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roadbloc

macrumors G3
Aug 24, 2009
8,784
215
UK
Fix that cheesy Metro UI (as in, get rid of it, it's a market failure), and build a time machine to go back to three years ago when WP7 might have mattered.

Words cannot even begin describe how out of touch you are.
 

*LTD*

macrumors G4
Feb 5, 2009
10,703
1
Canada
Words cannot even begin describe how out of touch you are.

WP7 has been available in the market for over a year now and it's gone almost unnoticed. Or rather, consumers noticed it and they didn't care to buy.

Metro has existed and has been available to consumers since 2006, and in a bigger way since October 2010. Consumers didn't and don't care about it (so far) enough to generate any kind of appreciable return for MS. What will magically change *now*, when the market has already passed it over?

MS is basing WP7 on an interface that is a total market failure, and which currently is doing absolutely nothing to help pitifully low WP7 sales. Metro is frustrating, ugly, and looks like a post-modern, cheesy 70's throwback. It's "different" purely for the sake of being different (probably in order to avoid IP infringements.) This is what MS has left on the table after half-assing it in mobile for several years.

Anything and everything Zune and Zune-related (e.g., Metro) has not translated into anything meaningful for MS - either in terms of share or in terms of profit.

The um . . . "reorganization" and "refocusing" is already happening (I love convenient euphemisms for "we're ******** the bed"):

http://www.neowin.net/news/windows-phones-former-leader-may-have-gotten-a-demotion

Look for a "reset" less than a year from now. "Windows Phone HD: Now with 50% more squirt!"

http://blog.seattlepi.com/microsoft/2006/11/20/zune-squirts-apparently/
 
Last edited:

boss.king

macrumors 603
Apr 8, 2009
6,392
7,643
WP7 has been available in the market for over a year now and it's gone almost unnoticed. Or rather, consumers noticed it and they didn't care to buy.

Metro has existed and has been available to consumers since 2006, and in a bigger way since October 2010. Consumers didn't and don't care about it (so far) enough to generate any kind of appreciable return for MS. What will magically change *now*, when the market has already passed it over?

MS is basing WP7 on an interface that is a total market failure, and which currently is doing absolutely nothing to help pitifully low WP7 sales. Metro is frustrating, ugly, and looks like a post-modern, cheesy 70's throwback. It's "different" purely for the sake of being different (probably in order to avoid IP infringements.) This is what MS has left on the table after half-assing it in mobile for several years.

Anything and everything Zune and Zune-related (e.g., Metro) has not translated into anything meaningful for MS - either in terms of share or in terms of profit.

The um . . . "reorganization" and "refocusing" is already happening (I love convenient euphemisms for "we're ******** the bed"):

http://www.neowin.net/news/windows-phones-former-leader-may-have-gotten-a-demotion

Look for a "reset" less than a year from now. "Windows Phone HD: Now with 50% more squirt!"

http://blog.seattlepi.com/microsoft/2006/11/20/zune-squirts-apparently/

Wrong. To most of the world, Metro UI is just over a year old. We didn't get the Zune, we only got Metro with WP7, and its fresh and snappy. How can it be a market failure if its not even two years old to most people? In fact, my next device will be featuring Metro UI just because its so smooth and sexy.

The moral of this story is that your opinion isn't a fact (and thank god for that). Metro UI is anything but cheesy, and if you even consider it a throw-back to the 70's then I strongly suggest you take a design class or two, because you're talking out of your ass. It's a very modern design, and completely information-oriented. It's different for the sake of performing it's goals effectively.

Disclaimer: I love my 3GS, and iOS is great, but I can't help feeling that WP7 is a step above it both design-wise and in terms of pure functionality.
 

Drunken Master

macrumors 65816
Jul 19, 2011
1,060
0
Wrong. To most of the world, Metro UI is just over a year old. We didn't get the Zune, we only got Metro with WP7, and its fresh and snappy. How can it be a market failure if its not even two years old to most people? In fact, my next device will be featuring Metro UI just because its so smooth and sexy.

The moral of this story is that your opinion isn't a fact (and thank god for that). Metro UI is anything but cheesy, and if you even consider it a throw-back to the 70's then I strongly suggest you take a design class or two, because you're talking out of your ass. It's a very modern design, and completely information-oriented. It's different for the sake of performing it's goals effectively.

Disclaimer: I love my 3GS, and iOS is great, but I can't help feeling that WP7 is a step above it both design-wise and in terms of pure functionality.

If you think Metro is good design I'd love to know what your other ideas of good design are.

The Metro UI is so simplistic it doesn't feel like a computing experience. In fact, the design reminds me of something you'd see in a pamphlet at the doctor's office when you're trying to find out more about shingles.
 

*LTD*

macrumors G4
Feb 5, 2009
10,703
1
Canada
Wrong. To most of the world, Metro UI is just over a year old. We didn't get the Zune, we only got Metro with WP7, and its fresh and snappy. How can it be a market failure if its not even two years old to most people? In fact, my next device will be featuring Metro UI just because its so smooth and sexy.

The moral of this story is that your opinion isn't a fact (and thank god for that). Metro UI is anything but cheesy, and if you even consider it a throw-back to the 70's then I strongly suggest you take a design class or two, because you're talking out of your ass. It's a very modern design, and completely information-oriented. It's different for the sake of performing it's goals effectively.

http://www.slashgear.com/lumia-a-loser-says-euro-nokia-research-16202866/

Lumia a loser: Brokerage firm slashes sales estimates on Nokia’s flagship Windows Phone

“Nokia‘s ambitious and expensive launch promotion for the Lumia 800 has fallen flat, according to European market research, with only a little over 2-percent of those surveyed saying they firmly intended to buy the new Windows Phone,” Chris Davies reports for SlashGear.

“he results of the Exane BNP Paribas poll prompted the brokerage firm to cut its quarterly sales estimates for the Lumia 800 to 800,000, Times of India reports, down from previous expectations of around 2m units,” Davies reports. “Even at 800,000, the firm’s predictions are still more enthusiastic than some we’ve seen. Pacific Crest announced expectations of just 500,000 device sales for the quarter, and Nokia execs’ smack-talk about rival platforms has been met with derision rather than delight.”

Davies reports, “Even the previous whispers of a buy-out by Microsoft have reignited, with sources suggesting a deal could be announced as early as the first half of 2012.”
 

boss.king

macrumors 603
Apr 8, 2009
6,392
7,643
If you think Metro is good design I'd love to know what your other ideas of good design are.

The Metro UI is so simplistic it doesn't feel like a computing experience. In fact, the design reminds me of something you'd see in a pamphlet at the doctor's office when you're trying to find out more about shingles.

Have you used it or are you basing this off screenshots? I agree that in screenshots it's not that great, but in actual use it all comes together very nicely, and that's the bit that counts. The words going off the screen are there for a reason, they're not just arty crap. Much of Metro UI was designed to let people use their phones efficiently (get in, get what you ness, get out).

Again, it's personal preference, so you're allowed to not like it. That doesn't make the design poor though.

----------

http://www.slashgear.com/lumia-a-loser-says-euro-nokia-research-16202866/

Lumia a loser: Brokerage firm slashes sales estimates on Nokia’s flagship Windows Phone

“Nokia‘s ambitious and expensive launch promotion for the Lumia 800 has fallen flat, according to European market research, with only a little over 2-percent of those surveyed saying they firmly intended to buy the new Windows Phone,” Chris Davies reports for SlashGear.

“he results of the Exane BNP Paribas poll prompted the brokerage firm to cut its quarterly sales estimates for the Lumia 800 to 800,000, Times of India reports, down from previous expectations of around 2m units,” Davies reports. “Even at 800,000, the firm’s predictions are still more enthusiastic than some we’ve seen. Pacific Crest announced expectations of just 500,000 device sales for the quarter, and Nokia execs’ smack-talk about rival platforms has been met with derision rather than delight.”

Davies reports, “Even the previous whispers of a buy-out by Microsoft have reignited, with sources suggesting a deal could be announced as early as the first half of 2012.”

What does this have to do with Metro UI design? How about you present a reasoned argument rather than spamming us with random articles?
 

BornAgainMac

macrumors 604
Feb 4, 2004
7,337
5,355
Florida Resident
Some thought of this in the 90's and beyond.
"For Apple to win, Microsoft has to lose."

But this is what happened.
"For Apple to win, it has to bring in a good leader and Microsoft will need to lose with a bad leader."
 

vvswarup

macrumors 6502a
Jul 21, 2010
544
225
Some thought of this in the 90's and beyond.
"For Apple to win, Microsoft has to lose."

But this is what happened.
"For Apple to win, it has to bring in a good leader and Microsoft will need to lose with a bad leader."

Some may have thought this, but certainly not Steve Jobs. He did not think that for Apple to win, Microsoft had to lose.
 

Peace

Cancelled
Apr 1, 2005
19,546
4,557
Space The Only Frontier
The times they do change.

Never thought I'd see people on macrumors rooting for a former CEO of Microsoft to return.

As a disclaimer I think a Gates return would be good for MS too. Never cared much for Balmer.
 

Macman45

macrumors G5
Jul 29, 2011
13,197
135
Somewhere Back In The Long Ago
I have to say that Bill was less than charismatic when presenting. He tended to stumble over his words, but he did get the point across in the end.

I would broadly agree that a change is needed and that the well recognised figure of Mr Gates would certainly comfort some MS clients. Time of course will tell, but a good move overall? Probably.
 

Bernard SG

macrumors 65816
Jul 3, 2010
1,354
7
If I'm not mistaken, Bill Gates has ruled out the possibility of returning to Microsoft anyway.
 

boss.king

macrumors 603
Apr 8, 2009
6,392
7,643
He did indeed, the idea being that he and Mellisa would concentrate on the various charities they run.

A change of mind perhaps?

I hope Bill doesn't return. He's not what MSFT needs. The company needs a fresh mind on the issues and a clean slate. Having recently watched an interview with Joe Belifiore, I am convinced that someone like him should be in charge. He knows what he is talking about, and he isn't afraid to explain exactly why they chose the path they did. Reminds me of Jobs, but more of a Jobs 2.0 (less arrogant, more open to community interaction).
 
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