04-11-2008, 09:00 PM
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Editor Emeritus
Join Date: Aug 2006
Posts: 2,432
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A Stranger in a Strange Land: A Windows Mobile Guy Meets iPhone
"My brother, the cinematographer, is a MAC kinda guy. So, naturally he packs an iPhone of which he is very proud. While visiting me last week he was showing off the virtues of his iPhone with a bit of a smug air and a tinge of superiority. He quickly established that the iPhone makes phone calls, surfs the Web, does email and SMS, takes pictures (but has no flash), and it does it all on a really cool, high-resolution, finger-friendly touch screen..."
Over at Mobility Site, Tim Hillebrand has brought us one of the most amusing articles I have read this week. I was hoping to post this earlier in the week, but with our server woes I decided to push this back to Friday to give you guys and gals a good chuckle before the weekend. Tim goes through the list of all of Apple's good qualities that was packed into their little device that could and than in classic 1980's buddy comedy fashion the article takes a turn for the comical going through everything you would think this fancy high end device should/would include in its repertoire list but doesn't. It just goes to show us that Apple's handset has as many growing pains to conquer as Microsoft's cellular device offerings and also that Tim's brother is a good sport for letting him write this article about him. 
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04-11-2008, 09:40 PM
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Ponderer
Join Date: May 2006
Posts: 86
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There are indeed a couple of things missing from my iPhone that I think should be there, most notably stereo Bluetooth on a device where one of the primary functions is to listen to music. God that is aggravating. Anyway, the stereo Bluetooth output I've heard from several WM devices is so bad, that I pretty much would rather not have it than have it so half baked.
The other thing that I missed (at first) is the inability to tether my laptop over Bluetooth. I say at first because I find that web browsing on the iPhone is more than sufficient for me. I don't know how many Google freaks there are here, what with Exchange seeming to rule the WM world, but if you're a Gmail, Google Calendar, and Google Reader user, the iPhone is the answer to your dreams.
The iPhone may not have it all, but it has what counts most - it works and it works well. Something that I can hardly say about WM. Which is why after over 7 years of putting up with the same old uninspired garbage I jumped ship. I'm not any kind of Apple fanboy, believe me. iTunes is one of the most cruel abominations ever unleashed. Spyware is written better than iTunes. But as bad as iTunes is, I still think it's light years ahead of ActiveSync.
While my opinion is just that, I hardly think I'm alone. You can try to rationalize all you want how WM has this or that, but really, what will that do for you?
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04-11-2008, 10:00 PM
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Editor Emeritus
Join Date: Aug 2006
Posts: 2,432
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Quote:
Originally Posted by RogueSpear
You can try to rationalize all you want how WM has this or that, but really, what will that do for you?
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Well for me, Windows Mobile does this or that. 
I agree with most of what you said but at the end of the day, beauty is still in the eye of the beholder. Personally, I need all of those things that were discussed in Tim's article and while the iPhone is pretty, as far as smartphones go, it is really lacking. Windows Mobile does have it's fair share of short comings but before the Apple iPhone was released - not even a year ago - a large majority of these short comings were not present in a lot of individuals minds. The only reason why a lot of people are so fed up with Windows Mobile is because we now know without a shadow of a doubt that it can be better than it is at the moment and I have full faith in Microsoft that they will deliver a much better user experience in the future.
Though how quickly they deliver this seems to be the real question here. 
As for the stereo Bluetooth, I feel your pain. I have no idea how I would survive without the technology... I have no idea how I survived before the technology! Though I would like to point out that listening to music over BT on my Samsung Blackjack was never a horrible experience. In fact it worked beautifully. I can only speak on behalf of the Blackjack though since that is the only handset I used Stereo BT with regularly.
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04-11-2008, 10:32 PM
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Intellectual
Join Date: Aug 2006
Posts: 196
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My Bluetooth works flawlessly on a two year old Cingular 8125 using Jabra BT620s for headphones (music)/headset (voice calls).
I have absolutely zero complaint in this department.
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04-12-2008, 01:21 AM
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Thinker
Join Date: Mar 2004
Posts: 323
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I liked this article. I took it tongue in cheek, because it reminded me of how I felt as a Palm user talking about WM about four years ago.
Then I got my MDA vario. And that made all my previous critiques as a Palm user evaporate.
Well, the iPhone is that much a jump from WM in my view. But not for everyone. Ask my Palm Treo using wife. She is still happy. :-)
With respect to using the keyboard on my iPhone, I take exception to the writer's views, but only mildly. The keyboard takes getting used to, and I have found it is important to learn a new skillset to become accurate. My accuracy now is such that I can chat over IM without my friends realizing I am not using a keyboard. The auto-correct features are worth trusting for the most part. And once you learn where the big finger pads need to land, you can become very accurate. Also, when entering in passwords and the like, you can touch and hold and hover over the screen until the proper character appears and not until you let go will it be recorded.
The iPhone is not perfect, but it is the best PDA/handset OS I have ever used.
So far. :-)
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04-12-2008, 09:25 AM
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Pupil
Join Date: Mar 2002
Posts: 17
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My experience with the iphone!
My experience with the iphone!
For the record, I have had a pocket pc since the early compaq devices that came in both colour and gray scale models. even since i do carry one with me and like 3 years ago when the jam came out i merged my phone and my pocket pc.
Currently i am using an HTC cruise however i bought the 16gb iPhone for my girlfriend to use and for me to experiment with!
Comments about the article
a. you can�t compare a device that has GPS with a device that does not have GPS and say its crap coz it does not have GPS. The HTC touch does not have GPS nor does it have 3G but the HTC Cruize does, well does that make the touch crap? No! stop bugging the Iphone for not having GPS and for a start sit back and realize what apple managed to do with the iPhone, and how many years Microsoft has been sleeping in the windows mobile front.
b. card slot? Who needs one when you have 16gb onboard? Honestly 2gb is as much as I ever had on my HTC Cruize but MS is not helping me utilize that. On the iPhone it was a breeze to sync, my pictures and music I needed on the iPhone, and no I am not an iTunes user but it did not take me more than 5 minutes to get going. I know, I know you can do the same thing with media player, yet again I haven�t! don�t know if that says something!
c. I am still waiting for a decent windows mobile with a VGA screen since I had my first pocket pc with VGA screen over 3 years ago. The iPhone? Does that and its freaking thin, it�s not a brick! Why why why WM and VGA is not popular? Who�s fault is it? MS or the OEMS
d.The interface of the device is simply how it should be. On WM on the other hand, it�s simply pathetic to scroll the list of applications which is merely 2 pages and having to wait for the icons to refresh, or seeing the screen refresh itself block by block in certain cases. Iphone, not only is fast but it�s smooth and stylish as well.
e. applications on the Iphone is the thing that made me discus WM even more. There is a little program called Cydia and installer that allows you to browse through a list of application, read a description about them and install them. Yes in just the first day I had more than 30 games and apps on the iPhone. Do you know how much time it takes to browse on the pc find an application, download it and install it on a WM device? A lot more time! Yes I know you can download a cab over the internet and install it right away, however it�s not the same. If you sit back and thing about the possibilities here that applce created you will be blown away. This is how applications should be brought to the WM device and not relying thought pocketgear or handango or whatever application store websites are on the internet. Don�t criticize the device since it does not have many apps developed! The SDK was barely released and the Iphone has not been in the market for even a year! If you realize how the Iphone is going to deliver applications to the Iphone you will be blown away, something good for the developers and consumers! Oh! And forgot to mentions that Cydia and istaller not only help you keep you device filled with applications but they do help you keep them up to date as well!!
f. iPhone is a truly internet connected device, WM has more features in terms on connectivity options but the iPhone does it right. Internet browsing and stuff is what I am mostly doing with the iPhone which is superb. Oh and it does not even have 3g (yet) imagine! Om my PPC, internet browsing and stuff is simply a not!
g. oh and for some serious computing on the Iphone i suggest you download cydia and installer, you will be blown away with the tools you can install. Hey you can surely get apps and shh to a pocket pc if you like but I never did that. With the iPhone i already did that, having my gl playing Sudoku on the Iphone and me changing things on the Iphone for her via ssh!
Oh and wait, all those tools that you can install on your iPhone so far, you are not supposed to yet! Imagine what will happen once your applications will be officially supported and delivered trough apple application store! In less than 2 months now.
h. Do not harass the Iphone, study it and realize what could have been achieved on the Windows Mobile front if Microsoft was not sleeping the past few years!!!
It is very sad to realize how slow MS has been in the Windows Mobile scene and how little things have been done for the past few years.
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04-12-2008, 08:23 PM
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Philosopher
Join Date: Oct 2006
Posts: 554
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I do understand the enthusiasm of iPhone crowd, and those who switched to it from windows mobile. I did try it, it is cute, well more something new, that we never had before. But that's where it ends. No memory card BIG minus, I don't care about all those 16G onboard memory. With Memcard I can take files saved on it and in a matter of seconds work with them on my laptop. just insert the card. No GPS, no 3G? O'K let's let it go. BTW looked at the programs offered for iPhone, they either silly games or something that are on the level of a teenager, nothing that is useful and needed for me. And the article is one hundred percent correct, iPhone is a toy, media player with phone functions. And BTW no handwriting recognition either, You can not draw on that cute screen! Interestingly enough, iPhone people iFonnies so to say, like to compare advantages of iPhone to WM and point its pluses, but when WM users start showing WM device advantages - it's NOT FAIR! STOP IT! Well GPS and 3G, choice of connection options and what you can do with it is all part of WM platform, so until iPhone grow up to be as versatile as WM you are right we shouldn't compare those two platform. I mean it just like compare ability of grown up man to ability of little kid to solve real life "grown up" so to speak problems.
Cheers.
__________________
You create your opportunities by asking for them
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04-12-2008, 09:43 PM
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Neophyte
Join Date: Nov 2007
Posts: 4
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Why do these iPhone switchers who now hate windows mobile even still visit this site? It's always the same thing, they come on here and say in the comments on how great the iPhone is.
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04-12-2008, 10:23 PM
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Intellectual
Join Date: Aug 2006
Posts: 196
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You can't argue the ease of use of the iPhone. But some of us (me included) just like to tinker with our toys.
I find that I have way more ability to tinker with WM devices and I enjoy that.
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04-12-2008, 10:41 PM
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Pupil
Join Date: Jan 2008
Posts: 25
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Quote:
Originally Posted by peterf
Why do these iPhone switchers who now hate windows mobile even still visit this site? It's always the same thing, they come on here and say in the comments on how great the iPhone is.
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They're entitled to their opinion as you are to yours.
I don't own an iPhone, only WM phones/pda's and I can see that the iPhone is *much* more user friendly than any WM phone. That matters to A LOT of people.
Who says that the iPhone 2 won't add many more corporate type features that WM phones have. Apple *did* license activesync from MS didn't they? I'm no Apple fan, but I expect the next version of the iPhone to add a lot of the features that used to only come on the high-end WM professional phones.
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