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| HTC rekindles its old Microsoft romance, bets on Windows Phone 8 |
| By Thom Holwerda on 2012-09-19 16:08:03 |
| "High Tech Computer (HTC) has grown up with Microsoft, from the old HTC-built iPAQ's running on Microsoft's Pocket PC operating system, to the Orange SPV - Microsoft's first Windows smartphone. The Taiwanese company has always been a loyal aid to the software giant, but lately that close relationship has started to feel a little dated. HTC's investment in Android and its Sense user interface has taken precedent over its initial work with Windows Mobile, and the company's Windows Phone flagships have been impressive, but overshadowed by Nokia's colorful Lumia range and partnership with Microsoft. That all appears to be changing though." HTC announced some good-looking Windows Phone 8 phones (ugh) today, but from my personal experience of owning several devices from both brands for over a decade, Nokia has the edge on quality. Good to see a serious commitment to WP8 though - we wouldn't want the Android dominance to continue. |
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| Winphones |
| By Drunkula on 2012-09-19 16:50:12 |
| If I were to get a Windows phone it would have to be a Lumia... |
 - Score: 2 |
| RE: Winphones |
| By przemo_li on 2012-09-19 17:06:55 |
|
That statement relays on conterminous Nokia presence in handset business. As for now nothing indicate it. Nokia is on BIG decline. Ofc. Nokia will see some sale increase. WinP8 is new OS and will replace old and deprecated WinP7, in the market where people wait out to buy next big thing, rather than current but soon to be outdated one. Current sales are smaller, and immediate WinP8 sales will be bigger. But Nokia can not go on and on forever without profitability. WinP7 was never profitable for Nokia (while every single other OS was, even dead on arival MeeGo). WinP8 shouldnt be either. |
| - Score: 0 |
| RE: Winphones |
| By ronaldst on 2012-09-19 17:41:59 |
|
I'd go for a Smaller Samsung ATIV S. Removable batteries, Super AMOLED and MicroSD slot are important features. I don't like the iPodish look of the Lumias and HTCs. |
| - Score: 2 |
| wouldn't want the android dominance to continue? |
| By niemau on 2012-09-19 18:31:46 |
|
We wouldn't want the Android dominance to continue? Given the choice between dominant Android and dominant WP, I pick Android. Why wish success for a platform so hostile to openness and interoperability? I don't want to install some crappy, proprietary syncing software on some blessed proprietary operating system just to use my device as intended. Furthermore, I want to be able to install what I want, procured from wherever I want. I want to be able to develop and distribute my software however I want, without being completely beholden to a gatekeeper's potentially arbitrary whims. To be honest, why can't we wish dominance to open standards and *actual* ownership of our own devices? |
| - Score: 6 |
| RE: wouldn't want the android dominance to continue? |
| By Nelson on 2012-09-19 18:38:43 |
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What do you mean? My pictures, videos, documents, calendars, contacts, and notes are accessible from any device with a web browser thanks to the cloud. My apps are synced across devices, and I can browse and install apps from any OS using just my browser. I don't understand where there is a lack of reach? And yeah, I'm sure your developed behind closed doors, with closed binary drivers, and non standard Java bytecode is the pinnacle of open. Please. |
| - Score: 3 |
| RE[2]: wouldn't want the android dominance to continue? |
| By niemau on 2012-09-19 18:52:19 |
|
You suggest a browser as a good alternative to something I should be able to see from my file manager of choice? God knows I want to be tethered to the net just to get at something usually sitting in my pocket. Right... Cloud services are not an acceptable solution for me, or for many others. If you can't see why a cloud-only solution is a hindrance, I guess that's where our conversation has to end, at least on that topic. Different strokes for different folks, and all that. And for the record, I'm not granting Google some magical title of "completely open". I'm just picking the lesser of two evils because they still allow some semblance of user control over their own freaking devices. Personally, I don't find ANY current smartphone OS acceptable in regards to openness. |
| - Score: 4 |
| RE[3]: wouldn't want the android dominance to continue? |
| By Nelson on 2012-09-19 18:54:25 |
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My point is that there are varying degrees of openness out there. I don't think Android is anything near a poster child for it. Things are open in different ways. Besides, I don't think its unreasonable to expect someone to have an internet connection. |
| - Score: 4 |
| RE[4]: wouldn't want the android dominance to continue? |
| By niemau on 2012-09-19 19:04:47 |
|
Of course I usually have an internet connection, and it's reasonable to assume that most people with a smartphone do as well. However, availability of a connection is definitely *not* what is keeping me from relying on cloud services. You're right, Android is not the poster child for openness, and there absolutely are varying degrees of openness. That being said, in what ways exactly is WP open or even kind of in the ballpark of open? edit: I should probably add that I really don't intend to debate this too much, at least not here. It's not exactly on-topic. Was really just responding to Thom's brief visit to "WP vs. Android"-land. I really don't have much to say about HTC WP8 devices. I'm sure they'll be just fine and dandy for anybody interested in what WP8 offers. Edited 2012-09-19 19:09 UTC |
| - Score: 2 |
| RE[4]: wouldn't want the android dominance to continue? |
| By No it isnt on 2012-09-19 19:40:24 |
| Cloud services are not open in any way, except 'open for business'. They're all about lock-in. They take your data, so that you must use their services. This is of course Google's business model as well, and Amazon's, and Apple's. Stop pretending that Microsoft is somehow better for doing exactly like everyone else (but with no alternative). |
| - Score: 4 |
| RE[2]: wouldn't want the android dominance to continue? |
| By Alfman on 2012-09-19 19:42:14 |
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Nelson, "What do you mean? My pictures, videos, documents, calendars, contacts, and notes are accessible from any device with a web browser thanks to the cloud. My apps are synced across devices, and I can browse and install apps from any OS using just my browser. I don't understand where there is a lack of reach?" I did a double take when you said this. Not to cause a ruckus, but out of genuine interest why the sudden change of heart over the legitimacy of having web apps instead of native ones? Is my sarcasm detector broken? http://www.osnews.com/thread?534... Nelson: "[Javascript is] barely palatable on the web, do not push it into the app space where there are much higher expectations. People have come to expect the web to be a sub optimal experience." http://www.osnews.com/thread?535... Nelson: "...the argument is that JS+HTML is god awful choice for app development." Nelson: "On the web, I'm cool with JS and HTML. Let the web be the web. But for Christ's sake, let apps be apps." http://www.osnews.com/thread?535... Nelson: "Also, my apps feel more native, perform better, and I achive comparable productivity with just slapping together an alien feeling HTML5 website and calling it a day by stuffing it into an app." |
| - Score: 6 |
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