If we had it boil it down, the singular image burned in our brains of
Windows Phone 7 Series so far is that of a large, nondescript slate -- the so-called "dogfood" device being passed around internally for the platform's development -- and although Microsoft isn't talking specs at this point, it's widely believed that this phone roughly represents the
Chassis 1 spec that Redmond is passing around to hardware partners. Is this the only way you'll be able to get your WinPho 7 served to you, though? We might yet be months away from an official answer, but a pair of Microsoft developer evangelists on an Australian podcast are saying that Chassis 1 (full touchscreen, gigahertz processor, and dedicated graphics acceleration) will be the sole option at launch, with Chassis 2 and 3 following on after that. 2 is said to be "more like a Palm
Treo" with a dedicated QWERTY keyboard, while 3 remains a mystery, though there's some speculation on the podcast that it could be a candybar -- a form factor that's becoming something of a lost art these days, particularly among smartphones. The speakers note that there's a lot of value in offering some form factor variety -- not everyone wants a keyboardless slate, after all -- so the real question might be how quickly after initial launch we'll see some of these other chassis filter down to retail.
posted February 23rd 2010 3:32PM
I bet chassis 3 will be a tablet version since that's the new trend.
@Mtmrob i would love a tablet with winpho7, though i would like to see on multitasking and switching between apps first!
Dell Mini 5 with Windows Phone 7 Series (whatchamacallit) FTW!!
@Mtmrob
I fail to see the use of any phone OS on a tablet. Unless you can present a really compelling use case, such as the Courier videos did, I certainly don't want to carry around another device which is identical to my phone. What purpose does that serve?
What about the HD2 upgrade?
@One Love The combo we have all been waiting for to see. I believe, MS has done a pretty good job on giving a fresh new look on how users see a smartphone device. Opinions: http://bit.ly/the-windows-phone-7-view
@Delta Maybe it is a case of form factor. Think about the WinMobo 7 office apps and the advantage of using them on a larger screen device.
Just a thought
@Almo I-m not holding my breath...More news about it next month according to Microsoft: http://www.mobiletechworld.com/2010/02/16/more-info-about-htc-hd2-upgrade-to-windows-phone-7-coming-next-month/
@Mtmrob
WinPho 7 UI will not translate to a tablet. WinPho 7 is optimized for thumb horizontal and vertical scrolling. More importantly, Microsoft will not promote a $35 OS to replace a $199 OS. Courier will run on top of Windows Desktop OS... most likely Windows 8/2011. That is Microsoft's the tablet solution.
In any case, the real test for Microsoft is if they can connect to common consumer. Marketing, apps, games, xbox integration need to be executed perfectly.
@Delta
The biggest advantage of putting a mobile OS on a tablet style device is to maximize battery life while keeping the device thin and light and therefore easier to hold in your hands. Full sized OS's such as Windows 7 running all of its DX11 graphic eye candy extensive multi-tasking capabilities requires quite a bit of horse power and therefore a lot of juice. Buy using a lightweight OS such as WinMo7 or (ahem) iPhoneOS, tablets can be made to be light and ultra-portable and have a much longer battery life then tablets using Desktop/Laptop OS's. We can already see that Android is starting to become popular among the ultra-portable tablet makers. At this point, tablets are really meant to replace either your Laptop or your Phone...the are trying to fill a niche in between. I think that once they become more powerful and battery technology begins to improve, they will eventually start to supplant Laptops...but that is still a ways off (the HP slate, while a nice device, is still relatively bulky and only has around a 4 hour battery life).
@Otakuon
*not meant*
@unwynd
there's no apps, just big task experience hub centers.
@Delta It keeps things simple. If people are consuming content (looking at vids, pics and maybe playing a game) as opposed to doing any real work then the need for a full blown OS begins to vanish some what. As long as the apps for that OS provide the functionality they need then the phone OS becomes more than adequate. Basically IMHO the phone OS trades away power and flexibility some what in exchange for an OS that is a bit more user friendly.
The second and IMHO huge benefit is that both the WM7 and iPhone OS were designed from day 1 with touch in mind and don't have a legacy of apps that expect a keyboard and mouse. When using the device you will know that whatever you can load up onto it will work and was designed for touch. Throw Windows 7 on a tablet and I'm sure there are many, many apps out there that will be very cumbersome to use with a capacitive touch screen. Again, it makes some users life easier in this regard.
now... if only i could convince Microsoft to exclusively make one for pedobears...
@Pedobear
Encrypted Hard Drive (to protect you from the FBI)
High Quality Camera
Ice Cream Truck Ringtone
What other specs would it have?
@Delta Needs to look like a lolipop......
@Delta You're missing the "SURPRISE!!" button
@Delta
Search button delivers knock out gas?
3. full touch screen with a slide out keyboard
@unwynd I agree. That would make the most sense.
Chassis 1: All touch.
Chassis 2: Touch with Treo-like QWERTY keyboard
Chassis 3: All Touch with slide-out QWERTY
@N900
As far as I understand MS's requirements, you can have a Chassis 1 phone with a slide out keyboard. I think they went as far as to say this when they presented WP7S. The Chassis specifies more software related things, such as screen resolution. It is doubtful that a Palm Treoish device would have a WVGA screen. However, many slide-out Qwerty devices already have WVGA screens (such as the Touch Pro2).
@Delta:
Seconded, I agree with you completely.
@unwynd That's all I ask for. Why is this so difficult? I like physical buttons for typing.
There better be a QWERTY-slider chassis like the Touch Pro 2 or it's no dice for WP7 for me.
@dwboston1 Yes, it would be very hard to give up physical keyboard (either a blackberry style or a slider) even for a good operating system.
i think iphone user will say its nice but Microsoft still doesn't get it after all these years lol!!!!
@sketchkid23
Wait, are you making fun of iPhone users, or agreeing with them?
@maddawg579 agreeing with them
@sketchkid23
What exactly does Microsoft not get? That people should be forced into one phone and have no choice what-so-ever in the form factor of their devices?
@Delta hahaha its crazy i must really offend people with my thoughts, sorry but its like this make a good phone and build on that if you did it right the first time you would haven't to make 3-5 phones at one time. also all the form factor has nothing to with making a good mobile device it has to do with back-end & software now. Apple understood this concepts with mac os on the iphone and the apple store, hell even google gets its yea google has alot of phone using its software but thats because they aren't into the hardware end of it. If they understand the concept of you own hardware with own software they would give Apple a run for its money. Microsoft phones in my opinion are the same as they always were bunch of feature but no usability or no level of good backend or decent hardware that is universal.
@sketchkid23 You know Microsoft doesn't actually make the phones, right? The Touch Pro 2: made by HTC. The Imagio: HTC. The Xperia X1: Sony Ericsson. The neoTouch and BeTouch: Acer. I think you get the point. So, are you saying it's bad to have a choice in the type of phone form-factor? I have to disagree with you there, man. Know what you are talking about before you try to dis something, or go back to TUAW, where you belong, fanboy.
@aschettler Your not understanding either LOST, Anyway they work hand and hand with these manufacturers to design the phone to cater to there os.
@sketchkid23
Ah, so you think that if one size doesn't fit all, it doesn't fit anyone?
@sketchkid23
lol I think you're the one that "doesn't get it"
@sketchkid23
"make a good phone and build on that if you did it right the first time you would haven't to make 3-5 phones at one time"
iPod Shuffle
iPod Nano
iPod Classic
iPod Touch
iPhone 3G
iPhone 3GS
Not all phones, but it still holds.
@sketchkid23 Microsoft makes phones? that's news to me.
@aschettler
The X1 was actually made by HTC.
If I get a WP7S, I would like a fairly large screen.. (3.8-4.3")
does anyone know the screen size of this "Chassis 1" phone?
Might wait until an "HD3" rolls out
@xxhonkeyxx An HD3 with oled is what I want.
@xxhonkeyxx
The chassis doesn't specify screen size. That's up to the vendors to determine. The chassis does specify resolution which is WVGA (same as the HD2).
@Delta ahhhhh okay, so chassis would just be the form it comes in, i.e. full touch, slide out qwerty with touch, etc? got ya, thanks.
Thanks Chris for not indulging on that "OMG MS locked down the W7 phone design" BS that Gizmodo is pulling.
That's why I always prefer to hang around here.
PS: change that and I'll send my ninjas after you.
Love, Verythrax
@Verythrax Ironically, everyone at giz uses iphones and macbooks. They'd rather not have the design remotely locked down like apple. they want it open like google's.
Chassis 3 = Keyboard pants phone = win
I was under the impression that WiMo 7 would just be a release of Windows Mobile applied too all WiMo devices such as Palm etc?
@Javindo Well for a start this isn't "WiMo 7". Secondly, I think you mean "WinMo".
@Javindo
Like previous versions of WinMo, hardware must meet certain specs to use it.
For WP7, this is far more detailed than before - it's not enough just to have a Windows logo key. It must have certain display specs, certain main processor specs, certain graphics processor specs, memory specs, removable storage specs, etc.
If Palm creates a phone that meets one of the sets of Microsoft requirements (Palm norms would be more in like with the rumored Chassis 2), and they go through whatever other hoops MS sets up, they can get WP7 for it. And they can have versions of the same phone running webOS and Android. Or versions close enough so that MS doesn't mind, with slight cosmetic changes if there are contractual limits.
I want a Touch screen with slide out keyboard. Come on, want this asap.
@arnavdesai from what gizmodo says, it's palm style (vertical qwerty)...
sigh.
@rubensun
I like vertical sliders. Well, the comfortable ones.