Windows Phone 8 (codename Apollo)

stevenmu

Is it just something as simple as having the relevant hardware buttons available? With Android in use on such a variety of devices, maybe some have a button (a camera button perhaps?) that others don't.

If it's not that, then it's most likely a driver issue. Some drivers may not allow the type of direct buffer access that the feature uses, or some drivers may expose an API that it uses while others do not.

TBi

AngryLips wrote: »

I find it hard to believe too but it doesn't change the fact that the functionality to take screenshots that is native to the Android OS works on some hardware and not on others. I'm not talking about the same functionality that is not native to the OS such as what's available via Marketplace apps.

I'd be more likely to believe that people without sufficient understanding of the situation have said it's a hardware limitation, when in fact it is just a limitation in software. Due to the version of Android not supporting it, or it being disabled.

Again, unless you cite your sources, i can't believe there is actually a hardware physical limitation. It seems like an artificial software limitation.

Odaise Gaelach wrote: »

Maybe it's not a physical hardware limitation, but a limitation of how the vendor has implemented Android on their device...?

I can see this as being why, but there isn't any physical hardware limitation that i can see.

TBi

stevenmu wrote: »

Is it just something as simple as having the relevant hardware buttons available? With Android in use on such a variety of devices, maybe some have a button (a camera button perhaps?) that others don't.

If it's not that, then it's most likely a driver issue. Some drivers may not allow the type of direct buffer access that the feature uses, or some drivers may expose an API that it uses while others do not.

Definitely could be a driver issue, but then again this is a software limitation not a hardware one.

Regarding the buttons, this is more a feature of implementation and while you may not be able to take a snapshot using a button combination the hardware would still support a 'soft' method of triggering a snapshot.

evolutionqy7

Ok as far as I remember from Gingerbread if not ICS Google had an API on Android in which apps could tap into in order to take a screen shot.

I think its more of a code level thing for manufacturers to implement natively rather a hardware thing. I wouldn't expect OEM's to implement it into lower end or mid end phones cause software wise it takes extra time.

Its always been available for Android via homebrew so I really don't think it could be a hardware dependent functionality. I could expect lower end phone never having (for now) because it would take up extra resources. It might look like a small thing, but when you add all the features it makes a difference.

JerryHispano

In ICS it is a native function, before that it was done on a manufacturer/custom rom basis. I would find it hard to believe any manufacturer would disable it from 4.0-on.

Anyway, I would be interested in WP8 if it turns out to be hackable easily, but I'll probably be sticking to my Cyanogenmod.

evolutionqy7

Here we go Some fresh screen shots of WP8 features

http://www.mobiletechworld.com/2012/07/27/new-windows-phone-8-features-detailed/

Enjoy Im excited now :P

Odaise Gaelach

evolutionqy7 wrote: »

Here we go Some fresh screen shots of WP8 features

http://www.mobiletechworld.com/2012/07/27/new-windows-phone-8-features-detailed/

Enjoy Im excited now :P

Me too!

AntiVirus

Plenty more screenshots here:

http://wp7.hu/2012/07/26/windows-phone-8-emulator-screenshotok-omlesztve/

evolutionqy7

AntiVirus wrote: »

Plenty more screenshots here:

http://wp7.hu/2012/07/26/windows-phone-8-emulator-screenshotok-omlesztve/

Doesn't seem to work anymore

AntiVirus

evolutionqy7 wrote: »

Doesn't seem to work anymore

Working fine for me on IE9

TBi

AntiVirus wrote: »

Working fine for me on IE9

I think it was just overwhelmed for a while. Probably too many people interested in it

AntiVirus

TBi wrote: »

I think it was just overwhelmed for a while. Probably too many people interested in it

Maybe so...

Anyway here's a nice video clip of some of the new features you'll find on WP8

http://www.theverge.com/2012/7/27/3193023/windows-phone-8-backup-xbox-music-data-sense-screenshots-video

evolutionqy7

They seem to have ticked of many of my wanted features tbh.

I do hope that the quad core WP8 handsets don't come out too late next year. It would be best if they came out before 2013 here. I really don't wanna settle for dual core one

Odaise Gaelach

So it seems that Windows Phone 7 tiles can't be expanded to the wide tile format on the Start screen, but they can be shrunk down to the smaller size. Which makes sense; the wide tile format is to be used as a sort-of bigger live tile, not just some static tile taking up a lot of space.

Most likely the 720P screen size won't present a problem to Windows Phone 7 apps. Things seem to scale up very neatly. In fact the only major artefact is that there is a empty gap between the top of the screen and the top of the app (the apps are vertically aligned to the bottom of the screen). It's noticeable, but it doesn't ruin the overall look and feel of a Windows Phone 7 app on the new OS.

So, yes, it looks like Windows Phone is going to mature as an OS even more in 8.0 than 7.5.

evolutionqy7

Two potential dual core Samsung Windows Phone 8 handsets from Samsung vs Apple court case!

http://www.theverge.com/2012/7/30/3201323/samsung-odyssey-marco-windows-phone-8-devices

KingOfFairview

Anyone care to hazard a guess on the price range of the new Nokia win8 phones? I'm hoping to get one as an upgrade from Vodafone, but wonder what the retail price will be anyhow...

kirving

If it's a waterproof Quad Core Lumia PureView with a 4" screen, FM transmitter, etc, etc. I'd be delighted to pay a bit more than usual!

Although this could be one of Nokia's biggest opportunities ever, and they really need to impress, I amn't holding out much hope.

evolutionqy7

KingOfFairview wrote: »

Anyone care to hazard a guess on the price range of the new Nokia win8 phones? I'm hoping to get one as an upgrade from Vodafone, but wonder what the retail price will be anyhow...

I think it will be in line with the rest of the smartphones, but I presume there will be lower and higher end phones.

If I remember right dual core phones are going to come out first and then quad core in early 2013. So there will be a couple of different prices to chose from.

I really wonder whats going to go on in the low end line of phones. Lumia 610 is becoming very redundant now due to the debut of the Galaxy Ace 2. Price wise on contract and some PAYG networks the price is nearly the same but specs fall behind.

KingOfFairview

I have a Lumia 610 and it's a good phone - but it does fall down on a few points, I'm very conscious of the fact it's a low-end phone. The Win8 Nokias will support memory cards, I hope they have other basic stuff like notifications lights and so on. It's the little things...

evolutionqy7

KingOfFairview wrote: »

I have a Lumia 610 and it's a good phone - but it does fall down on a few points, I'm very conscious of the fact it's a low-end phone. The Win8 Nokias will support memory cards, I hope they have other basic stuff like notifications lights and so on. It's the little things...

Notification lights were always supported. I had it on my HD2, HD7 and my Titan

Well memory card will help them include smaller size internal memory and push the cost down.

Lumia 610 is still one of the best handsets on prepay. Meteor and eMobile have it for 149 euro. Vodafone has it for 179.99 and its the same price as the rest of the middle end phones.

Its not so good on O2 only for whatever reason its 220 on that

KingOfFairview

evolutionqy7 wrote: »

Notification lights were always supported. I had it on my HD2, HD7 and my Titan

Yeah, I consider them a very basic feature TBH. I cannot for the life of me understand why Nokia had them for the c7 (my previous phone) and not the Lumias.

evolutionqy7

KingOfFairview wrote: »

Yeah, I consider them a very basic feature TBH. I cannot for the life of me understand why Nokia had them for the c7 (my previous phone) and not the Lumias.

There's a lot of thing we don't understand about the Lumia's. Beside the devices appearances there's nothing really attracting you to buy one.

They didn't bring out the best camera possible, they didn't have the best battery life, they didn't include the best screen and not the best speakers.

The screen on the Lumia 800 is gorgeous but the pentile matrix makes the PPI worse than my Titan. Not including a bsi sensor was a huge mistake, it would probably have made it one of the best camera's few tweaks would have helped. Its still a pretty good camera though.

One thing they could bring from their old XpressMusic line is good stereo speakers. HTC always had bad speakers in their phones but even my Titan has better speakers, more bass and less screeching, and why is it so hard to fit a huge battery in? Motorola could do it. Why cant they fit a bigger one to make it last long.

If they fix all of these when apollo takes off they might see me come back. My mum's pretty happy with her 800, I wouldn't be, and for once im glad I did some research.

Yeah and LED notification light would be nice too.

/rantover

Odaise Gaelach

Dunno if the new Nokia Windows Phone 8 will be to your liking then: it appears to be almost exactly the same as the Lumia. Though it's (allegedly) going to have a dual-core processor and 4G support.

http://www.pluggedin.co.uk/article/nokia-phi-windows-phone-8-what-you-need-to-know

Also, HTC are rumoured to be working on three new Windows Phone 8s. Should be interesting!

http://www.knowyourmobile.com/blog/1529828/htc_windows_phone_8_smartphones_arriving_in_september.html

KingOfFairview

Odaise Gaelach wrote: »

Dunno if the new Nokia Windows Phone 8 will be to your liking then: it appears to be almost exactly the same as the Lumia. Though it's (allegedly) going to have a dual-core processor and 4G support.

http://www.pluggedin.co.uk/article/nokia-phi-windows-phone-8-what-you-need-to-know

Also, HTC are rumoured to be working on three new Windows Phone 8s. Should be interesting!

http://www.knowyourmobile.com/blog/1529828/htc_windows_phone_8_smartphones_arriving_in_september.html

There's four new ones on the way, so maybe one model will suit you

AngryLips

Is anyone else hesitant to upgrade to a non-Nokia WP8 phone given that Microsoft have a closer relationship to them than any of the other manufacturers?

KingOfFairview

AngryLips wrote: »

Is anyone else hesitant to upgrade to a non-Nokia WP8 phone given that Microsoft have a closer relationship to them than any of the other manufacturers?

I'd go for a Nokia anyway but I know what you mean. They are going to get prioritised, especially if they sell well (and I suspect they will).

Diddy Kong

AngryLips wrote: »

Is anyone else hesitant to upgrade to a non-Nokia WP8 phone given that Microsoft have a closer relationship to them than any of the other manufacturers?

I know the main reason that I will be moving to a Nokia WP8 from my Titan is because Nokia actually seem to care about the platform and the phone. There are so many issues with the Titan that could be fixed but are not! Really thats the only thing that has turned me away from HTC, otherwise they make a great phone.

AngryLips

Diddy Kong wrote: »

I know the main reason that I will be moving to a Nokia WP8 from my Titan is because Nokia actually seem to care about the platform and the phone. There are so many issues with the Titan that could be fixed but are not! Really thats the only thing that has turned me away from HTC, otherwise they make a great phone.

Ya I'm of the same mind, I'm not really too keen on buying from a manufacturer that will simply repackage an android handset to run WP8

evolutionqy7

First Windows Phone 8 device announced by Samsung. Its called Ativ S

4.8 HD Super Amoled screen, dual core processor with 1GB ram. 16 or 32 GB storage + micro SD card slot

Despite looking OK on spec side it looks quite boring. Has quite a big battery in there to support the screen size.

AlmightyCushion

evolutionqy7 wrote: »

First Windows Phone 8 device announced by Samsung. Its called Ativ S

4.8 HD Super Amoled screen, dual core processor with 1GB ram. 16 or 32 GB storage + micro SD card slot

Despite looking OK on spec side it looks quite boring. Has quite a big battery in there to support the screen size.

I hope they make a version with a smaller screen. 4.8" is a little too big for me.