"Licensing an operating system in the smartphone space doesn't earn much money, so I understand Bright's point. But the window of opportunity for Microsoft to build its own phone closed down the minute it said it would license Windows Phone 7 to hardware partners."
Kevin Tofel at jkOnTheRun (now part of GigaOm) disagrees with the Ars Technica article we highlighted earlier this week, and he brings up some compelling arguments in his analysis. Worth a look for the different perspective it brings.
Computerworld has confirmed that AT&T will be a premier partner for Windows Phone 7 when it is released this fall. Of the four major US carriers, only AT&T has come out and said that they will support the platform. This comes as little surprise, as AT&T was said to have been one of the largest sellers of Windows Mobile phones. T-Mobile, Verizon, and Sprint will undoubtedly support the platform, but recent history (I'm referring to the Kindle of course) probably has these companies wary of openly proclaiming their support. Getting their devices onto all four carriers at launch (something none of the other current platforms was able to do) would provide Microsoft with the best chance of growing the platform quickly.
"AT&T Tilt2 owners are in for a surprise. A new ROM has surfaced over at Shipped-ROMs that appears to be a Windows Mobile 6.5 update for the Tilt2. On top of the ROM surfacing, over at XDA Developers, a new radio has also surfaced from AT&T (included in the ROM update)."
George Ponder at WMExperts is reporting that AT&T's Tilt2 may soon be getting an official Windows Mobile 6.5 ROM update. Meanwhile, he's gone ahead and flashed his Tilt2 with what he believes to be a test version. He likes the result, noting that the new interface elements are clean and effective. A new radio is also included. He suggests that you could try this out yourself, or wait for the official release which is likely to surface in the next few weeks. I'd say if you've been waiting to see this for some time, click the Read link and get flashing.
gdgt runs gadget shows across the US (duh!), among other things, and the latest iteration was in Seattle. Apparently Microsoft's booth drew a lot of interest from visitors, checking out the Windows Phone 7 prototypes (the LG model). There's not much to the news, except to confirm that people are starting to get hip to WP7, but there's a short photo gallery that may hold your interest.
AT&T is currently running a one cent sale for any Windows Mobile phone. For your penny you can get a Samsung Jack, HP Glisten, LG Expo, or a HTC Tilt2. As AT&T has been rumored to be an important launch partner for Windows Phone 7, this could be a move to clear out inventory. Buyers will have to sign a two year contract as well as sign up for at least a $15 data package.
Hi there. The topic of ad blockers tend to generate some heated discussions around these parts, so I'm going to keep this really simple: if you're running an ad blocker, this is a polite request that you white-list this Web site and allow the ads to load. Here's why: I work hard to keep the ads on Thoughts Media sites non-intrusive; I say no to pop-ups, pop-unders, full-page ads, ads with sounds, etc. I know that those types of ads are irritating, and I value the readership of everyone who visits our sites. I don't want to irritate anyone with our ads.
What you may not realize about online ads is that, for the majority of them, when they simply load, that helps me pay the bills (our server bill alone is almost $500/month). Ad blockers stop the ads from loading, which hurts this site. You don't have to click on the ads - just letting them load helps us out a lot. If you do click on them, all the better - that helps us get better advertisers because they know you're interested in the ads. It will help us continue to provide you with the content that you come here for, and that benefits you in the end. So please white list this Web site in your ad blocker.
As a side note, I have a personal "1 visit, 1 click" policy where, when I visit a site and read/watch some content on it, I find an ad that I'm interested in and click on it. It only takes a few seconds of my time to do, and it's my way of giving back to that site, thanking them for creating that thing I just read/watched. The Internet would be a very different place if everyone had a similar policy. Just a thought to ponder as you head into the weekend. :-)
"With the Windows Phone Developer Tools in Beta and Windows Phone 7 in ,now is the time for you to build Windows Phone 7 apps in earnest. We have refreshed our developer documentation to help you build those apps, and we have two, new design-focused documents to help you make them look beautiful. First up, the UI Design and Interaction Guide for Windows Phone 7 v2.0 has been updated from the ground up for beta. With additional information and a new layout we hope you will find more readable, this guide provides detailed information about UI elements and controls, UI system behaviors, and the interaction model for the touch interface based on the design system internally named Metro. Designers and developers should read this guide to learn about the dos and don'ts of UI implementations for their Windows Phone apps. We've made it easier to find specific guidance by putting it in bold in the right-hand column of each page."
Style guidelines and more are now available to developers looking to not only write great apps, but make them look halfway decent as well. For all the docs, hit up Microsoft's site. If you want a really nice indepth review of the UI Design, take a look at this excellent piece from WMExperts!
It's been a little over three weeks since news leaked that HTC were killing off their Dopod brand, which they bought over a few years back in a sweetheart deal and used in certain markets in East Asia. Now the expected denouement is in sight - HTC will be marketing their devices under their own brand name on the China mainland, with four units spearheading the effort via China Mobile on the operator side and GOME in retail. On the launchpad are the Tianxi, Tianyi, Desire and Wildfire, with the Tianxi looking to be the only one running Windows Mobile. You can read through the full press release here.
"What's different about Windows Phone 7? Everything. Microsoft has started completely fresh with the design for Windows Phone 7, so old users won't even recognize the new interface, which now uses a system of tiles and hubs. Other major additions include voice recognition, integrated Xbox Live functionality, and multi-touch support."
Nick Mokey over at Digital Trends has written a short guide claiming to be everything you need to know about Windows Phone 7. I guess it really depends on who you are and your overall knowledge of what's been going on in the smartphone world to know for sure if it really is "all you need to know". It does cover all the basics though, and if you've not been following all the discussions and news about Windows Phone 7 then this is a good place to go. The article does have an embedded video from Chris Pirillo that provides a 17-minute walkthrough of an early Windows Phone 7 build.
"With the loss of the software customization and the lack of hardware variation, OEMs might find themselves with no effective means of establishing a brand or carving out a niche for themselves. Though they're supporting Windows Phone 7 right now, there's a good chance that they will lose interest once their hardware has been commoditized...This commoditization is, after all, what Microsoft wants: Redmond wants people to think of the phones, first and foremost, as Windows Phone 7 devices, and for the vendor differences to take a back seat. But unless the company can do something to keep the hardware companies sweet, it may find that they drop the platform in favor of one where they can do more to create their own identity: Android being the obvious contender."
Ars Technica weighs in and argues that Microsoft should copy the Apple model wholesale. To be fair, the reasoning is sound; the business model Microsoft is using with WP7 is a combination of Apple's closed ecosystem and the license-and-build model of Windows Mobile. The billion dollar question is: Is this approach the best of both worlds, or the worst? MS has already given up on the licensing model with their MP3 player efforts - upsetting both vendors and consumers in the process - and it's arguable that smartphones are more a consumer electronics market than a PC market. After all, it's not as if you can swap components in an existing device if you wanted to. On the other hand, the failure of the Kin will probably make MS sour to the go-it-alone idea for at least a couple of years to come. Thoughts, people?
Engadget has the scoop on an as-yet unnamed HTC device running Windows Phone 7. The features of the device include the required 1GHz processor, a 3.7-inch SLCD, an 8MP camera, and three touch-sensitive buttons. In my opinion, the device looks a little plain when compared to something like the rumored Dell Lightning. The Engadget source says the "hardware is ready," but this rumor has yet to be confirmed and I wouldn't be surprised to see the device change before launch (There are often carrier adjustments that could significantly change the appearance and features.). Hit the link for more photos of the device.
German site magnus.de has a pretty awesome and comprehensive four-part walk-through of Windows Phone 7. The first part is embedded above, which shows off some of the underlying concepts and what a hub is. If you want to check out the other three parts, simply read on...OK, here's part 2 (People Hub):
"Windows Phone 7 is shaping up as the most innovative mobile UI since, well, since the iPhone introduction three years ago. In July, Microsoft released for developers the "Technical Preview" version of WP7, along with the first prototype handsets. The early reviews, from a user viewpoint, corroborate many positive things that developers have been discovering since they got their hands on the initial developer release in March. The first handsets, from LG, Samsung, Asus and others, are expected to be unveiled sometime this fall, along with carrier service plans."
I'd say that the UI is the chief factor driving buzz around Windows Phone 7. There are concerns, of course, about what the platform will lack, at least a launch, like multi-tasking and copy-and-paste functionality.
NetworkWorld takes a look at the overall platform. It is clear Microsoft is serious about it and while it doesn't have everything its competitors do, it does have enough, as well as some unique features of its own, that it is worth a serious look when it ships.
"There is a lot of speculation about what the agreement announced last week between chip designer ARM and Microsoft actually means. Some pundits predict that it is a signal that Microsoft intends to deliver Windows or Windows Phone OS tablet and slate devices, while others foresee an overdue overhaul of the Xbox's architecture."
Ah, blogger speculation at its finest! Microsoft announces an agreement with ARM, and the speculation engine revs into overdrive. I think there are a couple of possibilities here, though I'm not sure I place much stock in the idea of this being for putting Windows Phone 7 on a tablet. I really want to believe that Microsoft has figured out that Windows 7 is a poor choice for a touch-based operating system, but they've said things to the contrary on several occasions. I think Windows Phone 7 would be great on a tablet based on what I've seen, but they'd need to re-design that home screen and menu system. It seems to work well on a small screen (boy, do I ever wish I had some hands-on time with such a device) but on a bigger tablet device, I'm not so sure. One thing IS for sure: if Microsoft and their OEM partners want to have any hope of competing with the iPad and Android-based devices, they're going to have to come up with a lightweight OS.
"The list of features missing in Windows Phone 7 -- no multitasking of third-party applications, no copy-and-paste, no native Twitter client -- has dominated forums and early reviews of reference hardware phones put in the hands of 1,000 developers last week."
Matt Hamblen from Computerworld has written a article highlighting some of the rampant discussions about the features Windows Phone 7 "has" and those it "has not". Matt has included some representative comments from potential buyers and analysts that touch on the lack of copy-and-paste functionality, the limited multitasking capability, and the omission of Twitter support, among other issues. It seems be a divided world out there, with some people thinking the omissions are going to be fatal, and others thinking they are no big deal as long as they are included in a future release. What do you think? Are these omissions outweighed by what else Microsoft has included?
"Not surprisingly, what excites us the most is what the team has done with Bing on the Windows Phone 7. There have been some very positive reviews of the experience as a whole and it's great to see how the team's work integrating a native Bing experience has been received."
Microsoft has done an excellent job at integrating technologies into Windows Phone 7. This is no more apparent than in the way Bing has been prominently placed on the phone to provide users with a powerful and intuitive search experience. The Bing team has been working hard to make sure that there are plenty of useful features such as location-based searches, news, and of course, Bing Maps. One thing that is currently lacking (but was available with Windows Mobile) is voice-guided navigation. The Bing team has shown an agility that seems to have been lacking on other teams at Microsoft, so it will be interesting to see what else they come up with before launch. Read more about the features being included by the Bing team by following the link below.
One of the consequences of Microsoft's lockdown of Windows Phone 7 specifications was that 3rd party UIs were essentially left out in the cold. Now it seems that the restriction isn't going to be as all-encompassing as it originally sounded - HTC is indicating they will port their popular Sense UI to Windows Phone 7 and Android 3. We can only speculate how much of it will actually make it into HTC's WP7 devices, but the fact that some customization is possible should be encouraging - for personalization if for nothing else.
If you're used to voice control on your phone (*cough* as in "what the competition has" *cough*), Microsoft has integrated its TellMe service into Windows Phone 7. I've no idea how well search will work outside North America, but contact search and application launching should work pretty well. Have a look at the video for a brief overview of what you can do (Sorry it doesn't embed well.).
"No big surprise here, but HP Personal Systems Group VP Todd Bradley just flat-out confirmed to CNBC that HP will not be making any Windows Phone 7 devices, preferring instead to focus on the newly-acquired webOS for its line of smartphones."
I think we all saw this coming the moment HP bought Palm, but now we know for sure. Let's be honest though: will it matter? HP has struggled to be relevant in the smartphone industry for years - their PDA devices were impressive, but they never made a successful transition to hybrid PDA/phones. I don't think this is a significant loss for Microsoft in the Windows Phone space. What do you think?
Microsoft has a tough road ahead of them. In the coming months, we will see whether or not they are able to overcome the negative image that they have earned as a result of their stagnation in the mobile market over the last decade. This will be a difficult task, but Microsoft has the will and the cash to make this happen. No one has ever argued against Microsoft's persistence. One thing that could trip up their plans is stumbling out of the gate with a less than polished product. After the recent deluge of previews there were a few points that stuck out as consistently griped about. Here are some simple fixes that Microsoft can implement before release to help placate the critics.
Hey, Where’d My Status Bar Go?
In order to simplify the home screen, Microsoft decided to hide the status bar that includes data about the signal strength and battery meter. To view the bar, you need to tap the top of the screen. While I find this to be elegant and clean, there are others who simply can't stand not having it there. A simple fix would be to provide a setting to auto-hide the status bar. Turn it on and the bar hides itself. Turn it off and the bar stays put! Easy!
Where’s The Twitter Client?
Part of the simplicity of Windows Phone 7 will come from allowing the user to get up and running by simply entering their Windows Live ID. If you have setup your Windows Live account correctly, your contacts, calendar, photos, and social streams will automatically sync to your phone with little to no human intervention. The major problem is that Windows Live currently has no Twitter integration! This is a glaring omission and one that every previewer begged Microsoft to implement before launch. So how can Microsoft solve this issue? I see two ways.
One of the problems with integrating Twitter is that unlike other social networks Twitter contacts are not necessarily real people. You wouldn't want each of the people you are following to show up in your contact list would you? Unfortunately this means that it may not be quite right for the People hub. That's too bad! Perhaps this is not the perfect place for your Twitter Stream, but I'd put it there anyway. Merge the stream with your updates, but don't add the contacts to the stream. Or make the Twitter stream another Panel on People Hub.
The second less elegant way is to provide a Twitter client with every Windows Phone. While this is less appealing at least this way people have access to their stream out of the box.
Facebook Contacts Aren’t Necessarily Welcome
While setting up the phone, a quick option can be presented to the user to either include or omit Facebook users from the contact list. Facebook contacts are NOT included in our Windows Live contact list, so why should they have to be included here? Better yet, allow a user to select whether or not to include contacts from any source! If I want my Windows Live contacts added, but not my Gmail Contacts, I should have the option. The developers went out of their way to merge the contact lists, so I think it should be a simple fix to decide not to combine them.
The Big Picture
These are just a few fixes that I think would be easy to implement. There are many other issues that I would love to see fixed, but realistically I think will not (unified inboxes, task syncing, USB drive mode, exchange server search, copy and paste, and last but not least multitasking). Personally, I have been very impressed with what Microsoft has come up with given the time frame. I can only imagine what they could have done if it were not for those wasted years. What else am I missing here? Sound off in the comments with your suggestions to Microsoft on your priorities.
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