I'm using WM6.1 on a Palm Treo Pro. Recently upgraded from a Treo 650 running the Palm OS. The Palm OS was a mature product and I appreciate WM6.1 is a 'work in progress'. Here's a few suggestions based on my first two weeks of experience with the new system.
1. SMS Suggestions -- when notified of an SMS message I'd like to have 'Reply' and 'Dismiss' as the options.
2. The Palm is a touch screen unit -- could the 'Reply' (and proposed 'Dismiss') buttons be made a little bigger so I don't have to dig out the stylus?
3. The SMS software presents a threaded conversation (that's very good). The bad thing is that I didn't realize I could reply from the threaded conversation for the first week or so. There is isn't anything at the bottom to indicate that comments could be entered there. In the Palm SMS app there were two distinct panes. Above was the thread and below was the reply box. I'm finding this characteristic to be common -- the features are there but you really have to dig to find some of the usability features.
4. Windows media crashes frequently, no skins provided, buttons are tooo small, navigation poor, and drags on forever when changing tracks. Gave up on it in favour of 'Mortplayer' freeware -- the WMP Mobile folks should take a look at this as a model of what a media player on a phone should do and feel like.
5. I'm finding the one big 'Program' folder very confining. Programs you use regularly are all lumped together will seldom (never) used applications. The Palm OS allowed you to set up program folders however it made sense to you (e.g. Office apps, media apps, utilities, etc.). A nice idea I hope WMP6.1 will steal as soon as possible.
6. The task manager screen closes automatically and far too quickly. I usually have to take a couple of shots at it to actually close an application. My suggestion would be to dump the automatic closure.
7. When I press the phone button I'd like to see a keypad first. What I get is my contact listing. It seems designed to assume that the number you want is in the contact list. When you 'assume'...lol. I'd be happier if there were an option to get the keypad and a one line search bar. It would fit on the screen easily and could efficiently handle both dialing situations.
8. The above are suggestions lovingly proffered for consideration...this one isn't. The operation and particularly the voice in the 'Voice Command' system is a mess. Two words -- start over from scratch... The 'Mrs. Roboto' voice is nearly incomprehensible except in quiet room. The Palm 'Voice Dial-it' prompts are in a natural voice, clear, and easily understandable. Voice recognition in the 'Voice Command' system really sucks -- can't distinguish between 'Simon' and 'Hogan' -- phonetically they are nearly polar opposites and the result is that I can't call my own office!
9. Back to the SMS system -- you should be able to tap on the the great big screen to start a new message. Having to tap 3 small menu items to start a message is hardly very efficient.
A lot of these things are pretty basic -- throw a user in room with a WMP6.1 device for a day and watch what they do with it. Lots of example of where the interface could be made more efficient.
Reading the other posts in this forum it appears that there is two very different environments: touch screen vs. non-touch screen. I really don't know how the two environments can be reconciled. For a touch screen user most of the menus are too small for finger use -- I find I have to use the stylus most of the time. Spoiled by the Palm OS where most functions were touch screen friendly.
Just some thoughts for whatever they are worth to those who could make changes to WMP6.1 and it's successors.
Many thanks for your detailed, helpful thoughts. I've made sure the team has seen these important comments.Thank you from the Microsoft Windows Mobile Team http://www.WindowsMobile.com/TotalAccess
Marked as answer byMaryAliceCWednesday, July 1, 2009 1:21 AM
