Along with Windows Mobile 6 being introduced today, we also have some new names to get used to. I think it'll be a bit confusing (at least for awhile) because it's just the software that is going by a different name and probably not the devices themselves (at least for now).

Can you imagine going into a store and requesting to see their line-up of "Standards"? I'm guessing the devices' street name will still be SmartPhones and those of us who actually have a SmartPhone will point out to others they have a PPC (which is actually a PPC phone edition, of course) and those who actually have a PPC...will still be carrying that and their cell phone.

So, clearly there has been confusion in the past as well. Lots of folks call their phone a SmartPhone when that was the name specifically for non-touchscreen devices. Those with a touchscreen were officially known as Pocket PC and Pocket PC phone edition. Now, that's a mouthful!

As of today, new devices that would have run Microsoft Pocket PC (PPC) software, now will run Windows Mobile Classic. Pocket PC phone edition software has been renamed Windows Mobile Pro and SmartPhone is now known as Windows Mobile Standard.

Got it?

This bugs me. While I do like the easier method of deciphering which device is meant by what, it marginalizes the Smartphone OS by making it seem like less than the PPC Phone. It's not less in my opinion (or "Standard" rather than "Pro"), just different. I feel like I can do everything I want with a Smartphone just as well, if not better, than a PPC. Especially with WM6 including Office in the Smartphone version, the features it's lacking are growing less and less. Calling it Standard makes it seem like it's worth is less, and that just isn't the case.

Well put smeg36, I couldn't agree more. It is almost insulting to someone who wants the best of what they want, for something so capable to be called merely "standard".

You guys have said what I was thinking.

How many people will overlook a "standard" device just so they can go for the "pro" version? My recent experience with a PPC, ahem "Pro", device was so unenviable that had I had it in my mind that was the "best" incarnation of these types of devices I probably would not have bothered "stepping down" to a "standard" out of fear of how much worse IT could be. Intended, or not, these new names do infer good, better, best and that really is NOT the case. They are different...which is GOOD!

Hey, does anybody want to go plunk down some $$$ to own a brand new "classic"? Now, doesn't that sound like a cutting edge tech gadget? Not. It does, however, sound like something my grandpa might be interested in. Standard, sounds like my mom. Pro sounds like me...but I was miserable with a Pro. Go figure.

(Actually, SmartPhone sounds like me! )

The idea of trying to renam the OS's is not bad - but the names we ended up suck.

My cynical brain instantly saw this as a way to get smartphones to pay more for data connection subscriptions. I fear removing the "phone" word from the lexicon helps move toward higher rates.