[Hawkeye_a]

They're (Micro$oft) at it again. Everything from icons, orginization, functionality and services has been photocopied over from the iPhone, shapes and colors changed around, renamed and rebranded to give you Windows Mobile 6.5.

The similarities are uncanny.

Discuss

[Maflynn]

I'm not really seeing any wholesale copying (this time) by Microsoft. For instance the email icon, an envelop that's open. Apple's is closed. Calendar, contacts the same thing very different. The LG-GM730 does show a similar organization, but then you could probably say that with any touch screen phone

While Microsoft has certainly been guilty of lifting the design, layout, icons from apple in the past, I'm not really seeing too much of that this time.

[nonhuman]

Uh, the only real similarity or ripoff mentioned in that article is the Home icon that looks like it was taken from OS X on a Mac rather than an iPhone where there's no need for such an icon. The whole rest of the article is about how Windows Mobile 6.5 is nothing like the iPhone because Apple did a good job of protecting their intellectual property with the result that Microsoft is barely even able to offer a poor substitute.

[- - e r i k - -]

Similarities? No. Way to misread the article.

Fortunately WinMo 6.5. has very few similarities. The honeycomb system is lame and different-for-the-sake-of-difference without offering anything in the usability department except for larger targets for awkward resistive touch screens and sacrificing the number of icons on screen at one time (9 on WinMo versus 20 on the iPhone).

And oh god, the fonts? Large type Verdana for the clock? Tahoma for the icons? *shudder*

At least I thought I saw Helvetica on another screen (making the font mess complete).

[analogue SPRINKLES]

Yes it is a copy but so is just about every other touchscreen phone that just came out or upcoming (Pre).

Apple better get off their ass and make the next OS have some of the basic features every other phone has PLUS they gotta wow us with something new and flashy.

[- - e r i k - -]

Basic features like…? SMS forwarding?
For the love of God don't say MMS

[Hawkeye_a]

Originally Posted by - - e r i k - - 

Similarities? No. Way to misread the article.

Fortunately WinMo 6.5. has very few similarities. The honeycomb system is lame and different-for-the-sake-of-difference without offering anything in the usability department except for larger targets for awkward resistive touch screens and sacrificing the number of icons on screen at one time (9 on WinMo versus 20 on the iPhone).

And oh god, the fonts? Large type Verdana for the clock? Tahoma for the icons? *shudder*

At least I thought I saw Helvetica on another screen (making the font mess complete).

That's what i mean. They've tried so hard to copy the ideas and methodologies over without violating patents, that it's so blatantly obvious that there is such a limited amount of originality.

The 'honeycomb'..... just a different way to organize icons. the browser is finally upto speed, something that obviously could'nt be done before, right ?

How about Microsoft's syncing services ? App store ? nd the emphasis to use your finger instead ofa stylus or keyboard ?

Sure, a white mouse pointer isn't the same as a black mouse pointer..... but they're both mouse pointers.

Anyway, i think the exact designs have been patent well by Apple. but i think the only thing from keeping WnMo from duplicating the iPhone is the patents which doesnt mean M$ was in anyway original with what they made. The point i got from the article was that theyre trying their best to duplicate the experience but thaanks to the patents they havent been able to copy exaclty. imo

What's new in WinMo that hasnt been seen/done with Apple on the iPhone ? hexagons.