Chad Vavra

Right now I’m working on a site that has a custom style [display] for the iPod Touch, which is really just a iPhone without the phone and $2000+ AT&T contract. I’m also using a HTC TnTY II (Windows Mobile 6) smartphone (unlocked on T-Mobile) and I’ve come to realize that until Windows buys a company like PointUI to do their interface, they will never stand a chance against the likes of Apple.

For the last 7 years I’ve been using some form of the mobile web and until now it has been difficult, at best, to navigate. Apple has an uncanny knack for providing to the least common denominator of users. They say “it’s easier to use”, and I agree but I would say “it’s designed for idiots”, though that wouldn’t sell 3 million phones to 3 million idiots. (you can’t save a image from your email for crying out loud!)

Microsoft needs to take a page from Apple’s book and create a device that has all the functionality of the current smartphones, but the usability of the iProduct. Smartphones really are a palmtop computer, the iProducts are web kiosks at best. Microsoft should start by looking at the sites being created for the iPhone. Digg and Facebook have excellent user interfaces for the small, touch screen and Google is now offering access to their multiple applications, specifically for iPhone users. When Android supported hardware starts coming out the market is going to drastically change again. Microsoft and Windows Mobile are poised to be only better than Blackberry.

And that would just be sad.