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Posts tagged windows phone 7 series
Windows Phone 7 Series meets HTC Diamond, well sort of.
Mar 29th
We all know about Microsoft’s strict hardware requirements for devices looking to run WP7S. Today Engadget posted video of the HTC Diamond running WP7S. Now when I say running, I mean that it was actually doing so through a remote desktop client and not actually a port of the OS. After seeing the video I think its obvious why Microsoft pushes high-end hardware so hard. This technically doesn’t reliably indicate how WP7S would actually run on the HTC Diamond but I can’t imagine the performance would be any better. Go ahead and take a gander at the video below if you can handle the laggy suspense.
[Via Engadget]
Panoramic application development on WP7S with no extra code.
Mar 22nd
Currently application development for Windows Phone 7 Series doesn’t have a template to allow creation of applications in panoramic view. The panoramic view is the theme that encompasses the WP7S experience, in which users can slide their finger left or right to move to a new section of a particular application. Aimee at aimeegurl.com has posted a nice tutorial and some sample code to get panoramic view working for your applications. Go check it out and report back with your findings.
Hit the link for the full instructions.
Windows Phone 7 Series GDC Wrap Up.
Mar 18th
As promised Microsoft pumped out a good deal of new information regarding their upcoming mobile platform Windows Phone 7 Series. Much of the news that dropped was merely confirmation of features that we had expected would be present in the OS. Things like accelerometer support and 3D gaming were expectations for the platform and Microsoft has confirmed their role in WP7S. With these features WP7S phones should be able to compete with the 3D gaming being supported by the iPhone, Android, and more recently the WebOS.
Though Microsoft has many powerful features lined up for WP7S, they are still leaving out a few seemingly obvious features. Microsoft has confirmed that they will not be including copy and paste in the WP7S, at least not initially. I think that it’s fair to expect it in a software update at some point. Multitasking is another feature that takes on a similar approach to what Apple did with the iPhone in that it won’t be present on non-native applications. Things like the browser and the Zune app will of course run in the background while 3rd party applications will enter a paused state when exited. Upon re-entering the application it should resume fairly seamlessly. Sure it’s not perfect, but it should allow devices to run smoother and manage memory more effectively. Microsoft claims to be working at making multitasking more intuitive with certain tasks gaining the ability to do it. I’m guessing this would apply to streaming radio apps like Pandora in that they wouldn’t have to stop just because the user wants to check their email or answer a text message.
Microsoft does have some compelling services incorporated into WP7S namely, Xbox Live and Zune integration. At GDC Microsoft showed a demo of a game playing on the Xbox 360 paused, and then resumed on the Windows Phone handset. Achievements and gamer profiles of course transfer over to the mobile experience as well. Zune integration would include access to Zune Pass subscriptions and the Zune community with all its’ social features and play tracking.
Microsoft is also pushing to make development easy for the platform by extending Silverlight and XNA as tools for application development. Developers should be familiar with these tools already as they are popular for building PC and Xbox applications.
We still have a long six months until the purported launch of Windows Phone 7 Series and there will likely be a lot of changes to come. Stay tuned for all the news to come, and drop us a comment telling us what you think of Windows Phone 7 Series.
First hands-on with Windows Phone 7 Series
Mar 1st
Remember some time ago in the not so distant past we spoke of the impending launch of Windows Phone 7 Series? How it could just be the be all end all of the Windows Phone 7 OS and would drop close to the end of 2010? Well, guess what, in true Engadget fashion they brought Microsoft’s Aaron Woodman on their “Engadget Show” and he decided to do a bit of teasing.
The above picture is the a Windows Phone 7 Series production prototype, the first ever shown to the world, but thats not all he did. He also also went on to describe what we can expect from the device in a sense of look and feel.
Here’s what he had to say:
it’s just a hair thicker than an iPhone or Nexus One, there are dedicated hardware camera, volume, and power buttons in addition to the back, home, and search buttons dictated by Windows Phone 7 Series, and we noticed a five megapixel camera with a flash on the back, along with a headphone jack
What do you think? Does this spark some interest to find out what Microsoft has in store? Or lost all love for the Windows Mobile platform? Leave us a comment!
Follow me on twitterAnd…another update from Microsoft
Feb 18th
Just when we thought Microsoft had said it all with the recent announcement of Windows Mobile 7, they come to us with another new tidbit of gossip. Remember that aging OS they use? The one everyone has all but have given up on? Yes i’m talking Windows Mobile 6.5. Well Mashable is reporting that instead of letting it discontinue gracefully, Microsoft will re-brand it as “Windows Mobile Classic”. A spokesperson for Microsoft had this to say:
Whereas WP7S will be aimed squarely at consumers, the strategy for Windows Phones Classic will shift to emerging markets and the enterprise
Basically, as most of us knew, Microsoft is positioning WM7 as a consumer platform and keeping Windows Mobile 6.5 Classic geared toward the corporate end. While they didn’t give specifics on what developmental direction the OS would take, they said that the recent update to 6.5.3 was a good sign of whats to come.
What do you think? Still willing to go back to Windows? Or has that ship sailed? Let us know!
Guess the merger isn’t happening after all..
Feb 16th
As we reported earlier regarding Microsoft’s potential intentions of merging with Blackberry maker RIM (Research in Motion) and the announcement (among others) being made at this weeks MWC (Mobile World Congress). Well, Microsoft’s CEO Steve Ballmer finally put an end to any mergers rumors that may have been floating around. He was quoted saying:
“I don’t see the big boys in this market as very ripe for mergers and acquisitions,” Ballmer said in an interview in Barcelona, Spain, today. “One day, maybe somebody in some place with a lot of money wakes up and changes it, but that’s not me and that’s not today.”
He went on to say:
“Microsoft values its existing partnerships”
this in response when asked whether it would make sense for the world’s biggest software company to buy a maker of mobile devices, such as Research In Motion Ltd. or Nokia Oyj. Microsoft today showed the latest version of its Windows mobile-phone operating system, adding video games and music features to stem market-share losses againstApple Inc. and Google Inc.
Seems like Microsoft is fairly confident with the potential success of the upcoming Windows Mobile 7 OS later this year. I guess only time will tell. What do you think? Would you like to see RIM and Microsoft merge? Leave a comment and let us know.
Windows Phone 7 Series is Coming…..
Feb 15th
As we reported earlier Microsoft had some “Big” announcements to make at the MWC 2010 in Barcelona, Spain this morning. Well, BoyGeniusReport has exclusively reported what we all expected, an official announcement of Window Mobile 7, well sort of. The OS we all once knew as Windows Mobile has been completely re-done from the ground up, being now compared more to a Microsoft Zune HD than an actual smartphone. Here are some details on this shiny new toy:
- High resolution, capacitive, multitouch display with gestures that are similar to those in Windows 7 PC operating system
- Each handset will have the same three dedicated buttons: start, Bing search, back button
- UI is touch-friendly throughout the entire OS, no stylus is needed
- Personal and business information is integrated on the handset, emphasis on the dual function of the handset as a personal and business device
- New scrolling, tile based interface for the start screen that dynamically displays updated content and can be customized to display the tiles relevant to each user
- Phone/address auto-detection that links to dialer and map application
- Application bar at the bottom of each application that gives the user quick access to the most used functions within an application
- Bing search with geolocation to provide local results, directions, and business/restaurant reviews
- Focus on efficiency that minimizes the number of touches to perform actions
- Web browser is based upon desktop Internet Explorer code with improved text rendering technology to make web browsing easier
- Focus on the phone as an integrated device with different experiences organized into seven core hubs including
- people (social networking integration)
- pictures (view/share pictures between phone, desktop, and social networks)
- games (Xbox live games and service)
- music + video (Zune)
- marketplace (application store)
- office/productivity (Sharepoint/Exchange support)
- Tighter control over the phones with a minimum hardware definition for handsets to provide a consistent design experience for the user while allowing manufacturers and operators some flexibility to customize the handsets without changing the underlying core
- Windows Live service integration
- No Adobe Flash support in version 1 of the OS
- Close partnership with AT&T and Orange
Click here for the promotional trailer via Youtube
You can expect this bad boy to hit the retail shelves by the holiday season. So, you ready to go back to Windows Mobile? Leave a comment let us know.
Follow me on twitterToo little to late for Windows Mobile?
Feb 12th
With a dominant market consisting of heavy hitters Research in Motion (RIM) with their Blackberry OS, Apple Inc’s iPhone OS, and as of recent Google’s Android OS does a revamp of the now almost outdated Windows Mobile platform even matter? Yahoo news is reporting that Microsoft’s CEO Steve Ballmer (who is the keynote speaker at the Mobile World Conference in Barcelona, Spain this coming Monday) is expected to make a major announcement regarding the launch of its new Windows Mobile 7 platform; including a late 2010 launch.
Its being said that the new software is expected to be more consumer-focused than previous versions, with a simplified user interface, which could be borrowed in part from Microsoft’s well-reviewed — but low-selling — Zune HD media player.
Charles Golvin, an analyst with Forrester Research was quoted saying:
“But my own judgment is that this is kind of their last chance,” Golvin said. “If Windows Mobile doesn’t get it right this time around, they’re probably toast.”
Microsoft is famous, Golvin said, for sticking to its projects, version after version. But developments in smart phones are coming so fast that tenacity alone won’t help. RIM and Apple are already squeezing Microsoft out, and in the last year, Google Inc. has emerged as a major player with its Android software.”
Microsoft has a lot to prove if they want to compete in the fierce mobile market of today. With mainstream focus being on Blackberry’s, iPhone’s and Android based devices. Would you give Windows Mobile another whirl? Let us know!
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