Question of the Day

Question of the Day:  What would it take to make you switch to a different operating system?

In posing this question, my initial thought was in regards to handheld or mobile operating systems.  In theory, this could also apply to desktop operating systems as well, though.

With all of the news coming in about Windows Phone 7 Series and what it may or may not be capable of doing, I’m suprised to read in various user forums how many people say that some of the features, or lack thereof, are deal breakers for them.  Some say automatically that they are going to switch to Android in the future, for fear of a lack of customization of their device operating systems.  Others are more grounded… they want to see what the new operating system will bring, including if there will be any compatibility with previous applications.  Some are quite content to stay with what they have, or are quite satisfied with Windows Mobile 6.1 or 6.5.

I’ve been through a couple of handheld operating system switches in the past.  It’s not fun.  It’s not a decision to make on a whim, as some seem to do.  It is emotional.  It is painful.  I’ve migrated from EPOC to Palm and from Palm to Windows Mobile.  Ironically, while using the former, I always detested the latter.  I only accepted a Palm m500 as a birthday gift from my wife, with the full intent on using my current device.  The wide application catalog soon won me over.  I had been familiar with Windows Mobile from using an iPaq 110 that was bestowed upon my by a job.  I never fell in love with it.  After buying a used Treo 750 and loving it, only to have it fail later due to a hardware issue, I reverted back to the Centro.  By the way, the Centro rocks.  However, my longing for the customization and more powerful aspects of Windows Mobile soon won out, and I bought another device, later to finally move up to the HTC Touch Pro.

I’m firmly invested in Windows Mobile.  I’m using the stock 6.1 ROM on my Touch Pro, having foregone the temptation to upgrade to a cooked 6.5 for now.  I plan on staying put.  It would take something very substantial, to make me migrate at this point.  How about you?  What would it take for you to switch to a different mobile OS?  Hit the comments below to let us know.

SKTools for Windows Mobile

SKKV Software released a significant update to their flagship application, SKTools, on Monday.  The new version, 4.5.1.3, brings the multi-function utility several new features and tweaks, making a great program just that much better.  It’s great to see such a mature program continually revised, both in terms of usefulness and bug fixes.  Check out the full press release below:

15 February 2010. SKKV Software released a new version of its #1 maintenance utilities for Windows Mobile – SKTools.

SKTools it is multi-function application includes more than 60 tools and allows an easy but powerful maintenance of Windows Mobile devices. Clean up your registry and file system, free-up RAM, backup and restore, find duplicate contacts, appointments and tasks. SKTools can manage installed applications, Today plugins, software keyboards, PIM items and many more.

In new version 4.5.1.3 of SKTools:

• New settings storage subsystem.
• New tool – “File Explorer”: copy, move, rename, delete, preview for some file types, change attributes, create shortcuts, open, open with….
• Because SKTools is one from “the first installation programs” – we have removed demo restrictions in File Explorer, Registry Explorer and SKTools Backup tools.
• “Databases”: added “Mount volume” command. This command allows you to view the database in currently unmounted volume.
• “Installed Programs”: added “Installation folder” column.
• “Installed Programs”: deep scan after uninstall.
• Shortcut Wizard: added shortcut for toggle screen rotation (portrait – landscape).
• Shadow Services: added “Keep backlight” service. This service prevent backlight off and device sleep mode.
• Messages: added “Move” command.
• Messages: added “Only these folders” filter.
• Temporary and Cache Folders: added cache cleaner for some versions of YouTube and HTC Album applications.
• Invalid Registry Entry: added cleaner for Start Menu icons definitions.
• Added Exclude list for close tasks command.
• Menu “Tools” reorganization (“About” submenu).
• Added “Tools->Control panel” command.

This update are free for all registered SKTools 4.x users.

Link:  http://skkvsoftware.com/?/sktools/m_feat.html

This Monday, during the MWC in Spain, Adobe announced both a standalone application runtime called AIR 2 and Flash Player 10.1 for mobile devices.

AIR will provide developers with a feature-rich environment for delivering rich applications outside the mobile browser and across multiple operating systems via mobile marketplaces and app stores.

The beta of Flash Player 10.1 is expected in the first half of 2010. This new Flash Player 10.1 will be released across tablet devices, smartphones, netbooks, smartbooks, desktops and other consumer electronics, thus enabling advanced web browsing and high definition videos (!!) across multiple OSs.

Find below the official press release:

At Mobile World Congress™ 2010, Adobe Systems Incorporated (Nasdaq:ADBE) today announced advancements to the Adobe® Flash® Platform including the unveiling of Adobe® AIR® on mobile devices, a consistent runtime for standalone applications to come out of the Open Screen Project™, an industry-wide initiative led by Adobe that has grown to close to 70 ecosystem partners. With support for the Android™ platform expected in 2010, AIR provides developers with a feature-rich environment for delivering rich applications outside the mobile browser and across multiple operating systems via mobile marketplaces and app stores. AIR leverages mobile specific features from Flash® Player 10.1, is optimized for high performance on mobile screens and designed to take advantage of native device capabilities for a richer and more immersive user experience.

Adobe also announced that a beta of Flash Player 10.1 was made available to content providers and mobile developers worldwide. With the general availability expected in the first half of 2010, Flash Player 10.1 is the first consistent runtime release of the Open Screen Project enabling uncompromised Web browsing of expressive applications, content and high definition (HD) videos across screens including new tablet devices, smartphones, netbooks, smartbooks, desktops and other consumer electronics. According to a Strategy Analytics analysis from January 2010, more than 250 million smartphones are expected to support the full Flash Player by the end 2012. Mobile platforms that will support the full Flash Player include Android, the BlackBerry® platform, Symbian® OS, Palm® webOS and Windows Mobile®. Partners from across the ecosystem commented on the progress of Flash Player 10.1 today.

“We are excited about the progress with Flash Player 10.1 and the work that developers, content publishers and close to 70 partners in the Open Screen Project have done so far as part of the beta program,” said David Wadhwani, general manager and vice president, Platform Business at Adobe. “With the Flash Platform further advancing on mobile devices, we enable developers and content publishers to deliver to any screen, so that consumers have open access to their favorite interactive media, content, and applications across platforms.”

Adobe AIR enables developers to deliver Web applications outside the constraints of a browser. With support for mobile devices Adobe AIR includes specific functionality offered by mobile operating systems and devices such as multi-touch, gesture inputs, accelerometer, geolocation and screen orientation. With Flash Platform tooling and the Adobe Creative Suite®, developers and content publishers are able to create, test and deliver applications to multiple devices and operating systems using a single tool chain and API set across platforms. Developers using Adobe® Flash® Professional CS5 with the Adobe Packager for iPhone can reuse their iPhone application code to create the same application for Android.

“Adobe AIR 2.0 is a great technology for developing engaging mobile applications,” said Christy Wyatt, vice president, Software Applications and Ecosystem at Motorola. “We look forward to seeing AIR come to the Android platform and developers creating applications that will delight our end-users.”

Extending the functionality supported in Adobe AIR to mobile devices allows developers to easily create contextual applications that are characterized by their ability to adapt presentation and performance to different application contexts while reusing code for each device or platform. Application contexts include different display screens, device-specific interaction techniques, functionality specific to the mobile platform, as well as differences in network access and bandwidth. Content can also be personalized based on user history or social data. For more information about contextual applications visit www.adobe.com/devnet/flashplatform/context_apps.

Thanks to the Open Screen Project lead by Adobe, both AIR 2 and Flash Player 10.1 will reach a broad range of mobile devices this year. This is great news and we can’t wait to test AIR and Flash Player on all  range of devices, including our phones

I suggest you to give a look at the preview videos of Adobe Flash Player 10.1 and Adobe AIR 2 mobile technologies, to see a Nexus One and an HTC HD2 smartphones, a Skylight smartbook and even an iPhone showing the ongoing work.

Be sure to have some water near you, as you will start drooling as soon as the videos start.

You might be tempted to call this the “Mini-Me” of Windows Mobile devices.  And really, who could blame you?  Like the Austin Powers villain, it has all of the features and powerof a full sized device, in a significantly more compact design.  Read on for all of the details, and thanks to Clinton Fitch for the picture.

HTC Corporation, a global designer of smartphones, today introduced the HTC HD mini, an HTC Sense-based Windows Phone focused on delivering the popular experience of the HTC HD2 in a more compact design.

“The demand for the HTC HD2 has exceeded our expectations, and the HTC HD mini fulfills a desire from some customers to bring the capabilities and experience of the HTC HD2 to a more compact design,” said Peter Chou, chief executive officer, HTC Corporation. “The integration of HTC Sense and Windows Phone on HD mini and HD2 gives customers an additional choice for an advanced Windows Mobile phone that is sleek, well crafted and easy to use.”

The HTC HD mini sports a high degree of usability along with its own unique and beautiful design. Precision fasteners used to assemble the phone are externally visible, displaying a high level of craftsmanship rarely found in mobile phones. And the strong design ethos continues under the battery cover where a bright yellow internal structure, offers an unexpected surprise when the phone is opened.

The HTC HD mini utilizes HTC Sense, a user experience focused on putting people at the centre by making the phone work in a more simple and natural way. This experience revolves around three fundamental principles that were developed by observing and listening to how people live and communicate. These core tenets of Make It Mine, Stay Close and Discover the Unexpected continue to be the key to the new HTC Sense experience.

Like the HTC HD2, the HTC HD mini continues the same focus on people-centric communication with complete Outlook integration.  It helps you stay close to the important friends and colleagues in your life by providing a single contact view that displays individual communication snapshots of your conversations regardless of whether it was a call, text, status update or email. HTC’s Windows-based Twitter application, HTC Peep, enables you to tweet and follow your twitter stream.

HTC HD mini includes capacitive touch for viewing, zooming and resizing websites, Microsoft® Office files, PDF documents and pictures with just a pinch of your fingers.  Leveraging its 3G broadband connectivity, the HTC HD mini also offers personal Wi-Fi anywhere for your computer or other devices. The HD mini can also be further enhanced to reflect your needs and style by downloading a variety of applications from the Windows® Marketplace for Mobile.

Availability

The new HTC HD mini will be broadly available to customers across major European and Asian markets beginning in April.

One of the biggest questions floating around here at JAMM has been what will happen to all of our Windows Mobile apps when Windows Phone 7 Series is released later this year?  Will that giant library of apps continue to run?  Or will this be another PalmOS/WebOS situation in which Microsoft eschews its developer community in order to effectuate a complete overhaul.

The answer which is now floating around the web is a resounding yes…but…well…maybe no…but sorta.  Let me explain.  If you are a user of Windows Mobile 5 or older, then you are going to be pretty much out of luck.  If you are using a newer device, running Windows Mobile 6.0 or 6.5, then your apps should run…just not in their present form.  Apparently, Microsoft has made some significant improvements and changes to the user interface.  As such, developers will need to update and tweak the user interfaces in order for their existing apps to run properly.  Sounds easy enough, but no further details have been emerging.  Hopefully, we can expect all of that information and plenty more at the upcoming MIX2010.

[Via WMPowerUser]