I've been occupied the past few days with a new toy -- a wireless PDA (Pocket PC) phone running Windows Mobile 5.0 and unlimited broadband.  I was "forced" to acquire it as a replacement for a phone that I passed on to another member of the family whose phone was no longer working. I had been putting off making the step into the the Windows Mobile domain (I am a Palm PDA user), but being the techie that I am, I  wanted to at least put the device and Windows Mobile through it's paces and better understand it's pros and cons. 

The biggest challenge anyone faces for the first time with new technology is the learning curve.  You can do some basic tasks relatively easy, but to get effective use of it's feature you need to invest some time to learn and train yourself.  In this "discovery" phase I tend to push the limits of the technology before I "settle in", adjusting my expectations and usage demands based on the results of the discovery phase.

I'm currently debating whether I'm going to keep the device or return it, but it has been most enlightening looking at the current state of the art.  Accessing regular web sites through a mobile device has made me realize that viewing a web site on a wide display monitor vs. a tiny screen requires different priorities in the design and complexity of the site -- being conscious during implementation of how pages and images will be rendered by the mobile browser.  Here are some of my initial observations...

1. If a page is designed to be fixed for 800x600 or 1024x768 it will force a lot of scrolling on a small screen.    Those that work better are ones that self adjust from the right side and have basic text and a few pictures.  Some sites have special scaled down pages just for mobile pda/smartphone viewing.
 
2. Pictures, which look fantastic on a big display screen, will loose resolution to they point they are distorted or unreadable if containing text.  They also take longer to download and get in the way of the text -- pushing it to the side or above or below.

3. Windows mobile does not handle standard streaming video, such as TV news clips from CNN or FoxNews, nor does it currently work with YouTube (which is just starting to allow mobile uploading of video) or Google Video (although Google is investing in mobile services).  Some wireless providers offer some streaming video such as selected YouTube clips (such as Verizon's V Cast service), but these are reformated for mobile and accessed through special dedicated servers, separate from the regular web access.  There are third-party software attempts at addressing these deficiencies (which usually incurs extra cost), but the technology has a way to go... it's a combination of the limits of bandwidth, connection quality, amount of memory and the processor and graphics rendering power.  Flash applications are also a big problem -- many will just not work, especially when involving streaming video.
 
4. The technology is very complicated and awkward for the average user.  And not as reliable as I had hoped.  The second day I had the device, I had to do a reset (pull out battery and restart unit) at least 5 times.  I also had to go back to the store to receive help with getting the Bluetooth ear piece to work properly.
 
5. Cost vs. Technology is still too high and the level of signal/transmission quality is not high nor consistent enough for more than just basic email and text web browing.  Videos that are optimized for a Smartphone are low resolution.  I live near a large metropolitan area, but just far enough out that signal strength is a constant issue, especially inside the home or certain buildings.  Many devices now give you the additonal option of local wi-fi access when in areas where cell coverage is poor.  
 
6. Newer versions of Windows Mobile are soon to be available mid-year.  And, there are other options to consider, such as Apple's iPhone which will also be available in the middle of the year.  Newer upgraded phones are also being tested with the new Windows Mobile, which has some needed enhancements, but no drastic changes -- software and hardware are concentrating on fixing the current problems and addressing some competitive limitations, such as providing VOIP capabilities.
 

Note: You will encounter different variations and versions of Windows Mobile.  To stay oriented, just remember that the current version is Windows Mobile 5.0 for Pocket PC (i.e, PDA phones with touchscreen) or Smartphone (phones with no touch screen).
 
 
Next: I will look at what software and web resources are available for Windows Mobile Devices and share a few tips from my experiences.
 
 
 
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