msmobiles.com/f

[msmobiles.com_robot]

Here you can see HTC Wizard Pocket PC phone with obfuscated branding (under the display) that BBC is using:



Read more at http://www.msmobiles.com/news.php/5487.html

[thelondonthing]

It is not a product endorsement - direct or indirect. That's why the phone is deliberately unbranded, and why the screenshots used on the screens of the device bear no great resemblance to the actual appearance of the page, and therefore gives no indication to the wider public of it being a Windows Mobile.

The fact that the phone carries no brand and that - without being familiar with the HTC Wizard - it's impossible to tell that it's a Windows Mobile means that this isn't any kind of endorsement. The handset was simply used to demonstrate a generic PDA-type handset accessing the BBC News website. The BBC offers mobile services for multiple platforms and does not favour any of them.

See this BBC image:



showing what I believe is a Siemens handset. See also this BBC image:



showing a Nokia 6600. The adverts on TV and the features on the BBC News website show a variety of handsets for multiple services to demonstrate the wide availability of BBC mobile services. Does the fact that the 6600 is featured on BBC promotions for their service make the 6600 a good product? Does that mean that the BBC is endorsing Nokia products as well and that this is good product placement for Nokia and a big win for them too?

It is a complete load of bullsh!t to suggest that this is any kind of endorsement of Windows Mobiles by the BBC, or that this is a successful product placement by Microsoft, particularly as the BBC is not legally permitted to engage in product placement activities under its Charter.

But why let the facts get in the way of a story - sticking to the facts isn't something that msmobiles ever does anyway.

[EJR]

[clublander]

No, not at all.

Only people with the device already, or a bit of knowledge would see it as a WM phone. Everyone else assumes its a Nokia because remember, just like the msmobile editors, the public are dumb.