Is there any plan for a Linux based phone with a 3.5+ inch VGA (or better)?

The GOOD news is that third party products like touch flo 3D and SPB Mobile Shell owe their success in part to the speed at which Microsoft turns around its mobile OS. The BAD news is that we need these third party products because of the wait between much needed updates for features which phone users are coming to expect.

I am not sure what I would do without tweaks, hacks and third party apps. It just wouldn’t be Microsoft! That flexibility has traditionally been part of the Microsoft charm. However, it is also part of the ball-and-chain that Microsoft carries. And…sometimes you just want a computer/phone to work the way you expect it to work…right out of the box.

First, OEMs need to take the OS, put it in their devices, tune it with their device drivers and power settings and build a ROM with any extras they have (like TouchFlo).

Second, the OEMs then have to send the prototype devices to Microsoft to certify them.

Third, for phones (or PDAs with Bluetooth or WiFi), the OEMs need FCC certification.

Fourth, again for phones, the OEMs need to get a carrier interested and do any carrier-requested customization.

Finally, the carrier needs to certify the device on their network.

I’m not sure if that’s the exact order, or whether some things are done in parallel, but that sounds like it could take 6+ months to me. :D

Yes, it’s disappointing when we want it NOW, but getting phones out takes longer than getting PDAs out. Remember that it took Apple about a year to get the iPhone 3g out, too.

Steve

Why is it going to take until the end of the year to release? MS needs to take a page from HTC’s book. MS is playing catchup to the other OS’s and the threats are there, Palm is set to release July-ish, you know Apple is brewing something, and you know it will be good.
By the time 6.5 is released everyone will be on to bigger and better things.

Something needs to be done about the pace at which things are done at MS, there is obviously too much of a bureaucracy there.

That said what i’ve seen so far has been a nice surprise after the non update of 6.0 to 6.1 (for pro devices), what’s been released has been more than i expected…(not that that says much b/c i’ve honestly lost all faith in MS)

I’m still sticking with Windows Mobile because of its versatility and I see much potential in the future, but for those who have suffered through WM 5&6, throw us a bone MS!

Just like 6.1, wasn’t a big change but there were a couple good nuggets in it … like Threaded SMS.

No media player upgrade is unforgivable though. Since MS seems to like breaking things into components lately … maybe the Zune Player upgrade that everyone was expecting will be a stand alone product they will release before 6.5 even hits retail? One can hope.