I tried it and love it. A bit buggy, but it is a preview. My favorite feature is Cortana. A little buggy, but, again, she is in a beta. I find her MUCH more helpful than Siri or Google Now. If anyone has tried Windows Phone 8.1, I really want to hear what you think.
Windows 8.1 Phone is a huge step forward for the MS mobile ecosystem. Between Cortona, a dedicated notification center, and a customizable background, this is single handedly the best update for windows phone yet. While the app store still leaves a lot to be desired compared to IOS and Android, each sporting thousands of apps, Windows phone 8.1 has dramatically changed how I look at Windows Phone as viable alternative.
I've been using it on my Lumia 920 for the past few days and have really been impressed with it. I love the notification center and the ability to change the background for the start screen. I'm really hoping that they'll add more transparent tiles to the apps I am currently using. Seems about half of my apps are not transparent, so it looks a little bit out of place in some parts. Cortana has been a really nice feature. I never really used Siri all too much, but between Google Now and Cortana, I can find myself using Cortana much more. I've also appreciated the introduction of Quite Hours. Comes in handy when I'm receiving emails at all hours of the night from work (setting up rules has helped, but doesn't catch everything). I think one of the features that I appreciated most was the new keyboard. I have missed having Swipe since moving from Android and Microsoft has done a great job in developing their new keyboard. Hands down, this has been the best update for Windows Phone. I'm looking forward to the final release of this OS and I'm hoping that this will spur more developers to give Windows Phone some attention.
I totally agree with you both, especially about the number of apps in each store. I never used Siri or Google Now, but am using Cortana A LO. The Swype keyboard is amazing. I think that if people pay attention and develop good quality apps, iOS and Android might have a viable competitor.
Does the 8.1 update get rid of the dreaded "other storage" problem?