You may have seen the leaked builds of Windows Mobile 6.5, you may even have installed it, but during our time with the Touch2 we finally got time see the official release. We’ve detailed our thoughts on the new OS within the review.
In short, the handset itself is fantastic, but we feel that Windows Mobile 6.5 doesn’t go far enough to even be a “stop-gap” between 6.1 and 7. Yes, it’s an improvement in places. There’s a new lock screen, a new interface for choosing apps, a better browser plus My Phone (for backing up your snaps, contacts and more) and Windows Marketplace (for buying more apps). It almost seems like decorators have been in and painted everywhere without repairing the plaster first. The swishy new icons mostly take you into stylus-centric interfaces like the “Sounds and Notifications” system or the “Alarm” system.
In 2002, 2003 and 2004 I was continually banging on about the first thing people do with a new mobile phone. They usually want to change the backdrop or change the ringtone, so it still shocks me to see the horrible “Sounds and Notifications” system in action on 6.5. To make matters worse the brand new “My Phone” app (shown right from the phone itself) has tiny boxes which will have you grabbing the stylus once again. This is a NEW app, part of the NEW WinMo 6.5. I don’t get it, why is it so disjointed still?
It’s not just us. Microsoft have worked to bring a whole new browser into 6.5 but HTC have still chosen Opera instead. I still love Windows Mobile and these improvements do look good but, deep down, the problems persist.
The new paint is already beginning to crack.
Link – Our Thoughts on Windows Mobile 6.5
Windows Mobile 6.5 – Our thoughts
October 6, 2009