[Touch Pro2, Tilt 2 Windows Mobile General] elkavayo:
For most people who discovered smartphones when the iPhone came out, they think Apple invented it.

HTC has been around much longer than the iPhone, believe it or not. All those MDA, SDA phones, were manufactures by HTC since 2002! This is why this site is named XDA. Apple introduced the iPhone in 2007.

It's interesting how people call iPhone anything with a touch screen. Recently a relative of my wife came to the states and wated an iPhone for her children. She asked me about my iPhone (actually a TyTnII) and one day said that she had already gotten an iPhone, which turned out to be a Nokia N95.

There are many things that don't make sense in the smartphone world. Most people criticize MSFT for being a monopoly back in the day of the browsers war, but worship Apple who owns every single bit of the iPhone business. People criticize MSFT for being a close platform, but apple and Android won't let you install an app if you don't go through their market place. Apple blocks applications that compete not only with them, but with ATT, such as google voice.

iPhone and Adroid are worshipped for their innovations, but every single feature in the latest versions of both phones have been available to PocketPC users since probably 2000, at least I've been using windows smartphones since 2002 and all of them have had touch screen (albeit resistive), copy and paste, multitasking, MMS, SMS, email (multiple accounts, including exchange, IMAP and POP3), music (supporting a wide arrange of music format), pictures, videos, and you could install any app you want wherever you want. You can swap batteries, you can swap memory cards, and yes, there was a marketplace (actually several) before the Windows Market Place, it's still around and it's call Handango, which also allows you to try he applications before you buy them.

Even phone navigation was available way before the days of integerated GPS, there were many applications available, being TomTom the best known probably. It had turn-by-turn directions, with voice guidance and 3D maps. All you needed was an external wired, or bluetooth GPS receiver. That was before the iPhone was even announced.

It's common for many to complain about the inability to really close apps in windows, but few complain about the fact that the iPhone kills alls apps when you switch, rendering IM impossible, navigation, if you must take a phone call, facebook notifications, etc. I for one always disable the HTC task managet and let the OS handle memory allocation, which in my opinion, windows mobile does very well. Recently a reviewer pointed out (as a negative) that Windows Mobile was running 10 apps at the same time without he knowing it, and I say, that's good! A good proof of a true multitasking OS! I agree that apps should always have an exit button which actually closes the app if you don't want to use it anymore though, but this is an app programming issue, not an operating system issue.

But who cares, let people believe that Apple invented sliced bread and Android will save the world. Ultimately, it's MSFT own fault for neglecting it's own product, allow manufacturers to build, in some cases crappy, underpowered devices, neglect advertising, and forget to refresh the product to keep uo with the times. WM 6.5 was disappointment, and I'm cautiously optimist with 7(not really, it will disappoint). WM has the brain and heart of a smart and athletic 20 years old with the skin of an 80 year old overly exposed to the sun woman.

Ignorance is bliss sometimes. Most people think Mariah Carey composed "Without you". And no, it was not Harry Nilsson either.

Living is easy with eyes closed -JL