Smartphone Round Robin: Triumphant Return to Windows Mobile!

And so The Smartphone Round Robin ends: I'one thousand back on a Windows Mobile device (a Motorola Q9h, if you're interested) and I'thousand happy to exist here. Ecstatic, even. There are lots of reasons I love Windows Mobile and why information technology's a keen fit for me. Ane of those reasons is pictured to a higher place. You tin choose pretty much any form-gene to fit your lifestyle and accept a powerful Smartphone Os in it. This is no modest achievement - in fact I recall information technology'southward probably more amazing that Windows Mobile supports such a wide assortment of phones than the fact that Windows itself will run on a wide assortment of PCs.

Comments on this article through Midnight Pacific Fourth dimension on Sunday, December 9th authorize for the Round Robin Competition. Find out why I'grand happy to be back and why Windows Mobile is my drug of choice after the interruption!

Power and Choice

We oft forget this stuff, but think almost the following, considering it needs to exist said:

Windows Mobile will work on a wide... a crazy-broad pick of different form factors, from the ruggedized to the razor-sparse. It runs on cheap phones and feature-packed phones akin; touchscreen and non-touchscreen; QWERTY keyboard, 10-key, twenty-fundamental, no-key; screen resolutions of 240x320, 240x240, 320x320, 320x480, heck, 800x600; it communicates on Border, UMTS, HSDPA, EVDO, EVDO Rev A, GPS, WiFi, and Bluetooth (including A2DP).

It's bachelor on every major wireless carrier, basically worldwide. It is available in many languages in a dizzying number of countries. It has a fairly consequent UI beyond the unabridged variety of devices just listed, had it for several years, and maintained a healthy level of backwards compatibility. It'south able to do pretty much anything whatever other smartphone tin can do, and more, on nearly all of the form-factors and networks listed higher up. It does push email out-of-the-box with Exchange and tin exercise the same with whatsoever other email setup with some third party software.

Its pick of third party applications is 2nd only to PalmOS (and possibly Symbian), but many of these apps are shockingly powerful and merely equally many are mission-critical to major corporations and soccer moms alike. The number and variety of these apps is on the rise.

Information technology has a vibrant community of third political party application developers. Coding tin can even exist done with .net (familiar to many Windows developers), which provides an amazing set of APIs to build circuitous applications with rich UIs -- with relative ease.

Enterprise security and support is 2nd but to BlackBerry (and many would say second to none), yet remains approachable to many average joe consumers.

Information technology plays pictures, music, podcasts, FM Radio (on some devices), and video ...and records pictures, audio, and video too.

Please allow the preceding paragraphs sink in for a minute. Read them again, perchance. It's shocking, if you think nigh it, how ambitious Windows Mobile is and how successfully it's managed to reach its goals. Windows Mobile shoots the moon and very nearly hits it. It is the All-Singing, All-Dancing Smartphone OS. It pwns.

And so I similar Windows Mobile considering I'yard clearly a gadget hound and Windows Mobile has the largest number of different gadgets and the highest churn-charge per unit of new gadgets coming out. I can ogle (or buy) any number of them and compare features, experiences, usability, etc ...all without having to learn an entirely new platform or buy new software.

I recognize, though, that I dearest me the clicky toys more than than is healthy and way more than than is normal. So the other side of this money is that although the boilerplate consumer won't exist surveying the entire Windows Mobile field all the time, when information technology comes time for them to choose a phone they practise have a wide variety of course factors and carriers to choose from.

Annex on the AT&T Tilt

The smartphone we chose for the Round Robin was the AT&T Tilt and I'll admit information technology didn't fare specially well. It's amongst the virtually powerful of Windows Mobile Smartphones, but it has a relatively lackluster out-of-box experience. It requires more than tweaking than your average WM phone to get information technology to a spot where I'd exist comfortable maxim it's piece of cake to employ. Since the Round Robin merely lasted virtually i week per device, that "out of box" feel was damn-nigh the entire feel.

I'll discuss the Tilt and how and why I chose it in the concluding article; but I desire to requite a shout out to Jennifer, Mike, and Kevin for looking by some of that complication to give Windows Mobile a fair shake. Thanks, guys!

Next year when we do the Smartphone Circular Robin once again, I'll be leveraging that vast assortment of form factors to pick a WM smartphone that's more friendly to a single paw (or at least remind everybody of Hobbes' article on how to exercise that!)

Hackery and Tweakery

Gerardo Dada recently made the argument that the term "open" might be practical to Windows Mobile. I don't know that I tin go that far, but I will say that Windows Mobile is probably about as close to existence "open" as you tin get without being literally "open source."

If you lot want to hack something on Windows Mobile, at that place's a very high chance that there is a style to exercise it, and there'southward also a very high chance y'all'll find somebody has already done information technology before yous and can show you how.

Windows Mobile uses a registry, much like Windows on the Desktop. And just like Windows on the desktop, it's a potential liability in terms of software developers misusing it as a style to squirrel abroad nefarious settings. That hasn't quite happened yet on Windows Mobile (or at least it hasn't happened nearly as extensively as it has on the desktop), merely it's a liability. I write this preface because I want to make clear that I'one thousand generally dubious about the Registry. Give me discrete .plist text files any day of the calendar week. (Image Credit)

Despite all that, the Windows Mobile registry has won me over. It allows for a level of customization you lot wouldn't believe and I often still don't. From simple edits similar getting rid of the "message sent" notification on SMS to complex retentiveness management tweaks - Windows Mobile has an editable registry you can access to make those changes.

Of course, the registry is intimidating (it is to me!), and then there are likewise 3rd party apps that allow you to customize Windows Mobile to make it more than user-friendly. There are replacement on-screen soft keyboards. Tips for making buttons do more. Ways to manage memory.

All of which makes me a pretty happy camper. But all of which is besides much for the average user. And then Microsoft is however working to harness all that power into a manageable organisation that's accessible to the new user. They're getting in that location, and they're getting there damn quickly. The T-Mobile Shadow'southward UI, the rumored 6.1 update.. heck, if you lot just look at the improvements between WM5 and WM6 you lot'll be impressed. But for at present, especially on Pro devices like the AT&T Tilt, Windows Mobile is a little too complex.

In short, I love the tweakability of Windows Mobile, but I wish that some devices didn't require it.

...Not all of them practice: the T-Mobile Shadow (again) is great to use out of the box. The Motorola Q9h is pre-tweaked with Opera Mobile, Docs-To-Become, and more. The Treo 750 is unsurpassed in one-handed ability-usability (surprisingly, partially because information technology'due south a scrap thicker and then easier to blazon on one-handed).

Work to exist Washed

Windows Mobile is conspicuously the Jack of All Trades, just I won't get then far as to say that it'south the master of none. Yet, at that place are clearly places where I'd like to meet improvement.

Email

I similar Windows Mobile'southward electronic mail solution ameliorate than I do anybody else'southward; only I practise wish information technology did a ameliorate job at rendering HTML email like the iPhone and had some of the unproblematic setup services of the BlackBerry.

If I were Microsoft, I would snap up Seven and offer it every bit a universal service for a nominal fee across all carriers (or, as they practise with AT&T, offer it via the carrier as a branded service. AT&T'south is Xpress mail service). It nearly pains me to say information technology, considering Seven is really cool and it would almost be a shame to seem them bought out. But it's as well stupendously good - especially in the most recent Betas.

Commutation for Corporate, 7 for Consumers. Boom: Button E-mail for Everybody combined with the most powerful out-of-the-box e-mail client on any smartphone. (Prototype Credit)

The Cloud

Microsoft has been making great strides with their Windows Live services and especially at integrating them into Windows Mobile. I'thousand happy to see all that.

I'k too happy to see auto-set-upward for e-mail on competing platforms similar Gmail and Yahoo. I'm happy to see Yahoo Go (fifty-fifty though I think it stinks compared to the original beta). I'd love to see more. I want to plug into my computer for power and music and that'due south nearly it. The balance should sync to the cloud, wirelessly and automatically, and be instantly available either on a client on my desktop (yes, my Mac desktop) or via the web.

The crazy part is I'k basically already there with Exchange. But I'm lucky - non everybody uses Exchange. Become there with Windows Live (You're practically in that location) and aid competitors similar Yahoo and Google do the aforementioned.

Browser

Exercise I really demand to tell you that the iPhone's browser has ready a new bar and it's mode, way above what everyone else has done to date? Whatsoever else Microsoft is doing, they need to get the browser right and fast.

Remember, though, that information technology's not as unproblematic for Microsoft (or a 3rd party) to brand a dandy browser. The number of different devices and screens and processors and RAM amounts--not to mention Touchscreen vs. non-Touchscreen--all present a big challenge to a visitor trying to make a rich, powerful, and fun browser for Windows Mobile.

As much equally I poo-poohed the accuracy of therecent report that the iPhone's spider web browser is popping up on the web more oftentimes than Windows Mobile, information technology's still a powerful sign that Apple nailed it and nobody else has. Fix the browser ASAP.

Multimedia

Windows Media Actor is bad. It does a bad task browsing files. It does a bad job playing them and remembering where you left off. It plays a wide enough variety of codecs, simply you could always wish for more than. In brusque, WMP does the job (and WM supports A2DP!), but it does not do it well.

HTC has done a great job with its Sound Manager. Obviously the iPhone is stupendous at information technology. Microsoft has done a pretty good job with the Zune2 interface. Please put it on Windows Mobile. (Image Credit)

Interface

Yep, the interface isn't all that great. In that location are inconsistencies. There are things you want to do often squirreled away in submenus. There is the "X" button on Professional.

I'1000 not asking for a complete overhaul, but I am request for evolutionary improvements and a little more standardization from device to device. There has been more than experimentation lately as a result of cooperation between Microsoft, manufacturers, and carriers (ref. Treo 500v, TouchFlo, and the Shadow), and this is to be applauded. Nonetheless, information technology is also a sign that there's something rotten in the state of the UI on Windows Mobile.

Microsoft has a reputation from their Desktop and Browser wars in the 90s of existence a great who pushes people effectually. In the smartphone infinite, though, Carrier is Male monarch. Microsoft: brand these carriers put their money where their mouth is when it comes to openness, Permit the people who know smartphones dictate how they're designed.

Microsoft needs a plan to unify and simplify the 'standard' UI then continue to enforce it beyond all devices and carriers every bit a "default" selection. Don't stop carriers from experimenting a bit, but make the "default" better and proceed information technology mandatory. Flex your muscle here, be a peachy, we'll look the other style.

The iPhone opened the door to cowing carriers and their bloatware and their absurd need to constantly create capricious acquirement streams. Android pushed the door open up just a little fleck more. All you need to exercise is walk through it.

Summing Up Work to exist Done

Obviously I don't think Windows Mobile is perfect and I'yard honest about that where it falls short. There is piece of work to be washed and I hope that Microsoft is doing it.

Withal, don't take the above gripes as a sign that I believe that Windows Mobile fails overall. Windows Mobile is far and away the best Smartphone Bone for me. I dear the choice of different devices. I love the power. I love the 3rd party app options. Windows Mobile: sniffle ...I love you, man!

Getting Better All the Time

The magic of smartphones is that they manage to go more than than the sum of their parts. For an increasing number of people, they're the "figurer" that we collaborate with the about. The combination of good hardware and proficient software gives usa swell devices. Actually - it'due south where the exciting innovataion is at these days.

Windows Mobile has a much tougher row to hoe than everyone else in the Circular Robin. It needs to support a much wider assortment of grade factors, radio chipsets, and processor/RAM specs than RIM, Palm, or Apple tree does. Microsoft doesn't make these devices themselves, so they need to piece of work closely with both manufacturers and carriers to become them off the ground. Symbian is probably the closes analogue, still even there it's split between s60, which is primarily Nokia, and UIQ, which is primarily Sony Ericsson (and at present Motorola).

Yet despite these challenges, Windows Mobile is a powerful, stable (though of course not 100% perfect), dynamic, and rich Smartphone OS. Given these challenges, it'due south an accomplishment that doesn't usually become as much credit as it deserves.

The situation is as well ofttimes frustrating to users. Except for a very few gadget-hounds like me, the vast majority of users don't see Windows Mobile as a massive, widespread platform. No - they encounter their own private device. Occasionally these private devices aren't quite upwards to snuff - which will then reflect poorly on the platform every bit a whole, fair or not. Where to place blame for WM devices that neglect is tough - it'south partly the manufacturer, partly the carrier, and partly Microsoft.

On the other hand, at that place are devices that hit a home run. None matches the "singularity" of the iPhone or the "just e-mail now" of the BlackBerry or fifty-fifty "keep it simple, stupid" of the PalmOS. Only sometimes a Windows Mobile telephone comes awfully close to all three and does a flake more, likewise. These devices are becoming more and more common: The BlackJack Two, the Motorola Q9h, the HTC Impact, the Treo 750, the Sprint Mogul. The Os also: Windows Mobile v, the AKU updates to it, Windows Mobile 6, Windows Mobile vi.one (shortly).

So while improvements are sometimes agonizingly boring in coming and agonizingly evolutionary instead of revolutionary, they are almost relentless in their regularity. The slowness of it I take to chalk upwardly to an overabundance of caution, a need to be backwards-compatible (particularly for the enterprise), and of class the wide array of hardware that needs to be supported. And truly, it's non all that tedious, it'southward only tough to look for evolution when the iPhone seems at first blush to be revolution. Yet the improvements proceed coming and they will continue. I try to think of it equally a tortoise and hare kind of matter.

I'k happy at present with Windows Mobile and I'm optimistic for the future.

Why Windows Mobile

So there you go, I spent a calendar month with the others and now I'm back and happy to exist hither. That's probably not a surprise given the site you're reading. Notwithstanding, I recall information technology's important to signal out.

Is Windows Mobile able to be everything to everbody? Of course not. If y'all're looking for simple email, become BlackBerry. If you're looking for great media and a great browser, go iPhone. If you're looking for simplicity with a flake of ability, go PalmOS. If you lot're looking for pure ability and tweakability, go Windows Mobile.

Simply as I've said before, I don't want to pigeonhole Windows Mobile as the "Tweaker's Power OS." I do think that WM can exist an an easy-to-utilise, all-round platform that works well (or great, even) in all the preceding paragraph's categories. Sometimes a given device makes it and then; maddeningly, many do not.

In decision theory there are lots of ways at looking at a given trouble - I'm fond of Maximin (choose the pick with the best worst case scenario) and Maximax (cull the selection with the best best instance scenario). If you're a Maximax kind of person, you take the smartphone with the all-time features in the categories you intendance about and choose that smartphone, regardless of whether or not the downsides are painful. Then if you lot love your email quick and uncomplicated and don't care about, say, multimedia, the BlackBerry is no-brainer.

If you're a Maximin kind of person, yous care about a lot of categories but are willing to forego the "best of the best" in one or all of them. That'southward me - I want it all. I'm unwilling to have bad email, or horrible multimedia, or an Bone that's non powerful enough. Windows Mobile may not exist the best in the categories I care about (fifty-fifty though information technology'due south close and could be), but it does a better task of covering all the bases than anything else out in that location.

That sounds similar a conclusion based on fearfulness, but I don't meet it that manner. It's a decision based on the fact that I never want to be "stuck" not being able to do some task. Y'all may have noticed that Phone unlike's Mike and I accept been bandying about the definition of smartphone back and forth. This is as close to a good definition as I accept been able to com up with so far: "Smartphone: a telephone that won't leave me stuck non being able to do something I need to do."

Windows Mobile has never left me stuck.

Fifty-fifty improve, though, is that Windows Mobile hits some of my Maximax/best-of-the-best desires, too. Class gene, IM, email the way I like information technology, and yes: power and tweakability are all all-time-of-breed on Windows Mobile.

Conclusion

Next calendar week we'll all exist posting upward more general, layman-friendly articles about our respective platforms every bit a way of summing up the massive amount of analysis that went into the Circular Robin. Our Round Robin Update page is almost complete and each of the links in that nautical chart will take y'all to a great article examining a smartphone from a expert who'southward used to another platform.

For now, though, chime in in the comments! Are you lot a Minimax or a Maximax? Did I miss annihilation in my early on, sledge-hammer-style listing of features and capabilities? Is there an opportunity for improvement I didn't touch on upon? Annotate before midnight on Dominicus, December 9th (Pacific fourth dimension) to qualify to win in our Round Robin Contest!

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Source: https://www.windowscentral.com/smartphone-round-robin-triumphant-return-windows-mobile

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