08-02-2002, 03:31 PM
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Contributing Editor Emeritus
Join Date: Aug 2006
Posts: 8,228
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Pocket PC phones - the media doesn't get it.
Have you people seen these asinine reviews of the new T-Mobile Pocket PC phone? These people simply do not get it. No one expects Joe Blow to rush down to his local T-Mobile store and trade in his free Nokia for the Pocket PC phone. Here, let me help with the basics.
1. The Pocket PC phone is about data first.
2. The Pocket PC phone is about data first.
3. The Pocket PC phone is about data first.
There. I think that covers it. Lets see what the media has to say about the T-Mobile. First you have the Wall Street Journal's Walt Mossberg column saying First-Edition Pocket PC Phone Has Flaws in Both Functions. His biggest complaints are in comparing the device to the Handspring Treo. Despite his love affair with the Palm PDAs over the years and the Graffiti alphabet you must learn, he is suddenly opposed to anything without a thumb keyboard. We'll see if that criticism holds up with non-Microsoft Products, like the Sony-Ericsson P800. In his review of the Thera back in May, he was critical of the lack of integration throughout the device of the phone side to the data side. That is because the Thera is a plain Pocket PC with a third party dialer. The Pocket PC 2002 Phone Edition has that integration, right down to tapping a phone number in an email to make a call. He keeps hammering on the needs of heavy voice users. Mr. Mossberg - see my list above. Refer to number 1. Heavy voice users will likely not be interested in either the Treo or Pocket PC Phones. The latter has about 4 hours of talk time, besting the Treo, but still pales in comparison to what cell phones can offer.
Ok, enough about Walt. Lets move on to this well thought out review in the Mercury Times by Jon Fortt. "I could tell before I even switched it on that I was going to be disappointed. The device is not made with me in mind." He as a Samsung N200 phone and a Palm Vx. "I like them both. But if I had to toss one off the Golden Gate Bridge, it would be bye-bye, Palm." There is a shocker. You could live without your PDA and you wonder why you don't like the Pocket PC Phone. Mr. Fortt, please pass the T-Mobile to someone else in your organization that lives and dies by their PDA for a fair evaluation. Your review and comments make about as much sense as a soccer mom complaining about seating room in a Porsche Boxter.
Lets move on to David Berlind's review at ZDNet. "PDA-phone convergence represents yet another challenge for hardware manufacturers: battery life. Unlike normal PDAs, where users turn off their devices in between sessions, a converged device has to stay on all the time if you want to receive phone calls, SMS messages, and other alerts. Microsoft officials tell me they've been getting about three to four hours of usage per charge. [That is talk time] I made quite a few calls with my test unit, also using it in PDA mode enough times to give the battery a run for its money, but the device lasted the better part of a day before warning me that it needed refueling. That said, any device that has to return to the refueling station every three to four hours but that can't have extra batteries easily attached or detached would not last very long on the market."
Hello. {tap}{tap}{tap} Is this thing on? David, you get four hours of talk time, 150 hrs of stand by. You do not have to keep the device on to get a phone call or SMS messages. You leave the phone side of the device on just as you would a normal phone. Turn the PDA off. When you get a phone call or SMS message, the PDA side will wake up, give you the SMS alert balloon, flash an LED or play a fart noise from a wav file, whatever you want. David, when you have actually used the T-Mobile, give us a call so we can read your updated review. You and Josh Taylor, who wrote this ZDNet review, go have lunch together and figure out what you want to do with your futures. I stopped reading his review when I hit this sentence in the first paragraph. "While this gadget is impressive, it's still more Pocket PC than phone. And that, for me, means it can be simply maddening."
Have I missed any other reviews? These people simply don't get what a Pocket PC phone is about. It isn't about replacing your phone with a converged device. It is about shedding your cell phone if you are a PDA addict that uses their cell phone sparingly or wants mobile internet access anywhere you travel. Quit blasting the device because it isn't a phone. It ISN'T supposed to be. 
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08-02-2002, 03:38 PM
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Intellectual
Join Date: Feb 2002
Posts: 145
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Right On Ed.
If you want a Phone First, you want a smartphone. Pocket PC & Pocket PC Phone are two handed devices (Device in one, stylus in the other). A smart Phone has a full set of phone buttons and you control the screen with the buttons (no stylus).
If you're like me with a IPAQ & WiFi, or even connecting my ipaq seriallly to a 14.4 phone to check email via VPN / IMAP to Exchange, then this makes sense. If your home page is www.mazingo.net/mobile so you can connect directly to the internet from your pocket pc, then this starts to make sense.
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08-02-2002, 03:59 PM
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Thinker
Join Date: Aug 2006
Posts: 412
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Actually...
I thought the criticisms in the ZDNet article were fair and dead on, for the most part.
When someone converges two technologies, they should make dang sure that the basics of the original items are still there. A screw on battery? What are they thinking? Do they even give these things to real power users to run through their paces? A non-user replaceable battery in phone? I guess they assume that all users will be sitting at their desks all day with the dang thing plugged into the charger? Power users, like the ones who might purchase this thing TRAVEL. They roam the city. They don't sit a desk all day. They go to meetings. They make presentations.
A phone device that won't shut off completely, finally, and without losing data? Have the designers never flown on a real plane?
The only thing that I felt was off in the article was the whining about the lack of accessories like keyboards. He should know that vendors just LOVE dumping gadgets on the market long before the doodads are available. That, and the complaining about the slow roll out of GPRS. That should have been in a different article.
I think his recommendations for bettter integration between phone functionality and PIM functions are reasonable. They wouldn't be difficult to do and really would make this device unique in the market of converged gadgets.
If we believe his critisms are taken as not 'getting it', then we are saying that users of these types of things shouldn't expect much. If it's all about data, then we are saying that users should expect to still carry along a regular cell phone to get what they need (reliability and availability). I, for one, believe that a valuable converged device is possible. Saying that it is only for light cell phone use will be the death of PPC phones. The TCO won't be there for enterprise users.
And finally, why would you post a review about a review, then say that you didn't read the whole thing? That would be like turning on a PPC and hating the theme installed, so you pronounce it a lemon.
Just my opinion.
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08-02-2002, 04:00 PM
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Ponderer
Join Date: Jul 2003
Posts: 113
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Pick your priority- data or phone.
Sounds like the public needs educating on the difference between a Pocket PC phone edition versus a Windows powered smartphone.
I, myself, do not want a combination cell phone and PDA. I am perfectly happy with two distinct, separate gadgets. That is why I so seldom get involved in the discussions on these devices. But I wouldn't think to disuade others or give negative reviews in a press review based on this personal preference.
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08-02-2002, 04:08 PM
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Contributing Editor Emeritus
Join Date: Aug 2006
Posts: 8,228
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Re: Actually...
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Originally Posted by Karen
When someone converges two technologies, they should make dang sure that the basics of the original items are still there.
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How do you do that? You want the screen realestate of the PPC or the size of a Nokia 6000 series? You want the processing power of an iPAQ or the battery life of a Samsung? It is about concessions. THe PPC Phone leans towards the PDA side. Smart phones like the MS offering or P800 will make concessions towards the phone side.
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A phone device that won't shut off completely, finally, and without losing data? Have the designers never flown on a real plane?
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You can turn it off, totally. You turn the PDA and phone features off. This is why these clueless reviews are dangerious. They are factually wrong wrong wrong.
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I think his recommendations for bettter integration between phone functionality and PIM functions are reasonable.
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Example of how PIM and phone features could be better integrated please?
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And finally, why would you post a review about a review, then say that you didn't read the whole thing? That would be like turning on a PPC and hating the theme installed, so you pronounce it a lemon.
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I didn't post a review. I posted a rant. And your analogy is off just a bit. ONe of those jokers didn't even turn it on before dislikeing it. He had only taken it out of the box!
It isn't a phone, it isn't meant to replace a phone. It is a converged device that is a strong PDA and a good phone, but it is not for voice warriors.
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08-02-2002, 04:11 PM
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Contributing Editor Emeritus
Join Date: Jun 2003
Posts: 1,350
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Re: Actually...
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Originally Posted by Karen
When someone converges two technologies, they should make dang sure that the basics of the original items are still there. A screw on battery? What are they thinking? Do they even give these things to real power users to run through their paces? A non-user replaceable battery in phone? I guess they assume that all users will be sitting at their desks all day with the dang thing plugged into the charger? Power users, like the ones who might purchase this thing TRAVEL. They roam the city. They don't sit a desk all day. They go to meetings. They make presentations.
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This is not a phone, this is a PDA. You get excellent standby time (much more than the quote 4 hours, which is only the talk time) with this device. You can have it running, while you're on the move, all day, and only charge it at night. When I turn on Bluetooth on my T39, it lasts a max of two days. Therefor I think this is not bad at all! This is one point the reviewer didn't "get". And to be honest: I have never taken out the battery out of my T39m, or replaced it with something else. I only know of people who replace the standard battery with an extended one, and leaving that into place. That would be like screwing the battery on the device. I see absolutely no problem in that. May be you like exchanging batteries all day, but I can not easily think of a situation where that would be necessary. You shouldn't underestimate that this device is made with the help of O2 (the former British Telecom). The designers knew very much what they were doing.
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Originally Posted by Karen
A phone device that won't shut off completely, finally, and without losing data? Have the designers never flown on a real plane?
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You can switch off the phone totally. It's the PDA that can give you reminders when it's off. But that has been the same with all Pocket PCs, that have been in planes for quite some time now, and suddenly it seems to be a big item.
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Originally Posted by Karen
I think his recommendations for bettter integration between phone functionality and PIM functions are reasonable. They wouldn't be difficult to do and really would make this device unique in the market of converged gadgets.
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I agree here, it's good to listen to positive feedback on things that could be enhanced.
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Originally Posted by Karen
I, for one, believe that a valuable converged device is possible. Saying that it is only for light cell phone use will be the death of PPC phones. The TCO won't be there for enterprise users.
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I guess this is why MS is betting on two horses: PPC Phone Edition and Smartphone 2002. One is for the data users, who like to have phone functionality on the side, the other is for the heavy phone users, who want to have data on the side.
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Originally Posted by Karen
And finally, why would you post a review about a review, then say that you didn't read the whole thing? That would be like turning on a PPC and hating the theme installed, so you pronounce it a lemon.
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Ed was honest enough about not reading it. And I can understand where he's coming from. If you'd read a review on a new digital camera, and the review would start with "I was sorry that I had to review a digital camera, because I dislike digital cameras", would you think you'd be reading a fair review or not? I'd decide not to read it, as I'd have better things to do in my life.
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Originally Posted by Karen
Just my opinion.
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And mine. 
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08-02-2002, 04:18 PM
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Pupil
Join Date: Oct 2006
Posts: 12
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Thank You, finally someone had the guts to say that not all reviews are created equal. It seems that some reviewer have forgotten to be impartial in the race to have their reviews published first. What are they doing reading the box and writting reviews based on that info alone? 8O
Come on people do your job, put things thru their paces, If you truly can't be objective give it to someone who can be objective. Be fair! Just the facts! :?
I don't know, but maybe we should start writting these reviewer to get them to wake up. :?:
But hey that's just me.
kidoco
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08-02-2002, 04:24 PM
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Ponderer
Join Date: Jul 2002
Posts: 72
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Re: Actually...
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Originally Posted by Ed Hansberry
It is a converged device that is a strong PDA and a good phone, but it is not for voice warriors.
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<rant>
A good phone?! Are you kidding? It's relatively large for a phone, doesn't have a keypad with tacticle feedback (not necessary, but I would prefer it over an onscreen one), doesn't have voice dialing, has an atrocious battery life for a phone, and I think (just an opinion without having physically held it) that it would be uncomfortable to use it without a headset (and I like just janking a phone out of my pocket without cables or things in my ear). If it weren't for the PDA part, it would be a horrid phone.
Having said that, it seems like a neat PDA, even with the kinks it has. Battery life could be better, and the integration is pretty good for a "first-gen" device of this sort, but it needs work. However, I totally agree with Jon Fortt - if I had to choose, my Wi-Fi enabled iPaq (which I spent over $500 on total) would fly off the bridge much quicker than my $100 Motorola, which lets me browse online information that I need (who cares about the latest rant on The Register), lets me get text messages an e-mail, stores my contacts, tells the time, and connects me to people. If I wanted to play games on the road, I'd get a GBA. And as for music, my MP3 player is much smaller and has a longer battery life than a typical PDA, and it's not like I am going to strap an iPaq to my arm when I work out. Convergence is all good and fine, but not for everybody. And I definitely would want my phone to pick up the slack PDA features, and not the other way round.
Oh, and they really could have come up with a more memorable and appealing name. It's a pretty device and they have smashing spokesperson, so why let it down.
</rant>
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08-02-2002, 04:27 PM
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Neophyte
Join Date: Feb 2002
Posts: 6
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Ed, even though your post has some valid reasons abt mocking the article, I think only being doing a fair review of the pocketPC phone yourself, can you oppose the statements given in the review. I read this in cnet. Now, don't flame me if it is not correct, but consistently, we have found that manufacturers hype up battery time or do not give the testing conditions (such ridiculous battery life when u keep the pocketpc ON without doing NOTHING is a big bogus)
"built-in lithium-polymer battery powers the Phone Edition. In our tests, we managed about 30 minutes short of its rated 4 hours of talk time and met only about one-third of the promised 100 hours of standby time. "
why do pocketpc/palm users keep accusing each other.. Good competition exist only when one outdoes the other (when pocketpc came out, it outdid palm in certain areas, color, music, internet.. now, pocketpc has to learn from sony's lcd screen and audio quality)..
no offense, it is very unprofessional to blast another website/reviewer's comments (form users can do that, but one of the website editors!) in the front of the webpage, this would only lead to chain reaction (as mistakes happen everywhere and pocketpcthoughts is not immune)
sorry, didn't mean to keep my post long..
ram
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08-02-2002, 04:29 PM
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Intellectual
Join Date: Jan 2007
Posts: 183
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I think in general published reviews of any technology today are virtually useless. The best place to get good information is in message boards, newsgroups and weblogs where real people who have used the technology for reasonable amount of times can come to some good conclusions and are willing to share them.
The mainstream press is motivated by selling copies of their newspapers and magazines. It seems that the current playbook is that anything that bashes Microsoft sells.
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