This is a piece of a bigger thing: usability of Vista has degraded in many relations. Many simple convenient things which existed in Windows for years are no longer working. To name some I miss personally: can’t add buttons to File Explorer’s toolbar; file search doesn’t work; multiselect in File Explorer doesn’t work; can’t add context menus to folders using Registry.

As I am an MSDN subscriber, I could install Vista on my desktop PC when it first appeared. It took me just a few hours to understand I don’t want this poor quality product, so I reverted back to XP. With new notebooks we do not have that option, because they come with Vista and manufacturers don’t bother making drivers for XP. So I have to “enjoy” the poor quality of OS on my notebook, and struggle it instead of just doing my work, for which a notebook is supposed to be just a tool, rather than a thing I should fight to get things done

I agree that the PC-based sync stuff from Microsoft generally stinks to high heaven. Anyone tried getting ActiveStynk to sync via Bluetooth? It can be done, and I have done it, but I would rather face an appendectomy without anasthesia.

Personally though I’m mostly free from the need to use PC sync stuff though, I really just need it to install new programs. Files transfer fairly quickly through either a memory card reader or over the air with Wifi, and syncing is done via Exchange Activesync, which works pretty darn flawlessly. The only drawback I’ve sen so far is that both my PDA and my phone (a Nokia that also does Exchange Activesync) both start ringing at once when I have something that causes an alarm like a calendar event.

Probably my main beef using various windows mobile based devices is the need to have to reset the unit so often. I get that it’s usually related to the system memory being used up. It would seem that they would do a better job of handling memory management or at least change the paradime of minimizing applications instead of closing them down completely. It would also be nice to see a device with a reasonable amount of memory considering the cost of ram these days; hopefully the iphone will force them to up the ante on that in the near future. I would like to see a smartphone with at least a base memory capacity of 4gb.

I’m actually with Gordon this one. No problems with basic syncing. I cant use a bluetooth connection as a modem but that’s a well documented issue with the Samsung Blackjack.

For now Q1 + Vista + Blackjack since just fine.

Mark Polino

Bizzarely I think I am the only one in the cosmos who has never really had a syncing problem with any of my devices on either the Palm or PPc platform. In fact I currently have both my Treo 600 and HP6515 both syncing perfectly with my Sony UX (and before that with my Acer tablet). I even have bluetooth sync running with the 6515. I loaded Vista on to the UX for a while (I’m back to Tablet OS for a while until I’m happy about the driver thing) and had the 6515 syncing fine within minutes.

Gordon

James, I’m right with you (hold on, let me just soft reset my PC6700). Two things that Microsoft has neglected since the birth of the Pocket PC (and I’ve been there since I converted my Casio PDA to a Pocket PC) are syncing and stability (hold on, let me just soft reset my PC6700).

James I can relate to your Stinky problem, I mean Sync problem. I had been using Windows Mobile devices for 4 years, and before that I was using the Treo 600. I now have the Blackberry 8703e which I just been using for a couple of months; waiting on the 8830 to be released the first of next month, and let me tell you the Sync is awsome had no problems with it. I synced everything over with out no problems and everytime I sync up until now has worked perfect. I’m not saying to change to a BB but from WM and Palm syncing the BB is so far the best in not having problems to sync. I’m using the Q1P with Vista and the BB to sync. Hopefully MS will fix ActiveSync, which I used for many years and had a hit and miss at times.

Hector

It is sad, indeed, James and Marc. One of the reasons I gave up on Vista, when I had the RC2 version, was that it looked to me that the WMDC was just not going to improve. (That was only one of the reasons, though).

I am infuriated not only at MS but at Palm and Apple as well for not only not providing top-notch sync solutions, but for not providing interoperable ones. Getting multiple devices and multiple platforms to sync is not only a technological problem for us users, it looks like you almost have to be lucky to get a consistent syncing solution.

Danged frustrating.

By the way, I am running a contest on my blog on “What is the best Smartphone.” It’s only a $25 reward for the winner, but if you guys want to offer your thoughts there, I would be honored. The two of you have been through more devices than anybody I know and I know you know your stuff.

Take care,
Bruce

James: I feel your pain. Really I do. Much as I like a lot what Microsoft is doing with Windows Mobile from an integration and usability perspective, I simply am unwilling to deal with ActiveStink or its successor (which you and others have confirmed is not really an improvement but more of a porcine cosmetics thing).

If it makes you feel any better (it doesn’t and it shouldn’t, I know), things are no better on the “other side” as Palm is just blowing it big time with us Treo 700p users. Details on my ZDNet blog: http://blogs.zdnet.com/Orchant/?p=461