Windows Mobile touch interfaces galore
 

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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?

Re: Windows Mobile touch interfaces galore
 

Yes! Very well put!

Re: Windows Mobile touch interfaces galore
 

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. :)

Re: Windows Mobile touch interfaces galore
 

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.

Re: Windows Mobile touch interfaces galore
 

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.

Re: Windows Mobile touch interfaces galore
 

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!)

Re: Windows Mobile touch interfaces galore
 

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.

Re: Windows Mobile touch interfaces galore
 

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

Re: Windows Mobile touch interfaces galore
 

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!

Re: Windows Mobile touch interfaces galore
 

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.

Re: Windows Mobile touch interfaces galore
 

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.

Re: Windows Mobile touch interfaces galore
 

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

Re: Windows Mobile touch interfaces galore
 

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.

Re: Windows Mobile touch interfaces galore
 

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 ;)

Re: Windows Mobile touch interfaces galore
 

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. :???:

Re: Windows Mobile touch interfaces galore
 

Well hope MS, step there game up.

WM 6.5 is cool but could be much better.

Re: Windows Mobile touch interfaces galore
 

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

Re: Windows Mobile touch interfaces galore
 

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.

Re: Windows Mobile touch interfaces galore
 

Agree with both of y'all

Re: Windows Mobile touch interfaces galore
 

I truly dont see WM becoming the power house it could be unless MS starts to release it own devices through Danger. Right now they license WM out to whomever wants it. when they start to produce their own devices and see what it takes to get a phone out there that they want the public to truly love, will they finally get it and fix WM.

Re: Windows Mobile touch interfaces galore
 

This really brings me to the original consensus I was trying to obtain:
Would you rather have an OS that is rock solid as a backend so that phone manufacturers (HTC, Samsung, HP, etc) can skin it the way they like
OR
Would you rather have an OS that is rock solid including the GUI but not be able to customize it as much, put it on other hardware, etc.

Edit - I guess I should've just started a poll, lol.

Re: Windows Mobile touch interfaces galore
 

If I had those two choices I would go with choice #1. Since both items list the OS as rock solid I would rather have it be customizable. Basically if the manufacturers could custom tailor it that means it is modifiable.

That means custom user installations which gives you the best of both worlds.

The reality is that we get a semi-solid OS that is customizable. The worst option would be a semi-solid OS that you are stuck with and you can't change at all.

Re: Windows Mobile touch interfaces galore
 

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.

Re: Windows Mobile touch interfaces galore
 

Agree ^^^

I love Apples easy User-friendly devices, but they do just make the early buyers feel like crap.

Re: Windows Mobile touch interfaces galore
 

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).

Re: Windows Mobile touch interfaces galore
 

Resurrecting an old thread because I just had a thought thats kinda related to it.

Why don't all these interfaces come with its own built in locking mechanism?!? Wouldn't that make all the sense in the world instead of having to try to skin other locking apps to make it look consistent?