First batch of Windows Phone 7 applications may include Yelp and YouTube
By Sean Hollister 
posted August 9th 2010 6:53AM
posted August 9th 2010 6:53AM
posted August 9th 2010 6:53AM
powered by gdgt
Microsoft Windows Phone 7.5
Microsoft Windows Phone 7
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@ToddFSU
apps don't go on the home screen. That is for tiles to each hub. There is an app launcher, and that is where you will see those icons. They likely won't be seen much at all, honestly. But are we really talking about icons instead of performance? I thought the UI lust was over. There are bigger, more important aspects of an OS than the visual layer, which is the easiest part to modify and theme.
I'm starting worry that the Xbox Live "gaming" features of the phone are vaporware.
Why isn't MS playing up the "xbox portable" angle - they could be doing something awesome here, but they arent.
@Seaniccus I would like to agree with you but how could they play the Xbox Portable" angle when there are no joysticks or D-Pad like to Xbox360? I mean it's be awesome and almost for sure make every 360 owner buy a Windows 7 Phone but I don't see it happening.
@Eric K
I feel like Microsoft could be putting forth effort to make products like the demo they showed earlier this year: (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CffC9hmGepE)
Although yes, some sort of traditional input on the hardware would be nice, they could still have a successful marketing campaign without it, given the software support. Clearly the minimum required handset has worthwhile graphics output - some creative, fun, and "serious" non-causal games - paired with proper xbox integration and marketing - could be a very big deal. I was pretty surprised we didn't see it at E3.
@Seaniccus
there are plenty of wireless game controllers for mobiles, like the ZeeMote or whatever they call it, supported by many devices. Not an issue.
@christexaport You must be joking.
"Accessories" haven't fared well on the dedicated portable gaming devices, let alone mobile phones. If such an "Xbox Phone" venture were to be a success, it would have to stand alone without accessories, or else have an integrated case which the device "lives" in, which is impossible because the handsets are not standardized.
pssssssssssssh, forget youtube, I want to know more about whale mait!
@Reluttr mate*
the stocks icon is upside down. microsoft can't get anything right.
@dan325013
I'm used to Engadget readers and writers having no idea what their talking about. Downranking a comment doesn't make it true. Check my history. I've been downranked before, but history shows I haven't given much wrong information. Its hard to get fans and hopers to accept the truth, but it is the truth no less. I prefer my track record speak louder than mindshare, which hasn't been very reliable.
Remember how iOS was supposed to surpass Symbian by 2010, and it was dead? Remember how Android was bound to fail, and open never worked? Just let's see what happens. I'm confident in my analysis.
All these features, AND Reversi!!
people so underestimate MS and drink all the coolaid of the pro-android pro-apple bloggers. But MS is a software company at the core. Not a hardware company, not an advertising company. Software is what apps are and so there is not one reason why they can't make a youtube app and .
Phone apps are far simpler and easier to make and even easier in the WP7 platform thanks to the programming tool suite MS has been refinding for decades. This pretty much ensures the WP7 app market will be as vibrant and full of great apps as that of apple and anroid even if at first it won't have 1000 versions of a flashlight app. But they are coming!
Id like to meet one iphone or android user that will move to w7. The only hope is webos cast offs, blackberry bis users and people new to smart phones.
@hitdog042 LOL... you cant be serious. You think their wont be a single person that switches from those OSs? Wow, your deeper in fanboy slop than you realize. Xbox Live gaming and a powerful native office suite alone will get many to adopt... then theirs Zune Pass, a cool futuristic UI and really snappy OS to entice... lay off the kool-aid buddy. Android is nothing special... it has crazy fragmentation issues and very little to speak of when it comes to gaming. iPhone lacks variety and carriers... I don't think it will pull big numbers from those, but to imply their wont be a single person is idiotic. What you need to understand is that WP7 attempts to GROW the market, meaning they can can do just fine for themselves selling to new smartphone users as this industry will grow tremendously over the next five years.
@timotim 1. How does that make me a fanboy? I cited two different platforms. Anyway, I'll answer you even though your reply was immature and thoughtless. Gaming is not a priority in the user market. Simply put, people under 25 are mostly interested, and out of those how many will actually play xbox on a phone? I mean, sure.. u'll get tons of replies here.. where the 25 people that would post every day. Zune Pass already tried to dent Apple and iTunes.. and failed.
I'm not saying the phones won't be good. I'm saying the overall user experience on iPhone and Android will make it a tough match for people to defect. Android is now the #1 best selling OS in the USA. So that proves my "gaming" point right there. You can call it fragmented or whatever, but you are wrong. People love it.
Honestly, ur post shows you to be the fanboy. It will take years, if it happens at all, for :Win Marketplace to catch up to iTunes or Android Market. Years.
This debate isnt even worth having until late 2011 when we see what the sales numbers are like. My bet, as well as all the analysts bets, are that it will not come anywhere close to Android, RIM, and Apple.. who are currently the top 3 (in that order, too. check back a few days ago on engadgets last article about sales and how Android jumped to 1)
Fragmentation. lmfao. Dude, if you want to play xbox on your phone that is cool. I'd hate to be the guy who hired you to work for me. When exactly are you going to use that? Driving home? Oh wait, ur prob in high school and have summer break and will use it when you are at the gas and sip on a Friday night drinking Dr Peppers.
@hitdog042 And it continues... the #1 most done thing on smartphones these days are in fact email and GAMING. Gaming is huge on phones and will only get bigger as the years go by. However, we can also look at gaming handhelds like DS and PSP and the huge numbers they do... gaming is going more and more mobile and with Xbox Live coming to WP7, MS will make a big deal out of it and gamers will respond. Xbox Live is #1 and bringing over that formula and popular IPs is something Apple nor Google could ever do, even if they wanted to. Halo, Gears of War, Fable etc, carry lots of weight and with MS creating a mobile gaming studio to create compelling spin-offs and cross-platform titles means gaming on smartphones just got taken to a new level. You damn well better believe it will continue to grow going forward.
Don't get cute on me... Zune Pass on the Zune HD was great and one of the best touted features of the device in reviews, however it lacked apps, something WP7 will have no problem producing. Besides this isn't about a single feature its about the OS as a whole.
Lets not for get why I replied to you to begin with (something your reply failed to cover)... "Id like to meet ONE iphone or android user that will move to w7." Again, are you serious?
WP7 doesn't have to catch up to iOS or Android in app count... the phones don't operate the same way as those other phones mentioned... its not about 200K apps on WP7, its about the apps being integrated and working together... something that rarely happens on Android on iOS4. And, with all the knowledge you claim to have on the market when it comes to Android - you should know this. Android is no where near iOS in app count, yet like you said, it was #1 this last quarter in the US... if it was all about app counts, Apple would be #1 every quarter... their NOT.
Its funny that you list the market now as "Android, RIM and Apple" when Android still doesn't have more marketshare than WINDOWS MOBILE GLOBALLY!!!
If you think fragmentation isn't a issue on Android (despite what they did this past quarter), then I don't know what to tell you. I find it mind boggling that you can have an Android device recently announced and it runs version 1.6... if the first thing you have to ask about on a newly announced Android device is what version does it run, then somethings wrong.
@timotim where do you get your stats from? Per Gartner, smartphone use, in order: 1. email 2. web browsing/app use 3. Document Viewing. 4. Picture taking.
Hmmm. Gaming not even on list.
I'll believe them. You are making crap up. lmfao
@hitdog042 I know Im starting to sound like a broken record here but again, are you serious? Are you that dumb to not get that even using your own source on the matter, it fall EXACTLY in line with what Ive said (email and gaming)... games on phones ARE considered as APPS... and im the moron? Games by FAR are the most used and purchased apps on any cell phone. The fact that MS will really take this area to a new level and become the Xbox portable platform many gamers have wanted for years now should tell you something.
Your other comment about app counts is neither here nor there because MS will create popular apps all by themselves, because they already have popular IPs to bring to the platform. Your trying to take a formula that was started by Apple and copied by Google and apply it to WP7... you cant, WP7 is going a different route... MS isnt using that formula.
@timotim they specifically mention facebook and twitter when they talk about apps. That's what they are talking about. Google it. Geez.
Look man, I hope WM7 does succeed. I like competition. You have your opinion, I have mine on how it may shake out. That's cool. That's why we live in America!
Sorry for calling u a moron. That was rude.
@timotim Let me ask you this. Why is Android the top selling smartphone in the US right now when gaming is the one thing it does not do well?
I mean, that right there tells me a lot.
I don't care about the 1.6 devices out there, they are old. When I talk Android, I'm talking Droid X, Incredible, Droid 1 and 2. All, I believe, are on 2.1 currently and they are the best selling androids out there.
What 1.6 device is still in production in the US that is a top seller? I don't think any. They were low level for the cost frugal customer. Heck, even the Eris is 2.1.
@hitdog042 Because RIM is starting to slip and Apple lacks variety and carriers. Right now, Android gives consumers the most choice in both hardware and carriers and is enough of a copy of Apple's formula that gives it a good appeal to consumers. With WP7, MS will also have great hardware choice and carriers that Android has but leave the fragmentation issues behind, while also giving the consumer a consistant and "focused" end user experience Apple does (without being as big of asswholes). They will then top it off with a very robust tie-in to their wildly successful home gaming console and PCs.
I'm loving these Media Center like plug-ins for the Hubs. Its yet another way WP7 is innovating and thinking outside the norm. Having apps like Netflix, Shazam, Youtube, Pandora aggregated and integrated into one "media hub" is going to be very convenient and useful. Unlike iOS 4's basic folder idea, this takes it a step further by actually keeping you up-to-date on things like most viewed/favorites across all apps... history across all apps... and consistence from one hub instead of multiple apps in one folder that tells you nothing and doesnt talk to each other. Its almost like a mini Windows Media Center for on the go use. Cant wait.
Anyone else think that the big WF tile icon above could spell Words with Friends on a device other than the iPhone?
@timotim its not about the app count. Its about the most popular apps moron. And Android/apple have the same apps when it comes to the most popular and most used.
Geez. I'm done w/ u. Fanboy