Smart Phones

I recently upgraded my phone to an HTC Touch Pro2 which runs Windows Phone (supplied with 6.1 but now running the free 6.5 ROM update), and it’s a purchase I’m extremely pleased with, despite having to send it back to get the space bar on the keyboard and the speakerphone microphone fixed. The true test of how good I think it is is the answer to the question “Would I buy another?”, which would have to be an almost definite “Yes!”. The almost part being that I’d possibly got for the new HTC HD2, which has better hardware (although no physical keyboard, but still runs Windows Phone OS.

But here’s the thing: I never recommend phones running Windows to anyone other than other developers.

Why?

Well, I chose a phone running this OS as I actually like it. It’s not the fact that, despite there only being a few apps on the Windows Marketplace there are actually more Window CE applications than for any other device (yes, including the iPhone and possibly even Symbian devices).

I don’t mind that many of the applications are designed with a stylus in mind, I had an iPaq back in 2004 and have used that ever since, so it’s actually an input method I am comfortable with. Actually, I think having a device entirely finger driven is not something I’m looking for, having the phone functionality covered by fingers is fine for me, and HTCs Sense interface they overlay on their phones (including their impressive range of Android phones) goes further than I need in achieving this.

I also have a few paid for apps from my iPaq which still run without problems.

The camera isn’t all that good, but I knew that before I bought the device, and is hardly a consequence of the OS.

One of the main reasons for getting a Windows Phone is that I can write software for it using C#, a language I’m using in the workplace. I’ve already knocked up a couple of small applications and found it remarkably easy.

But the point is most people don’t want to use the phone in the same way I do, hence why I will usually recommend either an Android base smart phone, or an iPhone.

I’d never touch an iPhone myself, but that’s because it doesn’t offer me the things I want from a phone, and I think the way apple treats their customers and developers stinks. That’s all I’m going to say on the matter at the moment. What I will say is that the virus known as iTunes does a good job of managing the purchase of Apples chosen applications, and is simple enough for my less technical friends to use. And I suppose I should mention there’s a lot of good games for it.

Shame the phone functionality itself is a little…. sub-optimal.

My favourite alternative at the moment is many of the Android based phones. I really think this is the OS to watch, and if they can break the Apple love fest (which is a very difficult nut to crack) then this is the phone with the best prospects.

Then, of course, there’s Symbian, who ship more licences than any of the others (possibly combined). I had a Nokia N95 and was generally happy with it, but it was a bit buggy. Through talking to a friend who worked at Symbian he convinced me that this was probably down to what Nokia had ‘added’ to the OS, but the net result is the same.

So please don’t tell my your iPhone is better than my Windows Phone as I won’t listen. Yes, it’s probably a better phone for you, but not for me. Enjoy playing with your iBeer, and leave me alone, I’ll be busy writing OneNote documents and Excel spreadsheets on a device that’s donig what I want it to, and a lot more besides.

(BTW: I deleted the Windows Phone version of iBeer, it was OK, but what’s the point.)