WinMo to Android "converts"

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venelar

Senior Member
Jan 27, 2007
1,884
492
Baton Rouge
If this phone gets to the US through att (please!) I'm thinking hard about picking it up. I have a question though for the users that have switched from winmo to android.

I've been a winmo user since the wizard days and here lately I've grown tired of the daily resets (or multiple resets per day) to keep memory down and things running smooth. I love the Sense UI but it's a hog on winmo. I never thought I'd go to another phone that didn't have a slide out keyboard but the desire is something I'm really considering.

I realize this is a modding community and I'm sure I'll mod the device, but whereas the sense ui on winmo is "lipstick on a pig" it seems it's a lot more seamless on android.

Mainly i think i'm just getting burned out on winmo, but i refuse to support the evil empire of apple lol. I just want a phone that i don't have to restart every day, and I'm hoping android can be that.

So uh, does android "just work"?
 

incaaa

Member
Feb 13, 2010
19
0
Tallinn
Depending on how much of a "power user" one is , you could say Android just works.
I mean, Android with Sense + some minor tweaks and i don't have the urge to hack my phone into little pieces. I just use it.
Then again, for "just using" you might aswell get the iPhone.
 

brummiesteven

Senior Member
Aug 29, 2008
1,322
29
Birmingham
Yes android does "Just Work"

And Sense UI on WinMo is completely different to the Android version, I couldn't believe they called it the same name =/
 

sh500

Senior Member
May 19, 2005
882
10
Almost identical reasons as the OP for me very seriously considering moving to the Desire.

Sense on Android does seem far more customisable than on WinMo devices. I've been using WinMo device since the Imate JAM.
 

McHale

Senior Member
Nov 18, 2005
1,221
19
B.F.E. Illinois
I'm a die hard WinMo fan (I have well over a dozen WinMo phones right now - all HTC except 2). I want the Desire if for no other reason to hack something different while I wait for Windows Mobile 7 (which I may not get). If for no other reason, I ran out of things to hack on Windows Mobile. I need a new challenge. If I end up not liking Android, at least it kept me busy while we wait for Windows Mobile 7 (I refuse to call it anything else).

I picked up an iPhone 3GS just to see what I could do with it. Never even activated it. Not one of my prouder moments...

-Mc
 

d.cortez

Senior Member
Dec 30, 2005
3,424
642
north texas
Google Pixel Fold
I'm a die hard WinMo fan (I have well over a dozen WinMo phones right now - all HTC except 2). I want the Desire if for no other reason to hack something different while I wait for Windows Mobile 7 (which I may not get). If for no other reason, I ran out of things to hack on Windows Mobile. I need a new challenge. If I end up not liking Android, at least it kept me busy while we wait for Windows Mobile 7 (I refuse to call it anything else).

I picked up an iPhone 3GS just to see what I could do with it. Never even activated it. Not one of my prouder moments...

-Mc
same here... i absolutely love WinMo and will never, ever abandon it. i'm waiting for the HD2 to drop on T-Mo so i can test before i buy. if i get the HD2 it will be the Telstra version. i might wait longer for a WinMo 7 device, too.

i took the Android plunge almost 2 months ago with the Nexus One. i have been challenged to no end to learn some of the Android basics, but i'm getting there. once i got the courage to unlock and root, it was friggin on! now i'm running the alpha Desire ROM (yes alpha), a.k.a, Sense UI, which isn't perfect, but from a functionality and performance perspective i couldn't be happier. (well, that's not entirely true, i'm hoping that Paul@MoDaCo can get bluetooth fixed, it's a little flaky right now). i truly, truly hope that WM Seven is similar in performance and functionality.

using Android hasn't been an easy journey and i was very concerned that i'd change my mind and go back to WinMo, but it hasn't happened. i know i will be a better, more knowledgeable hacker in the future. some of the things i admire with Android/Nexus One:

  1. ability to create backups before testing new ROMs. i mean backups with all my apps installed. a.k.a., Nandroid
  2. the ability to recover from my mistakes via Nandroid backups.
  3. a buttload of themes, customizations galore for the Nexus One
  4. notification panel, where you can slide down for all your notifications
  5. a great browsing experience
  6. absolutely beautiful AMOLED screen
  7. with a 1 ghz processor, this thing is simply fast
  8. gesture search of contacts, music, apps, web, etc. it's like the old graffiti but using the regular alphabet
things that are challenging me big time:

  1. Android command language
  2. ROM/folder structures, basically where stuff get's stored
  3. java, java, java
  4. no native install to microSD card, there's AP2SD, but i'm not ready for that yet
  5. not knowing how Android manages memory, programs, etc.
  6. knowing how to create my own themes; i've had more failures than successes
  7. having to depend more on others for assistance than i'm accustomed to.
i'm glad i made the transition to Android with the right device (for me). i miss WinMo and my all time favorite device Touch HD. i have an Xda Orbit II as a standby that's been good to me for 2 years. i'll be back to WinMo 7, but for now, i'm enjoying my Android experience.

i'm not trying to convince you or anyone else to move to Android; i only want to share my experience as a current/forever, diehard WinMo user. thanks for allowing me to express my thoughts!

p.s. i still have my first WinMo device, it's an MPx 200 running WinMo 6.5. a classic device that i will never give up!
 
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XDA mark

Senior Member
Dec 30, 2009
1,600
449
Rotterdam (NL) & Timisoara (RO)
I can not call myself a WinMo veteran, since I have been using the HD2 for only 2,5 months. But the fact that it is already a dead device because of the Developers leaving to 7 Series(Adobe just stopped making flash for it, while they were very close to finishing it) makes me sad. If on 1 April there is still no word on the future of the HD2, I am selling it and getting a Desire.

A few questions to Android users!

How is the Android Market? How many apps? All useable by Desire, or is the divercity of the Android devices making the quality suffer? And only instal to internal memory right?

General Android OS: easy to use? Eye candy? Touch optimized?

Android browser: good or not? Is there Opera browser for Android?

Does HTC Sense work well with Android? Does it become 'one', or stay 2 different things like Sense and WinMo?

What should I know more about Android? What do you Android users think are the bad things about the OS and hope to see changed in the future updates?

I know it is a lot I am asking, but I am making a right decision this time so I need to be informed.

Kind regards :)
 

All Day On XDA

Senior Member
great time to stumble on this thread.... my HD2 is no more and despite only using winmo for 3 months, I'm ready to go to Android too.


I'm no smartphone veteran - but something I enjoyed on the HD2 was the PSX emulator - will we see anything like that on Android?

Does anyone know about the development of medical apps for professionals as well as students?

Much appreciated.So far the Desire is looking like a strong contender but do the wise folks here have any other phone tips?
 

Balrog82

Senior Member
Jun 11, 2008
130
4
Hi there.

I am quite a WinMobile user. I already worked with WinCE many many years ago, but couldn't ever think of having a phone with WinCE/WinMobile. Then 2 years ago, I got myself the Tytn II because I wanted to advance in my mobile experience. After using it quite a while, flashing ROMs and doing stuff with it, I thought I'd never switch away from WinMobile. Until the real problems started.

A friend of mine got a Hero last year and I started playing around a bit. Android really seemed to me, that it is pretty nice and you can do a bunch of things with it. I then tried some Android things on my Tytn II and was pretty happy with playing around with it. My first Android experience was with the G1. But I really didn't like it back then.

Currently I use the iPhone I repaired for a friend (just some minor testing because I don't like it) and I must say, that I am already pretty accustomed to the touchscreen keyboard (like everyone knows, the touchscreen keyboards on Tytn II are crap) (and the iPhone sucks... did I mention that?). But, I always wanted a hardware keyboard again. The only good device currently is the Moto Droid. But it already lacks due to the processor and not natively having Android 2.1. So I looked around a bit and found the Nexus One. Would be pretty cool, but it's still not yet available in germany. So I waited. Then the MWC. HTC Desire. Now this is what I want and this is what I will get. Already pre-ordered and hopefully it will hit the market soon. Can't wait for it.

This will be my first Android device, but I look forward to a bright future with it ;) I already like the customizability of it and of course the big screen and everything else. Despite the little things.

Well google, you lost a customer because of your inability to provide a new product to the whole world at the same time. Perhaps I'll think about it in 2 years ;)
 

canonyau

Member
Sep 8, 2008
33
0
Well google, you lost a customer because of your inability to provide a new product to the whole world at the same time. Perhaps I'll think about it in 2 years ;)

I would say that anything with android on it would still be considered a google phone since google came up with android in the first place. They get a customer either way :)

However, I have no idea how they make money out of this since it is open source. Maybe they are like huge donators to a charity for all us techno geeks, just to make life more pleasant for us.
 

Maedhros

Senior Member
Sep 24, 2008
996
128
Toronto
Just wanted to say I recently traded my tp2 for 200$ plus a G1, and I couldn't have been happier. The G1 is GREAT. It's not rooted yet, but I already like the experience more then the Tp2 with sense.

Im going to be trading the G1 for a Magic soon, and I will get sense on that. Im sure I will enjoy it even more then.

I liked winmo 6.5. But 7 looks like garbage to me. So I jumped ship from a dieing platform, and I suggest others to do so aswell. Android is great.
 

sallal

Senior Member
Sep 8, 2008
143
0
Lower Saxony
im since 2 years an windows mobile user .. it all started with my lg ks20 .. i also have been just playin around with the diamond...

i think compared to android winmo is just the better OS, because of so many apps ... when i need a windows mobile app for making my mobile an touchpad , i just type on google.com "touchpad wm6.5" ... and there are successfull hits...

so why android ? the hd2 has:
- a bigger screen (i think 4,3 " is my limit, otherwise it would be too big for my pocket ... so i dont think that i´ll get the hd3)
- faster processor
- more apps (but spread in the www)
- capability in porting other ROMs on it (since many years)

also i think, that windows mobile 7 looks just disgusting... its not "windows" anymore ... the weird (and really too simple) interface, just like with any self made OS from other devices ....

when i see the windows mobile home screen interface, i want 20 ways to open a program , otherwise it isnt windows.... this is the thing, why i prefer windows mobile... its complicated, but when you read the manual, its easy ... and its expandable (other apps and so on)...

Hope the HD2 will arrive in 2 weeks ... i think i will be pretty happy with it...

Greetz
sallal
 

XDA mark

Senior Member
Dec 30, 2009
1,600
449
Rotterdam (NL) & Timisoara (RO)
im since 2 years an windows mobile user .. it all started with my lg ks20 .. i also have been just playin around with the diamond...

i think compared to android winmo is just the better OS, because of so many apps ... when i need a windows mobile app for making my mobile an touchpad , i just type on google.com "touchpad wm6.5" ... and there are successfull hits...

so why android ? the hd2 has:
- a bigger screen (i think 4,3 " is my limit, otherwise it would be too big for my pocket ... so i dont think that i´ll get the hd3)
- faster processor
- more apps (but spread in the www)
- capability in porting other ROMs on it (since many years)

also i think, that windows mobile 7 looks just disgusting... its not "windows" anymore ... the weird (and really too simple) interface, just like with any self made OS from other devices ....

when i see the windows mobile home screen interface, i want 20 ways to open a program , otherwise it isnt windows.... this is the thing, why i prefer windows mobile... its complicated, but when you read the manual, its easy ... and its expandable (other apps and so on)...

Hope the HD2 will arrive in 2 weeks ... i think i will be pretty happy with it...

Greetz
sallal

Your reasons why the HD2 (with WM 6.5) is better than Android:

1. Yes, it has a 4.3 inch screen, and currently there is no Android device that has such a huge screen. I myself find the screen beautiful, but would not mind using a slightly smaller screen. The HTC HD2 can be hard to use sometimes, because of that massive screen.

2. The 1 GHz processor is fast indeed, but the Nexus One and HTC Desire both have a 1 GHz processor as well. Since most people here are talking about the HTC Desire, this point makes no sense. Both have a 1 GHz processor.

3. Android Market = 20.000 apps and growing, fast. WM Marketplace = biggest Smartphone Application Store failure ever. Seriously.

And yes, there may be many 'apps' on the internet that you can use on the HTC HD2. But really, of what quality are they? First of all, they are random spread on the internet, so very hard to find. Secondly, they are made for Windows Mobile in GENERAL, or if you are lucky for Windows Mobile 6.5. But then again, it could be made for another device, with a 3.5 inch screen, which means it will not be optimized for the HTC HD2.

So what I am trying to say is: the HTC HD2 lacks good apps. Android Market on the other hand offers many applications, which are easy to find and install & usually better quality.

4. I think that you can use custom ROMs on Android devices as well, but I am no expert in that area.

So my vision is still, HTC Desire > HTC HD2 :eek:
 

brummiesteven

Senior Member
Aug 29, 2008
1,322
29
Birmingham
4. I think that you can use custom ROMs on Android devices as well, but I am no expert in that area.

Android, unlike win mo, is an open source operating system so the scope for new roms, new featurs etc is better than Windows Mobile.

Check G1 Android Development or Nexus One Android Development to see the vast amount of roms avaliable.
 

OnlinePredator

Senior Member
Feb 6, 2009
641
87
im since 2 years an windows mobile user .. it all started with my lg ks20 .. i also have been just playin around with the diamond...

i think compared to android winmo is just the better OS, because of so many apps ... when i need a windows mobile app for making my mobile an touchpad , i just type on google.com "touchpad wm6.5" ... and there are successfull hits...

so why android ? the hd2 has:
- a bigger screen (i think 4,3 " is my limit, otherwise it would be too big for my pocket ... so i dont think that i´ll get the hd3)
- faster processor
- more apps (but spread in the www)
- capability in porting other ROMs on it (since many years)

also i think, that windows mobile 7 looks just disgusting... its not "windows" anymore ... the weird (and really too simple) interface, just like with any self made OS from other devices ....

when i see the windows mobile home screen interface, i want 20 ways to open a program , otherwise it isnt windows.... this is the thing, why i prefer windows mobile... its complicated, but when you read the manual, its easy ... and its expandable (other apps and so on)...

Hope the HD2 will arrive in 2 weeks ... i think i will be pretty happy with it...

Greetz
sallal

Sorry mate but I think a mega fail on your part, you just bought a device that can only run at this stage on a dying OS that will be unsupported shortly. No new fancy apps or games..... And technically you are not a convert, so why you posting?

I will be switching to the desire after having my blackstone for a year. I hate win-mo. No matter which version (6.1 -too old, 6.5 - still ugly and looks the same as 6.1, or 6.5.x which looks slightly better but that's it) I always try and improve things. That's the prob I find, it doesn't do what most people want it to do straight out of the box. You have to apply a zillion reg fixes, patches, work arounds all to get something android does straight out of the box..... Can't wait!!!! been fiddling with android on my blackstone and it rules, so pretty and logical
 

trevorwhopkins

Senior Member
May 14, 2009
90
1
Dallas
For reference on the switching to Android from WM thing, I bought an n1 a month or so ago, with great hesitation, and came from a TP2. I've been an avid WM guy for about 2 years, mostly due to being amazed at eeeeverything you could do.


The just works thing is the best answer. But it's also more of a black box, yet more customizable. linux is no registry having windows system. however, sense on android makes wm touchflo rediculous. The home system is completely different but similar thinking. The Android homescreen with sense is seven screens, customizable completely and easily with either shortcuts or widgets, smaller tiny always on versions of programs that you choose. htc designed a widget to replace each pane on the WM version, for example text email weather etc.

But there is a big similarity. The weather clock, the dialer, the keyboard, and mostly the weather widget, is exactly, down to color and design, the same. And so when converting to Android, if you liked htc, the desire will be instantly usable.

For more info you can search my thread in the TP2 forum. By the way I am dying to have an Android phone released like the TP2, except more 2010: very thin, wider screen, good speakerphone nice keyboard. I'ld buy that droid in a heartbeat if it was gsm, b ut i hate the keyboard. thats the idea though, or like the toshiba g1 w/ the qwerty version.