Windows Mobile vs. Android: WinMo Is Better Than You Think
Android is the hot phone platform, with market share growing at a rapid pace, and handsets with the OS being touted across the web. I have been impressed with how far Android has come in a relatively short time, and how well it has penetrated the market. Windows Mobile has seen recent updates, an all-too-infrequent occurrence, and is often getting bashed for being a dated smartphone platform. I have dished out my fair share of criticisms about Windows Mobile, largely due to being such a longtime enthusiast who has grown jaded.
I set my cynical attitude aside and compared WinMo with Android, and the fact of the matter is, WinMo is better than you might think. When you compare the two platforms in the major areas that matter the most, the results may surprise you.
When you talk about what makes a good smartphone, some key abilities are usually mentioned. The ability to run many apps at the same time, multi-tasking, is always at the forefront of such discussions. The number of apps available for a given platform is a hot topic. The user interface is also right up there in discussions about phone platforms. And you can’t overlook the ability of a platform to integrate with the user’s computer desktop, as comments across the web bear witness.
Let’s break down these major abilities and compare Android to Windows Mobile to see how each fares.
Multi-tasking
Android is often touted for its ability to run multiple apps at the same time. My experience with Android phones bears that out — it is a seamless experience running many tasks at the same time. The OS does a good job handling the resources each app needs as it is running, and it makes sure that any app running in the foreground gets the attention it deserves to provide a good user experience.
What is rarely mentioned in the press is that Windows Mobile is an excellent multi-tasking platform. It’s probably not mentioned because WinMo has always been good at multi-tasking. The OS has no problem with tasks running in the background — in fact, it is designed to handle them with aplomb. WinMo automatically changes memory allocation based on the needs of each app, and if the system memory starts to get stretched thin, the OS shuts down background tasks automatically. The user is rarely aware of these system adjustments that are happening all the time, and that’s the way it should be.
WinMo has long been criticized about multi-tasking due to the lack of an app close option. Apps do not shut down by default when exited; they still run in the background. Some users are not used to such behavior and find that to be an undesired feature. Sure, an app developer can include an exit option expressly, but many feel that should be the default action of the OS.
Guess what? Android operates exactly the same way. When the user leaves an app to start something else, the first app keeps running in the background. In a familiar way, an app developer must include an express option to shut down an app when exited. Anyone who has run an Android phone for more than a few minutes should fire up a task manager and have a look. You’ll likely see 20 or more tasks running in the background, not unlike WinMo.
WinMo actually has a big advantage over Android in one area of multi-tasking, and that is how the OS handles user installed applications. WinMo allows them to be installed to either system memory, which can be in the hundreds of megabytes, or on external memory cards such as SD, microSD or miniSD cards. This makes it possible to install an almost unlimited number of apps on a Windows phone.
Android has a huge limitation when it comes to user installed apps. They can only be installed to system memory, and even on the latest and greatest Android phone, the Droid, that is only 256MB. When the system memory gets full, no additional apps can be installed. That’s not even enough storage to install a good game. Android will remain seriously hamstrung until this insane app install limitation is addressed in future versions.
Big advantage: Windows Mobile
Available apps
We are hearing a lot about the 10,000+ apps available in the Android Market, and it is an outstanding achievement that there are so many apps in such a short time. It is definitely an advantage that the Android platform has evolved so quickly. While Android has only a fraction of the apps that one can find for the iPhone, there are many good ones to meet users’ needs.
Microsoft was late getting to the app store game, with the Marketplace just recently opening its doors. Not a lot of apps are in there yet, which is not surprising given how new the store is to the market. What is rarely discussed are the tens of thousands of apps already widely available for the Windows Mobile platform.
The advantage of an app store is bringing apps into one central location, which makes it easier for customers to find them. Windows Mobile apps have always been sold through a variety of outlets, so customers have to do a little homework to find the app they need.
There almost certainly is already a WinMo app to meet virtually every need a user might have. Search around a little, and new WinMo owners will likely be amazed at the number of apps already available, and the quality of them. Most WinMo developers have been producing apps for a long time, and those applications have evolved over time as apps often do. That means that many apps for Windows phones have grown over time to be robust and complete.
Android’s web browser has been widely acclaimed for being much better than the latest version of Mobile Internet Explorer. That is an accurate claim, and many view this as a big advantage for the Android platform. There are already a number of good third-party browsers for Windows Mobile, and while it would behoove Microsoft to get the browser included in the OS to be more competitive, it really doesn’t matter for users.
Opera Mobile 10 is as good as any mobile browser out there on any platform, and it is free for Windows phone users. It is so exceptional that HTC has been using it as the default browser on its WM phones for years, and with good reason. It demonstrates the quality and quantity of apps available for the WinMo platform. While this is just the web browser application, the same can be said for many application categories. There is usually a good WinMo app to fill a user’s needs.
Advantage: Windows Mobile, with a salute to Android for a better central store
User interface
I have been as vocal as many in lamenting the old, tired interface on Windows Mobile phones. The lack of innovation in the interface design is really showing its age, and Android is currently better in that respect.
The primary difference between the interfaces of the two platforms is that Android is a new OS, and thus, has been written for finger manipulation. It is easier to interact with, and it looks more modern. This is why the Android interface is often thought to be the better of the two.
When you compare the two interfaces, you begin to realize that both of them are simple icon-based “launchers.” The icons for apps and tasks are organized in launcher screens for easy (and sometimes not so easy) access to fire things up. Android is cleaner and easier to interact with, so out of the box I must give it the nod.
You can’t compare interfaces without looking at third-party alternatives; it’s the only fair way to compare the two platforms. Android phones with the stock interface are pretty plain Jane, as is the WinMo interface. The magic happens on both platforms when you start adding third-party interface shells, such as HTC Sense, that transform Android into a very capable interface.
HTC has long produced its own interface for WinMo phones, too, and the latest Sense interface, such as found on the HD2, is amazing. It does for WinMo what it does for Android — adds a highly customizable face on the OS that makes it work the way the user prefers. HTC Sense works in a similar fashion on both platforms, although optimized to take advantage of each OS’ strengths. The end result is that a WinMo phone running Sense is as good as an Android phone running it.
The advantage that WinMo has over Android gets back to the third-party app scene. There are other shells already available that turn a WinMo phone into a user customizable dream interface. Spb Mobile Shell has been out for years, and the latest version is for WinMo what Sense is for Android. The difference is that Mobile Shell is user obtainable, where HTC Sense must be installed on a phone as purchased. That means that WinMo phone owners have the option to put a sophisticated interface on their phone, and customize it to fit the way they prefer to work.
Advantage: Windows Mobile
Computer desktop integration
Many consumers expect, no, need their phones to integrate with their desktop computers. They need a simple way to keep the phone’s contacts, calendars, tasks and email in sync with their desktop environment. For millions, this means syncing the phone with Outlook on the desktop.
Windows Mobile wins in this scenario, hands down. It is designed from the ground up to integrate with both Exchange Servers in the corporate world, and with Outlook environments on the desktop. All aspects of desktop Outlook commingle happily with Mobile Outlook on the Windows Mobile side of things.
On the other hand, consumers who have their desktop environment built around the Google cloud will no doubt find Android to be a better fit. The installed user base of Google services such as Gmail has grown steadily, and it’s big. Android is designed around integration with the Google cloud, so it is the obvious choice for those consumers.
Advantage: Tie — depends on which camp a given user falls in, Outlook or Google
The hot platform of the two is definitely Android, but Windows Mobile still has a lot to offer. While criticized for being an aging platform that has been around seemingly forever, the evolution of the WinMo ecosystem is, in fact, an advantage. If only Microsoft would make that clear.
Finally, an article about WinMo that looks at its positive aspects and doesn’t just roll out the same tired cliches.
I recently bought my first WinMo phone (an HTC HD2) and the only other WinMo devices I own are a couple of old Pocket PCs that haven’t been used much for a long time. I’ve always avoided WinMo phones because I’ve never been happy with the hardware but we finally have a WinMo phone that picks up where HP’s hx4700 left off four years ago.
Within minutes of switching the phone on I was up and running, the experience is smooth as can be and I can do things that most other phones can’t do like map drives on my home network, use the phone as a wifi router, watch movies/play music in just about any format, etc. Making calls becomes a secondary thing because this phone is more like a mini computer than a phone. Sure, some of this is down to HTC but an awful lot of it is down to WinMo.
My only gripe at this point is that the Marketplace is not as good as it could be, especially outside the US. However, the other benefit of WinMo is the ability to sideload applications without having to go through Microsoft so this is just a minor gripe rather than a gaping limitation.
Anyway, good article James. It’s nice to see an article about WinMo that avoids the hysteria or the doomsaying.
I envy you that HD2. I want to get one in my hands so badly, that looks to me to be the best phone out today. On any platform, anywhere. The only questions I’ve not seen addressed about the HD2 is how’s the camera?
Camera doesn’t look good yet. I say “yet” because there’s a bug right now that was thought to be hardware related, but today HTC said that it’s finally software and that a HOTFIX is being worked on: http://www.mobiletechworld.com/2009/11/21/confirmed-htc-hd2-camera-suffers-from-hardware-defect/
Yeah, I agree with Miko, the camera could be better. Fortunately it’s not a feature I ever use in my phones but I know there are more than a few unhappy HD2 owners. I don’t seem to be suffering from the pink tint fault that Miko’s link refers to but the low light pictures I’ve taken have been pretty unusable.
Other than that, it’s currently my perfect phone
James, you should head up to Seattle to have a play around with Matt Miller’s.
I’ve had my HD2 for about two weeks now from the first production run and theres not a single problem with my camera.
I’m suspecting this “camera business” is probably from a second shipment?? or a particlar model for a particlar market?
I’ve been using an HTC HD for almost a year now, and it is hands down the best phone/PDA combination ever. I’ve tried and used them all — Palm, Nokia, etc. — but the combination of hardware and software is the best for business use. Having ALL of my documents and files always on my phone and available is priceless.
When the HD2 becomes available in the U.S. I will certainly want to look at it closely, but I see little advantage to change. However, when the HD does eventually die, I would replace with the HD2.
I have been searching for unbiased reviews of WINMO vs Droid. But also glad that i found someone who has actually bought a HD2. I am definitely the business user who has Outlook/Exchange and even though Droid does support Exchange the features are just not as rich as WINMO.
Along with the need to keep converting your media files for it to play on Droid that would be just too inconvenient. straight out of the box you can start playing divx and the like.
Saying that, i am very interested in Droid and its potential and if i knew that there was going to be a huge step forward in the OS in 3- 6 months time i would buy the Desire. But since my needs are here & NOW! HD2 it has to be, but will be watching DRoid updates closely.
Thanks for this. I was looking for an unbiased look at some of the strengths of Windows Mobile because I REALLY want the HD2 when it comes out. I’d like to see some sort of shootout between capable devices loaded with the two OSes such as the HD2 vs. Passion/Dragon. The chance the HD2 might upgrade to WinMo7 was a check in its column. So is the application loading limit on Android that I wasn’t fully aware of. I got a couple months of bondage to AT&T to let things shake themselves out.
I also forgot to mention this one advantage to Windows Mobile that really looks like it could be usable on the HD2: Remote Desktop. Check it out here:
Very nice capability, and it actually looks usable. I am impressed how well the remote desktop works on the small screen, no doubt due to the multitouch.
same thing on android … just search vnc on androlib.com
This will be a hotly debated conversation. I agree with some of the points mentioned in the post, however it felt biased and hugely one sided.
For instance, Android is a new development, being out only a year. Comparing it to a seasoned system is quite unfair. Using that thought, you compare available applications/ shells for Windows Mobile against Android.
Based on age alone, it would sad if Windows Mobile, didnt have more applications and shell solutions. The only reason Windows Mobile has so many shells available is because people needed an improved UI when Microsoft didnt have it.
I agree with what you’re saying, but believe me many will disagree with you on my being biased towards WinMo (right Jake?).
You may feel it unfair to compare an “old” platform with a new Android, but that is the choice consumers are making today. Not in a few years, this was written from the perspective of today.
I also agree with you that the shells are needed because the WinMo interface sucks, but the fact is the shells are there and shouldn’t be overlooked. I have been a big fan of the HTC Sense interface on Android, and it’s only fair to point out that similar alternatives exist for WinMo.
I fell that Windows Mobile it at a huge disadvantage because it doesn’t have a CyanogenMod alternative. You just happen to have used Sense on both platforms.
Windows Mobile has had the XDA Developers ROMs for years. CyanogemMod is late to the game.
Nice article. Yeah, I for one concur that James isn’t biased toward WinMo, but rather towards the Iphone and its OS, uhu …
.
But Bryan has a valid point: Android is still a growing puppy compared to WinMo. Also, like you two already mentioned: WinMo was lacking improvement, but with more innovative competitors it will improve.
However I can’t agree with Bryan’s argument that there should be more applications for WinMo available. In the past years more people are using smarthphones and its OS’s. Therefore the need for different kind of applications has grown according to this. New OS’s are build forth on this. Same principle as “progressive insight” in the world of science.
Finally the essence of this article, at least what I make of it, is: Why buy a buy a “unfinished” product and compromise your needs, while there are complete alternatives now?
Btw, same comparison is done with the Iphone. Does somebody still know the outcome of that?
My last WinMo phone was the HTC Excalibur (some know it as the T-Mobile Dash), and while I now have and use an HTC Dream (T-Mobile G1), I am only doing so because it was the first web-capable 3G and HSDPA/HSUPA phone that worked with T-Mobile’s networks.
Having used both extensively, I can definitely say that I won’t be moving back to the WinMo world until Windows Mobile 7 is released (rumored to be late 2010). If WinMo 7 is anything like the ZuneHD, you can bet your ass it will take back some market share from Google and Apple.
In terms of a mature app market, it is the market share of the platform that determines the size of the app market (obviously). iPhone apps are up around 100k now, owing to the huge success of the hardware. Same now with the growth in Android apps (working on one in another window as I write this reply).
But the .NET Compact Framework is something extensively documented, well-understood, easily portable from platform to platform, and has a gigantic worldwide developer base.
As for the CyanogenMod argument — that’s a great example of someone who did for the Android platform what those early developers did for the admittedly lacking Windows Mobile 5.0, 6.0, 6.5 platforms.
They tweaked, optimized, customized, and improved. Cyanogen has done nothing but the same.
And, as a matter of fact, Cyanogen wouldn’t have gotten his start on XDA-Developers without those ROMs for Windows Mobile, since that’s how that site began in the first place –> as a forum for tweaking Windows Mobile on the HTC “XDA” handsets of the day.
Yep, it’s a long time since I’ve seen an WinMo article from James that doesn’t have a go at Microsoft.
I think this was a pretty fair article. It doesn’t attack Android, it just points out WinMo’s strengths.
Also, without wanting to start a war, Android seems to be just as dependant on skins (Sense UI by HTC and Rachael UI by Sony Ericsson) as WinMo is. Depending on your point of view the ability to skin these interfaces can be seen as a strength or a weakness.
I don’t know about Android but I’d expect Microsoft to sort their UI problems for once and for all in WinMo7. All it needs is that and the inclusion of better libraries for handling standard hardware (WiFi, GPS, sensors, etc.) in the .NET Framework and it will be perfect. I’m expecting the latter to come with WinMo7 as well off the back of their Chassis 1 hardware spec.
Android was made to be skinned by different hardware manufacturers from the get go. Windows Mobile on the other hand was not.
WM was skinned to fix the unintuitive UI.
Not bashing here, just making a clarification.
I think this comparison is well founded being as Android has been compared to WinMo since it came out. Also, I agree WinMo has these advantages because of it’s age but they are advantages none the less, and WinMo has been able to multi-task and work with the desktop platform for as long as I can remember. Aside from that who can say when the first shell for winmo came out? All these are valid points and users should remember comparisons work both ways.
I agree with the above posters, it is nice to read a WinMo article that showcases the positive aspects without just passing it off as a dated uncompetitive OS.
I am a Windows Mobile phone user and I agree with your comments for the most part. Up until recently I too thought that WinMo phones just didn’t do touch well. And then I started using TouchTwit, a Twitter app available from Windows Marketplace. My conclusion now is that WinMo CAN do touch and do it well, as long as the applications are written to be used as touch applications.
Hi,
why the surprise at the result ? If you did the same comparison between windows mobile with the iphone you might come out with a similar conclusion. HTC have done a fantasic job.
Have fun Martin
Yes it is nice to see WinMo get some positive feedback. The HD2 and Touch Pro 2 which are carried by most carriers around the world are super devices with much more room to improve the great platform. Most writers/bashers of the WinMo platform are not usually users but are reviewers that are not familiar with how the platform works and give it negative feedback. WinMo is behind in some aspects but I do see the growth and success in the future.
You really need to check out the mod scene for Android. Many of ‘Androids’ short comings in your article have been addressed there. I quoted android because it is more of a framework in my mind, whereas you think of it as a specific OS. For instance, my G1 saves all applications and settings to my SD card by default. I don’t even have to think about it, it is just how the OS handles it.
“The difference is that Mobile Shell is user obtainable, where HTC Sense must be installed on a phone as purchased.” I don’t believe you have done it on purpose but you’re not really comparing apples to apples here. Sense really isn’t third party at all when you really think about it. It is a ROM coming from the vendor. The vendor just used the Android open source framework to develop it.
I forgot to check the “notify me on follow-ups.” I remembered on this one
I understand what you are saying, there are mods available for WinMo too. The ability to install “legitimate” shells on WinMo means that those not willing to run afoul of their build or their carrier can do so easily, without rebuilding any ROM image.
When I was reading this article I was wondering what the results would be if you replaced SYMBIAN with Windows Mobile and viewed it merits/problems. It is the most widely used smartphone OS and yet new smartphone users constantly complain about what it can’t do. Most are not aware of what it can do. Perhaps you could discuss SYMBIAN in another article.
Highly biased article!!
1)Multitasking: You fail to mention that Android autocloses apps and apps can subscribe to services so apps can start at certain events and then can be closed without any loss in functionality. Also for WinMo you take into consideration 3rd party customisation vs vanilla android. Apps2SD allows you to install apps on SD card..so fail there too Huge advantage Android
2) Android apps are great and Winmo doesnt win there. I havent seen apps related to augmented reality,etc on WinMo…. fail there as well
3)UI: Anyone saying WinMo has a better UI must be high. HD2 is great but its not WinMo..its HTC..similar to HTC Sense on HTC hero (Android). difference is on android you get a smooth experience.. and on HD2 ugly winmo shows up with checkboxes and old screen in between.
Do you know why there is no exit option on wm apps? it is because they are closed by the os when memory needed. It has been like that for many years, and this is why it is often not mentioned, just like having copy and paste supported by the os. If you search google for “windos mobile memory management” you will see why your comment 1 is void.
Microsoft MY Phone opens up and auto closes completely when its done synchronizing so this “original function of android” is really based on software developers not on the OS
I bet you never used SPB online, Kinmoa Play, Pocket Express…..I’m not exactly sure what you mean by augmented reality but more than likely WM has those kinds of apps as well. I will agree if you say that you have to hunt them down but they surely are available.
When you compare Stock WM, to Stock Android they both completely suck. The Motorola Droid is no where as good looking as the HD2, and in reality how many times are you going to jump into the check boxes? maybe once or twice a month. I can live with that.
There are a few augmented reality apps but they’re not quite useful just demonstrations to show that it can be done… If all you have to say for great apps is augmented reality, that’s fail on your part. Thanks to the guys at XDA there are tons of apps and games.
Actually I agree and disagree a little with your third comment. Checkboxes aren’t a big deal 0.o What does Android have instead? A button to toggle? A little modding on both OS’s will make ‘em better. HD2′s Sense(Touchflo) isn’t ugly at all it’s more useful, instead of having 3 screens with program launchers, the HD2′s Sense actually has a useful UI that displays useful information. In fact, the Android’s default screen, though apps and w/e can be added on, is bland. Just tiles of programs and a weather widget or facebook widget.
i like how the article is presented. it’s a pretty fair comparison between the two OSes, and it’s nice to see for once some reviewer isn’t bashing winmo without even trying the OS first.
i hopped onto winmo a couple of years back, and i have to say i’m very satisfied with it. i can find apps to solve any problem i have and i can find modified roms to suit my need if i get tired of the stock ones.
i’ve to say i’m impressed with the growth of android, but it’s still in the growing stage. and android is probably more suited for casual use, whereas winmo is preferred by the business user. imo, android’s like a plaything. fun to have, but not for serious use. winmo’s like a business planner. it serves your every need, but doesn’t really up the fun factor.
and about the finger friendliness, i’ve actually never had problems navigating around the winmo interface with my thumb, even on 6.0. that’s a reason why i never understood the complains about winmo being finger unfriendly.
Since I’ve had some time with WinMo and now have an Android device I fail to see where Android is just for fun. I handle many of my business tasks on Android from reading documents to email to managing servers over SSH. The fact that it also allows for fun doesn’t make it any less capable when it comes to business.
One issue bedevilling current Android phones is the lack of support for voice dialling with bluetooth headsets:
http://code.google.com/p/android/issues/detail?id=1412
Apparently a big deal for lots of folks out there.
Ooops. The Nokia N900 lacks that at the moment, too. In general a review such as James’s, good as it is, still has its limitations. I need to put up my specific usage criteria, and not only compare OSs but also devices.
iPhone lacks that functionality, too.
I have owned many WinMo devices and now use a HTC Hero. Android is the new WinMo. WinMo is the new Symbian, and Symbian…well, they fall off the map (or maybe become Palm Garnett).
Simply, Android is a better thought out touch OS than WinMo. HTC has hacked WinMo to approximate a touch interface on a pen based OS – but frankly Android Sense offers a complete touch experience versus WinMo Sense. I know a lot of people want to love the HD2, but c’mon people – wait until Android Snap dragon devices hit the market or until WinMo 7. You guys are clinging to WinMo like old school Symbian users (see above) or Palm Garnett folks. There are better options. Even Microsoft has turned the page and will push WinMo 7 out the door quickly.
I had a chance to play with my friends Hero and its lagginess is a deal breaker I would say its probably worst than my Touch Pro on Manila and I’m not even going to compare to my SPB Mobile Shell because that will be a complete blow out.
If your friend’s Hero was so ‘laggy’ that it strikkes you as a serious problem, than he’s doing something wrong. For example, its common to stress the system by jamming too many apps onto on-board RAM. This has much the same effect as leaving too little free space on your primary HDD.
My ancient G1 runs great, with very few problematic moments…no more than on my iPhone.
The problem with Windows Mobile’s Market (app store) is that the number of new applications is increasing at a much slower rate than both Android and iPhone. This indicates to me that most developers are creating new apps for Android and iPhone, and Microsoft is having difficulty attracting the same developer interest. Android’s rapidly rising market share, and WinMo’s rapidly declining market share, is no doubt the reason for influencing where developers put their time and resources.
BTW, that camera bug on the HTC HD2 is fascinating. If HTC admitted it was a hardware fault that causes a pink color cast, then I wonder how a software patch can fix it. The only remedy I can think of is if software corrects the color cast, by color balancing the image in the opposite direction, before saving it. But this would take system resources, and slow the handset down somewhat. I will be following progress on this as it unfolds.
It’s my understanding that HTC are advising customers to return their phones for a replacement if they have the colour problem.
There’s an app for that xD another one that has mainly free/demo apps to download that’s been released before windows mobile marketplace – also has a better interface than marketplace in my opinion. The problem with marketplace is that MS charges developers who want their apps on the list… just gotta look for those 3rd party apps and sites that gather apps
Great review. Throw in Nokia’s Maemo 5 based N900, which seems to be the multi-tasking and internet browsing star at the moment, regardless of who the competitor is.
The HD2 I find to be extremely attractive. It does lack two things I’d like, though, a forward facing webcam and TV-out for presentations.
Without wanting to undermine your opinion, both video calls and TV-out are niche requirements. I’m quite happy to sacrifice them both for a thinner phone although I know that it’s more of a sticking point for others. As far as I know, most people try video calling out once when they get their first phone that supports it and then they never use it again.
That’s because they look awful from the below-the-chin angle people hold their phones at when making video calls. “Want a nice shot of my nosehairs?”
Probably several other reasons, too.
A final comment. I find Win Mo more rounded, and complete, but the new platforms are likely to catch up quickly. Each platform will need its killer app’s. Looks like it’s the Google Maps turn-by-turn navigation for Android, Web browsing, multi-tasking and voip based video-calling for Maemo5, and computer/PC/Exchange integration for WinMo. Maemo5 seems immature at the moment, although I find it mighty tempting. I like the fact it’s more of an open system as well which may keep the platform alive longer. WinMo devices seem to get old quite quickly, paradoxically because new flag ship devices are constantly being launched with continuously higher specs.
The Google Maps app may work well in the US but I think it has too many limitations to really work well, especially over here in Europe where you incur roaming charges the second you drive into another country.
I don’t think WinMo is suffering from the release of higher specced phones any more than Android is. After all, didn’t Droid just leave everything else in its dust? Besides, don’t forget that hardware will be standardised for WinMo7 so this “problem” may be curtailed. Either way, I think it’s good that the consumers can choose between a wide range of devices on the same platform.
Hear! Hear!
Finally someone who does not blindly follow the hype! I have been using Windows Mobile for a long time now and I am surprised about how little is known of the advantages of using Windows Mobile with a (hosted) Exchange server. As someone who lives in Outlook there simply is no better mobile device to sync all my PIM data with.
I wonder when Microsoft finally will be able to clearly market the advantages of the activesync?
Multitasking / App-Closing
While you’re right about both having the same priciple, there’s one major difference: With Android, it actually works as indented. WM never adjusted to the limited resources of a smartphone. Background tasks are just foreground processes with lower priority, they use up the same resources and some process time even if nothing useful is done in background (like preparing a screen that is never to be displayed). Android on the other hand just executes a special background method – or nothing at all if it’s not required. A big game is simply suspended to RAM or storage until it’s resumed – with WM, it would take lots of RAM and slow down the system. Also, WM rarely manages to close apps in time. All too often you rather see the “out of system resources” or “… memory” dialog (which usually is the last trace of live before a system crash…). Even the WM_HIBERNATE message, which was introduced to free memory in time almost never is fired, at least I almost never found it in trace files of my apps. And if, then just a millisecond before the app was killed…
Available apps
Yes, WM has loads of apps. But how many of them are just to fix up the terrible UI or look like they’ve been written for Win3.0? I doubt there are more than 1,000 really noticable apps for WM…
UI
The UI is way more than the home/today screen and start menu. It’s menus, dialog elements, 3D APIs, etc. WM doesn’t have a chance against Android there, esp. if you look behind the scenes at the API/SDK. Where WM lets the programmer do lots of work(arounds), Android is happy with a (quite) simple XML file or cleverly organized resource files/folders.
Desktop integration
WM really wins there – if you use Outlook. But since WM6, Outlook isn’t delivered with WM devices any longer. So non-business consumers probably won’t even have Outlook…
+1 @Mort
WM is just as powerful as Android (if not moreso), but doesn’t win in these three categories for the reasons listed. I’ve used nothing but WM phones since the Samsung i600 flip phone (other phones: Samsung i760, Tilt, Fuze). I just bought the Droid and it’s night and day. To borrow an Apple line, things “just work.”
Even accounting for the euphoria-driven bias of using a shiny new product, the UI is clearly superior as is memory management.
But the real reason I’m betting on Android is Google’s commitment to ongoing development. MSFT just doesn’t seem to have it and by the time WM7 finally rolls down from the mountaintop, Android will be on version Gingerbread.
Hi, Mort. Based on your comments, it sounds like you are a WM developer and probably power-user of sorts. Looking at WM from a less power-user perspective, I’d respond to your points as shown below:
Multitasking / App-Closing I typically browse, check mail, send SMS’s, and play a game or three. I just don’t suffer memory issues. For a moderate user, I think WM’s memory mgmt works.
Available apps
Let’s say there are 1000 apps. What are you most likely to be looking for? A good browser (yep, could have been in the OS!), a Facebook/Twitter apps, threaded SMS, a few games, maybe some photo apps, and for the geekier, perhaps remote desktop and network apps. Let’s say you have only 3 decent choices for most of them. Did you get what you wanted/needed? Yep? Then who cares if there are 110 options (iPhone fart apps, anyone)? What is key to most people is if they can do what they want. I venture to bet that most people find what they want if they have chosen any of the platforms.
UI
I’m a little confused on this one. Some of what you mention is clear — the WM UI is dated. But some seems like it is open to the developer as well. Nothing restricts you from using XML or clever folder organization with WM.
Desktop integration
Don’t forget that WM can also sync with Windows Live, Google, Yahoo! and others. Outlook is not a requirement.
My goal wasn’t to shred you comments, but to assess them from a “typical” users perspective. By the way, I’ve gotten both a WM (Touch Pro 2) and an Android (Droid) phone – so I’m not a WM purist.
D.
Yep, I developed some WM apps. That gives me some more insight on how the differences are caused, but a “typical” user might experience them as well.
Multitasking: Well, if you only run 3-4 apps, every multitasking system (i.e. every smartphone except iPhone) is fine. The differences appear when you run many or big apps.
Available apps: Sure, nobody needs tousands of fart apps. But with Android, chances are better the app uses a modern UI, is still updated, and takes advantage of the device’s abilities (GPS, sensors, etc.) – the latter because these are device specific for WM while Android offers easy ways for programmers to use them.
UI: To put it more simple: WM requires a developer to spend many hours to create good looking and finger friendly interfaces, support multiple screen sizes and orientations, etc. With Android, most of the work is covered by clever system parts, so what requires hours on WM takes a few minutes for Android – and then fits an consistent user experience (just compare how the alternative contact managers for WM all work slightly different e.g. regarding scrolling) and often run smoother and more stable because there were no additional traps for the developer.
Desktop integration
The latest AS version I know can only sync with Outlook and Exchange servers. 3rd party apps for other syncs are quite expensive…
Mort:
“The differences appear when you run many or big apps.” My point was that “most” users probably aren’t running 20 apps or many huge ones.
Available apps: Aside from GPS (which I think is standardized on WM), I don’t disagree on sensors/etc. But I’d go back to how often the average user leverages those on any platform. I don’t tilt my phone to get to the next email message.
UI: I won’t disagree about ease of development. Out of curiosity, can you summarize what kind of hoops an Android developer has to go through when Android jumps from V1.5 to 1.6, to 2.0, as it has done this year? I know a lot of pre 2.0 apps did not work correctly on 2.0.
Desktop integration
“The latest AS version I know can only sync with Outlook and Exchange servers. “
You don’t even need ActiveSync or Mobile Device Center to sync with Window Live accounts or Google. You just set it up on the phone and it does it via data connection or wifi. I don’t know about Yahoo.
D.
While I haven’t yet touched an Android device, I like the article and congratulate James for pointing out the advantages WinMo has offered FOR YEARS. I’ve been fooling around with PPC phones since the days of the original T-Mobile MDA. Back then video on a phone was nonexistent, you couldn’t IM with someone half-way across the world, carry tons of apps/music/movies/photos, do GPS navigation, surf websites, multitask and sync your PC with anything else other than a PPC. True, you needed to be a real geek to appreciate the advantages WinMo offered, but whenever I showed off the “features” to average folks, they came away impressed EVERY TIME.
I still believe that is true today. WinMo can do things Apple’s iCant will never accomplish, the selection of WinMo hardware is the biggest of all platforms, and the number of apps available outside the marketplace IS a big deal.
I’ve stuck with WinMo because I’m an enthusiast. I know how to get the most out of it; and I’ve spent a considerable amount of time researching what it can do and what’s available for it. Truth be told 99% of consumers DON’T spend time on doing any detailed research of their own. Heck, even reviewers who bash WinMo usually know little of what it’s ultimate capabilities are, and have probably only seen an iPhone in their lives.
Is WinMo perfect? Hell no. Does it need improvement? Certainly. But those two arguments could just as well apply to the competing platforms given their unique deficiencies. WinMo 7 IS overdue, but if the interface on the ZuneHD is any indication, I really believe MS has what it takes to create the next incredible smartphone experience.
There is NOTHING droid does that my Touch Pro Can’t do.
I wish it’d been done by HTC. They probably could have designed a more attractive phone, not crippled the keyboard with that stupid D-pad and enhanced the hole experience with their SenseUI elements. I really wanted to like this phone. Instead, all I like is the screen.
the Droid that is.
Bet it doesn’t run Android apps!
Actually, a WM phone can run the Android OS (and I imagine its apps), with data and SMS working.
Andrew -
You have two options that I know of: running Android in an emulator or loading the OS onto the WM phone. The first is painful, but I admit would allow you to run Android apps in an indirect manner. The second is spotty at best, depending on your hardware. From one guide on doing this:
>If you’ve got an HTC Windows Mobile phone, you might not have to buy yourself another device to enjoy the hype. But install Android on your Windows Mobile device instead. Nevertheless, porting this operating system has proven a tedious task, and not all phone types support it yet. Newer GSM devices will have a better chance, and to date CDMA is scarcely supported.
D.
android hasn’t %100 successfully been ported to a non android device yet but xda is getting close on a few devices. it would be much easier if android would release the drivers to the public. open source my butt. on another note, for a working version of android on a touch pro 2 there is a bounty of $1000 or more.
I can’t say I really agree. Having a bit of a Microsoft bias I’ve stuck with Windows Mobile because I know the power, flexibility and freedom it affords and it’s one the of the few mobile platforms I could write an app for it I chose to. But realistically I’ve found it to be a broken OS in many ways.
The UI is clumsy and hard to navigate and it’s always been that way. My first PDA was Palm III and while I found it to be overly simplistic it did exactly what it was designed to do and did it well. My IPaq could do so much more but finding your way around especially through the settings was not pleasant. Add to this severe stability and performance problems and you have a pretty bad package.
I’ve had IPaq, Palm treo w/ Win Mo, HTC Mogul, Motorola Q, HTC Touch Pro, and now a HTC Touch Pro 2 and I can tell the Touch Pro 2 is the first Win Mobile phone I’ve used where the performance is acceptable. The stability is still hit or miss but defiantly improved.
Of all the 3rd party apps on Win Mo the number of quality apps is quite small. They are not attractive, usually don’t function well and are prone to crashing. And while the built-in apps crash less they look just as bad as 3rd party apps.
Yeah sure, HAHASHAHAHA!
Here’s a comparison between WinMo and S60: 1 Why can’t WinMo Office open all Office Word files? My Nokia E90 opens ALL Word documents I throw at it – why can’t Microsoft’s own system open it’s own documents? This has been the same sad state of affairs for over 6 years at least. 2 Why can’t mobile Office work with password protected Office documents? Every other Office type program from different companies can, why can’t microsoft’s own software do it? Another age-old problem. 3 What is wrong with Activesync, or whatever it’s called now? It’s still hit and miss whether or not it will connect with my phone. Another age-old problem. 4 What does WinMo do to files when I put the microSD card in the phone? I copy a load of data files over to a memory card, then put it in the WinMo phone. When I go to do a synchronisation, straight away it tells that me that all the files on the card need to overwrite the files on my PC – it’s renamed all the files with CAPITALS!
And finally, one area where WinMo is better than S60 – I can see my network! I’ve never found a way to do this on my Nokia but with a simple, free program, I can on my WinMo device.
Another area where WinMo is better than S60: The United States. The merits of S60 (and I really don’t know them) can’t quite overcome its total lack of availability here.
Hi, John!
Regarding opening all Office files: Doesn’t your E90 leverage QuickOffice? If I am not mistaken, that is 3rd party software that not all Symbian phones have. So, to be fair, look at 3rd party apps that are available for WM, too. SoftMaker Office is an excellent suite. http://www.softmaker.com/english/ Oh, and this has been available for at least 6 years, too!
2 Softmaker opens password protected files.
3 Since it stopped being ActiveSync, it has been pretty reliable. Are you running Vista or Win7 with the lastest version of Windows Mobile Device Center? You might give that a try.
4 I’m not sure what’s happening there. My files are still lower case.
D.
Regarding AS: That at least asked me what to do on conflicts. When I installed Win7 and added my WM phone, it deleted all contacts on my phone (Outlook was just installed as well, so nothing there yes) instead of asking me whether I wanted to copy the contacts of the phone to Outlook…
Mort -
I have heard of others that lost their contacts, also. This is very poor behavior, of course. I’ve never seen anyone explain why/when this happens.
Ironically, with the Office 10 Beta, they didn’t even enable syncing if you were 64 bit. I wonder how bad it had to be if they disabled that!
D.
Ive used 2 winmo devices for a total of 4 years. Ive been using the G1 since launch date of 10/22/08.
I wish Android handset makers would stop releasing handsets based on outdated versions of Android. Its horrible. Ive been using 1.6 but Im seeing new handsets coming out based on 1.5. WTH?????
Due to the now apparent fork in the android operating system, and the lack of great android phones for T-Mobile USA, I am looking towards the Touch HD2 as my next device.
The one thing I will miss is the different google integrated apps as well as the apps for the camera that I use ALOT.
As a side note, everyone raves about the TouchFlo/Sense UI for WinMo. I tried it out on the Touch Pro 2. I thought that was the worst thing for a resistive screen. I would rather use a non touch screen with d-pad as opposed to that.
I have to disagree with you about Opera Mobile. Absolutely hate that browser. I’d MUCH rather use Android’s browser, any day.
What WinMo does have, that I find sorely lacking on Android (at least, on vanilla Android) is tethering. Bluetooth, USB, and Wifi tethering are all easily do-able on WinMo. They should similarly be easily do-able on Android … and they CAN be done on rooted Android devices, and soon will be available on Droid. So, I don’t see a technical reason why they can’t be done on vanilla Android.
(I’m also told that WinMo can do Bluetooth HID and FTP — two other things that should be no-brainers for Android)
Yep, WinMo has always been able to do Bluetooth HID and FTP. My HD2 is paired with a 5 year old Stowaway Bluetooth Keyboard and everything is usable except for the function keys that rely upon additional software.
Its one article I enjoyed reading but will not take under advise. Just because its true I am sure and yet wrong for other reasons. I will take your word anytime on which Android is best or which WinMo is … but this is just too much for accepting or rejecting. Each with his own choice and personal preference/opinion is much more important. I guess that it is good for the site though – Balmer may donate
and a hot discussion is cool too.
Kendrick, I’m just betting this is all a setup for a follow-up post so you can taunt me with that damned HTC Advantage again — plus whatever 5″ Android minitablet (Archos or Dell) you also wind up getting. Your fiendishness is so transparent.
It’s great to see WM get recognized for what it’s been doing well for years. I am partial to WM, I’ve been using one for five years now but have watched all the other OS’s advertise things that WM has done for years. WM as it stands(even 6.5)is still mostly a OS designed for business. Subject to change with WM7
Pretty good commentary article there. The primary issue with Windows Mobile is and has been for a while now its appearance – without the HTC magic stuff on top, it looks abysmal and isn’t that user friendly. With HTC Sense you get something that is in some ways easier to use than an iPhone, which is quite an achievement. Note, I say “some ways” – the iPhone is markedly better in some other ways. Just saying.
Anyway, the integration of a Windows Mobile device with Google nowadays is pretty stellar. The Activesync interface to Google will cheerfully sync not only mail but contacts and calendar as well. Basically, my Touch HD is just as usable and invisibly synced to Google as it ever was when I synced to an Exchange server.
And the actual guts of Windows Mobile is fine, really, and has been for a while. Not as excellent as Apples OS, since that is essentially full-on Mac OS X with all the Unix goodness that brings, but it’s a quite decent 32-bit preemptively multitasking OS we’re talking about here – if Microsoft would only have developed the GUI into something non-crappy, Windows Mobile wouldn’t have such a rotten rep now, I think.
Actually it is so obvious that BOTH of these platforms are just trying desperately to catch the REAL smartphone innovator. I think everybody knows who that is. MS and GOOGLE are merely imitating the BEST phone ever made. Getter closer but still not there yet fellas. I still don’t like Windows on a phone, it just was never a very bright idea from the start. We now have at least three(3) better choices, thank goodness.
Yes. Maemo. Been the best for several years. Even Apple copied them.
Though, you probably meant Apple… but we all know that until Apple has an open Market and a mobile device with a physical keyboard, their mobile device will continue to such posterior orifices.
ActiveSync was a dud on my old Samsung phone. Never had a chance to try the new WM Device Center due to a 2-year commitment to a Samsung that would only run an older version of WM. ActiveSync made such an awful impression that I jumped ship to an iPhone 3GS. At the time I switched, I could not find a device that was easier to use than the iPhone and easier to sync up with my laptop and with the cloud. My sis-in-law just got a new Samsung phone with WM and the manual is thick with incomprehensible instructions.
Hopefully MS improves this with WM7. It’s too commmon a story.
D.
No, windows mobile really does suck. Trustbme. There’s a reason everyone keeps bashing it and using these common cliches. You failed to mention the lag users experience when performing common activities like checking their text messages. Also, android is opensource so OEMs can more easily change it to suit their needs. The term shell is inaccurate when referring to android because these customizations that the manufacturer makes to the operating system then become part of android itself. As far as windows mobile is concerned, these customizations would still be considered a shell because the windows duplicates are still behind it. This takes ram and rom.
Sorry but winmo kinda sucks
MBarvian -
“You failed to mention the lag users experience when performing common activities like checking their text messages.” No lag here – so it may be your device?
Android is open source “…so OEMs can more easily change it to suit their needs.” This would still limit the user, as they have to use what the OEM chose. Are there optional shells for Android, and wouldn’t they present the same RAM/ROM challenges for the user? I would guess this would be more of an issue with Android, since program aren’t run from a storage card unless special software is run to enable that. So the shell takes up part of the 256 RAM that all programs have ot fit in?
“Sorry but winmo kinda sucks” But not as badly as some say…
D.
there is significant lag in Windows Mobile. part of it comes from the kernel (ce5), but this should be fixed with Windows Mobile 7. Good example: 3+ files/modules in the XIP can be removed and the user doesn’t even notice. In fact, removing them frees up around 1 mb of RAM and makes the device somewhat snappier. Also, 50+ folders in the SYS folder (Microsoft software) can be safely removed, and without them they make the device noticeably faster and free up a lot of RAM. However, OEMs like HTC cannot remove them (don’t know why, maybe restrictions put out by Microsoft), so they simply take up space, RAM, and speed.
Android, on the other hand, has no such restrictions. An OEM, like HTC, can create a “shell” (not the right word) for the interface, but in doing so they do not run it on top of Android, like they do in Windows mobile. This actually does not take up much space in the ROM memory, whereas in Windows Mobile it takes a lot, because it simply provides an interface that calls on some of the uglier core programs like tmail (the phone part of winmo). (HD2: 150+ MB gone!)
Also, I’ve never run a program on the Storage card. And do you really think a teenager that just picked up a new WinMo phone would know how to put a shell on it like you suggest?
But if I can get WinMo on a machine with a 1 Ghz processor and nearly a half gig of RAM, why should I care that lag is being eliminated through brute force rather than efficiency optimization? Watching videos of the HD2, I see a user interface with everything there right where I’d want it with no lag. Out of box experience matters a lot.
I’ve only played with the Motorola Droid at the store, but there is sort of a general slowness on it … and it’s had to force-quit applications three times in the two instances I was playing with it. This should be fixed in the Dec. update … but I still would prefer it in a sleek tablet with a nice customized UI (read Droid Eros with Moto Droid guts).
I’m not a fan of anything right now, but I gotta make a choice in a couple months. And when I go shopping, I care IF there is lag, not WHY; IF it works well, not HOW. I also care whether it does what I want it to, not how I can tweak it to do that.
Right now, there is no Windows Mobile device I would buy (only because the HD2 is not available in the US) and the future of modern WinMo apps is uncertain. The Droid seems like a fixer-upper with nice potential — but a poor compromise design-wise. And the iPhone seems on the verge of losing its king-of-the-hill status, but is far and away the winner in available apps even if 99 percent of that is crapware. N900 doesn’t count because we don’t have T-Mobile 3G coverage.
Maybe HTC Passion/Dragon or a great WinMo 7 will come along and make my decision a no-brainer. Or both and make it a situation where I can’t go wrong. For now I’m torn between a bunch of devices that are almost everything I want.
i’m not saying anything about the Touch HD2. I actually plan on picking up one myself. I’m just saying that it’s quite pathetic that it takes a Snapdragon processor to run it at a reasonably smooth speed, whereas on the first-gen iPhone the OS was run smoothly on a 600 mhz (but actually underclocked to 412!)
I’m just saying Winmo 6.5 (worst one of them all), and lower are crap
I use an HTC Vogue/Touch (alltel) running winmo 6.1 with no tweaks. Thats not because I don’t know HOW but because I ENJOY my phone the way it is. The only time I ever experience lag is when I’m using skyfire, texting, and doing some other things like using the calculator or looking up contacts. Oh. No I also experience lag when I go a month or more without clearing my texts. I do admit though without all of the fancy/useless window animations some other phones have it can APPEAR a bit slower.
Great work JK for this review. Ever since using a second hand HP Jornada, I have been a regular user of WinCE/WinMo phones. My current phone is an AT&T Tilt or the Tytn II.
One thing you forgot to mention (and that most people dont know) is the availability of the Blackberry Connect software that runs on Windows Mobile (not completely seamlessly, I must confess). But this enables me to get corporate email at the same time use the many apps that the different marketplaces support. Everytime I open my browser to shop for phones, I cannot find anyone that can give me both these functions in one phone… Maybe I will bite the bullet and get me a second phone…
“Windows Mobile vs. Android: WinMo Is Better Than You Think”
Frankly, it could not be worse than I think, so the headline is probably true. I’ve had 3 winmo phones, for various reasons, and none of them has been reliable enough to depend on. Having to cold start a phone 2 or 3 times a week is unforgivable.
It doesn’t matter how much better 6.5 gets it is too late for me. I hear it still crashes. I’m sorry, but if after all these versions it is still not working I’m going to stick with Nokia till I see an android phone I am happy to spend on – bearing in mind that I am down over a thousand pounds in 4 years on fundamentally broken Microsoft based smart phones, I’m a bit skint right now.
Agreed 100%. I have iPhone, G1 but still love my Windows Mobile. It’s amazing what WinMo could do 2-3 years ago is still lacking in the new OS/ phones.
Dear James Kendrick please put a picture of yourself on the website if you write articles like this. This is so biased, that I need to so the man (or lack of) behind the words.
Here you go… of course he looks older now.
http://www.1museumstreet.co.uk/wdia/residents/02.htm
D.
thx dzeller
Bullshit, Bullshit, Bullshit! You cant compare the Apps from Android and Windows Mobile. I’m not a native english speaker, but I try to explain: With Windows Mobile Microsoft tries to bring the PC-Paradigm to a handset: Pointer. Instead of a mouse, you get a stylus. Scroll-Bars, Registry etc. It was even called “POCKET PC”.
While Android, just like iPhone OS, brings the mobile Paradigm. Finger-friendly navigation and Apps, that are fast and easy to use.
Apps: You call them, both from WinMo and Android Apps. But the truth is, only the ones from Android are “Apps”. “Apps” in the way, the iPhone has made them great: easy to use, easy to install, fast and usefull.
With WinMo you dont get Apps, you get programms. Like on your PC. You have to install them, most of them are not easy to use, their are not fast, you have to get them to work, and most of them are not really usefull.
And I mean usefull in the sense that you use them on a day to day basis. Apps are little programms, that help you out.
You say, most of the stuff you can get on Android you can find on WinMo. Really? Is their an Augmented Reality App?
Also pricing. The iPhone has made Apps great. Little, fast, easy to install and usefull. But also: CHEAP. If you look at WinMo, many Apps that are free on Android or iPhone cost money their. Why? Because, again, its the PC-Paradigm. Not so many sells, because of not so many WinMo Users and their different Phones, so the “PROGRAMMS” of WinMo have to be more expensive.
I’m not a hater. I REALLY, REALLY, tried do convince myself that WInMo is not THAT bad. So I could buy the HD2, my dream device. I can convice myself to buy almost anything. But here I couldnt.
sigh. if winmo really is as sucky as people think it is, it won’t have survived the years. it would have phased out like palm’s old OS. it won’t be available currently with a solid customer base still. yes, it’s market share has dipped, but that’s because newer alternatives have been pushed out, and for SURE a product’s market share WILL dip when newer things get pushed out. that’s just how people are, “new is always better” even if it may not exactly be better.
it’s all down to personal preference, really. i use a variety of softwares and hardwares from the different companies. i like the ipod because it’s great to use. i love winmo because it serves my needs well. i use the chrome browser cos it’s fast. is any REALLY better? maybe not, each has its pros and cons. again, it’s down to personal preference.
Finally an objective review of a robust platform. WinMo is THE ONLY enterprise application platform. Very easy to develop, manage & support. we’ve been building apps on it for almost 10 years and multitasking has been available from day 1. andriod has a good ui but seriously lacking in development tools a.la VStudio. its almost retarded to compare WinMo to Andriod or iphone. we build apps for field personnel and on rugged platforms supporting 3rd party devices (tethered & otherwise). WinMo has more robust platform.
Sorry, but “enterprise” phone apps are a tiny, tiny portion of the billion+ phone market each year. So small that your comments are irrelevant not to mention just stupid. WinMo will continue its decline so I hope you guys are looking to port your so-called enterprise apps to a more robust platform. Ignorance will get you nowhere.
I stick with Winmo due to the computer desktop integration. Else I might be using other mobile OS now.
I have to ask, are you syncing data or something else? I feel that with Android everything syncs over the air. With the exception of media (music and videos) which I sync via a USB cable and the mass storage driver.
When I was a heavy WinMo user I only used it for installing software and media (music and videos). WinMo kept everything synced over the air just fine.
hmm interesting article.
but i do have one addition and that is that HTC has really gone and amped up both windows mobile and android. Without HTC, i dont think either would be as good as they are today.
just a thought.
Really ? I believe the Droid is made by a company called Motorola, inventor of the cellphone. Get a clue before you make stupid comments.
IMHO HTC has set the bar for both what an interface should look like and hardware for WinMo and Android devices. Other that Moto Blur, Motorola really hasn’t brought anything to the table that hasn’t always been there.
Motorola has only sold Android hardware for a month or so. Android devices are over a year old. Motorola might have ‘invented the cell phone,” but they were on death watch since the original razor quit selling. I could be wrong but I have heard many investors and reporters state that if their Android devices flop the company’s mobile division will go under.
Come on? WinMo is toast with only HTC really supporting it. Other vendors are going to leave en-masse. Main issue is around the license model – paying for sometimes a very mediocre os. Win mobile roadmap has some great things on it – but it took the iphone and android os evolution to push MS. Too little too late.
I went from WinMo to Symbian s60 to Blackberry then back to WinMo – I saw the complete lack of progress and went next to Android. MS has been the missing link here – HTC has a great WinMo group of products – but without the HTC richness it’s an abysmal OS. For you die hards who don’t think so I bet your the time who will stay on Win2k or XP for the next 5 years.
I’ve been on Android for a year – I’m as productive on my Android G1 as on a notebook. I have a proper ActiveSync client (Touchdown). Excellent browser, ability to sync music (DoubleTwist) and access to corporate VPN, ability to Tether apps, read Acrobat files, view/edit MS office files – ALL while combining my personal data (gmail, etc). It was always a huge compromise on WinMo, Symbian, etc (and a network compromise with iPhone and the AT&T deathstar)
Unlike most here – I’ve used all the OS’s out there – WinMo has been great but has lost its way. The handset mfr’s I’ve dealt with in my line of work are already de-emphazing it – shame it had to come to this before MS paid any proper attention to the roadmap. Too little too late.
Typed from an Android device…
Agreed. Windows Mobile is done, you can stick a fork in it. This dog don’t hunt no more. Just glad we got plenty better choices these days. We don’t need another five years of a developer sitting on their can and sticking it to their customers. Goodbye WinMo, R.I.P.
WinMo Phones (ALL OF THEM) still are very crash prone. They crash constantly and have from day one. They have extremely poor memory management. So while it does multitask, who cares, if you have to repeatedly reboot several times a day, every day you use it. Very frustrating. Yes, the iPhone OS and Android CAN crash, but nowhere near as often as Windows Mobile. You would think MS would have fixed this MAJOR MAJOR flaw by now, sadly NO.
WARNING: Be very careful in deciding to purchase a WinMo phone. Unless it has some must-have app (rare) then this engineer would recommend you avoid Windows Mobile at all costs.
P.S. You have been warned, continue your WinMo purchase at your own peril.
This just simply isn’t true. Such sweeping generalizations don’t benefit anyone. I usually turn the phone off for some reason well before I ever crash – and that is after days or week+ of reliable usage. Perhaps your experience is the result of pushing the envelope somewhat – but then again, you don’t hear everyone complaining over on the XDA forums, where folks pretty much push the envelope all the time.
D.
All this negative publicity has one positive outcome for me. I am able to buy a Samsung Omnia 2 for a song. If Winmo is as popular as before like pre-Iphone time it will cost at least 1K over@SG. Now they are selling it for half the price. I finally bought my first Winmo phone and I like it alot. I like the touchwiz2 interface, myphone, window live messenging, opera w/javascript and flash (i am impressive), zsIRC for my IRC (yes, i still use it).
What i don’t understand is why people like to compare toy and brag about their. I know quite a few friends that can’t stop singing praise about their iphone and give me a slanting eye?!
I actually start out seeking for an Iphone 3GS and pay for one on ebay.. turns out to be a scam. Lucky paypal refunded my money. Up! for paypay and ebay. I bought my new Samsung Omnia 2 from ebay too! The AMOLED screen is really good!! Omnia 2 battery life can outlive my Nokia 6110 Navigator, then again its a 1 year plus phone.
If you do buy an Omnia 2, you could safely buy , the 2 other Omnia 2 accessories that i got from ebay. Its a perfect match for the phone and its cheap!!!
http://cgi.ebay.com.sg/STANDARD-BATTERY-for-SAMSUNG-OMNIA-2-II-I8000-PHONE-8GB_W0QQitemZ230402301534QQcmdZViewItemQQptZLH_DefaultDomain_216?hash=item35a50c1e5e
and
http://cgi.ebay.com.sg/BLACK-LEATHER-CASE-COVER-for-SAMSUNG-OMNIA-II-2-I8000_W0QQitemZ250535627571QQcmdZViewItemQQptZLH_DefaultDomain_216?hash=item3a55164b33
The author must seriously be high on drugs or rather be a paid microsoft shill. It so obvious that WM sucks crapola it isn’t worth the toilet paper this article was written on. Another Microsoft attempt at marketing fake reviews. So lame so obvious so stupid so dishonest SO MICROSOFT. That’s what you get when you don’t innovate have a crappy product and the the users for shiit. apple android google…microsft next innovative product paperless toilet paper… ie Your Hand. But microsoft will sell it like the greatest thing and another fake review.
Thanks for making the phone affordable for me. Keep up the trash talking to everyone!!!
You probably didnt even see the iPhone platform… ???
The authors must have skipped the android #101 class as the blog post has missed vital features of the Android OS. I have posted a response to this post at http://redsolo.blogspot.com/2009/11/this-is-response-for-windows-mobile-vs.html. Anyway I would hardly say that this post is unbiased.
I find it is interesting that Spotify does not think WinMo is a not a feasible platform, http://www.givesatisfaction.com/spotify/topics/windows_mobile_client_for_spotify
BRAVO JK! I would buy a tech magazine if it had this in the cover. very elegant post, I’m an iPhone man myself but I must say I really enjoy reading this and it makes me think about what lies ahead in the Smartphone OS wars!
iPhone is cool with many useful apps, i most certainly want one but their price also reflect that. Cost SG$1.2 for iphone 3GS 16Gb And, they do have certain quirks e.g can’t swap new battery/poor LSI locations.
Anyway, i am certain the next generation of iphone would be better!!!
nice article.
what many here bashing windows mobile don’t remember is how very far ahead windows mobile once was. and for that reason there are still a few things newer operating systems are grappling with.
this lead however has been squandered for the mostpart my an msft organization that is not organizationally structured to nimly deal with disruptive change.
and windows mobile suffers greatly from msft’s seeming total stupidity around how to 1) brand windows mobile and 2) refute the pc/mac ads as these serve to seriouly undermine the entire windows ecosystem!
another article that i think would be very interesting would be a comparison of windows mobile standard and blackberry os’s. windows mobile standard is the forgotten os, seemingly. it is way more solid and stable (or at least has been) than its professional sibling. and faster too.
thank you.
i just don care about windows, i dont like it … and id just dont want it in MY PHONE … i dont like closed developement model (against googles open source), i dont like steve “monkey” balmer, i dont like the way how microsoft works at all.
This post is disgusting, this is a kind of post done only to make web trafic and buz !
Shame on you !
Yeah! How dare you draw people to your website and try to earn money! Shame!
This is actually one of the more fun, less offensive discussions like this I have seen in a while.
D.
funny. cause thats all google is. completely. seeing as almost all of there profits come from ONLINE advertising. wonder why they are so cloud oriented?
You forgot to mention one big important thing in the multitasking area:
WinMo is prone to memory leaks, mostly caused by apps themselves, and you cant do nothing to avoid it. I grew tired of restarting my winmo phones after using some gps navs for a day or two. I know it isnt necesarily WinMo’s fault, but that doesnt happen in Android, because every app runs in a virtual machine that is wiped from memory on app close (by a taskmanager or Android itself). I can have my HTC Magic a week without a single restart and up to the same speed as with a fresh start.
Big advantage: Android.
You are right about many WM apps. Android, too has it’s leaks though. Google: Android Memory Leaks. Also, I wasn’t aware that each app runs in it’s own virtual machine. With the 16MB shared heap, etc – it sounded like the apps all share one of the Dalvik VM’s – not each its own.
D.
Of course Android can leak. The OS itself is compiled code. And every app that uses native libraries can leak, but it doesn’t happen sooo often. From what i’ve read, the dalvik vm was designed to be run as one vm per app (inter-app security being one of the goals).
Could someone please explain to me why any handset maker would choose winmo over android, when android is free? Not trolling, just asking
There are a few reasons that may not pertain to an individual user. For example, integration and control in a corporate environment, existing third party apps that may be mission critical to an organization (sales apps, inventory systems, law enforcement, military, healthcare, custom apps, etc). Even Apple was using Winmo in their stores for their mobile point of sales apps until now). The need or desire to offer a phone with tethering could lead them to offer at least some WM instead of Android as well.
D.
Google licenses their branding- I don’t think Android is in fact free as many believe.
It truly is, but some of the more interesting features are licensed (contact sync, market, gmail…). The AOSP has a fully functional opensource OS (providing you can write kernel driver stuff for your handset).
WinMo and Android are both trying desperately to be iPhone knockoffs. They are falling further behind the iPhone every day. I can’t imagine someone buying one of these when they could have the real thing.
You’ve got to be kidding Apple fanboi. I just got a iPhone & it can’t do any multitasking at all unless its jailbroken (= no warranty). You can’t sync Outlook tasks because, incredibly, iPhone has no native task management functionality whatsoever! Even if you get a Task Management app from the iStore, Apple won’t let you sync via USB cable. How do they even get away with this? Even my cruddy old Nokia could do that out of the box, as can any Win Mo or Blackerry device. There is no font scaling for users (excpet for emails) – easy on Nokia. Yes, the touch user interface is OK but that’s all Iphone has going for it. The iStore is full of trashy time wasting apps seemingly designed for kids. The iPhone could have been good, but Apple have stubbornly hobbled its software to the point of making it a useless brick. If I see an Apple exec I’ll ram the useless bloody piece of shit device up his arse!
Microsoft is once again shooting itself in the foot, and not presenting or not even trying to present the best parts of its product.
Sign me a scientist/IT geek that still thinks that after the common platform of Windows, the best thing Microsoft ever did was Excel – and yes, I remember Lotus.
This article should be retitled, “Two Also-Rans Battle it out for Last Place.”
Here is the real deal:
http://brainstormtech.blogs.fortune.cnn.com/2009/11/24/the-smartphone-wars-one-year-later/?source=yahoo_quote
A lot of Android apps actually install their graphics and bitmaps on the SD card and only put the application in system memory. So the limited memory argument isn’t really that big of a deal.
Android do have a bright future ahead!! Judging from its raising market share.
I like Iphone, Android, Winmo, Symbian because I like competition. Imagine there only iphone as a smartphone and nothing else… How much would apple charge for one set then!?
I used to be a fan of ATI graphic card over Nvidia. Now you can only get a ATI card if you want decent gaming performance. Look at the price of ATI card now at least another $100 premium compare to when Nvidia is still in the game.
GadgetMerc, did you observe one thing? CyanogenMod itself grows under the XDA- Developers!
Of course, I’m on the site a few time a week. Cyanogenmod’s website has only been up for a month or two. I’m not really aware of another place where you would expect it to be found. If you want to soft-mod a mobile device, chances are that you can find everything you need at the XDA-Developers. They used to have mostly HTC devices (like my G1) but you can find info on almost any mobile phone there.
Your UI comparison is misleading. 3rd-party shells such as Sense or TouchFlo may make WinMo easier to use, but every review of these shells points out that they only partially replace the WinMo UI.
At some point, such as with system preferences, users will encounter the native WinMo UI, which is not only ugly and clunky, but is optimised for, and sometimes requires, a stylus to operate. Additionally, many apps on WinMo still require a stylus to really function. They have tiny buttons, and require the 2-handed whip-it-out, tap-tap, slide-it-back-in method of interaction.
iPhone heralded the long-overdue death of the awkward stylus, all the new mobile OSes have copied them, and WinMo will never ship phones without a stylus until its entire UI, and all its legacy apps, are replaced.
Used WinMo for 4 years, switched for Android after another try of 1-year Symbian experience, so I can see and feel the difference. The last 2 years of WinMo using I was fighting with customs ROM to make it work as it should. This article only for frustrated WinMo users to make them a little bit happier, nice try.
I am a first time Winmo user of Omnia 2. I don’t find that i need custom ROM to make things work. What i find irritating is Samsung putting apps like podcast, quik which i don’t use. i rather they just give me the stock WinMo 6.5 /w Touchwiz 2 interface and let me install what i want….
Other than that, its a fine phone…good speed, good browser experience, good battery life (thanks to AMOLED screen) Prochat IRC (freeware) works like a charm… I like the Myphone (Syncing to the Cloud), windows life messenging work as well as my PC edition.
As i am typing this, i realize why i have a positive experience with winmo… that’s because i am a windows system tweaker. Wait till i switch to ChromeOS maybe i would sing a different tune.
Can’t wait to get my hand on it. Windows can’t beat it if Google is giving it out FREE!! with excellent Google backing. Damn!! Make me excited just thinking about it.
Wow JK you sure know how to stir up a hornet’s nest. I never realized how many WinMo fans visit this blog. You seem to have awaken the Windows-On-A-Phone grizzly bears.
This is just a lame article, heavily slanted towards windoze. Any comparison with windows involved that does not even mention malware is flawed. If it were up to MS, no development would be done on their OS’s, you would only have to pay each your for your license to use it. As it is now, they have to pay phone manufacturers to please use their horrid OS. Luckily for you, when the revolution comes, MS will be sooner against the wall then shills like you.
“MS will be sooner against the wall then shills like you.” You obviously don’t come here often Jelle.
“Windoze” Ha, that’s clever……
“Anyone who has run an Android phone for more than a few minutes should fire up a task manager and have a look. You’ll likely see 20 or more tasks running in the background, not unlike WinMo.”
This is not true. Android keeps a maximum of 6 apps open, unlike WinMo.
Aside from this error the article is interesting, don’t agree with most of it though and you ignored possibly the most important part of a phone OS, the user interface (where Android wins). That and the fact it gets an OS refresh every 6 months, free turn-by-turn Navigation and you have some reasons I will never go back to WinMo.
This sums up why I continue to use Windows Mobile: it has the apps and functionality that no other platform does, to my knowledge.
What I can’t find a replacement for on Android or any other OS is PocketBreeze + Pocket Informant. PocketBreeze all of my PIM information at a glance, right on the Today screen. Pocket Informant is probably the most powerful PIM suite I’ve used.
I also don’t know if Android can touch WM where multimedia is concerned. TCPMP plays just about anything, no conversion needed. Kinoma Play handles streamed media pretty well.
However, WM suffered because of the hardware, up until now. When the HP iPAQ hx4700, Dell Axim X50v/X51v, Fujitsu-Siemens Pocket LOOX 720, and others got displaced by HTC smartphones with small QVGA screens, slow CPUs, and cost even more because they were also phones, the hardware did not advance, or even stagnate. It REGRESSED, up until we got that HTC Leo/HD2 that we should’ve had years ago.
Also note that I don’t care about the phone-all my WM devices were phoneless. I want a POCKET COMPUTER. It should be almost as versatile and functional as my desktop Windows-based computers, with concessions made to fit the hardware.
I have been a WinMo fan for years! Not so much for the devices themselves, but for the hardware and developers on XDA and the resources on PPCGeeks.com. I would simply buy the best device hardware-wise at the time and then wait for someone to come out with a “fix” for the problems. I have now gone on to Android (HTC Hero) with a similar outlook. Difference is, I am waiting for Google and the Open Source community to come out with updates. But best of both worlds scenario… I would love the HD2, especially if/when someone ports Android over to it!
James K is biased towards Windows Mobile? You gotta be kidding right? Ever hear his podcast? I guess any blog post which doesn’t rip Windows Mobile is biased to Mac and Google Android fans. sheesh!
I don’t agree with the conclusion of this post, which is fine, but I completely agree with Mark on this one. I don’t think James was being biased.
Windows Mobile vs Android Responce
Being as kind as I can be .. I truely wonder what planet some of your commnets come from. I normally do not write or respond to articles but I have read this who article with replays over the past two days. Here is my reply. I have no prior experience with Windows Moible 6.5 and the Samsung Omnia ll ( i8000 ) and the Motorola “Droid” and Android o/s Having just finished a 2 year contract with AT&T and their 3G and a Nokia N-75 both at&t 3G & Nokia was a very bad experience. I’m going to Verizon 3G even if it is cdma .
My two smartphones choices are : Motorla “Android” and Sansung Omnia ll ( i8000 ) But unlike most people in this article I went to the Verizon Store in the past week and spent three hours there today with accual hands on experience with an operational Samsung Omnia ll with 3G and a Motorola “Droid” both mobile phones were fully operational units and worked well.
Wow! that was a test Drive and an experience … After about a total 2 hours on the “Droid” and about three hours exploring the Verizon Omnia ll non released demo phone here is my opinion.
Loved the “Droid” very simplistic and fun , quearty KB sucked but phone was on the top two Hot Mobile phones in the store lots of appeal to young folks, and for those who do not appreciate teh complex features of Windows 6.5 software with the Omnia ll that makes both shine. The Omnia ll is the best visual and technical experience I’ve had yet t Omnia with Winmo 6.5 is light years ahead the “Droid” great battery life DO NOT JUDGE THE OMNIA ll unless you have tested a fully funcational unit. I did, and i getting the Omnia ll and I’ll opt for 1 year contract and get a new highertec toy in a year. I hear the HTC HD2 will be hot then.
check out these two 60 second HD youtube videos and you will see.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_0RgdSYB3JY&NR=1
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rK10zEUOxds&feature=related
December 2nd 2009 Verizon’s Samsung ll ( i8000 ) on sale
it’s not a smartphone it’s real picket pc in HD — Steve
I believe that the first three hours of having a new toy/device is the most fun.
Only WM6 and WM7(Coming) on hTC HD 2
First, WinMo demands more resources to fuction properly, and the more powerful processors coming out will bare this out. Second, it is a product with a history of development and design for implementations and use on multiple portable devices. The modern cell phone just happens to be one of these devices. So, you cannot expect it to behave like the stripped down phone interfaces coming out. The new trend is to make it these interfaces dumb-proof for the average consumer. The Iphone is to be commended for this. It is not really an OS because all it does is allow you to launch a program from a list of icons and nothing else. Android is much more sophisticated than the Iphone interface, but it is still a basic interface made to address the most popular functions of today’s cell phones easily.And it allows you to do much more than the Iphone. This no doubt is where WinMo has faltered in a major way. Windows Mobile,though, is on a different league. It is a complete micro operating system.
Now, You are hearing a lot of horrible things about the Windows Mobile OS. After that, you might think that you’ll go blind or lose a limb if you so much as look or touch a work-centric cell phone with the Windows Mobile OS in it. Heck, a couple of pseudo-technical (blogging sites such as gizmodo.com and engadget.com) have done a fantastic job of destroying its reputation. You are going to hear a gush of ‘verbal diarrhea’ from reviewers posing as knowledgeable technical people when in fact all they are, are cheerleaders for one camp or the other. It is kind of laughable because they don’t get any kind of stipend from the companies that they so fervently fight for. These types of reviewers don’t seem to understand two things-that you create something when you critique something and that objectivity is as obvious as bias. You are going to get a lot of idiotic comments from people that do not know what Windows Mobile is, but feel that it is their duty to trash it. I have to admit that one of my joy as a Windows Mobile user is seeing how these poor tortured souls actually create their own artificial reality in order to lie about something that they have never seen or tried. It is the internet age and the dissemination of disinformation rules. It is the internet age and the culture of the “Reality Distortion Field” is so much in vogue. So many, willing to drink the Kool-Aid. How interesting that the market responds to this, but a thing is what it is. Windows Mobile is more complex than what is coming out to the market. And this Microsoft guy (Ballmer) is totally clueless as to how to respond. You have the user who thinks that the Windows Mobile OS is no good because it does not allow them to shift visual gunk back and forward easily, and pretty-ly. You have those (most non-technical ,cheerleading bloggers) who think that fashion and eye candy is more important than function and have created a culture of “Newness is the New Novelty.” You have those that understand that it is a micro operating system not a mere phone interface such as others out there. I can say this because I have used and worked with all of them. I am going to make it simple for you: If you want to use your modern so called smart cell phone as a mini computer that mimics just about everything that you can do with your desktop, and that allows you to interface and sync efficiently (I mean efficiently like work/play) with such desktop, then don’t break your head looking for something other than Windows Mobile because you won’t find it. If you want to use your modern cell phone to get great joy with the shifting of visual elements around in order to mainly make phone calls, text, etc. and get to your music, pictures, and videos then you have the other interfaces with easier finger usage. Why torture yourselves hating one or the other method of working with a modern cell phone. I mean, there are oranges and then there are apples, and then there are… And this hate thing is such a spiritual albatross. Besides, soon Windows Mobile will allow you to do the same thing. It will decouple its complexities into consumers (bloggers, average users) and knowledgeable users functions. So, you will have a gadgety-widgety-shifty visual interface for the general consumer and an OS centric interface for IT or more knowledgeable users. If you are a regular Joe-six-pack ,strike that, a regular user maybe Windows Mobile is not for you. If you are allergic to the philosophy of chaperoned or dictated computing or smart phone usage maybe Windows Mobile is for you. You will never know until you stop talking gaga and actually learn the difference. The world is not a monocromatic experience, you know. So, I am quite happy to be called a WinMo apologist.
Your article (reply) well done !I fully agree with your feelings. I was set to get a Samsung Omnia ll ( i8000) tomorrow. Accualy I have already purchased a Sandisk 16Gig Micro Ultra SDHC new “class 4″ memory card for this unit. I wrote David Pogue about the Omnia ll, he liked phone but said it was Laggy and to be honest, it was a bit. along with respect to your article Winmo needs a fast processor to function well. I’ve been wathcing you tube videos in HD on the HTC HD2 Omled 4.3″ display with 1000 Mhz Snapdragon Processor. slated for Windows Mobile 7.0 certified ready. It’s got a hefty prife tag of about $ 1100.00 on it’s release, just released today in Europe. The released version is “3G” is for Europe not the USA it was tested here with “Edge” network and “Skyfire” it worked faster and without any lag that teh video showed. I noticed even on the edge network The good news is the HTC Hd2 is comming to the US in the 1st quarter. The bad news is the HTC HD2 is comming to the US in the first quarter purported to T-Mobile
Those of us who have At&t 3G … T-Mobile is about on the same spotty coverage area. Now I’m toying with 5 month wait for the HTC HD2 super fast snapdragon 1k processor and it 4.3″ omled display available in the US sometime in the 1st quarter which means late March, at best with T-Mobile and costing who know how much ??? Or going out and buying the Samsung Omnia ll with Winmo 6.5 and hope it’s bulit for an upgrade to Windows Mobile 7.0 a major revision in mobile software for winmo phone slated to be sometime in the 1st or 2nd quarter of 2010 Only a few winmo phones will support an upgrade to winmo 7.0 I hope Samsung Omnia ll is one of them? Especially if I have a long term contract with Verizon.
Any ideas on this delima and your thoughts on the subject?
Steve Morris
I don’t really care about philosophically which platform is better,
I am currently buying a phone and I need to decide on the PHONE, along with the ROM, manufacturer customization and software.
For myself, I can’t wait for the Sony Ericsson X10 to be available; Snapdragon, 4″ screen, TimeScape & MediaScape, totally revamped Android interface, TrackID and it doesn’t miss on the video-calling of the HTC HD2.. It even has Activesync for Exchange support! Not only that, but also it has an 8.1MP camera that shoots WVGA video @30fps.
Which WM phone I can buy NOW that has all this?
WM Vs Droid…. Hum? I’m looking for WM vs Iphone. I don’t think I would find that here. Your company cash cow Apple would not have like that. I’ll tell you this… on features, the htc Touch rocks. It really does. Beyond that, you’re still dealing with Windows Mobile. I fell out of love with Windows Mobile after using the iPhone. You know WM allow users to add a lot of programs to it, such as Skype and other VoiP clients. He can SSH into his server. If all you’re about is features… you’re right. The htc Touch is better. Windows Mobile is better as far as features go. There’s so much more.
Well, if you want to use your phone as a chess resource, then WinMo has the big advantage. You can use full on feature programs such as Pocket Fritz 3 or Pocket Grandmaster which connects to both Fics and ICC. Iphone comes in second, but those apps have been scaled way back on features for now at least. I keep hoping Android will get good chess apps, but for now, there is nothing worth mentioning, at least to anyone who has stepped foot inside a chess club.
Nothing against Android, but marketing 10,000 apps (and counting) when over 1,000 are nothing more than themes is a stretch. I think the “real” count is still under 10K. Can you imagine how many apps iPhone would have if there were such a theming capability (jailbreak doesn’t count)? Granted, Windows Marketplace is a bit like an old, sad 5 & Dime, but let’s not give more credit than is due to the little green robot – yet…
I must wonder where do you get your info from? There are 17800 apps for android whereas 1200 are themes.
But yes, i think we can imagine how it would have been with themes for iphone easily if you just would like to count the number of fart apps for iphone.
I am wondering what happened to all those 20,000 apps that MS said there were for WinMo when Apple started boasting their appstore stats.
Windows Marketplace is embarrassing. There are many Iphone apps I’d like to be able to choose from. But no developer who wants to actually make money from their work is gonna waste their time developing for Windows Mobile because it’s a DEAD DUCKY. And it’s a dead ducky because you can’t compete when you’re updates are three-five years behind the competition. Windows Mobile 7? NOBODY CARES. MIGHT AS WELL BE OS/2. HISTORY. DONE. FORGET IT.
Now when rumours are floating about Nexus One by Google! what are your thoughts james?
I would love to see a post between! HD2 and Nexus One soon!
SAMSUNG OMNIA2 is better than HTC hd2…huhu!base on hardware not the processor.
samsung omnia is a dog with fleas… HTC is no better… iphone is better than both…
The default Android interface is without a doubt better than the stock WinMo, which even in 6.5 still is not finger-friendly enough, and way more cumbrsome to use.
Android is a pleasure to use in its mint form, WinMo needs third party shells to be at all useable. Big advamtage: Android.
Also: All apps can store their data on the SD card. Meaning the size of a game can be below 1MB. “256MB is enough for everyone” Result in that category: Tie.
I’m surprised no one really talked about reliability in real usage – I can share my case of someone who relies on my smartphone everyday.
I went from Palm to BB to WinMo, and found WinMo was the first platform that did the things I needed while crossing a usability threshold. Never liked BB’s UI – too many clicks to do anything. Never bought the iPhone because at the time it didn’t do emails and other things in the way I needed. I needed to have all my emails with my phone (at least for the last year or so from multiple accts synced with my PC), also synced calendar & notes, and good web access. I was really happy with the HTC Athena and its huge 5″ screen (never needed the detachable hardware keyboard)! And Pocket Outlook is still unmatched with its ability to search through all emails just by starting to type any string. With the help of Opera browser it was ALMOST perfect!
But I always had these little problems with syncing so many emails, and little issues with reliabilility in WinMo (6.0), some were fixed with the help of XDA but some I just had to live with because nobody seemed to have a solution. Despite that I was a big WinMo fanboy!
Got an HTC Dream Android a few months ago just to play with as a toy, but immediately switched everything over because it did everything I needed more reliably and more quickly when it comes to emails and web browsing. I don’t care about how smoothly a menu scrolls, but I do care about delays in editing/syncing emails and in web browsing, and I want it all to be reliable because I depend on them for both business and social. Android solved all the little problems I had with WinMo (but I do miss Pocket Outlook’s lightning fast search, the Athena’s 5″ screen, plus some apps I still can’t exactly match in Android).
I love the HD2 hardware and had been following its development since it came out, but I’m very hesitant to go back to the problems I had in WinMo once I got a taste of everything working as it should.
android is for google noobs… windows still kicks apple & android.
This is total rubbish, one of the worst website i have ever come across, totaly biased on windows mobile, android is way better and has a future unlike the rubbish windows.
Clearly the writer has never had any expernice with android, in which i have if you never used it how can you say that windows is better, total utter rubbish.
all new htc phones are mainly comming out with android on them, so look at the facts and whats to come the future is android. !!!
wm is rubbish even with the updates, iphone is an ageing thing and does not have a future, android is the way.
This webserver is absoloute pants, also the fact that most commenters to not know what they are talking about (Chris) please only post if you have a good knowledge its a waste of our time.
P.S. WM is the way forward its just none compareable
Sincerely Craig
Any discussion on Android should include 5 magical letters: LINUX!
OK.
What were we saying about WinMo vs Linux (Android)?
When you put it in context I think you’ll realise just how silly your article is.
Linux, as we all know runs most critical servers for a reason. Linux also runs Android!
Multitasking:
I must LOL. If Vista dies with 10 applications running why would it fair any better on a phone? Ever heard anyone complain about running a PC with 1GB of RAM on Linux? Thought so – how about Windows? Get the picture. You NEED 512MB RAM on WinMob to enjoy the experience – where as 128MB RAM for Linux is PLENTY! Imagine the Nexus One has 512MB RAM – that should put it’s performance more in perspective vs HTC HD2.
Nothing stops development of Openoffice for Android etc.
Anything WinMob can do – has already been done on Linux (Android). ANYTHING – except blue screen of death.
By the way Linux has always killed background programs better than Windows. And a program crashes on Linux and OS persists, but it a program crashes on WinMob you’re stuffed.
WinMob 6.5 is not even on the same planet as Android. If you like an indepth article on the stability of Android I can give you one.
Every computer program that has ever been made has to run in a 6.3 push to 87764.32011.7 config and windows in some form or another runs it. Most commonly in backface nmds or asha pin4 this mean that every apple os, andriod os, still runs the the 6.3 push!! they all pay out .00021% of all sillicon waffers produced for any device with a os to microsoft. and they always will. it does not mtter if it is the os in your phone or the os on your new toyota they all pay microsoft for the path of impulse in the computer chips it always runs the same and always will. Also on the outside skins as everyone refers to them windows can operate and be reprogramed to function just as android or even as apple’s os or any os, never the other way around!!
Before the recent news leaks regarding the biggest threat to Windows Mobile 7.0 via the most world wide admired THC HD2 and its USA GSM unvailing via T-Mobile around March- April 2010 prior to the news leaks regarding soon to be released Apple iPhone 4G . As I see it without the iPhone 4G release date June 2010 Window Mobile Profewssional 7.0 and the firmware the HTC HD2 hands down would dominate as the hightech leader. However teh iPhone (now just a toy) will be revised with an Omled Display – removeable battery, a high speed Duel processor , coupled with the most universaly sought after apps of any moble phone may rise to be leader in mobile pocket computers. No question without the iPhone 4G Windows mobile 7.0 & the HTC HD2 would rule. Now if Windows Mobile 7.0 with the the HTC HG2 months ahead of the iPhone 4G EVERTHTINHG will be over shadowed by the iPhone 4G I say this sadly from a wimo supporter long time supporter. The good part about this whole complex mobile hightech war is that we will all win in the long run. The TOP Three O/S Windows Moblie , Android and the iPhone ? O/S? will take turns to make better and beter revisions both hardware and software .. this of course is a win / win situation as long as you don’t get suck with a 2 year contract on the current looser of the next super revision : tba
I stand mobile phone contract-less and waiting to get a T-Mobile HTC HD2 with WinMo 7.0 Loaded, or an iPhone 4G in a super advanced mobile phone package hopefully via Verizon and with an unlimted Data plan.
Come April/May and June will unvil teh current mobile leader of the Pack ( well at least til the next revision )
fasten your seatbelt we are the world is going 4G (Speed)
RIP Palm.
Steve
Thank you for the fare and indepth review. I have been debating on whether to get an andriod or winmo 6.5 phone. The best android phone I have ran across was the Samsung moment, but it is only on sprint and only cdma. Sprint’s coverage where i am at isnt that good. I am a huge fan of GSM phones and unlocking, hacking, crowbarring and customizing any phone I use. The ability to choose where I store an app is critical for me. I have many microSDs and they are each used for certain apps. Being forced to stay on the phones internal memory would truely frustrate me. Now all I need from HTC is a phone with an 800 MHz processor instead of the 528MHz they currently offer to U.S. carriers.
One more prop to Windows is the ability to side-load other OS such as Android. Then you are still able to enjoy the best of both WinMO and Android. As for which is better, I’ll just say I beleieve Windows is better for Work productivity – Giving Power Point Presenatations write from the phone connected to the projector/TV, and completely Native Office Suite, and easy to get Signatures(well on the Resistive Screens anyway- since any item will work as a pen). Android on the other-hand is more fun and and has “prettier” Apps. My big argument is an app I use on both “Pandora”. Pandora has not been revamped for WinMo in quite some time, while the Android version allows for Hi or Low bit-rate and provides artist and Song info/history. BUT again I can play with both OS on a Windows Mobile Native device mainly HTC since they use almost the same hardware for the Android/Google phones – MSM_Chipset. But trying to side-load Windows Mobile on an Android device is damn near impossible – please prove me wrong.But since I doubt it, I am patiently waiting for a Snapdragon Windows Mobile/Phone device with a hardware keyboard from HTC supporting TV-Out and then I will do my customary tweaking and side-load Android to be a Happy Camper
(Also it bugs me to death that Android doesn’t have Java VM, I have been using Java for the sole purpose of “Write Once, run anywhere” and THEY HAD TO BE DIFFERENT!!!!! WTF??)
How Things change … in a matter of short period of time.
Apple is getting ready to unvail the iPhone 4G in june 2010 and Apple finally is adding an advanced multi-tasking processor for the iPhone 4G will be the first multi-tasking iPhone just as Microsoft is announcing they may release Windows Mobile Pro 7.0 just like the current iPhone without multi-tasking as a downgrade for the to be released Windows Moible Pro 7.0 and with a GUI like the Microsoft “Zume” “WTF” I kinda like the new current HTC HD2 US release with WinMo 6.5 -super fast multi-tasking processor. And To even more be like apple’s iPhone Microsoft / Adobe just announced the new release of Windows Mobile 7.0 WILL NOT have Adobe Flash 10.xx with it or availa ble to download any time soon. But their are still working on it.
There is great article on the Web by Radar Tech, something titled : Apple iPad 2.0 release (future) – 7 Major Things left out of version 1.0 March/April release and 8 Major Things left out if you count Apple refusing to allow Adobe Flash mobile 10.xx Flash.
I’m currently thinking I want a HTC HD2 US Edition and keeping WinMo Pro 6.5xx >>Windows mobile 7.0 is a Downgrade – Forget it !!!! or getting a new iPhone 4G and life with out Adobe Flash . Liked the iPad but need teh 7 or 8 important fixes hopefully slated for version iPad version 2.0 as the Radar Tech article says things need fixing before it worth buying
By Mid June 2010 all of the above will be out to test play and I hope last minute rational minds will prevail
Steve
The future of windows mobile is not clear. Android is growing so fast, with thousands of developers around globe.
T-Mobile has the HTC HD2 in as a learing Demo for show …
I got to personally place with this , In my opinion the HTC HD2 Windows Mobile Professional 6.5 with the HTC interface and with T-Mobile 3G+ speed is an absolute milstone in what comes as close to a perfect WinMo pocket PC/ Phone I hae experienced to date.
The T-Mobile HTC HD2 come come with 16 gig micro SD card installed Transformers ! + 2 HD movie , looks super, Mobi TV, and lots of extra apps – and of the signature very cool weather animation. Except for not having Adobe “flash” which my be done by installing “Sky Fire” with a mobile flash in browser. this phone rocks !!! And after experiencing his phone for an hour or so You will be very happy there are 5 buttons on bottom from pannel Phone on, main window , icons, return, phone off.
I’m not sure that Microsoft making all Windows 7.0 phone with 3 buttons is really such a good idea in the first place. this phone is perfect just as it it.
T-Mobile bost this phone can be used as a 3G+ Wifi router. Yes T-Mobile with their unlimited data plan openly allows you to TEATHER you 3G T-Mobile phone to your laptop or other devices with out extra charges or fines or loss of service unlike AT&T and Verizon with wants big bucks for this.
T-Mobile with sell this phone for $ 200.00 with a two year contract of $ 79.00 per month which included 500 anytime minutes -unlimited text and unlimited Data/ webb access + $ 6.00 per month optional insurance with full coverage for any reason with deductable. or
$ 450.00 x (1) or $ 112.50 x (4) or $ 22.50 x (20) and your Phone / and unlimited TEXT and DATA/ Webb is $ 59.00 per month.
And with T-Mobile the term “UNLIMITED TEXT and Webb /DATA ” with teathering rally means Unlimited unlike AT&T & Verizon where unlimited has pages of exclusions ….
Are mobile phones going to get better than the THC HD2 YES in time the will. But Right Now Today the U.S. T-Mobile HTC HD2 is the BEST Mobile Phone under any O/S even WinMoPro
I challange anyone to tell me which mobile phone they thinks tops the T-Mobile HTC HD2 ( Today )
T-Mobile USA release of this phone will be released next week tba
The 4.3″ almost HD like resolution will be great for Mobi TV and All Sling Media Player – Sling Box HD 300 Pro / Direct TV Sat HD users will be able to stream almost HD satalite to their THC HD2 mobile phone with T-Mobile 3G + HASPA + enhanced data speed And YES – there is a Windows App for that !!!!
T-Mobile has Winner – the HTC HD2 / Windows Mobile Pro 6.5.3 is currently the Worlds Best High Tech Mobile phone Today.
Windows Mobile 7.0 not sure HD2 owners are going to call this an upgrade ???? I’ll keep my 5 main buttons Thank-You
Steve owners
yup..i agree with Prageeth, that the future of windows mobile in not clear yet..i even heard that microsoft will discontinued all type of windows mobile and change it with windows phone, yet there are no upgrade OS available for those who already have WinMo OS 5,6 AND So on.
Right now i’m considering to buy android..who have a lot more free app available with am awesome interface..
but anyway, i really like this article..and i agree with some of that, since im a WinMo user..
I’ve never seen an article so opinonated. Especially the UI bit, where if you install another shell then WinMo wins? I don’t know why I wrote this, another 1 minute has been stolen from my life
This whole winmo bashing reminds me of how there were so many ads about how macs were better than pcs. Anytime i hear an apple fanboi say my mac cant get a virus, i start to tell them its because nobody gives a poo about mac users, etc etc… I can’t believe msft is downgrading, but thats probably because the upcoming generation (i am part of this generation) is dumbing down and would prefer a scrolly screen and fart app while sitting on a bus than to be able to work on a word document while sitting on a bus
forgot to check the notify me box
Does Android mobile phones support the applications of windows mobile .. coz I need this and admire the interface of android phones .. can i have both benefits if i buy an android phone ??? if anyone have a sure answer, Please email me Thanx
The camera is better than both the Nexus One and the Nokia n900. Had both, sent them back and kept the HD2.
I recognize your attempt to put your cynicism aside, however, its just that: an attempt. Instead, you hopped to the other side, and vouched for WinMo.
As far as the browser goes, it should be recognized that opera isn’t part of winmo. In most cases, it needs to be downloaded and install by the user. That should’ve been a point for android, as it’s bult-in, default browser is obviously better than android, and opera is in fact available for android. So theres no doubt it should at the very least be a tie. Opera can be installed on both droid and winmo. I don’t like that you compared an integrated browser to a third party application.
As far as the UI goes, i’m seeing the same problem with your analysis. Again, you compare a third party application to a integrated UI. “That means that WinMo phone owners have the option to put a sophisticated interface on their phone” this is goofy as hell…what this actually means, is that winmo comes out of the box looking like garbage. Nobody in their right mind would prefer the look of regular winmmo.
You should’ve looked at what features winmo and android come with, or are lacking, as a platform.
All the existing WinMo devices are not upgradable to Windows Mobile 7. Just another dirty play by MS.
very good comparison I must say. the winmo OS is aged but so is microsoft itself and with that comes knowledge. I think that as techies we have all forgotten that not many look at these smartphones as small computers (as we do) rather to them they are still organizers with more capabilities than the standard phone. this said, I believe you left something out in your comparison, I had an android in my hands for 24 hours and hated it right after that. I could not find a file browser that would allow me to simply modify the internal file system. I know this might just be me but if i cant find it how will the average person fair? Also playing around with the phone`s settings was a hardship. unlike 4 winmo version that I have used android was very disorganized. so to me it is not the fact that android is new to the market or continuously changing OS, instead it is a poorly organized and feature lacking OS. I must add that I have no Bias towards winmo as I practically hate windows. I wrote this on a suse 11.2 with firefox loaded with packages. this said, yes I do not sync my phone with windows instead access it through usb to the sd card and internal memory. on android I could only see from my computer some folders that I could not find from the android GUI. To wrap it up winmo is a slimmed version of win95. and if you recall when windows started in the mid 90s it was ahead of its game and ahead of the android version we have now.
why wm is better: 1.with opera and microsoft office and lots of third apps like foxit pdf reader or adobe pdf or mobipocket… you can read your documents like never before. so if you read a lot of documnet (like me) wm is the best. 2.no java emulators for android so far. 3.you cant emulate wm cab files in android but you can emulate android files in wm (see http://pocketnow.com/html/portal/news/0000005270/NewsImage/android.jpg) because wm is so flexible, 4. much power full apps (quality is important not quantity) you can emulate c# in wm man!!! do u know what that means?
dont make google fool you like a donkey. hope windows phone 7 kicks those bas**rds .
Let’s face it, MicroSoft is a jack of all trades, master of none. Trying to leverage Windows(tm) in yet-another-growing-market is showing signs of diminishing returns with each and every passing day. The reason is obvious, it’s just Winblows and everyone knows it. “Cool” is not one of its features–not even close. I supposed the problem could be the name, “WinMo”?? Perhaps it should be called, “WinPhone SE”, or more to the point, “The Outlook Phone” for greasy fingered bosses and Accountants. Doh. Btw, You forgot to mention one important thing, I’ll spell it for you, Android is L-I-N-U-X.
Hi jkontherun.com folks Summer time is here, nothing of interest. Came to discover some quality time consuming online humor. I pledge for your best ^_^
Thanks for the very informative article James! I am looking into getting a new phone with verizon and I wasn’t remotely aware of what the droid was capable other than knowing it was similar to the iphone and could provide fun with apps. Once I started getting into the actual deciding on which one to get I was bombarded by a lot of terms I had no clue about. I then stumbled upon the LG Fathom and realized it got even more complicated – there was a windows operating system and got the impression from the product overview that maybe it was inferior to the android OS and now thanks to your article I can be open to phones that offer the windows OS(and know what each offers).