All right, I'm now sitting here in the conference room for this year's Möbius
2008 event. As we got told, during the next days we will learn more from
Microsoft (for
sure), HTC,
Sony Ericsson
but also MWg (the
formerly O2 Asia ODM). I will update this posting throughout the day, so please
make sure to come back - from time to time.
As with every Möbius event, also this one isn't an NDA event in general but
there will be some sessions where we are asked to not to talk about it. Also the
discussions, which are always an important part of Möbius, are more or less off
the record but nevertheless, I'm sure the upcoming HTC, Sony
Ericsson and MWg updates will be interesting.
This year, bloggers and journalists from the following websites participate:
Windows Mobile
After John Starkweather, who is currently in charge for Möbius, explained
what Möbius is and how it works,
Todd Warren, Corporate Vice President Mobile Communications Product Group,
gave us an overview about Windows Mobile in general and Windows Mobile 6.1 in
specific. Not that we have heard anything new but it's always good to hear some
more details about the one or the other issue and topic. Even more interesting
is the currently running Q&A since Möbius Q&As, especially with some senior
managers, are always worth the time.
Microsoft and Apple
That was just an interesting session which Tim Richardson and Chris Shannon from
Microsoft were running. Essentially it was about Apple Mac OS vs. Microsoft
Windows OS and how the user experience is. You have to know that around 3/4 of
the Möbius attendees here are using Macs, the rest is Windows XP/Vista
Notebooks, Asus Eee PCs, UMPCs and Redfly.
The bottom line is that - for which reasons ever - the customer satisfaction
(based on Möbius attendees) for Mac and the Mac OS is ways higher then for
Windows PCs and Notebooks. Reasons are a more reliable driver use, faster (and
again more reliable) boot-time and hibernate time, etc.
Sony Ericsson and Xperia X1
At the moment, Sony Ericsson is presenting its Xperia X1 Windows Mobile 6.1
Professional smartphone and it was just confirmed, that the commercial version
of the X1 will use Qualcomm's ATI graphics chip with OpenGL support (you might
remember the X1 Fish Panel which which are actually calculated polygons instead
of graphics).
Regarding the Xperia brand, Sony Ericsson confirmed again that Xperia isn't
closely linked to Windows Mobile - it's not linked to any platform but rather a
description of a specific device feature-set (whichever these are). So it
doesn't necessarily mean that an Xperia X2 will be a Windows Mobile device as
well as it doesn't mean that all possibly upcoming Windows Mobile phones will
automatically an Xperia phone.
Launch was again confirmed for the second half of 2008 with a parallel launch of
the Xperia X1 in the U.S. and all major European markets, and it will be
available even unlocked in the U.S. through Sony Style online shop.
MWg's Windows Mobile Roadmap
MWg, the follower of O2 Asia is giving us now an update of its Windows Mobile
plans and MWg will focus for its upcoming devices on design and usability. While
this doesn't mean that features are left out of the focus, MWg figured out that
a combination of better looking and more useable devices is necessary to make
its new Windows Mobile smartphones competitive.
Quite interesting is the discussion about the MWg Zinc II where one of the
complains is that the the Zinc II is using a QVGA screen only. MWg unveiled that
an upgrade to WVGA - if available (since it's currently hard to get these kind
of screens) would possibly add US$ 200 to the retail price. While such a display
costs around US$ 60 - 80 more, the need of different graphic chipsets, etc.
increases retail prices dramatically.
HTC
Eric Lin, who even previously run Möbius before he became a member of Möbius is
now on stage in his new role as HTC's Manager for Global Online Communications.
After a short introduction of why he joined HTC, he's now demoing the HTC
Diamond which HTC announced just last week. Since not every Möbius attendant was
able to join HTC's press event, it's quite welcome to see another demo of HTC's
latest Windows Mobile smartphone again.
Stay tuned for more...
Cheers ~ Arne
