Intel CEO: Windows has failed us in the mobile space

The Kernel · Post by **The Kernel** » 2007-03-10 01:49am

I'd also like to point out that I dispute calling the iPhone a "smart phone". It isn't a smart phone if it can't run a damn third party application. Otherwise it's no different from a Sony W810i with a cooler screen.

Durandal · Post by **Durandal** » 2007-03-10 04:25am

Ugh, I really can't get into this discussion, much as I'd like to.

Uraniun235 · Post by **Uraniun235** » 2007-03-10 01:49pm

Bounty wrote:Whatever happened to IrDa and Bluetooth? Four years ago every phone was fitted with them, these days you'd be lucky to find either.

Probably cut for cost-saving. How many computers still come with an infrared device attached? The only times I've seen them have been on older laptops and on a few Laserjet printers. Similarly, how many people actually have Bluetooth adapters installed on their computers?

Bounty · Post by **Bounty** » 2007-03-10 01:58pm

Probably cut for cost-saving. How many computers still come with an infrared device attached? The only times I've seen them have been on older laptops and on a few Laserjet printers. Similarly, how many people actually have Bluetooth adapters installed on their computers?

Yeah, it's not like anyone has any desire or use for a simple wireless interface between his phone and PC.

I've got an old laptop, an old Ericsson and an IR interface to connect them. Modern phones and computers don't. Now that's what I call progress.

Phantasee · Post by **Phantasee** » 2007-03-10 11:41pm

Darth Wong wrote:Ideally, you'd be able to simply hook up your cell-phone to the USB port on a computer and then download some application from the cell-phone vendor to control every aspect of the phone that is customizable. That would be a helluva lot easier than trying to do any kind of fancy work with the shitty interface that is a cell-phone's keypad.

That's what I did. The Motorola L7 comes with iTunes, and for that to work they have to give you a USB cable. What I like about the new Motos is that they use simple USB cables for charging, without some fancy end on it like my camera (damn you Fuji!). The camera needs a specific cable made by Fuji, because the end isn't standard USB. The phone uses USB Mini A or B, I don't remember the difference. You can get Motorola Phone Tools (It costs a bit of money, but some people find ways around that). I can backup my contacts, put graphics and ringtones on that I made, and make calls while the phone is connected using an onscreen keypad (that last one is just for fun, I dont' see a point, really).

So what we really need is for phone makers to make their phones USB compliant with their data connections like Motorola did. And as a bonus, you can do some Seem editing to get into the features you aren't supposed to mod, but want to anyway.

EDIT: What I was going to say was, a USB cable that uses standard ends is fairly cheap these days, instead of the damned $60 cable I'd have to buy through Motorola to hook up my dad's phone...

Netko · Post by **Netko** » 2007-03-11 05:30am

All Nokias except the cheapest crap come standard with cable and software and most come with Bluetooth as well.

Unfortunately, they still have their retarded special cable, but at least replacement of it is cheap (less then 10$).

Sharp-kun · Post by **Sharp-kun** » 2007-03-11 01:04pm

Uraniun235 wrote: I think last I checked the cable itself was ridiculously priced.

You didn't get it with your phone?

Bounty · Post by **Bounty** » 2007-03-11 01:26pm

Sharp-kun wrote:
Uraniun235 wrote: I think last I checked the cable itself was ridiculously priced.
You didn't get it with your phone?

Welcome to a brave new world of consumer electronics, where you can buy a DVD player without even a single included cable to connect it to a TV. The days of buying an electronic device with all necessary accessories included are long gone.

Sharp-kun · Post by **Sharp-kun** » 2007-03-11 01:28pm

Bounty wrote: Welcome to a brave new world of consumer electronics, where you can buy a DVD player without even a single included cable to connect it to a TV.

I could perhaps accept it with something like that, since the cables used are all standard and a lot of homes likely have spares sitting about. Phones however tend to use non-standard connections so thats not a likely possibility.

Maybe its a US thing, certainly all the phones I've had here came with the cables.

Uraniun235 · Post by **Uraniun235** » 2007-03-11 02:47pm

Sharp-kun wrote:
Uraniun235 wrote: I think last I checked the cable itself was ridiculously priced.
You didn't get it with your phone?

Nope.

Maybe its a US thing, certainly all the phones I've had here came with the cables.

It's very possibly because it's a subsidized phone - and the provider would have very little incentive to spend their own money to give me a cable with which to freely transfer things to my phone, when they could make money off my purchase and download of ringtones through them. (Not that I've bought any, though.)

GuppyShark · Post by **GuppyShark** » 2007-03-11 10:06pm

(Edit to fix tags)

Edi wrote:
GuppyShark wrote:How the hell else are you going to sell subsidised handsets to prepaid customers without some sort of assurance that the customer isn't just going to be walk off and use it with someone else?

SIM locked handsets - you get what you paid for. Want an unlocked handset? Pay full price up front or sign a contract on postpaid. It's not rocket surgery.
Did you or did you not read my post above? Binding contracts. you don't need to have any of this SIM-locked shit, because operator can take the customer to court if he doesn't hold up his end and the courts will do the assfucking for the operator.

Moron.

Edi

Prepaid contracts? You'd get a LOT of defaulting on that. Is that actually working over there? Wow.

Post by **Edi** » 2007-03-12 02:56am

Ah, sorry. My fuck-up. Looks like I didn't pay enough attention. All of the subsidized handsets here are through post-paid contracts, i.e. you pay the phone off in monthly installments included in your phone bill.

Skip those and the operator will have the courts assfuck you. SIM-locked and otherwise crippled hardware like we've been talking about is illegal here. So I guess that rules out the types of contracts that rely on such "features" to be effective.

Edi

Lisa · Post by **Lisa** » 2007-03-12 04:03am

blue tooth seems pretty standard here. my phone has it, my laptop has it, i have a dongle for my pc hardware.

As for uploading ringtones and wallpapers via the included usb cable or via bluetooth? can't do it, only thing my phone will allow me to do is sync my address book. Damn bell. I can't wait for number portability and my contract to expire.