subject: The Toshiba TG01 and Windows Mobile: A Formula for Success? by:Simon Drew [print this page] A Bad History A Bad History
A lot of people have their qualms about Microsoft's venture into the mobile phone arena. Most believe that Windows Mobile is at best a mediocre mobile operating system that pales in comparison with the likes of the Symbian or Apple's proprietary OS on the iPhone. This is why a majority will also be quick to judge against the new Toshiba TG01 once they find out that it has decided to stick with Microsoft and use Windows Mobile as its operating system. The question now is - does the TG01 have enough features and functions to overcome the mediocrity of WinMo in order to be the exceptional Smartphone it is being touted to be?
Oh Snap!
One of the main reasons behind the TG01's potential to break into the big leagues is its super powerful Qualcomm Snapdragon processor. At an amazing 1 GHz, this is truly the most powerful processing platform ever installed in a mobile device to date. Surely such as powerful monster under the hood has the ability to trounce Windows Mobile's lethargy, right? That, unfortunately, is just not the case.
Not even a 1 GHz processor is enough to make the TG01 run as fluidly as say, the iPhone. Not only that, but the user interface is also outdated. Testament to this fact is the bland and minute icons that are supposed to be shortcut keys. Although they do have the potential (fully customizable and easy to access) it still falls way short of the high expectations set by such a powerful device.
Touchscreen Trouble
Windows Mobile has the reputation of being the least touch-friendly OS out there. However, the fact that the TG01 has an oversized 4.1-inch screen makes things a bit easier. This is simply because there is more space in between the icons which make them easier to click.
More problems arise with the QWERTY keyboard. A combination of the screen's poor sensitivity and bad decisions regarding button placement results in an on-screen keyboard that proves to be quite difficult to use. For instance, users might have trouble locating the spacebar in landscape mode as it actually isn't a bar at all - it's just a button that's as big as they other letter keys.
Most experts believe that Toshiba decided to go with Windows Mobile because they wanted to release the TG01 as early as possible. WinMo was the logical choice because it's the easiest OS to develop for. It is yet to be proven if this decision was a wise one.
About the author
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