Microsoft's Windows Mobile 6.5 update guide: no, no, maybe
By Donald Melanson 
posted October 6th 2009 4:12PM
posted October 6th 2009 4:12PM
Alright, so it's no secret that the upgrade path to Windows Mobile 6.5 is pretty limited, but Microsoft has nonetheless gone and laid thing out with another handy upgrade guide to avoid any confusion. The short of it is that those with Windows Mobile 5.0 or 6.0 devices are flat out of luck if they're looking to upgrade to 6.5 (although they may be able to upgrade to 6.0 or 6.1), while users of Windows Mobile 6.1 devices (but not those aforementioned users that have just upgraded to 6.1) may be able to upgrade to 6.5 at some as yet unspecified point in the future. Right now, that latter group is confined to just eight phones (including the likes of the HTC Dash, Snap and Touch Pro2, and the Samsung Jack and Epix), but Microsoft says more devices may be added at a later date. Still confused? Then hit up the read link below for the complete breakdown, and try to forget about that whole Windows Mobile 7 thing for the time being.
[Thanks, Jammal]
[Thanks, Jammal]
I don't recall saying anything about it, actually.
But wouldn't you say an OS update is a bigger deal than MMS, something practically every phone (including most feature phones) have had for years?
Thanks for the "idiot" part, by the way. No need to get that impassioned over blog comments, is there?
Yeah, there is no need, and typing 'idiot' is hardly evidence of that.
You're definitely not one for typing impassioned comments on blogs, are you? ;)
MS are getting closer to Apple on the desktop, a few years more and they might be as close in mobileland.
Even Balmer admits WinMo is a failure, shame the dwindling number of fanboys they have left can't agree
"Any by the way, if you want the upgrade skip the middle-man and flash your own ROM! I don't see any Apple users running the next iPhone version ahead of schedule. WinMo users already have 6.5.1 to use, for free."
That is because we have an actual upgrade path, as in WE ARE GETTING AN UPGRADE no matter what. Why would i want to load beta software on my phone if im not developing for it?
Nice, I like how you failed to respond to my main point at all and instead resorted to some strange argument about MS catching up to Apple on the desktop (in what way? certainly not market share).
And I would say name calling does indicate a higher degree of passion than simply debating points without the nice little "idiot" tacked on at the end. My initial comment could be more properly termed "exasperated" than "impassioned."
Love the smug winks, by the way.
Jailbreak FTW
Weren't there some WinMo phones by HTC that could be upgraded to Android? Sounds like a better deal to me.
oh wow, talk about flame wars on here. Im with the people who have lost faith in WinMo. Im on my 3rd or 4th WinMo phone and this HTC Touch Pro is good, but it could be great, and im tired of seeing great hardware stumble because of its software like my archos is.
I used to do the roms on my Moto Q and theyre cool an all, but realiability is lacking, and theres alot of stuff that just seems half hearted.
WinMo really need the app base down that apple has because it makes a diff. ive been using WinMo and its varients for years and they really suffer from Quality apps, every download has 17 different options for different processors and OS types, smartphone ,widescreen, qvga, vga, etc.. too many variables that if i downloaded 100 apps i would probably get 10% to run smoothly on the phone. I know apple has alot of shit too, but at least theres enough shit that youll find a random jem, you cant find something in a pile that doesnt exist.
Sure glad I bought a new Propel Pro when i broke my Blackjack 2 -- NOT.
"Why would i want to load beta software on my phone if im not developing for it?"
Oh please. If Apple offered iPhone OS 3.2 today, you're saying no one would want to use it? Yeah right, people would be going nuts over it. Engadget would have daily updates about how the new 3.2.1.2343.246576 version adds 8 pixels of white to the scrollbar.
seriously, this is the stuff that ms can come up with, on the date of your marketplace release? and 2 out of 3 criteria that they posted, is no, we don't have updates. then when I clicked on the one that said update may be available to you. I get a list of phones, with no release dates? and to top it off, I clicked on the common operator and manufacturer, it then takes me to their generic site with no 6.5 update?
typical fashion on how microsoft handle all windows mobile phones, and at that, a typical, and an utter FAIL.
pretty annoying you can't just upgrade any phone to the new OS, but i guess they have to take into consideration that most people get a new phone every 2 years and don't really need the update...
Windows Mobile 6.5.x is nothing more than a band aid on broken arm. Other than a few cosmetic changes to the OS, it’s really just the same ole Windows Mobile they have been repackaging and selling for several years. I truly wish them the best of luck with Windows Mobile 7 as it may be their last chance to recapture the mobile market. Meanwhile, Apple, Palm and Google continue tightening the noose.
can you upgrade? yes? maybe? no? sadly this is main reason why i hate buying a windows mobile phone
Anybody who can unlock a phone and flash a custom ROM can update to 6.5 on anything resembling a late-model phone. I've been running 6.5 on my touch pro for months with no reliability issues, period. I've also run TouchFlo 3D 2.1 and 2.5 (from the Leo) - take that Microsoft!
The biggest problem with Winmo is not the OS itself, but the pitiful effort carriers put into configuring it. Just look at what HTC can do, then check out what some individuals are capable of publishing for free (NRG roms for the TP, Diamond, TP2 are absolutely incredible).
If you just want a phone that can do some stuff, Winmo sucks. But if you want a computer that can make phonecalls, then Winmo is pretty much as good as it gets for now. Maybe Android, soon, but not quite yet, imho.
Interesting that the Palm Treo Pro isn't on this list, even though it's 6.1 and has plenty of cpu and memory to do it. Bummer! (guess it's true that Palm is only doing WebOS moving forward)
In our company we have Pre's, Pro's, and older Treos. I'd love to move to Pre's for the 700wx users, but not until the Voicemail issue is solved (Pre won't play .wav files sent via email from many voicemail systems, including ours).
Once that gets fixed - I'll be upgrading at least two 700wx users to Pre's or WinMo 6.5 devices - user's choice.
Only carrier we're currently interested in is Sprint - great service, great coverage, killer pricing for Small Business. My iPhone 3GS 32GB went to my wife as a hand me down - I need a reliable phone too much to use AT&T.
Aaron
http://www.varvid.com
Wooo Hoo!
My X1 gets the upgrade!
I still don't see what is wrong
I know for a fact that my phone only has 2003SE, 2 and 6.1 roms
Does microsoft ever make a chart easy to read, an upgrade easy to choose or a product easy to use? Par for the course.