Are Windows phones all that they're hyped up to be? My wife dropped her Galaxy SIII and cracked her screen, so I was looking to replace it with a Windows based one, but I know nothing about them. She on Verizon and uses her phone to talk, text, surf the Web, and Facebook, lots and lots of Facebook. What models should I look at/stay away from? I'm going to buy one used.

I have one for work.  It is pretty good now that it has 8.1.  There are not that many apps but if she only uses the mainstream ones, she will be fine.  It is like they are trying to be Android.  Many small things are the same such as the notifications at the top and all.  It is reliable.  The hardware is very nice. 

A big selling point for Windows phones is the camera. They seem to be the best in the market.

I've been using WIndows phones for a while now because of the company I work for. We're a Microsoft shop and find that it intergrates with Exchange very nicely. Having the ability to configure your Microsoft account that you use on your PC's is nice as well. OneDrive is nice and makes accessing files/pictures from the cloud easy. I came from using an iPhone for years so at first I was disgusted at the change to something more limited but after a while found that most of the important items that I use day to day also exist on Windows Phones.

 

As far as devices, I've used some from HTC, Nokia and Samsung, all of which worked great. Right now I'm using a Samsung AtivS Neo through AT&T and have no problems with it. Windows Phone 8.1 is coming out and becoming available to more and more phones now (soon all hopefully). So if you're going to buy now, see if that update is available for your device. If not, you might have to wait until that gets released in order to take advantages of some of the nice things that it has like Cortana.

Just from looking around a bit, the Nokia 822 is priced pretty good (used) since she doesn't do anything major with her phone, will this be good enough?

I've played with some windows phones - the keyboard throws me way off.  The interface is decent but when trying to type anything, oof.  The keyboard just plain doesn't work well for me.  I've got an iPhone and a Google Nexus 5 - the keyboards are similar enough that I'm able to work with it really well.  Windows phones also do not have the application library that Apple or Android devices do.

 

Basically it boils down to:

 

What's your budget?

How much will your wife be using it?

What carrier do you use?

How good/bad is your wife's learning curve?

I know nothing about Windows phones.

 

They may be a wonderful piece of technology (or may not) but I would not want the Betamax of smart phones. It is extremely unlikely that third party support will ever be more than a small fraction of what is available to Apple and Android.

I've deployed a few Nokia 820's (AT&T) accros our org and people seem to like them and havent reported any issues with them. Funtionality wise, it has all the basics you'll need.

stay away from windows phones

get an android or a mephone

I hate the windows phone.  I used to be iPhone fan until I got my S4...  I would suggest getting her an S5 and one of the lifeproof boxes.  it makes it waterproof, and shock (drop) proof!  my wife has the case (because of my kids) and her phone has been dropped, tossed, fell in a toilet pool and pond, and the case holds up and the phone is unharmed (so far). http://www.lifeproof.com/en/galaxy-s5/  I am more careful with my phone (an S4 and kids arent allowed to touch) and my otterbox works just fine

I picked up a refurbished Nokia 822 for a little under $100.i think I'm going to have the screen on her Galaxy SIII replaced just in case though. I asked her again last night why she wanted a Windows phone. Her answer... Because it's cute. I guess I'll find out in a few days how cute it is. For those of you married, you already know, if she wants it, she won't be happy until she has it, even if you give her a better model, it won't be good enough.

 

Thanks for all your help.

Update the phone to Windows Phone 8.1 if it's available and show her how to use Cortana. So far I like Cortana better than Siri to be honest with you. Also, If you want to make it more appealing for her (hence making her happier), help her by adding/configuring a lot of live tiles on her home screen. News, weather, that type of thing. Add pictures for any contacts she has and add the contact to the home screen (if she wants to call, txt, email you, click on your picture. Show her how to create groups of contacts and add those groups to the home screen (one group for family, one for co-workers, etc).

I have a 1520. I enjoy it. has everything on it I need. Camera and video from it are great.  If you don't mind switching carriers, the windows phone pre paid phones are surprisingly good for a very low cost to buy outright. The OS runs extremely well on lower power devices.

Are Windows phones all that they're hyped up to be? My wife dropped her Galaxy SIII and cracked her screen, so I was looking to replace it with a Windows based one, but I know nothing about them. She on Verizon and uses her phone to talk, text, surf the Web, and Facebook, lots and lots of Facebook. What models should I look at/stay away from? I'm going to buy one used.

 

 

I frequent "green cells" website because I'm a techno geek. I've flashed phones, rooted, hacked...you name it. First off, I would not give Bill Gates any more money than I have to---his support for common core and give millions to Anti-Gun groups for starters.

 

Second, I would buy a decent used phone from their site or Ebay for $150 (LG E980, S4 Active, etc) and use one of those because Windows phones lack in Apps, games, power, etc. I also find them confusing and cumbersome.... Iphones and Androids are close enough to figure out but the Windows phone seems foreign to me but I have limited use on them. Good luck...