Microsoft Drops "Series" from Windows phone 7 Product Name

[Jason Dunn]

<div class='os_post_top_link'><a href='http://twitter.com/windowsphone/status/11493142530' target='_blank'>http://twitter.com/windowsphone/status/11493142530</a><br /><br /></div><p><img src="http://images.thoughtsmedia.com//dht/auto/1270231290.usr1.png" style="border: 1px solid #d2d2bb;" /></p><p>And there you have it - with a simple tweet, Microsoft has come to the belated realization that Windows phone 7 Series was a needlessly complicated name, and now the product's official name is Windows phone 7. The thing is, since launch day pretty much every online article I've read has referred to the product as Windows phone 7. Most of us realized that the word "Series" was superfluous and didn't use it; at least now it's official.</p>

[Ed Hansberry]

Finally, MS seems to be getting the hint that their product names are too long.

[Gerard]

Finally, MS seems to be getting the hint that their product names are too long.

I'm sorry, breaking my self-imposed restraining order on posting here about WP7S. This is too funny. And 'Finally', really? I wonder. Perhaps it'll get further re-branded to 'Phone 7' by the 'holiday season' when devices hit store shelves. Or maybe 'WinPhone 7'! Microsoft's mobile device identity flailing has never been long in providing mirth to us fans. Did anyone, ever, really get a firm grip on the nomenclature involved with post-Pocket PC branding? I sure didn't, and I actually tried for a while. How does one explain 'classic' to a noob? It's like, oh, 'classic' means kind of deprived of functions? Gee, better spend my money on one of those, sounds like feature-limited is for me, especially compared to 'professional' which sounds like something too difficult...

Big Mac. Pontiac. iPhone. Palm. Coke. Hint, hint.... It's a world where the consumer has largely been groomed to appreciate solid brand identities. Microsoft ought to maybe, you know, pay somebody with a functioning brain, to do something along those lines. Of course they are no doubt paying someone quite a few millions for this... right? It's just just Ballmer making it up on the fly, right?

[epdm2be]

I'm sorry, breaking my self-imposed restraining order on posting here about WP7S. This is too funny. And 'Finally', really? I wonder. Perhaps it'll get further re-branded to 'Phone 7' by the 'holiday season' when devices hit store shelves. Or maybe 'WinPhone 7'! Microsoft's mobile device identity flailing has never been long in providing mirth to us fans. Did anyone, ever, really get a firm grip on the nomenclature involved with post-Pocket PC branding? I sure didn't, and I actually tried for a while. How does one explain 'classic' to a noob? It's like, oh, 'classic' means kind of deprived of functions? Gee, better spend my money on one of those, sounds like feature-limited is for me, especially compared to 'professional' which sounds like something too difficult...

Big Mac. Pontiac. iPhone. Palm. Coke. Hint, hint.... It's a world where the consumer has largely been groomed to appreciate solid brand identities. Microsoft ought to maybe, you know, pay somebody with a functioning brain, to do something along those lines. Of course they are no doubt paying someone quite a few millions for this... right? It's just just Ballmer making it up on the fly, right?

First of all. IMHO It's ridiculous that companies spend so much energy on a bloody name-change (which M$ has been doing very often the last few years). Just look at the stupid name-changes of their desktop OS. Windows 98, Windows ME, Windows XP, Windows Vista (as if that has any meaning) and then suddenly Windows 7 (which is actually 6.5). At least they kept the Windows part so end-users might have an idea what's it all about. WTF is wrong with Pocket PC or Windows Mobile?

Or why not simply use the general slang term "WinPhone" for god's sake.

Secondly. In the mean time ALL recent suposedly smartphones are getting deprived of functionality. This is not only a "classic" phenonema. I'm still looking for a replacement phone for my aging Samsung Omnia SGH-I900. I want a phone with similar functionality like a finger-mous/optical D-pad (or regular D-pad), with a LED-flash that can be used as a light and full compatibility with either the inbuild Notes, Resco's Audio recorder or Vito Audio Notes (more specifically their in-call recording). Even the mighty HTC HD2 can't pull off these tricks. Although it finally has LED that can be used as a lamp. Though it has less buttons certainly no cursor control (D-pad) so forget about entertaining yourself with a simple game while at the waiting room in the dentist.

M$ throwing all those years of "classic" WM out the windows (no pun intended) with windows pocket mobile PC series 7 professional smartphone edition (or whatever it's name is gonna be) is only making matters worse.

I can only see it end up where it all started. Me, buying a simple SE K-series (or equivallent) phone which , as a "dumb"-phone, usually has a LED-flash that can be used as a lamp, can record calls (both sides), has a extensive phonebook, agenda and usually have keypads and directional control (either a joystick or d-pad though sometimes not on the most convenient place on the phone.).

I thought all these guys wanted the consumers' money? Shouldn't they then start listening to what consumers want instead of performing silly name changes. Or at least look at what dumb phones have to offer and "extend" on these feature-sets.

Just my 2 pennies.

Cheers

[maxnix]

There goes some PR guy's or gal's hard work and justification for being paid!