Over the past week and a half, I have been getting familiar with my new Windows 8X phone by HTC. Since I have been both an iPhone and Android user, the Windows 8X is a whole new experience! After admiring how great the Windows 8X felt in my hand, and telling my hubby how much I liked the pretty purplish-blue color, the first thing I did was customize my lock screen and homescreen.
Setting the lock screen photo was so easy with just a simple setting change. With the drag and drop interface, customizing the live tiles on the the homescreen is super easy as well. I have been having a ton of fun rearranging my tiles and trying new apps!
I love that I can choose a color theme for my tiles. I’ve been going back and forth between the Magneta and Lime green themes, I can’t choose which one to keep! Right now, my semi-organized homescreen is about 2 scrolls long and packed full of my favorites. Here’s what it looks like, for now!
Up top, I have all of my essential: the People hub, camera. messaging, mail, calendar, social media, weather and music — all apps and information that I use constantly.
Because the Windows 8X Phone has SO MUCH information, it can get a bit overwhelming. That’s why I created a live tile “Group” that has updates from the most important people in my life – family and local friends. It’s a lot easier to keep up with what’s going on in their lives when I don’t have to sort it out of the huge list in my regular People hub.
After the first scroll of the home screen, I have my own live tile so I can easily update my status. Then I have a hub of photo apps and my Photo files. Right now, I’m loving the Phototastic app, it can create collages and has some great editing tools. I just remembered that I can add a video to my homescren as a live tile! I need to add the one I recently took of my granddaughter so I can easily show her off to friends!
I also found this great countdown app called “Day Counter”. It lets you set up custom live tiles to countdown to any date you wish — only 175 days until our anniversary! Then, I’ve got a live tile for my hubby (he’s down lower because he hardly ever updates his social sites) and a mish-mash of favorite web pages, shopping sites and entertainment apps.
I love having all of this information at my fingertips! It’s so easy to see what everyone is up to and finding what I need is quick with just a glance at my homescreen. So, what’s on your homescreen?
Content and/or other value provided by our partner, HTC.
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That phone looks awesome! I’m still getting use to the tiles with Windows 8 on my computer but I imagine that it would be easier to use on a phone. I love how you have all your favorite apps on it!
I really love these live tiles, it almost makes me want to update my computer to Windows 8!
Ooh, the color is pretty. I keep hearing these great things about the Windows phone. I really like that you can personalize it in such a way to have the ‘Group’ feature for your friends and family. This phone looks like a lot of fun.
Having the ability manage my people groups is a huge deal! I love how easy it is to personalize this phone!
I have this phone as well and I love it. I like how easy it is to customize the home screen and yours looks awesome. I feel like I move something around everyday though. LOL.
Thanks! I keep changing mine up as well, it’s just so easy to do and I keep finding new apps to try out that I must “Pin to Start”!
I have this phone too and just love it! I love the color too!
The color is awesome isn’t it? I love the way it feels too!
Oh, I’m dying to have this one. Most people used iphones and samsung s3 and I think it is more cool that the other smartphones.
I love that it’s different from the phones everyone else seems to have!
Holy canoli! This looks like an awesome phone!!
It really is a fun phone!
Wow, looks fun and complicated at the same time. I just have an old non-smart phone, but I would use a lot of the same features you used as my main screen if I had one. I especially like the Day Counter.
I was a little confused by all the info right in my face at first, but now I’m loving it!
My favorite phone was an HTC and I hear nothing but good things about this one.
I’ve heard that a lot of people are confused about this phone, but I absolutely love it! I just hope that they have Instagram as an app someday. :)
I agree, it can be confusing at first glance. Once you start exploring, it is super simple. I am also anxiously awaiting an Instagram app!
Looks like a great phone. I would drive myself batty by changing it up everyday, though!
Girl, you’ve turned into a natural graphic guru! Love it!
Awesome customization with the colors. Really gives the phone a more unique sort of look to it. Makes me wanna get a Windows Phone 8 now.