The future of Windows Mobile without AD on OS's like TF3D

JQuill · #1 (**permalink**) 12-29-2008, 01:16 PM

Just some food for thought. The way I see it, with a ton of phones out now like the Diamond and Touch Pro, and dare I say, even the LG Dare (a friend of mine has it and I played with it, and in my opinion it is the best Java based "smart" phone, all the BASIC features of WM, obviously doesn't have WM exclusive features like Microsoft Exchange, Live Search, the ability to cook roms so you can improve battery life and other things, etc..but for somebody who is smart phone clueless and just wants at most say POP3 email and GPS, its a good device, super slick OS, built in SD, and its a hell of a lot faster than 80% of WM based smart phones.)

I present this question...

Do you all think that in future versions of Windows Mobile, we will see a dramatic re-skinning, making the actual WM OS look more like say, TF3D?

- OR -

Do you see WM remaining like it is, and simply being used as a base for the actual OS that is meant to be used with the phone, and those OS Apps will be designed by the Phone manufacturer, like say, TF3D.

Personally, I have always felt like WM is super ugly and clunky, it is set up like a desktop OS, which it shouldn't be because of the fact it is on a mobile device. The fact that it is set up like a desktop OS is a negative thing because of how many layers it has. What I mean is if you're just using the today screen with NO app launchers, no HTC Home, no TF3D, nothing, it is a pain to access everything quickly when you need to.

Now, obviously, this creates a huge market for third party Windows Mobile Apps, which is a positive thing because it will ensure that WM will stick around because it that puts a whole 'nother market behind it pushing it foreward. But, without Apps than can run as high as $30 a pop (and if you want your device to work how you want you've got to get at least three of four..and we wouldn't steal them from the internet now woudl we) the smartphone I just bought does not do what it is supposed to do, make my life easier, unless I absolutely hack the sh*t out of it and spend potentially close to another $100 on third party programs and App launchers.

In my opinion OS apps like TF3D are the wave of the future for Windows Mobile phones. They completely eliminate the need for 3rd party app launchers and today screen cusomizers. A basic way of saying it....if it wasn't for OS Apps like Touchflo 3D, then HTC wouldn't even have come out with a phone like the Touch HD, if they were still running the today screen, basic version of Windows Mobile, the touch HD concept would be pointless. I think that if ANYBODY gets rid of TF3D on a device like the Touch HD and just uses app launchers and the today screen, it sort of proves that the only reason behind doing that is that you just don't like change. Why buy a phone that is that powerfull, and disable the one thing that makes it what it is, if you don't want to use TF3D, then there is literally no point in buying a Diamond if you already have a smartphone. The ONLY reason you should upgrade your phone now if you do not want to use TF3D is if you want things like video out on the Touch Pro, which no other phone has. Yes I understand that Today screen completely eliminates the need for "multiple pages" like TF3D has and technically in that respect saves you time because everything is right there on one screen, but, why the hell would you want your entire today screen COVERED in icons from top to bottom, the clutter of the today screen is way worse than any negative thing about TF3D (and now that I think about it, all TF3D pages are accessible from one page via the slider at the bottom)

Everybody has their own personal prefference, I just feel like TF3D is the pinacle of what places like PPC geeks have been trying to accomplosh by customizing WM.

Cmass · #2 (**permalink**) 01-13-2009, 02:30 AM

You are right on target. Which is why, after 3 weeks screwing around with it, I returned my Omnia and went back to my Dare.
A huge relief. No, it isn't as capable, but it is far smoother, faster & easier to use. It would be the ultimate phone if you could add your own apps, it had a real GPS, better Internet capabilities. But, until WM matures, I'm waiting.....

**imneveral0ne** · #3 (**permalink**) 01-13-2009, 05:32 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Cmass

You are right on target. Which is why, after 3 weeks screwing around with it, I returned my Omnia and went back to my Dare.
A huge relief. No, it isn't as capable, but it is far smoother, faster & easier to use. It would be the ultimate phone if you could add your own apps, it had a real GPS, better Internet capabilities. But, until WM matures, I'm waiting.....

what can the internet on the dare do better than you can do on your windows mobile phone?

**skeegcpp** · #4 (**permalink**) 01-13-2009, 05:45 AM

theres a thread on here about how microsoft is going to release less phones, for the sake of improving phones already on the market. Kinda like, focusing on what you got, instead of coming up with different variations of the same thing.

neodorian · #5 (**permalink**) 01-13-2009, 08:14 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by skeegcpp

theres a thread on here about how microsoft is going to release less phones, for the sake of improving phones already on the market. Kinda like, focusing on what you got, instead of coming up with different variations of the same thing.

Microsoft doesn't release phones. They license Windows Mobile to device manufacturers.

**dannzeman** · #6 (**permalink**) 01-13-2009, 09:14 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by neodorian

Microsoft doesn't release phones. They license Windows Mobile to device manufacturers.

You're right about that but they do control the licensing of WM, therefore they can limit how many devices are released with WM on them.
http://wmpoweruser.com/?p=2303

**dannzeman** · #7 (**permalink**) 01-13-2009, 09:19 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Cmass

You are right on target. Which is why, after 3 weeks screwing around with it, I returned my Omnia and went back to my Dare.
A huge relief. No, it isn't as capable, but it is far smoother, faster & easier to use. It would be the ultimate phone if you could add your own apps, it had a real GPS, better Internet capabilities. But, until WM matures, I'm waiting.....

I somewhat agree with you. I have an Instinct (in addition to my 800w, 650, Centro, and 6700) and it was fast and easy to use and worked every time. I never had to worry about it locking up, or freezing or any of the problems we all have with WM. BUT, and this is a huge but, I couldn't change anything on it! I couldn't tweak it to suit my needs. I couldn't make it my phone. So I gave it to my wife and she loves it.

smitty007 · #8 (**permalink**) 01-13-2009, 12:17 PM

I think people still forget the main purpose behind windows mobile. To put "Windows" on your mobile. Not mac, not palm, not symbian or any other OS but Windows. Now having said that, the interface while dated was meant for a certain type of phone, If OEMs had pushed harder for my finger/thumb friendly UI's microsoft would have responded. It is happening and I think we'll see some great changes in 6.5 and 7.

The other thing to consider is each platform has its advantages and disadvantages. Everyone said the BB Storm was going to level the playing field with iPhone, it didn't. I've used one for two weeks and found it lacking for my needs. But for my friend it was perfect. It's all about an idividuals needs, one phone for all isn't ever going to cut it, like some fruit eaters would lead you to believe.

Again, IMO, two key things that would help the WM platform would be a fully finger friendly interface and free development tools. Just look at the success Apple has had in the applications department. Though they have an advantage of only two hardware platforms with the only difference being GPS.

If MS would allow free development with the new VS tools, we would see the same kind of apps for WM as we do other platforms.