Michael Prospero has an interesting collection of thoughts on Windows Phone 8 over on Laptop Mags. His '8 Ways to Fix Windows Phone' brings to light his frustrations, but I'm not sure that having an operating system work in a different way to his expectation demands a fix. Nevertheless it's a good discussion to have.

Case in point, one fix Prospero asks for is to have the connectivity and battery indicators on show at all times:

Unfortunately, these icons disappear after a few seconds (they can be brought back with a tap) and don’t appear at all when you’re using a non-Microsoft app. This makes no sense, as your connection and battery life are perhaps the two most critical pieces of information for any phone. They barely take up any space, so why not leave them showing permanently? At least give us the option.

Part of the appeal of Windows Phone's use of the Microsoft Design Language is that it is minimalist. There is a significant reduction in chrome, menu bars, and status strips taking up space. I actually see this as a benefit, and as Propspero points out it's brought back with a tap. This is more a confidence thing and once you've been with a phone for a few weeks you have the confidence to trust the alert systems and your self to just know this information.

Still, a great starting point for a conversation. What's broken in Windows Phone 8, and what areas are simply design choices made that don't have a one to one match with iOS and Android?