After spending the afternoon with it, I'm not sending it back, especially given that black is out of stock.
Quick impressions:
+ The screen. It's gorgeous, but the blacks aren't as deep as any Samsung AMOLED. Resolution is just as good as an iPhone's "retina display".
+ Speed. Somewhere between Android and iOS, the screen is very responsive and snappy. The screen doesn't "lock" onto your finger quite as well as iOS, but definitely better than Android. Transitions are pretty and fun.
+ Audio quality. Calls are very clear, volume is plenty loud, and at its loudest...too loud. That's a good thing.
+ Feel in hand. 4.3'' has been my favorite form factor since the Droid X, and I'm very happy to have another. The entire screen is thumbable, and the pocketability is the best of any phone I've ever had. It simply disappears when put in a pocket. Rounded back and corners are very sleek and comfortable. Only knock is that it's very hard to hold no handed against a shoulder.
+ Capacitive buttons. Usually hate these due to lack of response, but these are easily the best I've ever seen.
+ Notification light behind grill. Discrete but classy.
- Hardware buttons. Like every review ever says, the volume rocker, camera button, and power button especially just disappear into the body. Very hard to find the power button without looking, and uncomfortable to one hand.
- Camera. Coming from an iPhone, everything pales in comparison. 8X is no different.
- Beats by Dre. Useless gimmick, but luckily turned off out of the box.
- External speaker. Terrible placement, setting on the phone's back muffles output.
- Packaging. Weird quibble I know, but this was the most unintuitive packaging I've EVER SEEN. Spent 5 minutes just sort of feeling around the box before I realized you had to crowbar it apart. Once in the box, had difficulty getting down to the charger. Just weird, weird design choices here.
Random thoughts about WP8 in general coming from iOS 6.
+ LOVE the transitions. I'll probably grow to hate them, but for now, very fresh.
+ People hub. Awesome that I don't necessarily need to use the shitty facebook client. Same for being able to share pics to Facebook seamlessly from the OS. Every bit of integration is very transparent, MS did a great job here.
+ App store. Super clean, easy to find reviews, accepts Paypal. MS blew me away here. Leagues better than the iOS App Store.
+ Slacker (and other music apps) integrating into the Music hub. Very slick and unexpected.
+ Live tiles, enough said.
+ Ability to have multiple inboxes and each have their own unique tiles/app. Hate how in Android they all share the same "Email" program...same for iOS.
+ Xbox games. Love that every game has a trial, and full Xbox integration. Fun to dick around with your avatar on the phone, or see who is online.
+ Surprising amount of apps support both landscape and portrait.
- Bing Maps blows goats. Nokia Maps can NOT arrive fast enough. I feel crippled here.
- No persistent notification tray. Notifications become completely useless, and you have to instead rely on the tiles being your notifications.
- Verizon removed group MMS from the 8X. Very stupid move on their part when AT&T customers have it.
- Search results showing Store apps at top of results. Cool the first time, now it's just annoying.
Any questions or if you want me to try something for you, just say so.
