[Damion Chaplin]

Originally Posted by whydidnt

I'm not sure I understand your math. The iPhone data plan is $30/month, same as the Fuze is. If I look at the ATT Family plans for the iPhone, you can get 3 lines, plus unlimited internet on the iPhone for $100.00/month. Same cost as you're paying now.

Last I checked, it would have run me $60/mo just for an iPhone and no additional phones. If that price has lowered since then, I stand corrected. My current data connection is actually $20/month unlimited. And, if I desire, I can cancel the internet connection altogether and pay nothing for it (not so on an iPhone).
The Fuze is more expensive than the iPhone because you can do more with it. Like use a hardware keyboard. Or load your own custom ROM. Or play nicely with Outlook, the industry standard. That's why I'm willing to pay more for the hardware.
But, in any case, this discussion's not really about iPhone vs. everything else, so we should maybe veer back onto topic...

[Damion Chaplin]

Originally Posted by whydidnt

I'm not sure I understand your math. The iPhone data plan is $30/month, same as the Fuze is. If I look at the ATT Family plans for the iPhone, you can get 3 lines, plus unlimited internet on the iPhone for $100.00/month. Same cost as you're paying now.

Last I checked, it would have run me $60/mo just for an iPhone and no additional phones. If that price has lowered since then, I stand corrected. My current data connection is actually $20/month unlimited. And, if I desire, I can cancel the internet connection altogether and pay nothing for it (not so on an iPhone).
The Fuze is more expensive than the iPhone because you can do more with it. Like use a hardware keyboard. Or load your own custom ROM. Or play nicely with Outlook, the industry standard. That's why I'm willing to pay more for the hardware.
But, in any case, this discussion's not really about iPhone vs. everything else, so we should maybe veer back onto topic...

[maxnix]

Agree with 1.) most emphatically.

Walt is so lost in the ozone he thinks the original USR Palm is still the nuts, the TR-80 was the best computer ever made, and Atari stock will be moving up soon.

[promano]

I don't know about you guys, but I love to take my MS Windows Mobile Phone and show other people how my phone does what their phone does for way less and a lot longer...

I have had a Windows Mobile phone for about the last 6 years and I won't use any other mobile phone.
If cellular phone manufacturers stopped making Windows Mobile phones,
I'd probably stop carrying a cellular phone altogether.

The Cellular Phone would be absolutely WORTHLESS to me without Windows Mobile on it.

[Reid Kistler]

Originally Posted by promano

I don't know about you guys, but I love to take my MS Windows Mobile Phone and show other people how my phone does what their phone does for way less and a lot longer...

I have had a Windows Mobile phone for about the last 6 years and I won't use any other mobile phone.
If cellular phone manufacturers stopped making Windows Mobile phones,
I'd probably stop carrying a cellular phone altogether.

The Cellular Phone would be absolutely WORTHLESS to me without Windows Mobile on it.

Have owned an AT&T Fuze since last November: enjoy it very much, & have just recently began NOT ALSO carrying around my Dell Axim, as am finally 'comfortable' enough with the Fuze (and a decent Bluetooth headset...) to fully embrace it as a REPLACEMENT for BOTH my former Phone AND PDA.

Nevertheless, if there were NO WinMo Phones available, think I could easily return to carrying a Non-Smart-Phone PLUS a Decent (Windows Mobile Classic / Professional) PDA.

Indeed, just posted a msg that AT&T has dropped WinMo devices from their Retail Stores (SE MI only??) due to poor sales: so it seems at least Possible that I may be faced with just such a decision in a few years (or sooner, should the Fuze suffer an unexpected death.... ).

[Janak Parekh]

Originally Posted by Jason Dunn

Windows Mobile isn't part of the discussion, even though there are phones running Windows Mobile that compare quite well with those other phones. I thought I'd share my reaction to that article here, in no particular order

Good points, Jason, but I have to ask: what about all the other Pre reviews that don't mention Windows Mobile either? There's Engadget, Gizmodo, etc.

I think there are two additional points which you didn't consider:

1. WM Pro, pre-6.5, is not a primarily touch-oriented operating system. Others have bolted solutions on it, but the three touch user interfaces being compared are iPhone, Android, and webOS.

2. Where's Microsoft's marketing of Windows Mobile? I see Apple and RIM commercials on the TV and other media all the time -- they're inescapable. I haven't seen a WM commercial in a long time. I did see some as a few billboards in train stations and airports, and maybe a TV ad or two, but they're long gone. On the other hand, I do see Zune commercials and attempts by Microsoft (events, etc.) to build up interest.

Microsoft needs to move fast on this if they don't want to lose mindshare entirely. If WM leaves the topic of discussion, that's danger right there. I know WM sold 20+ million licenses, but I simply don't see people carrying or talking about their Windows Mobile phones anymore, be it at work, on the subway, etc. Part of it is what you said -- the ecosystem. It's a lot easier to say the "Android phone" or the "iPhone" when people are showing it to each other, as opposed to the nth naming of HTC's Touch Pro. Of my own social circle, I have one friend who seems to be happy with the Touch Pro, another one who's extraordinarily unhappy with the old Touch, and that's it. Pretty soon I'll be down to one friend who I know has a WM device.

Sadly, I think Microsoft is its own worst enemy with WM.

--janak

[efjay]

How likely is it that we could reach a situation where you are unable to buy a WM phone anymore? With people like Walt and consumers blindliy listening to his and other WM detractors opinions I think the battle for mindshare is already lost for MS, for no other reason than they ARE MS so no matter how mind-blowing WM7 is it will never be welcomed or embraced like apple or google's solutions.

But seeing as apple will never licence any other manufacturer to use their os that would leave only android as the alternative solution for a mobile OS in a WM-less world, is that a likely scenario? Or maybe then MS would take up the baton themselves and design a Zune/WM phone?

I guess as long as I can still get a WM phone, I wont have an issue, just have to avoid the internet the day iphone 5 is announced!