Windows Phone 7 Challenge–Molly Wood likes but does not love Mango

August 19, 2011 | By Surur

Molly Wood has weighed in with her verdict after trying out Mango for 2 weeks.

The CNet podcast host and internet celebrity complained of not having phone-wide speech to text, and ran into a major roadblock with the built-in GPS navigation feature (probably Mango’s biggest embarrassment).

She complained of not being able to access her documents through SkyDrive (maybe Brandon should have done some hand-holding) and in the end found Windows Phone 7 likeable, but not lovable.

I guess Brandon is down $1000.

Thanks everyone who sent this is.

165

About Surur

Site Admin and Windows Phone enthusiast, he has been using Windows Mobile devices since before they were called PocketPC’s. He is currently sporting a HTC 7 Trophy.

Tagged mango, windows phone 7.5

Anonymous

Comments about skydrive pictures, etc = she’s dumb. But so are many people who are already biased against Microsoft and won’t go even that half step to find features and just assume it’s crap. That’s what you pay for years of bad PR and a superficial audience

That said, Turn by turn is a turd, ie9 half a turd, compared to android browser, though
Anonymous

Sounds overly biased. As a Win Phone user I just cannot justify going back to iPhone – iPhone simply doesn’t have the same liveliness and quality of the UI in iPhone you stare at rows of icons and to do anything you need to use an app. iPhone doesn’t have the level integration with other services. Regarding Android – there is nothing wrong with Android. It is much more interactive than iPhone, but not as polished and finished as Win OS. I am not quite sure what Molly was talking about when she talked “not quite as integrated” – in fact, it probably more integrated than iPhone and Android combined. Perhaps not with maps (Molly, fyi, people have things called GPS in their cars), but with everything else. It certainly has many more integrated services than iPhone and just as many, if not more (considering SkyDrive, xBox and others) as Google.

Molly, just FYI, it is rather shamefully shallow and biased coverage by someone who is supposedly “tech savvy”. Picking one feature – text to speech – and building the whole case against Windows just on that. All positive features are omitted or downplayed with “not that bad, but not quite good”.
Anonymous

Being a bit childish here! but gleefully:

“Molly, You so Duuumb Girl!!!”
Avatar Roku

Of course she makes mention of nothing at all that Windows Phone does better than Android:

1.) Search (voice, music, visual, location search all integrated)
2.) Camera (fast boot, dedicated button, auto-sync to SkyDrive)
3.) Battery life management (New battery saver option in settings)
4.) Social networking calendar/status/photos (Facebook, twitter, Live, Linkedin integrated)
5.) Gaming (Xbox Live achievement points, friends list, games that don’t crash every 5 seconds)
6.) Subscription Music (Zune interface, unlimited music streaming and download)
7.) Video downloads (Buy once, play on Xbox/PC/Phone for free)
8.) Productivity (MS Office SkyDrive/365 integration)
9.) User Experience (Responsive smooth scrolling & zooming, attractive transitions and animations)
10.) HTML 5 hardware accelerated browser
11.) Voice commands (for launching apps and making phone calls)
12.) Speech to text
13.) Wifi syncing (music, photo, and videos)
14.) Keyboard (hit detection, auto-correction)
15.) Threaded messaging (combines txt, Facebook and IM)
16.) Task switching (card view snapshots are better than icons)

Why would we expect her to mention any of that when she could just spend the entire time harping on two advantages that Android has over WP7.

Anyone who says this was a fair review? Are you for real? I’m afraid to ask what constitutes an unfair review in your mind.

http://www.searingarrow.com AlienSix

Yes and let me bolster your comment bay saying this is all in Windows Phone, none of that is in stock Android. HTC Sense, NinjaBlur or Touchwiz do not count.
http://www.searingarrow.com AlienSix

Yes and let me bolster your comment bay saying this is all in Windows Phone, none of that is in stock Android. HTC Sense, NinjaBlur or Touchwiz do not count.

http://twitter.com/doministry doministry

Yes they do count. This is out of the box and the aspect of Android, different from WP7.
http://chmun77.myopenid.com/ Claypot77

But in the end, Android is still capable to have those capabilities isn’t it? Who cares if it is HTC Sense or TouchWiz? For instance, Android is still able to do tethering after all, unlike WP7. What’s in WP7 is just only BING Maps, local scouts and other ecosystem services that does not works well outside US.

Anonymous

She did mention your point 6., Zune Pass, and she summed it up by saying it was “fine.” Just “fine.” I have a Focus and Zune HD64, and it’s is lightyears ahead of “fine.” Let’s ignore that iTunes has nothing comparable, and Android offers no integrated solution. True, you can get Pandora or Spotify apps on iOS and Android, but if we are going to allow apps to fill in gaps in the OS, then why bang WP7 so hard for its integrated Nav solution (of which iOS has none, whatsoever) when you have Garmin and Turn by Turn Navigation (and others) available in the marketplace?

Her review set up a couple of straw arguments (navigation and voice control) and went from there. All positives were otherwise dismissed as being “fine.”

Anonymous

If you ask anyone their opinion, you should be willing to listen to the answer. No matter their bias. Building on her feedback is the absolute BEST thing Microsoft could do. I only hope it’s not ruled out as bad data. Mostly because 1. She is a hard sell, a push is a win and a loss, fix the loss area. 2. Her feedback does represent people that have no intrinsic relationship with MS products, and given the few years of bad press, she was likely more inclined to be against MS products (if only…). Finding and fixing the “if only” is the absolute next step.
Anonymous

It is too bad that Molly is obviously biased and or catering to her readers and IMO ignorant. She had two weeks to play with the phone and learn the come of the function that Windows Phone 7 has to offer.
There are videos and blogs on how to access Skydrive, there are third party app for GPS Navigation, and among other things. Obviously, Molly is having an issue with her short tension span, and aloof to fine details- a fine trait of being ignorant.
You guys should read this http://arstechnica.com/science/news/2011/08/users-treat-criticism-of-favorite-brands-as-threat-to-self-image.ars. Wonderful written.

rsgx

Well said.
http://chmun77.myopenid.com/ Claypot77

Why is it so difficult for a new user to learn? Why the learning curves so steep for WP7? Where is the simplicity that MS promised with WP7 and WP7 should be able to be more user friendly than iOS? I think Metro UI is not really that nice after all as compared to app centric OSes.

http://twitter.com/domineus Malcolm Williams

A bigger question
who cares about Molly Wood or CNET?
yeah that’s what I thought nobody
Anonymous

Why you give people like her too much credit. She is just one person. she is one of billion people on this planet and her opinion is good just for her. Does everybody listen and follow one person opinion? No.

If every single person opinion is matter for the rest of people in this planet then let you tell this: In my opinion she is not even smart. Her complaint are so childish and stupid and I think her opinion has no credit.

She just one of those people that against Microsoft for sure and wanted Brandon to give that $1000 anyway. Fromt he moment he offered her Window sPhone I knew the result and what she will say.

If she is really honest then I have an offer for her. Add $1000 from your pocket to that $1000 from brandon and donate $2000 to that charity.

Please don’t offer things like this to someone who you already know what they are saying and no matter what they are not going to be honest and tell the truth.

All her complains were wrond or childish and stupid. Don’t post anything about these kind of people in your blog.
trishka moonshine yap ang

i dotn agree with her saying you can only access skydrive by launching it through ie and that there should be an app for it. skydrive can be accessed through the office hub.probably she needs to navigate through the system more.
http://twitter.com/jonpasco jonpasco

Like I said before, she obviously doesn’t know anything about cell phones. I stopped watching cnet reviews a few years ago because they lack basic intellect. Cnet was once popular in the late 90s, but now blogs like phonedog are more modern and intriguing to the younger generation. I’ve used bing maps (turn by turn) when I got lost recently and it gave me the correct directions to my destination. Therefore she obviously hasn’t used it out in the real world besides her little tacky cubicle.
Anonymous

Wow! She hits the marks perfectly. Exactly what I’ve been saying for months now. If you are looking for integration you WILL be looking at an Iphone. Power users WILL be looking at Android. Microsoft either has to become smoother than iOS or open up all these stupid blocks and limitations and be as open as Android. Otherwise there is NO reason for its existence.

rsgx

If you’re looking for a phone that you don’t need to reset daily, you won’t be looking at an Android.

If you’re looking for a phone that isn’t locked into a retarded ecosystem (including iTunes), you won’t be getting an iPhone.

http://chmun77.myopenid.com/ Claypot77

Sorry to disappoint you. My SGS 2 works like a charm without the need to reset daily! If it get slows, all I need is to kills tasks. Wait. WP7 can’t even kill tasks like that, unless one need to go into each app and press back, not via the task switcher?

If iTunes ecosystem is retarded, there is not much difference for WP7 too. One can’t even transfer files via USB when he is just IN FRONT of the PC, but unless via Cloud or emailing?????

Anonymous

I need that phone of hers for review, somebody please snatch from her and give it to me…LOL
Anonymous

The review is sloppy and she had not spent enough effort on her part to know the phone.

Skydrive is an app. It’s a Webapp. (Gods forbid a user to use a browser to access a webapp) It’s also tightly integrated on all levels with WP7. Failure to take this into account and calling for an app comes across as very shallow.

I find it rather ridiculous that she kept harping about the navigation. If it’s so important, why is downloading an app so difficult? Yes, it’s different from the Android experience, but isn’t that why apps exist in the first place – to enhance functionality over those existing on the phone? There’s not even a concession on her part that apps are available to deal with this problem.

Her body language says a lot. I think she doesn’t like the phone and MS services, but she cannot find much to pick on.
Guest

I am surprised that she didn’t comment on the podcast integration. WP seems slow to upgrade feeds as I can access her latest BuzzOutLoad sooner via other channels. Why can’t I add an RSS feed directly instead of using Marketplace or Zune? I am also blocked from downloading some shows because they are “too big” to download over cellular network. If I am not going to be around a wifi connection for awhile I think I should be able to choose if I want to download large files (or not) over 3G. Of course 3rd party apps gets me around many of these issues but it would be great if the default feature worked better.
Guest

I am surprised that she didn’t comment on the podcast integration. WP seems slow to upgrade feeds as I can access her latest BuzzOutLoad sooner via other channels. Why can’t I add an RSS feed directly instead of using Marketplace or Zune? I am also blocked from downloading some shows because they are “too big” to download over cellular network. If I am not going to be around a wifi connection for awhile I think I should be able to choose if I want to download large files (or not) over 3G. Of course 3rd party apps gets me around many of these issues but it would be great if the default feature worked better.
http://pulse.yahoo.com/_JFRSB7FFT2UK2MD4VIW7O5IRUQ kim

Now I hope Micosoft will listen and try to impove its OS.
Bing Maps services and Turn by Turn are indeed not acceptable. It’s embarassing that MS dare to proposes such mediocre applications.
Skydrive is crap compared to Dropbox.

It’s high time Microsoft remove all the f….. limitations and restrictions:
Also…
* Why I cannot access music and videos from Skydrive
* Why Skydrive is so difficult to use compared to Dropbox?
* Why I have a 100MB upload limitation with Skydrive?
* Why I cannot upload folders to Skydrive?
* Why I cannot delete several pictures in the same time in Skydrive?
* Why I do not have USB mass storage in WP7 with some reserved space?
* Why I do not have DivX|Avi codec?
* Why I cannot edit my forwarded emails?
* Why I cannot send short videos by MMS?
* Why I cannot send pdf documents?
* Why I do not have a file explorer?
* Why I cannot upload a document to my Dropbox account?
* Why I cannot save camera settings?
* Why Bing Map does not display the names of the main streets around me?
* Why Bing Map takes more than 1 minute to display the map image?
* Why the IE browser does not support Flash?
* Why Voice recognition works only for a very limited number of services?
* Why i cannot save 2 mobile phone numbers for each contact?
* Why I do not have separate volume controls?
Could MS answer these questions???
The Metro UI is nice, olished and convenient but it is not sufficient to make me forget all the essentials features missing, as listed above.

Anonymous

Some of your points are valid Although to compare Skydrive to Dropbox is a joke. 1 is Free and the other charges you that about sums that up. I’m sure if you tell Microsoft your willing to pay for it along with others they’ll quickly implement all of the Skydrive features you feel you need. You are not stuck with a the wp7 browser there are alternatives on the marketplace although why you would want to switch is beyond me. Voice recognition works for a hell of a lot og things and is miles ahead of any other smart phone on the market.

As for Flash in the browser until they can make it run without killing the battery life, Crashing or being a security venerability then at least for me they can keep off the phones, this ain’t Android we want things that work.

Lastly if you actually think that you can only add one phone number per contact i suggest you either look at you phone a little more closely or pick yourself up a dumbphone cause apparently you want all this extra functionality yet are unable to do the basics.

http://pulse.yahoo.com/_JFRSB7FFT2UK2MD4VIW7O5IRUQ kim

To answer your points:

- Dropbox is free also. I have 8GB for free.

- There are no alternatives to the IE browser. The browsers you are talking about actually use IE.

- I did not say that I would like to switch to another browser, but I
think at least I shall have the choice to switch. More choice, more
freedom.

- Bing Map only works correctly in the US and UK. This is 2 countries over more than 200 in this World. No comment.

- Your last comment is silly: check your WP7 again. You CANNOT add 2 mobile phone numbers.
http://chmun77.myopenid.com/ Claypot77

Flash does not kill my SGS 2 battery much at all. However, I can surf those websites that are built only for desktops on Android, which impossible on WP7.

And is true that Dropbox is much more easier to use than Skydrive, which is so slow in loading the content lists.

http://chmun77.myopenid.com/ Claypot77

Very well said for all the points. Thumbs up!
http://www.searingarrow.com AlienSix

You sound like you need to just go get an Android phone and stop bitching
http://www.searingarrow.com AlienSix

You sound like you need to just go get an Android phone and stop bitching
Lathan Williams

-Yes, you can access music and videos from skydrive.
-Subjective when it comes to ease of use.
-Select all is an easy alternative.
-Annoying error
-USB Mass Storage isn’t much of a necessity to most users.
-DivX,XviD, and AVI will come later.
-Don’t care enough to check if that’s BS.
-Error that will most likely be addressed soon.
-Don’t care enough to test if that’s BS.
-What purpose would a file explorer serve to 99% of users?
-Dropbox isn’t propietary. Obviously.
-Yes, you can save camera settings.
-Bing Maps isn’t extensive around the whole world yet.
-Bing Maps loads in seconds for me.
-Flash is shit.
-What necessary app/area is it missing in?
-I did, you’re doing it wrong.
-I prefer one myself. If I don’t want my ringer on I switch on vibrate.

http://www.ultimate-communications.com Tommy Clarke

They should fire her, shes incompetent and dont even know how to google simple things to find the solution of her nonproblems.

Anonymous

We are WP7 users. We don’t Google, We Bing.
http://chmun77.myopenid.com/ Claypot77

I thought WP7 should be easy for end users to use? But if a new user like her is unable to do even the simplest thing on WP7, I think WP7 already fails to bring simplicity at all?

Anonymous

OMG, this woman is just plain dumb. Go get an iPhone.

http://chmun77.myopenid.com/ Claypot77

I think Android is more suitable for her…. iPhone and WP7 is not difference. Android is much stronger and better.

Anonymous

Stronger and better? I’m sorry?

Anonymous

This is the most gentle way of saying No. She could have used one of the more typical excuses like Oh I have a headache or I have to babysit or I have to take my aunt to church instead of the lame explanations or lack of thereof she tried to give…

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