communcations

Why I Choose Windows Mobile vs the iPhone

A friend of mine told me a few weeks ago that they were trying to get in contact with me but were unable to do so. I was completely taken back by this in a few ways. Firstly, there is no possible reason why you couldn’t get in contact with me considering that I carry every piece of mobile technology with me, and secondly, if they were a friend that knew me well enough, they would know all about this technology.

And it’s true–it is impossible not to contact me in some way, shape, or form. And it’s all thanks to one device: my mobile phone. My phone (an HTC Titan) is the communications center of my entire life. Everything routes through my phone before it gets to me. In reverse, everything which routes through my personal desktop computer also goes to my phone.

All of my email gets routed to my phone. When I’m away from my computer, Live Messenger Mobile takes over on my phone for instant messaging. Don’t have access to a phone to call or SMS me? That’s fine. Call me via Skype (adamreyher), and if my status on my desktop client is set to Away, you’ll automatically be redirected to my mobile phone. The best part? It’s at my expense.

If I need directions, Live Search Mobile is right there with me, complete with speech recognition, to help me find my way. If I don’t know where I am, built in phone-GPS allows me to pinpoint my exact location without having to browse through tons of maps. I can then receive turn-by-turn directions using this GPS. As much as I love Google, Maps Mobile has absolutely nothing on Live Search Mobile.

With Bluetooth functionality, I simply tap a button on my phone anywhere within 50ft of my desktop computer, and the phone automatically begins syncing contacts, calendars, and even my text messages. No cables required. With a Bluetooth enabled radio in your car, any media files stored on a memory card instantly become available for play. Add Voice Commander to the mix, and you’ve got 100% wireless control in your car.

The level of customization and functionality which Windows Mobile offers is absolutely outstanding. As a geek and hobbyist developer, I can create my own applications for Windows Mobile using the same exact programming techniques that I’m familiar with inside of Windows.

I’ll be the first person to admit that the iPhone looks extremely slick. The features are very nice for a phone. The implementation is beyond fantastic. But the level of customization and control over your phone is absolutely trumped by Windows Mobile devices.

I’m also not keen on the prospect of being locked into AT&T. While no phone company out there is exactly desirable, I personally have had worse experiences with AT&T than I bear to recall. I’m free to take my HTC Titan to any 3G CDMA network that I choose, and I’m currently with Verizon.

When all is said and done, I want choice combined with raw power and customizability. And that’s what Windows Mobile offers. And on that note, I’m desperately waiting to see what the full capabilities of Android have to offer the world.