Windows Mobile touch interfaces galore

[pjsnyc]

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!

Personally, I like Windows CE (despite its flaws, but what OS doesn't?). I guess it comes down to preference for everyone. Remember - Windows CE originally wasn't intended to be a phone OS. It kind of just got added on top of what was already written. I think M$ called it 'Phone edition'.

I digress. heheheh

[GREY.FOXX]

MS really needs to step it up, I think what attracts us is all the (*cough* Some what Illegal *cough*) things we can do with it.

I want to see what happens when WM 6.5 comes and there Marketplace comes. Although WM 6.5 isn't really something that huge, they could of did better than that.

Lets step it up, all these other phones (although I don't find them that great) have nice OS. The OS is very important, MS needs to step it up.

[gyoung345]

Originally Posted by GREY.FOXX

MS really needs to step it up, I think what attracts us is all the (*cough* Some what Illegal *cough*) things we can do with it.

I think you make a great point here. If MS really made a great OS for the phone, we wouldn't be able to customize it like we want and can. They would lock it down so tight you would have to do it the MS way.

I think MS is always in "response" mode. Their Vista OS is trying to catch up to Apple. Look at there .NET ad campaign and their Live ad campaigns. They just seem really confused. The Windows Mobile OS is a PDA OS that has had phone functionality tied in much later as more of an afterthought.

[pjsnyc]

Originally Posted by gyoung345

I think you make a great point here. If MS really made a great OS for the phone, we wouldn't be able to customize it like we want and can. They would lock it down so tight you would have to do it the MS way.

I think MS is always in "response" mode. Their Vista OS is trying to catch up to Apple. Look at there .NET ad campaign and their Live ad campaigns. They just seem really confused. The Windows Mobile OS is a PDA OS that has had phone functionality tied in much later as more of an afterthought.

I'm not sure I agree with you on this one. If MS really made a great OS for phone functionality from the start (no pun intended), we wouldn't WANT to be able to customize it like we do today - at least not on the scale that we see now.

In contrast, iPhones were made with phone functionality in mind. End product - it just works and most iPhone owners are happy with it without the need to customize it. Yes - we live in a very technologically savvy world so no matter what gadget is in mind, you bet there will be people that wanna know what makes it tick. Heck, people are still hacking the Apple Newton!

For some reason, this topic kinda reminds me of how facebook has evolved. I remember not too long ago people were yelling bloody murder when FB activated their news feed feature. Look at it now! Another one of those - they'll hate it at first, get used to it second, then depend on them last AS LONG AS you're satisfied with what ever else the product has to offer.

Kinda like what Apple is doing.
Apple: NO MMS for you! You don't need it!
iPhone owner: But I want it! All the other dumbphones can do it!
Apple: NO - you don't need it. Just use email.
iPhone owner: OK, I'll just use email then. As long as my phone can do all the other stuff easier.

So in essence - if MS locked their OS down tighter than beads attached to an abacus AND actually had a rock solid phone OS, then yeah - most wouldn't want to customize it to get it to work the way they want.

As for your comments on MS playing catch up - sometimes its good to stay a service pack behind

[gyoung345]

Originally Posted by pjsnyc

I'm not sure I agree with you on this one. If MS really made a great OS for phone functionality from the start (no pun intended), we wouldn't WANT to be able to customize it like we do today - at least not on the scale that we see now.

In contrast, iPhones were made with phone functionality in mind. End product - it just works and most iPhone owners are happy with it without the need to customize it. Yes - we live in a very technologically savvy world so no matter what gadget is in mind, you bet there will be people that wanna know what makes it tick. Heck, people are still hacking the Apple Newton!

For some reason, this topic kinda reminds me of how facebook has evolved. I remember not too long ago people were yelling bloody murder when FB activated their news feed feature. Look at it now! Another one of those - they'll hate it at first, get used to it second, then depend on them last AS LONG AS you're satisfied with what ever else the product has to offer.

Kinda like what Apple is doing.
Apple: NO MMS for you! You don't need it!
iPhone owner: But I want it! All the other dumbphones can do it!
Apple: NO - you don't need it. Just use email.
iPhone owner: OK, I'll just use email then. As long as my phone can do all the other stuff easier.

So in essence - if MS locked their OS down tighter than beads attached to an abacus AND actually had a rock solid phone OS, then yeah - most wouldn't want to customize it to get it to work the way they want.

As for your comments on MS playing catch up - sometimes its good to stay a service pack behind

It's the chicken before the egg argument! You are right. If they gave us what we wanted we wouldn't change it, but since they don't we want to change it. My head is spinning.

[copper rs]

Originally Posted by pjsnyc

I'm not sure I agree with you on this one. If MS really made a great OS for phone functionality from the start (no pun intended), we wouldn't WANT to be able to customize it like we do today - at least not on the scale that we see now.

In contrast, iPhones were made with phone functionality in mind. End product - it just works and most iPhone owners are happy with it without the need to customize it. Yes - we live in a very technologically savvy world so no matter what gadget is in mind, you bet there will be people that wanna know what makes it tick. Heck, people are still hacking the Apple Newton!

For some reason, this topic kinda reminds me of how facebook has evolved. I remember not too long ago people were yelling bloody murder when FB activated their news feed feature. Look at it now! Another one of those - they'll hate it at first, get used to it second, then depend on them last AS LONG AS you're satisfied with what ever else the product has to offer.

Kinda like what Apple is doing.
Apple: NO MMS for you! You don't need it!
iPhone owner: But I want it! All the other dumbphones can do it!
Apple: NO - you don't need it. Just use email.
iPhone owner: OK, I'll just use email then. As long as my phone can do all the other stuff easier.

So in essence - if MS locked their OS down tighter than beads attached to an abacus AND actually had a rock solid phone OS, then yeah - most wouldn't want to customize it to get it to work the way they want.

As for your comments on MS playing catch up - sometimes its good to stay a service pack behind

The problem with apple is they intentionally leave out a few basic features so that less than a year later they can release a new version of the same product with minor improvements and a massive ad campaign. The fact that the original iPhone wasn't 3G, no GPS or exchange mail was a crime against their loyal customers, the early adopters (just for the record I hate apple). Look at the iPod and the Mac book, its the same thing. 20gb iPod, 40gb iPod, 60gb iPod, 80gb, color iPod, color iPod with video, 80bg Color video iPod, nano, nano with a new shape! It goes on and on...

I give a lot of credit to Apple for its ability to create easy to use consumer products, but hate the fact that they give the early adopters the shaft.

[pjsnyc]

Originally Posted by copper rs

The problem with apple is they intentionally leave out a few basic features so that less than a year later they can release a new version of the same product with minor improvements and a massive ad campaign. The fact that the original iPhone wasn't 3G, no GPS or exchange mail was a crime against their loyal customers, the early adopters (just for the record I hate apple). Look at the iPod and the Mac book, its the same thing. 20gb iPod, 40gb iPod, 60gb iPod, 80gb, color iPod, color iPod with video, 80bg Color video iPod, nano, nano with a new shape! It goes on and on...

I give a lot of credit to Apple for its ability to create easy to use consumer products, but hate the fact that they give the early adopters the shaft.

Good point. Apple is definitely the tech company of showmanship. Reintroduce technologies that have existed for a while but roll them out slowly and make them easy to use (or cripple them intentionally then introduce updates - uhhhh bluetooth please?!?). I dunno I guess this thread has run its course and FWIW I still like some apple products (mainly their ipods).

[GREY.FOXX]

Well hope MS, step there game up.

WM 6.5 is cool but could be much better.

[shaun0207]

To be 100% honest, I would rather see them take the time and issue a flawless WM7 than give me 6.5 now. And then tell us we cant upgrade to it??? That is really $hi***. I would rather have to buy a WM7 device this summer than another update to WM6.0

[pjsnyc]

Originally Posted by shaun0207

To be 100% honest, I would rather see them take the time and issue a flawless WM7 than give me 6.5 now. And then tell us we cant upgrade to it??? That is really $hi***. I would rather have to buy a WM7 device this summer than another update to WM6.0

Completely agree. But like I said - maybe they've really got something up their sleeve and 6.5 is just a teaser.

Still - ya gotta love the attention WM is getting despite its nuances. I really thought that WM was gonna sink years ago when the first treo came out.