Do you like using Ovi Store (Poll)
 

Just thought I'd ask, as I hate it, it's a horrible user experience.

Comments welcome on why it's good or why it's bad. Maybe Nokia will take note.

Re: Do you like using Ovi Store (Poll)
 

No, I don't like using it.

Since I have a loaner and thus I'm not going to buy anything, I'm fine with the free stuff contained in the repository. And all that is needed to view and install the stuff in the Ovi Store repository is Red Pill Mode, still available in PR 1.2's Application Manager. Provides a much faster experience.

Re: Do you like using Ovi Store (Poll)
 

It's bad, but I have persevered and bought applications.

I rather use the build in app man.

Re: Do you like using Ovi Store (Poll)
 

I hate using the ovi store, every time i try to use ovi store it is either down or unavailable.. :(

Or i just keep forgetting my account info since i rarely use ovi store because its just not worth the trouble when app manager has better apps than the ovi store itself...

Edit- btw try to add another option that is neutral instead of "its fine" since that' kind of leaning towards the "like" side.

Re: Do you like using Ovi Store (Poll)
 

If Nokia's billing system wasn't so unrelenting in its blacklisting, I might have the Angry Birds level pack.

But none of their customer service people are capable of fixing the problem. So the problems with Ovi go beyond merely the interface sucking.

Re: Do you like using Ovi Store (Poll)
 

That itself is becoming less usable by the day for me - add a few repositories, in particular one of the development repositories and it takes several minutes to update with the CPU under maximum load. It's an excruciating experience and the built-in Application Manager clearly does not scale. I know there's a faster version of App Manager available, which just goes to show that Nokia did a bad job on the built-in version.

However this poll is about the Ovi Store - the current browser based solution is not pleasant to use, applications don't always appear for every user, the filtering doesn't make sense ("New apps" shows old apps etc.) and it's slow (even over WiFi).

It's such an unpleasant experience I just don't want to use it any more, which is a great shame for the developers that are trying to make some coin out of Ovi Store.

I even twittered Peter the Marketing guy and the Ovi Store people about the applications that are not appearing for everyone, needless to say there was no response from either, and Nokia wonder why they're rapidly becoming the next Palm Inc.

Re: Do you like using Ovi Store (Poll)
 

Bad:
Store, content, "search" dosent work as it should!

Good:
at least there is a Payment solution(paid content). droid market don't have paid content yet in my country, even if the content is far better even without paid content in the droid market, plus search function works.

Re: Do you like using Ovi Store (Poll)
 

That's just the middle ground/neutral option - basically the poll sweeps from extreme contempt for Ovi Store to thinking it's the best thing since sliced bread in 5 easy steps! :)

If someone thinks Ovi Store is fine then they're saying it's not good, it's not bad (and probably could be better).

Re: Do you like using Ovi Store (Poll)
 

On paper, Nokia's software always sounds good. But in practice its always buggy, heavy and unintuitive to use. And Nokia just can't get it right update after update.

I think the whole Ovi software suite and service is a joke. I will never be tempted by CWM because of this reason.

Re: Do you like using Ovi Store (Poll)
 

I don't like it.

For example, Zen Bound appeared at the first page (recommended apps), but when I went to the "games" category, it wasn't there.

Later I figured out that I have to set it to show paid apps. But there is no option to show both paid and free apps...

The other issue: when I log in, it switches to Hungarian language. This would be nice, but the translation is just awful.

Re: Do you like using Ovi Store (Poll)
 

What is Ovi Store? I heard about that but I've never seen any :)

Re: Do you like using Ovi Store (Poll)
 

By the way this isn't meant to be a scientific analysis hence the very limited number of options in the poll - it's just to gauge opinion and to roughly determine whether Nokia are doing a good job with Ovi Store, or not.

Hopefully the comments will give Nokia additional clarity in support of the poll voting, assuming they or anyone from Ovi Store reads this of course.

Personally speaking I've tried to download applications from Ovi Store (both free and non-free) that I know are available in the Ovi Store, but for whatever reason I've been completely unable to find the applications (Weather Bug, Angry Birds) when I've visited Ovi Store from the device (can see the apps on my PC) so in the case of Angry Birds the developer (and Nokia) didn't make any money from me.

I'm not alone here, this is a problem I've seen reported elsewhere - it's shockingly bad, and rank amateurish.

Re: Do you like using Ovi Store (Poll)
 

I would REALLY like to hear a few words from the one guy who voted "It's very good".

Re: Do you like using Ovi Store (Poll)
 

I voted for it being fine. The website isn't too bad, although I hate that sideways overshooting in the Maemo browser while scrolling down.
So far I had no problems with payments. For being beta it's OK. Hopefully the final thing will get more polish, though.
I remember Android forums where people where complaining at the payment system of the Android market (Google Checkout), which didn't work for many people either. So I guess all stores have some trouble with payment. Maybe even the fruit shop.
The big major advantage of Ovi store compared to the application manager is that it can sort apps by age.

Now the shop only needs more apps. :)

Re: Do you like using Ovi Store (Poll)
 

I voted it's very good... :p for me it's very good compared with others store's from others company.
If somebody have more expectations or want some more is another thing.
For me...for my needs...for what i use...for my noob level...it's more than enough

Re: Do you like using Ovi Store (Poll)
 

I know the Android market from a year ago. While it had a lot more apps, the overall quality and usefulness of the apps was a lot worse compared even with Ovi store on the N900.

Re: Do you like using Ovi Store (Poll)
 

And the great apps paid from Android market are not available in all countries...

Re: Do you like using Ovi Store (Poll)
 

OVI Store is the worst ever store I have bougt anything from. But as long as it is the only option I got to pay for apps/games... what can I say other than. Wtfbbq Nokia what are you doing?

Re: Do you like using Ovi Store (Poll)
 

Why whole lot of complaining ? There are problems in the others camps ...
On android forums, a guy was glad when a certain application to be launched, his phone's is going to be as good as the N900.
There are problems and minuses to any platform, counts on you to choose what suits you and what you nevoie.In today if you buy a phone without a serious documentation about it, about company services and about the company offered support end up with many threads that start like "N900 disappointed me"

It's all about us!

Re: Do you like using Ovi Store (Poll)
 

I think the biggest problem (besides there's practically nothing to download) is, that the new items aren't promoted anywhere. I have set a bookmark to see all the new releases in the games section, and check it out probably every other day or so.

In general it isn't that bad, it's easy to use, and the overall design is simple. But basically it's just a list of applications, no promotions, no specials, no discounts. In other words, boring. I don't want to compare Ovi Store to other mobile marketplaces, but they really should learn how they do it in Steam. It's almost impossible to visit their site without buying something...

These are just my opinions of the N900 Ovi Store as I have never used Ovi Store on a Symbian device.

Re: Do you like using Ovi Store (Poll)
 

I'm not a fan of the green colour, personally.

Re: Do you like using Ovi Store (Poll)
 

It usually doesn't let me use it, so I don't bother trying anymore.

Re: Do you like using Ovi Store (Poll)
 

There should be a native application for it (included in the app manager), not just a web page. Right now it does not really matter because there are not many applications in it, but that will change.

Don't know though why every poll has to result in some stupid rant.

Re: Do you like using Ovi Store (Poll)
 

It's ok..(for now) due to the lack in number of apps.

But one thing they should implement right now is remembering a user's setting. If I set it to show new stuff then it shouldn't default to the other categories next time I use Ovi Store.

Re: Do you like using Ovi Store (Poll)
 

Very good title for this thread :D I dont like using it but I use it anyway :(

Re: Do you like using Ovi Store (Poll)
 

I chose the first option, even though I would go for the 1.5th option that is missing: It's awful, I'm NOT persevering and thus not buying - but I might change my mind once they choose to upload a version that:

• Doesn't take up to ten attempts before it installs any software. While it's "only" annoying with free software, I'm not going to risk the same with paid software - if I'm lucky, they'll just charge me for every attempt. Wouldn't be the first time I'd experience multiple instances of charging with my N900 *cough*cherry*cough*.
  
  
• Offers alternative payment options. I'm rather reluctant to give away my credit card number online, and much more so to a "beta" store that doesn't even manage to keep basic functionality working. No giving away sensitive data to potentially unsafe websites. Unless I AT LEAST get the chance to pay by Paypal my money's staying right here with me.
  
  
• Has a working country restriction - or gets rid of it altogether. I never understood the esoteric legal reasons behind limiting ones own market, but other than that I can see both the benefit of local applications (someone from NY is probably not going to need a pub planner for Vienna - though a way to still get it for a trip to Vienna would be nice) and providing different versions of the same application based on the buyer's location, so I can live with it. I can NOT live with being "recommended" an application just to then be told that "Whoops, wrong country. No app for your".
  
  
• Is more or less bug-free. I don't care whether other companies' stores are even worse. What's with that "Checking the colour of the grass on the other side" mentality? I don't care whether the grass over there is greener or not, all that I'm interested in is the grass that I'm fed - and the Android grass being dried up straw doesn't make the yellow Nokia grass taste any better, right...? ;)

As soon as all of those apply, I'll shop like crazy (Zeeeeeeeen Bound! :)), but until at least the first two are fixed, it's a definite no-go for me.

Re: Do you like using Ovi Store (Poll)
 

Pretty crap experience IMO, certainly on the phone. I second Rugoz about a dedicated application, if only to see things seem to be snappier, and for OTA purchases to be quicker due to less in the way of human-formatted info coming down the line.

However I don't see much chance of a sudden improvement either. A shame.

Re: Do you like using Ovi Store (Poll)
 

Doesn't Paypal give you an option to get a one time use credit card number. Though I guess that would be a hassle to keep changing your credit card info on Ovi Store.

Re: Do you like using Ovi Store (Poll)
 

It stinks.

It's slow, cumbersome, beta, and FFS they don't support Visa Electronic nor PayPal (which does). Heck, it's not available in US and unpopular in UK, so, you know, *k'em.

Additionally, feedback is user-only, no review, they have an imbecilic admission system when the darned thing is empty, and, to boot, don't remove low download or poorly commented apps. One star, does-not-work comments and you feature the darn thing?

So, it's slow, cumbersome, flimsy, empty and with a scary amount of foul smelling biological substance. One expects an app store with 100.000 apps to have some one-stars, but when you have 15, either kick them out and maintain quality, or allow everything in and import some of the nicer extras for exposure.

Poor on all accounts. And late, did I mention late? 9 months later, it's still beta. That really shows how much of a * you give on that project, Nokia.

Oh, and, where's that Nokia labs projects you promised? Weren't some ultra nice games and apps in the vat?

Re: Do you like using Ovi Store (Poll)
 

Sadly, it doesn't seem so. I've spent half an hour on trying to find an option like that, but to no avail. But features tend to differ from Paypal website to Paypal website, so I guess I'm just living in the wrong part of the world again.
(See, one of the reasons I really don't like country restrictions... :D)

And, like you said, it would be pretty annoying to do it that way, too. Especially on the N900 itself, for no matter how much I love it's internet capabilities, filling out forms is still quite the hassle.

Also, I really don't get why they're shunning Paypal, anyway. From a friend who owns a webshop I know that offering credit card payment is by far MORE expensive than accepting payment by Paypal, so I'm not sure why they rather go with the former...

Re: Do you like using Ovi Store (Poll)
 

I guess the top management in Nokia never use OVI service otherwise they would have fired the project managers and outsourced it already.

Re: Do you like using Ovi Store (Poll)
 

So far with 113 votes, 93% of people don't think Ovi Store is good.

Smart phones these days are pretty much defined by the availability of applications, and by extension app stores that are easy to use. If a company can't get their app store right, and Ovi Store is NOT right and getting it right is proving something of a major challenge for Nokia considering all the false starts, then it seriously undermines the devices and the developers that hope to make them a success.

It's difficult to know what to say about Ovi Store and Nokia - it's such a mess, and both are rapidly becoming irrelevant. :(

Re: Do you like using Ovi Store (Poll)
 

The applications are expensive! You can have a similiar application at one-tenth of the cost with Iphone.

The Ovi store support sucks. They can provide you only with idiotic suggestions.

The worst thing is they rob my money!
My recent application download was unsuccessful with an error message "purchase session has expired". No download link has been sent to me. However, Nokia still charge me for the application. And they have refused to refund.

Re: Do you like using Ovi Store (Poll)
 

If you use the username you can re-download the app as many times as you want for free without re-purchasing..the downloads and purchases are tied to the username, not the device.

Anyway, Ovi Store should learn from Microsoft's XBOX LIVE market service. Both the local and web versions.

Re: Do you like using Ovi Store (Poll)
 

It's fine for me and I don't think that should be taken to mean it's not good. It's just fine. Which is good.
No problems with finding apps, no payment issues and no download issues. I'm happy waiting for new apps to arrive (Angry Birds level packs to name but one) and having been a Linux user for some years, I've learned to be patient.
Of course, I would like to see more apps for my N900 but, at the same time, I'm happy that it doesn't have over 200,000 apps and counting because 98% of what's available on Apple's App Store is either pointless, useless or irrelevant to me. The same goes for the Android store, too.
That said, I've never owned a Nokia before and am a little bemused to find that the Nokia support experience isn't living up to my somewhat high expectations.
I'll lower them in future...

But I love my N900. :)

Re: Do you like using Ovi Store (Poll)
 

I've had an Android 2.1 phone for the last few days ago, and while there's no chance of it replacing my N900 as my primary device the one stand out feature of the device is the ease with which I can find and install applications from the Android Marketplace app. The app loads quickly, searching is super quick, apps download and install in the background.

Compare and contrast with Ovi Store which is cludgy and slow, searching is random, and the App Manager is just a disaster as it simply does not scale - I have to wait two to three minutes for App Manager to get on with the download and install, and it does these each and every app - 10 apps, half an hour of time wasted (on Android, no such delays). The fact Ovi has to use App Manager to install rather than installing silently in the background makes the experience worse than it needs to be.

There's really not much else I like about Android 2.1 compared with Maemo5 - the selection of Android apps is obviously greater but the biggest win for Android is the usability of the app store.

Re: Do you like using Ovi Store (Poll)
 

@Milhouse: and what would you say to those who think that the browser is the single class of apps really required on any connected devices? Any other apps are cruft/framework of limitations?

Re: Do you like using Ovi Store (Poll)
 

To expand on my previous point, one of my favorite things is choosing all the demos and games to download on the xbox.com website, and then the next time I turn on the 360 it downloads all of them in the background.

I think it's something everyone should do if it's not done so already. I think iTunes does something similar, but can you do it without using iTunes? For example, a web-only interface.

Re: Do you like using Ovi Store (Poll)
 

On Maemo, the browser (MicroB, Opera Mobile, Firefox) are definitely better than Android, without a doubt. I've only got a Pulse Mini (£99 from T-Mobile PAYG) with a 2.8" 320x240 touch screen so the browsing experience would hardly be a pleasure whatever browser was installed!

eMail (since I use Google Mail for my email) is better on Android - for some reason Modest has slowed to a snails pace on my N900, it's as though the database is full of cr@p that isn't being cleared out correctly. Modest is probably the biggest disappointment of the N900 considering how much development effort seems to go into it with so few results. App Manager on the other hand hasn't changed much (apart from the cosmetics) since it was introduced on the 770.

In terms of Android vs Maemo in all other respects, it does feel like Maemo is for grown-ups and Android for kids - I'd agree with Nokias positioning that Maemo is for mobile computers and Symbian is for Smartphones (and thus competing with Android), Android really does feel like a phone OS with computer aspirations while Maemo is a computer OS with phone capabilities added on.

But this isn't about Android vs. Maemo, it's about Ovi and App stores. On that score, Android wins hands down with Maemo far, far behind.

Re: Do you like using Ovi Store (Poll)
 

No paypal else i would have paid for some things assuming ofcoarse its not down or telling me my device isn't supported when I do make a sacrifice to visit.