Mobile makers "covering up" for Windows Mobile

Another way of looking at it: If manufacturers didn't customise the software, there would be little to differentiate the various phones. At least each manafacturer can 'value add'.

By Stiggy on 13 Aug 2009

paul.rothwell@rothwell-son.co.uk

My son and I share a subscription for your mag.
I'm wondering how much Samsung are paying you to bull up their laptops?!

I agree with GAZZAT5 that the Samsung R610 should be removed from the A-List albeit for slightly different reasons!! I would go further and say that all Samsung Laptops should be rubbished for the abysmal rendition on their display panels.

It is by no means easy to view new laptops in operation before purchase to check the quality of their displays and no doubt many rely on you to be absolutely accurate.

By PARROT2 on 13 AUG 09

By parrotface2 on 13 Aug 2009

looks more like an anti wm agenda, after all that very misleading "htc abandons windows" review headline was competely wrong. wm has been "open" to change unlike iphone, but it has meant there are "several" platforms around. then samsung really messed up with the overlay they put on the omnia. it will get better but it isnt that bad. the specs on many wm phones still blow the others away, they just are not always so easy to use

By equityguru on 13 Aug 2009

however... it really doesnt matter who makes the phone and what the operating system is, when the likes of orange disable half the features and dump their own horrid apps on the phone

By equityguru on 13 Aug 2009

The problem, is that with WinMo, MS set about trying to make a full computer platform for mobile devices. Which they succeeded at. WinMo is a classic example of form follows function.

However, Apple have created a very locked down interface that mimicks the behaviour of a computer (can't even multi-task). But none of that matters becuase the interface is so slick. A classic example of function follows form. For the average user the iPhones massively restrictive interface and simple apps are perfect.

MS really need to to a massive overhaul of their OS. WinMo 6.5 is not enough. Although it has some really nice features, it's still window dressing (excuse the pun).

By Grunthos on 13 Aug 2009

They have a point, but...

...HTC is also adding their whizzy front end to the latest Android phones.

Sure, Windows Mobile (in its current version) sucks. Big time. But the make-up that people normally apply to its face is as much about branding as it is covering up Microsoft's ugliness.

By PaulOckenden on 13 Aug 2009

Did they just figure that out?!

Now we know why the world economy is in such a state.

Anybody with half a brain could have figured that out.

By therebbe on 13 Aug 2009

@therebbe

Were Gartner to rebrand themselves as "The Department of Stating the Effing Obvious", there would, I think, be few protests :).

Grunthos has sort of a point, IMO, but my problem with that is that as a daily user of WinMo (6.1 as it happens...) in its HTC'ed form, I honestly don't see what the fuss is about the user interface. There are any number of ways to skin it, and not just from the manufacturers - SPB Mobile Shell springs to mind - but I've used WinMo without Touchflo or SPB or whatever else, and it's perfectly usable; the only thing which I regard as an absolute must is a better browser (mostly, I use Opera Mini, but also use full-blown Opera on occasion).

By nichomach1 on 18 Aug 2009