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Addon Spotlight: Grab Bag 7, probably the best grab bag
Each week, WoW Insider's Mathew McCurley brings you a fresh look at reader-submitted UIs as well as Addon Spotlight, which focuses on the backbone of the WoW gameplay experience: the user interface. Everything from bags to bars, buttons to DPS meters and beyond -- your addons folder will never be the same. Do I need to remind you again that right now is the perfect time for you to tinker with your user interface? WoW feels much more relaxed now. A second cataclysm has been averted, Deathwing has been defeated, and life is feeling pretty good right now. Sit back, relax, and clean up your interface. You'll thank me when Mists of Pandaria comes out. Grab bag Addon Spotlights are some of my favorite editions of the column because the regular format means a lot of words about just one addon. That's great and all, but what about those addons that just don't have many words worth saying about them? These little guys fall through the cracks and land in my grab bag collection sack, thrown into the back of a shady-looking truck and taken off for "processing." It's totally painless -- no one complains too much.
Switched On: A Three-Headed Lion
Each week Ross Rubin contributes Switched On, a column about consumer technology. Kerberos, the hound from Hades that lent its name to an MIT-developed network authentication protocol, is often visualized as having three heads. But if dogs can have multiple heads, why can't other technology species? Many of the features in Lion have impact for different kinds of users, and the value users see in them may well depend on which face they tend to view. The new user. Lion represents the biggest user interface change to the company's desktop experience since the debut of Mac OS X. With the Mac hard drive hidden by default, full-screen apps that hide the menu bar, and omnipresent scroll arrows put out to pasture, it even dispenses with some user interface conventions that have been around since the original Mac. The focus on multitouch gestures -- while enabling more fluidity in the user interface -- are not as self-evident. Overall, though, the gradual shift away from contrivances such as windows, menus, and cluttered icons should make things less intimidating for new users. The iPad user. One can only wonder what features the successor to Snow Leopard might have sported had Apple not launched the iPad. The most prominent design theme in Lion has been bringing user experience elements of Apple's tablet to the Mac. This is highlighted best by Launchpad, the iPad-like collection of sliding home screens, and full-screen apps, but also includes support for full-screen apps and bundling of the Mac app store introduced with Snow Leopard.
Dell Streak 7 phone app discovered, so far is much ado about nothing (video)
Remember when we all laughed about making calls on the 5-inch Streak? Those were the days. Now it looks as if some clever tweakers have discovered a hidden phone app in Dell's 7-inch model... but beyond the shell of a presentation, there's not much to it. According to Streak Smart, rotation is enabled, there's a dedicated voicemail button, and calls will not seem to connect (which is, in this particular instance, seemingly unrelated to the carrier). See the frustration for yourself in the video after the break; not to worry, fans of holding giant slates up to the ear when talking to loved ones, someone somewhere will assuredly get this working at some point.
HTC 7 Pro now available on O2 Germany, €22 monthly or €599 up front
Not that we had any reason to doubt O2 Germany's Twitter account, but a formal press release does help ease our few concerns. The HTC 7 Pro is now official on the European carrier for the asking price of €29 down and 24 months of €22.50. If you want to rip the proverbial band-aid off faster, it's also available for a €599 flat fee -- both of those without SIM lock. The rest of the world? We imagine it's just a matter of time before HTC offers this through its other channels.
Motorola Android tablet prototype makes a cameo at D: Dive Into Mobile running Honeycomb
Google's Andy Rubin brought more than just a Nexus S in his bag of goodies tonight. On stage at D: Dive Into Mobile, the man has brought with him a prototype Android tablet from Motorola. It's got video chat, an NVIDIA processor, a "dual core 3D processor," and... oh yeah, it runs Honeycomb, not Gingerbread. Little else is known -- Rubin immediately turned his attention to a new release of Google Maps -- but we wouldn't be surprised if we were looking at Stingray, a tablet rumored for a launch on Verizon shortly. Is it seven inches? Ten? We honestly don't know -- but our gut tells us on the bigger side of the spectrum, which would line up with rumblings that the Stingray would in fact be a full ten inches diagonally. Feast your eyes on our pics below! %Gallery-109387% Updated: Video after the break!
HTC 7 Surround first hands-on! (update: video)
We just got a quick look at the HTC 7 Surround for AT&T, running that brand-spanking-new Windows Phone 7 OS you've been hearing so much about. The phone has a kickstand to help it show off its standout feature: a slide-out "Dolby Surround Sound" speaker. Stand by for more impressions and video, but for now check out the gallery below. Update: Video is live! Here are some thoughts: We were impeded by the security device holding the phone down, but from what we could tell the Surround is a quality device -- we'd expect no less from HTC. It is built of plastic, but it pulls off that certain premium look and feel. Like we noted in the family post, however, the slide-out speaker seems like an expensive addition when you consider the thickness it's adding. Once we get a chance to play back some media and be "blown away" by the Dolby Surround we'll be able to tell if you if it's truly worth the tradeoff. Somehow we're in doubt. Overall the phone comes off as a slightly inspired design in a sea of fairly uninspired designs (at least in the US). HTC HD7 this is not.%Gallery-104771%
Mysterious HTC Windows Phone 7 device breaks cover at FCC, swears it was invited
It's one of the most barebones filings we've seen in recent memory, but there's no mistaking that at least one Windows Phone 7 device from HTC is going to make a stateside debut. If we had to guess, we'd say that this is the first official look at whatever phone we spotted late last month, but the only identifying mark anywhere is a PD26100 model number. Based on the test reports, we know for sure that it'll boast Bluetooth, 802.11n WiFi and support for GSM 850 / UMTS I and II, but it's obviously still up in the air as to what carrier this will be headed for. Given AT&T's own proclamation that it's aiming to be the "premiere carrier" for WP7 in the States, we'd reckon that this bugger has a better-than-average chance at sitting quietly beside Apple's iPhone 4 and Samsung's Cetus in due time. Those "holidays" are drawing ever closer, you know?
Mystery HTC Windows Phone 7 device: in the wild and lacking any Sense
A candybar slate from HTC with a 3.7-inch SLCD and 1GHz Snapdragon processor -- sounds about right for the Desire, but this little puppy is actually running Windows Phone 7 (presumably a developer build, given the apps catalog). According to our tipster, the three buttons under the screen are touch-sensitive à la Nexus One, the camera boasts 8 megapixels of memory retention, and the "hardware is ready." What you're not seeing, however, is any sign of skinning -- no Sense on this one, we're afraid. The company is apparently in talks with two US carriers, including Verizon (we'd presume Sprint given the CDMA connection, but we've no insight here). Are we looking at the rumored VZW-bound HTC Spark from June? Unfortunately we can't confirm anything at this point, so for now, just enjoy the tantalizing snapshots. %Gallery-98179% [Thanks, anonymous]
Switched On: Kin's seven deadly sins
Each week Ross Rubin contributes Switched On, a column about consumer technology. There may have been a lot of behind-the-scenes machinations at Microsoft and Verizon that resulted in the discontinuation of the Kin One and the Kin Two, but there were also many marketplace miscues that resulted in the demise of the handsets. Here, then, were Kin's seven deadly sins: Lust. With the Kin handsets, Microsoft was too eager to get its hands into the pockets of young social networkers for whom the smartphone market had proven elusive. The key paradox of this was that the Kin data plan was the same for that of other smartphones at Verizon, and that continued to shut out those who aspired to mobile digital sharing nirvana. Gluttony. If Microsoft was angling to get Verizon to offer a sweetheart deal for Kin data, it certainly didn't help its cause with the automatic backup of rich media to the Kin Studio website. If there was one aspect to the Kin handsets operation that may pave the way toward future success, it was the Silverlight-based web interface to all the media that was captured with the device. This also allowed Microsoft and Sharp to minimize the amount of on-device storage. However, constantly backing up high-resolution photos and even standard-definition videos to the cloud required a lot of bandwidth, making it difficult for Verizon to justify a "light" data usage plan for Kin users.
Wi-Fi Sync now compatible with Windows and iPad
Wi-Fi Sync is quite the gem (at least we think so) but it had some limitations -- namely, it only worked on OS X for desktop, and only with iPhone / iPod touch. Developer Greg Hughes pinged us earlier today to let us know he's thrown the gates off such restrictions. The jailbroken app now works for both iPads and Windows -- XP, Vista, and 7. The desktop client is free to download but it still cost just a hair under $10 for the appropriate mobile device. Worth the price of breaking free from wires? Your call.
Editorial: Engadget on Windows Phone 7 Series
Microsoft took a dramatic step with Windows Phone 7 Series this morning at MWC in Barcelona, and obviously we've been talking about it all day here at Engadget HQ. Just like with the iPad and the Droid, opinions on the staff are all over the map -- it's not every day that a company reboots an entire OS -- so we're going to let everyone speak for themselves, starting with the people who've handled Windows Phone 7 Series in person: Josh, Chris, Thomas, and Sean. Josh: The most astonishing thing about Windows Phone 7 Series is how completely it's managed to obliterate its Windows Mobile roots. Let's just be crystal clear about it: this is unlike anything the company has ever done, both in distancing itself from its past, and in the clarity of its vision. From the floor to ceiling, 7 Series is just a very new operating system with very new ideas about how users should be involved with their devices. What people should recognize is that the Windows Mobile team has made a huge gamble that upending its ailing OS was the only solution... and from the looks of things, that gamble has paid off. But this isn't a battle already won -- it's a battle yet to be fought. There's still much we don't know about this OS, and plenty to be concerned about when it comes to turning what looks nice in a demo into a daily use smartphone. There are huge questions to be answered. How are notifications handled? What kind of SDK will be made available to developers? How rigid will the user experience guidelines be? What is the real story on multitasking? Will the phone support third party browsers, email clients, or messaging applications? Can hardware manufacturers differentiate their products enough? Will the basic phone experience be useful to enterprise users or others looking for a workhorse and not just a pretty face? Honestly, those are just a few of the questions I have -- but I also continue to be impressed with Microsoft's fierceness of conviction on this platform. If the company can hew close enough to its promises and deliver on the tall order it's set out for itself, then hope for Windows in the mobile space is far from dead. It's about to be reborn.
Early Windows Mobile 7 build gets handled, incompatible with previous WinMo apps?
In case you weren't aware, Mobile-review's Eldar Murtazin is somewhat of a living legend around these parts. The Russian-borne phone guru manages to get his hands on an ample number of then-unreleased devices and juicy scoops -- but he's also been known to get things dead wrong from time, so keep that in mind. This time he might've just outdone himself with some apparent hands-on time with Windows Mobile 7. Here's what he's saying via Twitter: the OS has been built on scratch, and none of the old WinMo 6.x apps worked. There's "a lot of horizontal movements, a lot of additional info by clicks... for WM users it will be a great step ahead. For market it's a copycat of Android 3.1/3.2 [sic] or iPhone." No direct comparison to Zune HD, except to say that it's a simpler UI than what he was seeing here, and also no clue on the kernel underneath. Still, the lack of legacy compatibility is either a huge bummer to the fan base, or if not that then Microsoft is preparing for a two-platform WinMo world. Then again, this is a purported early build (and while we're at it, an unconfirmed hands-on), so who knows what's bound to change before the final release. There's a lot of other details if you're willing to check his feed, or just head over to WMPoweruser for the abridged / "good parts" version. Boy, February just can't come soon enough.
Windows 7 retail boxes hitting stores
It's really happening, people -- these Windows 7 retail boxes just turned up at a Chicago electronics store today. We've got our party packs ready, what about you?[Thanks, Frank]
Windows Mobile 7 chassis concept confirmed by Microsoft, not detailed
We still don't know what it looks like or when exactly it'll arrive -- rough estimate sometime in 2010 -- but Windows Mobile 7's being given special care by Microsoft with a chassis concept of "carefully defined hardware specifications" for hardware vendors, according to James McCarthy. As for what those specs are and how strictly it'll enforce adherence, we're still in the dark. If it's anything like what we saw with the rumored "Pink" specs from back in May, we're not too worried. Of course, it's in Microsoft's hands to screw up, and if they say it's okay to see StrongARM chips in WinMo 7 devices, someone'll do it, and we gotta imagine some negative vibes towards the mobile OS in general should someone ever have to manage a handset like that. [Via WMPowerUser]
Official Windows 7 upgrade chart is ridiculous
This is seriously Microsoft's Windows 7 upgrade chart, and it's ridiculous. It manages to highlight the insanity of shipping multiple OS versions while totally minimizing the good news: most Vista users will be able to upgrade in place to the corresponding 32- or 64-bit version of 7. That should cover the vast majority of people running Vista, but if you're still on XP or you're trying to do anything out of the ordinary you'd better get ready for some pain: all those ominous blue boxes require you to back up, wipe your drive, and reinstall a totally clean copy of 7. You heard that right -- the Windows 7 installer won't even try to retain your data and programs if you're not updating from the corresponding version of Vista. Pretty lame move, considering Microsoft is currently selling millions of copies of XP on netbooks and will sell XP downgrades until 2011 -- sure, we get that most netbook owners aren't going to spring for 7, but it's insane that you can't just pop in a disc and upgrade. Of course, now that 7's been released to manufacturing and the final bits are available there's not much to be done, so let's all just take a moment to contemplate the fact that Ed Bott at ZDNet managed to totally outdo Redmond's infographics people with a much friendlier chart with "about an hour" of work -- check it below.Read - Original chart at AllThingsDRead - Ed Bott's revised chart
Windows 7 RTM released to TechNet and MSDN
Here we go -- as planned, Microsoft's just released the Windows 7 RTM build to TechNet and MSDN subscribers. Selected beta testers will also get access, but you'll have to promise to be Microsoft's best friend. As for the rest of us, well, October 22 isn't so far away, and the RC build is still available. That's something, right? [Thanks to everyone who sent this in]
Windows 7 pre-orders sell-out in Japan
Often companies will claim a "sellout" in order to hype incredible demand for its product. However, these claims are pointless without any firm numbers -- after all, there's a big difference between moving 100 and 100,000 units. Now we're getting word from Japan that the heavily discounted Windows 7 upgrades that went up for pre-order on Friday are sold-out. While no numbers are given, the 17 retailers involved in the pre-order sales, who presumably have no vested interest in trying to inflate perceptions on behalf of Microsoft, report sales as "considerable" and taking only 1.5 days (of the 10 days planned) to burn though the alloted inventory. A quick check on Amazon US and Canada shows the same pre-order prices we saw Friday. Still, it might be wise to take notice of the "while supplies last" disclaimer if you haven't already.Update: Engadget Japanese tells us that the 30,000 copies were sold according to Microsoft.
Windows 7 could be sold on thumb drives, but probably not
As you know, Windows 7 pre-orders begin today (unless you're lucky enough to be in Europe, that is). This of course begs the question: what is a Win7-aspiring netbook owner to do? External optical drives are pretty kludgey, in our estimation, and trip to the Geek Squad? Out of the question. According to CNET, a "source" of some sort is goin' around saying that Microsoft is planning on making the OS available on USB thumb drives for the ultra-portable market, although we feel that such devices are best left to the college students who rely on campus computer labs -- or the occasional J.Lo album. As for Microsoft, they've said nothing about any of this, although we have noticed that its online store has all three upgrades (Home Premium, Professional, and Ultimate) available for pre-order download (at $49.99, $99.99, and $219.99 respectively). Problem solved, right?
Windows 7 pre-orders begin, now (update: but not for Europe)
Tomorrow is today which makes it time to get your Windows 7 pre-order in. Amazon issued a big 'ol press release telling us that it's now offering the Home Premium Upgrade and Professional Upgrade packages for $49.99 and $99.99 though July 11th, while supplies last -- nothing special there as it's the standard pricing you'll find at all your favorite on-line retailers. Amazon does promise, however, that you'll "receive the product" when released to shops on October 22nd. Note a 3 per customer limit so don't get greedy, ok? It's not like Microsoft can just press the OS onto another disc or something. Update: Reduce priced pre-orders for the UK won't begin until July 15th with prices set at £49 for Windows 7 Home Premium E and £99 for Professional E, both will ship without Internet Explorer.Update 2: For those wondering about the upgrade prices for Europe... there aren't any. In the UK, the Home Premium "upgrade" is actually a full-version of the OS and will cost £80 (about $131), Professional "upgrade" will cost £190 (about $312), and Ultimate will cost £200 (about $328) until the end of the year -- they'll cost £150 ($246), £220 ($361), and £230 ($377), respectively, starting January 1, 2010. According to the BBC, Microsoft claims that it can't offer the lower upgrade pricing ($120, $200, or $220 for Home Premium, Professional, and Ultimate in the US) in order to comply with European competition regulations, a claim that EU regulators dismiss. As such, going from Vista to Windows 7 will require a clean install in the EU in order to remove Internet Explorer -- no in-place upgrades will be possible according to Microsoft. Look EU, if you're going to fine Microsoft billions for anti-competitive behavior then you have to expect this kind of tail-between-the-legs retribution, honest or not. You certainly can't say that Microsoft is using its market dominance to push out the competition when Apple's Snow Leopard is coming in September for a mere $29. Happy now?[Thanks, Gavin]
Acer: Windows 7 coming October 23rd pre-loaded on Z5600 AIO
If all this talk of Windows 7 Release Candidate 1 has thoroughly piqued your interests, here's something to tickle your fancy even more. Acer UK marketing director Bobby Waltkins has told Pocket-Init that the Z5600 all-in-one PC is due out October 23rd along with -- and here's the kicker -- a genuine copy of Windows 7 pre-loaded on the device. That jibes with what Compal's president said back in late February, but it's hard to say for certain from the wording of his response whether he's referring to the OS's wide release or just his company's 7-equipped desktop, although his talk of a 30-day upgrade free upgrade period might be suggesting the former. Until the boys in Redmond call it official, we're just gonna mark our calendars very lightly with a pencil.
