After seeing Windows Mobile 7, I have to say it really compliments Android as a serious mobile phone.  As Gizmodo said, it “out Appled Apple.” Not to say it won’t be an enjoyable experience, or a competitor in the mobile market, but it’s a different experience than the typical “Smartphone.”  The big question, then, is how does Microsoft’s new platform compare with Apple and Android–for users and for developers?

Windows Mobile 7′s interface and layout are the definition of simplicity. This comes as a direct challenge to the iPhone, which prides itself on a simple interface and usability. The WM7 user interface is about the easiest navigation I’ve seen and might be better than the iPhone because it has significantly more flexibility.

As I have said many times, one platform is not a substitute for another. This mobile operating system seems to target the market of iPhone users, who want a phone that “just works.” Microsoft is creating minimum phone specifications, ranging from screen size to sensors, to ensure that the phones run the OS smoothly. Because Android doesn’t have such standards (it provides more flexibility with the hardware), Windows Mobile 7 appears to be targeting the iPhone market share.

Unlike the iPhone OS and Windows Mobile, Android can be applied to a variety of devices. Android also has a virtually open application market, meaning developers can create what they want and deliver it when they want. So while the iPhone might own the mobile application market today, Android will really pick up steam as Microsoft and Apple create barriers for developers.  Such barriers seem inevitable for both Microsoft and Apple mobile operating platforms because both companies want a seamless interface and, unfortunately, don’t trust independent app developers to provide it.

With the thought of a hardware floor comes a nightmare of an application approval process similar to Apple’s. Needless to say, this would be extremely discouraging for developers looking to produce applications for the platform. The bright side–there’s always a bright side–is that Flash will probably be available soon on the Windows Mobile platform.. for those of you who care for Flash.

HTML is so 200x. In my wild mind, I see what Adobe AIR and Google’s Chrome-OS are bringing to the table as a prediction of things to come. While the two might seem vastly different, they shine light on what I believe will be the future of our “on-line” experience.

Adobe AIR, is a recent tool by Adobe which introduces cross platform development giving developers a universal market. While not all of the applications available are portals to web applications, the majority of them interface with on-line counterparts. When people think AIR, they are usually thinking about their favorite Twitter desktop client, however the potential goes far beyond just that as the platform will grow to provide what I think will be a corner stone to the future of development. Taking it a step further, Google developed their Chrome OS as a portal to their services for people on the go, specifically net book owners.

Chrome-OS, while an actual operating system, provides the same on line ideology of AIR (if not more). Chrome OS is a hybrid of hardware based technologies and cloud reliance. With Chrome-OS the idea is that the user will have a lightweight, almost instantly accessible operating system which connects applications (provided by Google and third party developers). Relying on Java, rather then operating on web based programming languages like PHP and Javascript. These applications, the life of your user experience, will require almost no overhead and will be ready to go within seconds of powering on your machine.

To me both of these products are huge. Thanks to AIR, I’ve been able to utilize a lot of the same applications I use on my desktop on my new Netbook running Ubuntu Netbook Remix. Meaning, that with almost no effort, I am able to maintain the same level of productivity without having to adjust to new interfaces. Looking forward to Chrome-OS, the ability to interface with my Google Accounts is a huge step forward because I already use Google’s on line solutions for email, documents, contact management and even Google Voice as my primary number.

On the back burner, a bit less hyped, is Microsoft’s new solution which is looking to provide a cloud based solution for application hosting. While I’ve broken free of Microsoft’s grips, in terms of M$ Office, I still am considering this a step in the right direction for those backing ASP languages. I’m still a bit new to the pricing structure, which seems on par with other cloud solutions, however backing from such an industry leader is a good sign. Conveniently they saw it fit to make the announcement the same day Google announced Chrome-OS.

While I’ve become a big supporter of cloud based solutions in recent months, I have to say that beyond the convenience of being “portable,” cloud solutions still worry a lot of people. The first question I hear is always, without fail, “security” followed with the question of reliability. My response to both of these is “I’m sure the tech who set up the servers hosting your information know more about the issue than you or I.” In the cases of Chrome-OS and Adobe AIR, you’re trusting little extra with the corporations then you are currently using their products and services. Ideally, you’d be sharing less because you are interacting directly with the server and not a document based interface.

I wouldn’t call myself a diehard fan of any operating system, as with everything else I think each OS serve’s its own purpose.  However, I’ve been a huge fan of “7″ since it’s public beta releases.. After the disaster which was Vista, I was reluctant to format my PC and start on Microsoft’s newest operating system.  However, it out performed all of my previous operating systems in every sense of the term.  Not only was I eager for the release, but I was eager to spread the word to my friends who were also hesitant.

Today, BoyGeniusReport.com posted Microsoft’s numbers for the first week of Windows 7.  Windows 7 outsold Vista’s first week by 243%, which I’m sure resulted in a lot more satisfied customers.

While my dislike for Vista has been well documented in many conversations and posts on various message boards, these numbers really surprise me.  Originally, I was convinced that the public would have been timid to purchase a new Microsoft release after the problems which ensued with its’ previous tragedy.

Windows Phone OS walkthrough « INQ TV
While flash is amazing, it seems like Windows Phone OS is just regergtating everything else that is on the market.  While I’m not a huge fan of the Windows Mobile operating systems that I’ve used in the past, I have to say that I’m least likely to give this a shot out of anything on the market. For me the highlight of using my T-Mobile Dash or MDA was  that aside from “ActiveSync” working flawlessly with outlook, the email client was almost as stripped down as the BlackBerry email client.

Continue Reading