Typical micro$oft !!!??? poor app selection ... - HD2 General

today a friend of mine bought his new Htc hero into work and showed me all the brilliant FREE apps available on his android (google) based phone ..... and dont even get me started on the 90,000 odd iphone apps available to iphone users. so i went off and looked on the M$ marketplace on my HD2 .......what did i find ...bugger all and they even have the cheek to charge £6 odd for crappy old games like pacman !!!!!!!!!!!

Errr... yeah, where shall I start?
Okay, first of all: There are currently about 30,000 applications for WM available. That's twice as many as you find for Android.
I also estimate that 80% of all apps available for the iPhone are useless. If only 33% of the WM apps are useless, that means you get the same amount of useful applications for WM as you get for the iPhone.
Secondly: Marketplace has opened only two months ago. Sure, there should be more applications in there, considering the 30,000 applications that are available for WM outside the Marketplace. But other application stores have opened with even less apps available.
Nothing stops you from getting your applications from other sources, outside the Marketplace. There are also lots of FREE apps available for Windows Mobile, just look at what people are doind in this forum.
In fact, it's an advantage for us that Microsoft doesn't limit distribution of applications to their marketplace like Apple and Google do. This way, we and the developers have more freedom and applications are not banned (like Google Voice for the iPhone, to name one famous example - but there are hundreds).
So, in this sense, Microsoft is BETTER than Apple and Google.
EDIT: Please change your thread title to something useful (i.e. one should see from the title what the thread is about).

Who cares about Marketplace? As maati said, there's plenty of other places to get applications from.

i just think m$ are missing out on making their platform content rich.... i know most of the apps are useless but some are fun and the games are good....i was only stating a simple observation. everyone on the forum seems so darn serious !!!

And I gave you the actual reason for your observation
I also had hoped for more apps available from the beginning, but the number will grow for sure. I don't think that Android had 800 applications after only two months, did it?
And you don't have to rely on Marketplace, so there's nothing wrong...
...okay, there is something wrong, but that's another story: The 800 apps are only in the US, every country gets its own Marketplace and that's really a stupid thing. Well, let's hope they fix that - if you want to have a look at the US American Marketplace, then there's a 'hack' for you - just search the forum for it.

Thread closed: OP is uninformed.
Windows Mobile exist for a decade, plenty of apps available outside the brand new marketplace.
The marketplace still has several issues, non the least the protection scheme issue. (which allows a cracker to crack ALL programs in one go with a small bit of universal code)
This is why some developers are hesitant to publish on the marketplace.
EqX

Related

What is going on...?

Ok first and foremost this is not just another post of someone complaining, in no way am i trying to offend or criticize this new device...these are simply observations made by a previous HTC owner (MDA/Herald/Wing) me...
I understand that the open source to "create" applications is fairly new not to mention all us G1 owners (ive had mine for lil more then a month). My concern is why are we seeing such "simple" programing in applications and things tht in reality none of us would ever use? Not to mention graphics what is going on...Look i have not created any nor have taken the time to even try to create applications, and if you or someone you know has, then my hats off to you, i envy you for knowing how and taking the time to...what im saying is why do all these new applications have so many bugs and in my opinion (cause that is all it is) are sub-par...i know its not really fair to compare to any other device on the market since it is the first of its kind, but im getting a little skeptical...am i alone in this? i find myself checking the android market every hour hoping for some sign to motivate me, but nothing so far aside from the obvious winners (youtube,maps,imeem,wheather channel etc...)...ill shut up now i sincerely was not trying to stir things up, and know/knew when i purcased the G1 it was the first of its kind and would probably take time to show its full potential, i just thought there were some things google had up its sleeve that were ready...does anyone have any insight or knowledge of better things to come...?
timace said:
Ok first and foremost this is not just another post of someone complaining, in no way am i trying to offend or criticize this new device...these are simply observations made by a previous HTC owner (MDA/Herald/Wing) me...
I understand that the open source to "create" applications is fairly new not to mention all us G1 owners (ive had mine for lil more then a month). My concern is why are we seeing such "simple" programing in applications and things tht in reality none of us would ever use? Not to mention graphics what is going on...Look i have not created any nor have taken the time to even try to create applications, and if you or someone you know has, then my hats off to you, i envy you for knowing how and taking the time to...what im saying is why do all these new applications have so many bugs and in my opinion (cause that is all it is) are sub-par...i know its not really fair to compare to any other device on the market since it is the first of its kind, but im getting a little skeptical...am i alone in this? i find myself checking the android market every hour hoping for some sign to motivate me, but nothing so far aside from the obvious winners (youtube,maps,imeem,wheather channel etc...)...ill shut up now i sincerely was not trying to stir things up, and know/knew when i purcased the G1 it was the first of its kind and would probably take time to show its full potential, i just thought there were some things google had up its sleeve that were ready...does anyone have any insight or knowledge of better things to come...?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Personally, I find the plethora of apps encouraging, yes, some are more useful than others but the wide range of effort is fan-flippin-tastic.
MY biggest observation is that the Market place needs some severe MODERATOR intervention... the one star "i is first u goons" and "this app suks (because I am too stupid to read the intro to figure out what it is for) really really really needs to be cleaned up/out. (A perfect example is the UTC clock... it does EXACTLY what it says, true, the numbers in the display look like they are from a missile silo, but hey, it is a tribute to the UTC heritage...anyway, people bag on it because they have no idea why, what, or anything else about it... morons)
[/rant]
--M
demontefixo said:
Personally, I find the plethora of apps encouraging, yes, some are more useful than others but the wide range of effort is fan-flippin-tastic.
MY biggest observation is that the Market place needs some severe MODERATOR intervention... the one star "i is first u goons" and "this app suks (because I am too stupid to read the intro to figure out what it is for) really really really needs to be cleaned up/out. (A perfect example is the UTC clock... it does EXACTLY what it says, true, the numbers in the display look like they are from a missile silo, but hey, it is a tribute to the UTC heritage...anyway, people bag on it because they have no idea why, what, or anything else about it... morons)
[/rant]
--M
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Click to collapse
i agree "first" comments are riduculous, and if you dont like the application from descrption then dont install it...positive criticism is more then welcome but "this sucks" is getting on my nerves...
timace said:
Ok first and foremost this is not just another post of someone complaining, in no way am i trying to offend or criticize this new device...these are simply observations made by a previous HTC owner (MDA/Herald/Wing) me...
I understand that the open source to "create" applications is fairly new not to mention all us G1 owners (ive had mine for lil more then a month). My concern is why are we seeing such "simple" programing in applications and things tht in reality none of us would ever use? Not to mention graphics what is going on...Look i have not created any nor have taken the time to even try to create applications, and if you or someone you know has, then my hats off to you, i envy you for knowing how and taking the time to...what im saying is why do all these new applications have so many bugs and in my opinion (cause that is all it is) are sub-par...i know its not really fair to compare to any other device on the market since it is the first of its kind, but im getting a little skeptical...am i alone in this? i find myself checking the android market every hour hoping for some sign to motivate me, but nothing so far aside from the obvious winners (youtube,maps,imeem,wheather channel etc...)...ill shut up now i sincerely was not trying to stir things up, and know/knew when i purcased the G1 it was the first of its kind and would probably take time to show its full potential, i just thought there were some things google had up its sleeve that were ready...does anyone have any insight or knowledge of better things to come...?
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Click to collapse
i agree with you; even though i love this phone there are a lot of things i dislike about it. the only advice i can give to you is to be patient. the phone has 'officially' been out for a little under a month and there is already so much improvements to it:
- 2 updates have already been rolled out,
- we have found a Root and a way to manually update it.
- we are beginning to see system folders moved to sdcard to save space(even though the phone should have came with more memory)
apps on the market are getting better i don't if you have seen the app "bubble". bubble is a basic bubble level that uses the accelerometer to see if something is level and changes as the phone changes orientation it may seem like a simple app but it shows that Google came come out with an update that uses the accelerometer to change orientation.
- first signs of on screen keyboards like akeyui, a7email and a7sms.
all of these improvements in about 3 weeks and tons more to come idk what anybody can complain about besides hardware issues
just wait come Jan 2009 the G1 isnt going to be anything like it is today.
demontefixo said:
Personally, I find the plethora of apps encouraging, yes, some are more useful than others but the wide range of effort is fan-flippin-tastic.
MY biggest observation is that the Market place needs some severe MODERATOR intervention... the one star "i is first u goons" and "this app suks (because I am too stupid to read the intro to figure out what it is for) really really really needs to be cleaned up/out. (A perfect example is the UTC clock... it does EXACTLY what it says, true, the numbers in the display look like they are from a missile silo, but hey, it is a tribute to the UTC heritage...anyway, people bag on it because they have no idea why, what, or anything else about it... morons)
[/rant]
--M
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yeah there need to be some serious clean up in th commenting sections, some of these comments might discourage people from developing apps for the G1, i think comments should strictly about the apps and not about being 1st or 151st, or bashing other commenters, and people definitely should not comment on an app the don't know how to use.
however developers should include directions on how to use their apps so people do not have to rely on commenting to try and figure out what it does and how it does it.
The point is the development muscle that has been put in the device is minor.I feel like the market is made by kids or teenagers that stopped uploading on youtube and are writing apps using ready made lego kits (APIs). The apps in the market are all basic stuff. There is not even a Divx player for this device available but 5 Video players using the Google provided APIs to play mp4 which only play SOME mp4 files not all.
I love the sliding, bubble and Gmail on it but I cant name too many more things I love. Not even a Navi that works properly. I really cant think of anything else I love about it. No office, word, excel, PDF, flash, divx. The SMS system is grouped together. The actual phone keyboard is beyond basic with no options. There are simply too many bugs on the phone operation itself like bluetooth etc.
Time flies google, we need apps that have more than 10 man-hours of software programming spent on it. Lets stop the growth of many timers and alarms in the market and get some real stuff out there. Microsoft has probably put in millions of development hours into WM and it was not until now that I realized this.
brooklynite said:
The point is the development muscle that has been put in the device is minor.I feel like the market is made by kids or teenagers that stopped uploading on youtube and are writing apps using ready made lego kits (APIs). The apps in the market are all basic stuff. There is not even a Divx player for this device available but 5 Video players using the Google provided APIs to play mp4 which only play SOME mp4 files not all.
I love the sliding, bubble and Gmail on it but I cant name too many more things I love. Not even a Navi that works properly. I really cant think of anything else I love about it. No office, word, excel, PDF, flash, divx. The SMS system is grouped together. The actual phone keyboard is beyond basic with no options. There are simply too many bugs on the phone operation itself like bluetooth etc.
Time flies google, we need apps that have more than 10 man-hours of software programming spent on it. Lets stop the growth of many timers and alarms in the market and get some real stuff out there. Microsoft has probably put in millions of development hours into WM and it was not until now that I realized this.
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muscle...DiVix...kids...office...flash...basic...bugs
words that stood out and i DEFINATELY agree
as i said before patience is the key here
the reason why there aren't many good programs out right know is because they are still in development, there are some apps that won google's app contest that are not on the market because they are still under development. developers take their to try and come out with a bug free app and you criticize them for taking to long however if they rush it and get it out with SOME bugs people crucify them. how long did you think it took for divx or flash to be developed for other phones?
why do people expect a phone thats been out for under a month to have the same capabilities as phones that been out for years?
how many phone do you know had divx support right out of the box or even one month after release? i estimate that divx support will be out before the end of the year.
i agree that apps on the market are going the the hole, especially with millions of the same type of apps, c'mon how many different weather apps do we need, how many background apps is necessary. but you got to admit out of the hundreds of apps on the market there are some good ones.
I'm waiting with great anticipation on the games for the g1. Sure i want cut copy and paste, document reader, full video player, full file manager and task manager as well as others but i'm dying to play nes games and others on this phone. The market is pretty lame in the games department but hey i got pacman, solitaire, and a few others free so i'm not gonna complain. I think the apps are very promising and there are a wide variety of them. Granted none of the crucial apps are out yet but i have quite a few on g1 that i love and got em all for free!!! We just have to be patient, i knew going in i would have to be.
All the apps are free. The hardware has only been in people's hands for a few weeks (at most). A serious developer, wanting to create the exact apps we're all hoping for, needs a heck of a lot more time. The SDK was fine, but any serious developer is going to want to log a lot of hours with a physical device (or several) to finalize the product.
And they're not going to do all that, for free.
This device has huge potential, and the reason we're seeing amaturish apps is because the only people who are willing to play around with creating apps for free are mostly hobbyists who want feedback to further their skills.
I predict that once the payment system is set up for the Market, the apps you're all stomping your feet about are going to show up.
The programs we're talking about are complex, writing them and testing them is time consuming, and I assume that they're going to be larger than the apps we're seeing now. It's entirely possible that some of these apps are almost finished, but are waiting for SD card loading to be added to the functionality before they can release them. Some may even be delayed by the announcement of the virtual keyboard -- they may want to integrate that for the launch of their apps.
I think two things need to happen before we're going to see the apps we all want.
-Pay system on Android Market
-The Ability for Apps to be installed and run from the SD card.
Until those two things happen, the App Store is going to be like it is. And it's also time you guys thought about something. The apps that are "missing" were never a secret, most of the complaints I see are about things that were known well before launch, or discovered the first week people had it in hand. If you didn't read up, that's your fault. If you read up and assumed things would be taken care of within one to two months (something no one promised you) that's also your fault.
I'll predict something for you right now, in light of the economy and everything else, it'll be 6 months to a year before HALF the apps we want are available and working. Now, that's just my estimate, but if that sounds "too long" to wait, then I'd invest in another phone rather than spending the next 6 months posting complaints like "why isn't _____ done yet? And where's the ______ app?!!"
Just my 2 cents
I have already heard many apps have been developed but the developers are waiting for the pay system which has already been annoucnced and is coming 3 months after launch.
I am similar to you... give it time and you will see the best things you have ever seen. I mean look at Linux... they have some awesome apps on most linux flavors that make me dual boot into linux just to have. I think this device will be the same as this was the entire purpose.
Google is updating features all the time in the git directory and it won't be long before they fix the main issues and then the developers will be looking at new things to give us.
So far the barcode readers alone seem like such a huge advantage as I haven't seen them on mobile devices before(at least none that worked)
brooklynite said:
The point is the development muscle that has been put in the device is minor.I feel like the market is made by kids or teenagers that stopped uploading on youtube and are writing apps using ready made lego kits (APIs). The apps in the market are all basic stuff. There is not even a Divx player for this device available but 5 Video players using the Google provided APIs to play mp4 which only play SOME mp4 files not all.
I love the sliding, bubble and Gmail on it but I cant name too many more things I love. Not even a Navi that works properly. I really cant think of anything else I love about it. No office, word, excel, PDF, flash, divx. The SMS system is grouped together. The actual phone keyboard is beyond basic with no options. There are simply too many bugs on the phone operation itself like bluetooth etc.
Time flies google, we need apps that have more than 10 man-hours of software programming spent on it. Lets stop the growth of many timers and alarms in the market and get some real stuff out there. Microsoft has probably put in millions of development hours into WM and it was not until now that I realized this.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Well you said my answer in your own post. The device has been out less than a month. That's nowhere near enough time to make those killer apps you're talking about. To google's credit they did put in things like street view with the compass mode and there are those apps you've talked about. It takes MONTHS to do real software developement so you're going to keep seeing more and more alarms and stuff until then.
seriously, does ANYBODY give a ratsass or even use streetview?
They should have made sure all the media stuff and the email was topnotcxh.
I agree 100% with the first post! Google should have prepaired Android better. There is a lot of competition out there and I would say by what I've seen so far they are light years behind. I did not expect that with all the money in the world Google couldn't release product that was better polished. I have put my G1 back in its box and I'm back to my unlocked Tilt, what sucks is going back to the old screen and Edge but its functinality that I need. I wish they made some kind of task aplication that I can put on the screen kind of likr thr picture frame that would display my tasks for the day. I have a Motorola ROKR E2 that runs Linux and there are more useful stuff for it out there. I desagree we have to wait untill we start paying for apliications, I believe Google can afford providing us with free functional software as more and more people will be using their services.
i love my g1, but i agree with these people that google didn't do enough...and i hope they're working to fix it.
i think that their whole "leave it in the hands of developers" approach was probably a mistake. they should have made all the basic applications like they did but also gone a step further to spice up the phone. i hope that google, in the new few updates, incorporates some more stuff, like OUTLOOK SYNC (i wuld love it if they changed the google calendar sync for windows into just google sync and have it sync everything with outlook....funambol right now sucks i have like 80 of each contact!)
they also should have made a GOOD video recorder / player, and even a better music player. they're trying to beat apple at multimedia, and are failing miserably.
they should add a decent on-screen keyboard and maybe even a task manager...or make it only have like 4 open tasks in the backgroudn...because i've noticed my g1 slowing down a lot after having a few apps open.
google should add a manual update button...i'm still on RC28 because i dont feel like installing the modified rc30 or plugging it in to update. have a freaking "UPDATE" button in the system info thing or something.
i think google needs more than 3 home screens...i've already filled all of mine up. they also should have added more widgets, like the guy above me said.
SELECTING TEXT SUCKS. i have to use the trackball to select a ltter of a word...on my windows mobile i could just tap on where i wanted it to be and at least it would get me within 1 or 2 letters...if i tap on a word on the g1 nothing happens!
we need to be able to install stuff to the sd card!
i think i'm missing a lot of things but i've only had the phone for 2 days and i've noticed all that...i hope developers DO step in if google is too stupid not to add more basic functionality.
/rant
Look at it this way currently there is no way to charge for apps that are developed. This is why we are seeing nothing but apps programed by independant programers some of which are good and some of which are useless. Once companies can charge for apps then it will make sence to put money into the development of better more porfessional apps. My suggestion is to just hold off on passing judgement untill the market is finished to where people that spend money in development can recoup those losses. I do think that the market place should have been finished before launch but what can you do.
coffeboy23 said:
Look at it this way currently there is no way to charge for apps that are developed. This is why we are seeing nothing but apps programed by independant programers some of which are good and some of which are useless. Once companies can charge for apps then it will make sence to put money into the development of better more porfessional apps. My suggestion is to just hold off on passing judgement untill the market is finished to where people that spend money in development can recoup those losses. I do think that the market place should have been finished before launch but what can you do.
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Agaqin, super lame of google.
We can get a bunch of usless wank programs, but not proepr ones, becasue they don't have the pay market ready.
Also, I think that certain things like exchange and a proper email client shoudl have been included.
And remember most people are new to development, don't know how many "this is my first try" apps I have seen. When you get that one that charges 20 bucks for the app... you will get another developer who will release it free and just ask for donations... I suggest donating whatever you can to the one that gives it free.
Henchman said:
Agaqin, super lame of google.
We can get a bunch of usless wank programs, but not proepr ones, becasue they don't have the pay market ready.
Also, I think that certain things like exchange and a proper email client shoudl have been included.
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Click to collapse
google isnt the one entirely in charge of the market... tmobile is the one wanting money
neoobs said:
google isnt the one entirely in charge of the market... tmobile is the one wanting money
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No, but it was google who shoudl ahve made sure that the basics were coveredf well.
The Camera I'm sure can take greta pics, but the controls suck.
The email is severly lacking.
No streaming video.
And they shoudl ahve elarnt form the iPhoen release, that push email fro MsExcahnge should have been there fromt he getgo.
Or the should have built a BB app, just like you can get for WinMo.
No, they focused on teenagers, not professionals.
neoobs said:
google isnt the one entirely in charge of the market... tmobile is the one wanting money
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no....google is not taking any money but is giving 30% of all apps sold to the carriers...tmobile might be the one "wanting" money but they have no control over the app store at all.

WM Marketplace on Xperia?

Hi all,
I've heard a lot about Microsoft setting up WM Marketplace this summer. My main question is:
1. Does anyone know if this will be accessible on the SE Xperia?
From what i've read, the Touch Diamond 2 and Touch Pro 2 have been mentioned. Is this only going to be accessible through WM 6.5?
2. What does everyone think about the WM Marketplace?
I think it's been a long time coming, but maybe its too little too late. I've hated the iPhone since it came out but after spending a week with my uncles iPhone i've grown envious of the applications which are on the market for it. Its maybe not the most configurable or indepth phone but there are so many great and useful applications out there for the iPhone. Eventhough WM has been around for so many more years and there are more applications out there for WM, I think it sucks that WM have taken so long to move forward with applications and finally the UI (WM6.5). There are lots of sites from which you can buy WM applications but why are the quality of the programs the same which we saw 3 or 4 years ago - extremely bad. When you are using an expensve touch screen phone like the Xperia, you want applications readily available and also user friendly. If WM had invested more time and effort into getting developers involved then the iPhone would be nothing today. I just feel my X1 is going to waste without the applications which would really utilize the hardware of the Xperia!
3. What do you think about the pricing of applications in the WM Marketplace?
Currently lots of apps for WM cost stupid prices, upto £20 a pop! I think approaching this again like Apple would be to provide free limited versions of the application and charge you £2 or £3 for the full version. This would mean more people would be willing to try out different apps.
Anyways sorry for the long post!
I love forward to reading your replies!
Nav
1. I heard that the WM Marketplace would be compatible with WM 6.1+ devices. It's just a link to a website? I'm not to sure.
2/3. Personally I think it's a good idea. I never ever understood why cell phone applications should cost $10+. Some cost $20+, which I would never pay for. I feel like if more developers can market their applications to wider audience via the WM Marketplace, this would drive down the cost of applications.
After browsing the website, it looks like most of the items are sold via Handango which is already on our Xperia's. I hope the marketplace will catch on, but I doubt it.
I personally think that Marketplace will catch on for WM users.
You see so many adverts for the apps on the iPhone and i'm sure theres loads of people like me who would like to see some of those apps bought to WM.
It's a case of Microsoft encouraging developers to start making these apps by making a centralised Marketplace where they can sell their ideas.
But is it too little too late?
It is "built-in" in Itje´s 6.5 and is just a shortcut to https://client.marketplace.windowsmobile.com which is not ready.
I think that wm will change a lot with the new market , but im agree with your opinion , maybe the important changes comes to late . ive read that wm will include much iphoneapps in their market and that the market will available for wm6.0 and 6.1 devices too but i think that it also will be possible to upgrade your x1 up to 6.5 . so i can wait , i have to wait -.-
I REALLY hope that wind mobile 6.5 does come to the XPERIA
Is it possible to run iPhone apps on WM? maybe they will bring "iPhone style" apps, but its always going to be perceived as Microsoft copying Apple once again!
Is it possible to eventually run iPhone apps on WM? Through an emulator or other software?
comeradealexi said:
I REALLY hope that wind mobile 6.5 does come to the XPERIA
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Click to collapse
WM Marketplace doesn't require WM6.5.
I am pretty satisfied with the current development scene but I think the WMMP will spur a new "age" and I really hope it does.
Microsoft is known for being sloppy though.

Marketplace???

Has anyone noticed how ridiculously expensive and overpriced applications are in the Windows Mobile Marketplace?
For one, their selection of applications are terrible. So far they're just a bunch of badly designed generic apps that don't feed any real purpose. The games are horrible too.
The only decent application I wanted to buy was Pac Man, but that's like £5 !!! for a measly game that probably only has 5 levels and I'm only going to play when I'm bored.
. I just want a decent Twitter application that has kinetic scrolling and doesn't show that horrid side-bar control.
. A decent media player with visualisations and coverflow.
. A few nicely designed touchscreen games including ones like Tweeter that makes use of the G-sensor.
It makes no sense for Windows to release all these devices and advertise that WM is a social device when their marketplace is a bunch of bollocks.
ilabstudios said:
. I just want a decent Twitter application that has kinetic scrolling and doesn't show that horrid side-bar control.
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http://code.google.com/p/pocketwit/
I agree. I am very disapointed with the marketplace myself. I was expecting thousands of high quality cheap and free apps but that's not what we have yet. I am hoping that this is only due to the fact that it's been 10 days since its release and must be hard to get thousands of apps ready to go in the first few months. I am confident though that microsoft is ready to compete with android and iphone so must surely have something more in mind than they currently have.
Unfortunately it has nothing to do with Microsoft. The WinMo software companies haven't adjusted yet to that fact that there is a central place for the average user to hit and find their competition. Something like SPB could be as pricey as it wanted, because it could take the average user forever to find any quality alternatives. They have the advertising dollars, placement on carrier websites, etc. Now there's a spot for a smaller competitor to get the same exposure. But it'll take time for them to pop up.
$30 for any mobile app is retarded. I'm really disappointed that since release day, I'm only seeing 10 new apps in the store. Maybe the "what's new" button is broken, but there's a couple on the results page I installed day 1 of Marketplace being open
The lack of apps is probably not helped by the fact that, as I understand it, Microsoft charge an extra $10 or so for each country to list the app in (and require that the app be localized for that country) so I'd assume that a good chunk of people developing apps in the US aren't going to push their apps beyond the US (I'm no developer so haven't read the full pricing details but that's the gist of what I've seen in some MS developer forums with people questioning why their apps aren't available)
It'll especially be true for free or cheap apps - if you've made a free app, would you pay out to make it available to other countries?
The only reason I can see for restricting apps to a country is if they are purely regional - TV schedules for a particular country, or train schedules or something.
Steve.
Well, I'm in the US, so not really an issue. Trust me, not missing much if they are actually holding out on pushing to other countries.
I'd also guess the word is out to developers that Marketplace is a good spot for their software to turn freeware and end up on a torrent so perhaps they are holding off until Microsoft fixes the security.
Jesus shoe tapping finger clicking Christ, give it a chance its only just started. I have already seen a lot on there for free and under 70p... just wait and be a bit patient.
give it a chance its only just started
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Click to collapse
I would if that were the case. Unfortunately, Marketplace has been exposed to developers months before it was officially released, which is why I am confused as to why there are so many cheap applications. I'm sure that there will be more applications coming soon, but I'm more concerned about the pricing and quality of applications. When I watched the first keynote last year on the coming of Marketplace I had higher hopes than his.
I realise that some iPhone developers have investment from other companies and some of them even have a development team working on the apps, but still.. look at the type of stuff Android have compared with Windows, it's ridiculous. It's as if no real developer wants to develop on the WM platform.
I feel that their advertising campaigns are misleading. They're trying to get across the fact that WM is now social and more application orientated when so far all I can find on the marketplace are overpriced applications that seem like it was developed for WM5.
Personally I don't think 6.5 is going to be a huge success, TechCrunch has already given it a bad review. WM7 better be different.
Btw. In the world of technology, there's no room for 'Oh give it a chance' type attitude. Technology companies usually have once chance of pulling something off. Hence the reason why companies like Google or Apple spend millions of dollars on market resource, trial testing and development research.
Marketplace? Pah!
http://www.freewarepocketpc.net/
I've been relying on the RSS feed from this fine site for the past couple of years or so, since my original TyTN, TyTN II and now my Touch Pro 2. It's a great site, has introduced me to great programs like NoniGPSPlot, has new applications all the time and finally - it's all free (and not warez free, but genuine software).
Great stuff - Microsoft saw what Apple were doing too late and have done too little me thinks to succeed.
I love my Windows Mobile phone; but Apple's iPhone taught Microsoft and other mobile developers how important eye candy in a phone OS was. Google's Android OS will be taking the lions share of future mobile phone sales and I see Android phones surpassing the iPhone.
Unless Microsoft do something right, not many peeps will want a Windows Mobile device in a few years time...
So far the only good to come out of the app store is Zenonia...badass rpg... 10 bucks though But well worth it in my opinion! If you like old school snes hack and slash rpg's, this game is for you. Full sound, decent story, just great overall. For me, there's point in playing my old favorite snes games on my phone because with sound, to me its pointless. and not using sound is the only way to get an snes emulator to run smooth; regardless of which one it is ( morphgear, smart-whatever its called, or pocketsnes
Paulplex said:
...
Great stuff - Microsoft saw what Apple were doing too late and have done too little me thinks to succeed.
I love my Windows Mobile phone; but Apple's iPhone taught Microsoft and other mobile developers how important eye candy in a phone OS was. Google's Android OS will be taking the lions share of future mobile phone sales and I see Android phones surpassing the iPhone.
Unless Microsoft do something right, not many peeps will want a Windows Mobile device in a few years time...
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I see plenty of commercials for iPhones and Google phones on TV but absolutely none for WinMo phones. MS really needs to start promoting itself in this market.
S
How about the annoying fact that I don't get a chance to choose where to intstall the app. They all go directly to device memory. That sucks balls!
Paulplex said:
http://www.freewarepocketpc.net/
I've been relying on the RSS feed from this fine site for the past couple of years or so, since my original TyTN, TyTN II and now my Touch Pro 2. It's a great site, has introduced me to great programs like NoniGPSPlot, has new applications all the time and finally - it's all free (and not warez free, but genuine software).
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
nice one !
Theres a cab floating around here to fix that...
moSess said:
How about the annoying fact that I don't get a chance to choose where to intstall the app. They all go directly to device memory. That sucks balls!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
mpicart said:
Theres a cab floating around here to fix that...
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=568806
@Paulplex - Thanks for the link. I know I can get free applications quite easily, that's what I've done so far. However most of them aren't to 6.5 standards, the majority of them are still coded for use on old WM5 phones.
When you spend hundreds on a phone you expect to install applications on it that are intended for such a high-end device. The only application which is worth installing is the Myspace and Facebook app, and even those aren't great.
I regard my phone as my house in a way. When we buy a house, we intend to fill it up with furniture, usually the more expensive the house, the higher quality the furniture. The same should apply to phones, in that instead of furniture we require high quality applications. But where are they? SPB is the only one I can think of.
do you people think that bill gates and the people at microsoft are just gonna sit around and allow apple to dominate the app frenzy in the market for pdas and devices? dont u think that most people at microsoft all have winmo devices? do u really think any employee would have an apple iphone?...so of coursse thousands of new gsensor apps are on their way of being placed on the marketplace or in development...obvious with android showing that they have developers also who are pumpin out apps for them..microsoft is doin the same thing..give them time the winmo app store just came out..and a gsensor phone for a winmo device first showed up only a yr ago..so they have a bit of software catching up to do with these new devices. HTC thank god...droped 6 new phones for the north american market just this month alone..with the tp2 being the first in september..(htc pure,htc hero,htc tilt 2,htc imagio,htc mytouch) so basically with 6.5 also droped...htc has done their part by stacking microsoft with a heavy set and multy array of phones to crush the competition i.e iphone 3gs or whatever version its at now. microsoft is not gonna sit around and allow apple to dominate the app market..and they sure as hell arent gonna let android..a new OS that has no business gettin their OS on htc devices, surpass them either...remembr bill tried to buy out google but they rejected a couple yrs ago. And u all know bill gates has a winmo devices,prolly a htc touch hd or the new imagio...dont u think he wants a huge selection of apps himselve? trust..were not the only ones on the heals of microsoft to get these developers in line..and get these apps rolled out...plus half the apps apple has for the iphone are useless and they are just puttin them in commercials to show that they have a **** load of apps...half the apps they have could be bunddled up with other apps like how a spb traveler or mobile shell app is but they are just tryin to show off how many apps they have..plus most of all the developers for apple just have the change a couple scripts around in their apps and all the same apple apps could be made into cabs and become winmo apps...so the **** isnt hard..the microsoft winmo team execut8ves or w/e u wanna call them need to get their marketing department working full throttle and start shipping new apps with these new phones...i repeat HTC has done their part..now its time for the software to catch up...
"Windows" isn't a device, "Windows" doesn't release devices, and "Windows" doesn't sell devices. "Microsoft" isn't any of those things, either. Microsoft is a company that produces an OS that runs on LOTS of devices (some phones, some PDAs, and a whole lot of things that are neither).
Plenty of time for this thing to get up to snuff.
But that said, the real problem is that while there aren't that many WM OS out there, (5, 6, 6.1, 6.5) and most apps will pretty much install in either, the different hardware config makes it a different ballgame, especially with games, no pun intended. Some phones have buttons, some don't. Some games will work only in landscape, some will not, some will work on both. And not all phones are exactly finger friendly. They're meant to be used with a stylus for the most part, the finger's a secondary thing.
So yea, these developers will have their hands full, unless of course they want to limit their market to particular devices only.
So that being said, my gripe is that none of these apps are telling me they're to be used in a particular hardware platform.
@moegdaog, I'm a developer myself, so I realise the number of new applications that will come soon, however that's not what I was specifically talking about.
I'm more concerned about the level of development on applications and games. Why so many developers opt to develop for iPhone isn't because of a bias view-point, it's because the tools they provide mean that they can develop a high-end application and start earning money as soon as it's in the marketplace.
However the type of developers are not the same. iPhone developers are usually younger, multimedia orientated so they probably have skills in web, graphics and illustration, where as Microsoft developers are usually a lot older and more prone to developing utility (function) based apps and have very limited skills in anything else. Most developers aren't able to outsource and so they are left with a rubbish application.
My worry is that yes there will be many applications within marketplace but will they actually be worth all that money and will any investors support the development of these apps. Also how will these applications differ from what we have seen on Android and iPhone.

Why is the Windows marketplace so poor?

Hi,
Just been looking through the marketplace and have to say it's rather poor, hardly any apps, and a lot of those that are there are very expensive. Whilst a lot of apps on the iphone are very gimicky, there are apps for just about everything, and there are thousands of free apps. As Microsoft are always competing with Apple on just about every front how come they've let apple get so far ahead in this area? I couldn't even find a basic solitaire came, all I found was freecell, which you have to pay for :-/ Will the marketplace always be poor or is it set to explode?
Cheers
snerkler said:
Hi,
Just been looking through the marketplace and have to say it's rather poor, hardly any apps, and a lot of those that are there are very expensive. Whilst a lot of apps on the iphone are very gimicky, there are apps for just about everything, and there are thousands of free apps. As Microsoft are always competing with Apple on just about every front how come they've let apple get so far ahead in this area? I couldn't even find a basic solitaire came, all I found was freecell, which you have to pay for :-/ Will the marketplace always be poor or is it set to explode?
Cheers
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Marketplace differs from region to region. You may want to look at changing your region (not via settings - it's documented on xda forums) and then see what else is available.
Personally, I think Marketplace is very good, but needs time to grow. You can't expect it to be full when it's only been publicly available for a matter of months.
Incidentally, this isn't a "HD2 vs iPhone" thread. There's no need to make every question a comparison between 2 completely different pieces of hardware.
johncmolyneux said:
Marketplace differs from region to region. You may want to look at changing your region (not via settings - it's documented on xda forums) and then see what else is available.
Personally, I think Marketplace is very good, but needs time to grow. You can't expect it to be full when it's only been publicly available for a matter of months.
Incidentally, this isn't a "HD2 vs iPhone" thread. There's no need to make every question a comparison between 2 completely different pieces of hardware.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Haha, sorry about that, just hard not to when that's what I've got at the moment. If you're going for something new you do tend to always compare it to what you have already, or at least I do
I didn't realise the marketplace has only been available for such a short time, I just assumed it had been around since the start of windows mobile
There's already so much stuff available from other sources (legal I may add) that frankly there's not much use for marketplace until it has grown
snerkler said:
Haha, sorry about that, just hard not to when that's what I've got at the moment. If you're going for something new you do tend to always compare it to what you have already, or at least I do
I didn't realise the marketplace has only been available for such a short time, I just assumed it had been around since the start of windows mobile
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Nah - it's in its infancy. It's actually grown a lot recently. When I first went on there there was about 10 apps, but then we found out about the region thing and that opened it up a lot. Also, bear in mind that there's a MASSIVE online arena for windows apps (I'll give you a clue... we're in it now ). The marketplace doesn't have the draw that the appstore has, since so many winmo developers have already got their base set up.
snerkler said:
Hi,
Just been looking through the marketplace and have to say it's rather poor, hardly any apps, and a lot of those that are there are very expensive. Whilst a lot of apps on the iphone are very gimicky, there are apps for just about everything, and there are thousands of free apps. As Microsoft are always competing with Apple on just about every front how come they've let apple get so far ahead in this area? I couldn't even find a basic solitaire came, all I found was freecell, which you have to pay for :-/ Will the marketplace always be poor or is it set to explode?
Cheers
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I find it bad as marketplace default installs everything onto the device without the option of changing it. This obviously uses up (the very limited) storage on the HD2.
I've heard its possible to move them however its just a pain to do and tbh I can't be bothered, I'd just get it from other sources .... thankyou google.
Marketplace
Marketplace is Microsoft's kneejerk response to iphone's app store.
I have not bothered to look at it.
There are at least a dozen websites I can think of that have been selling thousands of apps from dictionaries to games for over a decade.
Appstore exists because it is apples monopoly.
I cannot believe the public who fall for such cheap tricks.
Look outside the cave!
Xaddict said:
Marketplace is Microsoft's kneejerk response to iphone's app store.
I have not bothered to look at it.
There are at least a dozen websites I can think of that have been selling thousands of apps from dictionaries to games for over a decade.
Appstore exists because it is apples monopoly.
I cannot believe the public who fall for such cheap tricks.
Look outside the cave!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I have to both agree and disagree with you there mate. I know what you're saying about the kneejerk - it does seem like Microsoft are just getting in line with Marketplace, but it does have its advantages over regular downlading and installing of things.
For example, after flashing the recent ROM upgrade, I went to marketplace and just clicked "my apps" and "install all". All the apps I've downloaded in the past were downloaded and installed for me, in the background while I carried on setting up other things on the phone.
Things are usually both black and white.
johncmolyneux said:
"A bit" off topic, and hardly a problem for Marketplace. It's only a problem if your phone has low program storage, like the HD2.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Slightly off, however if users are reluctant to purchase from there (possibly because of storage issues) then developers would think twice about hosting their applications there (as i would also assume MS charge for the service in some way or form), its also not only the HD2 that has the device storage limitations, quite a few other WM phones are in the same boat.
jrrigney said:
Slightly off, however if users are reluctant to purchase from there (possibly because of storage issues) then developers would think twice about hosting their applications there (as i would also assume MS charge for the service in some way or form), its also not only the HD2 that has the device storage limitations, quite a few other WM phones are in the same boat.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Of course, I just used the HD2 as an example, but you're also right about devs not wanting to put their work somewhere were it will not be as appreciated. Well, I can see them having marketplace and an alternative - handango for example, or their own site. It's still a useful place, even if you only look there for things to search for and download (you know, like the sky movie channels )
this is the best site i found for apps www.freewarepocketpc.net
Are all apps from over places resolution dependent? or will they go full screen?
Theguru1 said:
Are all apps from over places resolution dependent? or will they go full screen?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
That depends on the app. They're all different
I think the marketplace will only see significant growth when mobile 7 is released. At the moment there are too many devices with different screen resolutions, processor speeds and other hardware like GPS / digital compass. When mobile 7 is released and the basics will be set out (like resolution) the app developers will know what they develop will be available for all win mo users

where to get apps??

ok so im new to this had my htc hd2 for about a week now, absolutley love it, but after having the iphone with lots of apps available for free i dont see many in marketplace could someone please tell me where i can get apps.
thankyou
There are a lot of free apps, search the forums in xda.
If you want 'FREE' apps google is your friend, but you can't ask people in here for stuff or links
The Windows Mobile platform is light years behind the iPhone for the application market. Yeh, there's loads around that do some things, but in terms of the micro-applications model that Apple has, WinMo is just nowhere near.
It won't be like that forever, but MSFT is playing catchup. Personally I think the release of WinMo 7 will be the big change that swings a bit of momentum. I still think MSFT need to release a dev environment better than the native (C++) and make it free.
I'm sure there are many more folk on here more qualified to talk such things than I am.
timiano said:
The Windows Mobile platform is light years behind the iPhone for the application market. Yeh, there's loads around that do some things, but in terms of the micro-applications model that Apple has, WinMo is just nowhere near.
It won't be like that forever, but MSFT is playing catchup. Personally I think the release of WinMo 7 will be the big change that swings a bit of momentum. I still think MSFT need to release a dev environment better than the native (C++) and make it free.
I'm sure there are many more folk on here more qualified to talk such things than I am.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Ever since I wrote my review iphone vs HD2, the number of Apps in the Windows store has STILL NOT CHANGED !!!! Around 60, vs. 100k for app store? And yes, they even managed to put a fart ap among the 60!
Looking at what you can get for the iphone, I'm considering to sell my HD2. The latest one is my payTV provider that now offers a free of charge iPhone app to watch any of may pay TV chanels on the iPhone.
What about HD2? Not going to do it.
So much for HD2 and WM platform - if the software developers are not developing for it anymore, why stay with WM?
the-uki said:
why stay with WM?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Because it's not made by Apple.
lukohtchd2 said:
ok so im new to this had my htc hd2 for about a week now, absolutley love it, but after having the iphone with lots of apps available for free i dont see many in marketplace could someone please tell me where i can get apps.
thankyou
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
http://www.freewareppc.com/
You'll find many (legally) free apps there.
padlad said:
http://www.freewareppc.com/
You'll find many (legally) free apps there.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
thanks does anyone no where to get bejwelled 2 with integragated (sp) facebook, that app was awsome on ipod would love it on leo
@timiano and the-uki
Why do you even use the Marketplace? There are tens of thousands of applications for Windows Mobile available! Windows Mobile isn't that far behind at all.
The appliacations just aren't in the Marketplace, but that's huge advantage over the iPhone: With Windows Mobile, you don't have to rely on a company to allow applications, developers can distribute their applications through whatever channel they want.
Don't bother buying anything from the Marketplace.
Instead, have a look at this forum, handango.com, mobihand.com, freewareppc.com and (for games) gameloft.com.
The best Windows Mobile application repository is unfortunately not legal, so I can't mention it, but the sites I mentioned already give you a glance at what is available for Windows Mobile.
the-uki said:
Ever since I wrote my review iphone vs HD2, the number of Apps in the Windows store has STILL NOT CHANGED !!!! Around 60, vs. 100k for app store? And yes, they even managed to put a fart ap among the 60!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
How many apps do you think were available for the Iphone when it had just been released ?? Probably not much either. So, how can you expect that there's thousands of apps in the Windows store, when it's only just 'open for business'?
As already stated before, there's lot's of places where Windows Mobile Apps are available, many for free!
So stop complaining about the amount of apps in the Windows Store, and try searching the Web.....I hear Google is pretty good doing that for you.
can you pm the link??
i dont know about u but personally i LMAO everytime i see an iphone ad which is actually advertising the tons of apps that 3rd party devs have actually made for them rather than advertising their product....
their moto.. "an app for everything.." lol WM had an app for everything way before apple even developed iphone!
i even had an app for everything in my old Symbian S60 phone
Mabye we can get an XDA "Marketplace" in near future?
Exlo said:
Mabye we can get an XDA "Marketplace" in near future?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
that would be good, seen some pretty good stuff here.
sorry for my little remark - it's only a funny comparison, but the question "Where can I find apps?" at xda-developers
is to compare with
"Do you have shoes?" in a shoe shop
sorry, not meant angry or so, just joking
MichelDiamond said:
sorry for my little remark - it's only a funny comparison, but the question "Where can I find apps?" at xda-developers
is to compare with
"Do you have shoes?" in a shoe shop
sorry, not meant angry or so, just joking
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
like i said in post im new and only joined last night so just getting used to it all.
Check my siggy for some.
download apps
Hello everyone.
I thing that the bests sites for downloading apps for windows mobile 5,6,6.5 is:
http://www.microsoft.com/emea/windowsmobileapps/default.mspx
http://speckyboy.com/2009/07/27/49-free-windows-mobile-6-smartphone-apps-and-services/
http://download.cnet.com/mobile/cell-phone-applications/?filter=os=101
That's all.If i helped you please send me a message.
p.s.:Sorry for my bad english but i speak greek and the english is my second language
skr_xd said:
Check my siggy for some.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
cheers dude some awsome apps there i now love my leo alot more
seed_al said:
@timiano and the-uki
Why do you even use the Marketplace? There are tens of thousands of applications for Windows Mobile available! Windows Mobile isn't that far behind at all.
The appliacations just aren't in the Marketplace, but that's huge advantage over the iPhone: With Windows Mobile, you don't have to rely on a company to allow applications, developers can distribute their applications through whatever channel they want.
Don't bother buying anything from the Marketplace.
Instead, have a look at this forum, handango.com, mobihand.com, freewareppc.com and (for games) gameloft.com.
The best Windows Mobile application repository is unfortunately not legal, so I can't mention it, but the sites I mentioned already give you a glance at what is available for Windows Mobile.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Hi
Thanks for the reply. I don't use the marketplace as my main source of apps, and I've had an on off relationship with WinMo for quite some time and have used handango extensively in the past.
One of my biggest gripes over the App Store from Apple was its monopoly over what could be or not be in there. MSFT's model appears a little different as they appear to be more concerned about compliance rather than commercial conflicts - which is good.
But honestly, if you want WinMo to compete in the iPhone and Droid space, which I'm sure MSFT want, then their needs to be a marketplace for micro applications that cost reasonable amounts. And the apps need to be slick looking and not your usual .Net CF form bores.
I believe it will come, but it'll take some time.
Exlo said:
Mabye we can get an XDA "Marketplace" in near future?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
That is an awesome idea. I'm surprised Handango don't have an installable marketplace app. I'd bet money on them having one in the near future though.

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