Microsoft working feverishly on answer to iPhone?
By Darren Murph 
posted June 29th 2007 6:45PM
posted June 29th 2007 6:45PM
You've already seen bits and pieces of this morning's Today Show, but another segment in the broadcast managed to grab a trip inside Microsoft's Mobile Design Lab where engineers and "audio geeks" look to be hard at work as they try to "redefine cool." Notably, the video fails to show any undercover shots of prototype mobiles that Microsoft may have up its sleeve, and it seemed that this "sneak peek" was intentionally devoid of innovation (secrets we can't know about?). Nevertheless, we do get a chance to see dedicated ringtone makers, and while it's already understood, any future mobiles coming out of Redmond will reportedly attempt to cram "as much of your PC into your cellphone as possible." Best of all, however, is the aptly-dubbed isolation room, which left the interviewer grumbling over how tough it was to peck out an email on the tiny keys of his smartphone. And whether you want to believe it or not, Robbie Bach was seen stating that the iPhone "doesn't change Microsoft's strategy nor its approach."[Thanks, Toph]
Microsoft is really *concerned* about this device. The 5 guys in line behind us (who spent about 8 hrs in line) were from the CE group at MSFT taking the iPhone back to campus for some immediate research...
Of course, if Microsoft's working feverishly on something, you'll see it in about six years.
-jcr
Unless you've been in some cave somewhere, the iPhone hype has been everywhere, even in many places where it won't be available for a year. Latest reports state that half a million units were sold during the first few days, and of course, there were the lines. When was the last time a mobile phone was unveiled to such success? Or a Microsoft product? The best product Microsoft has had in years is the XBox and that's for gamers only. So, was the hype for nothing?
I just want to see an 8525 with the kind of 'ease of use' enhancements and intuitive linking tha the iPhone has for the basic functions. i.e., phone numbers linked into google maps, use of GPS in searches to get local restauraunts and directions, etc.
They also need to push out the exchange update to give us voicemail to text like they've had internally at MS for at least 3 years now.
I think the 8525 successor with a GPS radio and windows mobile 7 should be a VERY interesting device, especially for those of us with jobs because love it or hate it, we're tied to exchange and windows mobile. It just is what it is.