UK: Get Windows Mobile 7 Handset Free with Windows 7 Purchase!

[Rocco Augusto]

<div class='os_post_top_link'><a href='http://www.reghardware.co.uk/2008/11/03/w7_wm7_carphone_warehouse_bundles/' target='_blank'>http://www.reghardware.co.uk/2008/1...ehouse_bundles/</a><br /><br /></div><p><em>"Carphone Warehouse looks set to give away free smartphones running Windows Mobile 7 with copies of the upcoming Windows 7 PC operating system, Register Hardware has learned. A phone manufacturer source familiar with the phone retailer's plans told us that the Windows Mobile 7 phone and Windows 7 bundle boxes will be released on the same day that the new desktop OS is launched in the UK, which he said could come during September or October 2009."</em></p><p><img src="http://images.thoughtsmedia.com//zt/auto/1225734186.usr8.png" border="1" /></p><p>Not only is this pretty cool as far as news goes, at least if you are a resident of the United Kingdom, if all goes according to plan we can expect to see Windows Mobile 7 ship before or at the same time as Windows 7. We all speculated this would be happening, but with Microsoft being very hush hush on the subject of anything with Windows and 7 in the title, it is nice to hear some news from a source that might actually be privileged to that information. There is still no word on the details of this promotion but we'll keep our ears to the ground for you guys/gals!</p>

[efjay]

And cue the bashers saying WM is crap, too late, etc in 3...2...1...

[acharn]

Maybe I will trade in my iPhone to get the new background colors and fonts in WM7! I hear they will also be launching a new home screen theme and a new "robo" ringtone! Can't wait!

[Stinger]

I'm cynical. Either they'll be giving away a HTC Oxygen (or similar), you'll be required to sign up for a contract with CPW or you'll have to buy Windows 7 Ultimate to qualify.

I'll be delighted if it's something better though. :)

[Rocco Augusto]

And cue the bashers saying WM is crap, too late, etc in 3...2...1...

I would hope with the recent slip up from Motorola mentioning that Microsoft is working on a Windows Mobile 6.5 because they realize that the user experience isn't up to par with the competition would give the mobile world a little faith. This is do or die time now and for the fact that they're releasing Windows 7 which has reports of drastically better user experience, around the same time as Windows Mobile 7, it just seems logical that they would put that much care into their mobile platform to give users a more converged experience.

Microsoft is at a turning point as a company. There is no way to recover from the backlash of Vista, even though in reality it is a pretty stable OS, and the only way to move past the negative collective conscious is to bring the users something different and more polished. Windows 7, from their videos, looks to be incredibly polished. From what I read, Office 14 is shaping up to be pretty polished as well. I have complete faith that Microsoft will put that same level of attention to detail in the upcoming versions of Windows Mobile, which is arguably the missing link in Microsoft's recent move toward the cloud computing environment. Microsoft is banking on a move to the clouds and they need to seriously fix their mobile platform to do so.

Before the iPhone came out, Windows Mobile was arguably up there at the top of the mobile world. Windows Mobile was exciting. The iPhone changed the game and while Microsoft has been slow to play catchup, if they have shown us anything throughout the years it is that they are really good at taking something on the market and making it better than what currently exists. They aren't the most original company, but they're very talented at what they do. Windows Mobile will be great again, I hope, and for the first time in a long time I am really excited to be a Windows Mobile enthusiast. :)

[Pony99CA]

I'm cynical. Either they'll be giving away a HTC Oxygen (or similar), you'll be required to sign up for a contract with CPW or you'll have to buy Windows 7 Ultimate to qualify.
I wonder about that, too. I can't imagine giving away an unlocked WM 7 phone with Windows 7. Even if you buy a PC with Windows 7 installed, I didn't think the margins on PCs were that big.

Of course, maybe this is a Microsoft plan to drive adoption of both Windows 7 and WM 7, and Car Warehouse is getting a big kickback.

Steve

[alese]

So, while Motorola will be releasing WM 6.5 device in late 2009, at the same time in UK people will be getting WM7 device with the purchase of Windows 7...

Now, either someone made a mistake or maybe you guys in the US are getting screwed by Microsoft and Motorola or Motorola is so out of touch that they'll be the only company still on WM6.x when others will be on 7 already.

Realistically (and I hope I'm wrong), I think they will give away WM device with Windows 7, something cheap with WM 6.1 at best and that Motorola will just be few months behind HTC with WM 6.5 device - as it would be expected.

The other possibility is that WM 6.5 will officially be renamed WM 7, just like Windows 7 is internally marked 6.1 by Microsoft - and of course Car Warehouse would know that and Motorola wouldn't...

[possmann]

Just one question:

Are there any improvements (read in - did they fix it) with the Sync Center?

[LordFuzzy]

I love the idea of bundling the two together but what has not been mentioned is whether or not there is going to be a greater link between the two. ActiveSync and SyncCenter in Vista are decent. They take care of the basics but it’s really not a link between the two. I want to automatically access my network from my device. I want to access my music, movies, cameras, etc. from my device not just Office files and documents. I'd like to be able to not only sync across my network but work with files directly off my servers and desktops. I’d like to make a complete backup of my device and be able to restore it at any moment from my computer. I know a lot of this is possible to do currently but it’s not easy to maintain.

Wireless sync over Bluetooth works for awhile but then crashes for no reason and has to be deleted and re-established. You can play your media on your device but only using 3rd path apps. For the non-techies out there it is almost impossible to do what I’ve asked for. It's way too complicated and confusing to do something that should be relatively easy. Its currently built into Windows so why not the Smartphone devices? There needs to be a revolution if you will on how we integrate our communications and data management. Let’s move beyond Exchange integration and get true integration for everyone. The only things stopping the iPhone from becoming even more main stream is its inability to integrate with PCs.

In order for Windows Mobile to survive it’s got to improve the interface, connectivity, and for peat sakes can we get some on board storage. What’s with this 256 Rom or 512 Ram garbage. If the iPhone can have 8GB we should at least be allowed an onboard 2GB. Take it for what you will, its just my opinion. But i've been a windows mobile user for almost a decade and have no plans on switching. Hopefully Microsoft will step up and take back what was once their's and regain leadership of the mobile device market.

[Pony99CA]

In order for Windows Mobile to survive it’s got to improve the interface, connectivity, and for peat sakes can we get some on board storage. What’s with this 256 Rom or 512 Ram garbage. If the iPhone can have 8GB we should at least be allowed an onboard 2GB.
I'm not sure what peat moss has to do with it ;), but some Windows Mobile devices do include more. For example, the HTC Touch Diamond includes 4 GB storage, but doesn't include a memory card slot.

Personally, if I had to choose, I'd rather have the card slot. I've got an 8 GB card in my Motorola Q9m and should be able to get 16 GB cards soon.

Steve

[LordFuzzy]

Personally, if I had to choose, I'd rather have the card slot. I've got an 8 GB card in my Motorola Q9m and should be able to get 16 GB cards soon.

Steve

This is true and I have 4GB ones in both my Tilt and BlackJack II. But the problem with Windows Mobile is that when the device is asleep and it is wooken up it does not access the SD cards right off the bat. So you can't store ringtones or even install certain programs on the SD cards. Thats what needs to be fixed. There is no reason we can't have both a larger onboard memory and card slots.

[Pony99CA]

This is true and I have 4GB ones in both my Tilt and BlackJack II. But the problem with Windows Mobile is that when the device is asleep and it is wooken up it does not access the SD cards right off the bat. So you can't store ringtones or even install certain programs on the SD cards. Thats what needs to be fixed.
Yes, that's a well-known issue with Windows Mobile. I've never been too worried about it, because it's not a problem with most applications (Today screen plug-ins and startup programs are the big exceptions, I think).

As far as ring tones go, I think you can store them on a memory card (at least on WM Standard). I don't do it, but I've heard that it's possible. (WM Professional devices, which can go into sleep mode, may be different.)

I do have to wonder how many ringtones somebody has, though, if device storage isn't big enough. ;)

There is no reason we can't have both a larger onboard memory and card slots.
True, except it might make the device bigger. I recall reading a claim by HTC that the Touch Diamond would have been 1 mm thicker if they added a card slot. That doesn't seem like a big deal to me, but I used to carry an iPAQ in a dual PC Card sleeve. :D

Steve