Smartphone 2003 SDK Released

[Jason Dunn]

<div class='os_post_top_link'><a href='http://www.smartphonethoughts.com/index.php' target='_blank'>http://www.smartphonethoughts.com/index.php</a><br /><br /></div>If you're not already a regular over at Smartphone Thoughts, this is just a heads-up: the Smartphone 2003 SDK has been released, and along with it we have some great screen shots and information, especially valid for developers. Go take a peek!<br /><br /><img src="http://www.smartphonethoughts.com/images/ie%20menu.jpg" />

[MultiMatt]

What I find both hilarious (and pathetic at the same time) is that the 2003 SDK is out, and no one in the US (shy a few lucky folks) even got to enjoy Smartphone 2002!

Any idea when we really will see Smartphones in the US?!!! I remember seeing the first one at the Mobile Experience Tour in the Fall of 2001!!!! It was "right around the corner" then!!!!

:roll:

Matt

[Robert Levy]

It's right around the corner... really!

[qmrq]

I have to agree with you.. there's maybe... ten (?) people in the US who own smartphones.

[Robert Levy]

I have to agree with you.. there's maybe... ten (?) people in the US who own smartphones.

And we're all quite pleased ;)

Actually, there are probably a few hundred of us now. Between eBay, Microsoft's developer kit, and online resellers anybody who *really* wants a Smartphone can easily get one.

You can order a device (http://www.ppcw.net/shop/imate_ppct.php) from our friend Arne at PPCW.Net and use it in the US on any GSM network (T-Mobile, Cingular, AT&T) with no hassle - just move the SIM card from your existing phone into the new one.

[Kevin Daly]

I'm not having too much luck with the download :cry:
I've had about 3 goes now, every time it gets about 2 thirds of the way through and then terminates prematurely (without an error message, it just writes an incomplete file).

It's rather frustrating.

I hope this is temporary, I'll try again later.
I'm off to Tech Ed tomorrow, it'd be very, um, serendipitous if they were handing out Smartphone 2003 SDK CD ROMs (dreams are free).
0X

[Kevin Daly]

I'm not having too much luck with the download

Fourth time lucky :D

Now I just have to come to grips with navigation and program control: with Smartphone Microsoft seem even less keen on letting people close anything.

I'll get there eventually.

[Arne Hess]

I have to agree with you.. there's maybe... ten (?) people in the US who own smartphones.
Nah... There are more happy Smartphone owners in the US! Around 80 % of the shipped PPCW.Net i-Mates (http://www.ppcw.net/shop/imate_ppct.php) was sent to the US (and Canada) so far and if I have a look to the current pre-orders (next batch should be shipped during next week) around 90 % came from North America so far.

So I do my best to cover North America with Smartphones, now it's up to you to order one... ;-)

[DavidHorn]

I'm not having too much luck with the download

Fourth time lucky :D

Now I just have to come to grips with navigation and program control: with Smartphone Microsoft seem even less keen on letting people close anything.

I'll get there eventually.

You won't even get MS Certification if you add a close control to your app - Douglas Beck got around the problem by installing by default with no close command, and then making it an option in the control file whether it was displayed or not.

I think that makes sense. :)

[ctmagnus]

You won't even get MS Certification if you add a close control to your app - Douglas Beck got around the problem by installing by default with no close command, and then making it an option in the control file whether it was displayed or not.

I think that makes sense. :)

I thought that was an Exit command? Pocket Informant is certified and it has a close command. Then again, it's not there by default; you have to go into options for PI and tell it you want a close option.

[vetteguy]

I have to agree with you.. there's maybe... ten (?) people in the US who own smartphones.

And we're all quite pleased ;)

Actually, there are probably a few hundred of us now. Between eBay, Microsoft's developer kit, and online resellers anybody who *really* wants a Smartphone can easily get one.

You can order a device (http://www.ppcw.net/shop/imate_ppct.php) from our friend Arne at PPCW.Net and use it in the US on any GSM network (T-Mobile, Cingular, AT&T) with no hassle - just move the SIM card from your existing phone into the new one.
The thing is, though, that we shouldn't have to go to so much trouble to get one of these things. How is this "putting technology into the hands of the consumer"? I have to find an eBay auction from a person in England who happens to have one and knows how to unlock it, and then I will get no support from my carrier if anything goes wrong. That is WAY too much to ask the average consumer, and even power users or bleeding edge people shouldn't have to go to those extremes. I, too, remember in 2001 when it was "right around the corner". Well, we've been around the block a few hundred times since then, and each time we've done it without a SmartPhone. What's the point anymore? I certainly don't care. I gave up caring sometime earlier this year, when it was obvious that once again we would not be getting them any time soon. Meanwhile, I can get three revisions of the SDK for the product that I cannot buy. Sorry, Microsoft (and Orange, et. al.), you screwed the pooch on this one. Maybe in 5 years when SmartPhone 2008 is out, we'll be able to get an original SPV from T-Mobile. Of course, it won't matter, because even then I won't buy one.

[Jason Dunn]

The thing is, though, that we shouldn't have to go to so much trouble to get one of these things. How is this "putting technology into the hands of the consumer"? I have to find an eBay auction from a person in England who happens to have one and knows how to unlock it, and then I will get no support from my carrier if anything goes wrong. That is WAY too much to ask the average consumer, and even power users or bleeding edge people shouldn't have to go to those extremes.

Right. Which is why if you ask Microsoft, they'll say that Smartphones aren't available in North America yet - but we're saying that if you want one, you can get one TODAY that works on various networks. I agree completely it's not a consumer friendly approach, but powers users should jump on the chance! I had mine up and running in a matter of minutes - not a single problem. Hell, it was easier to set up than my T68i because I didn't need to enter a strange dialing code - just my username and password for GPRS, and BAM, I was on. :way to go:

Let me put this another way: I wouldn't have launched Smartphone Thoughts if I didn't think there would be a good reason for it very soon.

[vetteguy]

The thing is, though, that we shouldn't have to go to so much trouble to get one of these things. How is this "putting technology into the hands of the consumer"? I have to find an eBay auction from a person in England who happens to have one and knows how to unlock it, and then I will get no support from my carrier if anything goes wrong. That is WAY too much to ask the average consumer, and even power users or bleeding edge people shouldn't have to go to those extremes.

Right. Which is why if you ask Microsoft, they'll say that Smartphones aren't available in North America yet - but we're saying that if you want one, you can get one TODAY that works on various networks. I agree completely it's not a consumer friendly approach, but powers users should jump on the chance! I had mine up and running in a matter of minutes - not a single problem. Hell, it was easier to set up than my T68i because I didn't need to enter a strange dialing code - just my username and password for GPRS, and BAM, I was on. :way to go:

Let me put this another way: I wouldn't have launched Smartphone Thoughts if I didn't think there would be a good reason for it very soon.
But therein lies what I see to be the bigger problem: why HASN'T Microsoft made the SmartPhone available in the US yet? They bombard us with SDKs, websites, product specs, etc., but no hope of actually having the product. I disagree that we should "jump on the chance". I'm not going to go out of my way so that I can spend as much as THREE TIMES for something that SHOULD have been readily available TWO YEARS AGO. I realize you have a Smartphone site, although I've never even been there because whenever I see anything about them it just makes my blood boil (as I'm sure you can tell). If they're not going to give us the freaking thing, then they should just stop all communication about them. I see it as a massive marketing failure, and just another example of how they kill their own good ideas with poor execution. Like their contests where the prize is a Sony Clie, etc.

I'll let it go now about the whole SmartPhone thing. Honestly, if it was a year ago when I still had a high level of interests about handhelds maybe I wouldn't, but I haven't touched my Axim in 4 months, so I think my interest is pretty much dead. That's just as well, it was an expensive hobby that I can live without.

[Jason Dunn]

But therein lies what I see to be the bigger problem: why HASN'T Microsoft made the SmartPhone available in the US yet?

Simple: because Microsoft isn't a mobile phone carrier, nor do they own the networks. Look, I know from a consumer's perspective this is totally FUBAR, but when I tried to explain to you why the rollout is taking so long, you completely ignored what I was saying. I think you're right - you should just walk away from this issue.

[qmrq]

The thing is, though, that we shouldn't have to go to so much trouble to get one of these things. How is this "putting technology into the hands of the consumer"? I have to find an eBay auction from a person in England who happens to have one and knows how to unlock it, and then I will get no support from my carrier if anything goes wrong. That is WAY too much to ask the average consumer, and even power users or bleeding edge people shouldn't have to go to those extremes.

Right. Which is why if you ask Microsoft, they'll say that Smartphones aren't available in North America yet - but we're saying that if you want one, you can get one TODAY that works on various networks. I agree completely it's not a consumer friendly approach, but powers users should jump on the chance! I had mine up and running in a matter of minutes - not a single problem. Hell, it was easier to set up than my T68i because I didn't need to enter a strange dialing code - just my username and password for GPRS, and BAM, I was on. :way to go:

Let me put this another way: I wouldn't have launched Smartphone Thoughts if I didn't think there would be a good reason for it very soon.
But therein lies what I see to be the bigger problem: why HASN'T Microsoft made the SmartPhone available in the US yet? They bombard us with SDKs, websites, product specs, etc., but no hope of actually having the product. I disagree that we should "jump on the chance". I'm not going to go out of my way so that I can spend as much as THREE TIMES for something that SHOULD have been readily available TWO YEARS AGO. I realize you have a Smartphone site, although I've never even been there because whenever I see anything about them it just makes my blood boil (as I'm sure you can tell). If they're not going to give us the freaking thing, then they should just stop all communication about them. I see it as a massive marketing failure, and just another example of how they kill their own good ideas with poor execution. Like their contests where the prize is a Sony Clie, etc.

I'll let it go now about the whole SmartPhone thing. Honestly, if it was a year ago when I still had a high level of interests about handhelds maybe I wouldn't, but I haven't touched my Axim in 4 months, so I think my interest is pretty much dead. That's just as well, it was an expensive hobby that I can live without.

Easy with the quotes... some people are paying by the byte. :)

[vetteguy]

But therein lies what I see to be the bigger problem: why HASN'T Microsoft made the SmartPhone available in the US yet?

Simple: because Microsoft isn't a mobile phone carrier, nor do they own the networks. Look, I know from a consumer's perspective this is totally FUBAR, but when I tried to explain to you why the rollout is taking so long, you completely ignored what I was saying. I think you're right - you should just walk away from this issue.
Fair enough...then let me make this final question: Why spend all this time, money, and effort into marketing a product that 99% of the American consumer can't have? I know you work in marketing, so maybe you can explain that thinking to me, because if they were hoping to create "hype" it seems to be having the opposite effect.

Of course, what do I know...I'm just an average American consumer.

I won't mention it again.

[Janak Parekh]

Fair enough...then let me make this final question: Why spend all this time, money, and effort into marketing a product that 99% of the American consumer can't have?
Obviously they want the American consumer to have it, but it takes time here. Just realize that there's a lag when it comes to cell phones in the US (at least for now), unless you're willing to buy it from elsewhere. Smartphones are definitely on their way to be released by the US carriers, based on what I've heard from MS Mobility people -- my guess is watch closely this fall.

--janak

[Jason Dunn]

Fair enough...then let me make this final question: Why spend all this time, money, and effort into marketing a product that 99% of the American consumer can't have? I know you work in marketing, so maybe you can explain that thinking to me, because if they were hoping to create "hype" it seems to be having the opposite effect. Of course, what do I know...I'm just an average American consumer. I won't mention it again.

That's a fair point. It might be that Microsoft is making noise about the Smartphone platform so that people like us know about it, and we'll ask our carriers for it. I know I've talked to two of the three mobile carriers up here and have asked when they plan to carry the Microsoft Smartphone. Microsoft has a platform, and they're making some noise about it - and hopefully that noise will make the carriers move a little faster.

I personally think it would be interesting to see what would happen if Microsoft released a Microsoft-branded, non SIM-locked Tanager phone and sold it in CompUSA and other retail outlets. Imagine the havoc. :twisted: They can't do that though because the carriers want to own the customers. :evil:

I know it's frustrating, but just imagine how frustrating it is for Microsoft to have a product they desperately want to see out in the market, only to have the carriers say "Oh sure, we'll just test it for 12 months first to make sure it doesn't crash our networks...". Microsoft is used to being powerful in the computer industry, but in the world of carriers, they have no power, and thus can do little more than wait.

And if it makes you feel any better, the frustration you feel at wanting something available outside your home market is what many other people around the world feel every single day. Many things are "US only" (like most of the rebates we post on here), so this sense of feeling ripped off is what about 40% of the readers on this site go through all the time. Suck it up. :wink:

[Janak Parekh]

I personally think it would be interesting to see what would happen if Microsoft released a Microsoft-branded, non SIM-locked Tanager phone and sold it in CompUSA and other retail outlets. Imagine the havoc. :twisted: They can't do that though because the carriers want to own the customers. :evil:
They might be able to pull that off, but then the carriers will never sell it direct, and that's where the big money is -- the customers that walk into the T-Mobile or Verizon stores. (Interestingly, and annoyingly, the Verizon store has both the i700 and the Thera side-by-side on display...)

--janak

[ctmagnus]

I know I've talked to two of the three mobile carriers up here and have asked when they plan to carry the Microsoft Smartphone.

Fido, Rogers, Bell, Telus. That's four.

(Unless you're considering the fact that Telus caries only (afaik) CDMA/1X phones.)