[Skippy38]

Originally Posted by Noir

microsoft is beginning to have a track record for releases within the past 3 years. Let's summarize for a moment

windows vista - laughed out of the face of existence due to the heavy use of resources, sluggish performance, and lack of legacy driver support. While it was made a flagship to many devices, it wasn't the best

zune - It was an interesting device but by the time microsoft entered the foray of mp4 devices, apple already had touch screen and a very competitive advertising campaign. Low sales of the zune often saw it with low prices in compared to its apple counterpart. When the new zune mini was released as competition to the ipod nano, it was received with mixed reviews.

Windows mobile 6/6.1/6.5 - need I say anything about this? to the business user as well as a few other users (ppcgeeks/xda) windows mobile was often ridiculed as slow and unappealing in the eyes of both the apple iphone/ipod touch and google android

and yet...microsoft pressed on...

windows 7 - Nothing but good praise from many users/blog writers, reviewers which define windows 7 to be what vista is truly capable of and arguing that it is more stable than the argued best OS for users windows xp.

zune hd - while smaller than the ipod/iphone, the zune hd is quintessentially the best device for mp4 format. Amoled display, excruciatingly fast and innovative, the zune hd is everything that the zune wasn't. And again, many were impressed with the speed, function, and just beauty of the zune hd.

windows mobile 7???

If anything microsoft is releasing is turning to gold, it has to be its mobile platform. I think microsoft is listening to its consumers a lot more and implementing things seen on other platforms (much akin to pinch gesture on apple) but innovating it (similar to htc by allowing the device to completely reflow text once the zoom is complete). I think in general, the small incremental changes will become a giant leap forward that will keep windows mobile afloat and I don't think many will be dismayed by windows mobile for a bit.

One thing that is unique is evolution - I think the dominance once held by apple is crumbling and even apple is in trouble. If there wasn't any advertising from apple, I am definitely sure the apple wouldn't be selling in favor of the google android handsets. That being said, google seems to be in the forefront of at least taking a large hold of mobile market. But I think that many will go back to the lab after the release of windows mobile 7.

Sadly our devices won't get it unless cmonex and nochem find a bs/p for 6.5 and then 7. If they find it for 6.5, you gotta think it won't be much longer for 7...at least so we hope. If anything, the few handsets with snapdragon processors (hd2, acer, toshiba) will have some alpha leaks in the coming future I'm sure...and microsoft AND htc will announce something this month at CES as per usual and many will gravitate to that like a fly on honey. I guess the point is to stay tuned...

Fantastic view point. Great post I thanked.