I am quite intrigued by the new Windows Phone 7 Series.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MdDAeyy1H0A&feature=player_embedded
I am not sure I will get one (I have way too many phones as it is) and I think it probably would appeal to a very social person (and I am one unsociable person).
What do you think? Are you going to get one?
If I had the spare cash I think I’d snap one up straight away, currently sporting an iPhone and Nexus One. Not sure there is room in my life for ‘another’ phone but intrigued to see how its recieved and how well it develops.
There is a pretty honest/impartial review of one of the devices here: http://www.itwriting.com/blog/3364-an-honest-assessment-of-windows-phone-7.html
Given the reviews so far, and MS track record of trying to a little of everything to everyone for fear of losing any tick boxes in reviews, I doubt I’ll be swayed by one of these – not for a while yet at least.
It will need the OEM relationship with bodging their own “enhancements” on the device, the marketplace content and functions to mature and a LOT more 3rd party extensions before it looks like it comes close to an iPhone, or even the Android platforms for me.
That said, it looks like they’ve implemented some interesting new UI metaphors and designs that could…./could/ be really nice, but if, and only if, they can cajole the 3rd party developers (including the OEMs) to use it consistently and well. Knowing MS’ lack of backbone in dictating what is acceptable on their platforms (unlike Apple who have a good way of vetoing apps which breach their interface metaphors – see the camera apps removed from the apps store for using the volume buttons as a shutter button) I expect the platform will be a hodge podge of everyone elses “great idea” and it will feel designed by committee in no time.
I could be wrong – but the very attributes that gave MS such dominance with DOS and Windows by liberating 3rd parties to be creative and find new inventive ways to use computers are now struggling to keep them on top when we expect computers to be commodity devices with good sleek even sexy design. For that you need a benign dictatorship (Apple) or enough people prepared to collaborate and cooperate with a strong leader (Android with Google).