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Are Android phones difficult to use? I use one daily and don't have a problem, but outspoken Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer says users need to be ‘computer scientists' to be able to use one.
Ballmer spoke out at the Web 2.0 Summit in San Francisco and he was asked to give his views on the appeal of a phone powered by the new Microsoft operating system in comparison to an Android handset.
He simply told the press “You don’t need to be a computer scientist to use a Windows phone and you do to use and Android phone…It is hard for me to be excited about the Android phones.” He has a point, because if you don't understand something it is difficult to get excited. Are the public getting confused with an Android handset however? Sales figures keep growing so we would think the problem might be isolated.
He was more positive about Apple, saying they were a ‘good competitor' but a ‘different one'. Whatever that means.
After he complimented Apple he went on to say that Windows powered phones were better because they positioned the users needs ‘front and centre' of the phone experience. He said that users had to scroll through ‘seas of icons' to get to the information on an Apple phone. He said a Windows phone simply ‘gets things done'.
It would seem he has a problem using anything outside Windows, but according to sales figures it might just be his view, not that of the mainstream audience.
Kitguru says: Android phones. Are they really too complex?
The guy really is an idiot. I posted this comment from an android phone on the bus. he can probably not even find the ‘on’ switch on his computer.
[quote]Sales figures keep growing so we would think the problem might be isolated.[/quote]
That was subtle but it craked me up, hahaha.
If you need to be a computer scientist to use an Android phone what do you need to be to use something as abysmally designed as Word? (Is there a word for someone who’s good at getting out of mazes?). Ballmer is an embarrassment
ballmer is exaggerating, but having used all three platforms (iphone 4, htc desire, htc hd7) i agree, in principle, windows phone is the most intuitive, easy to use and information rich platform. unfortunately, it lacks apps. there is only one real turn by turn gps navigation system with traffic updates for windows phone, where as iphone has at least 3 major, fully featured options. windows phone also forces you to use bing data which I have found to be useless in The UK. for instance, local scout searches for nearby restaurants show all the crappy chains, but no gourmet options… i was standing within 200m of three timeout rated top ten, high buzz prestaurants, and these were no where to be found in bing listings, but showed up prominently on my friends google nexus 4 local search options.
Overall I found on balance iphone provides the easiest and most feature rich user experience. Android still needs development. My friends Nexus 4 running 4.2.2 drives her nuts, and she frequently has to google things to get it to work. For instance, she found a google app that buried the menu and settings options under the keyboard, and she had to google it to find out… I experienced tons of these sorts of things on my htc desire (which I hate), but no such nonsense on windows phone or iphone.
shame the iphone has lackluster call quality, and windows phone has such a poor app store and poor developmental support from ms.