[XPERIA X1 General] leoni1980:
Hmmm interesting that i stumbled across this. I go through a vast amount of phones every year....I love checking out the latest devices and I thrive on technology and gadgetery: I would certainly go as far as to say that I DO have a clue about modern technology.

At present I own an iPhone 3G (since August), a T-Mobile G1 (November, upgrade) and a Sony Xperia X1 (by trade last week for an N95 which I'd swapped for a PSP)I hadn't tinkered with Windows Mobile since the Touch Diamond last July, so what was my impression?

Well I've tried the latest UK stock ROM, various Manilla ROMs and a Panels-only ROM and my over-riding feeling is that however HTC or Sony may try to hide it, the antiquated ghost of Windows Mobile rears its ugly head all too consistantly, with its fiddly buttons and convoluted menu systems.

Call the iPhone 'iCrap'; call it a toy or 'not a true smartphone'. The fact remains that it is truly enjoyable to use, for me and - it seems - a massive amount of people.

I personally know of NO-ONE who has bought an iphone since OS 2.0 who doesn't love it.....no exaggeration. Does this make me and all these other folk ignorant fools? should we refuse the iPhone because it is 'overadvertised' (whatever THAT means)? *

I believe not.

The fact is that it does everything I need and does it in a way which is SUPREMELY ENJOYABLE and well thought-out, whereas my experience with Windows Mobile is that it does the same things (maybe more) but does them in a clunky and inefficient way. With the iPhone I have a great MP3 Player, SUPERB mp4 player, internet tethering, a fast and finger-friendly browser and a truly comprehensive array of Apps at my disposal. Now here's the question....

Is IT ALL ABOUT THE APPS?

Well to a large degree, yes: What are developers here constantly looking to improve and add to their cooked ROMS?

Apps.

What is Touchflo3D?

What is Panels?

What is Coreplayer?

What is the HTC Youtube Player?

Answer: They are ALL APPS.

Without them everyone would contest that Windows Mobile is a sack of archaic ****e.

Image the Xperia with no third party apps whatsoever......

So yes, apps are important; and with the iPhone there is a veritable feast of applications. The greatest array of social networking applications, enough games to satisfy even the most insatiable appetite, tools, themes, sms apps, skins and keyboards....sure you can get these on Windows Mobile but they're never as slick to use, nor is there as much choice.

And as for the hardware? Well how many Windows Mobile devices are still supported by HTC 2.5 years down the line? The iPhone is still great hardware, and its hardware is pushed by the hundreds of games released for it every day - what really pushes Windows Mobile devices?? Even if a 2ghz ARM processor for Windows Mobile appeared its power would never be seen since WM developers have to cater to the lesser-powered devices.

*Think of it as being like having a ferrari engine in a car with square wheels*

The iPhone's technology is pretty consistent and makes it an easy and assured market to develop for, hence its popularity.

The iPhone is far from perfect....I don't like having to use iTunes, i'd prefer a removable battery, the camera could be better (although it's better than the G1's), and there's no multitasking.....but I still prefer it to everything else I've used since last August. I am not a fanboy, i don't own a Mac and never will and I have no reason to be loyal to Apple if something better comes along but that hasn't happened for me yet.

NONE of the arguments I've heard on here have changed my mind, they just make me think of closed-minded people with their fingers in their ears going 'blah blah blah'. If anyone would like to challenge my credibility as a lover of technology then do so, but I feel that I'm just going to get voracious anger rather than constructive criticism and this is not what these forums are about.

*if anyone does have an iPhone and hates it I am based in the UK and will happily swap it for my boxed, unlocked X1, or sell it for 185gbp to the first-comer.