Samsung Omnia W – Quick thoughts

Yesterday I had the opportunity to take the Samsung Omnia W (Focus Flash in other markets) for a spin. A proper spin, not just a 2 minute play in a Telstra store. I was loaned a demo unit for around half a day. This was the first real real opportunity I’ve had to use Windows Phone for myself with it hooked up to all my services (Exchange, Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn and of course Windows Live.)

So rather than do a full review (because I never really planned to, and there are other excellent reviews available), here’s a quick list of pros and cons from my perspective…

Disappointed Samsung

The inevitable is going to happen. I will get myself an iPhone. On one hand I want one (let’s face facts, it’s a very very good product), on the other hand I don’t want fall into the Steve Jobs reality distortion field.

I was holding out hope for the Samsung Omnia II (Omnia Icon in some markets). It sounded like the Windows Mobile to have (aside from coming preloaded with WinMo 6.1). I recently had an opportunity to play with one in a Telstra T[life] shop and I was very disappointed. Samsung’s TouchWiz UI shell didn’t impress me (in fact it just made me think I was using their low-end F480 which everyone who’s had one seems to hate). And compared to the other smartphones around it, it’s AMOLED screen didn’t look special at all. I played with it for all of 2 minutes, got depressed, and went to see what other toys I could play with in the shop.

For comparison’s sake I also played with a HTC Touch Diamond2 which seemed to be running bog-standard WinMo 6.5 (IE without HTC’s TouchFLO UI). This is the first time I’ve played with a 6.5 powered device (although I have played with it in the emulator) and even though I know that clunky old Windows Mobile lurks just under the surface, I was pleasantly surprised as to how the new welcome and start screens worked (smooth, responsive, easy). There may be some hope for WinMo 7 after all (if MS and their OEM partners can get it right).

For now it looks like I’ll lock into an iPhone for 24 months. By then WinMo 7 will be mature and maybe the Marketplace for Mobile will have (almost) as many apps as Apple’s App Store. Or maybe Android will have taken over as mobile king-of-the-hill.