Windows Mobile: Like Using Fred Flintstone's iStone

Lost in the Palm (PALM) Pre device and WebOS is this fact: It’s an exciting time of non-stop development for mobile operating systems–and it’s killing Windows Mobile.

Mary Jo Foley notes that Microsoft (MSFT) will show the next version of Windows Mobile next month. That’s good news because Microsoft has to do something–Windows Mobile looks homely relative to the new entrants.

A brief recap of the last year or two in the wonderful world of mobile:

• Apple (AAPL) revamps expectations for mobile operating systems with the iPhone;
• Google (GOOG) launches Android (all resources);
• Palm will unveil its latest OS;
• BlackBerry’s platform chugs along;
• Nokia bought Symbian;
• The mobile world increasingly goes open source.

And then you have Windows Mobile, which looks more stale by the minute–even when you consider the relatively new Windows Mobile 6.1. It hit me on the plane home last week. Most folks had one of two devices: iPhone (west coast folks going east) and BlackBerries (east coast folks going home). The guy across the way had his Windows Mobile device. He might as well been using Fred Flintstone’s iStone.

I felt for the guy (since I had a Motorola Q just a few weeks ago). The menus, the interface, the bad browser (IE 6!) and this Windows 98 feeling.

Why is Microsoft so pokey with Windows Mobile? Shouldn’t there be sneak peaks of what’s to come?

A few thoughts:

• Microsoft views Windows Mobile as part of Windows. That’s desktop thinking–where Microsoft dominates–instead of mobile thinking.
• Open source. Newfangled mobile operating systems aren’t reinventing the wheel. Browsing technologies are built on Webkit. Mobile OSes such as Palm’s latest and Android have a Linux base.
• Developers are stoked for the new stuff. Developers are embracing these application communities and using rapid fire coding.

In any case, Microsoft needs to move faster on the Mobile side. It risks being lapped.

Comments

[Hedged In:]

Useful article -- and one of the funniest headlines ever. Thank you!

Jan 12 11:25 AM

[BJMC:]

Timely, appropriate and amusing.

Jan 12 11:31 AM

[Ishortyou:]

it doesnt seem that Microsoft is getting the message, they are failing to adapt to new age business model and failing to make earnings increase over time, too bad they had a good run but its time to adapt or die.

Jan 12 11:36 AM

[longandshort:]

Obviously the author is not a mobile power user, she prbably just likes to carry a cool looking expensive phone around rather than run useful apps on it. I have been using my HTC windows enabled phone for 2 years now and have run more apps on the windows mobile platfrom than 2 years ago than I can find on a Blackberry today. e.g
- full browser
- streaming media and media player
- dial-up networking(tethering)
- maps
- Sirius streaming radio
- custom desktops (weather, clocks)
- email (web based and IMAP)

..point I am trying to make is, Iphone is great for playing music, blackberry is great for texting and email, windows mobile phones are great for running apps..

Jan 12 12:55 PM

[Jonathan Scott:]

You have reached the choir in your sermon of "MSFT damnation". I understand your job is to create an audience and sell it to advertisers, but I would prefer some journalism where you cover all bases and I cannot determine your personal viewpoint.

Jan 12 01:12 PM

[Bastion:]

Obviously the poster is not an iThing user - at all. The iPhone is not only "great for playing music", like it is just an iPod attached to a mobile phone.

It has a full browser, no WAP, displays just like a desktop browser, in portrait or landscape and dynamically scalable; streaming media (e.g. AOL Radio, YouTube, etc.); WiFi and Bluetooth networking; GPS-enabled Google maps; customizable interface (e.g. dock arrangements, clocks, pictures, etc); full pop, IMAP, and Exchange ActiveSync email client.

Gee, all of that is the same list you raved you could do on your HTC.

Oh, and I haven't even touched on the true power of the iThing - easy to find, integrated application platform. You can even run Windows on an iThing, via a RemoteDesktop client. Or a UNIX machine, via the VNC client. And you can get to all of your enterprise resources via the built-in VPN. You can use the iThing as a remote control for media players, presentation slides, automated home appliances, etc. It's the best way to take along videos for travel 'cause you don't need a separate DVD player nor worry about storing the disks. It's also the best way to share photo albums, 'cause, again, you don't need a separate device and it displays them in gorgeous high-resolution, deep contrast with an easy to use interface. Gone are the "brag books" or "wallet" photos - I just use my iPod touch. Oh, and I think I forgot to mention the iTunes Music store, where you can also just buy whatever you think your library is missing - whenever and wherever. For example, I used to collect the Starbucks free download of the week cards, but never got around to entering the code when I got back to a computer. Now, I have my iPod right there with me so I immediately put in the code and enjoy my free music, while I'm still in Starbucks.

Yes, Windows Mobile runs apps. But so does any smartphone. You show your ignorance when you claim that only Windows Mobile runs apps.

I just happen to feel that the best mobile app platform out there today is the iThing. Maybe that will change in the future, but for now...


On Jan 12 12:55 PM longandshort wrote:

> Obviously the author is not a mobile power user, she prbably just
> likes to carry a cool looking expensive phone around rather than
> run useful apps on it. I have been using my HTC windows enabled phone
> for 2 years now and have run more apps on the windows mobile platfrom
> than 2 years ago than I can find on a Blackberry today. e.g
> - full browser
> - streaming media and media player
> - dial-up networking(tethering)
> - maps
> - Sirius streaming radio
> - custom desktops (weather, clocks)
> - email (web based and IMAP)
>
> ..point I am trying to make is, Iphone is great for playing music,
> blackberry is great for texting and email, windows mobile phones
> are great for running apps..

Jan 12 02:18 PM

[FreeRange:]

Good come back Bastion. And as for Palm. You left out one key point against her HTC post - its windows and its MS.

And as for Palm, you should read this link on the continued disaster at Palm.... shows that the hype coming out of CES regarding the Pre is nonsense once you really dig into the facts...

www.roughlydrafted.com.../

Jan 12 04:06 PM

[jmmx:]

You make some good poiints, but missed one thing.

The iPhone should also be listed in the Open Source Unix categories since its OS is built from OSX which is built on top of Mach kernel and FreeBSD.

Jan 12 04:34 PM

[KenC:]

The link between 5 of your first 6 bullet points is of course, WebKit. Developed by Apple, given back to the open-source community. Now, Nokia's S60 uses it. Google's Android uses it. Adobe's AIR uses it. Palm's Pre will use it. Of course, the iPhone uses it. Even Ballmer was quizzed about using it, a couple months ago.

Jan 12 07:49 PM

[mollytjm:]

i love it! iStone! very funny...but also kind of sad. Microsoft has had so much money, market share, power and product out there for so long and it still can't manage to innovate fast enough...or even just fast. and the saying the iPhone being good only for music, etc... whew...what ignorance. I can only think that it's the same mindset at Microsoft or they'd be more innovative instead of stuck in the last century.
Apple will continue to gain market share, will continue to innovate and will continue to profitable, very. Eventually even wallstreet will figure out which company is a better investment. iStone makers need not apply.

Jan 13 12:08 PM