Updated 15 Feb, 2012, 6:16 pm IST

A Windows Mobile 6.5 Experience

04 Nov, 2009, 12:00 pm IST | Shayne Rana

For those looking to upgrade to WinMob 6.5 here's a quick look at what to expect.

In my opinion and it is probably just MY opinion, the Windows Mobile OS has been directed at the business user who’s looking for a full function handset that will allow him to read and write documents, send emails, browse websites in as much of their glory as is permissible on a mobile handset. Essentially they have long since tried to offer their users a PC-like feel on a mobile phone and I personally don’t believe that has worked out too well, though there have been plenty of really good WinMob devices over the past few years.

The OS seemed to have been quite stuck at version 6.1 Professional for a long time till finally, earlier this year, Microsoft decided it’s time to ‘Upgrade’. SO what does version 6.5 bring to the table? Having received the HTC Touch 2 with WinMob 6.5 preloaded as the OS, I was quite keen to find out what the OS does first before I reviewed the handset. So here’s my experience and a quick look at Windows Mobile 6.5 Professional.

To be brutally honest, there’s really not too much to talk about in terms of changes that the 6.5 OS brings to the table. However each mobile device will of course make the OS experience a little bit different as one has to take into account factors like the screen size especially if it’s a touchscreen which makes a big difference and of course the UI laid on top. It’s each mobile manufacturer's prerogative to design and customize a UI to cater to, what they believe to be, their customer’s most urgent needs.

UI Layout
Lock Screen
The new lock screen is of the slider concept. In my opinion it’s been done to death. I mean seriously, we know that quite a large sum of the world’s mobile using population, whether they can afford one or not, considers the iPhone to be quite unique in terms of its OS and UI fundamentals. The ‘Slide to Unlock’ is getting to be quite the clich�.

However, the tweak in WinMob 6.5’s version is that in case of Messages, Missed Calls, Voice Mail Messages, Emails and alike, separate sliders can be activated by tapping the main one. This will ‘drop down’ individual Unlock Sliders for the respective functions like Missed Calls or an SMS.

Today/Home Screen
If you switch off the handset’s customized UI, whatever that may be (like HTC’s TouchFLO) you can choose the default 6.5 setting that will show you a new Today screen. The new ‘desktop’ is quite similar to the TouchFLO UI. While HTC’s version is quite a bit more graphic and scrolls sideways, Windows’ is less visually attractive and is vertically designed.

It's finger friendly and each function like music, messages, emails etc can be scrolled horizontally. What I didn’t quite like was the lack of adjustments that could be made to this feature. With your basic Windows Mobile Home Screen you can manually select what features you want. With this version the features are fixed and there’s no room for alterations.

Menus
To add a little more color to the new OS version, Microsoft has gone with a slightly more colorful array of icons. I don’t see a change in the size though. The layout is also quite different. Gone is the bland white background with gaudy icons and three pages of assorted features. The new Menu system employs what they’re calling a ‘honeycomb’ layout. The icons themselves can be moved around but they’ll still have to stick to the grid. I like this new layout. It’s simple and easy to navigate.

Looks and Feel
The themes are a lot more vibrant than before. In fact Microsoft has even got famous designers like Vera Wang, Ron Arad and Isaac Mizrahi to design theme colors for the system. While the outer layer may seem quite fancy, underneath it all it’s still the same old Windows Mobile UI. Nothing’s really been drastically altered except for the few cosmetic changes.

Functionality
If you thought that the new upgraded OS would be designed keeping in mind the latest trend of the touchscreen technology i.e. totally touch functionality, you’d be quite mistaken. While certain aspects of the new system have been designed to be finger friendly you’ll still find yourself reaching for the stylus from time to time for simple adjustments like setting the time. So at the end of the day it still provides you with the same old Windows Mobile functionality.

Browser
Microsoft’s WinMob IE browser has also undergone a few changes. I’ll admit it definitely looks much better than the drab older version. It does give a rather PC-like viewing to the browsing experience. Pages look fuller but it’s really not all that big a deal. The menu systems are simpler and there’s a setting to activate a slider for zooming. That’s redundant in most HTC handsets as they usually come with a touch sensitive slide bar below the displays. Samsung’s touch and zoom, single handed option that was introduced in the Jet is however, way better.

Additional Microsoft Features
Keeping in tow with another new trend in the mobile phone industry which happens to be the introduction of online ‘stores’ that allow users to download applications, wallpapers, themes etc. for respective handset operating systems, Microsoft has also added their Windows Marketplace app to the 6.5 feature-set. It’s easy access to a plethora of free and chargeable apps for the handset.

Another addition is the rather handy MyPhone application. It allows Windows Mobile handset users to backup data OTA to a password protected server. You can also restore data to a different handset in case you’ve changed your choice of Windows Mobile device. It also backs up your images etc., and allows you to share the same on Social Networking sites. It also functions as a mobile tracking service as well.

The Bottom Line
While I was happy with the funky new look to the Desktop and Menu, I’m was disappointed to find that the rest of the underlying functions, look and usability of the upgraded Windows Mobile OS is still the same. I never liked using stylus and I was quite hoping that I wouldn’t have to with 6.5. At least with manufactures like HTC you’ll be able to reduce the need for a stylus a little with custom UI’s like TouchFLO, but you can’t count on that in all handsets of course.

We’ll have to wait awhile longer to see what Microsoft comes with next. Will Windows Mobile version 7 finally do away with the need for a stylus? Or will it just add a little more color and jazz to an existing OS that the company thinks is still the greatest since the Italian’s invented Pizza.

Tags: Windows Mobile 6.5 , Touchscreen , Windows Mobile