Smartphone in USA Today

[Andy Sjostrom]

<div class='os_post_top_link'><a href='http://www.usatoday.com/money/industries/technology/2003-07-25-msoft_x.htm' target='_blank'>http://www.usatoday.com/money/industries/technology/2003-07-25-msoft_x.htm</a><br /><br /></div>There's an interesting article with the headline <a href="http://www.usatoday.com/money/industries/technology/2003-07-25-msoft_x.htm">"Microsoft on verge of breakthrough in cell phone market"</a> in today's USA Today. The article says Microsoft "sits on the cusp of a break in the cell phone arena — where it has so far lost millions". The basis of the analysis is the fact that cell phone makers Samsung and Motorola are about to release cell phones running the "Microsoft's Smartphone operating system".<br /><br />"...Microsoft has deep pockets and a bent for being patient with new markets. The company said Thursday that it is boosting research spending and adding staff, in part to expand its wireless division. There's much at stake. Smart phone sales will hit $6 billion this year and jump to $30 billion by 2007, research firm IDC says. If Microsoft can establish itself as a dominant force, it could mean big changes in the way cell phones are sold, says Probe Research analyst David Chamberlain."<br /><br />Go and read the entire article that includes some interesting remarks from a Nokia executive as well as a reference to Linux "gaining in popularity with cell phone makers"!

[mcsouth]

Interestingly vague article - makes reference to problems that MS needs to address with its smartphone OS, but yet doesn't identify what those are. Being new to this platform, maybe I've just made a huge mistake with my purchase of an SPV! 8O

I find it interesting also that just because MS does Windows, everyone assumes that MS is 'porting' that same OS to other devices. I would have a hard time believing that the XP kernel was the basis for smartphones! :roll: ...oh, and where is the Linux smartphone that they sort of reference in this article?

I guess if I was honest with myself, the lack of significant changes in the areas of the PPC that were important to me got me looking around for other devices to soothe my need for a new techy device - the start of Smartphone Thoughts spurred the idea to get an SPV - this is your fault Jason!!! :wink: I can't honestly say that I did an extensive feature comparison between the SPV and the P800 to determine if the Symbian OS was better - largely the thought of similar apps and OS led me directly to the MS smartphone - and that is probably part of MS's strategy to pickup customers - the sense of familiarity! (...and I fell right into their trap....)

I have to wonder how many consumer's buying decisions could be influenced by vague articles in the mainstream press (if USA Today qualifies for that distinction) like this, though........

[TANKERx]

Indeed, there wasn't much in there that I haven't heard before. Usual Microsoft says this, Nokia says that and Linux says t'other.

I don't like this idea of patience at Microsoft though, because its not Microsoft that has to be patient, it's the people who buy the Microsoft smartphones and have to put up with the bugs and design decisions.

Simple things that still not work may seem like an old argument that keeps getting dragged up, but it's an old argument that needs solving and Microsoft really needs to solve these usability issues if it expects Joe Public (who's IT literacy hasn't so much as gone as far as rearranging the items on his Start Menu) to buy the phone.

It must be made simpler and more reliable - not bug free (nothing is bug free), but it needs some essential improvements if it want to extend its market influence to beyond the technically adept, the geeks and those who understand Microsoft's way of thinking.

[Nikhil]

I definately purchased my SPV (coming tomorrow!) because of similar reasons as above...

I was sort of bored with the PocketPC OS (the 2215 had me excited for a little bit but then that simmered down). I then got a Nokia 3650 (Symbian 60) and loved it...I found myself carrying it around without the iPAQ. The only things I missed were the familiarity with the PPC OS, Multimedia capability (PocketMVP!), and the general feel that was missing from the Nokia...honestly, the Nokia reminded me alot of a Palm-based device...if SmartPhone becomes big like the PocketPC (which I think it will), we could see the Palm-PPC argument shrunken to the Symbian-SmartPhone argument. It will be interesting to see how things work out...definately having Motorola and Samsung on-board for development can't hurt; it'll be just the opposite.

[encece]

I for one have not second guessed my decision to get the Smartphone. (Well, I did one time...I'll explain below.)

The OS is new and buggy, but at the same time exciting and full of potential. Anyone on this forum purchased or will probably purchase the phone because they are not afraid to be in the forefront of technology. To be the early adopters.

My passion for this phone borders on obsession. Just like my PPC passion evolved from the early days of my Phillips Nino 550 right into 3 or 4 different models of iPaqs and PPC-PE devices. (throw a couple of Palms in there as well :oops: )

After using the SPV a few months...and after using PPCs and PPC-PEs for years, I thought I needed a bit more than the Smartphone could offer. So I sold it and bought a Verizon Samsung i700. Big Mistake for me!

Too Big, Too Bulky. Bad battery. Screen was aweful outdoors.

Back to the SPV I was...and happily, may I add.

Some people may need the extra power of a PPC. The larger screen. The faster processor. The magnitude of apps. The versitility of the device and OS to run programs that possibly cross into the rhelm of the PC world like CAD applications as one uncommon example. And that's GREAT! You'll never do that on a Smartphone.

But after seeing the HUGE amount of people who use PPCs for PIM applications and not much else...this has to be an alternative for them and SO MUCH MORE.

With the Smartphone I can:
:D Carry 800+ contacts with multiple numbers (or many more)
:D Two years+ worth of calendar entries (or many more)
:D Create & Sync Tasks...
:D Create & Sync Notes...easily sync'd from Outlook without any third party software. (with the exception of Notes :( )
:D Automatically sync and read and reply to my POP3 email...
:D Surf the web...
:D Use my phone as an MP3 player with as much music as my SD will hold.
:D Listen to streaming radio from the internet.
:D Watch full-length movies.
:D Record Voice Notes
:D Load an ever growing amount of games and applications, many ported from the PPC software we already know.
:D Oh, did I mention that it's a phone as well with voice, sms and mms capabilities???

Sure it's buggy...because it's a new frontier of convergence for MS. In the short history of MS SmartPhones, many of the bugs have been pointed out and fixed by MS & Orange, and more importantly, by users of forums like this such as Modaco, CoolSmartphone and others. by registry tweaks and other solutions.

I don't mind being the guinnie-pig(sp?) for MS. Especially since the phone is UNSUPPORTED here in the US to date!

I have one of the best phones there is. I think anyone would find that this phone does more than ANY comparable phone on the market today, in a much more intuitive way. The Smartphone will be the reference point of all phones in the future. I'm sure of it.

By the way...I'm really drunk right now! Just walked in from Happy Hour(s)! So please excuse my rambling! :drinking: I hope I made a point! :D

[Robert Levy]

I was very pleased to see them acknowledge the existance of the Samsung Smartphone ;) Kudos to USA Today for fact checking

[encece]

Now that I'm sober...after re-reading I should have thrown in a "God Bless America!" at the end.

[spg]

I'm what you might call an early adopter extrodinaire. :) Anything new and improved in the world of technology catches my eye, even if it is still a brand new thing (Tablet PC, Smartphone). I just like to be on the cutting edge of things, plus alot of these things mean increased productivity and that is something we could all use. Of course to get to that productivity thing we first have to get past the bugs, and not everyone has the knowhow and the paitence to do that. I like to think I do have that, and thus I'm an early adopter of just about everything.

I'm really looking forward to getting my Smartphone... bugs or no bugs.

[Chronos]

I just returned from a yacht tour on the Potomac River. I pulled out my SPVx, snapped on the camera, and took dozens of pics of the city, my wife and friends, and other assorted sites. Unintentionally, the phone was the hit of the party. Everyone wanted to know more about it, and I had to demonstrate its PIM applications, multimedia support, etc.

There was a lot of interest, yet also a lot of ignorance about the new wave of cell phones. It'll take, IMHO, a lot of marketing support from Microsoft to make inroads in the US cell phone market. I've witnessed their weak marketing support for the PPCs (I think they're taking off despite MS's support), and can only hope they do better with this platform.

Hey Nick- only three hours to sober up??? What a lightweight!!! :grinning devil:

[encece]

Lightweight indeed! After the birth of my son 3-1/2 years ago....I could probably count the number of drinks I've had since that time.

I was only there for 2-1/2 hours having around 4 beers and a shot...I was home by 8:30 with a really really good buzz. But it wore off pretty quickly!

I was more really dizzy than drunk...I have lost my will to drink 'til I blackout! What has my world become?! :D