The Missed Opportunity of Linux

Microsoft is going to lock in the market! I never switch mobile phones, and I know a ton of people just like me who, once they have bought a mobile phone to run things on, invest a ton of money in applications and software, thus getting locked into future mobile phones by the same manufacturer.

Yes, it's sarcasm.

The entire market could get wiped overnight by god knows what, and no one would notice or care. The users in this market could give a hang what OS their Dumb phone runs too -- they're feature focused people.

I dunno about you. when I buy a phone, it has to make phone calls really well. I own the cheapest model Nokia makes for just such a purpose. It's funny how many times I've been using it when people with the phone gadget-de-jour have been sitting right next to me going "what service do you have? I can't get a signal. When I need to run applications, I use a computer -- I've yet to find much in the way of small devices that can do anything really useful other than look neat in demonstration mode.

--FeriCyde

The European cell phone market is virtually owned by Symbian, I dont see either MS or Linux doing well in this market although I believe Linux has the better chance due to the fact of zero licensing costs but even then I can't see the Symbian conglomerates wasting away their massive headstart.

The one UK cell phone manufacturer (Sendo) that jumped into bed with MS got its hands burned badly and sued MS for IP theft, settled out of court i believe, they dropped WinCE and went to Symbian. Just google sendo microsoft for info on that one.

My opinion for what its worth, WinCE doesn't stand a chance in hell in the European market without Nokia, Sony-Ericsson behind it.

Disclaimer: I own a Sony-Ericsson T630 which does me very nicely thank you, wont be changing for a long time, I can even make voice calls on it now there's a novelty :)

Just a little follow up for folks amusement you might like to read this

http://www.theregister.co.uk/2000/05/30/gates_rails_at_propr...

Please arrange the words "calling" "pot" "black" "kettle" "the" into a well known phrase :)

Koriel, beautiful.

I suspected Gates was a sociopath; now I know it.

Another follow up regarding the latest news here

http://www.theregister.co.uk/2005/04/06/group_backs_ec/

I think we can safely say that Nokia wont be backing WinCE on mobiles any time soon.

Does anyone still think that WinCE will take of on cells when the 2 largest cell phone markets Europe and Japan dont even want to know you.