[Cialug] OT: Best phone for the geek

[Nathan Smith]

> Of course, what we really need is the "Windows" of mobile: something cheap
> with a boatload of 3rd party applications and the freedom to connect to
> any carrier. (Note that Windows Mobile is not the "Windows of mobile",
> because current phones with this OS use indirect manipulation.)

Isn't that Palm?

I just got a (used) palm 700p to replace my fossilized LG, that I've had for more years than I care to recount.

I have a blackberry through work.  There are things I like about both phones.  I think I would like blackberry more if it could play video and was friendlier for 3rd party apps.  I think I would like palm more if I were willing to pony up the $$$ for the data services.

I'm curious about windows mobile.  In the old days when it was CE v. Palm with no phone, the Windows device batteries would last about 4 hours.  It has to have improved.

I have sprint for personal use and Nextel for blackberry.  My only real wish is that plans were less expensive for whatever phone.

-Nate



> -----Original Message-----
> From: cialug-bounces at cialug.org
> [mailto:cialug-bounces at cialug.org] On Behalf Of Matthew Nuzum
> Sent: Tuesday, March 04, 2008 11:48 AM
> To: Central Iowa Linux Users Group
> Subject: Re: [Cialug] OT: Best phone for the geek
>
> On Mon, Mar 3, 2008 at 4:25 PM,  <jrnosee at gmail.com> wrote:
> > My current cell plan is about up and my wife, by some
> miracle is telling me
> > I *SHOULD* get a PDA phone (she never wants me to spend
> money on tech).  I
> > have never liked GSM when I've tried it so unless someone
> wants to convince
> > me ATT & Tmobile are off my list.  What provider/phone does everyone
> > suggest?  I'm looking at the HTC Mogul from Sprint right
> now on the SERO
> > program (1250 min and unlimited txt/data for $49.99/mo).
> I'd prefer Windows
> > Mobile, since that's what I have now on my regular PDA.
>
> Here's a slightly related note from Jakob Nielsen's Alertbox article
> that came in the e-mail today. Jakob is a usability specialist.
>
> > iPHONE USABILITY STUDY
> >
> > The Swedish usability firm inUse has conducted a
> competitive usability
> > test of the iPhone and 3 traditional phones that are
> operated by pressing
> > buttons and function keys. (Simple through medium-complexity phone
> > tasks were tested, ranging from "place a call" to "take a
> photo and send
> > to a person in the address book". No truly high-end mobile
> tasks were
> > tested, such as connecting to an enterprise-level sales
> force automation
> > backend to update a customer's order status.)
> >
> > The iPhone had the highest usability in the study, in terms
> of users'
> > ability to complete the test tasks. Also, participants' subjective
> > preferences were in favor of the iPhone.
> >
> > The biggest difference between the iPhone and the
> traditional mobile UI
> > devices came from the DIRECT MANIPULATION employed on the
> iPhone: you
> > press the thing you want. In contrast, other phones use INDIRECT
> > manipulation where you press various function keys to make
> things happen
> > on the screen.
> >
> > The difference is similar to that between a graphical user
> interface (GUI)
> > with a mouse and a traditional character-driven UI where
> you push function
> > keys that are divorced from the objects on the screen that
> they operate
> > on.
> >
> > Thus, I like to say that the iPhone is the "Macintosh" of
> mobile, because
> > it's the first mainstream direct manipulation UI with an
> interaction style
> > similar to a mouse-driven GUI. Other phones are the "DOS"
> of mobile user
> > experience, because they rely on keystrokes.
> >
> > Of course, what we really need is the "Windows" of mobile:
> something cheap
> > with a boatload of 3rd party applications and the freedom
> to connect to
> > any carrier. (Note that Windows Mobile is not the "Windows
> of mobile",
> > because current phones with this OS use indirect manipulation.)
> >
>
>
>
> --
> Matthew Nuzum
> newz2000 on freenode
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