Windows Phone 7

[Baldrake]

Well, I'm sure everyone who cared saw the extensive coverage of the Windows Phone 7 launch. I really like the look of this OS, but if the lack of interest on this forum is any indication, it's arriving too late.

[Quinton]

With their focus on gaming and xboxlive tie-ins, I'm surprised they're not launching a device with controls other than touchscreen and gyro... would seem to me that going after their xbox audience would be a good plan.

[Ozzu]

The fact that it'll arrive with no copy and paste is kinda silly, but supposedly they're adding it ASAP.

I think it looks pretty nice and it'll be a consideration when my contract is up. I'm also curious what the next Palm device is going to be. I really liked WebOS when I had my Palm Pre Plus.

[Kitsune]

My verizon contract's up in April, I'm hoping for the new stuff to have been in the market long enough to have a clear idea of the pros and cons of all of them by that time.  Microsoft's phone looks nifty, but without some idea of the quality of the programs that'll be coming out for it, I'm far from sold at the moment.

[MisterNoisy]

My AT&T contract is up this month, and I'm really looking forward to jumping ship from iOS to WP7 - I'm really digging what I've seen of the UI so far and MS seems to be making a real go at the mobile market this time.

I like that they're splitting the difference between Apple's 'one true way' and Android's 'wild west' OS/UI/hardware market - I don't much care for most of the 'improvements' that handset makers and carriers are putting on a fair number of their Android offerings and hate the inability to easily update to the latest Android version until the carrier deems my handset worthy.

Also, I literally won't be able to uninstall iTunes fast enough once I no longer need it to keep my phone updated.

[TripleDES]

Right now, I'm split between the Samsung Omnia and HTC Trophy. Former looks more minimalistic and better, latter has SLCD (fuck Pentile).

[Baldrake]

The HTZ Mozart looks really nice, but I do like the indestructible display on the Samsung Focus.

[bhodi]

Seriously? Somebody is planning to buy one? Non-ironically?

[Engels]

Sure, if it works and gets good support from main providers, such as Audible, etc, why not? I'm sick to death of iTunes' stupid design, and although I do like some things about the droid, sometimes its nice to have something that 'just works'. I'm greatful to Apple for their pioneering efforts, but its time for something that neither requires extensive fiddling (droid) or so dumbed down it prevents the user from fixing the danged thing without visiting an Apple 'Genius' bar.

I don't play games on the phone, other than, say, solitaire, and I'm just interested in a email client that has the ability to play music files, has a good podcast bank and can handle audio books.

[MisterNoisy]

Only thing that bugs me is that I really like the Dell Venue Pro, but T-Mobile sucks in my area.

[Baldrake]

Well, what attracts me is very specific. I noodle around with XNA programming, and WinPho7 runs XNA. I like the idea of the Zune pass. I really like the metro design. And Steve Jobs seriously rubs me the wrong way.

[Engels]

Not that Balmer is an oasis of zen meditation either tho.

[Tebonas]

The Windows Phone 7 must be quite different from past Windows phones if it really "just works". I believe that when I see it.

[NiX]

The Windows Phone 7 must be quite different from past Windows phones if it really "just works". I believe that when I see it.

The fact that they acknowledge WinMo prior to 7 was a piece of shit gives me some hope. They seem very geared toward connecting everything and giving people options.

[Baldrake]

Not that Balmer is an oasis of zen meditation either tho.

True, true. But Balmer doing monkey dance just makes me laugh. He seems like a socially inept guy who's trying too hard. Jobs just comes over as an asshole.

[Ozzu]

Quick startup times it looks like.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7JGHwaHcdKA

[KallDrexx]

I'm looking forward to getting this when my contract is up and I switch from VZW to AT&T next Feb (consolidating my cell phone with my GF's for cheaper service for both of us, unless Verizon has IPhones by then and she switches to Verizon).  I like what I see with the OS.

[ghost]

The fact that it'll arrive with no copy and paste is kinda silly

It's not silly.  It's blazing fucking retarded. 

[KallDrexx]

The fact that it'll arrive with no copy and paste is kinda silly

It's not silly.  It's blazing fucking retarded. 

To each their own.  I rarely use copy and paste on my Droid, and the rare times I have tried to use it on a small bit of text (meaning not using copy all) it's a royal pain in the ass and I end up frustrated. 

[NiX]

Same with my iPhone 4. Cut and paste is more of a pain than anything else. I don't think I've successfully used it yet.

[ghost]

Same with my iPhone 4. Cut and paste is more of a pain than anything else. I don't think I've successfully used it yet.

Yeah, it sucks, but at least when I have to use it the function is there.  Not having cut and past is pretty bush league for a smart phone.

[NiX]

It depends on the reasoning behind it. If it boils down to them not being happy with the implementation they originally came up with, I'd say it's a smart move. If they just didn't bother, then I totally agree.

[Samwise]

The fact that it'll arrive with no copy and paste is kinda silly

It's not silly.  It's blazing fucking retarded. 

It worked for the iPhone, right?   

[ghost]

I cut and past on my iPhone almost every day without a problem.  Maybe you guys just need more practice.   

[Samwise]

I cut and past on my iPhone almost every day without a problem.  Maybe you guys just need more practice.  

At release?  

[ghost]

If you're implying that the iPhone didn't have cut and paste at release that is largely irrelevant.  The iPhone has it now and it has worked great since they put it in.  There's no reason Microsoft can't put in cut and paste right now. 

[naum]

I cut and past on my iPhone almost every day without a problem.  Maybe you guys just need more practice.  

At release?  

Yes, but copy|cut and paste has been in the iPhone for almost 2 years now.

And its implementation is a good one, even if the initial grokking is awkward — but once you get used to it, it's almost less brainless than using the mouse. It's just that recognition that you have to hold your finger down for a second or two to get the action going.

Releasing a phone without that feature or doing it in a bungled and/or disjointed manner is a failure.

That said, the bigger issue for a phone that I am told is actually pretty nice is the lack of apps — Microsoft may poo poo apps and lampoon smartphone users, but people like using apps on their phone. And if they're going to go after the market of non-smartphone users who just want a simple phone, then pricing will have to be in accordance with that posture.

[ghost]

The Windows 7 phone OS actually sounds great for me.  I have an iPad, shittons of macs and macbooks and Windows 7 machines.  I don't need every electronic device I have to do the same shit and have been threatening to go back to a very basic cell phone.  Plus all the features on the iPhone other than the games seem to drain battery life and I have trouble with that as it is.  I may actually check out one of these phones.

[naum]

The Windows 7 phone OS actually sounds great for me.  I have an iPad, shittons of macs and macbooks and Windows 7 machines.  I don't need every electronic device I have to do the same shit and have been threatening to go back to a very basic cell phone.  Plus all the features on the iPhone other than the games seem to drain battery life and I have trouble with that as it is.  I may actually check out one of these phones.

Understood, but the question here is on pricing — $200 for a Windows 7 phone (HTC coming in November) and comparable monthly fee for a nice, app-less, copy-and-paste-less phone?

It needs to be priced cheaper than that to succeed.

[Samwise]

Understood, but the question here is on pricing — $200 for a Windows 7 phone (HTC coming in November) and comparable monthly fee for a nice, app-less, copy-and-paste-less phone?

It needs to be priced cheaper than that to succeed.

Yup, this is all still sounding very familiar.  

All I'm saying is that the feature set on release is irrelevant to long-term success.  A half-baked initial release just means that they can double-dip from the fanboys and/or get an easy publicity bump when they finish adding basic functionality and do a re-release.

[naum]

Understood, but the question here is on pricing — $200 for a Windows 7 phone (HTC coming in November) and comparable monthly fee for a nice, app-less, copy-and-paste-less phone?

It needs to be priced cheaper than that to succeed.

Yup, this is all still sounding very familiar.  

All I'm saying is that the feature set on release is irrelevant to long-term success.  A half-baked initial release just means that they can double-dip from the fanboys and/or get an easy publicity bump when they finish adding basic functionality and do a re-release.

But it's not the same.

Windows is hawking it's "feature-less-ness"…
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EHlN21ebeak

Apple, in contrast, featured commercials even back in '07 upon initial product launch, that the iPhone could do all, and take the place of PDA, mp3 player as it integrated into one phone. And then later, after adding AppStore, now features apps in every ad.

[ghost]

All I'm saying is that the feature set on release is irrelevant to long-term success.  

All I'm saying is it better have cut and paste if they expect me to replace my iPhone with it. 

[Samwise]

It was only a matter of time before this thread devolved into another iPhone flamewar.  Luckily since we're talking about "at release" everything is fair game.


 

[naum]

It was only a matter of time before this thread devolved into another iPhone flamewar.  Luckily since we're talking about "at release" everything is fair game.


 

You are the one that transformed the thread into iPhone hater mode.

What relevance is it the state of cellphone tech ~3 years ago for today's market?

Like it or not, Apple transformed the smartphone market — you can draw a line and the market radically changed afterwards. Android and Apple are the big players now, with their own sets of strengths and weaknesses, others are being left behind in the dust (including RIM and Nokia) in comparison to those two big players.

[KallDrexx]

Pretty long but thorough WP7 review up on Ars.