Windows Mobile: Wizard vs. Freestyle

Remember in the old days, how almost everything you did on a computer was driven by a series of menus or Wwzards? Everthing, and I mean everything, was done by selecting an option from a list.

Then game the Graphical User Interface, and suddenly we were going freestyle - we had to go hunt out the applications we wanted to use by icon, and then find all the menu options and click on the various little windows and controls.

 I'm just wondering if this freestyle approach works for mobile devices. The Window Mobile operating system is powerful, but is it easy to use? The user interface on an iPod or a Zune is very functional and yet super-easy to use.

 Just sayin'

Comments

• Anonymous
  October 07, 2006
  Just saying what? You clearly have an idea of what it ought to be and you are just keeping to yourself.
• Anonymous
  October 07, 2006
  You're right - you caught me copping out :-) I certainly have opinions on current WindowsMobile based devices. My personal opinion and preference is for devices that are much easier to use.  In fact, I was in charge, I would throw away a lot of the current user interface. I think having Start buttons on a mobile device is carrying the desktop analogy too far - mobile devices like Smartphones and Pocket PCs are simply not desktop or laptop computers. One advantage of keeping the desktop model is that it's easier for application developers to create mobile versions of their applications. At least, I've heard that argument. I don't think it's true though - I think application developers would be more than willing to make the necessary changes to create mobile-specific UIs for their applications. I am right? What changes would you make?