[Dyvim]

I have been a longtime user of, fan of, and developer for Windows Mobile devices (since before there was Windows Mobile or even Pocket PC). I have a number of Windows Mobile phone devices, including my latest: the HTC Advantage x7501.

This past weekend I bought an iPhone as a surprise anniversary present for my wife. I've been setting it up over the past few days, so that it is all configured for her: setting up Weather, Maps, Stocks, e-mail, Contacts, bookmarks, photos, music, and video, so I've become pretty familiar with the capabilities and uses of the iPhone. I must say that I am extremely impressed. I think Apple really hit a home run with this one. IMO, they did far better with v1 of their iPhone than MS has been able to do with v6 of their Windows Mobile platform. The UI is sleek and sexy (like the best of Vista UI- or Mac OS X for you Mac fans) without any lag. And in a word it is usable. Extremely usable. This is where Windows Mobile has always been lacking.

It's also quite affordable. $399 for a quadband phone with 3.5" 480x320 widescreen, 8 GB flash storage, WiFi and BT. Most of the HTC devices we discuss around here range from $600-$900, so $399 seems quite affordable to me. And did I mention that it's slim? And has a gorgeous glass front screen, not plastic? I know technically it can't do as much as these $600-$900 WM phones (which often include GPS and more BT profiles), but this is $200-$500 less and none of those more expensive phones has 8 GB flash storage built in. (The Advantage ($850) has 8 GB storage but it's a microdrive.) And it's easy and fun to use. And it works. Without hassles.

Probably the #1 complaint against the iPhone from WM fans is the inability to use 3rd party apps (although this may be changing by Feb of next year). Point taken. But what 3rd party apps do I use on my WM devices?

• TCPMP or CorePlayer: because WMP sucks
  Opera or NetFront: because PIE sucks
  PIM apps: because built-in Contacts, Tasks, and Messaging apps suck.
  Resco File & Photo viewing utilities: because built-in File Explorer and Photo Viewer suck
  Task switcher: because WM handles memory management poorly and the stupid X button won't close apps (except on the HTC Advantage where HTC built that in, no thanks to MS)

See a pattern here? Really the reason I need 3rd party apps on WM is because the built-in apps frankly suck. Or more politely put are inadequate for my needs.

But the iPhone has a great media player, the best web browser by far I've ever seen on any mobile device, great photo app, good contacts and mail apps, etc. And the OS correctly manages memory, so that I don't have to worry about it. Plus bonus stuff like Weather, Stocks, Google Maps (which is excellent, a real time-saver), etc. So I think most people won't ever need 3rd party apps.

The #2 (or maybe #3) complaint from WM fans is that the iPhone doesn't have 3G but only EDGE. True. But where I live EDGE is as fast as it gets and 3G is only a dream, so the iPhone works just fine for now.

The #3 (or maybe #2) complaint is AT&T. True, but the only other GSM option in the U.S. is T-Mobile and their coverage is bad in my area. On a 5-bar scale, AT&T is consistently 2-3 bars better than T-Mobile around town. If the iPhone were on Verizon or Sprint, it wouldn't work abroad, so in that respect the iPhone is no different from any other quadband GSM world phone that we lust after on PPT.

I'll still be a Windows Mobile fan, as long as there is development work for me in that field. And as long as I still have eBooks to read (I love reading eBooks in bed on the Advantage's 5" VGA screen). But I must say that I see an iPhone for myself in my future. Maybe my wife will get the hint and get one for me for Xmas!

[Dyvim]

I have been a longtime user of, fan of, and developer for Windows Mobile devices (since before there was Windows Mobile or even Pocket PC). I have a number of Windows Mobile phone devices, including my latest: the HTC Advantage x7501.

This past weekend I bought an iPhone as a surprise anniversary present for my wife. I've been setting it up over the past few days, so that it is all configured for her: setting up Weather, Maps, Stocks, e-mail, Contacts, bookmarks, photos, music, and video, so I've become pretty familiar with the capabilities and uses of the iPhone. I must say that I am extremely impressed. I think Apple really hit a home run with this one. IMO, they did far better with v1 of their iPhone than MS has been able to do with v6 of their Windows Mobile platform. The UI is sleek and sexy (like the best of Vista UI- or Mac OS X for you Mac fans) without any lag. And in a word it is usable. Extremely usable. This is where Windows Mobile has always been lacking.

It's also quite affordable. $399 for a quadband phone with 3.5" 480x320 widescreen, 8 GB flash storage, WiFi and BT. Most of the HTC devices we discuss around here range from $600-$900, so $399 seems quite affordable to me. And did I mention that it's slim? And has a gorgeous glass front screen, not plastic? I know technically it can't do as much as these $600-$900 WM phones (which often include GPS and more BT profiles), but this is $200-$500 less and none of those more expensive phones has 8 GB flash storage built in. (The Advantage ($850) has 8 GB storage but it's a microdrive.) And it's easy and fun to use. And it works. Without hassles.

Probably the #1 complaint against the iPhone from WM fans is the inability to use 3rd party apps (although this may be changing by Feb of next year). Point taken. But what 3rd party apps do I use on my WM devices?

• TCPMP or CorePlayer: because WMP sucks
  Opera or NetFront: because PIE sucks
  PIM apps: because built-in Contacts, Tasks, and Messaging apps suck.
  Resco File & Photo viewing utilities: because built-in File Explorer and Photo Viewer suck
  Task switcher: because WM handles memory management poorly and the stupid X button won't close apps (except on the HTC Advantage where HTC built that in, no thanks to MS)

See a pattern here? Really the reason I need 3rd party apps on WM is because the built-in apps frankly suck. Or more politely put are inadequate for my needs.

But the iPhone has a great media player, the best web browser by far I've ever seen on any mobile device, great photo app, good contacts and mail apps, etc. And the OS correctly manages memory, so that I don't have to worry about it. Plus bonus stuff like Weather, Stocks, Google Maps (which is excellent, a real time-saver), etc. So I think most people won't ever need 3rd party apps.

The #2 (or maybe #3) complaint from WM fans is that the iPhone doesn't have 3G but only EDGE. True. But where I live EDGE is as fast as it gets and 3G is only a dream, so the iPhone works just fine for now.

The #3 (or maybe #2) complaint is AT&T. True, but the only other GSM option in the U.S. is T-Mobile and their coverage is bad in my area. On a 5-bar scale, AT&T is consistently 2-3 bars better than T-Mobile around town. If the iPhone were on Verizon or Sprint, it wouldn't work abroad, so in that respect the iPhone is no different from any other quadband GSM world phone that we lust after on PPT.

I'll still be a Windows Mobile fan, as long as there is development work for me in that field. And as long as I still have eBooks to read (I love reading eBooks in bed on the Advantage's 5" VGA screen). But I must say that I see an iPhone for myself in my future. Maybe my wife will get the hint and get one for me for Xmas!