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Windows Phone 7 handsets: spec comparison
Having trouble keeping track of all the new Windows Phone 7 handsets today? We don't blame you -- even we had trouble remembering all the minor differences between the similarly specced devices. To end our frustration, we've compiled a big chart that lists out the carriers and specs for all 10 devices (with a couple extra MIA) to make our lives a tad easier -- head on pass the break if you need the peace of mind.
Microsoft announces ten Windows Phone 7 handsets for 30 countries: October 21 in Europe and Asia, 8 November in US (Update: Video!)
It may have "Windows" in the branding, but Windows Phone 7 is not the desktop PC experience shoehorned into a cellphone. Microsoft tried that with Windows Mobile... and we all know how that turned out. Today, eight months after the Windows Phone 7 OS unveiling in Barcelona, we're finally seeing the official launch of the retail hardware: nine new WP7 handsets, some available October 21 in select European and Asian markets and others from early November in the US. The phones will find their way to over 60 cellphone operators in more than 30 countries this year. Microsoft tapped Dell, HTC, LG, and Samsung to deliver the Snapdragon-based handsets with a carrier list that includes AT&T, T-Mobile USA, Vodafone, TELUS, América Móvil, Deutsche Telekom AG, Movistar, O2, Orange, SFR, SingTel, and Telstra. And that's just for the first wave -- Microsoft has even more handsets coming in 2011 including the first for Sprint and Verizon in the US. Here's the lineup of 480 x 800 pixel (WVGA) phones announced today: HTC 7 Surround -- The 3.8-inch T8788 with slideout speaker for AT&T and Telus HTC HD7 -- Schubert comes of age as a 4.3-inch HD2 cousin for T-Mobile and beyond HTC 7 Trophy -- the 3.8-inch Spark headed to international carriers HTC 7 Mozart -- another heavily leaked int'l player with 3.7-inch display Dell Venue Pro -- 4.1-inch portrait QWERTY slider for T-Mobile we broke as Lightning Samsung Focus -- AT&T's 4-inch Super AMOLED slate we broke as Cetus Samsung Omnia 7 -- the i8700 is a 4-inch Super AMOLED jobbie for Europe LG Optimus 7/7Q -- the E900 is the official 3.8-inch global workhorse LG Quantum -- AT&T's 3.5-inch landscape slider first seen as the C900 HTC 7 Pro -- a 3.6-inch QWERTY slider for Sprint (2011) "Glance and Go," is the slogan Microsoft is using to differentiate itself from an already crowded smartphone market. Something we've already seen alluded to in that leaked AT&T ad. As Ballmer notes, "Microsoft and its partners are delivering a different kind of mobile phone and experience - one that makes everyday tasks faster by getting more done in fewer steps and providing timely information in a 'glance and go' format." He's referring to WP7's customizable Live Tiles, of course. Xbox Live integration is another biggie with EA Games just announcing its first Xbox Live-enabled wares coming to Windows Phone 7 in the fall including "Need for Speed Undercover," "Tetris," "Monopoly," and "The Sims 3." The other big differentiators are the slick Metro UI, integrated support for Zune media and Zune Pass subscriptions, Bing search and maps, Windows Live including the free Find My Phone service, and Microsoft Office Mobile. Now quit stalling and jump past the break for the full list of handsets per carrier and country. Update: Added the official WP7 overview videos after the break.
Dell Venue Pro (aka Lightning) first hands-on!
You see that? That, comrades, is what happens when Lightning strikes! Or, you know, when Venue Pro strikes. So, it doesn't quite have the same ring to it, but no matter what you call Dell's Windows Phone 7 portrait slider, it's downright awesome. We got a chance to play around with an early build of the phone a few weeks ago -- as you'll hear us say in the video below, it was still codenamed the Lightning -- and we haven't been able to get it out of our minds since. The handset has a very similar look and feel to its Android brother, the Thunder -- its rounded chrome sides are reminiscent of an iPhone 3G/S, the black contoured back has a nice grippy feel, and the curved, WVGA AMOLED, Gorilla Glass screen is just stunning. The 4.1-inch capacitive, multitouch display is joined by additional back, home and search touch-sensitive buttons, all of which seemed responsive in our short time with the device. The back is also home to a 5 megapixel cam with flash while there's a 3.5mm headphone jack on the top of the device and a micro-USB port on the bottom edge. But obviously, it's that glorious slide-out QWERTY keyboard that makes the Venue Pro, well, so pro. The rubber-feeling keys remind us a lot of those on the Droid 2 -- though, they feel a bit firmer -- and the slider mechanism felt sturdy when we slid it open and closed a number of times. On the spec front, we were told it was packing a Snapdragon processor, and while the phone seemed to briskly run an early build of WP7, we didn't get to test much out as Dell was lacking both a SIM and a nearby WiFi network. We'll be hoping to grab some more time with the T-Mobile version today, but from what we've seen so far we're fairly confident that Dell's struck pretty darn close to gold here. Oh, and don't forget to hit the break for a short video walkthrough of the hardware and keyboard.%Gallery-104723%
Dell Venue Pro gives WP7 a 4.1-inch QWERTY slider with Lightning heritage and a T-Mobile future
To say we've been eagerly anticipating the Dell Lightning would be an understatement along the lines of suggesting Microsoft's launching a few Windows Phone 7 devices today. Dell's AMOLED-equipped WP7 debut has just gone official with a cringe-worthy renaming to the Venue Pro for T-Mobile, who has in turn announced its intention to carry the 4.1-inch portrait QWERTY slider "in time for the holidays." Notably, you won't be able to purchase the Venue Pro directly from T-Mo stores, as Dell and its choice of handpicked retailers are set to handle the purchasing experience. Don't look for any AT&T hookups, either -- Dell has acknowledged T-Mobile as its "launch partner" for the device, giving team Magenta a second major exclusive, even if this one doesn't last much beyond the launch period. Needless to say, we'll seek to confirm the full spec sheet as soon as we can, though the officially known 1GHz Snapdragon chip and 5 megapixel imager agree with the Lightning's original leak. For more on the fresher than fresh Dell Venue Pro, check out our hands-on pictures and impressions.%Gallery-104726%
Dissidia Duodecim: Final Fantasy coming to PSP next year
Square Enix just revealed in the latest issue of Shonen Jump (via Siliconera) that a sequel to Dissidia: Final Fantasy will arrive on Japanese PSPs sometime in 2011. Titled "Dissidia Duodecim: Final Fantasy," the new fighter was created specifically as a challenge to website copy editors. Outside of FFIV's Kain and FFXIII's Lightning, no other playable characters have been confirmed. We get the feeling you'll see an expanded roster of fan-favorite brawlers at next week's Tokyo Game Show.
Lightning strikes over Chicago captured in stunning slow motion video
Need a reminder of what the word awesome truly means? Follow us after the break to receive a liberal dosage of the stuff.
Dell's Lightning, Thunder, Flash, Smoke and more: rounding up a storm of mobile leaks
You might have missed it if you were sleeping, but we broke open a huge treasure trove of leaked Dell mobile devices last night, including the high-end Lightning Windows Phone 7 slider and Thunder Android set. We also got wind of the mid-range Flash and Smoke Android phones, as well as the Looking Glass seven-inch Android tablet, and to round things out we scored more details on the Aero and Streak. Yeah, it was a hell of a night, but we've got it all rounded up for you right here, so click on through if you missed anything! Lightning: the ultimate Windows Phone 7 Thunder: 4.1-inch OLED, Android, Hulu app Flash: Android Froyo in 'dramatic' package Smoke: 'Like a Pixi but awesome' Looking Glass: 7-inch tablet with Tegra 2 Streak: Android 2.1 in September Aero: Spec'd Dell's mobile outlook
Dell Lightning: the ultimate Windows Phone 7 device leaks out
Hot damn, people. The mother of all Dell leaks just dropped into our laps, and the absolute highlight has to be the Lightning, a Windows Phone 7 portrait slider. That's right -- a portrait slider. The renders on these slides look slick as hell, but they're no match for the spec sheet, which looks even better: 1GHz QSD8250 Snapdragon processor, WVGA 4.1-inch OLED display, AT&T and T-Mobile 3G, five megapixel autofocus camera, 1GB of flash with 512MB RAM plus 8GB of storage on a MicroSD card (non-user-replaceable, we're assuming), GPS, accelerometer, compass, FM radio, and full Flash support including video playback. We'll see what happens with that -- the ship date is pegged at Q4, indicating this is a WP7 launch device, and Microsoft's told us Flash won't make it into the OS initially. Here's the real kicker, though -- other slides in the deck indicate this thing is getting an upgrade to LTE in Q4 of 2011. Are we stoked? Yes, you might say that. Check out all the slides in the gallery below, and check out the rest of this storm of leaks right here. %Gallery-91362%
Final Fantasy XIII and Bravia -- feel the synergy!
Here's an example of the sway RPG characters hold in Japan: A writer for AndriaSang spotted Final Fantasy XIII's Lightning hocking TVs in a Japanese electronics store. Her favorite model? Why, the Sony Bravia, of course. Do what you will, but, speaking from experience, if you start making your purchasing decisions based on the whims of computer-generated characters you end up buying a crate of New Coke solely on the recommendation of Max Headroom. Trust us on this one.
Lightning strikes the UK and US cover art of Final Fantasy XIII [Update]
The Final Fantasy series has been known to have some truly epic box art in the past, such as the man vs. machinery motif of the Final Fantasy VII cover, or the lovely, all-inclusive tableau featured on the front of the last entry in the core franchise. Imagine our surprise when we received the images above from Games Press -- it seems the cover for the UK version of Final Fantasy XIII will be considerably more simple than the box art of its predecessors. [Update: The US version of the box art will be identical to the UK version.] We've posted larger versions of the two boxes in the gallery below. Check them out, but don't let those eyes of yours wander. Yes, we know her skirt is hiked to a precarious degree. We also know that the baby Jesus is watching your every action. %Gallery-79216%
Digital Projection reveals TITAN, LIGHTNING and iVision 3D projectors
Like it or not, 3D is making its way into the home -- slowly, but surely. As a followup to the TITAN 1080p-3D at ISE Europe, the company has introduced no fewer than fourteen 3D-capable projectors. Up first is the iVision sx+ 3D and iVision sx+W-3D, both of which are single-chip beamers that weigh in at seven pounds and feature SXGA+ resolutions. The differentiating factor is that the former sports a standard zoom lens, while the latter is equipped with a short throw ratio fixed lens. Moving on, we've got the overloaded TITAN 3D range, which is comprised of eight different DLP-based models that are available with SXGA+ or 1080p resolutions. For 3D applications requiring the highest lumen performance, the LIGHTNING 3D line mimics the TITAN family while upping the lumens to 21,000 and bumping contrast to 4,000:1. No prices are mentioned, but you can tap the read link for more details on the full lot.
Final Fantasy XIII's 'blond-haired bandana guy' named
Stop the presses! The latest issue of Famitsu (you know, the one that totally hated on LittleBigPlanet) has revealed the name of "blond-haired bandana dude" from Final Fantasy XIII. Ladies and gentlemen, meet Snow Villiers. We know you'll be able to sleep more soundly now. Snow will be joining described "female Cloud Strife" protagonist Lightning in taking the world by storm. Bad weather puns aside, we can't decide who'd be more proud of the nomenclature, Mega Man or Captain Planet.The magazine (via IGN) also delved a bit into Versus XIII but lacked any gameplay details. Instead, we're given hints about each of the two main characters' personalities, Noctis Lucis Caelum and Stella Nox Fleuret (latin words literally translated as "Night Light Sky" and "Star Darkness Sword," respectively). These two have the ability to "see light," which we guess is either some incomplete translation, a metaphor for something spiritual or a hint that Square Enix is taking a cue from the story Blindness.
Lightning GT caught rolling around the track
The all-electric Lightning GT sports car might have just had its formal debut yesterday, but that doesn't mean prototypes haven't been tooling around for a while -- check out this video of the swoopy two-door doing the track thing in ultra-dramatic slow-mo. Of course, there's no sound, so there could totally be a nasty 5.0L Windsor V8 block under that hood, but we'll give 'em the benefit of the doubt for now. Video at the read link -- and be honest, is this thing enough to sway your feelings from the Tesla Roadster or the Fisker Karma?[Via Autoblog Green]
Lightning's 120,000 all-electric sports car unveiled in London
Well, would you have a look at that. That, dear friends, is Lightning's immaculate GT -- a £120,000 ($239,400) motorcar that is just one of two vehicles in the world to rely on lithium-titanate battery technology. Said innovation enables the vehicle to go from dead to fully charged in "just minutes," though you will have to find a location that provides three-phase industrial power in order to see the benefits over traditional Li-ion cells. The firm's Chris Dell asserts that the nearly exclusive quick charge tech more than justifies the exorbitant price tag, and he's even looking to UK-based businesses to hopefully strike a deal in which motorists can swing by, juice up and be on their way while traveling. Anxious to take delivery? Looks like you'll be waiting until sometime next year.
Totem Talk: Shocks and awe
Totem Talk, the column for shamans, takes another look at offense this week. Matthew Rossi covers how to burn, freeze, or... whatever earth shock is supposed to be, a big rock in the face? He couldn't tell you. But whatever it is, it really annoys spellcasters. Boom, clod of earth in the face, no spells for you!Last week, on Totem Talk, we escaped a burning warehouse only to discover that Diego really isn't the father...Oh, wait. No, sorry, that was something else entirely. Last week, we talked about direct damage totems. This week, we're going to talk about those signature abilities of the shaman class, those lovely shocks and the lightning bolts we can throw. The fury of the elements in the palm of your hand? The ability to chain a bolt of lightning to hit multiple targets? Shamans can do these things. The two DPS specs use them differently (Enhancement shamans rarely use lightning bolt or chain lightning, while Elemental shamans are less likely to use shocks since they don't really need to be all that close to their targets, although of course you'll see an elemental shaman using a shock to kite or interrupt and an enhancement shaman throwing a few bolts of lightning when told not to engage in melee for whatever reason) but together they make up the offensive spellcasting options of the shaman class.There are at present three classes of shock spells that shamans can use. These are Earth Shock, Flame Shock, and Frost Shock. As you might expect, each has an elemental affiliation (Earth, Fire and Water respectively) and its own special characteristics that recommend using it in specific situations. All shock spells are linked, meaning that if you use one shock you lock out the other two as well for the duration of the shock cooldown (which is six seconds) meaning that you have to be careful when using them to some degree. It's not a terrible burden, just something to keep in mind as you explore what each shock does and what situations each is best for.
New classes definitely coming to Mythos
IGN has a preview of Mythos up (littered with as much gameplay footage as the game has loot) that takes a pretty good look at the upcoming Flagship Studios Diablo-like title. An interesting subject that the preview touches on is the addition of future classes. The only bit of information we're given is that the new classes will focus on some of the weapon-types that have no optimal class already in-game for them. We've got a couple guesses as to what sort of classes we may see, so buckle up!
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Another class issue post gets a blue response
After Druids got a blue's attention last week with a well-written class issues list, the Shaman have done the same. Danemoth of Blade's Edge server has posted a short, concise list of Shaman issues. And already got a blue response. The response was just a tag by a CM, but it shows they are listening.Here is a summary:1) Shaman specs outside of Restoration lack survivability. 2) No pushback resistance for Lightning Spells put a hamper on solo grinding / farming as well as in PvP. 3) Totems immobility and short range need to be buffed. 4) Other classes got new skills/spells in TBC that changed their playstyle, Shamans did not.5) Enhancement shaman lack significant ranged combat abilities as well a way to chase down fleeing opponents.6) Threat management is a bigger issue than ever with the TBC talents boosting shaman dps.7) Shaman have issues handling an assist train. (When someone gets zerged by multiple opponents).8) Lack of a way to deal with other classes' crowd control abilities put shaman at a distinct disadvantage in PvP.9) Off-spec Shaman itemization is poor in Karazhan and beyond.10) Flametongue and Frostbrand Weapon both scale poorly. 11) Windfury and Stormstrike demand the shaman using the slowest weapon for maximum dps gain, but that concept is counter to the weapon normalization introduced in patch 1.8.12) Shamans need more control over their fire-and-forget Totems to direct them at a specific target or to stop them from breaking cc.13) The large global cool down associated with dropping four Totems in combat makes it difficult for the Shaman to be responsive to changes in combat. Read the whole list through the link. If I've misinterpreted something, list it below.
Lightning strikes twice for unsuspecting iPod users
In a letter to the New England Journal of Medicine, doctors from Vancouver General Hospital detail the case of a 37-year-old jogger who was admitted for treatment of lightning-related burns on his neck, face, and chest -- and they say that the iPod the man was wearing conducted the current through his body. According to the letter, the man's eardrums were ruptured, his jawbone broken in four places, and both of his jaw joints were dislocated when lighting struck a tree near the runner during a storm. The doctors say that while the use of an iPod won't increase your chances of being stuck by lightning, the metal in the device's earbuds can direct current "to and through" ones head. This is strikingly similar to this case that we saw in July of last year, though it can be assumed that any earphone-equipped music device could have this rare effect, so don't go dumping your Apple stock just yet.[Thanks, psxp]
UK's Lightning to build all-electric GT sports car
Adding its name to the ever-growing list of all-electric cars that never seem to seep onto lots is Lightning, which is apparently developing a 700bhp whip that unashamedly rips styling cues from quintessential British cars of the past and present. Designed to "compete with premium market sport cars," the GT is hoping to "combine high performance electric motive power with an advanced regenerative energy system that recharges the car's batteries under braking by capturing lost friction energy." Additionally, motorists can expect a sub-four second 0-60 time, and better yet, just a ten minute charge time to sustain a 250 mile range. As expected, Lightning would love to secure your deposit on the not-yet-launched car right now for a 2008 delivery, but we'd recommend checking with its shipping department before you place an order from outside of Britain.[Via Autoblog]
Today's lesson: don't mow the lawn while listening to your iPod during a lightning storm
The Denver Post is reporting that Bunch, a 17-year-old teenager in Castle Rock, CO, was struck by lightning while mowing the lawn and listening to his iPod. While scientists aren't laying any money down on how likely it is that lightning sought out the teenager's iPod, the boy and his mother suspect Apple's little white player acted as a sort of lightning rod in this most unfortunate of accidents. The strike traveled all the way down his earbuds, burning his ears and the side of his face, causing Bunch to lose some of his hearing.All things considered, Bunch and his mother are just happy that he is alive.[via iLounge]Thanks Gidge.
