iphone

An interesting read for those that follow the smart phone sector.

Should Microsoft Buy Palm?

http://reviews.cnet.com/8301-18438_7-10300823-82.html?tag=TOCmoreStories.0

That article is way off base and tries to fix too many problems with what it mistakes as one simple solution that is anything but.

The last thing the mobile industry needs is consolidation of OS developers.  We've only got 4 (Apple, MS, Google and Palm - sorry symbian folks, but you've been relegated to the cheapie bin).  If Microsoft were to give up on the Zune (which I dispute as a foregone conclusion), buying Palm does not solve that.  What MS should do, and what I think is clear from the following screenshots MS is about to do, is roll Zune into the phone OS:

WinMo 6.5 Touchscreen (aka titanium)


Zune HD Touch Screen


It's becoming more and more clear that WinMo 7 will continue down this path and be an integration of the two.  There - one problem solved.

So that, according this article leaves MS with a second problem - no hardware provider for an MS branded phone.  But why does MS need a hardware provider?  They have always been the biggest software maker in the world, and with the exception of the Xbox/Xbox 360, they have generally been poor at their attempts to release their own hardware.  Their problem has always been that they can't survive as a hardware only company because they make most of their money by licensing it's software to other companies.  Why leave that business model?  There's no incentive in it for MS or the consumer when it comes to phone OS.

Now, suppose, just for the sake of playing this out, that MS does decide that they need their own hardware in the phone business.  Why Palm?  You overpay for OS developers who are on a completely different track than you are (WebOS is a different platform than WinMo).  If you only need a hardware provider, MS would be much better served by contracting with HTC to provide a MS branded phone.  It would cost half as much, it's already used to your platform, and they're putting out the most innovative hardware on the market (sorry Apple folks, but the iPhone hasn't changed its appearance in 3 years now, to where HTC has a new phone every 2 months or so).

So there you go.  A much simpler and cost saving solution:

Roll Zune into WinMo, if you need hardware contract with HTC.

For the record, I don't think Palm needs to be bought, but if anybody should buy Palm, it's Google.  HTC is selling better phones for Android than the Google "branded" ones,  and since Google doesn't license the Google Brand on software that has been altered, eventually they're going to need their own hardware for control purposes (unless they take the MS approach - we don't need hardware, we just want OS credit).  Palm is a stone's throw from Google HQ, and WebOS and Android are much closer platforms for development.

There was another point being made in that article that I would like to pick at.  The author said that WinMo 6.5 is not a big upgrade (I disagree with that by the way, and I have come 360 on that stance - I dismissed it before I tried it and I suspect he has in this case as well).  On top of that, he says that "any upgrade is up the carrier."

This may be true for Apple and att&t, but is not true for WinMo or Palm.  I find this very perplexing, but people don't call Dell before they upgrade programs on their computer, even an OS, so why is it that they feel they must wait until the carrier releases the update?

My HTC Diamond stayed on WinMo 6.1 with TouchFlo for about 3 months before I switched to early editions of WinMo 6.5 and then new editions of TouchFlo (HTC's interface).  I haven't once called Sprint and when I visit the store I help them with the updates to they can have the new interface.  There's a whole developers world out there for HTC and WinMo phones and I flash a new ROM about every week now because the updates are coming out so fast.  It's absurd to discount a phone OS, especially a WinMo phone, because the "carrier might now upgrade" when it is simple to do it yourself.

For all the negative reasons posted why WinMo is not as good as the iPhone, it's ability to be altered and updated without the permission of MS or your carrier is by far one of it's strengths, not something to complain about. 

I just noticed this thread for the first time, and all I have to say is.  I make phone calls with my cell phone.  It works every time, unless I'm in the mountains of western Maryland.  And that's it.  I'm perfectly happy with that.  And only that.

so i have sprint.  basic phone.  i live in the mountain-ish area of the shenandoah valley, va.  shitty service all around . . . four bars to one bar to no bars to two bars to four bars back to one bar (in the course of one to four minutes) all the time.  i want to upgrade.  the new sprint palm pre looks tasty, but someone in the office just said that every single older version of that phone has sucked ass for reception.  should i just jump onto the iphone bandwagon on at&t?  boy it looks very tasty.  i don't even mind changing my number for work or business cards or anything.  is their reception better (or worth the switch over)?  will iphone ever give up their "retarded, we only serve one carrier even though we'd make alot more money for apple if we just were on more" motto?  i need a new phone asap, so your delightful input is appreciated.

edit - and if i call at&t to ask how's reception out where i live, are they just going to lie to me and say it's great just to sell me a phone.  everybody i know in my office is old and is still stuck on the blackberry kick.  i guess they think the iphone is for the young-uns.

Yes every company is going to tell you that they have  coverage in your area because it says so on the map…

The best thing to do is ask your friends when they come over what carrier they have and if you can see how many bars they get.  You might even ask if you can make a call or two. Then pick the best carrier.

And no, the Pre does not have bad reception, at least not any better or any worse tohan any other Sprint phone in my two months of testing. If you already get bad Sprint reception, a phone is not likely to fix that.

Arthwys wrote:
I just noticed this thread for the first time, and all I have to say is.  I make phone calls with my cell phone.  It works every time, unless I'm in the mountains of western Maryland.  And that's it.  I'm perfectly happy with that.  And only that.

You sound like my grandfather when we tried to get him a computer and he said "I already have a typewriter, what do I need a computer for?" Congratulations.

And just what did you expect to find in a thread titled "iphone" when you clicked it?

Walkonby should have a "more bars" party. Sprint, Verizon, at&t, etc will be well represented. Julian Weblebrity can set up the particulars.

thirsty wrote:
Walkonby should have a "more bars" party. Sprint, Verizon, at&t, etc will be well represented. Julian Weblebrity can set up the particulars.

julian offers Poggenpohl dining rooms, waterford crystal, the finest vino and sparkly, Allmilmö kitchens, and hand woven rugs from pakistan.  i offer national forest hiking, kayaking, camping, grilling steaks/burgers/kabobs, beer that costs 12-36 dollars a six pack, bonfires, and scenes from blair witch (the noises of the forest where i live will scare the shit out you).  you choose.  ;)

Nonsense! The true bon vivant knows how to blend the two.

i can't believe no one has posted this yet…

http://www.theonion.com/content/news/apple_claims_new_iphone_only?utm_source=twitterfeed&utm_medium=twitter

vansmack wrote:
WinMo 6.5 Touchscreen (aka titanium)

Here's a good video to show you what I'm talking about (and why I love WinMo 6.5).  The Microsoft guy even says they've mimicked the Zune interface.  Apparently they're calling it Windows Phone OS now…

http://intruders.tv/inqtv/2009/07/31/windows-phone-os-walkthrough/

vansmack wrote:

Arthwys wrote:
I just noticed this thread for the first time, and all I have to say is.  I make phone calls with my cell phone.  It works every time, unless I'm in the mountains of western Maryland.  And that's it.  I'm perfectly happy with that.  And only that.

You sound like my grandfather when we tried to get him a computer and he said "I already have a typewriter, what do I need a computer for?" Congratulations.

And just what did you expect to find in a thread titled "iphone" when you clicked it?

In a way I admire your grandfather.  While I do enjoy the internet as a way to get to oodles of information quickly and easily, I feel like with cell phones being essentially tiny computers to use facebook and email and websurfing on, every is losing touch with how to live and function without those conveniences. 

I once stood at a pre-arranged meeting place in front of a 7-11 for an hour, waiting for a friend who agreed to meet me at that spot at a certain agreed upon time, so as to head into DC together to see a show at the club.  He came sauntering down the hill an hour late, and seemed surprised to see me!  I asked him what happened, and he informed me that he was under the impression I had stood him up, and wasn't coming.  His line of thinking was, "well, you never called to say you were there, or even in the area."  I had driven from over an hour away to meet him there, and didn't own a cell phone (this was 2004).  I nearly smacked him upside the head.  How was I supposed to call or be expected to call, when we agreed to meet at spot A at time X.  It's not like I carry his phone number around in my pocket and could wander up to the nearest payphone.  Everyone having cell phones and assuming they can change plans and can easily let the other party know that, has given rise to a culture of not going through with commitments. 

Apple Takes the Dick out of Dictionary

That's a ridiculously new low….

the worst part of getting a new phone is adding all the swears to the auto complete

finally: someone who agrees with smackie!

Alt Text: Apple?s Appalling Approach to iPhone App Approvals

sweetcell wrote:
finally: someone who agrees with smackie!

Alt Text: Apple?s Appalling Approach to iPhone App Approvals

I think you mean somebody who's not the FCC?

at&t and Verizon Face the Possibility of an FCC Probe

… aaaaand in order to avoid the FCC probe: iPhone on another network, you say?

Is AT&T losing its grip on the iPhone?

can't happen soon enough.

sweetcell wrote:
… aaaaand in order to avoid the FCC probe: iPhone on another network, you say?

Is AT&T losing its grip on the iPhone?

can't happen soon enough.

Totally agree.  But to the dismay of many, when/if Verizon gets the iphone, all the other players in the smartphone game - RIM, Palm and Windows - are going to take a big hit.

I don't know how much longer RIM can dominate as far as the enterprise is concerned.  Companies that run Blackberry Enterprise Server have to shell out big $$ to run BES…usally runs on it's own server which is expensive, the BES software itself is expensive and each client access license is about $100.  Not to mention the fact that using BES adds two additional points of failure between the mail server and the handset - the BES server itself and the RIM infrastructure which has gone belly up a few times resulting in massive outages for BES users.

Devices that use active sync only have 2 points of failure - the mail server and the handset (and the network connection for both the server and phone if you wnat to get picky).  And there are no added costs…it works right out of the box with exchange without licensing costs etc. 

BES has the advantage in terms of managing the connected handsets remotely, but Exchange is slowly catching up in that dept.

vansmack wrote:

sweetcell wrote:
finally: someone who agrees with smackie!

Alt Text: Apple?s Appalling Approach to iPhone App Approvals

I think you mean somebody who's not the FCC?

at&t and Verizon Face the Possibility of an FCC Probe

i thought that was expected. ..

btw, riverturn's take on having their app getting pulled is great.