[3DPiper]

I think Microsoft did blow it.

Apple and the iphone juggarnaut are unstoppable. It is easy to use, keeps itself updated automatically, has the famed app store built in, has a HUGE accessory base, it pretty much does everything automatically, and it is much cheaper than most WinMo phones (five or six hundred dollars for a phone?). Not to mention you can't throw a dead cat and not hit a d*mn itunes gift card hanging by every checkout register.

Though I see it all as a closed-system that lacks freedom for the user, you can't deny it has obviously taken over the mobile market (which is more amazing when you realise it is only on one carrier).

I work in film, and on the last film set we would snap various pics of behind-the-scenes stuff. There were roughly 30 phones taking pics, and mine was the only non-iphone (a Fuze). One guy had the 'photoshop' app, snapped a pic and filtered it a little, showed it to someone else, and within minutes everyone had the same photoshop app and were all filtering their pics. Although I see that as "what happened to "think different" when everyone basically has the same phone/apps?" you have to admit that for those who don't know how to tweak their phone, apple has made it super easy for anyone to use. Thus the popularity.

My kids have 8G Zunes. Seen any zune accessories lately? Heck no.. In fact, have you seen any Zunes at all (other than ZuneHD)? The MP3 player market is dominated by everything apple. The new ZuneHD is awesome, but it's more expensive than the iTouch. For someone who has no clue and is just looking through the display case at an itouch and zunehd, why in the world would they ever choose a zune? The apple products are colorful, fun, easy to use, have cameras, etc.. Plus, when the display case right next to it has a ton of accessories and docks that are not for the zune, the choice is simple.

I think the rise in apple's popularity may come from people who buy iphones/itouch/ipods, like how simple they are, and decide to get a mac when they need to upgrade their computer.. I was talking with a guy who I thought was fairly tech-savvy, and he talking about how technologically advanced the iphone was.. I was going to point out a few things to support his ideas when he said 'like a touch screen. Before the iphone, there weren't any touch screen phones or devices out there." He then went on to tell me how excited he was about the new apple tablet computer.. These type of people saturate the majority. They watch apple's clever advertising and assume it is the only option available that is innovative.

But, technology leapfrogs itself.. Apple just seems to have done a very long leap, making the other developers take several jumps just to catch up..

I work on both Windows and Mac, but own only Windows computers myself.

I have high hopes for WinMo7, but unfortunately know that the phones capable of running it will probably be to expensive for me..

-Matthew