Log in

View Full Version : Iphone Advantage


me
09-08-2007, 10:01 PM
In most respects, I think all the fuss about Iphone is just a lot of advertising hype. People think it's something new to have a phone that can play music, while I have had them for years. And the PDA functions on a Windows Smartphone are much better than that of an Iphone, and there is much third party software for the former. Using TCPMP as my media player, I can play many more media formats than an Iphone can. And the Iphone is way overpriced. (I feel no sympathy for the people complaining about the recent price cut--it's never smart to buy something when it first comes out.)

However, there is one advantage I have to cede the Iphone--8GB built-in flash memory. It can hold much more music than my phone can. I have a T-Mobile MDA (Pocket PC Phone, actually). I have the largest size memory card that will fit it, a 2GB miniSD card. Some of that space is taken up by apps and documents, so I have much less space for music than an Iphone.

I guess some of the newer smartphones and Pocket PC phones are coming out with SDHC slots, which they now have 4 GB cards for. (I thought of changing to a Dash, smaller and less bulky than my MDA, but since it also will not take SDHC cards, I think I will wait for a unit that will take those.) Still a lot less than the 8GB flash memory built into the Iphone.

I think that Smartphone manufacturers, like HTC, Samsung, Motorola, and others, should really start including more built-in flash memory, if they want to compete with all the hype of the Iphone. Flash memory is becoming increasingly cheaper, with more and more capacity fitting in smaller and smaller spaces. Creative now has a very small flash memory MP3 player, the V Plus, in capacities up to 16 GB. (I'm surprised that Apple didn't compete with that, in its recent new Ipod offerings, and come out with a 16GB Nano.)

I think that all smartphones (and Pocket PCs) should now come with 8GB or more of built-in flash memory, as well as having the SDHC slots for additional expansion. I think that's the way they need to go, in order to compete with the Iphone hype.

Anyone know if the smartphone manufacturers are coming out with models soon, with more memory? Anyone know how to suggest this to the manufacturers?

Mike Temporale
09-09-2007, 01:36 PM
I agree, memory is lacking in Windows Mobile devices. From what I can gather, there's nothing stopping the manufacturer from adding more. Nothing except the added cost, of course. So why aren't they? Well, I think a lot of it has to do with the main focus of Windows Mobile being Enterprise and not consumer. I'm sure they know we want it, but figure that the enterprise could care less and the MicroSD slot should give the average joe enough to get by.

me
09-09-2007, 05:17 PM
I agree, memory is lacking in Windows Mobile devices. From what I can gather, there's nothing stopping the manufacturer from adding more. Nothing except the added cost, of course. So why aren't they? Well, I think a lot of it has to do with the main focus of Windows Mobile being Enterprise and not consumer. I'm sure they know we want it, but figure that the enterprise could care less and the MicroSD slot should give the average joe enough to get by.

Well, since the cost of flash memory has gone way down, the added cost wouldn't be much. And they would sell a whole lot more smartphones if they did try to sell them to the consumer market, pushing the music, video, Internet, e-mail aspects of the phone. A Windows Smartphone can do everything the Iphone can, and much more.

But the one thing that Smartphones lack (in comparison with the Iphone) is storage. They really should increase that, or they won't be able to compete.

Future Iphones will probably be improved in PDA features, third party software, etc., and may become more competitive in the business market as well. Windows Mobile, Symbian, and Palm are going to have to add more memory, if they hope to compete.