I’ve just gotten a Pocket PC phone from Sprint. I’m still learning how the Windows mobile apps work, and there’s some clunky interface stuff, but I’m overwhelmed at how much productivity I’ve gotten in just two and a half weeks. I’m a mobile technology laggard. I’ve had the same phone for four and a half years, so this is a pretty big jump for me.. I’ve been of the thinking that a phone is a phone, and it should be a single purpose device. I was even skeptical of the brick-like form factor of the Pocket PC device.
So, what’s so cool? It’s the ability for me to have access to Outlook mail, calendar, and contacts. On my old phone, I had figured out how to get my calendar and contacts through a crude Plaxo mobile web interface. On this new device, I’m seeing the promise of mobility. I’ve got very similar prodcutivity capabiltiies from my mobile device that I find on my laptop. I can address email from my contacts list. I can send email from my contacts list. I can access contacts from my calendar. I can do mobile one note and have it integrate with my laptop. I can do… you get the idea.
I’ve heard so much about the mobility promise. I’ve seen Microsoft selling this promise through Sprint and Verizon and Tmobile. I’ve seen it sold to me direct through the Microsoft Partner Program. I’m naturally skeptical. So I assume that only half of the promise is doable. I can see that I’m only seeing part of the promise being delivered, but I’m honestly surprised that it’s because I can’t absorb the features. What a pleasant surprise. More to come on how I use this thing.
