What's Missing in Windows Mobile?

[Jon Westfall]

<p>Last week a reader e-mailed me to ask a few specific questions about one of my <a href="http://forums.thoughtsmedia.com/f322/windows-man-goes-google-93167.html" target="_blank">previous articles</a>. Amid a few comments about switching from Windows Mobile to other platforms, the pitfalls and the advantages, he asked&nbsp; about a feature I'd never really thought about. He wanted to know if there was a way to edit the call log on a Windows phone. Specifically, could he delete missed calls while still retaining calls he wanted in the log. I did a bit of digging and found a few demo applications that could dump the call log records into a database (from which you could edit them, however the original logs on the phone would remain unaffected), and a few suggestions on how to read the database off the phone (Which were way more useful for a developer than an end-user), but no one seemed to have any idea or simple program that would edit the logs directly (If someone knows of one, please share!).</p><p>This simple feature isn't something I think is planned for the future of Windows Mobile, and perhaps not something everyone would need. But then again, there are many features of my device I don't particularly need, but would be nice to have. Many of us install third-party applications in order to get these features, but perhaps it would be a good idea to start a 2009 edition list of the "missing" components to Windows Mobile. What feature, ability, or tweak would you make if you had the ear of the Windows Mobile development team?</p>

[Phillip Dyson]

An excellent question.

1. Two category filtering for device to desktop syncing. I've been lamenting this ever since Intellisync announced an end of life. I use this feature to keep my personal items out of my work calendar, tasks, and contacts.

2. The ability to categorize and filter my email. This is a feature that came up lately. Mostly I think out of Gmail envy.

3. Other usual suspects mentioned a million times before:

Easier OS updates
Better Memory management
Better multimedia experience
etc...

[andyb]

Profiles...

[frazell]

Maybe it is an addon done by HTC, but my Call History application on my HTC Touch Pro allows me to delete calls one by one or all at once...

[Gakubuchi]

My HTC TyTN is able to delete call history one-by-one or all. Maybe, like frazell says, it's an HTC addition... :confused:

[Jon Westfall]

Profiles...

Not just profiles - actual extensively configurable profiles. One feature I've loved for years is the ability to mute my phone based on categories on a calendar item. PhoneAlarm can do it, as can a few others - but it seems like some profile writers just ignore it. I have a professional device, let me configure it with something better than just "All appointments cause a mute".

[Jon Westfall]

Maybe it is an addon done by HTC, but my Call History application on my HTC Touch Pro allows me to delete calls one by one or all at once...

Yea, I believe this is a part of HTC's value-added applications. Still, I'm surprised there isn't a third-party tool for it (or maybe there is one that's buried the option in a tweak menu or something).

Jon.

[Stinger]

USB mass storage mode as standard. I know it's in some phones but it's missing from others in WinMo 6.

[davebwi]

Yea, I believe this is a part of HTC's value-added applications. Still, I'm surprised there isn't a third-party tool for it (or maybe there is one that's buried the option in a tweak menu or something).

Jon.

Yes Profiles Microsoft...Profiles

[efjay]

Yea, I believe this is a part of HTC's value-added applications. Still, I'm surprised there isn't a third-party tool for it (or maybe there is one that's buried the option in a tweak menu or something).

Jon.

I have that option on my Samsung Omnia with the native Windows Mobile dialer. I can filter missed, outgoing or incoming calls, delete individual calls or all calls.

[alese]

I think ability to filter call log and delete individual or all calls is standard in all WM professional devices, at least I use it since my first WM phone (2003 Phone Edition).

What WM as a phone device needs in my opinion is ability to record calls, proper working automatic screen/button locker (I hate when my touch screen device wakes up in my pocket and then answers the call, launches an app or even calls someone...) and profiles.
Also what about export/backup of call logs and SMS/MMS messages.

And for WM in general - I agree with working OS updates.

[paschott]

I guess along these lines, one piece that Blackberry had was the ability to "hold" or "filter" e-mails if they didn't meet some specified criteria, especially during certain timeframes. For example, I don't necessarily need to get the e-mail from Joe at 1am sent just because Joe couldn't sleep. However, if the servers crash at 1am I want to be alerted.

There's just nothing out there right now that lets you set up rules for notifications/alerts based on some criteria and time of day. That means that if I'm on-call it's all or nothing. If some service not under my control goes haywire and starts sending alerts every 5 minutes, I get them mixed in with things I need to see and act on. That makes for a poor night's sleep.

A lot of my other changes are being slowly addressed, though I still disagree about putting apps in the background rather than closing them most times. More memory on devices, more storage - happening.

The only other thing I'd really like to see would be real OS updates so we can stop depending on the carriers and vendors just to get a relatively minor (or even major) update to the OS. We don't have that in the PC world and it's not a good experience in the WM devices. I've been hit three times now with the carrier/manufacturer pretty much stopping newer OS's from getting to my still capable device. I could understand if I bought towards the end of the product cycle, but I've bought several of these when they were pretty new only to see the carriers not supporting upgrades. I'm quite grateful for the external sites that have helped me get some extended life from my devices.

[sapibobo]

a. Better call log management. When someone called me "x" times, i prefer his name shown only one time instead of the same name multiplication by "x". Very unpractical and cluttered.

b. Real time update between SMS data and address book. When someone message me from unknown number "1234", and then i create his name "X" in address book, i prefer the old messages updated automatically to his name, rather than still use his phone number.

c. Unification of delivery status to message, rather than create "another" message. When i sent message with delivery notification set to "on", i prefer the status is combined with the original sent message. In the sent message MS hcan put another attribute or small icon or whatever that show the message have been delivered. Pop up notification is already good, but it create unnecessary messages in inbox. If you ever use Sony Ericcson you'll know what i mean.

d. Ability to copy & paste between SIM Toolkit application and other app, such as messaging. I often use mobile banking which use SIM Toolkit app. It is a pain to use when someone message me his account number then i have to memorize the number to be use in SIM Toolkit because the inability of copy and paste between the program with other phone app.

I use winmo 6.1.

[UCCOFFEE]

Multilingual support OUT OF THE BOX at least like WINDOWS 2k/XP or VISTA!

Able to install Chinese/japanese support in WM is one of the reason I choose a WM other than a normal phone. However, Iphone support so many languages out of the box, that is definately 1 reason why it sells so well AROUND THE WORLD!

[Twain]

I agree with Philip Dyson’s example of keeping personal calendar items and contacts out of the work synchronization.

Given that GPS enabled devices are becoming the norm, why not make these so-called smartphones truly “smart” with the ability to have location based behaviors? For example:

When at home, automatically forward calls to the home landline phone. (Prevents having to run around the house trying to get to the cell phone; most likely there is a landline phone handily nearby.)
When at work, forward calls to the desk phone.
When at a theater or restaurant, automatically switch to vibrate mode.
When at a hotel, automatically set audible morning alarm to previous settings at same hotel.
If weather is displayed on Today screen, automatically pull up weather for current location rather than hardwired “home” location.
Download dinner specials from Top 3 favorite restaurants when back in town on a business trip.
I think a distinction has to be made when answering this question, between those items that only the OS developer (Microsoft) or the service provide (say, Verizon) can provide and those items that can be provided by an ISV. Arguably, the first two items above might only be available through the service provider. The rest can be done by ISVs.

[racerx_]

multiple calendars...

and wifi profiles.. it's unbelievable that on a "professional" windows mobile device i have to manually enter all my network stuff every time i want to log on at work..

[ctmagnus]

Yea, I believe this is a part of HTC's value-added applications. Still, I'm surprised there isn't a third-party tool for it (or maybe there is one that's buried the option in a tweak menu or something).

Jon.

I've been able to do this on the SMT-5600 (iirc), HTC Prophet, Treo 750, and Treo Pro.

[Bruce Jackson]

There's just nothing out there right now that lets you set up rules for notifications/alerts based on some criteria and time of day. That means that if I'm on-call it's all or nothing.

phoneAlarm, mentioned previously here for profiles, also lets you filter email alerts based on the sender or text in subject (also for SMS messages) and then get different alarms (or no alarm ;)) depending on which profile is currently active

[Bruce Jackson]

Given that GPS enabled devices are becoming the norm, why not make these so-called smartphones truly “smart” with the ability to have location based behaviors? For example:

When at home, automatically forward calls to the home landline phone. (Prevents having to run around the house trying to get to the cell phone; most likely there is a landline phone handily nearby.)
When at work, forward calls to the desk phone.
When at a theater or restaurant, automatically switch to vibrate mode.
When at a hotel, automatically set audible morning alarm to previous settings at same hotel.



phoneAlarm (pocketMax Website (http://www.pocketmax.net)) includes all of those options already with automatic location based (GPS, Cell-Tower or WLAN router) profile switching :)

[egads]

Hell, I just want a phone that boots in 5-10 seconds.
My HTC Touch can take well over a minute and a half before it is usable.
There is no GOOD reason a phone should take that long to boot...

[Phillip Dyson]

Hell, I just want a phone that boots in 5-10 seconds.
My HTC Touch can take well over a minute and a half before it is usable.
There is no GOOD reason a phone should take that long to boot...

I agree with you on this one. I was even surprised when my fiancee had to reboot her iPhone to get it working properly. I was a significant amount of time too.

[mwfielder]

Distribution Lists! Why can't those sync from Outlook and be used in WM? Makes no sense to me why those aren't there...

To echo some earlier posts:
Phone Alarm functionality. Buy it from Bruce or whatever, but it needs to be in the OS.
Boot time. Seriously.

[Craig Horlacher]

I'd like to see good hardware utilization accross the board. Why is it apps can never take advantage of good hardware when it's there!??!?!? If a device comes with any special hardware - especially when marketing is talking it up - the device should be able to utilitze that hardware for common tasks one would need that hardware for.

Practical examples would be good video playback (full screen resolution, 30fps when the hardware supports it) in media player and a month view with text in the calendar app. All devices with bluetooth should support standard bluetooth keyboards and mice also. Also, devices that support sd/microsd and not sdhc/microsdhc.

I've been blown away over the years at the way the manufactures release hardware with what should be conisdered basic functionality, for what the device is, not working.

[Djblois]

1) Profiles but I would do it a little different then everyone else on here. I would make basic features of profiles that allow a user to switch based on time, power state, Location, or Appointment Category. Then I would add the API's for third party vendors to do what ever they want on these profile switches. so you can set your profiles in the main OS. Then in Pocket Informant you can set it to filter your Calendar based on that profile, or open a specific file in a specific program, etc.

2) Much better finger friendliness

3) Location Aware built into the OS with the API's needed

4) Notification API's so Third Party software companies can alter the OS notifications the way they need

5) sync all the data from Outlook. Including Templates (they need to be better on outlook first), Journal Entries, Distribution lists, Categories on Email, contents of email folders when on Exchange, Custom fields, links between items in Outlook

6) Light sensor API's built in

7) much better dialer with support for switching between multiple calls and design for conference calls

I don't think microsoft should build all the features into WM. I think it is more important for them to create the ability for the Third Party vendors to do amazing things. Like some of the things I have already mentioned.

[Gerard]

Hell, I just want a phone that boots in 5-10 seconds.
My HTC Touch can take well over a minute and a half before it is usable.
There is no GOOD reason a phone should take that long to boot...

Yup, same here. My Touch Elfin (pro) took about a minute to boot under WM6. 1:15 under WM6.1. And 1:42 to become usable under WM6.5. Otherwise a snappy device, really very usable. But that boot time has been getting worse with every OS iteration. Under the original PPC OS, in 2000, I was experiencing 5 to 6 second soft resets. A couple of devices along the way since then have booted in under 15 seconds, but they were the exceptions. Generally the trend has been longer and longer waits. Of course the feature set has also grown, but still, so have opportunities for efficiencies, as the development team has had a decade now to work on streamlining. Right? Or have they just added and added and added... somehow that seems likely, as this is Windows after all. Bloat is part of the nature of the beast.

So I'd like to see some streamlining of services and whatever other background nonsense, perhaps by offering a config page to the user in Settings > System where users could choose services they want running and do not. Same for the \Windows\Startup folder; a simple settings page offering checkboxes for these shortcuts to be active or not, with a simple explanation of what each does and how important it might be appearing on highlighting, that would be very well received I think. For power users, sure, it's easy to delete that junk when it's not needed, but for the majority it results in a system performance hit, leaving a handful of programs running in the background though they may never get used.

As for specific elements 'missing' from WM6.5, I'd say most obviously to this user is the ability to exactly organize the new format Start Menu. It's become vastly less configurable than it was, as now one can 'Move to Top' for any shortcut (resulting in the icon going to the very top of the page, jumping out of its folder if it was in a subfolder - not just to the top of that subfolder as one might expect) or in some cases (apparently at random - at least I cannot find a pattern here) 'Move down'. Move down results in top level icons vanishing into their folders, if that's where they originated, or just down the page somewhere if not. But there's no logic to the order. It's not alphabetical, and it's certainly not static, as any one icon being moved up or down shuffles all the rest of them around it. So annoying! Microsoft has found a way to force users to use the old Menus applet from Settings, sort of, though making it even less intuitive than it was before. The lack of an MRU element (though I don't mind this AT ALL) makes this doubly confounding, as one has only the choice of exposing a shortcut to the top level of the menu or hiding it somewhere, nothing in between. While the thumb-drag interface helps some, it's not enough to prevent this lack of configurability from becoming very frustrating in everyday use.

So please, Microsoft, give us a simple way to organize the Start Menu. Even a folder shortcut in the Start Menu itself, pointing to the File Explorer version in \Windows\Start Menu\Programs, would make it easy to order the thing per individual tastes and needs.

[kerrins]

I like some of these but might modify them. Personally, I use Xlink at home instead of rerouting it to my home phone. That way it still rings on a home phone, but I don't have to pay the phone company for it.

My brother loves movies and wants his phone to use GPS to pick the closest location and then tell him what movies are available. Great for a city ones not familiar with.
I like the idea of resetting the audible. I often turn mine off while at work so it doesn't ping me every 15 minutes but would be fine at home or hotel.

I agree with Philip Dyson’s example of keeping personal calendar items and contacts out of the work synchronization.

Given that GPS enabled devices are becoming the norm, why not make these so-called smartphones truly “smart” with the ability to have location based behaviors? For example:

When at home, automatically forward calls to the home landline phone. (Prevents having to run around the house trying to get to the cell phone; most likely there is a landline phone handily nearby.)
When at work, forward calls to the desk phone.
When at a theater or restaurant, automatically switch to vibrate mode.
When at a hotel, automatically set audible morning alarm to previous settings at same hotel.
If weather is displayed on Today screen, automatically pull up weather for current location rather than hardwired “home” location.
Download dinner specials from Top 3 favorite restaurants when back in town on a business trip.
I think a distinction has to be made when answering this question, between those items that only the OS developer (Microsoft) or the service provide (say, Verizon) can provide and those items that can be provided by an ISV. Arguably, the first two items above might only be available through the service provider. The rest can be done by ISVs.

[Sagitario]

Isn't deleting missed calls a simple deal?

Just click on the call, it'll send you to a contact tab (personalized if you have the contact stored), later choose which calls you want to delete and hit the right soft key and delete the specific ones or all if you want.

Is this what the user is trying to reach?

--------------

I'll tell you what. Windows Mobile, in my opinion doesn't lack much in comparison to other platforms... What they need to do is figure out a way to it make as user friendly and intuitive as possible. There's no point in having such a complete figure-set if an average user can't figure out how to use them.

Hey, hire a pro designer to make it look appealing if you may.

[Sven Johannsen]

How about desktop synchronization that works and has some features. The stuff that was available in AS3.8 would be a nice start, category sync of pretty much every PIM aspect, a backup option, real time sync when something changed, not a system that kicks off and turns on the screen every 5 minutes whether you need it or not, and dare I say it...WiFi sync (let me worry about the security). Sync that supports removable memory, SD, CF, etc.

As far as reliability goes in syncing, I'd like it to go at least a week without an issue once. Don't want to push my luck here, and ask for something outlandish like a month of trouble free connections. Often it is just reboot the device or the PC, but having to do so is annoying, reference the comments on reboot times.

[Eriq Cook]

VoiceCommand 2.0! For crying out loud :D

[Brad Adrian]

I realize the REAL problem is with Vista, but I WANT TO BE ABLE TO SYNC MY DEVICE AGAIN!!

I simply cannot understand how such an important app can be so badly broken and go unfixed for so many years.

[/rant]

[Craig Horlacher]

I wish it would come with a good task manager that shows memory usage as well as processes, not just running apps, if you want. I like the one that iMate gives with their WinMo 6.1 update.

WinMo also just needs a better app launcher/task switcher and a standard File Exit as opposed to the app only gets approved if it doesn't have an exit!!!

[MadSci]

no...wait... oh yeah..That's the iPhone!
:p

[MadSci]

OK seriously this time. The one thing the iPhone has all over WinMo is that it is oriented from the ground up towards the use of a class of manipulation devices apparently unknown to Microsoft called FINGERS!

We were all born with a bunch of them we can use, but to my knowlege none of us were born with 10 styli attached to our wrists!

Honestly, sometimes it feels like the WinMo interface was designed for Edward Scissorhands :rolleyes:

There's really no excuse for this and MSoft has completely missed the boat. Why should phone developers have to struggle to produce processor and memory-sapping overlays like TouchFlo? While TouchFLo is pretty good, just when you start to get happy about it a system dialog box pops up with a teeney-tiny little "x" that's about 5% of the area of my index finger-tip.

The resulting struggles pollute what is otherwise a decent experience. The Stylus is so 20th Century - Get Rid Of It! :cool:

[MadSci]

OK, you're about to say that this is a hardware, not an OS matter. Wrong! WinMo should get smart and take a modicum of control over the device hardware that is the primary interface for consumer.

HTC's regretable addiction to resistive screens gives WinMo a bad name. The appalling lack of consitency in touch sensitivity as one nears the edges of resistive screens is unacceptable. :eek:

MS and all of us would benefit if WinMo would only be allowed on devices with capacitive screens. Would I pay an extra $10 for an HTC device with a capacitive screen option? You bet! And so would everyone who has experienced the difference between these technologies. ;)

[MadSci]

Having jumped from the lovely BlackJack family of WinMo 'Std" to an HTC Fuze I am contantly irritated by the pathetic notifications you get on a "Pro" device:mad:

Not that "Std" was much better, but at least there are add on software packages that will deliver you some nice balloon-like notifications that you can actually read without a magnifying glass! :p

Not so in "Pro". "Professional" users are expected to whip out their bi-focals to read the cuneiform runes that pop up to tell you about something important enough to interrupt your day, then open a Swiss Army Knife, extract the toothpic, and press the tiny "Dismiss" or whatever to silence or snooze the notification. Are they kidding? :confused:

It's called "Professional" because it has a Touch-screen. You're supposed to be able to 'touch' it, not bludgeon it with a blunt instrument like Colonel Mustard in the LIbrary! :eek:

Microsoft, for G@$# sake get into the 21st Century and make the Notification pop-ups large enough to read unaided, in direct sunlight, and make the response options quickly and accurately available to our FINGERS! :rolleyes:

[Jon Westfall]

Hell, I just want a phone that boots in 5-10 seconds.
My HTC Touch can take well over a minute and a half before it is usable.
There is no GOOD reason a phone should take that long to boot...

This seems like it shouldn't take as long as it does, but I think it's indicative of something we take for granted. Unless you're a power-hacker type, Windows Mobile is an OS you see as a means to an end: phone calls, messages, etc.. But the means part is incredibly complex, hence the boot time on it and all smartphones (e.g. iPhone, G1).

I'd be very happy if MS could implement a staged boot-up, such that some functionality of the phone would be available within 20 seconds of pressing reset, while other functions may take a minute or two to load up. When I think of the times I'm frustrated by bootup, it's generally because I really need to dial a number fast, or see the time, or see my next appointment. Something fairly simple!

[Jon Westfall]

OK seriously this time. The one thing the iPhone has all over WinMo is that it is oriented from the ground up towards the use of a class of manipulation devices apparently unknown to Microsoft called FINGERS!

Valid point, although to be fair before the iPhone came out, many companies were forecasting the end of the touchscreen (including RIM). So it's not very surprising that it's taken awhile to "catch-up".

The engineers and managers I've met at MS are all very aware of fingers... at least now they are.

[Jon Westfall]

I realize the REAL problem is with Vista, but I WANT TO BE ABLE TO SYNC MY DEVICE AGAIN!!

I simply cannot understand how such an important app can be so badly broken and go unfixed for so many years.

[/rant]

On a related note,

Why is it I can sync my Zune over wi-fi but can't sync my Windows Phone?

<grr....>

[Janak Parekh]

Why is it I can sync my Zune over wi-fi but can't sync my Windows Phone? I think you can cite "better sync" as a major bullet item. We used to have this feature, but it was implemented completely insecurely, and they never got around to rewriting it. If you want wireless sync, gotta go Exchange. :(

One of my big beefs has always been "media experience". WMP is a mediocre piece of crap, and AS's media sync is unreliable. There are some software alternatives, but it still doesn't make for a compelling sync + media play situation.

--janak

[j2inet]

Multilingual support OUT OF THE BOX at least like WINDOWS 2k/XP or VISTA!


I remember some Windows Mobile devices having this. Unfortunatly because of low limits on ROM space at the time once you selected your language it was permanently set that way. A factory reset would never bring the option back :-(

Microsoft provides support for a lot of languages but in the end it's up to the phone company/OEM as to which languages make their way to the device.

[j2inet]

On a related note,

Why is it I can sync my Zune over wi-fi but can't sync my Windows Phone?
<GRR....>

You kinda can. But first some history.


At one point in time you could, but this wasn't by design. Microsoft had added the ability for earlier Windows CE devices to be able to sync over IP. This was meant to allow devices that had IP over serial cable to sync. Eventuall Windows CE devices started to get all types of network connections. Because of the nature of IP based pprotocols syncing over these new connections. Microsoft went back and disabled this feature because the sync process had been designed originally assuming you had a wired connection directly to the target computer and thus low risk of data interception.

I know there are those that would say "Just make sure you use wireless encryption." But the problem isn't based in WiFi. Even if you encrypted your connection once your data gets to the router it is in it's unencrypted form and some one else on the network could decrypt it. Worst there are those that would try to sync over the Internet and those people would be subject to a much larger interception surface.

Another common argument against syncing being disable is "Why didn't Microsoft just disable it by default and allow power users to enable it." That's paramount to arguing why one wasn't given a loaded gun to shoot wones self. Also if a security breach occurred under such a condition it is Microsoft that would be given the bad press, not the user.

The solution to this would be to add some type of encryption to the data. At present there are a few syncing services available for Windows Mobile phones that will provide this encryption. Exchange syncing is encrypted, as are Mesh syncint and MyPhone syncing. While these technologies may not cover all the use cases that one may have for wanting ActiveSync syncing over IP they do address many of the use cases. Given the above mentioned technologies there wouldn't be much to gain from re-enabling syncing over IP for ActiveSync.

[j2inet]

I realize the REAL problem is with Vista, but I WANT TO BE ABLE TO SYNC MY DEVICE AGAIN!!

I simply cannot understand how such an important app can be so badly broken and go unfixed for so many years.

[/rant]


Why can't you sync your device on Vista?

[Sven Johannsen]

On a related note,

Why is it I can sync my Zune over wi-fi but can't sync my Windows Phone?

<GRR....>

And why can I use BT stereo headphones on my phone (WM) and not my media player (Zune)? But I guess this is a Zune complaint :rolleyes:

[QuackFu]

First, a quick introduction. My name is Howard and I'm one of *many* developers on Windows Mobile (specifically, the phone related features like dialing/incoming call/call history, etc...). I've been on this team for about 3 years now, and spent about 5 years helping to develop Visual Studio prior to that. I've read PocketPCThoughts for many years now, as I was a PocketPC enthusiast well before joining the team (it's actually what convinced me to change teams). That being said, I haven't participated in the forums at all, but having seen this thread tonight, I felt like I wanted to chime in. I can't (and thus won't) discuss or respond to speculation on anything related to any Windows Mobile release past 6.5, but there are some comments in here that I absolutely can address, and would like to. So, any comment on this thread that I'm able to respond to is below (where #n refers to the individual post I'm responding to):

#1:
Windows Mobile (both Standard and Professional) have had the ability to delete individual Call History entries (as well as clear the whole log in one fell swoop) for many releases. I'm not that familiar with the add-on's that OEM's are adding (like HTC, Samsung, etc...), but I can tell you that the Windows Mobile OS ships with the base ability to do this already. You just have to make sure that you're not in SmartDial when trying to delete the entries. See my response to #13 for better clarification.

#2:
"2. The ability to categorize and filter my email" - I guess I'm not clear on what you're looking for here, The mail client has the ability to instantly filter email as you start typing... maybe this is not what you're referring to by filtering?

#11:
"working automatic screen/button locker" - Unfortunately, it seems that we never exposed something like "Lock" <LOCK>as a configurable action for buttons. The two-step solution that I've always used for this scenario is to hit the hardware END key (which immediately jumps you to the Today screen), and then tap the "Device Unlocked" homescreen plugin to lock the device.

"Also what about export/backup of call logs and SMS/MMS messages" -- We have that now thanks to MyPhone. See here for more info: http://blogs.msdn.com/windowsmobile/archive/2009/02/16/microsoft-my-phone.aspx

#13


"a. Better call log management" - I'd like to hear more about your scenario. It sounds like you're referring to the Call History application. There are actually 3 ways to view the Call History information on the device.:
The Call History application (Start->Call History on WM Standard, TALK->Call History on WM Pro) - This will give you a complete view of all the phone events that happened on your device without any filtering applied (although you can apply a filter to view just the Missed calls or just the Outgoing calls, etc...)
The "Call History by Caller" view - This is seen if you "action" (with the DPAD), or tap, on an item in that view. It filters out the calls and only shows you the call history entries that were to/from that number or contact. Again, in this view, no duplicates are removed, as it was expected that you wanted to see every call.
"SmartDial" - This is what you see when you hit the TALK button or run the Phone application. The list that you see there is actually a merged list of all your device contacts, SIM contacts and favorites, and then Call History at the top. In this view, we remove all Call History duplicates.
When this was designed, our expectation was that the majority of users would initiate calls from SmartDial, and would just use Call History for reference and occasionally initiating a call. I'd like to better understand how you are using your phone, and why Call History better meets your needs than SmartDial (with the exception that it doesn't remove dupes).

#24
"2) Much better finger friendliness" - I believe that Windows Mobile 6.5 definitely makes us friendlier to those fingers.

"4) Notification API's so that ..." - I'd be interested in hearing more about your scenario here to get a better idea of what you're asking for.

"7) much better dialer with support for switching between multiple calls and design for conference calls" - We support multi-call swapping, as well as conferencing those calls and separating them out again (via the Private menu item). What is it about the current design that you find to be lacking or frustrating? How frequently are you doing conference calls on your device, and handing multi-call situations? I'm not trying to be flip here at all...I'm trying to get a better handle on your scenario. In my 10 years of owning a cellphone (3 of which were Windows Mobile), I never once made a conference call. I only started making conference calls once I joined that team, and that was merely when testing code changes to ensure that they didn't break that feature.

#26
"My brother loves movies and wants his phone to use GPS to pick the closest location and then tell him what movies are available. Great for a city ones not familiar with." - That's precisely the kind of scenario that the free "Windows Live Search" application solves. You can get it from here: http://loco4local.com/

[Gerard]

I've read PocketPCThoughts for many years now, as I was a PocketPC enthusiast well before joining the team (it's actually what convinced me to change teams).
Well congratulations on a very solid first post, and welcome! I've been more and less involved in the Thoughts forums since many years ago, and it has been too rare a thing to see a Microsoft employee join in the discussions. Same on Brighthand; just the odd blip, then silence. It's nice, thanks for this.

#2:
"2. The ability to categorize and filter my email" - I guess I'm not clear on what you're looking for here, The mail client has the ability to instantly filter email as you start typing... maybe this is not what you're referring to by filtering?

I think what was being asked for here was something like what nPOPuk offers; user-definable/configurable filters to handle a) whether mail gets marked for deletion from the server or for download in full, or is just left as a pre-defined preview portion, b) dumping certain newly-arrived mail into archive/category filters without manual intervention, and c) whatever other parameters and controls the user might wish to exert over arriving mail. A mobile device with memory limitations, especially today when many emails arrive from broadband users with very large attachments, needs a proper email client, with controls over how email is delivered and handled. nPOPuk does this sort of thing very well, and is freeware/open source, so I guess it's easy enough for anyone to use that instead (as I do - MS Inbox/Messaging is a catastrophe in my opinion... always has been... just this week I tried it again for the first time in years, and it cannot seem to keep the one single email I have in my GMail Inbox... it downloads fine, then on next check it's gone, and yes, I have checked and re-set both my in-device account settings and my GMail prefs many times while testing this - Messaging just doesn't seem able to 'hang on' to the email), but having such features built into the OS would be nice. As it stands, certain features have definitely been improved over the years (HTML handling for one), but others lag behind many, many other email clients. nPOPuk can, of course, handle GMail. Not without issues, but those are GMail and SSL issues, not native to the client, and usually easily resolved. Full disclosure; I am on the beta testing team for nPOPuk, and have been for several years now.

I do certainly see a lot of improvements with WM6.1 and 6.5, so good work generally speaking. It's just those darned particulars, when users tunnel down and want everything to just work, that the trouble seems to start. The overall impression of the interface and functionality is quite good, in my opinion. Of course, you didn't address my question... post #25, last couple of paragraphs... but one can't expect too much all at once. Still, any possibility of following that one up, regarding the ability to organize the new Start Menu, at least alphabetize the thing?

[QuackFu]

Well congratulations on a very solid first post, and welcome!
Thanks. I'm going to make it a point to monitor the forum a bit more frequently and add in some context or answer some questions when I can. Clearly, I won't see everything, so people can feel free to PM me and point me to a thread that they'd like to see my input on if I appear to be absent.

Of course, you didn't address my question... post #25, last couple of paragraphs... but one can't expect too much all at once. Still, any possibility of following that one up, regarding the ability to organize the new Start Menu, at least alphabetize the thing?
The lack of response was actually intentional. As I mentioned at the beginning of my post, the area that I work on are the telephony-related features (incoming calls, dialing, call progress, call history, missed call notifications, etc...). The changes made to the Start experience were done my a different feature team, and as such, I have a smaller knowledge scope.

Additionally, I can't discuss anything that wasn't officially announced already (essentially stuff that isn't already on the WindowsMobile blog or stuff announced at the major conferences), so the level of Start Menu organization on 6.5 unfortunately falls into that bucket...sorry; I can tell you that I'll be forwarding on your feedback to the team responsible for the Start menu work in 6.5. I'll also forward on your filtering feedback to the Messaging team.

So, what good am I to you then? :confused: I'm still open to hearing all of your feedback on both the good and the bad so that I can ensure that your problems and scenarios are considered in whatever comes next....I can also try to help solve problems that you have with your existing devices. Clearly my area of expertise is with the Telephony features, but as I am an enthusiast with the platform as well, I'm fairly well versed with the whole product, and when I'm not, I have friends on most of the other teams that I can pester.

[Gerard]

Fair enough. No complaints from me, as you seem to very thoroughly address these questions either yourself directly or by passing queries along to the experts in whichever department.

[MadSci]

Valid point, although to be fair before the iPhone came out, many companies were forecasting the end of the touchscreen (including RIM). So it's not very surprising that it's taken awhile to "catch-up".

The engineers and managers I've met at MS are all very aware of fingers... at least now they are.

Good to hear it! In the meantime, the more WE give them "The Fingers", perhaps the more resources they will be able to put to the issue :p

MadSci

[Phillip Dyson]

#2:
"2. The ability to categorize and filter my email" - I guess I'm not clear on what you're looking for here, The mail client has the ability to instantly filter email as you start typing... maybe this is not what you're referring to by filtering?



I'm not sure how else to say it. The ability to categorize your email and filter your view based on categories. Its a feature that you have in Outlook as well. If I only want to see the emails categorized as "household" then I can filter my view and only see those.

The feature you mentioned is more like a keyword filter, is not quite the same thing because its based on the contents of email. A category is something I can apply regardless of the content. Dont get me wrong, what you described is a nice feature. I didn't even know it was there, actually. I just tried it and its pretty cool. But its not quite what I was looking for.