all-Apple setup at all, I just fancy a change.

 

[The Arch Bishop]

Personally, if what you use works then I'd just go out and buy a really nice pie and not worry about it. Then use the time you would have spent swearing at a screen trying to make the thing work to do some great things such as;

1. Go to the zoo and laugh at the monkeys and their japes. Stare into their eyes and have a vivid epiphany about how much like them we really are.
2. Drink even more girly cocktails than you do already.
3. Run up to the nearest policeman and give him a gentle and tender kiss on the forehead. Then ruffle his head and proclaim 'You're alright fella!'
4. Buy your lady some horse related trinkets.
5. Polish your Puma lock barrels again.
6. Start a media campaign about how evil Legoland is. I really hate that place.

Great! Hope that helps!

 

[Cartman]

I have a full ms echosystem, and I'm pretty pleaced whit it

I have a pc running windows 8, although I hate the new metro start screen, you get used to it, and the new win 8.1 update that comes free very soon, which has the return of the normal start menu

I have a Lumia 920 which I love, despite some minor inconveniances, that are mostly a result of me being used to the older more open platform nokias, it works very well.

the xbox music I have not tried, but the nokia music feature that comes with the lumias, is awsome,

I had both the xbox 360, and the ps3, but I found the xbox was the best for me, it is faster, and runs smoother, (atleast on the games I have compared ) gta IV is one of them. I do find the ps3 better for streaming video from a pc, but it works just fine on the xbox to. I have also preorderd the xbox one, but wont be getting it until next year

I have an ipad, instead of the surface, but I want a surface. I find the apple os cumbersome, and messy if you get my point you can not plase the icons where you want, and it's generaly to closed off for me but it works I'll give it that

the xbox video store works grate you can both purchase and rent movies, netflix is awailable.

Xbox smart glass works werry wel, but currently you can not streem anything to the tv through it, it is more a tool for surfing the web on the xbox, it gives you a keyboard, and mouse feature.

outloc.com works ust like hotmail did, only has more features, have not used them all yet, as I mainly have my email dropp streight into my phone

if you have any other spesific questions, just ask

 

[Neil]

Don't bother with Outlook.com - there's still too many hangovers from Hotmail. Gmail is far superior.

As for Windows 8, now I'm used to it, it isn't as bad as a lot of people make out. I rarely use the start screen at all, and once the 8.1 update is out next month with the boot to desktop feature, I very much doubt I'll use it at all. The update will also bring the option to turn off the annoying 'hot' screen corner feature too - a big thumbs up here. People also seem to overlook the massive performance jump over Windows 7 too.

As for the Lumia, keep us updated if you do get one. I seriously considered one about six months ago, but in the end the Google Nexus 4 won out due to the price.

 

[ethanfitz]

I have a Nokia Lumia 800 by far the best phone i have ever owned... IMO apple are behind the game now in the phone market... I love the windows phone, fast, responsive, smooth built well, fantastic sat nav, music system, battery life and lots of other stuff almost at the end on my 2 yr contact and not had a single problem (plus i have dropped it several times and it hasnt shattered cracked or chipped at all).

As for the PC... i went through this 2 yrs ago too, what made me stay with Microsoft was the staggering price Apple want for the same (if not lower) specked tec.... eg to get a computer the same processor speed, same ram and graphics card as the one i have now apple wanted DOUBLE the price!!!! i mean actually double! My PC is still going just as strong, id say its probably slowed down about 10 seconds over 2 yrs, but i haven't done anything to try and clean it up or speed it up... if it gets slower i can always add more RAM and a better graphics card with all that money i saved over apple and still have change...
i cant comment on windows 8 as im still on windows 7 (for the pc) but 7 is great.


I agree with Cartman on the apple OS compared to windows (both phone and tablet) i find the windows one much easier to use and get how you want. I have only played about with a surface but i want one (no funds :-( )

Connectivity between my phone and pc could be smoother but itunes is more of a ball ache for me when trying to sort stuff out on my i-pod touch (which i hardly every use now because of the music system on my Lumia)

I play games on my PC mainly and have a wii for mario and zelda but my brother has an x-box and he raves about it... until he see the same game on my PC :twisted:

For Me its Microsoft all the way!!!!

 

[evilrob]

Start a media campaign about how evil Legoland is. I really hate that place.

Oh no... *never* go to Legoland!

Did you not check Tripadvisor before you went? :lol:
http://www.tripadvisor.co.uk/Attraction_Review-g186419-d207144-Reviews-Legoland_Windsor_Resort-Windsor_Windsor_and_Maidenhead_Berkshire_England.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

 

[Cartman]

as far as I can tel, the Lumia 920 and 925 is identical, exept the 920 is made of plactic, and the 925 is made of metal...

the 1020 has a better camera

 

[evilrob]

Don't bother with Outlook.com - there's still too many hangovers from Hotmail. Gmail is far superior.

I thought this might be the case - however, in an all-Microsoft setup, it might work better, if you get what I mean? I'm also just about fed up with how evil Google are/are becoming.

I'm thinking that Microsoft receive a lot of bad press because any one part of their lineup isn't market-leading, but I reckon they're doing a lot of good things lately (apart from the Xbox One fiasco), and that the whole might be greater than the sum of its parts if you go all-in and down the Microsoft kool-aid (as I have done with the Apple kool-aid to date).

 

[evilrob]

as far as I can tel, the Lumia 920 and 925 is identical, exept the 920 is made of plactic, and the 925 is made of metal...

the 1020 has a better camera

925 is more expensive for half the storage and doesn't have wireless charging. Also, I've compared the photos from the two devices; the 925's shots come out softer despite having 6 lens elements instead of 5 in the 920 - I prefer the sharper photos the 920 produces.

As for the 1020, you can't get it in the UK yet, and when you can, it will be expensive. Given that I'm either going to go all-Microsoft or not at all, I will have to stick with 'last years' technology for now (i.e. Xbox 360, Lumia 920, Surface RT 1 rather than Xbox One / Luma 1020 / Surface RT 2) on the basis of cost if nothing else. Also, with older tech at least most of the worst bugs should have been ironed out as they've been around a while and had a few updates!

 

[Cartman]

I totaly agree whit you on that

I might add, that the surface pro i think it is, has the same desctop eature as a normal pc, it's in fact a fully functional pc in tablet form, best of both worlds if you wil

 

[evilrob]

the surface pro i think it is, has the same desctop eature as a normal pc, it's in fact a fully functional pc in tablet form, best of both worlds if you wil

It's also more than twice the price of the Surface RT which can be had for £279 following a recent price cut, as well as being thicker/heavier and has a shorter battery life due to its full HD screen and Core i5 processor. I don't need the power of a full PC in a tablet.

 

[Neil]

You might want to have a read of this article on Windows RT.

http://www.techradar.com/news/mobile-computing/tablets/why-it-s-time-for-microsoft-to-give-up-on-windows-rt-1155625" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

 

[The Arch Bishop]

Start a media campaign about how evil Legoland is. I really hate that place.

Oh no... *never* go to Legoland!

Did you not check Tripadvisor before you went? :lol:

Yes, sadly I did but the kids wanted to go. It is indeed a shady place...

Back on topic, I've heard nothing but positive things about the Lumia phones and Nokia were always the best for handset quality. I have a web-techy friend who takes every possible opportunity to wave his Lumia in my face. He also has the Surface Pro which I believe he's planning on marrying in October.

Still think if what you have works, it's change for change sake but it's always fun getting new tech!

 

[evilrob]

You might want to have a read of this article on Windows RT.

http://www.techradar.com/news/mobile-computing/tablets/why-it-s-time-for-microsoft-to-give-up-on-windows-rt-1155625" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

I've read all the articles on Windows RT - Techradar aren't really consistent in their opinion of it:
http://www.techradar.com/reviews/pc-mac/software/operating-systems/windows-rt-1113319/review" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

I've had a go on one; at face value it will do what I want it to do (better than an iPad in fact), and it's the only affordable Microsoft tablet to fit in with my all-Microsoft experiment. It certainly doesn't deserve the bad press from what I've seen.

Again, I think if you pair the Surface RT with the Xbox Music and Video services, and Xbox console - it'll be as good as, if not better than, an iPad/iTunes/Apple TV setup.

 

[Cartman]

I think you are quite right Rob, if youre running a standard pc as wel, the pro becomes totaly redundant. but if the surface wil be your only pc, then i would go for the pro.
I want an RT, because I have a laptop, I just want a tablet to surf the web and what not. the Ipad wil do for now, but that's mostly because it was a presant from my wife, and I don't want to seem ungrateful

 

[Cartman]

BTW if your selling your apple tv, I might just want it

 

[evilrob]

Just in case anyone else was thinking of getting a Lumia 920, Tesco are bashing out the yellow ones for £220 SIM free:
http://www.tesco.com/direct/sim-free-unlocked-nokia-lumia-920-yellow/194-9876.prd?pageLevel=&skuId=194-9876" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Also, Amazon are doing the black ones for £220 SIM free as well:
http://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/offer-listing/B00APVPLG2/ref=sr_1_15_olp?s=electronics&ie=UTF8&qid=1379541331&sr=1-15&keywords=%22nokia+lumia+920%22&condition=new" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

 

[jacko]

im a fan of ms...it works. yes, i have a work subscription to 'which?' magazine and can fill this entire thread with apple horror stories.

i think of apple as a the 'designer' brand. why spend £10,000 on a watch which only tells the time 2% better than a 'good' £500 watch. its all in the name and shiny case. most things inside apple products have come from an ms world and suppliers, ms even do a lot of apples software for them! apparantly they cant afford to make their own architecture, hardware OR software anymore!!! these days they basically just make the case. they dont have the best screes; there are approx 5 companies in the world making screens and they sell to anybody and everybody!!! more pictures aren't taken on the iphone because samsung alone outsell the iphone approx 3 to 1!!!

i have NEVER broken a nokia phone, had their 'business' phones 5 years before the 'smart' phone was even invented and i work in a workshop and go mountainbiking

i have never owned a satnav as my nokias have always been spot on

i haven't bought an mp3 player etc in 10 years because my nokia has always been spot on....etc

i have tried the ms surface rt; in my mind its a cut down version to match the ipad. ie useless just get a good sized smart phone or a tiny laptop

i have an ipad mini at work; the thing is *&^%&&** useless

my mum has spent approx £4k building an apple world to get everything to work. i can do the same with a free nokia and a £300 laptop

 

[ethanfitz]

What he said :lol:

plus no one is defending apple in this thread.... surely that tells you your answer....

just take a look at their new software update... people are raving about it (a few of my friends included) until they realise (or i tell them :grin: ) that all the updates they got are features that have been on android for several yrs!!!

 

[jacko]

same! my school kids are amazed....by stuff / features iv had for 10-15 years on any digital device!

the problem with defending apple is the people who buy it generally arent technical enough to defend their choice. its all about adverts / money / how they look

its fine at home but at work its a mess....we have ipads but they destroy the wifi infrastructure, you can't save documents as templates so you can share things with colleagues, you cant have multiple user accounts, non of the bloody chargers fit anything else (even in apple land!!!). its a mess, a frustrating, useless mess. my ipad sits abandoned on my desk and i just use my nokia!

oh and this upgrade....omg....MOST of the world runs on ms, when was the last time anybody complained this much about an ms upgrade!!! and they all come out on the same day too, with a a LOT more people running the upgrade at the same time.

useless

theyve had 30 years to prove they are the best, it hasnt worked otherwise we'd all be using mac at work etc. Cant wait for the day they roll over and die!