Where's all the good stuff like iPhone and Android have?!
 

I've had a PocketPC phone for YEARS and am amazed at the lack of software! Sure there's a ton of productivity and customization stuff, and a few games here and there, but one look at the iPhone and Android and I'm dumb-struck!

These phones have been out just over a year (for the iPhone) and less that a month for Android and they've already surp***** Windows Mobile in terms of small/useful/creative/free apps. How is this possible? A quick Google of "Best iPhone Apps" bring up a list of neat little things that Windows Mobile developers have never even thought of, not to mention all the games that utilize the accelermoter. We have, what, 2 or 3 games that are actually decent?

As large as the developer base is around Windows Mobile, I have to wonder why there's not more compelling programs out there. Hopefully I've just been looking in all the wrong places and you all can prove me wrong.

Re: Where's all the good stuff like iPhone and Android have?!
 

You just need to look in other places... lol... There are many great WM apps out there that are free...

Kinoma Freeplay
Opera and Opera Mini
Skyfire
Google Maps
and many more...

The thing that sets Android and Apple apart from WM is that they have an App store that centrally locates all the apps for those platforms... Rumor is that Microsoft is developing their own App Store... Also, there are those carrier branded apps...

Re: Where's all the good stuff like iPhone and Android have?!
 

Other than Shopsavvy, i've pretty much found equivalents to the cool software on the iphone and g1. What apps are you looking for? Maybe we can help find them for you. I've had my Touch Pro for 3 weeks now and have been making some nice software discoveries since.

Re: Where's all the good stuff like iPhone and Android have?!
 

XDA is putting one together called gecko. First runs are online now. http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=436127

Re: Where's all the good stuff like iPhone and Android have?!
 

Its not much help if you don't tell us what kind of software you're looking for. Good games is pretty subjective. Are you the tic tac toe/solitar gamer or RPG gamer?

And as far as all the apps that take advantage of an accelerometer, what was the first non apple phone with one? The Touch Diamond? Pro?

If your phone has GPS there a ton of cool apps out there for that. I'd start searching here and at XDA. Beyond that just hit other forums and general google searches.

Re: Where's all the good stuff like iPhone and Android have?!
 

That may be it. Trying to find apps is half the problem, then when you find one you ahve to install some special software to make it work - .NET 2/2.5/3.5/Soemthing else - it's crazy! I guess more than anything maybe I do just want a central point to look at software that I KNOW works on my phone without having to install extra stuff. I'll try the link Lylej2k posted.

Some of the things I'm wanting are the shopping app where you scan a barcode and it pulls up prices in your area (I found one that did the weird square ones, but that's not helpful). Other apps are things like Facebook, GPS things for seeing where friends are and just fun GPS things in general, other creative, fun little things.

As far as games, on the computer I play first-person shooters, but on this phone I was really expecting more acceromter-based things. I didn't realize the Diamond and Pro were the first WinMO phones with one so I guess that explains it, but I was really looking forward to some games that used it - golf, bowling, racing...

And HotSheep, I would've bought an iPhone but I'm on Sprint and can't switch carriers.

Thanks for your help everyone, this is why I love PPCGeeks!

Re: Where's all the good stuff like iPhone and Android have?!
 

just remember, the program i linked you to is in its very first stages.

Re: Where's all the good stuff like iPhone and Android have?!
 

Would you mind posting the 'weird square ones' that you found? I can't remember the formal name for them, and you can't really do a good search without SOMETHING to go on!!! LOL

Thanks, and like the others mentioned...there are equivilants to just about every i-app out there, if you mention some in here, I bet they can be found!!! :-)

Re: Where's all the good stuff like iPhone and Android have?!
 

i think he's talkin about the program inigma. it reads those "new" barcodes. well i don't know how new they are but anyway....

Re: Where's all the good stuff like iPhone and Android have?!
 

I beleive they are called QR codes.

Re: Where's all the good stuff like iPhone and Android have?!
 

Yep that's the program. I had it on my 700wx for about half a day...but I really found no use for it.

late,
Coz

Re: Where's all the good stuff like iPhone and Android have?!
 

Cool...I'll look it up...if more places/people start using them, it may be a cool app to have!!

Re: Where's all the good stuff like iPhone and Android have?!
 

Here's a 2D barcode scanner thing. http://www.scanlife.com/index.html. Tried it on the mogul... works but there's not much I found you can do with it yet.

Re: Where's all the good stuff like iPhone and Android have?!
 

I found the inigma one, it is i-nigma:

http://www.i-nigma.com/personal/Default.asp

It looks pretty cool, but like anurbanlegend and coz mentioned, it isn't really used widely enough to be a heavily used app yet, but I am thinking that it may be the 'next big thing' and want to keep on top of it....you never know LOL!!!!

Re: Where's all the good stuff like iPhone and Android have?!
 

Not that I would ever get an iPhone, but they do have some cool/useful apps that are strictly licensed for Apple/non WM devices (loopt, simplify, etc).

I know there are a ton of alternatives for most of the iApps, but sometimes they just offer an easier, better GUI than some WM options.

Re: Where's all the good stuff like iPhone and Android have?!
 

i was using it for downloads off of freewarepocketpc.net but other than that, i had no use for it. seen those barcodes a few other places but not enough to re-install.

Re: Where's all the good stuff like iPhone and Android have?!
 

Excellent! I was about to start a thread like this, but first I need to see what the iphone has that I really feel we, as WM users, could use. Half of their apps are just interfaces to webpages (e.g. Facebook, yelp, etc) which are great and shouldn't be too difficult to reproduce in WM....right?

Re: Where's all the good stuff like iPhone and Android have?!
 

3 Pages of great iPhone apps:
http://gizmodo.com/tag/app-directory/

Re: Where's all the good stuff like iPhone and Android have?!
 

here is a good thread with programs that work with the G Sensor

http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=430541

Re: Where's all the good stuff like iPhone and Android have?!
 

You've also got to realize Apple has all their apps in one convenient to find location - iTunes. If we had every Windows Mobile app in one spot it'd be the same thing for us. Plus, everything Apple does gets so much media hype that if you create one very simple app that does something well a lot of people are going to find out about it.

I have a challenge for any Windows Mobile hatin' Apple fanboys out there: Find an app you love on the iPhone, post its details and a link here and I bet the community will be able to find a Windows Mobile app thats comparable. I think this will give everyone a better understanding of what is and isn't available for WinMo and maybe get some developers pointed in the right direction. Maybe I should start learning C++/C#...

Re: Where's all the good stuff like iPhone and Android have?!
 

I definitely agree with you on the role of iTunes, that helps tremendously and I think having such a repository for PPC devices would be equally useful...Microsoft is working on it and we have the foundations for that app over at XDA.

I really appreciate the web-apps that interface with popular websites, such as yelp, facebook, and so on. Here's a great one that I'd like to have, in answer to your second paragraph:
http://gizmodo.com/5085907/snow-reports
Very simple and elegant.

That said, these apps really shouldn't be difficult to code, and I'll gladly pay the $1 or $2 that some of them ask for simply for the sake of convenience. While this achieves the same thing as loading up a favorite or bookmark in IE/Opera, all the info is available at-a-glance (something which may not be the case for web pages).

Lastly, one thing that a lot of iphone apps do well is their presentation and interface...but that's mostly aesthetic and up to the developer to implement. With the push to a more "touch" interface (as opposed to tiny buttons to be pressed with a stylus) I think we, as PPC users, will begin to see more.

Re: Where's all the good stuff like iPhone and Android have?!
 

I started a new thread here: http://forum.ppcgeeks.com/showthread...635#post531635
to start this challenge.

Re: Where's all the good stuff like iPhone and Android have?!
 

The Web Apps sould be relativly easy to develope. All they are doing is simplfying the requested info(IMHO since am not a programer). I might just be me, but I would rather bookmark the info than pay someone the money.

On a note on irony. On that website they have a contest givaway for a mobile GPS program for Ski Resorts. What vphone do they display it on? Click here to see
http://www.onthesnow.com/prizes/sign...i%20121508

Re: Where's all the good stuff like iPhone and Android have?!
 

The app is SatSki and has 3 different price points: 39 euro for 2 weeks, 59 euro for seasonal, and 79 euro for unlimited. ah...rip off. ](*,)

Re: Where's all the good stuff like iPhone and Android have?!
 

i challenge you :)

a fake call/(fake sms app too :D) that works with touchflo 3D... (not fake call app... by works with touch flow 3D, i mean acts like a real call.. too many people have tf3d phones and you just look like an ***)

OR

the ability to change the patterns of the flashing lights on the d pad for specific notifications... i.e. sms, email, charging, etc.




please.

Re: Where's all the good stuff like iPhone and Android have?!
 

i dont see anything there that doesnt have a winmo equivalent.

Re: Where's all the good stuff like iPhone and Android have?!
 

If you know of some start posting in this thread http://forum.ppcgeeks.com/showthread...635#post531635
Thats the point of starting that new thread, so this one doesn't get so far off topic.

Re: Where's all the good stuff like iPhone and Android have?!
 

The same could be said for AOL vs. regular "there you go, have at it" dialup back in the day. AOL was great for those who didn't have the know-how, time or patience to strike out on their own and avoid the walled garden.

Re: Where's all the good stuff like iPhone and Android have?!
 

nice analogy. winmo needs Koi Pond.

Re: Where's all the good stuff like iPhone and Android have?!
 

OK, let me throw my 2 cents in. If you're really that "dumb-founded" with the iphone, just buy it!! I mean, yeah the iphone is nice, but I think people have taken the iphone hype waaay out of proportion. I used an iphone my friend has for like 5 minutes and I was not impressed at all. I love using a phone that I can customize to my likings and basically, with a ppc, there is unlimited customizing. It never seizes to amaze me that everytime I go to ppcgeeks or xda, there's a new development that someone has taken the time out for to make our lives easier. Granted, i'm a rom flashing junkie:mrgreen:, and there are sooo many genius rom cooks out there for WM phones, can you flash an iphone? I'm not trying to knock the iphone, don't get me wrong, I guess my point is, is that you say that ppc's lack programs and games and such and I completely disagree. If anything, I think you can do alot more with a ppc than an iphone, as far as customizing and tweaking. And like I said, if you like the iphone that much, just go buy it; even though I think the iphone is ridiculously priced.

Re: Where's all the good stuff like iPhone and Android have?!
 

The iphone doesn't sell AT ALL in japan because it doesn't do enough stuff. PPCs sell verrrrrrrry well over there. Just throwing that out there.

Re: Where's all the good stuff like iPhone and Android have?!
 

I agree with many of your points but I wouldn't advertise that you just used the iphone for 5 minutes. You really have to use more than 5 minutes to really be able to speak about it with any credibility. lol.

Re: Where's all the good stuff like iPhone and Android have?!
 

I prefer my phone over the crapphone in every single way except for one... I would love to have that screen... And I am not talking about the size, I like the size of my screen just fine. I am talking about sensitivity and multi-touch.

Re: Where's all the good stuff like iPhone and Android have?!
 

I throw in another... give me the multitouch screen AND mobile safari.

Re: Where's all the good stuff like iPhone and Android have?!
 

Agreed. I have a 2nd gen ipod touch & that's basically all I use for inet browsing if I have it with me(using WMwifirouter).

That screen is awesome in every way, I do like the size (a lot, it's super for movies) & safari blows away any of the WinMo options (& yes, I use both iris & opera mini)

~John

Re: Where's all the good stuff like iPhone and Android have?!
 

Hehehe, by the way I say crapphone without even thinking about it... My brother's girlfriend has one so I like to piss her off calling it that... It's not like I'm one of "those kids". :D

Re: Where's all the good stuff like iPhone and Android have?!
 

I forgot to add, another advantage of the iphone/touch screen is it is totally useable out in direct sun where I can't even see the screen in my TouchPro.

I was using my touch tethered to the TP on the side of my young daughter's soccer field in direct sun the other day & it worked super. That's virtually impossible with the TP.....(I had trouble seeing the screen well enough to turn on WMwifirouter)


~John

Re: Where's all the good stuff like iPhone and Android have?!
 

Hey, you better pay attention to the game or you'll get in trouble. :P

Re: Where's all the good stuff like iPhone and Android have?!
 

LOL, yea my Wife said exactly that the other night......(actually, I wouldn't do it during a game, this was just a practice)
~John

Re: Where's all the good stuff like iPhone and Android have?!
 

how did you do that ?