Found Footage: iPhone vs. Windows Mobile
German site iFun.de has created a very cool video that compares iPhone features with the equivalent feature on a Windows Mobile device. It is important to note that most currently shipping Windows Mobile devices can do everything (and more) that we saw the iPhone do. The real difference is not in what these devices can do, but how they do it. Apple didn't revolutionize the MP3 player market by coming up with features that no one had ever done before. They revolutionized, and captured, the MP3 player market by making the iPod the easiest to use MP3 player available. I think, as this video illustrates, that is Apple's tactic with the iPhone.
Will the iPhone become the iPod of mobile devices? I'm not sure, but it will be interesting to watch.
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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 2)
friktionn said 12:10PM on 2-09-2007
styluses (styli?) are gross!
I've never been too fond of them and I've always been reluctant to use them. Now, with iPhone, I won't have to.
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PJ said 12:13PM on 2-09-2007
http://desmoinesregister.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20070209/ENT/702090400/1046
Does this sound like the Apple we know?
I live in Des Moines and purchased an iPod because of this "iPod Monday" a few years ago. Sheesh, this is harsh.
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Matt said 12:16PM on 2-09-2007
Windows Mobile 6 is right around the corner! Check it
http://www.engadget.com/photos/windows-mobile-6-professional/156009/
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arkowi said 12:20PM on 2-09-2007
What I have said from the beginning: Who cares if the iPhone is closed to additional software. It does everything I have always TRIED to do on my other portable gadgets already...and does it well.
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Chris said 12:30PM on 2-09-2007
The big thing for me as a Mac user is that I have a phone that completely syncs (and syncs well) with the programs I use on my Mac.
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Johnny_Canuck said 2:36PM on 2-09-2007
OK sure the O2 XDA can do almost all iPhone functions, but none of these out of the box. I counted among the apps used: TCMP (free), SPB weather plugin ($$), Google maps (free), The photo app was not standard and neither the screen rotator (most use a hot key hand cramping combo) and I don't even know what the front row like app switcher was. And you really should even dare compare Pocket IE to Safari let alone any other browser, opera is far more powerful and less painful.
I have an iPAQ hx2410 which does all the O2 things as well as Skype but you can not use it with out the stylus and a great deal on finger gymnastics.
The VERY important thing to remember is that the iPhone will finally bring some simplicity and ease of use to a chronically ill device: the smartphone. As long as the networks don't cripple the hell out of it in order to make 3 extra bucks a month. I can only imagine how Ma Bell is going to screw this up, should a CDMA version ever be available. I am still fuming at the way they took EV-DO out of my MOTO e-815 and now they are only releasing the even more battered up MOTO KRZR in englishing speaking province sans web access, photo messaging and EV-DO...
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SubGenius said 12:51PM on 2-09-2007
Chris, I second that.
This is the most important thing thorough and reliable sync.
Apple's interface(or lack thereof) is the key.
No tiny menus and microscopic text.
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Stephen said 1:14PM on 2-09-2007
I'm not too big on functionality, I just want it to have wifi and look pretty. And sync with my mac.
I think the whole "no tactile keyboard" thing might be a problem, though, as I prefer to be able to feel out the buttons I'm using so my phone can be used from my pocket.
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Drew said 1:31PM on 2-09-2007
What's the "widgets" app on Windows Mobile?
iPhone looks super slick, but you can't beat the rock bottom prices and extendability of WM devices. This is coming from an Apple fanboy using a Mac and Missing Sync.
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Jarrod turner said 2:43PM on 2-09-2007
I almost have no problem with the iphone being closed, I just Salling Clicker on that device, it's amazing. I can control front row, itunes, and a ton of other things from it.
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jason said 1:59PM on 2-09-2007
Yeah, that widgets app looks neat. I'm struggling trying to figure out if i should keep my tmobile mda, i like it, but i use a mac all the time, and i want an easy way to sync my calendar from gcal to the phone, and there isn't really an easy way.
grumble grumble
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(01) said 2:06PM on 2-09-2007
It's true, Apple doesn't always come out the "new" thing, but they do come out with the "that looks hot AND works the way I want it to"thing. Sure, my old Archos did more than my 4th gen iPod does, but....well, you all know where this is going. Common features aren't what's important, it's how they work.
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(01) said 2:13PM on 2-09-2007
sorry, meant to say "it's how the device works"
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Evan "madcrasher" Hildreth said 2:15PM on 2-09-2007
I didn't even get past the video. With the iPhone, you turn it on its side and the video rotates. With the WM, you tap the screen. Huge difference between buttons and motion; just look at the Wii!
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Nuno Sousa said 2:18PM on 2-09-2007
"Who cares if the iPhone is closed to additional software. It does everything I have always TRIED to do on my other portable gadgets already...and does it well."
You will care when the second generation iPhone comes out and Apple will not update your 1G iPhone's software. Older products get no love from Apple.
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sam said 2:54PM on 2-09-2007
I wasn't aware of the "wetter" feature on either of these phones, but it seems like a good idea to be able to fully submerge them.
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bill said 3:25PM on 2-09-2007
a lot of those features shown on the O2 XDA are addons/third party software. nothing near the intutitive apple iphone. plus everything comes with iphone. also, the windows mobile device was showing the mobile version of google.com that wasn't a fair comparison
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shrimp said 5:39PM on 2-09-2007
I think this video was made to show that Windows Mobile can do what the Phone can do. Notice how all the really cool iPhone demo bits are carefully edited out?
For instance, they didnt even show the photo "pinch" zoom gesture on the iPhone. And the Windows Mobile device, you have to go back, choose a photo, click for fullscreen, click again, go back, click on another photo, etc. But the iPhone you can just swipe your finger.
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Victor said 5:13AM on 2-10-2007
Johnny_Canuck,
and hence the problem. I highly doubt that you're going to find skype or something similar w/ iphone's closed platform. As much as i want to love the iphone (big apple fan since the Lisa era), i am turned off by the lack of software customization.
Chat on Google talk or MSN messenger? PDF viewer or Office document viewer? DiVX video player? Ogg Vorbis player? VOIP? Only if Cingular and/or Apple allow it. I'll continue to love my macs and the OS and the company.
But in this case, I think I'll wait for gen 2 versions or when they open up the platform more. Otherwise, I'll wait for a non-iphone Ipod; and stick with Windows mobile with Exchange server syncing bewteen entourage, contacts, ical, etc. and my Pocket PC and Smartphones.
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Victor said 5:15AM on 2-10-2007
...ohh..and one more thing...what's this with USB syncing for your information? There's no OTA or real-time syncing....that's so 1998.
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