Microsoft preps for long haul in China mobile device market

[Ed Hansberry]

<a href="http://reuters.com/news_article.jhtml;jsessionid=GYNKEDF2TRN3ACRBAEZSFFAKEEATIIWD?type=technologynews&StoryID=976814">http://reuters.com/news_article.jhtml;jsessionid=GYNKEDF2TRN3ACRBAEZSFFAKEEATIIWD?type=technologynews&StoryID=976814</a><br /><br />"Microsoft Corp is willing to invest for years without reward to win over China, the world's biggest mobile market, in its global campaign to conquer the cellular industry, a company official said Friday."<br /><br />The article goes on to say their biggest threat is from Symbian and its hardware partners, Nokia, Sony-Ericcson, Motorola and Siemens. Sort of discouraging to have not heard of a big win for Microsoft in this arena as of yet. As I've said many times before though, this is new to Microsoft. They not only have to get their operating system working with the hardware, they have to get the carriers to go along as well. Juha Christensen seems to agree with me. ;-) "Also after more than a year of talks, Microsoft has yet to succeed in striking deals with China's two cellular carriers China Mobile Communications Corp and China Unicom Group, both state-owned. 'The carriers are key to this,' Christensen said." You need any more analysis Mr. Christensen you know where to find me. :-)

[Kre]

I just read in pocket pc magazine the other day that SonyEricsson has chosen Microsofts smartphone platform over Symbians Epoc, for use in their phones. Im not sure just how reliable this info is, but Im guessing it is because it was in print in this magazine. Theyre a respectable mag and usually verify their information before putting it in print, but you never know. One analyst said that it represented a huge slap in the face to Symbian. Yeah, no kidding, providing this is true.

[angelseye2000]

Found this. Don't know what to think......

Security flaw in Pocket PC Phone Edition
By Simon Rockman, What Mobile
Posted: 05/18/2002 at 04:50 EST

The June issue of What Mobile magazine reveals a security flaw in the supposedly integrated Phone Edition of the Pocket PC operating system.

Mobile phones offer protection against unauthorized use in the form of a PIN that has to be typed in to make a call. Pocket PC Phone Edition implements this with a check box to turn the PIN on and off. When you select the phone dialer with the PIN enabled the dialer asks you to enter the PIN before it will go any further, if however you then select the browser and start a GPRS browse session it will connect (although it shouldn't). If you then run another instance of the dialer you can make voice calls.

Microsoft's mantra is that "Adding wireless capabilities is fine, but integrating them is better. We'll point out how this integration plays out as we step through the new features of Pocket PC 2002 Phone Edition".

Which is great as a soundbite, but isn't borne out in using the software. If you turn the phone off and then try to connect it doesn't give you a "phone off, do you want to switch on" error, it tries to dial, fails and then suggests you change your network settings.

Sometimes there is a language barrier. The prompt "Edit My Text Messages" seems easy to understand. But it doesn't mean what you think. "My Text" is the name Microsoft gives to the preprogrammed SMS templates, so it really means "Edit text message templates". And what great templates they are. Beside the standard "I'll be late" and "Can't talk now", you also get "I love my Pocket PC" (yeuch!).

http://www.theregus.com/content/4/24981.html

[PlayAgain?]

Generally speaking, I can't see why Microsoft should have any trouble getting operators to sell the Microsoft smartphone. Once one operator gets it, they all will since they'll want to offer choice to their customers.

The question will be whether or not people are be willing to take the risk of buying a Microsoft smartphone over the greater assurance offered by the experience behind the open platform, Symbian.

Kre,
I've read headlines saying that Siemens have chosen Symbian over Microsoft, but not of Sony-Ericsson. While Sony-Ericsson are definately releasing a Symbian product very soon, I don't think they chose Symbian over Microsoft and they may still decide to run the Microsoft effort.

Since Symbian hasn't insisted on an exclusive deal (and this has allowed freedom for the manufacturer), there is still hope for Microsoft and it's 'smartphone' platform.

[Ed Hansberry]

Found this. Don't know what to think......
Obviously. What exactly does this have to do with the China cell phone market. This isn't a Phone Edition free for all Angelseye. Please stop your incessant posting of news articles that have a tenuous thread at best to the subject.

Reminds me of your recent postings at PDABuzz before you got whacked for the 2nd time there this year. :roll:

[Kre]

Kre,
I've read headlines saying that Siemens have chosen Symbian over Microsoft, but not of Sony-Ericsson. While Sony-Ericsson are definately releasing a Symbian product very soon, I don't think they chose Symbian over Microsoft and they may still decide to run the Microsoft effort.

Since Symbian hasn't insisted on an exclusive deal (and this has allowed freedom for the manufacturer), there is still hope for Microsoft and it's 'smartphone' platform.

I didnt say that SonyEricsson chose Symbian over Microsoft. I said that they chose Microsoft over Symbian.

[PlayAgain?]

Sorry, I thought you may have made an error when you typed (I do it all the time) since SonyEricsson not only have a Symbian device ready to go (P800), but they're also pushing other technologies along this line, such as Magpie.

[Kre]

Sorry, I thought you may have made an error when you typed (I do it all the time) since SonyEricsson not only have a Symbian device ready to go (P800), but they're also pushing other technologies along this line, such as Magpie.

No problemo. 8)

[angelseye2000]

Found this. Don't know what to think......
Obviously. What exactly does this have to do with the China cell phone market. This isn't a Phone Edition free for all Angelseye. Please stop your incessant posting of news articles that have a tenuous thread at best to the subject.

Reminds me of your recent postings at PDABuzz before you got whacked for the 2nd time there this year. :roll:

Hmmm i thought the article is about China and MSFT (and there 'mobile software'/Pocket PC Phone Edition software) vs Symbian?????

"Microsoft has already struck alliances with Europe's largest operators, including Britain's Vodafone, Germany's T-Mobile, Spain's Telefonica Movile and MMO2 to use its mobile software."

and

"Cingular, the number two U.S. wireless firm, is also among carriers to market phones using Microsoft's Pocket PC Phone Edition software."

So i thought i would post the article i came across on Pocket PC Phone Edition. "Security flaw in Pocket PC Phone Edition" So i posted it .

Then you say......

"What exactly does this have to do with the China cell phone market."

LOL. Funny guy you are. It's now waiting for "What exactlly does MSFT have to do with Pocket PC Phone Edition"?????

"Reminds me of your recent postings at PDABuzz before you got whacked for the 2nd time there this year."

oooooooh did i. lol. I have send a lot articles to pda related sites (pdabuzz included) and they have posted my stuff many times. I don't hear you/them talking about that. I also have to say that these pda sites have a VERY selective and shortsighted view on certain subjects or articles (ask me "why" and i will give you an NICE EXAMPLE what certain pda sites post and won't) I also see/read a lot of BS posts on these same boards. I don't hear anybody about them. Am not using bad words nor am i bashing. If you don't like my posts ingnore them. And to tell people on this board that i'm "wacked for the 2nd time" is not interesting (to this forum) and childish. But that's in line with your comment that "Bluetooth sucks". Little nuance would be nice.

Am i a "wacked" candidate now?

[angelseye2000]

Symbian sets sail

http://www.infosync.no/news/2002/n/1845.html

"Symbian. It's the name of a venture between several of the largest manufacturers in the mobile industry - and also a word that during most of 2001 called for muted giggles when mentioned to those supposed to be "in the know" about all things mobile. As for myself, I stated my opinion numerous times both in writing and otherwise that Symbian would prevail in the end. Despite the during 2001-present lack of devices on the market (not to mention in development) and virtually no software being available for the platform, we're now counting 2002 - and guess what? I wasn't wrong."

[PlayAgain?]

Are you allowed to lift entire articles without saying where it is you got them from (for example, www.infosync.no)?

[angelseye2000]

True, but people who know me know that i always post links with the article. I was in a hurry yesterday....don't think Jorgen will have a problem with that mister play. You could ask him?

Here it is

Symbian sets sail
http://www.infosync.no/news/2002/n/1845.html

[angelseye2000]

Are you allowed to lift entire articles without saying where it is you got them from (for example, www.infosync.no)?

Much more interesting: What about the content of the article?

[Jason Dunn]

True, but people who know me know that i always post links with the article. I was in a hurry yesterday....don't think Jorgen will have a problem with that mister play. You could ask him?


I've edited your post and added the URL, and contacted you privately on this issue. This site can't be the host for other people's work that you don't give credit for, give URLs for, or even put in quotes. :?

[angelseye2000]

I've added Jörgens link since the symbian post already, so what's the problem?

"and contacted you privately on this issue" which e-mail adress did you use jason?