My Thoughts ... : Windows Mobile

Your 3G iPhone Is Broken - Do You Care ?

Donnie Wilemon — Fri, 29 Aug 2008 16:47:03 GMT

I thought this story on MSNBC was very interesting ... more proof about the growing issues Apple is dealing with around quality, technical issues, and customer satisfaction. It's so fascinating to see how the media continues to treat Apple with kid gloves by turning what would otherwise be very negative press for any other company, especially Microsoft, and spin it to something positive in regard to their "fanboy" base. As you can no doubt tell from my previous postings, I am ready for some "reality reporting" for Apple ... Yes, I understand what they do well and I am more than ready to admit that - but when they do some of the same things that other tech companies get crucified for in the press, I think they should be exposed and treated in the same manner.

"Such a string of mishaps and missteps might throw another electronics company into crisis. But of course, Apple Inc. isn't just another electronics company." ... This is exactly what I'm talking about ! I would ask this author for an explanation of just why Apple isn't just another electronics company. When they screw something up, they should be called on it roundly - even more so considering how the media has gushed over everything they've done for the last several years regardless of how truly innovative it was (or not).

"There was no going back at that point, but after I sold it, I quickly started to regret it," he said. Bruce's complaints echo countless Web forum posts: The device gets uncomfortably warm. Programs crash. And it so seldom connects to AT&T's speedier third-generation, or 3G, data network that Bruce carries the iPhone around with 3G turned off." ... Another quote from a devoted Apple fanboy. The device gets warm. It crashes constantly. It never connects to the 3G network (which was supposed to be the entire reason for the second iPhone release). Yet why isn't there some sort of outcry in the media to begin to paint Apple as a dismal failure with this release at least technically ? This article was buried 10 headlines deep on MSNBC.

This article also contains complaints about Macbook Airs getting too warm and other issues (iTunes, etc). That said, every tech company has issues with releases ... but everyone should be held to at least similar standards by at least the same media that routinely criticizes other companies. Apple's response to this article ?

"Apple, which declined to comment for this story, said little as complaints rolled in, then released a software fix it said would improve the device's ability to connect to 3G networks. Since then, users on various sites have reported no improvement."

Must be nice.

What about Blackberries ?

Donnie Wilemon — Mon, 25 Aug 2008 18:21:09 GMT

** Update: I've gotten some comments about inaccuracies here; investigation on my end ensues. Thanks for your patience and take this information with an asterisk for now. My apologies for now. **

I am an equal opportunity guy, so, while I'm at it, let's discuss some points about the Blackberry that you might not know ... especially in regard to a Windows Mobile device.

1. Did you know you can’t view HTML e-mail on any of the BlackBerry phones for sale today?
2. BlackBerry’s e-mail server has gone down several times over the last year, which means BlackBerry users couldn’t e-mail, possibly at vital moments.
3. With BlackBerry devices, you can only choose from a few devices that are on the market. Did you know that none of them offer a touch screen yet?
4. Did you know there’s almost no customization on BlackBerrys, besides changing the home screen?
5. To listen to music on a BlackBerry, you must use Roxio Music Manager. On Windows Mobile, just use your existing Windows Media Player playlists.
6. Document edits made on Blackberry devices are lost when transferred to a PC. With Office Mobile, only on Windows Mobile, you can work on docs just like your PC.
7. Windows Mobile works perfectly with Exchange ActiveSync. Advanced security policies help to secure corporate assets and personal data.
8. With a Windows Mobile Phone, you can display PowerPoint presentations on a screen by connecting to a Bluetooth projector. With a BlackBerry, you’ll always need your laptop.
9. You can keep in touch with Pocket MSN on Windows Mobile. Instant messaging enables you to say “hello” to your friends, just like on your PC.
10. With the Live Search application on your Windows Mobile phone, you can find cheap gas, the latest movies, and more ...

Is the iPhone Perfect ? What you might not know ...

Donnie Wilemon — Sat, 23 Aug 2008 20:09:41 GMT

Highly doubtful if you go by what is now beginning to leak out from those that would otherwise look for any reason to buy an iPhone. Apparently there is some momentum beginning to build behind the problems the iPhone is encountering. I thought this was a very interesting read from an Apple fanboy site you're probably already familiar with - www.gizmodo.com. Check this out ...

The iPhone 3G is infuriatingly buggy. It crashes. It doesn't get great speeds when it should, switching to EDGE in areas that have 3G coverage. Coming out of the subway, it takes minutes to find a signal again and stop claiming to get "No Service" in the middle of Manhattan, often requiring a restart. Requiring a restart to get service! What is this crap? And when I do have service, calls still drop and fail all the time. The keyboard lags so much that writing text messages is more annoying than using T9 texting on a number pad. The orientation switching when you rotate the phone is inconsistent at best. Backups take minutes, sometimes hours. Sometimes, the audio output dies and it needs to be restarted to listen to music through headphones ...

... but wait, there's more ...

I called Apple famed customer support to see if they had any solutions for these bugs. Their fix for my problem getting service when coming out of the subway? Turn Airplane Mode on and off. If there's a more ghetto fix for a problem than that, I'd like to hear it. Last time I checked the C train didn't have wings. As for when all of these bugs will be fixed, the guy on the phone said "Sooner or later it'll be working to its full potential ... If you're interested in reading the entire rant, check out http://gizmodo.com/5040593/cranky-windows-guy-apples-iphone-bugs-stopped-me-from-switching-to-a-mac.

>> In regard to Windows Mobile versus the iPhone, did you know ...

1. The iPhone has no physical keyboard. With Windows Mobile, you can choose a keyboard, a touch screen, or both! Your phone is truly personal.
2. Window Mobile lets you multitask, with two applications running at the same time. Only one application can run at a time on the iPhone.
3. Windows Mobile camera phones can take pictures up to 5 megapixels. The iPhone’s camera is only 2 megapixels with no flash, video, or optical zoom.
4. ... the iPhone can’t record videos? With Windows Mobile, you can, with up to 640×480 resolution and 30 frames per second (FPS).
5. The iPhone does not have an exchangeable battery. All Windows Mobile phones do.
6. The iPhone’s Web browser still doesn’t support Adobe Flash — if you visit a Flash website, all you’ll get is white space and error messages.
7. With an iPhone, you’ll pay extra if you leave the US— expect charges up to $20 per megabyte and no image downscaling or data compression.
8. Using an iPhone in the car isn’t really hands-free. No voice dialing and limited navigation and Bluetooth ...
9. The iPhone will cost more over the mandatory two-year contract than what its predecessors did, even with the lower price point.
10. Bottom line: the iPhone still has no removable battery, no voice dialing, no picture messaging, no video recording, no Copy and Paste.

Windows Mobile Smashes iPhone Sales, Easily

Donnie Wilemon — Sat, 12 Jul 2008 00:40:42 GMT

You have to wonder why this kind of news isn't more prominently featured in the at-large press ... could there be some sort of illogical bias or HYPE with the media in regard to their "relationship" with Apple ? Seriously - you'd think every other person on earth had an iPhone ... the simple truth of the matter, according to IDC, (the premier global provider of market intelligence, advisory services, and events for the information technology, telecommunications, and consumer technology markets), is that Windows Mobile sold approximately 4.5 million phones during the year's first quarter, up 1.8 million year-over-year. Apple, meanwhile, sold only 1.7 million iPhones according to IDC's figures for the same quarter - Microsoft was actually up more for the quarter YOY than Apple sold the entire quarter !

Reality in the Smartphone Device Space

Donnie Wilemon — Tue, 17 Jun 2008 21:12:35 GMT

I realize that there is quite a bit of hysteria around a certain device in the mobility space these days, so I thought it might be a good idea to drop some facts about the mature and extensive success of the Windows Mobile platform ... all this with no help from a fawning media providing untold billions of dollars worth of free marketing !

- Microsoft sold 11 million Windows Mobile licenses in FY07, double the number sold in FY06
- Microsoft solidly expects to sell 20 million Windows Mobile licenses in FY08
- The HTC Touch alone sold over 2 million units just this past year
- Windows Mobile continues to gain market share in enterprise businesses
- RIM experienced 6 major outages in the previous 12 months compared to ZERO for Windows Mobile
- Windows Mobile is one of the most diverse platforms available offering 50 device partners and 140+ phone designs worldwide
- Windows Mobile devices have consistent APIs from device to device (by comparison, Java is very fragmented)
- Momentum: 14.3 million devices shipped in 2007 and YOY growth of close to 100%. (Gartner, Mar 2008)
- Secure: By comparison, no support for natively secure data on an iPhone with file or disk encryption (Forrester, Dec 2007)

My New Windows Mobile Motorola Q9c

Donnie Wilemon — Fri, 06 Jun 2008 07:57:00 GMT

I just purchased a brand new Windows Mobile 6 device from Verizon ... the Motorola Q9c. The device is much sleeker and easier to use than my previous device, the original Motorola Q that I'd had for over 2.5 years. That said, I am a little disappointed that Verizon didn't ship the device with Windows Mobile 6.1 (with the new GUI), but encouraged as I hear that a firmware upgrade will be coming shortly (which is a rarity for Verizon). Hopefully it won't be long as Sprint has already posted their 6.1 upgrade for their version of the Q9c.

Coolest new features I've enjoyed from a business perspective of my everyday life ...

1. Ability to handle IRM'd email
2. Better email-to-name resolution
3. HTML-rendered email
4. Pocket Office
5. Searching in my Exchange email folders remotely

... why, oh why, Verizon, do you lock the devices so tightly ! I would like to use the built-in GPS with Windows Live Mobile.