From Mango to Apollo: The HTC Windows Phone 8X on the Daily
by Dustin Sklavos on January 28, 2013 12:01 AM EST- Posted in
- Laptops
- windows phone 8
- Windows Phone 8X
- HTC 8X
What's Missing
While Windows Phone 8 keeps everything you loved about Windows Phone 7 and 7.5, we're still unfortunately dealing with the same chicken and egg problems that WP7 had in terms of apps. When I started using the Dell Venue Pro, it was pretty clear I'd at least lost a few things switching over from the Android-based LG Optimus V. The lack of good turn-by-turn navigation (and no clear recommendation on a replacement for WP7), no official Pandora app (when even BlackBerry had one), no alternative browsers, and a lot of social games that were available for iOS and Android. The Dell Venue Pro wasn't even able to operate as a Wi-Fi hotspot.
Over time, some of these problems have been ameliorated. Just about all modern smartphones can function as a Wi-Fi hotspot now (the HTC 8X included, of course.) The recently added Nokia Drive+ Beta still needs traffic information, but at least we have useful turn-by-turn navigation now. Third party apps have been mostly available to pick up the slack for missing services, and Microsoft's increased push with WP8 seems to be gradually yielding fruit. Zynga may have produced crappy ports for WP8, but at least they're there now.
Gaming itself does seem to continue to be a sore spot for Windows Phone, though. Users get a handful of high profile titles (I was surprised Final Fantasy was available), but nothing as high rent as the games available in Tegra Zone for Android. Nobody's going to be playing Grand Theft Auto III on their Windows Phone anytime soon, but they can if they get an iPhone or Android phone. EA has thrown us a bone here and there and heaven help you, you can get your Angry Birds fix, but unless you're happy with just games like Wordament (like I am), this may not be the platform for you.
Frankly, the problem is that while I feel like Microsoft has done an excellent job of trying to tap into existing ecosystems, they're nonetheless having to build their own from the ground up. Android and iOS are both mature with a lot of software and services to their credit, but Microsoft's had a very hard time getting and keeping all of its different services under the same roof. This past year they've been heavily condensing their branding, doing away with Live and Zune and folding entertainment features squarely under the Xbox banner, but the damage is done.
Microsoft may be wearing the prettiest dress, but they're still late to the party and there's a lot of catch-up to do. I think they can do it, because this is Microsoft we're talking about, but those of us willing to either migrate over to Windows Phone 8 or just jump in as our first serious smartphone investment are unfortunately going to have the unenviable task of providing the chicken that will hopefully start laying app-flavored eggs.
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shompa - Monday, January 28, 2013 - link
The author is worried about vendor lock-in with the iPhone. Whats the difference with windows? You are locked into using windows on you PC/Phone.I am amazed how uneducated people are how MSFT locks its users in. Always by doing shady stuff. Gamers for example are forced to use windows because of DirectX. MSFT refused to follow open standards.
Office/Exchange is another huge lock-in.
The funniest thing is that windows fanatics never have used anything else then windows. Every single mac user I know have used/know how to use windows.
MSFT have a 50 billion turnover on crap. Its amazing.
(But I do give MSFT props for the Metro GUI. Their first own innovation)
thesavvymage - Monday, January 28, 2013 - link
They are not locked into windows because of directX. Windows can use openGL and other rendering engines. Its just that directx is much more efficient and easier to code for than the open standards. Also, Office is not a lock in. It is simply the most widely used productivity software, and its also available for mac.UpSpin - Monday, January 28, 2013 - link
The fact that Win 8 will be a requirement for Direct X 11.1 is artificical. MS forces you to upgrade to Win 8 if yout want to play the latest games. Luckily for us, game companies are too lazy to switch to DirectX 11.1 immediately. But maybe with the next XBox console, this will change, so people have to upgrade to Win 8 if the game requires DX11.1.Microsoft could support open Document formats, yet, they only improve their propietary stuff. So open source Office solution often aren't fully compatible to MS Office documents and it's a hassle to switch between them.
MS could also support OpenGL, no, they only develop DX, because that way they make sure that gamers use Windows, and regularily update to the latest version, if they want to play a game.
This will, luckily, change, because of Valves and other start up initatives (Ouya) to support open console like devices running on anything.
A5 - Monday, January 28, 2013 - link
1) Ouya is going to fail. Just so you know.2) Steambox won't change anything because the console ports are all going to be DirectX. The reason DirectX took such a huge lead is that OpenGL was slow to adapt to changing standards and whatnot.
DanNeely - Monday, January 28, 2013 - link
Supporting old hardware means there're multi-year lags in when new DX standards become required. It's only really been in the last year or so that DX10 only titles have started appearing in any significant number, and DX10 launched nearly 6 years ago with Vista.By the time DX11.1 becomes a required minimum as opposed to something that gives extra eyecandy at max settings windows 9 will probably be in the middle of it's retail lifetime and DX11.0 only systems will be obsolescent at best.
In the medium term keeping everything working with DX10 only systems for the cross platform ports is, if anything, likely to hold back the 720. I doubt that will be an issue though since DX11/11.1 have only been incremental changes on top of the existing DX10 foundation, and not major redesigns like the DX9-10 upgrade.
Alexvrb - Monday, January 28, 2013 - link
If Microsoft's document format is so proprietary, why does Libre Office work for me? On Windows, no less? MS isn't half as bad as Apple. You can even put a browser on WP8 that uses its OWN proprietary rendering engine - try doing that on iOS! You can't!Most developers actually support multiple renderpaths. As a result, the vast, VAST majority of games will run fine on Vista/Win7 even if they DO support an 11.1 render path. Actually, most of the important 11.1 features are getting backported to Win7 anyway.
Valve's only motivation for Steambox is money. They want a box where they are the primary/sole distributor, and take a cut of all profits. They don't want to share that cut with MS or anyone else. If all they really wanted to do was foster gaming on Linux or PCs in general, they wouldn't be building a console-type system. They would drop their fees to almost nothing for Linux versions to encourage developers to make a Linux port. Maybe even reduce their cut for the Windows version of any game with a Linux port, to further sweeten the deal.
ananduser - Tuesday, January 29, 2013 - link
The DX 11.1 requirement is also tied to kernel modifications that are present in Win8. It is not artificial.OpenGL was always supported in Windows, but since OGL was built with CAD in mind, they(MS) created a superior product with DirectX that caters exclusively to games. It's so good that Carmack himself praised it.
krutou - Tuesday, January 29, 2013 - link
"The fact that Win 8 will be a requirement for Direct X 11.1 is artificical. MS forces you to upgrade to Win 8 if yout want to play the latest games."How else is MSFT going to pay for DirectX development? DirectX is a large driving factor for the improvement of graphics quality and performance in PC games.
boozed - Monday, January 28, 2013 - link
Tell us the story about how we're all so uneducated again, oh enlightened one!karasaj - Monday, January 28, 2013 - link
I used an iMac for four years in band/for various music editing stuff. I love mac for music, photo, and video related stuff, but prefer Windows for most things. I see why some people like Mac more, but I personally don't.