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Dell: Developing Windows Phones Easier than Android Phones

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Another Android-damning quote to sink our teeth into! This time, Dell CEO – Michael Dell – professes that developing phones with Windows Phone 7 is a much easier trek than phones with Android. There’s not much else to go on, but I just want to take this extra time and white space to say “duh!” Microsoft doesn’t allow you to do anything with Windows Phone 7 and you want to throw all of your customizations on top of Android.

dell-logo

I’m sure if everyone were required to use nothing but stock Android on their devices, then it would be just as easy. And if he’s saying it’s easier to develop apps for, then I can’t contest his claims, but other manufacturers don’t seem to mind the added work. I’m just sayin’.

[via Reuters]

Quentyn Kennemer
The "Google Phone" sounded too awesome to pass up, so I bought a G1. The rest is history. And yes, I know my name isn't Wilson.

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42 Comments

  1. just don’t customize android?

  2. Lets be honest, If Dell moved away to Win Phone 7, would you miss them?!

  3. Maybe that’s why Netflix already has an app for windows phone 7, and windows phone 7 isn’t even out yet, but its taking forever to get one for Android!!

  4. Dell is playing some kind of game. I bet microsoft has paid some money to dell.

  5. Easier because they’re used to programming in Windows, not because it’s easier overall. It’s a path of least resistance for them, nothing more.

  6. Isn’t everybody using STOCK WP7?? Obviously it would be easier with STOCK software vs. fuckin up what Google puts into Android!!

  7. Everyone should WANT to use the stock android. Carrier- and manufacturer-added overlays are awful.

  8. A few things here. 1 you are right. You can’t do much with WP7. I’ve read a dev say that he was more amazed at what you could not do vs what you could and said it ear nowhere near Android. 2 Dell has not been able to make a Android phone worth a first look so now I imagine they intend to try their luck on the ground floor with WP7. But it wont be an Android. 3 Dell lives or dies by MS because they are a computer manufacturer. They are even less of a software engineering company than Apple so they can’t take somethink like Linux or BSD and make something of their own. So they HAVE to play up MS or pay more to MS per computer sold.

  9. @Pimpstrong

    What, spyware? WP7 will shock many that are sick of iOS and its copy-cat cousin Android. At least WP7 looks and functions in a more in touch manner.

    Secondly it is easier as many yes are used to coding for Windows but also XNA and Silverlight. It is so easy a child can do it… Linux and Unix? Umm not the same.

    I can’t say I would ever miss Dell but I think the fact that LG, Samsung, HTC and other big players I would miss but they are investing greatly in WP7… Why? Because it is a great product and will sell in high volume. People know Windows and most use it everyday so it will be a comfort to buy a Windows Phone 7 to pair with Windows 7.

    e.g. Hey look! Windows Phone 7! I thought there was only Windows 7 on computers, but on a phone? This will work perfectly with my new laptop, thanks Mom!

    5% Apple PC’s? -1% Linux PC’s vs 90+% Windows PC’s? Duh no brainer do the math stupid.

    Android (Linux) Google Spyware Ripoff.
    iOS (FreeBSD Unix) Apple Cost Wise Ripoff and “exclusive”
    WP7 (Windows CE) Get what you pay for and works with everything and most features are free.

    Hmm yeah bout that. Don’t be upset because another player is coming back into the game they used to own. If you like your Spyware or overpriced iPhone then great but don’t get your panties in a bunch over some revamped OS. Remember WinMo has been around longer than iOS and Android.

  10. Being lazy and letting others think is always easier… of course with all the choice of hardware and software that Android offers, there are decisions to be made… like, what hardware platform to use (Qualcomm, TI, NVIDIA…), what software customizations to add etc.

    Just because all WP7 phones are the same and manufacturers don’t have to think about anything, because Microsoft dictates the hard- and software, that doesn’t mean that they’re better in any way.

  11. So not only are you laying out insults but you are comparing the mobile space where MS has always had to play catchup to the desktop space where they have always dominated. And you don’t think that windows phone 7 is a ripoff of iOS? Wow who is the one working with less intelligence here.

  12. ‘Deciding to buy android phone is easier than deciding to buy windows mobile.’

  13. I think audidiablo should change his name to audibable as nothing he says makes any sense. Android is not riddled with spyware. What we do have to look at is what the developers and companies are saying (besides dell). Lets face it there are flaws with Android, there are security holes and there are. Arras where the code could be tightened. I prefer Android to any other mobile platform but maybe it,s time to start enforcing some rules like stock Android. This community has been much better than any other at facing it,s problems and overcoming them. Si instead of pulling an apple. (Denying the problem, blaming someone else, then finally saying everyone has this same problem) lets face up to it like the mature platform we are.

  14. @audidiablo

    Always fascinating that people like you troll Android sites. I assume you are here to enlighten us to the spyware we all use called Android. thank you!!

  15. easier because M$ has money growing on trees

  16. @audidiablo

    Hey there’s something shiny over there, go get it boy, yeah, go get it. I think it covered in chrome, yesh, good boy. Here’s a treat.

  17. @audiodiablo: I like the free use of IOS “copycat” wording that you and many people tend to use. Please do us a favor and educate yourself…

  18. Hmmm… Let’s see.

    Google is the NEXT Microsoft, and will surpass them (still a great time to buy stock, IMHO).

    As for me, and the 7 people in my family, I choose to move FORWARD, rather than cling to the past, and continue to throw money at MicroHard.

    Oh, virus protection… Let’s don’t forget that.

    Unix VS Windows in the world of the computer virus.

    I remember 13 years ago when we go our first Silicon Graphics workstation at work, so I could run SDRC. I was amazed when the vendor told me that we didn’t have to worry about computer virus problems, due to the way Unix works. That remains mostly true today, even after all these years.

    Hmmm I wonder which one of the three Norton is pulling for? Let’s face it, there a lots and lots of people who are heavily invested (one way or another) in MicroHard.

    Other than that, I have no strong feelings about it.

    :D


    spikey

  19. @audidiablo
    A lot of people are not in love with Windows. Also, people buy iPhones, Blackberries, and Androids expecting them to work with Windows just fine, so I don’t get your “Windows phone works with Windows” argument. I haven’t seen anyone complain that other smartphones don’t work with Windows.

  20. As a .Net software developer I can say that developing for windows phone 7 has its attraction simply because of the familiarity I have with the language.

    I don’t truly believe that it is easier to develop for windows phone 7 than it is to develop for android, but perhaps that’s because I’ve been writing android apps since the developer challenge.

    I personally don’t care for the windows phone 7 operating system. I think it overly simplified, but to each his own. Some people will like the setup.

    However, I could care less about Dell jumping ship. Their phones (imho) suck.

  21. As a developer, my experience is that developing for WP7 is easier, as there is more documentation etc and debugging problems is easier for WP7 than android.

    However I still think android will be more successful than WP7

  22. To say that windows phone 7 wont have spyware is simply stunning considering it was Desktop windows that brought about the scourge of humanity called spyware/malware.

    I find it quite hilarious in fact.

  23. @audidiablo I wasn’t going to reply to your post, but I figured I will. First, like others have pointed out, you can see from the sales of Android phones that people are loving it! Heck, they just announced that in the US, last quarter Android phone sales count for more than any other OS or phone sales. Second, when you develop an app for Android, you write the code in Java, not Linux/Unix language (which isn’t as hard as you make it sound). Third, you’re right… It would make sense to have a WP7 phone if you own a Windows 7 desktop at home. But with Android (unlike iOS), you don’t need to plug it in to a desktop to do things. It’s not designed to be an extension of another system. It is its own system and it’s always in sync (Plus for those who care, its compatible with all three major desktop OS’; Windows, MacOS and Linux!)

    That being said, I am curious of the new tiles interface of the WP7. Other than the letters being chopped, it looks intuitive and easy to use. Though, I was told that someone had made an Android Home Screen app to do the same. ;-)

  24. @juan
    This is speculation, but I suspect the reason Netflix has an app for Windows Phone 7 is because their existing Silverlight app is easily ported to Windows Phone 7. Both iOS and Android are new independent development efforts.

  25. dell is a failed phone OEM

  26. from the three ios android and wp7 android is hands down the best os simply put because it wraps around its user not the other way around. Most customizable, most phone options, superior apps, etc the only thing android lacks compared to other two are great games and a great stock music player.however there are apps on that damn os uncomparable. ios is nice also has great apps but not as many in the usage department although i will give iphone the sex appeal award. wp7 i love the tiles i used it and thought it was awsome but as a new os it lack features such as multitask, horizontal is not supported, no nav , etc. it is good and has potential xbopx live support etc however it lack ffc which allow for awsome apps. AND BTW just so ppl understand ffc is not first done by iphone 4 or evo its been out in europe since 2005 i think lastly , as far as that connection you were talking about wp7 outlook, powerpoint, word, etc wasnt that great and is replicated better bt 3rd party apps. and ui out of box ios is simpler and better android needs some knowledge to get it to be the best and wp7 is cool but like ios cant be very well customized.

  27. If you look carefully at Michael Dell’s quote, he’s talking about developing PHONES, not apps on the phones. It’s not just the Windows Phone 7 OS that MS doesn’t allow you to tweak; they also have minimum hardware specs and guidelines. Since even the hardware can’t really vary that much, it seems to me that there’s really nothing very earth-shattering about his statement. All it does is show up Dell’s inability in the mobile phone segment.

  28. But then again I would never ever buy another Windows Phone again there’s waaaaaaaaay too many glitches in it. Also the computer OS! But to be honest if I had to choose between a Mac Computer & a Windows Computer I woul jet my way to Mac because Windows jus has way to many problems for me. U have to buy this, buy that, fix this, make sure u feed this Lol. But seriously

  29. U what AudioDiablo? U can kiss me, android, and Google ass crack u dick! Android isn’t a copy of IOS in any kind of way! Wat ya need to be worried about is the fxckin freezin up ur gonna get when u get WP7!

  30. Dell sucks, just saying…

  31. Just because the overall UI experience is set doesn’t mean that manufactures can’t add their own custom flare (if you will). HTC has it’s own hub in WP7 with some very interesting and useful apps. Dell can still add their own customizations, but they are sand boxed. This ensures that the overall UI experience is uniform across the board.

    Android allows for total customization of the whole UI experience which can be good (HTC Sense) and bad (Touchwiz). There are also arguments that these deep customizations fragment and greatly slow down updates to the end products (IE: 2.1 to 2.2).

    As a developer I’ve used both Eclipse with the Android SDK plug in and VS 2010 .net for WP7. I can honestly say that it is much easier to develop apps in the WP7 sdk, but MS limits what API’s you have access to.

  32. Let’s look at Microsoft’s track record…
    Win ME = Fail
    Win Vista = Fail
    Win 6.5 Mobile = Fail
    Win 7 Mobile = Fail

    Microsoft is way behind on the mobile game

  33. Microsoft has money + Dell needs money = Dell supporting Microsoft

  34. In the linked article, he’s talking about writing software for the phone, not building a phone for the OS. One of the goals of WP7 is in fact to make it easier to make phones for it. But that’s not what he was referring to.

  35. It couldn’t be that Developers are already used to programming for Windows…no it couldn’t be that.

  36. Is the Nexus One the only one using a stock Android OS? Why aren t more of them doing this? As far as I can tell the OS is a lot better then all the customited versions.

  37. @Munkypint Because carriers don’t care about you being happier, they want you to recognize their product and want THEIR MANUFACTURING ANDROIDS, not any android. Avoiding competition.

  38. “Dude I ain’t getting a dell!!!!”

  39. Can such a comments, by Dell’s CEO be even taken as praise for the software engineering marvels of the WP7 division?, or… is it, that compared to Android Phone OS, the limited functionality of the WP7 system was easy to implement; after all a 1980s Coleco hand held football game is easier to program then an Android phone or a Window mobile phone, but I would not say that its more advance or better. :) Maybe Microsoft will release their phone OS source code as a open source project, and then we can leave it up to the developers to decide which is easier to implement. :)

  40. Microsoft gave people who attended their PDC free Windows 7 Phones to test. I have a Motorola Droid currently.

    I have to say, the phone is nothing like the old Windows Mobile phones at all. It is quick, smooth, and easy to use.

    I am going to keep a close eye on this. The games so far prove that this is going to be a tough race.

    I do a few things on my phone. Check email, listen to music, browse, and play a few games. This phone does all of those things very well. Even email browsing in this phone beats my Froyo phone.

    Competition is good and I believe that is when Microsoft starts to shine.

    As far as development, some people know that I was the developer behind City Caller ID. I was presented with a patent lawsuit and decided to withdraw the utility. I have developed for both phones already. Windows Phone 7 is far easier to develop for. IMHO.

  41. For Traditional PC manufactures with a long history of taking a Microsoft Distributed OS – Windows Phone 7 is ideal. They can simply apply the same cost and product support business models.

    But Dell and other PC makers looking to dominate in the tablet and Smartphone worlds can’t ignore Android either.

    My bet is that Dell will continue to make both Android and Microsoft devices for some time to come – the stakes are too high and they can’t afford to bet on the wrong horse!

    That goes for traditional mobile handset makers as well. It would not surprise me to see Motorola adopt a Windows Phone 7 platform as an alternate and hedge against Android fragmentation. My prediction is that Motorola will announce and Windows Phone 7 in the next 12 months.

    Don

  42. POSTING ARGUEMENTS ON A FANBOY “NEWS” SITE

    HERP A DERP

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