Windows Mobile Phone Design : Tancher Mago

[Jerry Raia]

<div class='os_post_top_link'><a href='http://www.msmobilenews.com/page/1191/' target='_blank'>http://www.msmobilenews.com/page/1191/</a><br /><br /></div><i>"This beauty looks cooler than ice with specs to rival even the most hardcore device. It's apparently been in the works since December 2004 and prototype models were built in August 2005. There's no word on if/when it'll appear but i'll sure be looking out for it."</i><br /><br /> <img src="http://www.smartphonethoughts.com/images/Jerry-mago_2.jpg" alt="User submitted image" title="User submitted image"/> <br /> <br />The one feature that catches the eye here is touchscreen. Perhaps the first hint of a Smartphone with a touchscreen. Darwinism at work here? :lol:

[Mike Temporale]

Now that is a sexy looking phone. :drool:

The addition of a touch screen is different than expected. The Pocket PC / Smartphone line has just gotten a little more blurred. Some of us are having a hard time seeing it at all now. :lol:

[Rocco Augusto]

the part that caught my eye was the 624MHz processor. are we sure this isnt just a sexy pocketpc phone?

[Evil_Robot]

I think it looks too sharp and angular...like it would pick up a lot of scratches and nicks that would detract from its overall appearance...

[nedge2k]

the whole point is that it is basically bullet proof. this thing'll never get a scratch on it ;)

oh and its ppcpe

[Janak Parekh]

oh and its ppcpe
Yeah, that's what us PPCT folks think. ;) If we had Smartphones with touch screens, what exactly would be the difference between that and PPCPE?

--janak

[nedge2k]

a crippled device with a touchscreen? :P

[Jerry Raia]

a crippled device with a touchscreen? :P

Off come the gloves! :lol:

[Mike Temporale]

I don't argue that it's a PPC-PE. I'm pretty sure it is, unless this doesn't hit the streets until Photon is released. ;)

The main fact is, this phone looks like a phone, and not your average PPC. Besides the screen, the line between the 2 platforms is almost invisible.

It sure would be awkward to have a phone that requires two handed use. ;)

[Jerry Raia]

Besides the screen, the line between the 2 platforms is almost invisible.

The keypad always makes the distinction for me. If it has the phone keypad only, its a phone. The touch screen is a nice touch (no pun intended :lol: ).

[nedge2k]

Well, for the most part, the problem of one-handed use stays firmly in the domain of MS and soft developers. They are the ones who need to catch up with the extra hardware buttons sported by most new PPC devices.

Obviously fixing the software won't cure msging/dialing ability but w/keypad (and t9) the PPC platform could well replace SP...but then i assume thats what Photon will endeavour to do?

Although, for the time being, PPC users can try this: http://www.msmobilenews.com/page/1193/

Phones like this (and the g-Smart - which rules btw) are perfect for the SP user looking for that bit extra. I mean, can you run a web server on an SP..i think not :P (dont ask me why you'd want to)

[mbranscum]

This *is* a PPC isn't it?

[nedge2k]

apparently ;)

[Janak Parekh]

Besides the screen, the line between the 2 platforms is almost invisible.
I don't know about that. My WM5 Pocket PCs, while one-handable, still require a lot more scrolling around controls on the screen (especially dialogs) than corresponding screens on a Smartphone -- the softkeys are much less utilized. Additionally, there are a lot of Smartphone features (smart dial, etc.) that aren't uniformly in Pocket PCs. Finally, there are some outright bugs in WM5 Pocket PC's one-handability requiring screen taps.

--janak

[Mike Temporale]

I don't know about that. My WM5 Pocket PCs, while one-handable, still require a lot more scrolling around controls on the screen (especially dialogs) than corresponding screens on a Smartphone -- the softkeys are much less utilized. Additionally, there are a lot of Smartphone features (smart dial, etc.) that aren't uniformly in Pocket PCs. Finally, there are some outright bugs in WM5 Pocket PC's one-handability requiring screen taps.

There is a lot of work to be done on the Pocket PC still when it comes to one-handedness because it's not very good at it. I just got a kJam and I've been trying to give it a fair try, but it's hard. The Smartphone is much nicer experience. But all of these issues are pretty small and could be fixed in a patch. If Microsoft added Touch Screen support in Smartphone tomorrow and dropped the PPC line (essentially mergering things) there isn't much that would be lost. :)

[Janak Parekh]

But all of these issues are pretty small and could be fixed in a patch. If Microsoft added Touch Screen support in Smartphone tomorrow and dropped the PPC line (essentially mergering things) there isn't much that would be lost. :)
Ha! Nice try, but no. ;) There's a bunch of APIs in Pocket PC that aren't yet in Smartphone. The UI also has some noticeable differences. Yes, I think some of the one-handability can be patched, but some of it requires some lower-level work.

Besides, aren't we supposed to drop Smartphone, not Pocket PC? :P

--janak

[Jerry Raia]

Besides, aren't we supposed to drop Smartphone, not Pocket PC? :P

--janak

Who is this heretic? :lol: