Windows 6.5 Review. Examining The Major Changes Compared To 6.1

The Windows Mobile 6.1 OS was pretty good at first. But then problems started to emerge. For example it wasn’t so good at being used without a stylus as everything on screen was too small. The usability was also less than perfect with the actual interface and design being complicated and not so eye pleasing. Now Microsoft is releasing Windows Mobile 6.5 in an effort to be rid of the aforementioned problems and a host of others.

The first most notable change upon powering up Windows 6.5 is the home-screen. On 6.1 we were bombarded with loads of apps and info all over the place not leaving much room for movement. Now, we have a vast center arena where we can drag and drop, pull, push and flick apps and icons all over the place without collision. This is way better as with a touch phone you need space in order to compensate for human error.

Then there was the Windows center piece – the start menu. On previous incarnations it had replicated the start function on windows PCs. Now it takes the form of popping up in a screen-size menu with widely spaced honeycomb tiles, each representing a different program. These honeycombs are adjustable in size and can be switched around from top to bottom or side to side to suit your needs. This is an excellent feature. It has all the benefits of the start menu with all the usability of a simple app list – all the while still feeling like a Windows OS.

The touch functions on the phone have also been dramatically improved. It’s much easier to flick, pinch and zoom on the new OS. It really responds to every movement of your finger unlike other smart-phones where you have to drag your finger to get the most minimal of responses. The very fact that touch functions have been improved simply mean improving navigation such as dragging icons or scrolling through screens. This may seem like a minimal after thought by Microsoft but with the touch-screen being centre to the operation of the device, its success is paramount.

Finally, applications that come standard on all Windows devices like the organizer and the e-mail program have been greatly improved. Instead of using a finger nail to choose on e-mail in particular, you can just plonk down your finger and there you go. The layout of the menus have also been improved eliminating unnecessary options and again, making them bigger so you can easily create new e-mails or ad a new appointment.

The main improvements in the new Windows OS have been in the usability department. After all, we’re entering into a new generation of smart-phones and as such we need OS creators to think in terms of our fingers, not D-Pads.