Do you drink the iPod Kool-Aid?

For the record, I have a Mac Book Pro laptop that I love, but I wouldn’t have it if it didn’t run Windows XP also. Anyone who has a job requiring a computer needs Windows. Apple makes better hardware, Microsoft makes better software. Apple also has their customer service in California and their phones manned by actual Americans unlike Dell computer who I gave up on who has “Betty” or “Steve” in Bombay, Calcutta, or New Delhi answering my call and making me insane.

Apple and Steve Jobs are master marketeers. Microsoft could take a lesson from them. I love Apple’s commercials. Apple has convinced everyone that they will be much cooler, savvy, and trendy with an iPod or iPhone. Everyone has one you know.

Well, as my father used to say, if everyone else jumped off a bridge or stuck their head in a toilet, would you?

I do not have an iPod or and iPhone. I have the Motorola Q phone with Windows Mobile 5.0 Smartphone and Windows Media Player 10.

I do not have iTunes. I use Urge which is run by MTV and integrated into Windows Media Player. It allows me to subscribe a music service rather than buy music I may only want to listen to once.

What does Steve Jobs claim is so revolutionary about the iPhone?

Browser - My Q has Internet Explorer

iTunes and media player- My Q has Windows Media Player for music and movies. It also has Real Player and TCPMP. There are dozens of other programs also if you don’t like those.

Instant Messenger - My Q has MSN Messenger and I also have IMPlus which allows me to combine all my instant messenger services into one application.

Email - The Q has Microsoft Outlook.
Cingular Edge High Speed Broadband - My Q has Verizon EVDO

Bluetooth - Got it. All the profiles including A2DP for wirless stereo headphones

Wireless A/B/G - Don’t need it with high speed EVDO

So far I am not impressed. This technology has been around for years already. Prior to the Q, I had a Samsung i730 which runs pure Windows Mobile 5.0 with a touch screen.

What do Microsoft Mobile devices offer that iPhone doesn’t?

Tons of software - I had software on my i730 that would let me remotely use my pc at home. I had software that let me use the IR as a television remote control. I have ftp software that will let me transfer files to my web site. You can run flash movies, adobe pdf files, so many things I can’t list them all. Check out Handango.

Subscription Music Services such as Urge, Yahoo, Napster, etc. - I would much rather pay $10-$15 dollars a month to listen to any song from any album I want to than be forced to buy every song for $.99. At Christmas time I downloaded dozens of Christmas albums and didn’t have to pay for a single one. I can keep them as long as I want, I can delete them and re-download them whenever I want, and I can transfer them to a Plays For Sure device or one that has Windows Media Player 10 such as my Q.

The Q can act as a high speed data modem for my laptop at the airport - iPhone? Not sure but they don’t advertise it.

The full Windows Mobile 5.0 version as found on the i730 can also run Microsoft Word and Excel - iPhone? Nope.
The Q only costs $99 - the iPhone costs $499

Let’s talk about the new Apple TV box. It “miraculously” sends music, movies and photos from your computer to your television. Windows Media Center has been able to stream media to Windows Media Extenders such as the XBox for years. Let me tell you about an application I have used for over a year now called Orb at www.orb.com. It streams media not just to the tv in your house, but also over the Internet wherever you are! This application not only streams movies and music to a laptop or phone like my Motorola Q, it also streams live television! I can watch the football game while shopping with my wife or at the aquarium with the kids. And best of all, the software is free! You just connect your cable or satellite box to your Windows Media Center PC at home and you’re good to go. No need to buy a Slingbox either. Guess what? It doesn’t run on the Mac. You can stream media to a Mac, but not from a Mac.

Don’t get me wrong, I think Steve Jobs and Bill Gates are both geniuses and I’m grateful for both of their contributions to technology. I prefer substance over style. I try not to be distracted by the slick marketing and dig into which product performs better. This is why I will probably by another Apple laptop and fill it with Microsoft software.

May the war of ideas continue to escalate for all of our benefit.

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