I'm leaving you, Windows Mobile...

[Guest battletank]

After many years and countless devices to demonstrate my absolute commitment to you, I've finally been tempted away from Windows Mobile.

My fondness for you began long before your first phone - I first laid eyes on you in one of the very first Windows CE 'handheld' devices; It had a black and white screen, and Ericsson(!) I think made it. I was in love.

When the first SPV was released, I got one. Then I got a PocketPC edition, then I got a compact PocketPC edition, when the rules were 'relaxed'. With each new device, I loved you more and more. I've tried big ones, I've tried small ones. And everything in between. Everything you offered was lovely.

Then I saw the iPhone. I found myself feeling things I didn't like to admit to. Okay, it didn't have 3G, and you couldn't legitimately install apps on it (remember the SPV?), but that interface! It was soooo beautiful. Stunning. I stuck it out with you, though, thinking that the Experia or the Diamond would remind me just how beautiful you can be.

Now, there's an iPhone with 3G. It has a battery which lasts more than a day. It works with Exchange. I can't deny my true feelings any more. I mean, the Diamond looks pretty, sure, but it still has all those annoying little traits I've grown to tolerate. I've been seduced now, and I don't think there's any turning back. I just don't love you any more.

[Guest tsutton]

I think you'll come back. :D

If not, feel free to hang around in iPhone section at MoDaCo's sister site - http://www.ApplePhones.com

[Guest nforsans]

I, too, was unsure of my feelings, but I must admit the confusion did not last for more than 2 days. I'm not into tops or bottoms, but into versatile devices and the iPhone 3G is not :-( I've learnt to like hooking it to my laptop for internet access on the move, and when u feel the urge the iPhone 3G is of not much help :-( there's no video recording when u want to record ur achievements either, no mms, no easy jailbreaking... all those things that made me stick to winmo for the past eight years. remember the casio cassiopeia (first love)?

No longer confused, the touch diamond will be my next half, just waiting for the price to drop a bit and for the pinky t-mo version to reach the shelves :-)

After many years and countless devices to demonstrate my absolute commitment to you, I've finally been tempted away from Windows Mobile.

My fondness for you began long before your first phone - I first laid eyes on you in one of the very first Windows CE 'handheld' devices; It had a black and white screen, and Ericsson(!) I think made it. I was in love.

When the first SPV was released, I got one. Then I got a PocketPC edition, then I got a compact PocketPC edition, when the rules were 'relaxed'. With each new device, I loved you more and more. I've tried big ones, I've tried small ones. And everything in between. Everything you offered was lovely.

Then I saw the iPhone. I found myself feeling things I didn't like to admit to. Okay, it didn't have 3G, and you couldn't legitimately install apps on it (remember the SPV?), but that interface! It was soooo beautiful. Stunning. I stuck it out with you, though, thinking that the Experia or the Diamond would remind me just how beautiful you can be.

Now, there's an iPhone with 3G. It has a battery which lasts more than a day. It works with Exchange. I can't deny my true feelings any more. I mean, the Diamond looks pretty, sure, but it still has all those annoying little traits I've grown to tolerate. I've been seduced now, and I don't think there's any turning back. I just don't love you any more.

Edited July 7, 2008 by nforsans

[Guest WearTheFoxHat]

Oh pants ... I feel like the meat in between a Battletank and nforsans sandwich! lol

I totally understand Battletank's sentiments about fiddly nuances, and just wanting something functional and simple. BUT I can also understand nforsans requirements of video, mms, tethering.

Can you tell I am a tormented man?

[Guest jimbouk]

I was the same. One month ago, I was definitely going to the iphone 3g. Nothing could change my mind.

With exchange activesync, the iphone 3g offers everything I need.

Then I started to log all the things I do with my O Tytn2. For example, WM6 Remote desktop onto a client's server to restart services... use copilot... ring all my clients wih orange phones for free... get two free upgrades for both my numbers... and so my local Orange shop is now getting slightly fed up with my calls to see if Diamonds have arrived yet.

[Guest WearTheFoxHat]

I think despite the WM nuances, I've now invested a fair amount of cash/time/effort into WM devices, and will most likely get the Omnio (i900). It seems to have all I want.

[Guest Boinng]

I'm on the cusp. There's no question that WM is a versatile beast, I'll miss the freeware, the adaptability... but I won't miss the awful battery life, or the poor multimedia on my kaiser, or the fiddly interface, or those bugs (mysterious power drains, terrible GPS under 6.1, sudden volume drops), or the bulk...

Last year's Iphone was limited and massively overpriced, this year's Iphone is very affordable, syncs with Exchange, has fast data and GPS, and an app store with all manner of goodies afoot. It really has changed things.

As much as I've enjoyed the kaiser on the whole, it may well prove to be my last WinMo device. There's nothing WM on the horizon that I can honestly say I like as much as the idea of an Iphone.

[Guest chucky.egg]

I've been having the same thoughts (not for the iPhone I should say, just dissatisfied with WM lately and the annoyances you "learn to tolerate").

Niggly stuff generally, and unable to find the "perfect" hardware - for example, between 07:30 and 10:00 today my Kaiser ate 66% of it's battery. Why?

I'm probably going to get a Symbian device next (Nokia E71 looks likely), but I doubt I'll leave WM entirely.

[Guest dearsina]

I share your sentiments, friends, but three things have held me off running to O2 with cash in hand.

1. It's locked down like press freedom in North Korea, not just to the operator, and Apple, but also to iTunes and to the App Store.

2. You can't just drag and drop a few MP3s and DivX films you got from Mininova to enjoy on the train.

3. No keyboard.

Take away the first two even, and I wave goodbye to Windows faster than Diana dumped Charles for Al-Fayed.

[Guest WearTheFoxHat]

I do agree that Nokia E71 looks rather nice ... oooh I still feel all dirty for saying that. I was a massive nokia fan for my first few phones, but then they got into silly shapes and daft interfaces.

Out of interest I just noticed on XDA that there is a "Google Android" for the Kaiser. Has anyone dared to try this yet?

[Guest Boinng]

I take dearsina's points, but still - the Appstore promises plenty of freeware, jailbreaking and hacks are/will be available if the lock-ins get too much, and dragging and dropping music or video into itunes is no biggie - in fact, in all fairness, itunes does a pretty good job.

The lack of keyboard is a definite minus, but then it's smaller, slimmer, lighter etc...

[Guest Dark Horse]

Interesting post this, on the whole, I reckon the WM Smartphone platform is top of the list when it comes to versatility, functionality and annonyingly stupid bugs that should have been resolved years ago. For me, the advantages of the first 2 points more than outweigh the last one. Also, I'm in somewhat of a curious situation having three major platforms that I use regularly on a day to day to basis.

The Windows Mobile Smartphone (i600) device is my own handset that does everything I want it to. Whether it's continuous MP3 or Simpsons episodes on a non-stop 7 hour flight or remote email and wifi access in an Egyptian bazaar, it tends to deliver everything I want and I like the fact that it's a real enthusiasts handset that you can tinker around with to make it your own. Sure, battery life could be improved, ActiveStink is utter crap and those Win Mob bugs veer more on the side of bloody annoying rather than mild nuance but comparatively, this platform works for me in spades.

The Blackberry 8800 (work phone) is one of those devices that does a couple of things really, really, *really* well. Email is an absolute breeze and standard functions that I take for granted on the handset (cut and paste, notification LED's, stable OS, speed, super battery life) are sorely missing from the Win Mob platform. The UI is a bit clunky but as a device primarily built around and geared towards corporate level email in the enterprise, it's bullet proof. Bugbears? The downside of a stable and secure OS is that you're tied into the whole BlackBerry platform that's strictly off limits to tinkerers. However, if email was my primary concern (and it isn't), this is absolutely the device I'd go for.

That leaves me with the Nokia E61i, my wife's handset that I use almost as much as the i600. Why? Because the UI is second to none and Nokia have had plenty of time to hone this through the various iterations of Symbian over the years far more effectively than Win Mob ever has. That means, I can get through emails quicker and easier and it's far more efficient at organising my life. The E61i runs Symbian S60 series 3 and it's intuitive, quick and has shed loads of apps available for it. Battery life is great and even the new E71 has mini USB, a sure sign as any that Nokia are keen to make their devices even more accessible. Where the Nokia is let down, and badly, is by the bundled sync software. If you thought ActiveSync was rubbish (and it is), try the Nokia Suite. This bloated piece of craporama software is so bad, I'm amazed that anyone actually uses it. Think of it as the opposite end to a balanced equation whereby everything good ended up in Symbian and all the junk ended up in Nokia Suite. Its sole redeeming feature is the ability to backup SMS, functionality you'd have thought MS would have nailed back in the days of the original SPV

So where does that leave me? My ideal device has a small form factor, wifi, a keyboard, lets me sync contacts and SMS, pop the hood and tweak the handset to my liking whilst also allowing me to install whatever I want, when I want without any restrictions or specific formats. Both Win Mob and Nokia let me do that. I have no loyalty to either platform and go for whatever meets my requirements. Right now, I'm happy with the i600 but if that wasn't available, I would have gone down the Nokia E61i route a long time ago, especially as the UI is far superior.

I agree with one of the original comments on the thread that currently, there is absolutely nothing on the horizon in the Win Mob Smartphone world that looks even remotely interesting. I have zero interest in PocketPC as an OS and the devices that you need to run it. For that reason, this may very well be my last Win Mob handset until we see the likes of more innovation such as the HTC S710.

Oh, and anyone considering the E71, if you hated the keyboard of the Blackberry 8800, definitely try before you buy, the E71 keyboard is even worse :D

Edited July 8, 2008 by Dark Horse

[Guest battletank]

What can I say? I know I have a flexibility with my WinMo that I might miss, but here's the thing - iPhone will get that too... my only real concern is network (O2 vs. TMob), not device.

A friend just demonstrated an app on the original (jailbroken) iPhone that lets him use it as a wireless AP for his Edge connection. So it does tether - and does so without a cable. No doubt something similar will be available on the 3G model - maybe even with bluetooth too. He has many movies and MP3's on his phone, and I *know* he wouldn't pay for them, so I can only assume iTunes is more flexible than others might imagine. The experience is everything that WinMo should be; a browser that is as effortless as a big screen and everything easily managed with one hand. Oh, and typing seems to be as good as as 'real' phone keyboard I've used. I think the multi-touch interface is, on it's own, a good enough reason to lust after this phone.

It's probably also worth admitting I did briefly have an 'affair' - I had a Nokia N95 on the side, while my Touch remained my main phone. I liked it more than I could admit. Fast, useful, and a great camera. I bought a Nokia N810 off the back of it, and I love this device too; it isn't a phone, but it fulfills the 'enthusiast' urge in me that the iPhone may not address.

I've ordered the iPhone 3G. On Friday, my Touch Dual is destined to join all it's older sisters gathering dust in my drawer. It's a big moment for me, and perhaps in a few generations time, I'll go back, but right now, I'm soooo over WinMo.

[Guest WearTheFoxHat]

I think more of us here would probably try the iPhone if it were on T-Mo or Three where their packages seem fairer, and from my experience, the customer service does actually provide a service.

[Guest Dark Horse]

I think more of us here would probably try the iPhone if it were on T-Mo or Three where their packages seem fairer, and from my experience, the customer service does actually provide a service.

Given that some 70% of the UK market is PAYG, I reckon the far bigger barrier to iPhone is primarily the cost with maturity of the OS as a secondary consideration for hardcore users. Despite the lovely UI that is indeed much better than anything MS could have dreamt up, the iPhone is still a new handset and it'll take time for it to mature. For that reason, I'd wait for a 3rd of 4th generation handset before considering taking the plunge, hopefully by then, it'd be a lot easier to mess around with rather than having to break the thing just to tweak it to your liking.

[Guest battletank]

Given that some 70% of the UK market is PAYG, I reckon the far bigger barrier to iPhone is primarily the cost

I think this is a problem shared with WinMo as well - the difference is that WinMo has traditionally targeted the 10% of phone users who pay by contract and want smart phones. IPhone will successfully manipulate the market and put data and contract phones in the hands of people who would previously never have considered either.

[Guest Chacu]

Have you got your Iphone yet? If so, what are your first impressions? Could you compare it to WinMob in a post with pros and cons? Thanks

Chacu

[Guest creamhackered]

I switched to iPhone as well. I feel a bit dirty about doing it but I can't wait for Microsoft to get their act together and build a decent touch interface. HTC have done so well and I really respect them. Without HTC god knows where Windows Mobile would be right now.

[Guest jimbouk]

Thisweek I have set up 15 Diamonds and 15 Iphone 3g's.

Both clients coincidentally have Small Business Server 2003 R2.

One has Macbookpro's has users machines, the other has a mix of vista and xp desktops and laptops.

Both types of device were very simple to set up with exchange activesync and both do a very good job.

Interestingly all the Iphone sers thought my Diamond looked amazing and wanted them instead and all the Diamond Users loved the Iphone 3g I was carrying around.

For me - the Diamond is now five days old and it has grown more and more on me each day.

[Guest mikeeey]

The only thing i can compare windows mobile to is Symbian. s60 is probably my second favorite OS, but NEVER would i put apple higher than microsoft. I just really hate the way they market their products and people's views on apple. I think most HTC devices are better than the iphone. until the iphone gets some more hard keys (keyboard) then it will be worth a competition.

I've just always like Windows mobile for the 3rd Party apps. And i like nokia for their advanced hardware (usually better camera, FM radio, TV), and there is a reasonable amount of 3rd part apps for symbian. to tell you the truth, if they made a Nokia PDA (touchscreen, keyboard, etc) i would get it.