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Does Microsoft Finally Have a Phone Worth Buying?
An anonymous reader writes "Microsoft has finally shown 'Windows Phone 7 Series' and it's supposed to be a completely new smartphone OS. A phone from Microsoft to get excited about that is going to work properly and take on the iPhone's world domination? "
One reason why the iPhone is such a phenomenal phone is that the user interface permeates everything. Not just the immediate application screen or the app transitions, but at a fundamental level there is a symmetry and orthogonality of conceptualization that leads to a seamless user experience.
While that might sound like marketing gobbledygook, compare the Toshiba T-1 to the iPhone. Both have very cool initial user interfaces. In fact, the Toshiba (WinMo6.x) has a more interesting interface in that it changes to meet the user's needs without hardly any user input. However, once you dig past the first interface, it becomes clear that the WinMo phone is the same old WinMo crap underneath. There is no good widget set, there is no clear UI design guideline, and there is no good way to develop an app that doesn't end up feeling like a clunky mess. The iPhone, on the other hand, has a widget set that is reusable and has intuitive usage, there are very clear design guidelines, and most of all there are real artists who want to make apps for the platform.
If WinMo7 can break the Windows Mobile mold and really create something that provides a cohesive user interaction concept, then we may see a WinMo8. Otherwise, it may be the end of the road for this OS.
Even if Windows Phone 7 (or whatever cute name marketing comes up with) is the best thing since sliced bread, Apple and Google will continue to release three software versions for Microsoft's one, ensuring that MS will once again be left in the dust.
You have to wonder why MS continues to try their hand in areas where has no advantage -- or clue, really. The best engineers on the planet can't win in the face of poor management and squabbling VPs.
Ballmer's arrogance knows no bounds.
It's Linux, damnit! Pay no attention to renaming attempts by self-aggrandizing blowhards.
Yes, especially when it comes to smartphones, where the US generally lags about two years behind.
You're putting words in his mouth. He said he didn't like Microsoft; he said he was using BSD. He didn't say he was using BSD because of Microsoft. It's sad that you would be so defensive that you have to read it another way.
Nokia is a winner if you just want a phone, but come to think of it, I don't use my iPhone to make calls all that much. I do use it for many other things on the go, "fluff" like: agenda, tasks, notes, google, traffic info, email, train schedules, navigation, booking cinema tickets, paying for public parking (yes, ThereIsAnAppForThat), messaging, reading news, etc, etc. The iPhone is the first smart phone (of the ones I've tries) that actually makes all of those tasks quick and practical. So well in fact that, when seated at my desktop computer, I still prefer to use the iPhone app over the full-size web browser
If construction was anything like programming, an incorrectly fitted lock would bring down the entire building...
However for sensible, practical phones that just work without the unwanted fancy fluff Nokia is a clear winner.
Hmm...I went from an N95 to an iPhone 3GS, and I have to disagree. To pick an example, I used the Nokia maps app ~10 times in the 2 years I had the N95. It was horribly slow to start up, slow to get a GPS lock, slow to redraw, slow to zoom, so slow as to be basically useless. The iPhone maps app has way less bullet-point-type features, and yet I use it almost every day. And I'm not sure what 'fancy fluff' you're referring to either - it's a giant map you scroll around with your finger, end of story.
Until you can buy one at the store, it's another piece of vaporware from Microsoft.
Exactly. I liked how we never talked about the iPad before you could buy it for instance.
Does it support multitasking?
How sad is it that this is a serious question? Not too long ago, "does it support copy&paste" would have also been a legitimate question to ask. Thanks, Apple.
Entomologically speaking, the spider is not a bug, it's a feature.
So well in fact that, when seated at my desktop computer, I still prefer to use the iPhone app over the full-size web browser.
You must be very young with great eyesight. I have no interest in using a web browser on a 4" diagonal screen when I have a 24" one available that I can actually read.
Except that I can and do Google while composing emails. I don't text often, but I can certainly do so while browsing. I have no problem with my contacts list on a phone call.
What I want is to be able to switch between apps fast, and I can do that. I don't want two apps on screen at a time, like on my desktops and laptop, since the screen just isn't that big. Therefore, it doesn't matter if Safari is running or not while I'm checking my periodic table app. People don't actually want to run multiple apps, most of the time, they want to interact with one at a time and switch easily.
It does matter in some cases, of course: Pandora users have to interrupt their listening to use another app, and that's unfortunate. Most of the time it's a non-issue.
Don't get hung up on the OS internals here. Concentrate on the user experience and you'll see why people like the iPhone.
"When you have eliminated the unacceptable, whatever is left, however improbable, must be the truthiness" - Holmes
What you're asking for is more like task switching than multitasking. None of the things you mention need to stay actively running in the background, consuming CPU cycles.
So I can google something while composing an E-mail. So I can text someone while browsing. So I can look over my contacts list while on a phone call.
I can do all these things without effort on my iPhone. I haven't found anything yet that would require multi-tasking, except playing music while doing something else with the GUI. And the built-in iPod can do that, even when using TomTom.
I'd even argue that in most cases, when you switch apps, you want the ones in the background to be "frozen", for example if you're watching YouTube and you get a phone call.
We're talking about a Smartphone, which is effectively a miniature, handheld PC.
No it's not.
That's the whole point of the iPhone UI. It doesn't try to be a miniature PC. It's what Windows CE/PocketPC/Mobile did wrong all these years. It tries to be a handheld device and that's why people like it.
RogerWilco the Adventurous Janitor