Windows Phone Thoughts: Sprint's PPC 6700 Pocket PC Phone Edition Reviewed

A Conversion
Awhile back, I asked you to tell me stories of your own experiences converting others to our "dark side" of PPCs. The basis for this query was my own experience with a friend I'll name Mr. J and this device.

Mr. J has been a geek ever since I met him, yet he always has stuck with computer hardware. He has the biggest and meanest toys on the block, but when it comes to personal electronics, he doesn't care much as long as they work. He resisted getting a pager, resisted getting a cell phone, and until recently, has very much resisted getting a Pocket PC. What's changed to make Mr. J want this device? What sold him on this? What points can you use to justify buying this device or use to convert someone else? In no particular order, here they are:

1. Mr. J has recently been very busy finishing up his engineering degree. A hectic work schedule, many meetings, and new co-workers and project teammates mean he needs to be many places, talk to many people, and get back to others in a timely fashion. The value of an exchange-hosted calendar, contacts, and inbox becomes immediately apparent.

2. Mr. J also has an active personal life, and cell phones just don't cut it when traveling frequently and needing to keep track of things. I've seen Mr. J, on numerous occasions, reach into his gadget bag and pull out some shriveled up piece of paper with important info on. This screams for the built-in notes application or any software with the word 'wallet' in it somewhere.

3. Mr. J liked the camera, and since his good camera is still analog, a camera to take quick digital stills is needed.

4. No one text messages quite like Mr. J. The keyboard will save his fingers much grief. After all, "I'll be there soon" is under 20 keypresses on a PPC 6700 (or less if you program it in). It's around 50 on an average phone!

5. It's SMALL! Mr. J previously resisted Pocket PCs because of their size. Now it's small enough to fit in the console of his sleek Saturn Ion and easy enough to use one-handed. The stylus is firm, so it won't fall out as he jets around Columbus, Ohio, either.

6. It's a Sprint. Mr. J doesn't want to switch carriers, after all, some of his best friends (like me) have just recently memorized his number. This has probably been a big kicker for many people - getting a decent PPCPE on a non-GSM network. Mr. J can use it on the familiar Sprint network, with minimal growing pains.

These are just a few of the things we take for granted as PPC users, however, sometimes when we're frustrated at our friends' lack of desire to have a PPC we must remember (and point out to them) the basics. We know well how much these can do - we just need to take time to educate the poor masses who are stuck with ringtones & wallpapers as the extent of customization they get!