Mary Jo Foley had us all fired up about the potential of
Microsoft's mysterious Menlo, but it appears that the project's not yet a groundbreaking mobile OS -- it's just a prototype slate. Menlo V1 made its cameo debut in a
Microsoft Research paper destined for MobileHCI 2010, where it's listed as a 4.1-inch device with a 800 x 480 capacitive touch screen, a 3-axis accelerometer (and a barometer, for some reason) all running on the comparatively boring Windows CE 6.0 R2. According to the paper, which tested out a Silverlight-based app that allowed users to follow a trail of virtual breadcrumbs back to their parked car, the device didn't even have a magnetometer at the time of testing -- thus the throwback compass you see immediately above -- and it's actually never referred to as a phone. We'll keep you abreast of any future developments, but even if the project were leagues more exciting we're not sure if we'd put our hearts on the line.
Once burned, twice shy.
posted August 9th 2010 9:02AM
FINALLY
Engadget is much less bias than certain blogs, but clearly
Sean Hollister either owns Apple stock or is a fanboy.
"Nothing to see here, folks"
Then why bother posting it, Engadget?
Is that a Microsoft version of the iPhone 4 Bumper? :D:D
@canarsieville - Since Sean is employed by Engadget, I'm pretty sure he doesn't own Apple stock, or any company which may be reviewed on this site for that matter.
@aubreyq - Because some other sites seem to think this is a big to do.
It's not, so Engadget is pointing that out.
@aubreyq
Lol, cause you'd bitch if they didn't. Im a M$ fanboy, but they are once again behind the curve. I have a feeling this is the next of "Kin". Hahahah....ha...ha....ya I know......:)
I expect to see no less than five articles a day about this prototype device right up until its release.
What's that Engadget? Don't have enough new information for that many new articles? Just make some gross speculation and post the same blurry shot of the device repeatedly.
@MRCUR Why would being a stock holder effect his employment? Googles CEO was on apples board of directors for years
" Once burned, twice shy."
Did you feel the same way for the iPhone4 antenna?
@Excalibur
whats that wart hanging off the phone?
@Excalibur OOOOOOOOooooooooh, burnnnnn, nice!
@manofchao5, read the article. :D
Whats that bubble thing on the case for?
@MoonWalkerCTE
its a compass mentioned in the article..
@ionfist Oh right, I didn't know they meant the bubble. My bad
it's a special find_your_car dedicated device! I always wanted one!
@Marko me too! :P
@Marko Polo!
Perhaps the barometer is for determining altitude.
@acegilbert - whilst looking for your car? makes sense!
@Marko
it does when you are parked in a parking garage.
@theweeklymancast dave - why, of course, how else!
@acegilbert
It's also a weather predictor so you know when to turn your windscreen wipers on when you find your car.
No Courier, no love.
when will Win CE7 be used?
in Windows Phone 7.5?
"Microsoft's Menlo is a Windows CE device, nothing to see here folks"
Then why post the article at all?
...and the ipad is a big ipod touch. So?
@ajwoodhouse rofll, exactly.
The underlying OS is 'boring'? Since when did a bunch of device drivers and processes to make files 'magically' work, display data on a screen and process user input become what defines a product.
CE is fine, the user interface is what matters and CE has never mandated any specific UI be used.
Time to stop the bias and hate, we know you see a potential ipad platform competitor and you want to try to shoot it down as fast as possible. Problem is Apple doesnt directly pay your bills, only indirectly; so no reason for the blatant protectionism. Be thankful MS never implemented inprivate browsing in IE8 or your journalistic rag of a site would be looking for a new source of revenue when the ad money dried up.
i want one with android
Bloggers shouldn't ever be allowed to comment on prototypes.
They usually know jack squat about their intricacies and the assumptions they make are dead wrong.
@Herr Synnberg And as they say-- beta device is beta.
It's asinine to rip on something that isn't even finished.
More like alpha device
Does it include a built in screen reader?
Oh wait, Microsoft doesn't care about making their products universally accessible. Oops. Sadly, I won't be getting a Windows phone because it's like a zune-something that is a paperweight since I can't make it talk or read the screen.
Blind ppl use touchscreens too, Microsoft. :P
@tomi : Microsoft does care about universal access. Look at the many accessibility options present in the latest Windows in comparison to the latest OS X.
Welcome to 2005 hopefully this will come with vista ready support
this device is yawn worthy ... i doubt it will be produced ... probably was a side project.
@darthgault Remember this is Microsoft we're talking about.
Courier = fantastic looking product = canned
CE 6.0 device = another MS bore-fest = released this autum
Looks a million times better than windoze phone 7 ... They can't even figure out clipping on that piece of shit (not copy paste) it still the month febura.
@Quikboy this is not true. Narrator isvery basic and highly unusable. Try using it to read a web-page. Voiceover is included in the core of the OS and can even be used to re-install a Mac from scratch. I always need sighted help or have to hit tab+enter millions of times and hope it'll start the Windows setup/install process. I had to spend $1300 for a screen reader under Windows, because Narrator is beyond basic and can't do anything;JAWS or www.satogo.com are both screen readers manufactured by companies which are a million times better.