Dear Mr. Ballmer,

I’ve been a mobile device enthusiast since 1997.  My first device was a Palm Sized PC from Casio – The E10.  It was a QVGA, 4 grey scale device.  The full specs can be seen here. (And was I surprised to find that Casio still has the tech spec info on their web site..? uh-huh. Oh yes I was…)

Interestingly enough, the Palm Sized PC was a me-too response to the(I think it was actually 3COM back then…someone correct me in the comments if I’m wrong…) Palm Pilot.  From 1997 until 2010, I’ve been a Windows Mobile enthusiast.  I know I’ve been nominated for Mobile Devices MVP at least twice during that time. Unfortunately, I was never awarded the honor.

Regardless of that, this open letter is being written and posted to speak to one specific subject -

Microsoft can’t afford to let Windows Phone 7 Series suck.

Please, PLEASE don’t suck…

Over the past 13 years, Microsoft’s Mobile Strategy and operating system have been a response to other market innovators.  First it was 3COM/Palm, then RIM and their Blackberry devices then the iPhone and then a myriad number of Android devices.  Unfortunately, Microsoft has never truly been a market leader, a market innovator in this sector. This needs to change, and change NOW, if Microsoft is going to survive in the mobile computing space.

With the recent demise of the Microsoft KIN, additional scrutiny is being placed on the, now utterly late to market, Windows Phone 7 Series OS. According to one InfoWorld article, Microsoft seems to be copying the implementation of the original iPhone – a device that’s now 4 years old, and 4 revisions back. That device with those capabilities at this point in time, sucks. This seems to be additional me too work from Microsoft, and is destined to failure if it doesn’t get things right.

So, how can Microsoft turn this ship around?  Its simple really.  Do the right thing.

1. Dump Entrenched Management, Strategy and Visions – They OBVIOUSLY don’t have a clue.  After 15 years of playing catch-up, isn’t it time to look at this from a different angle? Sometimes, going back to formula is just what is needed.Maybe, Steve… maybe… the answer doesn’t lie with a Harvard graduate with an MBA and a doctorate in mobile technology.  Maybe the answer lies with the mobile community you’ve had at your fingertips for the last 10-15 years. They think outside the box all the time. Its time to do that or pack it up and go home. Tap your MVP’s.  Tap Mobius… hell, tap ME; but tap someone who understands mobile computing, what it needs and what it doesn’t and LISTEN TO THEM. 

   Empower them to develop your strategy and vision. Empower them to develop the road map; and then LET THEM do it, or get out of mobile devices entirely. 

   Windows Mobile has been a second rate, second best OS for far too long. Its got TONS of potential and users wanting, begging for the right direction, vision, strategy to compete with others like Apple and RIM; but up to now, you haven’t come close, and OBVIOUSLY, it has everything to do with the leadership, their vision and their strategy for the platform.  Workers follow the beat of the drum.  When it doesn’t have a good beat and isn’t easy to dance to, people get lost and don’t know what to do.

2. Determine your Audience – Consumers or Business, not both.  Apple’s iPhone is a consumer device trying to live in the enterprise.  RIM’s Blackberry <pick a model> is an enterprise device trying to compete in the consumer space.  The iPhone is a winner in the consumer market because it knows what it wants to do in that space and gives consumers what it wants.  The same with RIM in the Enterprise market.  Microsoft can compete in either space, but I think both Apple and RIM have demonstrated that their devices don’t work and play well in the OPPOSITE space.  They can’t seem to get it right; and Microsoft shouldn’t gamble at this point.  They need to get a solid device out in the market and then build on the success.  Building an ok device that straddles the line between both consumer and enterprise spaces is going to flop. Pick one or the other and then hit that strategy with everything you’ve got.
3. Develop the Vision– I noted back in May how Google could Trump the iPad/iPhone/iPod. I also noted in the article that the only other company with the resources to make a bid for that move was Microsoft. While I think that MS really shouldn’t chase after that right now, the principles are the same.
   1. Make the Choice (consumer space or enterprise space/ in or out)
   2. Develop the strategy (Who will you partner with? How will you get there? What will it look like?)
   3. Create the Eco-System
4. Commit the Resources – If you’re going to do this, then do it. Set this up right. Give the management team the authority they need to get the job done. Give them access to the tools and resources they need to support the strategy and vision. Give them the programming teams they need. If you’re not going to really commit to this, don’t waste everyone’s time.  Don’t get the consumer and/or retail markets interested in something that isn’t really going to happen. If you’re not really going to commit to this, then say so and just bow out.
5. Hit it; and Hit it Hard – If the project is a go, then go, gO, GO! You’re really about 4 years behind at this point. You need an OS that’s going to run on existing WM compatible hardware; and we need to get something to market inside of 9 months, or else this is never going to be successful. People, customers, companies, bloggers/journalists, etc., will have moved on. Working with a partner to develop new hardware needs to wait until after the new OS is established, has a supportive enthusiast base and paying customers.  There’s enough hardware out there now from HTC and other OEM’s that run Windows Mobile that you should be able to target an existing device with an OS update that gets the job done.You don’t have the luxury of waiting on a hardware development lifecycle to finish.

I saw another article today that spoke to the feature set that is clearly unfinished; but again, its working against a three and a half year old paradigm, which clearly isn’t going to distinguish Microsoft in this space in any way, shape or form.

Mr. Ballmer, recent developments with Apple’s iPhone 4 (Antenna-gate, supplier problems with the white iPhone 4, and a reported increase in bricking due to flashing problems) and the fragmentation of Google’s Android OS (there are still actively sold devices on the shelves with Android 1.5 or 1.6, even after Android 2.2 has been pushed to their Nexus One on T-Mobile and AT&T in the US) is creating a unique opportunity for Microsoft to make a change in the mobile devices marketplace.  Anything else other than a solid win here could be problematic for mobile computing and for mobile computing at Microsoft.

Please Mr. Ballmer… Do the right thing.  I’ll support you in ANY way I can (as I know many Windows Mobile enthusiasts will); but please… Do the right thing for your customers, the industry, and most importantly Microsoft and its shareholders.

Kindest Regards,

Christopher Spera
Team Member, Just Another Mobile Monday

Hot on the heels of Astraware releasing OddBlob for Windows Mobile, another previously only available on iPhone title has made it to the Microsoft operating system.  This time it is Police Range, a shooting game that looks to inspire future law enforcement and help everyone blow away a little pent up frustration at the same time.

Police Range, costing $4.99 to register, is available here.

Astraware, makers of some of the most successful, and not to mention fun games for mobile devices has recently released a version of their OddBlob game for Windows Mobile devices.  Previously only available for the iPhone, OddBlob is a game based on modeled clay inspired graphics.  It’s available for Windows Mobile devices with a touch screen, and standard QVGA and VGA resolutions meaning, it is not compatible with the square screened devices such as the Treo.

The price to register OddBlob is $4.99.  It is available here.

Resco, authors of some of my favorite and most used Windows Mobile software, have just announced an update to the classic Resco Explorer (see our review here).  Resco Explorer is, in my opinion, the file explorer of choice for Windows Mobile.  The new update provides some very worthwhile enhancements, including improved Bluetooth performance, Today plugin “stay on top” technology and a few other goodies.  You can check out the full press release below.

A trial can be found here.

Resco Explorer 2010 Upgraded!

Totally Touchable File Manager

Bratislava, Slovakia (July 7, 2010), Resco, a supplier of Windows Phone applications and one of the leading mobile software developers officially announced upgrade of Resco Explorer 2010 (version 8.05), the most popular file manager on the market uniting and utilizing all the key features of each Windows Mobile device.

The developers of Resco Explorer has finally mobilized themselves together with the support team to open and finish most of the fresh or elder user requests and implement them into Resco’s popular application. The upgrade solves tasks that have been postponed several times for more reasons especially the time factor. Therefore, they may now be happy to see most of their requests finally real in Explorer 2010.

“Even it may appear that we forgot about some of the promised user requests and ideas; it is far from the truth,” said Lukáš Leško from Resco. “In the newest version of Explorer 2010 we resolved almost all of these issues. The biggest thanks, however, belongs to all the patent users.”

Resco Explorer is the best selling file manager on Windows Mobile Market. Moreover, the fully touch-optimized application provides functions of a launcher, viewer, zipper, registry editor, ftp explorer & network browser. It is a true Swiss knife for daily use of each Windows Mobile user.

New features in Upgraded Resco Explorer 2010 (version 8.05)

• Quick-search supports wildcards — the quick search tool supports “*” and “?” wildcards, you may now search for files and folders the way e.g. *pattern?.exe
• Improved Bluetooth features for Microsoft Bluetooth stack — Bluetooth transfer becomes 4 times faster + the discovery window shows the paired devices
• HW keyboard commands supported — commands such as Del, Tab, Ctrl+C, Ctr+V etc. are now supported on HW keyboard as well as on Soft keyboard
• Progress window is showing the remaining time
• Report view supports both directions scrolling (for longer columns) —  in case the columns are wider than the display size, you may now scroll to the right/left as well

Smaller improvements:

• Paste shortcut for more files
• Properties window — file name and location is scrollable and supports context menu
• REG file import — silent import + key deletion ([-HKEY_...]) + comments are supported
• Today plug-in includes — option “Stay On Top” — If you turn the option on,  Explorer’s Today plug-in will always stay on top of the home screen, even after installing  and turning on new plug-ins

Screenshots

Availability

To download the application, please go to:
http://www.resco.net/pocketpc/explorer/

About Resco

Founded in 1999, Resco, s.r.o. (www.resco.net) is the leading developer of a wide range of mobile software products for multiple handheld software platforms. Besides the best selling end-user mobile applications, Resco also offers developer tools as well as enterprise mobile solutions. Today the company has a lot more than 500,000 satisfied customers worldwide.

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The names of actual companies and products mentioned herein may be the trademarks of their respective owners.

Admittedly, this is just a rumor, but one that I for one really like reading.  Especially when coming from my platform provider of choice and it is something that looks like it would make competitors cry…

The rumor mill is definitely going to be running overtime from now through the release of Windows Phone 7 devices, and this is an oh so good one to start with.

It seems that HTC might be preparing the HD3, running Windows Phone 7.  The rumored specs, well, you be the judge:

• 4.5″ WXGA Super AMOLED multi-touch display
• 8 megapixel camera with dual-LED flash
• 720p HD video recording
• 1080p HD playback
• Wi-Fi / Bluetooth
• 3G / 4G connectivity
• 32GB microSD support
• 1GB RAM / 1GB ROM
• 1.5GHz Snapdragon processor
• 1800 mAh battery
• 115mm x 65mm x 10mm

Now if that comes true, that really is something to write home about.

[via BGR]