Smartphone Thoughts Celebrates Our First Anniversary

[Mike Temporale]

Where were you on Monday June 30th 2003, at 11:30am? That's when <a href="http://www.smartphonethoughts.com/forums/viewtopic.php?t=3680">Smartphone Thoughts hit the Ethernet</a> and we haven't looked back. It's hard to believe that we've been here a year already. The time just seems to fly by.In honor SPT's first anniversary, our affiliate partner, <a href="http://www.smartphone.net/smartphonethoughts/">Smartphone.net</a> has generously donated 2 gift certificates, each valued at $50. To make things even better, we're going to give them away to you, our loyal readers! To win, simply share your thoughts on how things have evolved over the last year (or how they haven't perhaps). We will randomly draw 2 winners from the replies on Monday July 26, 2004 @ 10:00am.

[Kris Kumar]

Where were you on Monday June 30th 2003, at 11:30am?

I am guessing I was at work and I was working ;-) Because the official records indicate that I signed up on SmartphoneThoughts.com on July 2nd 2003.

:new-bday:

[kagayaki1]

I've been a long time Thoughts Media reader, back to the days in 2000 where Jason Dunn first started his "Pocket PC Thoughts," where I would read daily musings on my Avantgo synced Casio E-125. It wasn't long before the buzz started up about other MS mobile devices, such as Smartphone, Tablet PC, and anything else cool and portable.

It wasn't long before Jason was kicking around the idea of having a Smartphone site. With just barely enough press photos and a trickle of phone info for the constantly lagging behind North American market, Jason somehow started interest in this behemoth that Smartphones have become.

Over the first few months of reading, I started to feel the same energy I did with Pocket PCs in the early days - limitless imagination with limited resources. I found myself tapping into Smartphone Thoughts all the time, trying to get the latest info on a market I desperately wanted to jump into.

The Mpx200 came out when I was abroad for 4 months, so Smartphone thoughts became my conduit for the latest info, halfway around the world. I may have been in Japan, one of the coolest markets for cell phones. But, as I told all my friends, it couldn't hold a candle to a Smartphone.

When I got back, I synthesized enough information to realize that I should at least try out an Mpx200. I'm so glad I did, and now thanks to the steady stream of info, links, software, and always professional commentary from a whole team of enthusiasts, I am more involved with Smartphones than I ever thought I would be.

This is the power of a Thoughts Media site. Thank you to the whole team, and especially Jason Dunn, for making it all possible. As it was at that first Pocket PC Fan Fest in Seattle in 2001, the "doctor" truly is in. Thank you!

[jim s]

I am still waiting for a smartphone with bluetooth from Verizon, so nothing has changed as far as I am concerned!

P.S. Happy Birthday!

[lurch]

I'll tell you what's evolved (from my perspective anyway) -- I did the UNTHINKABLE and sold my beloved Jornada 567 Pocket PC and am waiting to get the MPx220! I never thought that would happen!

I now find myself visiting pocketpcthoughts about once every day or two, and smartphonethoughts every day looking for new news/info/apps! :)

Never thought I'd see the day..... but I never thought I'd see a smartphone as cool as the MPx220! :)

[greenmozart]

I remember thinking when SPT was launched that it was a sure sign that we'd finally start to see the availability of Smartphones in North America. Sure enough we now have a growing seletion and lots more information coming about the future of the platform. It's an exciting time for mobility and I have come to rely on my i600 in ways I couldn't have imagined a year ago. My PPC is collecting dust at home (I could probably resurrect it for something but it's an e740 so I'm not really concerned about it).

Congrats to all on your first birthday! Here's to several more successful years and even greater evolution!

[ShivShanks]

share your thoughts on how things have evolved over the last year (or how they haven't perhaps).

Well honestly I don't think things are really that great for Smartphones IMHO. In fact I'm pretty disillusioned and am no longer that enamoured by it all. Firstly, there has been a dearth of real choices as far as devices are concerned here in the US. The only good choice was the Motorola MPx200 but you gotta a sign up with a lousy wireless company to get it. On top of all this there is just (gasp) one CDMA device for the near future. I mean just what is Microsoft thinking?! CDMA is still king in the US and there is hardly any choice available for it. Well at least Sprint is now introducing the same device as Verizon so thats some small progress. But Microsoft needs to get more devices, manufacturers, form factors and carriers on board to make WM Smartphones a success. So far it doesn't look like thats happening in a big way. I also have some issues with the platform itself for not making the touchscreen at least optionallly available on devices that want to make use of it.

All in all, I think more exciting things are happening in the Palm side of the world. Microsoft needs a major success like the Treo. The Treo is now offered by all the major service providers and is selling quite well it seems. Plus there are other better options avl like the Samsung i500 that I own. Samsung seems to be lining up quite a bevy of interesting upcoming Palm based smartphones and they just seem content throwing the bone of a slightly updated i600 to the WM camp. I was hoping last year that things would improve and change rapidly in the WM camp that I could leave my Palm based Smartphone behind and come on over the WM side. Quite frankly I haven't seen anything so far that makes me eager to do that. I hope you don't mind my being a party pooper, but what exactly has happened in the one year since launch that can be called groundbreaking other than the MPx200?

Edit: Oh well, there goes my chance of winning the prize :)

[Kris Kumar]

I agree with you ShivShanks, I too am disappointed with the adoption of Smartphones in US.

Good Phone + Lousy Carrier
Outdated Phone + Good Carrier
Also the third option, Good Phone + Unlock + Okay Carrier :-)

And even in the GSM world we don't have that many choices in US. In fact it seems the carriers and manufacturers are not launching new phones because of support costs and worries regarding new model killing the sales of the existing models.

We were looking for you, ShivShanks, in this thread. (http://www.smartphonethoughts.com/forums/viewtopic.php?t=5809) :-)

[ShivShanks]

We were looking for you, ShivShanks, in this thread. (http://www.smartphonethoughts.com/forums/viewtopic.php?t=5809) :-)

Oh well too bad :) ... I missed that thread I guess since I don't check SPT that often these days ... I'm not going to go and start it all over again but next time there is a CDMA vs GSM thread and I see it, I'll dive in :)

[Mike Temporale]

share your thoughts on how things have evolved over the last year (or how they haven't perhaps).

...Edit: Oh well, there goes my chance of winning the prize :)

Not at all. We asked for your thoughts on how things have gone over the last year. :D

[brianchris]

I too go way back to the early days of Pocket PC Thoughts, reading it both before and after I purchased one of the first iPaq 3600's availible, and haven't stopped reading it since.

Now, there are three Thoughts sites, and while I visit and enjoy all of them, I must admit, particular news from Smartphone Thoughts is the most exciting to me, so while its a close call, I'm forced to say the Smartphone thoughts is my favorite Thoughts site of the three.

One thing I am disapointed in is the fact that subscriber services has *not* been launched for Smartphone Thoughts yet. I particularly enjoy the mobile forum feature that is not present here. While I understand Smartphone thoughts is probably the least visited of the three, all the tough "design work" for the subrciber services code has been hamered out on the other two sites, and it wouldn't be too hard to implement it here, would it?

Regardless, I have thoroughly enjoyed reading Smartphone thoughts on an almost daily basis, and look forward to the future. Thanks for all your hard work.

[Santa Fe]

Well for me I'm pretty pleased with the Smartphone. Useful software has not been in an issue with the exception of a good calculator. I've given up my PDA and normal cell phone and I am very happy with the Smartphone and understand that this is an early version of the future. I think I use the i600 to its max (see my other posts) and really don't have a lot of complaints. I've come from punch card computers to something useful that fits in my jeans. Sometimes I cannot believe my luck (and I bet I have the highest tech horse out there).

As far as this community goes I am very impressed with the way folks here have been helpful without being mean (as some forums turn out to be). It is a good feeling to know that there is a place to go to where you can find useful information, offer solutions to others and just feel like you belong. Long live Smartphone Thoughts.

[Kris Kumar]

As far as this community goes I am very impressed with the way folks here have been helpful without being mean (as some forums turn out to be). It is a good feeling to know that there is a place to go to where you can find useful information, offer solutions to others and just feel like you belong. Long live Smartphone Thoughts.

Thanks :-)

[Kris Kumar]

Its my turn, its my turn!

Pocket PC was always a cool gadget for me, it can do a lot of things except one thing, that is stay in my pocket!

Smartphone form factor and features appealed to me. I remember reading every news related to Stinger prototype. I remember buying the Dev Kit phone more for personal day to day use than development use :oops: It was around that time that SmartphoneThoughts.com was launched and I became an active forumist. I used to visit a lot of tech sites, especially PocketPCThoughts.com, but none compelled me to participate and share my thoughts as SmartphoneThoughts.com did. And I am now proud to be a part of SmartphoneThoughts.com and Thoughts Media.

Eventhough I have had the Pocket PC devices longer than the Smartphones, but the amount of programming/tweaks that I have done on my Smartphone is more than any other mobile device. And I am sure the new devices and new OS features will keep me hooked on Smartphones and this site.

As for my Pocket PC, it now lives in my car as my navigation system. My Smartphone has been with me from day one and it always will.

[backpackerx]

Well, so far smartphones haven't evolved into something that can completely replace my PDA.

[Kris Kumar]

There is one thing that will spark an interest in Pocket PC. Or force me to make use of my Pocket PC. Guess what, it is a Smartphone with Bluetooth :-)

Once I get my hands on a BT enabled Smartphone, I might pair up a Pocket PC for surfing and long emails.

[David McNamee]

It's been a year already? Wow. I find that hard to believe. Where was I a year ago? Waiting for my developer kit that brought me a shiny, new SC1100!

I am very proud to be associated with Smartphone Thoughts. I never cease to wonder at the power of community is demonstrated by all of the Thoughts forums. I was a very early follower of Pocket PC Thoughts. That site bailed me out of technical trouble and steered me from bad purchases more than once. I hope that we've been able to do that for some of you.

The Smartphone market is real. I believe that was proven over the last year. People want more from their mobile phone than just a dial tone. Sometimes not much more is needed. Contacts, calendaring and messaging is plenty to satisfy those people. Sometimes people want much, much more. Adding a camera and Bluetooth helps blur the line between phone and PDA. And we all like the ability to add software we buy ourselves to customize the experience of using the phone. The challenge in the coming year is for manufacturers and carriers to deliver a range of Smartphones that meets the needs of both the simple and the sophisticated user. We've got a good start. The Sagem MyS-7 and the Orange C500 both look to be excellent phones with good feature sets. In North America, though, it has been more bark than bite. Where are the phones? Motorola's MPx220 looks great, but to which carrier must we sell our souls to get it? And will the MPx100 ever ship? What is Samsung up to? And will the HTC-produced C500 or e200 ever reach this continent?

There is a demand. It is time to bring on the supply.

[wirelessbeachbum]

My passion for mobile devices goes back to my childhood, I remeber my friends and I making "portable computers" (a watch face wraped with duct tape...they actually strangely resemble some of the current smartphones.)

I wanted a Newton when they came out, but they were too expensive for me at the time, I then went through several of the credit card size organizers (even before my first cellular bag phone in 1991).

From there I bought a laptop, but really needed it mobile, so I got an apex cellular modem and a portable cellular connection kit...(not exactly a smart phone) data rates were 9.6k average which was quick enough for email at the time...(if anyone else had email.)

Then came digital cellular, and a data cable, I was now screaming fast at 14.4k coupled with may laptop...still not quite a smartphone. (I remember using certain systems at work and being able to type faster than the network could send the information...talk about latency).

I decided to get back into the PDA world with the release of the Phillips Nino (monochrome screen 75Mhz Processor and 8MB of memory) The Nino was a "Palm Sized PC" running Window's CE. I soon purchased a Socket Digital Phone card and was now mobile with Nino...of course the battery would only last for a few minutes...still not that smart of a phone.

My first look at the venture with Palm OS was with the Kyocera 6035 smartphone, I carried that monster for a few months...I often thought about putting wheels on it and using it as a skateboard. It served it purpose, but was pretty big.

I then rushed out and bought the Jornada 548...pretty heavy, but compared to the current ipaq's the Jornada was king. About a year later I bought the Jornada 568...along with a couple thousand dollars worth of gadgets to go with it...GPS receiver and software, spare batteries, mmc card slot, spare CF cards, CF camera, WiFi card, 56k modem, socket digtial phone card, car chargers, PCMCIA sled...and so on and so on...I was connected, but had to carry a big gadget bag just to get all of the functionality I wanted. (the Jornada 568 is still my GPS machine...I spent so much money on it, I can't send it to full retirement just yet.)

Next came the Samsung i300 palm phone, my first color screen (barely) that phone looked really cool, but was not very usuable...very awkward.

Then came the Treo 300, the built in key board was awsome..and all around it was a pretty good phone except for the ocassional [Fatal Exception].

Next was the i700 pocket pc phone edition, all in all I was pretty happy with this phone, a very "smart phone" but it's more of a laptop killer instead of a phone.

I then went to the Blackberry and a regular cellular phone...the integrated keyboard and ease of use of the email were great, then I switched from a regular cellular to the long awaited Samsung i600. I carried both the blackberry and the samsung i600 for about seven months until recently when I got the new OS update for the i600...

I now have stopped using my Blackberry, now that I can get my email pushed directly to me from Exchange 2003, although the phone does not have bluetooth or an on board camera it now fullfills most of my current needs.

Phone,
Contact Manager,
Schedule,
Task,
portable music player,
Internet,
push email,
books to read,
monitor my home web cam,
media player, (watch tv and movies I record with beyond TV)
portable game system (thanks to old Nintendo roms.)
msn messenger
view word and excel files
print documents using my infrared portable printer
use pocket streets to find addresses
portable photo album of my children
calculator for my bad math skills.

I guess I'm excited about where the smartphone platform is, (knowing where it came from) To have a device the size of the original starTAC that does all of the above, is pretty amazing.

Is it perfect no...why you ask? Because most of the people who buy devices like this are on the cutting edge, and with technology you have to choose wisely which direction you go, otherwise you end up like me with a gadget bag full of old outdated gadgets. This website is a great place to learn about the gadgets, and get good solid feedback before you invest. (now that I have written my gadget history, I'm off to see if anyone has tried that dvd shrinking software for smartphone.)

[encece]

Congrats on One Year, SmartphoneThoughts!

On Monday June 30th, I was just getting back from a long work weekend in Atlanta! I know this because I looked on my Smartphone Calendar! It never lies!

I am more of a Smartphone freak tphonetoday than I was a year ago. I've been through many phones so far. I even had a short spurt with an i700 PPCPE between then and now and came right back to the Smartphone.

I've also been thry 3 carriers: from TMobile (SPV & Mitac) to Verizon (i700 and i600) to now AT&T (MPx200 and e200).

I'm ready for the next phones to arrive. I still visit all the SP sites every day. I AM A SMARTPHONE FREAK!

My biggest complaints over the past year is the lack of Smartphone acceptance in the US & North America. I'm still looking to UK/Europe for all of the greatest advancements & tweaks.

I'm also a bit upset that this site isnt as big or busy as it should/could be. I hope this year finds US Smartphones and SmartphoneThoughts much more success.

[Ben]

One year is spectacular news! Sure, there may have been less impressive advancements this year than we might have hoped for, but I for one am so pleased with the progress of mobile technology in the world that the delays of this last year will be just more successes for the future. My mpx200 is fantastic, but I probably not be satisfied for one more year. Hopefully when Smartphonethoughts reaches two-years, we will have had an official announcement of the mpx220 . . .

:)

It's interesting, but I don't think smartphone users are insatiable. Current smartphones are fast enough for me (in terms of processing power) and have plenty of storage (256 MB - 1 GB cards will work just fine for the forseeable future). I'm content with the mp3 and wma playback, contacts, calender, and phone features that come standard with my phone. The clamshell format is perfect for fitting the phone in my pocket (which a pocketPC NEVER did well) and knowing the screen is protected and the unfolded phone will fit my face well. The only advancments really missing today at the one year mark for this forum are (1) better integration of a higher quality camera, (2) wireless connection speed and simplicity (bluetooth, push/pull email, GPS satellites, and ultra fast wi-fi or other ways to get on-line data), and (3) perhaps most importantly, a faster way to input data (this is where pocketPC dominates still, and the only reason to opt for pocketPC over smartphone).

When smartphones compete with pocketPC for data entry (touch sensitive screens, folding keyboards, and/or detachable qwerty thumbpads) we will have reached a critical milestone and the world will be a greater place. I can see most if not all of my essential technology needs being fulfilled in the next year, so to me the future is bright and the past year has laid all of the fundamental groundwork.

[Fitch]

When I signed up for smartphone thoughts, I figured that November, when the Number Portability Act in the US let people be picky about their new carrier without losing their number, I figured I'd have a new smartphone by now, and I'd pay less than $100 for it. Then WM2003 came out, and then there were no bluetooth smartphones for me to bite on.
I was very excited about MS mobiles, but am, too, disallusioned with the state of amazing phones in the US.

But I love the site. I love the thoughts and the links, and I still come back every day!

[mar2k]

Congrats on one year ST!

The best is yet to come for the Smartphone platform I think. I can see the MPx220 hitting in a big way. I agree that we need some fresh CDMA designs though. Its nice that Verizon released WM 2003 upgrade for the i600 but at some point some new blood is needed on the CDMA side of things. For Smartphone to succeed there needs to be some adoption by other carriers like Cingular and T-Mobile. Another AT&T exclusive on the MPx220 won't carry much weight at the rate AT&T is losing customers. Looking forward to the next year, things should really get hopping around here!

:mrgreen:

[stitics]

I dont' really know anything about smartphones, but I really want to gain some firsthand knowledge.

:lol:

EDIT: I missed the deadline, didn't I?

:cry: