How Microsoft blew it with Windows Mobile

[x10guy]

microsoft is probably glad to have dedicated people like you...
But the majority of smartphone users are not like you. They are on different handets and probably will stay that way. Mainly because the majority of users are really not technical or "geeks" that love to tweak things.

Microsoft WinMo will probably always be there for that "technically inclined" following (ie PPCgeeks) but they have given up too much ground to once again be a leader in handeld devices.

[smoove21]

Originally Posted by kabuk1

The biggest reason people like other OSes better(IMO) is for the shiny factor. "Oooh look it's so pretty! It just has to be the better product!"

I also suspect that WM is often too hard for the average schmoe to figure out how to use properly so people get frustrated & trade it in for an iPhone. I know people with Touch Pros who have had them for months & still have everything stock because they cannot figure out how to change anything.

Sure, some other OSes might be more stable, but at the cost of customizability. I can deal with a glitch now & then for a highly versatile device which I can truly make my own. I'd much rather have total freedom than be given a list of apps that are "safe" to install.

lol you do realize that in defending windows, your post spoke about all of its flaws with the exception to being slow. Thats what alot of us are trying to explain. We all love windows but it just needs work. I read in an earlier post when someone spoke about microsoft didnt expect so many business users to jump ship. Why wouldnt they? If im trying to do business, be it making a phone call, sending an email or doing a powerpoint presentation.. I wouldnt want my phone freezing up right when i need it most. Yes windows was made for business users first and foremost but if i can get another phone/os that can do the same core things so to speak and do them faster and with more stability then of course thats my choice. It's all about working smarter and not harder. Windows mobile was somewhat of an only choice back then, that's why it had so much success. Now all that "its for business users" crap doesn't stick. Its not even the best in its own niche anymore. We all love or ppc's, heck i still have my touch pro 2, but most people are growing impatient with microsoft and their lack of urgency..

[x10guy]

I think all we need to ask ourselves is this one question.

If it weren't for PPCgeeks or XDA, would we still be using Winmo phones?

That's the problem with Winmo, it really is not that great without a bunch of tweaks and customization. I mean custimization is nice but most of the general public isn't into that...

We like Winmo once we've tweaked it to our liking but the reality is that we are a minority and that minority is shrinking every year.
And yeah, I agree wholeheartedly with Smoove21. The line "Winmo is for business users"... is really a cop out.

[w7excursion]

Originally Posted by x10guy

I think all we need to ask ourselves is this one question.

If it weren't for PPCgeeks or XDA, would we still be using Winmo phones?

That's the problem with Winmo, it really is not that great without a bunch of tweaks and customization. I mean custimization is nice but most of the general public isn't into that...

We like Winmo once we've tweaked it to our liking but the reality is that we are a minority and that minority is shrinking every year.
And yeah, I agree wholeheartedly with Smoove21. The line "Winmo is for business users"... is really a cop out.

Couldnt this analysis apply to android and webos also? I mean to get it working to peoples liking they have to root or use homebrew correct? Meaning no OS is perfect and they all have to be changed in some way in many peoples eyes. Im not bashing any OS but they all need work from what I have read. By the way I have never flashed a custom rom on any of my phones and the only time I have had a problem it was due to hardware failure which can happen on any phone.

[smoove21]

Originally Posted by w7excursion

Couldnt this analysis apply to android and webos also? I mean to get it working to peoples liking they have to root or use homebrew correct? Meaning no OS is perfect and they all have to be changed in some way in many peoples eyes. Im not bashing any OS but they all need work from what I have read. By the way I have never flashed a custom rom on any of my phones and the only time I have had a problem it was due to hardware failure which can happen on any phone.

No u cant. I believe what he meant was that unlike other OS's windows mobile is the most unstable and slow out the bunch. To be finger friendly/fast and/or stable windows has to be tweaked and/or skinned. You dont see a blackberry,iphone or either of the two webos devices being shipped with a different UI skin. The only reason android is skinned is to make it prettier but its pretty fast/stable and user friendly when shipped stock as well. Unlike the others windows mobile imho needs to be skinned or its basically crap. It isnt really user-friendly out the box like the others. We need sites like ppcgeeks/xda to help stabilize/tweak windows because microsoft is too slow/lazy to do it themselves.

[Noir]

Originally Posted by x10guy

I think all we need to ask ourselves is this one question.

If it weren't for PPCgeeks or XDA, would we still be using Winmo phones?

That's the problem with Winmo, it really is not that great without a bunch of tweaks and customization. I mean custimization is nice but most of the general public isn't into that...

We like Winmo once we've tweaked it to our liking but the reality is that we are a minority and that minority is shrinking every year.
And yeah, I agree wholeheartedly with Smoove21. The line "Winmo is for business users"... is really a cop out.

at one point I didn't have htc device. Was I ready to go to ATT and iphone? no absolutely not. I needed a qwerty keyboard that marginally worked and did what I needed it to do. Would that mean I would've used android? Little support of office and while new, design of phones were lackluster and the web interface is difficult with sites that use authentication (eg library sites for research)

So I would probably be with windows mobile just because of the immense amount of apps for it and other things...

Yeah I'd still be windows and hoping windows cleans up their act

The new ZuneHD is awesome, but it's more expensive than the iTouch.

in which galaxy?

[x10guy]

I think there is a misunderstanding what the thread is about.

It is NOT about why we use Winmo devices over something else... Almost every single person who contributed to this thread uses Winmo. We all like it and use it. I definitely prefer it over the competition right now.

So there is NO argument why we have chosen Winmo. The issue is how Microsoft which has had the most time, money, and handsets just simply blew the leadership they once held. I mean it's not even close anymore. Winmo is like 3rd soon to be in 4th place.

[fixxxer2012]

Originally Posted by x10guy

I think all we need to ask ourselves is this one question.

If it weren't for PPCgeeks or XDA, would we still be using Winmo phones?

That's the problem with Winmo, it really is not that great without a bunch of tweaks and customization. I mean custimization is nice but most of the general public isn't into that...

We like Winmo once we've tweaked it to our liking but the reality is that we are a minority and that minority is shrinking every year.
And yeah, I agree wholeheartedly with Smoove21. The line "Winmo is for business users"... is really a cop out.

+10000....great post!

if it were up to me id be using android or webos, far more superior operating systems with a beautiful UI. i think wm7 is just all hyped up bs and won't be all it's cracked up to be. don't even get me started on 6.5, the UI is horrid. takes me hours to customize my phone to my liking.

[thejacer]

Originally Posted by smoove21

We all love windows but it just needs work. I read in an earlier post when someone spoke about microsoft didnt expect so many business users to jump ship.Why wouldnt they? If im trying to do business, be it making a phone call, sending an email or doing a powerpoint presentation.. I wouldnt want my phone freezing up right when i need it most.

i think you're talking about me, and the problem with that is I've never had my ppc freeze on me. my first of course was on winmo 6 and now 6.1 and ive used 6.5 (without any customizations on any of those btw). The aspect i was referring to drawing the business end unexpectedly was the useless apps that people just for some reason seem to crave more than functionality. and while I've heard of people's devices freezing and crashing ive never actually seen it. I have however seen my dad's iphone lock up 3 times since he got it in april and my 2 brothers have done the same a few times. btw i also know 3 ppl running winmo 6 and 6.1 on 3 devices different from mine and still have never seen it freeze up.

[shaggylive]

Originally Posted by smoove21

Now all that "its for business users" crap doesn't stick. Its not even the best in its own niche anymore.

when you can find other o/s in devices like this then your argument sticks.
the fact is the only reason we have what we have now is due to business's buying winmobile for years. the first thing bb did was focus on enterprise server/software to tie into existing business networks, namely Microsoft. and since they had the first/best all-in-one phone busness's were willing to buy that extra equipment and licenses.

this whole argument about the ui is just that. the other o/s's were specifically designed with the u/i in mind. winmo has the architecture designed for corporate environments. I also believe this gets to the core of why were waiting for wm7. I suspect it's a completely different platform, hopefully making customization and programming easier.