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New editorial policy: Windows Mobile Phones SUCK

I had an email from a very nice lady representing Acer. Acer, of course, are launching a mobile handset shortly.

I was dead keen to hear from her. She did a brilliant job of pitching me.

Unfortunately Acer have decided to launch their first handset with …

Windows Sodding Mobile.

I’ve had enough.

That’s it, no more bollocks about Windows Mobile. It’s a heap of junk and needs to be seriously, SERIOUSLY refreshed.

I’m not interested in reading anything about ANY Windows Mobile device. At all. EVER.

Therefore we will — from now on — carry no more coverage about Windows Mobile devices until such time as the team at Microsoft get wit’ tha’ programme. And I know they can.

It’s far, far too annoying to have to sit down and spend time looking and admiring at a (usually) rather nice looking device only to switch it on and see the familiar bollocks interface.

Far too depressing.

Last year, this viewpoint could possibly have been seen as narrow-minded (although I have written extensively about the issues I have with the OS), but this year — right now — on the cusp of Mobile World Congress and a bucketload of industry changing dynamics about to hit — Windows Mobile (inc upcoming semi refresh) is tired, tired, tired.

I’ll always have an eye out for a really, really innovative offering from Microsoft. Either from their Windows Mobile team or from their new divisions.

But until then, join me in agreeing that Windows Mobile is most definitely 1999 and not suitable for 2009 in any way, shape or form. Except for the nutters who insist it’s perfectly fine to spend their lives staring at mobile hour glasses. The same nutters who like to stand on train platforms using their Windows Mobile styluses. It ain’t swish, it ain’t good looking, it ain’t smart.

Next.

11 COMMENTS

  1. How could I, in all seriousness, put up a Microsoft related advertisement or sponsorship on Mobile Industry Review, after the continual drubbing we've given the operating system? If Microsoft sat the whole team down and said 'er, yeah, we know and this is what we're doing about it' — and prove that this they are serious about resolving the OS issues, then very possibly. But otherwise, no, no and thrice no.

  2. the non touch windows mobile fuckin ROCKS
    the T9 is the best there is – it even suggests next word based on you most uses sentence formation.
    Every menu has a keypad short cut
    if you use windows it integrates well (and theres missing sync for mac)
    sadly its well overlooked
    the S710 wasa great handset – possibly just a bit sluggish. and its new S740 look the business.

  3. Article is spot on. I've been saying for years Microsoft don't get mobile. At all. They think it's a desktop PC on a small screen. And I mean that in engineering terms as well as UI. What I don't understand is how the industry seems in the least bit surprised by this. Vista is an engineering and design travesty on every level. Most Microsoft software has for years been crippled by bloat and bugs and insane design decisions, requiring souped up hardware just to draw the user interface at a reasonable speed. Meanwhile Linux (for example) breezes along merrily and “just works” on much lower powered hardware.

    The reason for all this is simple: Microsoft's fundamental “design by committee approach” to software engineering, where every tiny feature is locked up in a quagmire of middle management and disparate engineers across multiple teams. Read this for an insight: http://moishelettvin.blogspot.com/2006/11/windo
    which leads to 15 ways to shut down Vista: http://www.joelonsoftware.com/items/2006/11/21….

    Successful (as in producing quality engineering) software houses by and large have small, tightly knit and focused teams, the more autonomous the better. Google are one example. Until Microsoft RADICALLY restructure their engineering teams and management, it is inevitable that they will go on producing real rubbish. Given their repeated abusive market tactics and illegality over the years, a Microsoft free mobile world would be no great loss, especially considering mobiles are the next gen of “personal computers”. But if they change their behaviour, and their engineering quality, then I'm all for giving them a 2nd chance.

    It is also noteworthy that the American mobile market still thinks mobile is Windows Mobile, or iPhone, or Blackberry. Lets hope the light reaches them one day 🙂

    Alex
    phonething.com

  4. I'm with you…I'm well on my second device with WM and pleasantly surprised. Then again…I use it for low level Smartphoning. Anything heavy duty, I hop right over to my Blackberry.

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