Reviews of Windows Mobile 6.5, AT&T Tilt 2, Sprint Samsung Intrepid

Wow, a lot went on this past week. We’ll start off by pointing you to reviews of Windows Mobile 6.5, then look at the AT&T Tilt 2 and Sprint Samsung Intrepid. There’s way too much to get into this issue of the newsletter, so next week I’ll point you to reviews of the Verizon Imagio, AT&T Pure, HTC HD2 (4.3-inch screen), and other new devices.

Reviews of Windows Mobile 6.5

Frankly, this new release hasn’t generated a lot of enthusiasm. But still, it’s good to see the Windows Mobile platform moving ahead, and everyone seems to agree that it’s more attractive. One of the points of consternation is that while the Today Screen and other facets of the new interface are finger friendly, you’ll still need the stylus for various things.

PocketNow has a great review that very clearly shows how the new software looks — almost like watching a slide show of the new screens while getting commentary. This includes a very useful walkthrough of the new Windows Marketplace for Mobile. The reviewer is very clear about the pros and cons, especially liking the new theme designs and expanded support of theme-able user interface elements. The review concludes by saying, “Overall, new devices running Windows Mobile 6.5 should be very compelling if you’re into all-touch-screen devices and especially if you want to run some of the new applications being developed for the Windows Mobile Marketplace.”

WMExperts has a review that compares Windows Mobile 6.5 side-by-side with Windows 6.1 and feels that there is an overall improvement. ZDNet has a thorough review with an image gallery and video. The reviewer goes into detail on the four areas that are the most changed from Windows Mobile 6.1: the Start menu, lock screen, Today Screen, and menus.

Engadget offers a really nice overview, and highlights the pros and cons of the new software. The review includes image galleries and a video. Gizmodo doesn’t like what it sees in this new software, and the review is harsh. It includes a nice overview of Microsoft’s new app store. MobileCrunch is critical, too, especially about the text entry. The review includes coverage of Internet Explorer Mobile and Windows Marketplace for Mobile.

Microsoft Charts Progress in Windows Mobile

A reader pointed my to an interesting chart that shows the various versions of Windows Mobile and what improvements each iteration adds.

Upgrades to Windows Mobile 6.5 from Older Devices

This whole upgrade situation is confusing, but as far as I know, it’s still the case that only devices that have been released in recent months with the new ROM are upgradeable. Microsoft has created a page that tracks which devices are so far getting upgrades.

AT&T Tilt 2

The Tilt 2 is AT&T’s version of the Touch Pro2, the wildly popular Windows Mobile phone with a slideout QWERTY keyboard and the iPhone-like TouchFlo 3D interface. And it’s coming by October 18. You can get the full specs on PocketNow and pictures on Endgadget. Plus a video on YouTube (Tilt 2 section starts at 3:45).

Sprint Samsung Intrepid

The Sprint Intrepid launched on Oct. 11 for $150 with a contract. It has a Blackberry-like candybar form factor with front-facing QWERTY keyboard and 2.5-inch touch screen.