Cingular "Renews Vows" To Microsoft

[Janak Parekh]

<div class='os_post_top_link'><a href='http://www.phonescoop.com/news/item.php?n=1059' target='_blank'>http://www.phonescoop.com/news/item.php?n=1059</a><br /><br /></div><i>"Cingular has renewed its commitment to Microsoft, vowing to launch more Windows Mobile devices throughout 2005. Cingular already offers the Motorola MPx220 Smartphone and Siemens SX66 Pocket PC phone. Demand for the SX66 has exceeded expectations, and the phone has been so popular that it has sold out from Cingular's website."</i><br /><br />In case you've been wondering why the SX66 has been difficult to obtain, there you go. ;) This is a good sign -- people are starting to want more power in their PDA phones and Smartphones, and Windows Mobile is just getting started in servicing this platform. And once Cingular's network stabilizes and starts moving to UMTS, we might be cookin'. 8)

[Foo Fighter]

"Cingular should launch the Audiovox SMT5600, originally sold by AT&amp;T Wireless, during the first quarter"

Bah! I'll believe that when I see it. Right now I'm swinging for a Treo 650. But the 5600 was the only WinMob Smartphone that really tempted me. :cry:

[Vincent M Ferrari]

Now if only T-Mobile would buy an engagement ring for Microsoft...

Seriously... I spoke to one of the reps from MS at the CES and they basically said they were begging T-Mobile USA to carry some of the Smartphones. Or at least one of them, but T-Mobile isn't even interested, which leaves my only option at buying something from abroad unlocked.

If I had the money for that...

Or I could switch to Cingular, but that might get me promptly shot at work :lol:

[Janak Parekh]

Seriously... I spoke to one of the reps from MS at the CES and they basically said they were begging T-Mobile USA to carry some of the Smartphones. Or at least one of them, but T-Mobile isn't even interested, which leaves my only option at buying something from abroad unlocked.
From all public perception, it appears T-Mobile has moved exclusively into the "consumer" sector, and as such they're not interested in really smart phones or PDAs.

Or I could switch to Cingular, but that might get me promptly shot at work :lol:
Or any other carrier. T-Mobile is the only one that doesn't have WM options (other than, possibly, that ancient Pocket PC Phone).

--janak

[Vincent M Ferrari]

Well they do have that HP 6315 (yuck).

But as I said, considering the company I work for, switching off T-Mobile is like wearing a Mets jacket in the Yankees clubhouse :-)

Guess I'll stick with my T610 and an amply equipped PPC.

So close... So close and yet so far...

[R K]

Seriously... I spoke to one of the reps from MS at the CES and they basically said they were begging T-Mobile USA to carry some of the Smartphones. Or at least one of them, but T-Mobile isn't even interested, which leaves my only option at buying something from abroad unlocked.

That's a real disappointment. With all the Windows Mobile phones released by T-Mobile Germany (MDA II, MDA III, MDA Compact, SDA, SDA Music), you'd think that T-Mobile USA would follow suit.

This combined with their delayed 3G rollout really puts T-Mobile on a downhill slope.

[Janak Parekh]

Well they do have that HP 6315 (yuck).
Oops, forgot they carried the 6315. :P

But as I said, considering the company I work for, switching off T-Mobile is like wearing a Mets jacket in the Yankees clubhouse :-)
Hey, if Red Sox fans can survive Yankees Stadium, lame though they may be... :lol:

--janak

[axe]

I'll add my 2cents ...
How about Canadian carriers? Bell dropped the Audiovox a while back, only leaving the Treo in the PDA lineup. Rogers only has the attrociously priced Siemens, and not even on their site to purchase. Fido, Telus??? With all the choices, you'd think PPCPE users (or wannabes like me) at least ONE choice... :roll:
AXE

[OneAngryDwarf]

Unrelated to article but relevant to the posts... What happened to T-Mobile???? Right before this new crop of PPC phones and smartphones T-Mobile seemed to be the leader in cool phones. That doubled w/ the "free" or close to free internet access prompted me to switch to them. Since then, all they have released is that stupid HP phone which is overpriced, underpowered, and undercontoured. I think every single carrier but them has some version of the harrier or XDAIII or whatever the kiddies are calling it these days. Makes me want to switch to Verizon and get use their high speed internet access! Then I remember that I don't have the $80 month to spend on that and life is once again good. Which brings me to another rant... T-Mobile not going 3G for like 2 years, whats up w/ that? If the price of 3G connectivity is gonna remain to be $80 a month or comparable for the next couple years then I don't care about it and am happy to wait but if price wars take in and T-Mobile still hasn't jumped on the wagon, I'm gonna switch to a new company and thus begin complaining about them (cuz don't you always have some complaint about your provider - seems inevitable)

[whydidnt]

One thought:

TMobile has been so disappointed in the support calls, high level of return and general BS caused by the HP6315 they've decided it's not worth the aggravation to support any of these devices at release. It's had to cost them a fortune dealing with the HP, if they multiplied that out by having to deal with the same issues related to the Blue Angel or smartphone platform, it may scare them. Perhaps they've been waiting for the first ROM updates to become available so they can remain in the cell service business, instead of the PPC technical support biz.

If MS is serious about wanting to gain a larger foothold in this market they MUST begin working more closely with the OEM's to make sure that they deliver a better user experience out of the box. The fact that none of these recent releases were shipped with a viable working bluetooth stack speaks volumes for MS's lack of committment to this market. MS should be ashamed that their software is running on something as poorly thought out and implemented as the HP 6315. It's slow, incompatable and few of the features work as advertised.

[marcm]

I'll add my 2cents ...
How about Canadian carriers? Bell dropped the Audiovox a while back, only leaving the Treo in the PDA lineup. Rogers only has the attrociously priced Siemens, and not even on their site to purchase. Fido, Telus??? With all the choices, you'd think PPCPE users (or wannabes like me) at least ONE choice... :roll:
AXE
Yeah, although in the local Telus store, they do have a Samsung PPCPE device... and if you look at Rogers (of course my carrier), you'll find that the rates for GPRS data are really expensive. Unless there's a way for me to use my WAP account from my X30 via Bluetooth, I'm stuck browsing wap, with my only way to view PPCT being RSS2WAP (http://www.rss2wap.com)...