We have to admit that Windows Mobile has stalled for the past few years. There were no groundbreaking changes from Windows Mobile SE 2003 up to Windows Mobile 6.1, and Microsoft has finally spoken out about this issue. Even after Apple introduced the IPhone and basically changed the rules of the touchscreen device game, Microsoft kept sleeping.
But i have been still an avid Windows Mobile user for all those years, because at the end of the day Windows Mobile is a very open OS compared to OSX on the IPhone. Also i just couldn’t live with the very basic todayscreen the Iphone has, since i just need all my today plugins for work. Googles Android was a great idea, but especially with the first devices like the TMobile G1 it was nothing more than a good idea either. The Device and the OS looked unfinished and apps on the Android market were anything but impressive. So i kept waiting for Windows Mobile 7. But now Microsoft goes the same old road of minor updates again, with Windows Mobile 6.5 coming at the end of this year. Thats just way too late, because the competition is providing better and newer operating systems right now, while Windows Mobile 6.5 still only adds on the old framework. I’m pretty sure that Windows Mobile 7 devices will arrive the earliest at the end of 2010, and by then Microsoft has lost many old customers.
That’s why i decided to add a new twist to my blog, which has been concentrating on reviews for Windows Mobile apps, and news for other mobile platforms like Android, OSX, Blackberry and WebOS up to now. Additionally to Windows Mobile app reviews, i’m going to post in-depth reviews about Android OS and Android apps. I never was the kind of customer who blindly follows a specific brand, so it’s really for the best to keep up to date about what the other competitors on the market are doing with their products.
That’s why i just ordered an HTC Hero, because going with Android is the only reasonable alternative for Windows Mobile users since it’s an open OS, you don’t have to sign a contract with a specific carrier, and Android doesn’t dictate which software you have to use for synchronizing your data. Also the HTC Hero is the first device to give Android the much needed UI polish.
Looking at the other players: The Iphone has too many restrictions, and the Palm Pre doesn’t have many 3rd party developers right now. And nobody knows if Palm will every have enough apps on their market. So for me the only other interesting alternative is Android.
I’m going to start off with a little series of posts about my first days with the HTC Hero as a longterm Windows Mobile user, and afterwards review the most interesting apps on the Android market. I think many impressions should be valuable for anybody who thinks about trying an Android device for a change. So stay tuned for my first impressions as soon as i get my hands on my new HTC Hero. I’m hoping to get it by the end of next week.
Now published:
A longterm Windows Mobile user switching to Android: Review HTC Hero Hardware
Bye,
Shahpur