08-03-2007, 04:14 PM
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Executive Editor, Android Thoughts
Join Date: Aug 2006
Posts: 3,233
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If Bill Gates Owns A Windows Mobile Phone...
"The minor quibble we have with Gates' comments is that he may be missing what people see as the real appeal of a possible Google Phone. It isn't so much the software, which will have to be effective, but the potential for a Google Phone to be the razor sharp edge of a blade that cuts into the cellphone industry. We have high hopes that a Google Phone would be backed by a Google Network, with its services available for a far lower cost than what the wireless industry charges customers today. That's the real point of difference that has people interested in Google's efforts."
News earlier this week quotes Mr. Gates as being highly critical of the rumored Google Phone. This got me wondering - If Bill Gates owns a cell phone, what phone would it be? Obviously it probably wouldn't be an iPhone, and if we assume that all of his infrastructure is Microsoft (duh...) then he'd probably want something that could sync to Exchange - hence a Windows Mobile device. So let's have a bit of fun today and theorize about Bill's Mobile. If we're lucky, perhaps someone in the know can fill us in on the answer 
So, what do you think? If Bill Gates owns a Windows Mobile phone, what model do you think he's carrying around these days?
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Dr. Jon Westfall, MCSE, MS-MVP
Executive Editor - Android Thoughts
News Editor - Windows Phone Thoughts
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08-03-2007, 04:19 PM
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Thinker
Join Date: Nov 2004
Posts: 429
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I believe Bill Gates uses a Windows Mobile Smartphone. He seems to be as excited about and biased toward the Smartphone platform as he is toward the Tablet PC, which is why Microsoft seems to be throwing so much work to the Smartphone while treating the Pocket PC as an afterthought. I believe after Win Mobile 6, the non-phone Windows Mobile device will be a dead platform.
I watched a webcast of a Bill Gates keynote (I forget which event) where he demonstrated the use of a Smartphone to carry data (including a developing MSNBC story) from his home computer on a commute to his work computer and then on to the airport. This was all setup on stage; he did not go anywhere.
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Current devices: iPhone 3G. Previous devices: Samsung Epix and 1st gen 32GB iPod Touch BlackJack II, iPaq 6945, iPaq hx4705, Dell Axim x30 high, iPaq 3765.
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08-03-2007, 04:37 PM
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08-03-2007, 04:49 PM
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Philosopher
Join Date: Aug 2006
Posts: 541
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Quote:
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Originally Posted by keithnet
previously, he stated he uses a Palm 700w
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YES, in fact the Question / Answer from the link you provided is:
Quote:
Which cellphone do you carry now and what's your portable music or media device?
Well, recently I've been using this Treo 700w that I think is a great product, Palm has done a good job on that. We've got quite a variety in cell phones with Windows Mobile, more and more people backing that, but that's one I've been using recently.
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08-03-2007, 06:02 PM
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Ponderer
Join Date: Feb 2002
Posts: 80
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Quote:
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Originally Posted by keithnet
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I'd have thought it impossible for Bill to actually have USED one of these. Otherwise, the sheer idocy of the lack of a real close button, the utter incompetence of their Bluetooth stack and the ActiveStynk program, and the fact that after 5 years or more of the problem, they still haven't solved the "alarms sometimes don't wake the machine and go off" problem. (You'd think a pocket organizer would make sure to be able to sync the contacts and calendar with Outlook without duplicating appointments, and reliably activate alarms.)
Don't get me wrong- I've owned Pocket PCs since my Casiopia e100 more than 8 years ago- but they're far from perfect, and they don't seem to be getting better. I now have an HTC Mogul with WM6 (with 64MB of RAM) and I STILL have to add 3rd party software to make it easy to actually close apps, or it runs out of memory and won't start the camera app!
(Memo to Bill: DUH!)
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08-03-2007, 06:05 PM
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Pupil
Join Date: Mar 2007
Posts: 27
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That interview is 18 months old. My first thought, however, was that he would be using a Treo. Probably a 750 by now.
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08-03-2007, 06:11 PM
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Neophyte
Join Date: Feb 2006
Posts: 9
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That article is now a year and a half old. There's a good chance that Bill is now using something else. If he liked the Treo 700w, then he might well have a Treo 750 by now. Of course, a man with billions in his pocket can afford to get any phone he damn well pleases-- he earns the amount it takes to get a new phone in less time than it takes to change the SIM card. And, he could even have access to unreleased test models. For all we know he might be carrying a Treo 800 around.
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08-03-2007, 06:26 PM
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Banned
Join Date: Dec 2007
Posts: 372
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Quote:
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Originally Posted by bearxor
That interview is 18 months old. My first thought, however, was that he would be using a Treo. Probably a 750 by now.
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after the way ATT has f'd up the Treo 750....I doubt it.
I suspect he is running an unlocked phone of some variety that contains non of this carrier installed **** that all of us commoners have to put up with.
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08-03-2007, 06:49 PM
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Philosopher
Join Date: Oct 2006
Posts: 554
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I would speculate he uses his asistant's phone. He can afford not to carry his own. 0X And I would doubt it is WM, based on how fast it develops to be more more user friendly. More likely he is into UMPC :devilboy:
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08-03-2007, 07:05 PM
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Theorist
Join Date: Aug 2006
Posts: 267
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edit: virain, it looks like you had the same thoughts about this as me, but you were faster posting them. I'll leave my post as is, since I hadn't read yours when I wrote it.
I wouldn't be surprised if he had a phone enabled UMPC and a Bluetooth earpiece. He wouldn't have to carry it himself. One of his paid entourage would carry it for him. I'm sure he doesn't answer his own phone at the office. He probably doesn't answer his cell phone either. An admin would screen his calls and hand him his earpiece, when he needed to take a call.
Quote:
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Originally Posted by sesummers
I'd have thought it impossible for Bill to actually have USED one of these. Otherwise, the sheer idocy of the lack of a real close button, the utter incompetence of their Bluetooth stack and the ActiveStynk program, and the fact that after 5 years or more of the problem, they still haven't solved the "alarms sometimes don't wake the machine and go off" problem. (You'd think a pocket organizer would make sure to be able to sync the contacts and calendar with Outlook without duplicating appointments, and reliably activate alarms.)
Don't get me wrong- I've owned Pocket PCs since my Casiopia e100 more than 8 years ago- but they're far from perfect, and they don't seem to be getting better. I now have an HTC Mogul with WM6 (with 64MB of RAM) and I STILL have to add 3rd party software to make it easy to actually close apps, or it runs out of memory and won't start the camera app!
(Memo to Bill: DUH!)
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I have a Cingular/AT&T 8525. I recently upgraded to the "official" WM6. It's bloated with AT&T stuff, but the Bluetooth stack is much better and HTC included a little program to make the close button actually work. I agree it should be part of WM, but at least HTC included it in the ROM. Is it not in the Mogul ROM? On my 8525, it is the last item in Settings==>System. It is called "X-Button." It is an HTC applet, not AT&T, so I assume HTC would put it on more than just one device.
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