Oh, Technology! Part 1: Mobile Blues

Tue, 03 Oct 2006 16:42:31 GMT

I've been remiss. I set as a goal for myself posting to my blog at least once a week. I just took a look at my activity for the month of September and saw that I missed that mark by half.

But fear not: this isn't a blog post about my paternally instilled guilt complex. No, far from it. I have a few observations on technology that I've stored up over the past few weeks, dinking around with different apps, devices, and OSs--observations that underscore for me the kinds of pain that customers must surely continue to feel. And I do imagine that they lie at the root of a whole host of aspersions cast in the general direction of technology, and in particular at the kind produced by a certain software company in Redmond. But it's not all negative, I promise...

First, I'm unhappy about the fact that advances in software and hardware all too often mean that either the one or the other becomes obsolete sooner than you ever expect, and so if you want to keep up, you've got to shell out big bucks to upgrade the entire system. Ok, a familiar complaint, not much new there. But let me fill out my thought. Just last year, I shelled out a ridiculous sum of money for a Motorola SmartPhone running Windows Mobile software. I thought to myself at the time: this investment is worth it because I'll be able to easily upgrade the operating system as new versions come out; a steep up front cost would pay off in the long run, at least on that front. So I hear that Windows Mobile 5.0 is out--some colleagues had shown me some of their SmartPhones and what they could do with video--and I thought, hey, I should upgrade my OS so I can be a playa, too. My experience went like this:

Let's see, where can I get the upgrade? I first tried the Motorola Web site, where after clicking around for about 15 minutes, it became clear that they had nothing to offer other than some old documentation for my model. Hmmm. Next stop: the Cingular Web site; maybe they could provide some clues... ah ha! success! Cingular provided a firmware tool in an obscure KB (which actually linked back to the Motorola site) for my cell model that would update the system.

There then unfolded a 30+ step process of installing, plugging in/unplugging, starting/stopping, button-pushing and so on, until finally, an hour or more later, it told me that I had successfully upgraded my phone's system. *Whew! Glad that's done!* Then I take a look at the phone's system info and expect to see it upgraded to Windows Mobile 5.0. Nope. No dice. Still on the prior version, though probably some of the funny little numbers after the initial 4 may have changed (my version was now 4.21.1088 [Build 15101.1.3.2]). Hmmmm. Snarl. I double-check to make sure I didn't make an error in the installation process. No, apparently not. Maybe the update software was old? Maybe my own company would save the day and provide the info and update software I needed...

So I then go to the Windows Mobile site on Microsoft.com. There I expect to see upgrade information front-and-center, or maybe a "Downloads" item in the left nav. Instead the only thing I can obviously find is an "Already Own a Device" section on the home page, where I see a list of items that don't really correspond to my need. (Regardless, for the hell of it, I download and install on my PC the most recent version of ActiveSync, hoping that might make a difference. It doesn't.) I keep poking around for an obvious "upgrade to Windows Mobile 5.0" link or article, but no luck. What to do? Oh, what to do? The last refuge of the frustrated and desperate: site search. I run a search, and the first link I get back (sincere kudos to the Windows Live and MSCOM Search teams) provides me with the information I need, though it's not the story I wanted, nor is it in a location I'd ever expect to find it: a page on the UK Windows Mobile site, in very plain language, informed me that:

Unfortunately, devices running earlier versions of Windows Mobile (such as the 2003 edition), can't be upgraded due to a fundamental redesign involving both hardware and software changes. While this means you need a new device, it also means Microsoft can deliver a much improved experience, with better battery life and a host of new features.

I was crest-fallen, frustrated, and more than a little peeved. Is this what customers have to go through when they buy our technology? Oh my, we have a long way to go before the experience really is as it should be, when investments in hardware and software can be made with relative confidence, information can be readily found where you expect it, and the process of upgrading to the latest, greatest version is simple and straightforward...

Next Up: Fun with WMP, WMA, Mp3, iPods and iTunes!

o brave new world: Computers and Internet

Oh, Technology! Part 1: Mobile Blues