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by Jiří {x2} Činčura

New Windows Mobile 7 – why people see so much “problems”?

12 Feb 2010 2 mins Windows Mobile/Windows Phone

There’s a lot of rumors about the new Windows Mobile 7, especially in last days before MWC. A lot of unconfirmed information is flying around and lot of comments. What I would like to focus on is backward compatibility, Marketplace, Compact Framework and new look and feel of homescreen.

A lot of folks is not happy about dropping backward compatibility. I, on the other hand, am pleased with this step. The world has changed, especially the mobile world. What was ok in 2001, is not in 2010. I like new trends in control, give me that on WM too.

Marketplace should be only way to get application into device. For me as a developer this is little scary, because even for simple free utility you’ll need to buy certificate for developer. But if the applications will be thoroughly tested, I’m ok with it. And may increase the quality of apps as well.

Backward compatibility for Compact Framework is interesting too. The idea of writing application in current century’s tool like C# and .NET with GC and nice libraries I like. But JITing on not so much powerful devices? I don’t know. Here I like the speed and responsiveness of app. What MonoTouch is doing is IMO the way. And if MS would provide such a tool … neat!

I don’t know whether the screenshots and descriptions I saw/read are close to the reality or not (we’ll see in couple of days), but it looks like, there’s no classic home screen as I use it now (with Spb Diary) (and how some screens show the new iPhone OS will have it) – tasks, appointments for next couple of days/weeks. This means a lot of people will be pissed off, because the device is also work and productivity tool. Will it degrade it to into “just” device for fun, while iPhone will be slowly trying to get the attention of people using the phone for work half of the day too?

Profile Picture Jiří Činčura is .NET, C# and Firebird expert. He focuses on data and business layers, language constructs, parallelism, databases and performance. For almost two decades he contributes to open-source, i.e. FirebirdClient. He works as a senior software engineer for Microsoft. Frequent speaker and blogger at www.tabsoverspaces.com.