I have yet to even see a single wp7 phone in the wild. I think they are a myth, like the yeti or Bigfoot.
A chap I work with has one, and I had a good look at it last week. I have to say, it's pretty much outstanding. The UI is excellent. It's easy to just throw stones at Microsoft, but fair play to them on WP7 - they seem to have done a really good job.
As for the massive phone mockup in New York, that's tremendous! Kudos to Microsoft for what looks to be a pretty smart piece of advertising. I can't believe that's from the same company that are putting a Microsoft shop in Valley Fair mall in San Jose, just across from the Apple shop, and they seem to have decided that by making it twice the size of the Apple shop, it will somehow make it better....
Unfortunately for Microsoft that IS the first prototype of the Windows phone that they put at the curb for trash truck to pick up. Once they realized that it was too big, and yes, it was only when they were throwing it out did they realize it was too big, they just left it there.
Now they are thinking of marketing this phone as a feature which version, large screen, hard to lose... Unfortunately the screen turns blue 4 times an hour for no apparent reason, and it is connected to antenna on top of the building to the right but still has no signal.
I agree -- so long as Microsoft has money to spend, they'll keep spending it on trying to make Windows Phone a success. There's no way they can concede the smartphone market.
But it's going to be really hard. One issue of course is just the challenge of gaining traction in a market that they "entered" far too late. (I intend the word "entered" to be read with irony)
I'm wondering, though, if there might be a second issue. I'm wondering if maybe ordinary people just don't like the tiled interface. The WP7 interface has won universal accolades among the tech pundits, even from enthusiastic Apple guys like Gruber. And while I've never used it myself, or seen it in person, I have always thought that it does look intriguing, original, and perhaps even elegant. But maybe from the perspective of regular folks it just looks confusing and weird. Maybe trying to cram so much information onto a single screen, even if crammed in the most elegant&efficient way possible, is just going too far. Also, while the techno-elite may deride the simple grid of icons on the iPhone as being "Windows 3-like", maybe ordinary folks find it familiar/approachable, for the very reason that it's an interface that they've been using for a couple of decades now. And then finally there's the uncanny ability of the techno-elite to just get things massively wrong sometimes, like when they almost unanimously panned the iPad.
Had the phone come out along side the iPhone I wonder which would have sold best. I suspect iPhone would still have been the most popular for the reasons you give.
There is a reason Steve never used test groups and only followed his gut.
Well the Xbox did arrive a bit late, but it has grown tremendously. Can't say that for the Zune!
It's hit or miss with WinMobile.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Blastdoor
I agree -- so long as Microsoft has money to spend, they'll keep spending it on trying to make Windows Phone a success. There's no way they can concede the smartphone market.
But it's going to be really hard. One issue of course is just the challenge of gaining traction in a market that they "entered" far too late. (I intend the word "entered" to be read with irony)
I'm wondering, though, if there might be a second issue. I'm wondering if maybe ordinary people just don't like the tiled interface. The WP7 interface has won universal accolades among the tech pundits, even from enthusiastic Apple guys like Gruber. And while I've never used it myself, or seen it in person, I have always thought that it does look intriguing, original, and perhaps even elegant. But maybe from the perspective of regular folks it just looks confusing and weird. Maybe trying to cram so much information onto a single screen, even if crammed in the most elegant&efficient way possible, is just going too far. Also, while the techno-elite may deride the simple grid of icons on the iPhone as being "Windows 3-like", maybe ordinary folks find it familiar/approachable, for the very reason that it's an interface that they've been using for a couple of decades now. And then finally there's the uncanny ability of the techno-elite to just get things massively wrong sometimes, like when they almost unanimously panned the iPad.
As long as it helps make people talk about WP7 then it's a good idea. Right now MS's big problem is people still don't know they exist. For every WP7 ad, there's 50 iPhone ads and 20 android ads.
Quote:
Originally Posted by tsa
Me neither, but I am very curious to those new Nokias. OTOH, I don't know if I want to buy something from a company that uses gorilla ways of getting money from stuff they don't even make (Android). At the moment I am very happy with my iPhone and I hope I won't need a new smartphone for the coming three years or so.
Where do you draw the line though? Would you buy an exact copy of an iPhone and then stop buying from Apple after they take action against the people stealing there work? Microsoft was in the smartphone market for a long time, the fact that they never made a decent phone doesn't mean they didn't invent some fundamental tech that goes into these devices.
Quote:
Originally Posted by z3r0
Well the Xbox did arrive a bit late, but it has grown tremendously. Can't say that for the Zune!
Biggest difference there is while the first Xbox didn't do that great the market hung around long enough for them to make a success of the second. The market for portable mp3 players isn't going anywhere but downhill, so it doesn't make any sense to battle Apple for a market that would likely disappear before they could win.
Every time Microsoft gets a royalty payment for an Android Handset = Somebody paying good money to NOT use wince 7.5
It will be interesting to see how long this goes on for. I believe that Google want Motorola for two reasons
1) They want some of their patents, particularly the patents pending approval (the obvious reason).
2) Motorola did not roll over to microsoft and are fighting their licensing claims. By owning Motorala, I think Google want make sure someone takes on Microsoft hoping that some of Microsoft's patents are declared invalid. This would send some manufacturers back to the negotiating table with their android royalty patents.
This is a layman's opinion. Maybe some of the more legally minded could punch holes in it.
Microsoft has installed a six-story interactive Windows Phone structure in New York City's Herald Square as a promotional stunt to increase awareness of its struggling smartphone platform.
No doubt, this display will attract attention. But no matter how you dress it up, it's still crap.
My old IT colleagues have been frothing at the mouth, waiting for Mango, but now that it's somewhat available, not a peep. Probably waiting for more choices, or confirmation of the ability to run Enemy Unknown from the command prompt.
Comments
I have yet to even see a single wp7 phone in the wild. I think they are a myth, like the yeti or Bigfoot.
A chap I work with has one, and I had a good look at it last week. I have to say, it's pretty much outstanding. The UI is excellent. It's easy to just throw stones at Microsoft, but fair play to them on WP7 - they seem to have done a really good job.
As for the massive phone mockup in New York, that's tremendous! Kudos to Microsoft for what looks to be a pretty smart piece of advertising. I can't believe that's from the same company that are putting a Microsoft shop in Valley Fair mall in San Jose, just across from the Apple shop, and they seem to have decided that by making it twice the size of the Apple shop, it will somehow make it better....
Does it run Mango?
How far is it from Wall Street?
How many tents will that small stage accommodate?
Now they are thinking of marketing this phone as a feature which version, large screen, hard to lose... Unfortunately the screen turns blue 4 times an hour for no apparent reason, and it is connected to antenna on top of the building to the right but still has no signal.
Actually... some of us with very fat fingers and/or poor eyesight would prefer a 7-story phone.
That's where Siri comes in useful I would imagine.
I agree -- so long as Microsoft has money to spend, they'll keep spending it on trying to make Windows Phone a success. There's no way they can concede the smartphone market.
But it's going to be really hard. One issue of course is just the challenge of gaining traction in a market that they "entered" far too late. (I intend the word "entered" to be read with irony)
I'm wondering, though, if there might be a second issue. I'm wondering if maybe ordinary people just don't like the tiled interface. The WP7 interface has won universal accolades among the tech pundits, even from enthusiastic Apple guys like Gruber. And while I've never used it myself, or seen it in person, I have always thought that it does look intriguing, original, and perhaps even elegant. But maybe from the perspective of regular folks it just looks confusing and weird. Maybe trying to cram so much information onto a single screen, even if crammed in the most elegant&efficient way possible, is just going too far. Also, while the techno-elite may deride the simple grid of icons on the iPhone as being "Windows 3-like", maybe ordinary folks find it familiar/approachable, for the very reason that it's an interface that they've been using for a couple of decades now. And then finally there's the uncanny ability of the techno-elite to just get things massively wrong sometimes, like when they almost unanimously panned the iPad.
Had the phone come out along side the iPhone I wonder which would have sold best. I suspect iPhone would still have been the most popular for the reasons you give.
There is a reason Steve never used test groups and only followed his gut.
It's hit or miss with WinMobile.
I agree -- so long as Microsoft has money to spend, they'll keep spending it on trying to make Windows Phone a success. There's no way they can concede the smartphone market.
But it's going to be really hard. One issue of course is just the challenge of gaining traction in a market that they "entered" far too late. (I intend the word "entered" to be read with irony)
I'm wondering, though, if there might be a second issue. I'm wondering if maybe ordinary people just don't like the tiled interface. The WP7 interface has won universal accolades among the tech pundits, even from enthusiastic Apple guys like Gruber. And while I've never used it myself, or seen it in person, I have always thought that it does look intriguing, original, and perhaps even elegant. But maybe from the perspective of regular folks it just looks confusing and weird. Maybe trying to cram so much information onto a single screen, even if crammed in the most elegant&efficient way possible, is just going too far. Also, while the techno-elite may deride the simple grid of icons on the iPhone as being "Windows 3-like", maybe ordinary folks find it familiar/approachable, for the very reason that it's an interface that they've been using for a couple of decades now. And then finally there's the uncanny ability of the techno-elite to just get things massively wrong sometimes, like when they almost unanimously panned the iPad.
Me neither, but I am very curious to those new Nokias. OTOH, I don't know if I want to buy something from a company that uses gorilla ways of getting money from stuff they don't even make (Android). At the moment I am very happy with my iPhone and I hope I won't need a new smartphone for the coming three years or so.
Where do you draw the line though? Would you buy an exact copy of an iPhone and then stop buying from Apple after they take action against the people stealing there work? Microsoft was in the smartphone market for a long time, the fact that they never made a decent phone doesn't mean they didn't invent some fundamental tech that goes into these devices.
Well the Xbox did arrive a bit late, but it has grown tremendously. Can't say that for the Zune!
Biggest difference there is while the first Xbox didn't do that great the market hung around long enough for them to make a success of the second. The market for portable mp3 players isn't going anywhere but downhill, so it doesn't make any sense to battle Apple for a market that would likely disappear before they could win.
Strange marketing, it just highlights the whole problem I've found with Windows Phones.
They are too big to fit in your pocket
Consumer Reports would love this phone!
Every time Microsoft gets a royalty payment for an Android Handset = Somebody paying good money to NOT use wince 7.5
It will be interesting to see how long this goes on for. I believe that Google want Motorola for two reasons
1) They want some of their patents, particularly the patents pending approval (the obvious reason).
2) Motorola did not roll over to microsoft and are fighting their licensing claims. By owning Motorala, I think Google want make sure someone takes on Microsoft hoping that some of Microsoft's patents are declared invalid. This would send some manufacturers back to the negotiating table with their android royalty patents.
This is a layman's opinion. Maybe some of the more legally minded could punch holes in it.
Sad to hear Apple may no longer produce desktops, leaves many of us (heavy graphics processing) without options - IM
I have yet to even see a single wp7 phone in the wild. I think they are a myth, like the yeti or Bigfoot.
Same here. I ride the train in Salt Lake and have been looking for someone using a Win7 phone for a long time. I have yet to see a single one.
Funny thing is by most accounts, it's a good phone like the Zune was a good media device.
I know personally it would be my second choice to iPhone.
Sad to hear Apple may no longer produce desktops, leaves many of us (heavy graphics processing) without options - IM
Where in the world are you getting that?!
Microsoft has installed a six-story interactive Windows Phone structure in New York City's Herald Square as a promotional stunt to increase awareness of its struggling smartphone platform.
No doubt, this display will attract attention. But no matter how you dress it up, it's still crap.