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WMExperts on the iPhone 3G

Posted on Thursday, Nov 27, 2008 by Dieter Bohn
 
Filed Under: Smartphones; Tags: windows mobile, smartphone round robin, iphone 3g, apple

What is there to say about the iPhone 3G that our readers haven't already heard? The browser: still awesome and still probably the best on a mobile device (though when SkyFire and Opera get their kinks worked out, we just may have to revisit that). The keyboard: better than most of the soft keyboards you'll find on Windows Mobile if only because of its incredibly good auto-correction. The applications: many are of a better quality than what's available on Windows Mobile, but they still haven't caught up the the breadth and power of what's available on Windows Mobile.

The real story between Windows Mobile and the iPhone platform is this: the iPhone has elegance while Windows Mobile has power, versatility, and openness. It's that last one that's clearly becoming a bigger factor in my mind as time goes on (as it is with the entire the entire WMExperts Team). Podcast downloading is the touchstone example of the moment, but there are plenty of others. I'll get into it quite a bit more in the final review, but for now, sit back and watch my video first take.

Meanwhile, WMExperts is taking most of the rest of the Thanksgiving holiday off, so posting will be pretty light and the podcast will be off this week. Have a safe and restful weekend, everybody!

 
 

Comments

Great review as usual. Very subjective, exactly what I expect from wmexperts. I would really like to be able to use an iPhone next to my 800w for a while to see where it falls short and where it excels. The limited aspect of the platform is my biggest hindrance to the iPhone, that said, how much more open does jail braking the iPhone make it?
Submitted by dannzeman (not verified) on Thu, 11/27/2008 - 14:15.
Dieter, I noticed you having trouble getting to the top of the contacts page to access the search box. I'm not sure if you're aware of this shortcut, but if you tap the top of the page (aim at the clock) the page scrolls all the way up. Works in most apps where you'd expect it to (Contacts, iPod, Safari, etc) including those from third-parties.

Btw, I think the iPhone is a great 'on-the-go phone', certainly more so than anything that needs two hands (e.g. for stylus or slider). When I first used an iPhone I didn't think I'd be able to type on it one-handed but I do this all the time now. Sure you (mostly) have to look at it to use it, but just about everything can done one-handed (the pinch gesture is an exception, but zooming in and out by double tapping mostly does the job).
Submitted by marcol (not verified) on Thu, 11/27/2008 - 15:01.
Taking digs at the iPhone 3G, eh?

Well, gotta give you some back:

http://digg.com/apple/WMExperts_vs_the_iPhone_3G_Video
Submitted by Rene Ritchie (not verified) on Thu, 11/27/2008 - 15:47.
I have a feeling Rene's gonna hold that Treo Pro video over our heads for a long, long time. :P
Submitted by Phil Nickinson on Thu, 11/27/2008 - 15:50.
Dieter, drink a bit more of the WM kool aid... wow... stop and go phone? I thought I was reading Kevin's review for the iPhone 3G ehhhh I mean Treo Pro... He started going off on the iPhone as a stop and go phone... News flash guys, try using the phone before you call it a stop and go phone. This sounded like it came from someone who never has used the device! Using the Fuze is like working in slow motion compared to the iPhone...

On the other hand, it's seems like you've made a few new friends over at TiPb with this take on the iPhone 3G... ;)
Submitted by Bad Ash (not verified) on Thu, 11/27/2008 - 19:03.
I'd like to see a best-of-both-worlds approach... equal parts Apple style and WinMob flexibility. Short of cloning Steve Jobs, though, I'm not sure how it's going to happen.
Submitted by Q (not verified) on Thu, 11/27/2008 - 23:28.
Nice review. The iphone is a great in some areas and lagging in others.
Submitted by shogun308 (not verified) on Thu, 11/27/2008 - 23:40.
I loved my iphone and it was hard to give it up but the backgrounder program failed more then it worked. In the end I had to go back to the effortless multitasking of Windows Mobile. If the iphone ever becomes a true multitasking device I will kick my winmo to the curb.

If any readers are unaware, backgrounder is a program used on "jail broken" iphones to allow programs to run in the background. I used it because I stream music and news while surfing the net while tracking my location on the go............. and the iphone cant do this well.
Submitted by jamespaulritter (not verified) on Fri, 11/28/2008 - 08:27.
I think using an iPod Touch with a WinMo device running WMWifiRouter is the best solution. I don't mind carrying two devices, at least the battery will last longer in my phone now that I'm not using it as my music player for hours on end on top of all the other tasks I use it for.
Submitted by dannzeman (not verified) on Fri, 11/28/2008 - 11:35.
Nice job Dieter, you hit the positives but also manage to highlight all the reasons why the iPhone is just not an ideal productivity device.
Submitted by Bunbury (not verified) on Fri, 11/28/2008 - 15:18.
People always ask me why I don't like the iphone and you hit on so many of the reasons that I give.
Submitted by creimusc (not verified) on Fri, 11/28/2008 - 15:57.
Nice review Dieter, ya darn WinMob fan boy!! fomcl!! :P
Submitted by Bla1ze (not verified) on Fri, 11/28/2008 - 16:05.
The interesting thing about the iPhone is that I haven't heard that much "sheer negativity" on it--more like people either love it or are mixed over it (like me). Regardless of whether they would consider one themselves, more people seem to feel they have to acknowledge the positives.
Submitted by Q (not verified) on Fri, 11/28/2008 - 21:50.
Good review Dieter, as much as I love the interface on the iPhone, I just can't give up the feature-set of WM.
Submitted by Minsc (not verified) on Fri, 11/28/2008 - 23:23.
I gotts to have buttons, tried that touchin the screen thing and it's just not the same.

Plus I need the multitasking of WM. I'll stick to the Treo's for now untill Microsoft will let pro apps work on a standard device.
Submitted by Palm_forlackofchoice (not verified) on Sat, 11/29/2008 - 09:47.
If I could customize the iPhone the way I can WM - or even Palm OS - it would be a much different game. I think when it gets right down to it people either love/don't care about the iPhone based on this as much as any other factor. If you don't mind doing everything Steve's way with Steve's approval, you probably love this phone. If want to tweak everything to exactly how YOU want it, that probably drives you nuts.
Submitted by Cascade (not verified) on Sat, 11/29/2008 - 11:11.
I'll probably regret getting into this (or maybe not:)), but seriously, Cascade, doesn't tweaking have its limits? Here's a recent comparison of mobile browsers:

http://gizmodo.com/5090988/mobile-browser-battlemodo-which-phones-deliver-the-real-web

Are there really tweaks that make the WM browsers as good as Safari?
Submitted by marcol (not verified) on Sat, 11/29/2008 - 11:32.
Go Skyfire!
Submitted by Dimietriev (not verified) on Sat, 11/29/2008 - 22:30.
Hi Dieter,
-
-Very fair review. You made me like the iPhone a little bit more. I still believe The interfece is great. the best by far. A lot of the apps are not as good. I don't believe Safari is as good as people say what really happens is that the UI makes it look good. But at the end I still believe WM will always give you more.
-
-But by far gthe most important reason I stay away from the iPhone is the Apple's tyrany. Whay I can't do with my phone whatever I want. If I can't I don't wanted.
-
-It is like freedom, It doesn't matter how great is what they give me if I am a slave.

.
Submitted by pinguino1 (not verified) on Sun, 11/30/2008 - 01:24.
All Apple products have the overly proprietary component. No mini USB ports with the iPhone or any iPod, hell, you can't even change the battery. Expandable memory? Negative. Use it without using Apple's proprietary (and truly annoying) iTunes software? Nope. Using anything from Apple is like getting married to the company, there's no real escape. No thanks. It's almost funny the way Apple fans hate Microsoft and accuse it of the very things that Apple has taken to an art form.
Submitted by Bunbury (not verified) on Sun, 11/30/2008 - 12:07.
I have to agree totally with Bunbury because that is so annoying it is the strongest turnoff from the brand. Thats why I have to love good old WM, its just a more versatile and powerful platform.
Submitted by KLutes (not verified) on Mon, 12/01/2008 - 22:23.
The difference between the IPhone and the WM phones is that ***Apple management*** made the iPhone great.

But the users of WM made the WM powerful.
Submitted by pinguino1 (not verified) on Mon, 12/01/2008 - 23:59.
I don't see people posting more comments about the iPhone.
I don't think everything is said. Maybe look at the next iPhone.
Keyboard? Don't think so, more open to ghe user? don't think so.
Submitted by pinguino1 (not verified) on Tue, 12/02/2008 - 23:58.
It will be interesting to see if future iPhones change up the form factor. Once the iPhone reaches full saturation, will they start releasing different hardware versions?
Submitted by Minsc (not verified) on Wed, 12/03/2008 - 23:12.
Maybe microsoft can try and change the image of winmo into more a fun and friendly interface like apple managed to do with the iphone.
Submitted by akamaru64 (not verified) on Wed, 12/10/2008 - 21:18.
Iphone or Fuze, it's pretty close.
Submitted by akamaru64 (not verified) on Wed, 12/24/2008 - 17:19.

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