To be fair, app browsing isn't all that great on *any* phone. In fact, I have yet to use a single mobile device (including the iPhone, thankyouverymuch) that I actually prefer browsing on over a full compy. Fullsite app browsing = generally awesome in my book.
I love Zune and have all 3 version but you can't help but to think that one day future xboxes and windows will be all you have left. #windowsmobilemarketplace
@Gundem: I'm sorry, did you just call Microsoft M$ (which, by the way, has been ruled to be "old" and "unoriginal" as of about 3 years ago), then express your dire love for the Zunes? I...
"Well, the new online portal seems like a solid idea, albeit one that implicitly acknowledges that app browsing is not that great on a WinMo 6.5 phone. You can access the portal from any browser, taking advantage of your computer's larger screen and faster loading to find apps that much quicker."
I dunno about that - I wouldn't be so quick to say that it acknowledges that so much as it comes as a logical step. I mean... look at the iPhone App Store. I personally hardly ever use the app store from the phone, unless it's to grab some free app that I need to use for whatever reason that has come up. Based on my experience, and that of the people I know, I'd say that the App Store within iTunes is more of the main one, with the mobile app store browser being more of an added convenience. So I'd say that Microsoft has their head on straight here - It's just that they had the mobile marketplace available first as a catalog available on its mobile devices, and now they're completing and solidifying the idea through a desktop version.
edit: PS - I miss the <blockquote> tags... they made quotes so much more intuitive and easier to read and comprehend in context at first glance.
@brobot: When you criticize Gizmodo you have to take into account that this is an Apple lover's site. They are lastly tending to ditch non Apple stuff specially when it comes to mobile devices. I own an iPodtouch an I have to say it's a nightmare if I want to find a non top 25 or featured App. Its the way it is, we are talking about a small screen device, same goes for windows mobile. But the author is turning a good service for windows mobile customers into yet an other reason to ditch the windows mobile platform. #windowsmobilemarketplace
@HelloYouAll: errrrmmm... I don't know where you got the idea that I was criticizing gizmodo from my comment... Especially since you basically just re-stated the entire point of my comment, except with an anti-giz spin on it by talking about apple bias before saying "the author is turning a good service for windows mobile customers into yet an other reason to ditch the windows mobile platform."
To every person who ever previously/currently/henceforth whines about gizmodo's apple bias, I, Bepoptimus Prime, hereby officially declare #Shenanigans. - All the whining is 100x more annoying than any bias in the first place. sheesh. cry about it#windowsmobilemarketplace
"Basically, this is great for the scores of Windows Mobile users who can't—or don't want to—upgrade."
Oh... go ahead and say... it's "can't". One of the biggest problems with WiMo (currently) is that we're at the mercy of the device maker to upgrade the OS - and they have almost NO motivation to do that since they would rather you buy a whole new device.
Rumours are that WM7 will finally fix this (and there's big hints in the 6.1 and 6.5 upgrade installer that it's true, since now 'upgrade just the OS' is a feature) and we'll be able to finally get OS upgrades directly from Microsoft.
I hope the magnanimous amount of free apps out there won't start to dwindle. I don't want an app store to ruin the best thing about having a WinMo device (for me at least).. free everything!
@Skeetz: Agreed, but the downside of "free everything" is that about 40% of WinMo aps (in my experience anyway) are complete crap, hopefully this vetting process & ap store will improve the general quality somewhat.
@IN THE FACE!: True, but those same numbers exist in a paid app environment as well... Stuff that used to be free will just be ported over to the app store. Some of the stuff will rock while other stuff will be like you said: crap. Except now you're paying for it. Happened to me once with a dumb phone when I thought buying a 7 dollar golf game from my carriers site would be a good idea. It wasn't.
@OMG! TenderRonis!: you know, this is just a sign of the apocalypse. i understood letting machines do our menial chores for us, like monitoring vital systems over the globe, but when we start making machines do core functions in our stead, e.g. farting, that's when i fear for our inevitable demise.
@Anonymoose: I say, fine, let the machines take over our farting for us! But, I must draw the line somewhere; I maintain we keep the fapping for ourselves! Who's with me on this?
I still haven't figured out what "app stores" means yet, so talking about even more of them is bound to confuse me even further. I'll have my five year old explain it to me on non-fancy words that I can understand, like "stuff" and, well, "other stuff".
Seriously, though, you are peering over the edge of a slippery slope. Some might question why we do not cover software for all electronic gadgets - which would include just about every store on this vast communication portal we call the inter-tubes, and the more stores on the list, the more their argument makes sense when you have drunk a fifth of Southern Comfort. Don't give in to them! Just hide behind the tired old apple-fanboi excuse and give 'em a middle finger salute.
Or, alternatively - I kinda do look forward to reading about how the other "half" of app stores live, so - carry on.
I actually hear word that the BlackBerry Storm 2 will be significantly improved and will sport a new App store. Here's hoping it doesn't suck like the Storm 1 did/does.
@OMG! Snow Peas!: Just to make sure I follow: you mean you actually read every single word of all the 45-ish daily posts of Gizmodo, and that leaves you so tired that you cannot handle reading 4 more posts a month about the other app stores? Is that it?
@Andre Goersch: Andre, you do not understand what it means to be a star commenter. I do. I am one. And it is a burden, and a calling, I wish on no one.
Remember the movie "The Last Starfighter"? Remember how, in order to recruit fighters for an impending galactic invasion, a seemingly-innocent video game was used to identify and then conscript the most talented soldiers? Well, that's what it's like for us star commenters. One day we were, each of us, just fooling around a bit with Gizmodo or Lifehacker or io9, maybe even Consumerist before it was sold like a cheap whore, commenting here and there, dropping the occasional snark bomb or maybe adding a thoughtful bit of information to a story lacking any research or detail when--WHAM!--we found ourselves suddenly conscripted to "star commenter" status. We didn't ask for it. We didn't necessarily even want it. But it was foist upon us nonetheless. And it's a thankless task. But, it has to be done, or so we are told via regularly-issued staff memos from Nick Denton and his underlings, BLam and the Chenster.
And what's it like as a star commener? It's a lonely life. Tethered as we are to our chairs in front of a computer whose browser filters out all but the Gawker media network, it is our job, day in and day out, to be those star commenters. To read. To comment. And to reply, as I'm doing now.
So, please, don't take poor ol' Snow Peas! to task. He's only doing what he has been called on to do, to entertain the schlubs of the universe, even at the expense of having his own life. Indeed, instead of mocking him, you might consider thanking him, or even befriending him. All it takes to make a star commenter's day--or, really, any commenter--is a little "heart-click" of approval.
The way I read the VoIP item (#4) it would allow for Skype or another VoIP app over WiFi. Unless I'm misinterpreting "mobile operator network" and that term includes WiFi.
11/16/09
11/12/09
(Google: I'm talking to you.) #windowsmobilemarketplace
11/12/09
I love Zune and have all 3 version but you can't help but to think that one day future xboxes and windows will be all you have left. #windowsmobilemarketplace
11/12/09
I think something broke. #windowsmobilemarketplace
11/12/09
11/12/09
I dunno about that - I wouldn't be so quick to say that it acknowledges that so much as it comes as a logical step. I mean... look at the iPhone App Store. I personally hardly ever use the app store from the phone, unless it's to grab some free app that I need to use for whatever reason that has come up. Based on my experience, and that of the people I know, I'd say that the App Store within iTunes is more of the main one, with the mobile app store browser being more of an added convenience. So I'd say that Microsoft has their head on straight here - It's just that they had the mobile marketplace available first as a catalog available on its mobile devices, and now they're completing and solidifying the idea through a desktop version.
edit: PS - I miss the <blockquote> tags... they made quotes so much more intuitive and easier to read and comprehend in context at first glance.
11/12/09
11/12/09
11/12/09
To every person who ever previously/currently/henceforth whines about gizmodo's apple bias, I, Bepoptimus Prime, hereby officially declare #Shenanigans. - All the whining is 100x more annoying than any bias in the first place. sheesh. cry about it #windowsmobilemarketplace
07/14/09
Oh... go ahead and say... it's "can't". One of the biggest problems with WiMo (currently) is that we're at the mercy of the device maker to upgrade the OS - and they have almost NO motivation to do that since they would rather you buy a whole new device.
Rumours are that WM7 will finally fix this (and there's big hints in the 6.1 and 6.5 upgrade installer that it's true, since now 'upgrade just the OS' is a feature) and we'll be able to finally get OS upgrades directly from Microsoft.
But until then - EPIC FAIL.
07/14/09
07/14/09
07/14/09
05/29/09
05/29/09
05/29/09
05/29/09
Seriously, though, you are peering over the edge of a slippery slope. Some might question why we do not cover software for all electronic gadgets - which would include just about every store on this vast communication portal we call the inter-tubes, and the more stores on the list, the more their argument makes sense when you have drunk a fifth of Southern Comfort. Don't give in to them! Just hide behind the tired old apple-fanboi excuse and give 'em a middle finger salute.
Or, alternatively - I kinda do look forward to reading about how the other "half" of app stores live, so - carry on.
05/29/09
05/29/09
I actually hear word that the BlackBerry Storm 2 will be significantly improved and will sport a new App store. Here's hoping it doesn't suck like the Storm 1 did/does.
05/29/09
I'm not sure I can handle skipping the weekly posts about them.
05/29/09
not:stuff.giz.covers.grudginly.once.in.a.blue.moon.just.to.shut.up.the.pc.fanboys
05/29/09
05/29/09
05/29/09
???
Are you currently shooting for a star, or at a star? Slightly confused here.
05/29/09
05/29/09
05/29/09
Was I unclear?
05/30/09
I wonder what happens if after a day reading the blog you need to drive and read a traffic sign.
05/30/09
Remember the movie "The Last Starfighter"? Remember how, in order to recruit fighters for an impending galactic invasion, a seemingly-innocent video game was used to identify and then conscript the most talented soldiers? Well, that's what it's like for us star commenters. One day we were, each of us, just fooling around a bit with Gizmodo or Lifehacker or io9, maybe even Consumerist before it was sold like a cheap whore, commenting here and there, dropping the occasional snark bomb or maybe adding a thoughtful bit of information to a story lacking any research or detail when--WHAM!--we found ourselves suddenly conscripted to "star commenter" status. We didn't ask for it. We didn't necessarily even want it. But it was foist upon us nonetheless. And it's a thankless task. But, it has to be done, or so we are told via regularly-issued staff memos from Nick Denton and his underlings, BLam and the Chenster.
And what's it like as a star commener? It's a lonely life. Tethered as we are to our chairs in front of a computer whose browser filters out all but the Gawker media network, it is our job, day in and day out, to be those star commenters. To read. To comment. And to reply, as I'm doing now.
So, please, don't take poor ol' Snow Peas! to task. He's only doing what he has been called on to do, to entertain the schlubs of the universe, even at the expense of having his own life. Indeed, instead of mocking him, you might consider thanking him, or even befriending him. All it takes to make a star commenter's day--or, really, any commenter--is a little "heart-click" of approval.
Thank you for your understanding.
05/29/09
05/29/09
05/29/09
05/29/09
05/29/09
Much is riding on your missing article.
05/06/09
05/06/09
05/06/09
05/06/09
Last I checked it was the same and there was a fair bit of net neutrality uproar over it.
05/06/09
05/06/09
04/06/09
04/06/09
04/06/09