The three best Windows Phone features I forgot I loved (and three new ones that make it even better)

In case you didn't hear the trumpets and fanfare, or you missed the citizenry lining the streets throwing rose petals in my path, you might not know that I'm toting a Lumia 950 these days. OMG! Android boy came back to Windows 10 mobile? Say it ain't so! Well, ok, it ain't really so. I mean, I do have a Lumia 950 I'm using, somewhat regularly. But the Samsung Galaxy S6 Edge is still my primary phone. But that's not what we're here to talk about. I'm back to using Windows Phone, now known as Windows 10 Mobile, so I wanted to share with you three of the best Windows Phone features I forgot were awesome, and three new things I have discovered since.

Live tiles

Sure, it sounds like a Windows cliché, but Android and iOS still haven't found an answer to Live Tiles. Widgets are all over the place in terms of functionality and usefulness, and iOS icons are just…well…icons. Nothing combines the elegance, simplicity, and function of the design element that has been around since the earliest days of Windows Phone.I would be quite the happy camper if Android or iOS would adopt this paradigm, but let's be honest – they won't. It makes me sad, because Microsoft has the best answer here, hands down.

Camera Button

The camera button is another of those design elements that goes back to the early days. It's not exclusive to Windows 10 Mobile, but it's consistent in most Windows devices. It's like a signature. The quick launch function is still among the easiest out there, though the double press of the home button from Samsung is a close second. I'm fond of it as a shutter button, even if I find it a bit too stiff for my hand. I do appreciate the half-press to focus though. All the same, grabbing the phone and pressing and holding that shutter button is one thing I'll always be fond of when it comes to Windows Phone.

Hey Cortana

Finally, that brings me to my lady, Cortana. Cortana remains my favorite personal assistant, though admittedly Google Now makes a strong argument. Cortana has always been better, her personality, to her execution to its ease of access. You'll notice I call Cortana "her" even though that's not technically the correct thing to do. But to me, she's Cortana and nothing else.And speaking of ease of access, "Hey Cortana" takes it to a new level, which is great because it's not far behind it's competitors. Add to that Cortana's functionality and just how she works and she's simply a great companion.

Hello

But let's not dwell on the past right? There's plenty of new stuff to like in Windows 10 Mobile. One thing that I've grown accustomed to on other platforms is biometric security in the form of fingerprint readers. The Lumia 950 doesn't have that obviously, but it does introduce the magic of the iris scanner in the form of Hello Beta. The iris scanner is pretty cool, even if the setup leaves something to be desired. I mean, I know I have an attractive mug and all, but just how long does a phone have to stare into my deep blue eyes before it knows that I'm the one?

Anyway, once things are programmed, the scanner works great. I have had very few problems getting the phone to unlock on command; certainly no more so than fingerprint sensors. It's true, holding up your phone isn't as simple as a fingerprint scanner, but come on, it's scanning your eyeball. It's pretty awesome, and makes up points on the coolness scale.

Continuum

Not only did Microsoft finally make all of our dreams come true, but it named the feature after a Stargate movie! It just doesn't get any better. But seriously, since smartphones started getting more and more powerful, there has been a dream that one day our phone would become our computers. That day is…almost…here. Continuum is a great feature, and it's really nice that I'm writing this editorial on my phone. Microsoft still has a long way to go toward making Continuum a feature that everyone will use, rather than just business professionals. Make no mistake, Continuum (or rather, the Continuum experience) is probably as much in beta as Hello.

Don't forget

Finally, there's one last thing that I literally stumbled upon that pretty much blew my mind. The glance screen on the Lumia 950 shows a bunch of relevant information, including your upcoming appointments. Well, my phone needed a reboot, so at 11:42, I shut it down, just before my 11:45 appointment. I held the power button and swiped down, as expected the screen went black. But wait! Just before the phone powered off it flashed up a quick reminder

Don't forget! Play Store reviews, 11:45 – 12:45.

Holy cow! When I turn off my other phones, they just say Samsung! Microsoft took an extra step here, one last chance to send a quick message that's truly useful. And it really nailed it. Yes, you need to be conscious of your calendar for it to be useful, and yes you have to notice it in the first place. But I give Microsoft really high marks for this one, as small a feature as it may be.

Overall, my homecoming to Windows 10 Mobile has been bittersweet, but a lot more sweet than bitter. As I explore this world from my past, I'm finding not only the familiar landmarks that give me comfort, but also some new additions that make this "homecoming" a very pleasant surprise indeed. Microsoft is going along a really great path here. It just needs a few extra strides, and we could be looking at something pretty big.

Source: The three best Windows Phone features I forgot I loved (and three new ones that make it even better)