back to article Windows goes Mobile 6.5

Phone rivals HTC and LG today joined Microsoft at Mobile World Congress in Barcelona to launch the world’s first handsets set to run the latest incarnation of Windows Mobile. Windows_Mobile_65 How Windows Mobile 6.5 will look on your mobile Peter Chou, HTC's Chief Executive, kicked things off by promising buyers of its new …

COMMENTS

This topic is closed for new posts.
  1. Anonymous Coward
    Anonymous Coward

    Windows Mobile

    Seems to be the biggest problem.

    Slow and unweildy. I have a HTC Touch Diamond... a decent phone, but the OS is not so great.

  2. Bunglebear

    Bloated

    Considering how bloated and sluggish WinMob can be, are these fancy features really necessary or even desirable? I am far more irritated by poor performance than impressed by flashy effects. It needs to WORK!

  3. Mark
    Gates Horns

    Hope it runs Opera.

    I don't want that Mobile Internet Explorer crap..

  4. Brutus
    Gates Horns

    ook!

    "Ballmer claimed today that version 6.5 will bring “the full Windows experience to mobile phones" - oh bugger!

  5. Steven Raith
    Linux

    Intuitive, smart and useful?

    As opposed to so obstructive, stupid and infuriating, that most WinMobs come with a GUI layer on top of Windows to hide it away?

    Still, at least it looks like they are taking notes from the competition as opposed to soldiering on with the same old shite as WinMob as they seem to have for the last five years.

    Steven R

  6. MrT
    Stop

    'Free' upgrades...

    "Peter Chou, HTC's Chief Executive, kicked things off by promising buyers of its new Touch Pro 2 and Touch Diamond 2 free upgrades to the new OS when it’s launched later this year."

    Users of network branded versions need not apply.

    For example, HTC provide an upgrade from WM6.0 to WM6.1 for Tytn II handsets (Kaiser, aka Tilt, Vario III etc) that enables the full video hardware, but only those who bought direct from HTC are eligible for this - HTC says that the networks agree to support, warranty etc for their branded versions.

    T-Mobile customer support variously say they won't offer any similar upgrade, or even refer their customers back to HTC's site for the upgrade. How do you spell 'Ouroboros'?

    Therefore, if you buy a subsidised network-branded version of the new handsets, you can pretty much ignore whatever HTC eventually offer.

    xda-developers might be of use to those stuck with similar providers... ;-)

  7. Tom
    Gates Horns

    It's what the customers call it that counts...

    Ballmer added that handsets running version 6.5 will now be known as “the first generation of what we’re calling Windows phones”

    But will every one else call it a #&@%$# Windows phone?

  8. Andy Silver badge

    the full Windows experience

    Incoming Call Access Denied

    You need to confirm this operation.

    [ Continue ] [ Skip ] [ Cancel ]

    Too late, It's gone to voicemail.

    -A.

  9. Tom Simnett
    Unhappy

    BSOD included?

    Oh, and which version of Windows? I don't want no Vista on my 'phone!

  10. Tim Hale
    Thumb Down

    Fail

    I'm still seeing lots of tiny, tiny icons on there. Not to mention screen shots elsewhere suggest that what we're seeing here represents the sum total of the changes and everything else is still in the mobile dark ages, not that what's shown here is anything to brag about.

    Here's hoping Windows Mobile 7 is worth bothering with. Personally, until then, I'll pass.

  11. Adam Oellermann

    The Full Windows Experience

    Will this mean that we can all sue Microsoft for billions when we buy a phone that, it turns out, can't run Aero after all - just Windows(R) Lite(TM) SmartFONE(R)(TM) for Beginners(R), Third World Edition?

  12. Matt
    Gates Halo

    am i the only one?

    Im on my 4th win mobile - running 6.1pro and I dont have any issues... its as stable as any other current generation phone, more customisable than ANY other mobile OS out there, totally painless syncing with a windows PC, opera is a grat browser, with IE as an unused backup... I cant see what all the complaining is about!

    Ive tried to move away, but always come back!

    I for one welcome a new update and my new phone in August will almost certainly be a windows affair... hopefully with mob 7 :)

  13. Robert E A Harvey
    Gates Horns

    Windows

    Vista for pockets? - well, he did say 'The Full windows experience'.

  14. barth

    Does it work , at last ?

    I have a WinMob 6.0 phone, and it sucks. It's not usable one-handed, with just a finger. The whole concept of a start button, small windows with an even smaller X on the top right corner to close them, is just ridiculous when there's no keyboard nor mouse. Plus the thing is slow as hell.

  15. Adrian Esdaile
    Thumb Up

    Orac or Zen interface?

    Briliant! I'd buy ths just for the hexagons!

    I 've been waiting for 25 bloody years for someone to come up with a hexagon-based interface.

    Zen! Standard by 12 and clear the neutron blasters for firing!

  16. Anonymous Coward
    Thumb Down

    I'll have a 'T' please Bob

    Anyone else thinking 'Blockbusters'?

    It's just a regloss over WinMob. Until they fix the fundemental problems with the OS that cause it to hang, spontaneously reboot, and to perform sluggishly a lot of the time, this is a waste of Ballmer's time.

    I wonder if they'll manage to fix IE in this release so that a JS-heavy page doesn't totally kill the phone, requiring a reboot?

    I've had enough of MS Mobile. Android for me next time around, thanks very much.

  17. Anonymous Coward
    Thumb Down

    Re: 'Free' Upgrades...

    "For example, HTC provide an upgrade from WM6.0 to WM6.1 for Tytn II handsets (Kaiser, aka Tilt, Vario III etc) that enables the full video hardware..."

    No it doesn't! I have a TyTNII and it was shite with WM6.0 and it was shite after I updated it to WM6.1. It cost me a fortune and it sits in a cupboard because it completely fails to perform the functions I bought it for. Basically - I wanted it to work as a phone (not much to ask), I wanted to get access to my email, and I wanted to use it as an organiser. Nothing too demanding. It utterly fails in all respects - it's agonisingly slow. If you phone it, you will hear a ring tone about 3 or 4 times before the thing has even woken up! As a result, the caller often rings off before I even realise they are calling. It crashes. It locks up, the keyboard bounces like mad (ie - it reads key presses multiple times, or not at all) to the point of being almost unusable. It is, in a word, SHITE.

    I will never, NEVER, buy another HTC product, and I will NEVER buy a Windows (WM or otherwise) product again. I knew it was a mistake at the time, and I have been, sadly, proven correct.

  18. RichyS
    Paris Hilton

    Ballmer just doesn't get it...

    Who the hell want's the 'full Windows experience' on a smartphone? Windows is miserable enough on a 9" netbook display.

    I want a mobile UI/experience that is fast, simple, and consistent. That is why the iPhone is so popular (disclaimer: I don't own an iPhone). That is why the Sony Ericsson P900/P910 was so good. That is also why HTC and SE (and others) do their best to hide the WinMob experience behind various 'touch' UI skins.

    Paris, 'cos her skin enjoys a good touch.

  19. Robert Grant

    @Matt

    Indeed - what HTC did to it is fantastic; I've no problem running Windows Mobile.

    But then I'm a geek - I bought the phone with the best hardware I could find (HTC Diamond) ...

    (e.g. Diamond vs iPhone hardware specs:

    HSDPA vs 3G

    640x480 vs 320x480

    110g vs 133g

    102 x 51 x 11.3mm vs 115.5 x 62.1 x 12.3mm

    3.2MP vs 2MP camera

    Both have multitouch screens...

    Battery life ok vs good battery life -this is the only thing I'd remedy. But it's more than good enough; the car charger is there when I'm using it for GPS so it doesn't bother me)

    ...and am happy to toy with it, download stuff people have developed in their spare time etc etc. I also (heretic!) think the iPhone UI is quite dull; I much prefer the HTC one. But that's obviously very subjective. The xda-developers community is superb, and doesn't get nearly as much attention as it deserves. It's also more than fast enough with the HTC UI (I can one-thumb text as fast as my thumb can move with their keyboard) although if MS can speed up the internals that'd be brilliant. It doesn't reboot; it doesn't get slower over time, even. But on the other hand for a prepackaged, easy experience, I can definitely see how the iPhone's better. I'd recommend it to my Mum!

    Anyway, thanks for the commercial, Minister. Perhaps we can start the programme now.

  20. Dapprman
    Thumb Up

    Mixed Experiences for Me

    I had a C500 smartphone as a company phone at my old place and truly hated it.

    However ... with the SE 990 being a dog I upgraded from my P900 to a Vodafone V1605 (TyTn). I honestly expected to send it back after a week, but found it worked really well for me. I should point out that I'm a heavy PDA user.

    I recently upgraded to a Vodafone branded HTC Touch Pro. Now Touchflo3D I truly hated and disabled, however using the Today screen and the start menu I've not so far had any problems. On neither my old TyTn (owned for ~2-2.5 years before I upgraded) or my Touch Pro (now 3 months old) have I had the reliability problems others talk about and performance seems fine for me.

  21. Anonymous Coward
    Thumb Down

    Re: 'Free' Upgrades... by A/C

    I had great hopes for my O2 Stellar (HTC TyTNII) when I looked at the spec, but it's turned out to be slow and a pain to use. Whoever designed the interface of 6.0 or 6.1 should have his/her bottom lip stapled to his/her eyebrows.

    I know experts can delve into the guts, but why should the man on the street not have usable software controls? You can't even adjust the backlighting so that when you want to use the phone outside on even an overcast day you can see the password pad (because it's dimmed). And I hate it when I phone a company and they have a "Press 2 for sales, 3 for support" etc because you know the screen will have blacked out and you have to press the power switch again to be able to use it. Does the interface as supplied allow you to change these annoying "features'? Course not!

    Considering the amount of money MS have obviously spent over the years on interface research, it's obvious that they either employ idiots or don't listen to clever people.

    My son got an iPhone for passing his exams recently, and all I can say is that its interface is light-years ahead of anything on Windows, so you may have more 'features' on another phone, but if you can't use them, what's the point.

    As soon as I can upgrade, I'll be ditching this lump of software shit and getting an iPhone.

  22. Dale Le Page

    Why?

    Seriously, winmob offers nothing that isn't available better elsewhere. E-mail and organiser? Get a blackberry. Internet browsing? iPhone! Or better yet, get an android phone and install these things on there!!

  23. PLAzmA
    Thumb Up

    About time

    Considering that WM6.5 was suppose to appear in beta before Windows 7 Beta its about time they announced this.

    Regarding someones comments about about the tytn II phone, ive ran wm6 and 6.1 on my phone, i did notice a speed up with wm6.1 over 6 however it was never slow with 6.

    Im not sure what rom your using, possibly its a badly cooked rom or packed full of your operators bloat thats not needed personally i jailbrake the operators customisation packs on my phones and run the stock rom.

    I do agree it would be nice to see windows mobile 7 offering some nicer visual updates, but to me windows mobile has always been the most flexible, im happy to do away with all the eye candy for something that does the job properly and thats why i love windows mobile.

    There simply hasnt been a time where ive though um would be helpful if my phone did x where i couldnt either write/mod an app to do it or find some software that did.

    it makes me laugh all the tree hugging and possibly linux fan boys who just flame something for being microsoft, im not saying microsoft is always no 1 or the best but until the google os (android) grows a little older i wont even dream of leaving windows mobile.

    Ark Ark.

  24. Anonymous Coward
    Anonymous Coward

    Re: About Time

    "Im not sure what rom your using, possibly its a badly cooked rom or packed full of your operators bloat"

    Nope - it's a standard HTC device (not a network's (or hacker's) hacked version), hence the 300 quid (or so) price tag.

    Quite frankly, I don't understand why you DON'T have an issue with it, but good for you. It's a dreadful piece of kit - probably the very worse I have ever wasted money on.

    signed, first "Re: 'Free' Upgrades..." A/C

  25. Anonymous Coward
    Anonymous Coward

    htc

    No one need to worry, if its made by HTC it wont work anyway, or at least properly, HTC have a long running history of borked devices because they dont want to spend a little cash.

    Anyhow xda developers are the folk to keep an eye on, there are so many people on there and they will make many things work, if MS and HTC would only play with them a bit more they might just make a perfect device.

  26. Player_16
    Coat

    MY NEW PHONE'S BEEN STOLEN!!

    It was just given to me!!

    http://www.theregister.co.uk/2009/02/18/telstra_theft/

    http://www.engadget.com/2009/02/18/thievery-at-mwc-telstra-execs-htc-with-winmo-6-5-stolen/

    OH SHIT!!

This topic is closed for new posts.

Other stories you might like