Is it time to ditch Windows Mobile?
David Carnoy | Jan 29, 2009
Windows Mobile 6.5 is rumored to offer cosmetic upgrades, not major feature changes.
(Credit: WMPoweruser)
Take my current situation. I own a Sprint Mogul. Like with all cell phones--and smart phones for that matter--I was smitten with it when I first got it. It was a nice upgrade over the PPC-6700--not only in terms of design, but it performed better all around. Alas, with time, it's experienced its share of problems, even with a couple of firmware upgrades that gave it faster data speeds from Sprint's newest 3G network (Rev A), added GPS, and fixed a few bugs. I need a new battery, the keyboard doesn't work as well as it used to, the phone freezes a fair amount, and when I touch icons or open fields on the touch screen, it often takes a few taps to get the reaction I want. (Some people refer to this as the Windows Mobile "delay" syndrome).
I've been tempted to migrate to the Mogul's successor, the HTC Touch Pro, but I'd be looking at spending about $300 on that new model with a couple of rebates thrown in, one of which is of the mail-in variety (I hate those). Of course, to get those discounts I'd have to sign a new two-year contract, which wouldn't be the worst thing in the world if I didn't know that by the time my contract was up--in June--Sprint would be offering the Palm Pre, AT&T would probably have a new rev of the iPhone, and at least one (if not more) new Google Android phone should be available. I also like the looks of Nokia's N97. Why should I use up my potential discounts when the offerings will be look better a few months from now?
Even though it isn't saying it, I think Microsoft knows it's got a challenging situation brewing--which is why you're starting to hear the company talk a lot more about Windows Mobile. In the middle of February, to bridge the gap between version 6.1 and 7.0 of the OS, we'll see 6.5, and Microsoft execs are starting to allude to new features and fresh starts. Meanwhile, of course, Google, Apple, Blackberry, and Nokia (Symbian) will continue to upgrade their mobile operating systems.
The biggest problem for Windows Mobile has always been that it's bloated and runs too slowly. It's just a beat or two (well, maybe more) behind the iPhone OS in terms of zippiness and it probably doesn't help that HTC throws its own carrier-centric, custom user interface on top of the OS. The integration of multimedia applications has been woeful: The mobile version of Windows Media (which includes video and music playback) is simply pathetic and neither the Touch Pro or Mogul have standard headphone jacks. True, Windows Mobile has always been more geared to business and corporate professionals, but now that the iPhone offers Microsoft Exchange support, more of those types are migrating to the Apple camp.
On the plus side, the Mogul and Touch Pro have some things in their favor. Both models have memory card slots (you can swap cards in and out), removable batteries, and most importantly for me, they can be used as wireless modems for your laptop via a Bluetooth or USB connection. The voice-based turn-by-turn GPS on the Touch Pro is nice (so long as you can get a Sprint PCS connection) and the Mogul and Touch Pro shoot video and have stereo Bluetooth--features currently missing on the iPhone. I also prefer a physical keyboard to the iPhone's virtual keyboard. And finally, Sprint's all-you-can-eat data plan is significantly less expensive than AT&T's iPhone data plan. Much has been made about the cost of ownership of the iPhone compared with other phones, and there's no doubt I'd be saving money in the long run with a Sprint smart phone, whatever it is.
I'm trying to hang on, but it's tough. It's the little stuff that bugs me. For instance, it took four tries to sync the phone with my desktop PC (using the Mobile connectivity software built into Vista) and the integration between PC and phone is still archaic and lame compared to what you get with the iPhone. While it's nice that you can run multiple applications at the same time on a Windows Mobile device, the OS still doesn't seem to manage its resources well and gets bogged down. (I'm always closing out applications that keep running unnecessarily in the background.) Software/firmware upgrades are few and far between and I lost any desire to add new software packages to the phone because it was hard to find them and they cost too much. I envy all the free and cheap applications you can download to the iPhone from Apple's much-lauded App Store. It also hurts when your 70-year-old father taunts you with his new iPhone, saying how great it is. (No parent should achieve tech superiority--not in my family anyway.)
Microsoft is vowing to fix a lot of the things that irk me. The multimedia features will certainly be improved and a rumored app store, SkyMarket, is in the works along with Xbox 360 and Zune integration. In a recent article by CNET's Ina Fried, Andy Lees, the Senior Vice President of Microsoft's Mobile Communication Business unit, says some interesting things about the future of Windows Mobile, the mistakes the company has made, and how a new strategy implemented a year ago will pay dividends over the next 18 months. Lees talks about how next year's phones will be incredibly powerful, feature "dual-core processors, super-fast data connections, and graphics power rivaling that of the original Xbox".
On paper, at least, that all sounds exciting. But I have a feeling that Windows Mobile 6.5 will be just another tiny incremental improvement that just won't cut it. Can I hold out for Windows Mobile 7? If it turns up in June, maybe. If not, it's probably sayonara--or, as they say in Redmond, goodbye.
As always, feel free to comment. Will the iPhone, Android, and Palm Pre bury Windows Mobile? Or will Microsoft deliver on its promise to build a superior mobile OS?
Disclaimer: I was able to play around with a review sample of the HTC Touch Pro, but Sprint was unable to temporarily transfer my Sprint number over to the phone so I could use it on a day-to-day basis for a few weeks and really get to know it. So my observations of the phone are somewhat superficial. Feel free to tell me what you think of the phone if you own it.
Via CNET News
Talkback
iolo003 says...
I believe windows mobile have to go. They have there chances already and they weren't able to catch up. UIQ made the right decesion by giving up early.
Feb 01, 2009 19:08
I believe windows mobile have to go. They have there chances already and they weren't able to catch up. UIQ made the right decesion by giving up early.
Feb 01, 2009 19:08
olmir says...
No, for me it isn't.
So far I've been satisfied with my Samsung i780 (I believe its counterpart in US is called Epix), and it's WM OS does pretty much everything I want it to do.
I like the option to switch from QWERTY to TS. The UI is snappy enough for me. I have enhanced multimedia experience with a 3.5mm adapter, which btw, is widely available now. And I also like the ability to quick scroll with a side bar through large documents, which wasn't available on Symbian devices I had used before.
Of course there are some minor glitches (like Word application not always showing in Task manager), and plenty of room for OS improvement (font increased, larger icons, better Java support etc.). Also I wish the battery was stronger but it has nothing to do with OS.
Dont know 'bout Android and Blackberry, but overall I wouldn't revert to Symbian Symbian at this point. Of course it all comes down to personal preferences, this is just my point of view. So if I were you I'd wait for Palm WebOS, or news from WM.
Feb 04, 2009 22:35
No, for me it isn't.
So far I've been satisfied with my Samsung i780 (I believe its counterpart in US is called Epix), and it's WM OS does pretty much everything I want it to do.
I like the option to switch from QWERTY to TS. The UI is snappy enough for me. I have enhanced multimedia experience with a 3.5mm adapter, which btw, is widely available now. And I also like the ability to quick scroll with a side bar through large documents, which wasn't available on Symbian devices I had used before.
Of course there are some minor glitches (like Word application not always showing in Task manager), and plenty of room for OS improvement (font increased, larger icons, better Java support etc.). Also I wish the battery was stronger but it has nothing to do with OS.
Dont know 'bout Android and Blackberry, but overall I wouldn't revert to Symbian Symbian at this point. Of course it all comes down to personal preferences, this is just my point of view. So if I were you I'd wait for Palm WebOS, or news from WM.
Feb 04, 2009 22:35
PSmith says...
I've only owned one Windows CEment device and hated it. (5.0 actually, but CEment is a much more 'a propos' name for it.) I bought it before "netbooks" came along to use as a portable, low-price computing device. I kept a USB keyboard at my office desk (we don't have computers) and used it there with the dock.
It was bad enough that the software was incompatible with PC versions of Windows, but what drove me up the wall was the Automatic Upper Case First Letter Every Time You Type In A Period Or After A Carriage Return. Why, FFingFS, was there no means, not even a patch, to turn that thing off? I spent half my time hunting down and correcting capitalization errors made by Windows CEment; they weren't errors on my part.
I only moved to Windows CEment because Palm abandoned users by moving to Linux after version 3.5 of their OS. Knowing better now, I should have just bought a used Pentium I laptop for work and run my old Lose95 CD on it.
Feb 16, 2009 01:31
I've only owned one Windows CEment device and hated it. (5.0 actually, but CEment is a much more 'a propos' name for it.) I bought it before "netbooks" came along to use as a portable, low-price computing device. I kept a USB keyboard at my office desk (we don't have computers) and used it there with the dock.
It was bad enough that the software was incompatible with PC versions of Windows, but what drove me up the wall was the Automatic Upper Case First Letter Every Time You Type In A Period Or After A Carriage Return. Why, FFingFS, was there no means, not even a patch, to turn that thing off? I spent half my time hunting down and correcting capitalization errors made by Windows CEment; they weren't errors on my part.
I only moved to Windows CEment because Palm abandoned users by moving to Linux after version 3.5 of their OS. Knowing better now, I should have just bought a used Pentium I laptop for work and run my old Lose95 CD on it.
Feb 16, 2009 01:31
minimach says...
WM just sucks! Just always slow and unresponsive. Browser is just unfriendly and media player is pathetic in features. Give up already! Symbian OS and iPhone OS is much better.
Apr 21, 2009 19:05
WM just sucks! Just always slow and unresponsive. Browser is just unfriendly and media player is pathetic in features. Give up already! Symbian OS and iPhone OS is much better.
Apr 21, 2009 19:05
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challu
Hi David,
I stopped looking up to Microsoft to fix various problems & improve WM
Some how I do not agree....I have been using Windows Mobile CE days.
I have owned Compaq IPAQ (WIN CE), O2 XDA II (WM2003SE), O2 XDA Neo(WM2003SE, WM5,WM6), and now have HTC Touch Cruise (WM6 &WM6.1).
I consider my current phone the best, it has 3.2 camera, GPS, pretty good speaker for music and good interface.
I think your frustation is also due to the fact that your phone is tied to a single Service provider. Here in India, I do not have a SIM Lock with my Service provider, and hence I further went down with unlocking the phone to install some really good apps developed by fans of Windows Mobile, and that has brought a great change in the way I use my Windows mobile phone.
Not sure if you already know them xda-developers.com, as you might already know your phone sprint Mogul was manufactured by HTC, and the site I shared with you have a special section for it under the code name "Titan"
which talks about bugs and how to fix them etc.
So have a little patience with it and try the site I mentioned, lets see what Microsoft will roll out as part of their WM6.5 and WM7 next year....looks like they are facing the heat now from Apple & Android.....
PS. I only suggest you unlock your phone to try some free aps mentioned at the site, if the warranty of the phone has expired.
Challu
Jan 30, 2009 01:03
Devlin
He really can't unlock his phone because Verizon and Sprint are CDMA providers and as such his selection of phones are limited to what his carrier (Sprint) offers. Jailbreaking is a different story.
My suggestion is wait till Sprint gets the Pre, if you must stay with them, or just get an iPhone or Android phone when your contract expires. I had a Samsung i600 and really like the phone overall but ended up selling it because I could not live with the OS. Since most smartphones now support "productivity" (email, internet, calendar, notes, and document viewing/editing) functions it really should come down to your own personal preferences.
I do love how easy-to-use my iPhone is but some things just irk me every time: lack of document viewing/editing, no place to store non-media files, lack of tethering, inability to uninstall stock apps, no easy way to customize UI and alerts and some small things here and there. Overall, if a GSM Android or WebOS phone were to come out unsubsidized that has what it is I'm looking for I might just get that instead of the 3rd gen iPhone. Here's hoping Sony Ericsson doesn't disappoint with their upcoming Android offering.
P.S.
I can see why you'd like to stay with Sprint what with their $99 Everything Plan. Best deal in town and wish AT&T would smarten up already!
Jan 30, 2009 09:52