Windows Mobile touch interfaces galore

pjsnyc · #1 (**permalink**) 02-17-2009, 12:27 AM

AOL : Internet :: iPhone : Mobile Internet

My apologies in advance because I'm sure this has been discussed (just in hundreds of separate threads) but I wanted to get a general consensus within one thread.

I remember a day when it was not common place to see someone reserve movie tickets on moviefone.com while at the bar having a drink. In fact, I remember when having an unlimited data plan was considered to be overkill. In any case my point is with the advent of the iPhone the idea of looking stuff up on the internet at any given time is now actually a given - especially for those not so tech savvy.

Notice how the entire mobile industry is trying to retool to tap into the almighty resource - the masses. Instead of focusing on just the business heads and paper pushers, the manufacturers and providers (even microsoft and RIM) are trying to bridge the gap in a hurry. However, a new contender has seriously made a footprint - the actual WM phone manufacturers.

HTC has TF2D/TF3D, Samsung has TouchWiz, SPB has its Mobile Shell, Garmin is coming out with a WM phone (so I'm sure it has its own unique interface), BellUI, <insert iphone interface clone here - winterface, ifonz, etc>, Toshiba's new disco phone, even Acer's got an ace up its sleeve. Couple all this with diving prices when it comes to flash storage technology as well as new technologies in processing power (hello snapdragon), even solar power technologies - its pretty exciting.

I guess my point is that whether we like it or not, I feel like Apple actually did something remarkable here (again) - serious interface innovation in technologies we always had to make us geeks giddy again. More importantly interface innovation so that mom now knows how to check the weather on her phone (well maybe not such a good thing for some). To me, its kinda like watching shrek - adults will laugh at it for one reason, kids will laugh at it for another.

For us its a godsend - let the htcs, toshibas, samsungs, lgs, etc compete with their touch interfaces. But also let them churn out the interfaces for us to enjoy. I know the geniuses here will figure out ways to get them to work.

I'm kinda excited

Are you?

shadowfender42 · #2 (**permalink**) 02-17-2009, 12:35 AM

Yes! Very well put!

GREY.FOXX · #3 (**permalink**) 02-17-2009, 12:37 AM

Nice post, I agree. When I had my mogul it felt boring, then I got the TP and was like wow TF3D is cool. Kudos to Apple for having the industry step its game up.

pjsnyc · #4 (**permalink**) 02-17-2009, 10:36 AM

I dunno, I guess its been talked about to death anyway. Still, its hard not to notice all these handsets coming out now. You see how fast manufacturers are churning out simple clamshells, sliders, and candybar dumbphones. It's only a matter of time before smartphones get put out at the same rate. Balsilsie (spelling?) might be right even though he shouldn't have said it - today's mobile culture is a beta culture.

**schettj** · #5 (**permalink**) 02-17-2009, 10:55 AM

We're also living inside the bubble. It's hard to see outside. We all laugh at the jitterbug phones (heck, many of us laugh at the iPhone) yet for huge numbers of people those devices are the sweet spot.

The 'it can do everything, all you need to do is flash a custom rom from some internet web site you never heard of" crowd is very *very* small. Likewise folks that will do a "reg edit" (HUH?) or even install a cab (CAB? I use those in the city!) to add or fix functionality are minuscule. Apple got that. They're resisting the call of the nerds to open their devices up, but tolerating the hacking simply because they know that's not where the $ are.

My kid has a candybard dumb phone (Samsung Rant) that accomplishes about 80% of the functionality of my Touch Pro. She figured it out in about 10 minutes without cracking open the manual. She's 12.

My Father-in-law is 80+ and can't even get his head around a "jitterbug" class phone. Heck, I think he has trouble with the newfangled touch tone buttons on his princess phone.

All I am saying is, we're not normal. Makes it hard to see, sometimes.

pjsnyc · #6 (**permalink**) 02-17-2009, 11:08 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by schettj

We're also living inside the bubble. It's hard to see outside. We all laugh at the jitterbug phones (heck, many of us laugh at the iPhone) yet for huge numbers of people those devices are the sweet spot....
All I am saying is, we're not normal. Makes it hard to see, sometimes.

True. I mean who else in the world would be excited about WM 6.5 leaks and whether or not it'll play nice with Windows 7?

Which brings me to another related question: Would you prefer Microsoft to retool and completely revamp their GUI so the masses will actually adopt it? Or would you rather have manufacturers treat WM as it is today - a great backend to make GUI/skins for? I dunno about you, but I'm not completely convinced with this new honeycomb start menu (though I'm kinda liking the lock screen!)

badchad · #7 (**permalink**) 02-17-2009, 11:53 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by pjsnyc

It's only a matter of time before smartphones get put out at the same rate.

So true. In 5 years or so, it will be commonplace to have complete internet access, GPS, navigation, email etc etc in a phone.

This will necessitate an user friendly, easy to use UI. A certain, not to be mentioned manufacturer started this trend and in a weird way, I am thankful for it.

**shaun0207** · #8 (**permalink**) 02-17-2009, 12:02 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by pjsnyc

True. I mean who else in the world would be excited about WM 6.5 leaks and whether or not it'll play nice with Windows 7?

Which brings me to another related question: Would you prefer Microsoft to retool and completely revamp their GUI so the masses will actually adopt it? Or would you rather have manufacturers treat WM as it is today - a great backend to make GUI/skins for? I dunno about you, but I'm not completely convinced with this new honeycomb start menu (though I'm kinda liking the lock screen!)

I started this thread last night simply because MS is becoming more complacent and not willing to truly update their OS.
http://forum.ppcgeeks.com/showthread...049#post718049

**schettj** · #9 (**permalink**) 02-17-2009, 12:39 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by pjsnyc

Or would you rather have manufacturers treat WM as it is today - a great backend to make GUI/skins for?

But the problem there is it's NOT a great backend. It's a horribly flawed backend.

Linux is a great backend (Palm Pre, Android)
BSD (relabeled as MacOS X) is a great backend (iPhone)

Windows CE is a horrible backend!

rdavidsmith · #10 (**permalink**) 02-17-2009, 01:48 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by schettj

But the problem there is it's NOT a great backend. It's a horribly flawed backend.

Linux is a great backend (Palm Pre, Android)
BSD (relabeled as MacOS X) is a great backend (iPhone)

Windows CE is a horrible backend!

I hate to say it but thats true...i've used Anroid os, blackberry, iphone and all of these even with their flaws are more structured and stable than CE. We keep hoping for something better but im not sure winmo has it in them. If apple comes out with a killer business suite and more media options like picture / vid mail...a custom ui on that phone would just about kill winmo. An iphone ppl can tweek and change...in todays market that would be hard to beat.