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All posts tagged "competition"


Tuesday, June 8, 2010

Design a Windows Phone 7 App and Win

Posted by Jon Westfall in "Windows Phone News" @ 10:00 AM

http://www.brickfish.com/Lifestyles...pp?tab=overview

You don't even need to have the skill to build your dream app - just describe it and you could win $5,000 and a device to play with your app on! Sounds like a sweet deal, check it out and start dreaming!


Friday, April 9, 2010

Android-ers Come Forward!

Posted by Jon Westfall in "Windows Phone Competition" @ 05:30 AM

If you promise not to tell anyone, I'll tell you a secret: I use an Android phone. If you're wondering why this is a secret, perhaps if I expand it out, you'll see why: I am a Windows Mobile MVP, who used the platform exclusively for 7 years. I have written for a website focusing on Windows Mobile devices for over 5 years, and I own multiple Windows Mobile Devices. Yet still, I use a Nexus One as my daily driver. See, that's why it's a bit of a secret. And I'm sure you're wondering why I'm telling you this.

Well, I'm not telling you this as a prelude to a "I'm leaving the site" post or a "I've used Android but it sucks compared to WinMo" fanboy post. I use an Android phone because the platform excites me, the same way that Windows Mobile and Windows Phone still excite me, and I believe that by using each platform I can write more informed posts on each side and contribute to both platforms (I also own an iPod Touch, for the same reason). In other words, Win Mo didn't "lose" me, we're just not "exclusive" anymore.

And I'm wondering how many other Thoughts readers may be seeing Android devices on the side (or full time)! If you've gone to the Android side, what do you like or dislike? What do you miss about Windows Mobile? And does Windows Phone 7 tempt you back (as it does me)? Don't be afraid to admit it, android-ers, stand up and be counted!


Monday, November 23, 2009

JKOnTheRun Breaks Down WinMo Vs. Android

Posted by Jon Westfall in "Windows Phone Talk" @ 12:30 PM

http://jkontherun.com/2009/11/23/wi...than-you-think/

"The hot platform of the two is definitely Android, but Windows Mobile still has a lot to offer. While criticized for being an aging platform that has been around seemingly forever, the evolution of the WinMo ecosystem is, in fact, an advantage. If only Microsoft would make that clear."

WinMo is not hot compared to Android, that's for sure, but James Kendrick offers some insightful thoughts on the pros and cons of both platforms. Personally, I'm a fan of both (Android currently living in my pocket, WinMo 6.5 currently living in my bag - however that switches periodically!). The choice is up to the user, but it certainly isn't an easy one by a long shot. Windows Mobile is far from being the featureless wasteland sometimes described by those in the Android and iPhone camps!


Monday, August 3, 2009

Is Android Killing Windows Mobile?

Posted by Jon Westfall in "Pocket PC Talk" @ 01:30 PM

http://gigaom.com/2009/07/30/is-goo...windows-mobile/

"Like upstart HTC, a long-time Windows Mobile loyalist, Motorola is focusing its development resources behind Google's Android OS. Both HTC and Motorola are developing their own user interfaces for Android, which indicates their seriousness about Google's mobile platform. I wonder if this is going to be a trend that's going to spread. From what I've heard, everyone from Lenovo and Huawei to Dell to Samsung are betting on Android. These companies would have been partners of Microsoft in the past."

I have a confession to make: I own two Android devices. Yes, it's true I still own more Windows Mobile devices than Android, but my daily drivers as of late have been a G1 and a MyTouch 3G. While I'd like to say my sole reason for doing this is to think of ways to help Windows Mobile developers, users, and enthusiasts get more from their devices (a.k.a. from snooping on the competition), that's not my sole reason. I also think they generally are more fun to use, and have a pretty interesting user community growing up around them. I'm not jumping ship, but from my perspective, I can see why articles like the one quoted above are published. Android, something I think many of us dismissed as a toy about a year ago, seems to be fast growing as a force in the mobile handset community. How bad is this for Windows Mobile?


Tuesday, June 16, 2009

Win a Copy of Ringtone Expressions

Posted by Darius Wey in "Pocket PC Events" @ 08:15 AM

Giveaway time! Thanks to Gx5, we have twenty copies of Ringtone Expressions (each valued at $4.99 USD per month) for you to snag. The Windows-based application offers a quick and easy way for you to convert your music, YouTube videos, and self-recorded audio into ringtones for your Windows Mobile device.

So, what do you have to do to win? Read on and get commenting. Good luck!

  • Leave a comment in this thread, stating your favourite music genre. Rock, R&B, psychedelic trance, or something else? Let us know. It's that simple.
  • Only one comment per person. Any more and your entry will be deemed invalid. Note that if you're registering and leaving a comment for the first time, your post probably won't appear right away as it needs to be approved by our friendly moderators.
  • The giveaway is open to anyone and everyone, regardless of where you are in the world.
  • Entries will be accepted until 11:59 PM GMT on June 24, 2009.
  • A total of twenty winners will be selected randomly and notified via e-mail, so please ensure that a valid e-mail address is linked to your Thoughts Media account. Each winner will receive a lifetime subscription allowing unlimited use of Ringtone Expressions.


Monday, May 25, 2009

Win a Copy of Business PRO!

Posted by Darius Wey in "Pocket PC Events" @ 10:30 PM

Giveaway time! Thanks to PocketX Software, we have five copies of the newly-released Business PRO (each valued at $29.95 USD) for you to snag. The application offers advanced phone profiles, a profile picker, advanced call filtering, an SMS answering machine, group e-mail and SMS messaging, support for unique ringtones and message tones, and photo caller ID.

So, what do you have to do to win? Read on and get commenting. Good luck!

  • Leave a comment in this thread, stating the number of contacts in your address book. 10, 20, 500, 1000? More? Let us know. It's that simple.
  • Only one comment per person. Any more and your entry will be deemed invalid. Note that if you're registering and leaving a comment for the first time, your post probably won't appear right away as it needs to be approved by our friendly moderators.
  • The giveaway is open to anyone and everyone, regardless of where you are in the world.
  • Entries will be accepted until 11:59 PM GMT on June 3, 2009.
  • A total of five winners will be selected randomly and notified via e-mail, so please ensure that a valid e-mail address is linked to your Thoughts Media account. Each winner will receive a single licensed copy of Business PRO.


Wednesday, May 20, 2009

Win a Copy of Handy Assistant!

Posted by Darius Wey in "Pocket PC Events" @ 10:30 PM

We have freebies that need claiming, and they could be yours! Thanks to Paragon Software Group, we have five copies of the newly-released Handy Assistant application (each valued at $29.95 USD) to give away. Here's a brief description of what it does:

"Paragon Software Group, the leading software developer for mobile devices and PC desktops, has released Handy Assistant, an advanced mobile phone application allowing management and customization of phone profiles, call processing and filtering, as well as other highly utilized phone features on Windows Mobile devices."

So, what do you have to do to win? Read on and get commenting. Good luck!

  • Leave a comment in this thread, stating the ringtone you currently use. If you don't use one, because you simply adore the sweet serenity of silence, that's okay, too! Just mention that in the thread.
  • Only one comment per person. Any more and your entry will be deemed invalid. Note that if you're registering and leaving a comment for the first time, your post probably won't appear right away as it needs to be approved by our friendly moderators.
  • The giveaway is open to anyone and everyone, regardless of where you are in the world.
  • Entries will be accepted until 11:59 PM GMT on May 30, 2009.
  • A total of five winners will be selected randomly and notified via e-mail, so please ensure that a valid e-mail address is linked to your Thoughts Media account. Each winner will receive a single licensed copy of Handy Assistant.


Saturday, May 9, 2009

This is Why People Say Android is Half Baked

Posted by Jon Westfall in "Pocket PC Competition" @ 05:00 PM

Maybe it's because I am a geek that I just accept that things I want to work will not always do so. Maybe it's because I'm forgiving of this that I don't often rant about it. But here is one issue that I need to bring up to highlight why companies aren't flocking away from Windows Mobile to a platform such as Android.

One thing I really liked about my G1 when I got it was the fact I could use Google Reader to catch up on my headlines while on the go. The Webkit browser seemed to work much better than any other mobile browser I'd used, and I was happy with it. But recently, I've found that when I hit "Mark these items as read", they don't get marked. They just reload again when pulling the next 15 items (Which are just the same 15 items I've seen before). I thought this may just be me, until I found others reporting the same problem. Apparently big G changed something around mid-March that broke the web interface "mark all these items as read" button. The best I can tell, this issue has been around now for about 1 1/2 months, and Google's only response has been "We're working on it".

So a Google-driven OS is having problems with a Google product and the best users get is "We're working on it..." and effectively a mobile outage of what some would consider a mission critical application. This doesn't bode well for Google, cloud computing, or Android. And it's one reason people stay with Windows Mobile.

WinMo may not be the prettiest, but I'm having a really hard time remembering the last time it didn't work with a critical MS application because MS changed the application, but left the mobile users stranded.


Wednesday, January 28, 2009

How Microsoft Intends to Regain Lost Ground In Mobile Territory

Posted by Darius Wey in "Pocket PC Talk" @ 08:55 PM

http://news.zdnet.com/2100-9595_22-264314.html

"Microsoft has made some stumbles in the mobile world, but a strategy shift made more than a year ago will soon pay dividends, the company's top Windows Mobile executive said in an interview with CNET News. Andy Lees, the executive brought over from the server unit a year ago, said that Microsoft's efforts to make sure that its mobile software could run on a wide range of phones resulted in an operating system that failed to take advantage of advances in hardware. "We aimed to go for a lower common denominator," Lees said. Microsoft was also limited by the origins of Windows Mobile, which was developed to power handheld computers that neither connected to a network nor handled voice. "We started out when we were in PDAs (personal digital assistants) and then a phone got strapped to the back of the PDA," Lees said. The company also failed to recognize that phones--even those that were used for business--were still as much personal as they were professional."

The first four paragraphs of the CNET/ZDNet article accurately highlight some of Windows Mobile's flaws, and why the once-venerable smartphone operating system, at times, appears feeble next to relative newcomers, iPhone OS, Android, and webOS. But it's not all doom and gloom for Microsoft. According to Andy Lees, we'll see some breakthroughs over the next 18 months, with the first set expected as soon as mid-February as Microsoft takes the stage at MWC. Lees hinted at an increased reliance on the cloud, the need to improve the core of Windows Mobile in order to keep up with the competition, and a closer relationship with OEMs (which we can only hope translates to more frequent and more consistent updates for all consumers).

Is this the right approach? Sound off in this thread.


Friday, January 2, 2009

Winners of the Ringtone Shuffler Contest

Posted by Darius Wey in "Pocket PC Events" @ 12:28 AM

To kick off the new year, we're announcing the winners of last month's Ringtone Shuffler contest. If your username is listed below, congratulations! Please check your private messages within the next 24 hours for registration details.

  • edhead
  • janoulle
  • maskology
  • paulsg63
  • ucfgrad93

Thanks to Gx5 for their generosity. Stay tuned as we bring you more contests in the coming weeks!


Sunday, December 7, 2008

Win 1 of 5 Copies of Ringtone Shuffler

Posted by Darius Wey in "Pocket PC Events" @ 09:38 PM

http://www.gx-5.com/products/ringto...erforwmdevices/

"With Ringtone Shuffler, every time a call comes in you hear a different custom ringtone that you have put on your phone. This is a great feature when you have many custom ringtones and you want to enjoy all of them. It gets even better. With Ringtone Shuffler, you can select the ringtones you want to shuffle. Why is this super cool? Imagine a scenario where you have created 3 ringtones from one song; that is the first verse, second verse, and the chorus. Now you can select those 3 and enjoy them all. In another scenario, let's say you have about 20 ringtones and 5 of them are from one or a few artists you are really feeling. Now you can just select those 5 as the ones to shuffle."

Thanks to Gx5, we have five copies of the new Ringtone Shuffler application for Windows Mobile Standard and Professional to give away. Here's how you enter:

  • Simply post the artist and title of your favourite song in this thread. Really, it's that simple!

Entries are limited to one per person and you have until 12:00 PM (GMT) on Monday, December 15, 2008 to get them in. Winners will be randomly selected and announced the following week. Good luck!


Thursday, November 27, 2008

ASUSTeK Aims for 10 New Models In 2009

Posted by Darius Wey in "Pocket PC News" @ 02:10 AM

http://www.digitimes.com/news/a20081124PD203.html

"Asustek Computer's handset business has fallen short of expectations in 2008, but the company is strengthening its R&D to offer up to 10 new models, almost all supporting 3G and a touch user interface, in 2009, in a bid to compete with its main rival High Tech Computer (HTC), according to industry sources in Taiwan. Asustek shifted its handset development focus entirely to smartphones in 2007 and set some goals for 2008, the sources indicated. But mainly due to transitioning 3G chip platforms as well as the appropriation of R&D efforts to develop handsets based on Google's Android platform and Nuvifone handsets on an ODM basis for Garmin, Asustek has only launched seven new smartphones so far in 2008, much fewer than its initial target of 13-15, the sources pointed out."

According to industry sources, ASUSTeK's total shipments in 2008 amounted to a mere 3% of HTC's. They have a steep hill to climb if they're to improve on that in 2009, and the improvement would have to be pretty significant to grab HTC's attention. Whatever happens, competition is healthy; one can only hope it will prompt both companies to introduce new and exciting technologies into their handsets.


Thursday, March 27, 2008

Windows Mobile Shakes with Fear: Microsoft Hints at Office and Voice Recognition Applications on the iPhone and iPod touch

Posted by Darius Wey in "Pocket PC Competition" @ 12:25 AM

http://www.appleinsider.com/article...phone_apps.html

"The Redmond, Wash.-based software giant is already the largest software developer for Apple's Mac platform outside of the Mac maker itself, with Fortune's Big Tech blog estimating that its Mac Business Unit generates revenues in excess of $350 million and profits of over $200 million each year. Add to that the firm's expertise in its proprietary Exchange email protocols and business email systems, and it's almost a certainty that Microsoft will be among those bearing fresh wares for Apple's iPhone and iPod touch a bit later this year, Tom Gibbons, corporate vice president of Microsoft's Specialized Devices and Applications Group, told the business publication. "We do have experience with that environment, and that gives us confidence to be able to do something," he said. "The key question is, what is the value that we need to bring?" Gibbons' team of Mac developers, which actually resides in Mountain View, Calif., just a few miles from Apple's headquarters in Cupertino, is reportedly weighing its most viable options for an initial native iPhone application, which appears as if it will fall within the Office family of productivity applications."



It wasn't too long ago that Apple announced Exchange support for the iPhone and iPod touch. The implications here have yet to be seen, but come June, we'll likely see the two devices consume a reasonable chunk of Windows Mobile's market share. What about Office? It's always been one of Windows Mobile's biggest selling points. The iPhone and iPod touch lack it, but that may soon change, and if it does, it has the potential to be huge. Add in Tellme and a host of other applications and Microsoft will need to find new ways to make Windows Mobile as popular as it once was.


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