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Windows Phone 7.5 Mango in-depth preview (video)
Make no mistake, Microsoft isn't playing coy in the smartphone market any longer. The folks in Redmond are making a significant jump forward in the mobile arena, announcing that the upcoming version of Windows Phone, codenamed "Mango," will be heading to a device near you in time for the holidays. As its competitors have raised the bar of expectations to a much higher level, Microsoft followed suit by adding at least 500 features to its mobile investment, which the company hopes will plug all of the gaping holes the first two versions left open. We received a Samsung Focus preloaded with the most recent developer build (read: not even close to the market release version) and we had a few good days to put it through its paces. It's still far from completion, as there were several key features that we couldn't test out; some weren't fully implemented, and others involved third-party apps that won't be updated until closer to launch. Yet we don't want to call this build half-baked -- in fact, it was surprisingly smooth for software that still has at least four months to go before it's available for public consumption. At the risk of sounding ridiculously obvious, we're mighty interested in seeing the final result when all is said and done this holiday season. As a disclaimer, we can't guarantee that the stuff we cover here will actually look or act the same when it's ready to peek out and make its official introduction in Q4; as often happens, features and UI enhancements are subject to be changed by the Windows Phone team as Mango gets closer and closer to release. Let's get straight to brass tacks, since there's a lot of details to dive into. It'd be best to grab a large beverage (we'd recommend a Big Gulp, at least), find your most comfortable chair, and meet us after the break.
More Mango features uncovered: in-browser audio streams, Xbox Live voice chats, and more (video)
While we wait (rather impatiently, we might add) for Mango to make its official debut others are still playing with test builds, pouring over code, and digging up interesting tidbits about Microsoft's mobile OS update. That WP7 will be getting improved HTML5 support is nothing new but, that it will specifically support in-browser audio and continue to stream even if you navigate away from the browser or lock the screen, is music (literally) to our ears. Snippets discovered in a recent Mango dump have also turned up mentions of Xbox Live Voice chat, parties, multiplayer gaming, and tighter integration with the 360 for pushing Live content to your big screen. If you hit the WPSauce source link you'll find a whole host of other fascinating things in the WP7 code, and some details about just how deeply Facebook will be tied to the OS. But, before you go, check out the video of the HTML5 audio support in action after the break. [Thanks, Charlie]
Microsoft shows off new Games Hub for Windows Phone 7 Mango
The official Windows Phone blog has posted a walkthrough of the new Games Hub feature in the upcoming Mango release of Windows Phone 7. As you can imagine, it borrows quite heavily from the popular features of the console Xbox Live, including a new "Recent" games browser, more ways to connect with Xbox Live friends right from the phone and new comparison views between accounts, similar to what's found on Xbox.com. Additionally, Avatars are now fully 3D -- you can even shake your phone on the Avatar screen to make yours sick, and Avatars will "act out" certain emoticons that show up in messages from friends. Mango is a free firmware update for all Windows Phone 7 users, and is slated to arrive sometime in this fall.
Microsoft details the new Games Hub for Windows Phone Mango
Still not clear on what your gaming options will be like with Windows Phone Mango? Then Microsoft's now got you covered with a fairly extensive overview of its new Games Hub, which has actually been tweaked a bit further from earlier previews it's offered. One of the biggest changes is that the Hub now includes features previously relegated to the separate Xbox Live Extras app, including improved Xbox Live messaging, integrated achievements (complete with comparison views with your friends), and the ability to edit your Xbox Live profile -- not to mention fully animated 3D avatars. The Hub also boasts a new Collection view that promises to let you more easily manage your installed Windows Phone games, and it's literally been brightened up a bit across the board. Check out the gallery below for a closer look, and hit the source link for some more details.%Gallery-127031%
Nokia's first Windows Phone: images and video, codenamed 'Sea Ray'
Ok, this one's odd. In fact, we didn't believe the images until a video just surfaced showing Nokia CEO, Stephen Elop, foolishly asking a crowd of people to "put away their cameras" for the unveiling of something "super confidential," codenamed "Sea Ray." Naturally, a few people ignored the plea for "no pictures please" and, indeed, someone leaked what appears to be a Nokia-produced video of the unveiling to the blogosphere. What is it? Why, it's Nokia's first Windows Phone. While it looks nearly identical to the just announced N9, the different LED placement on the back (in line with the same 8 megapixel Carl Zeiss lens) confirms it's a new device as does the additional hardware button (for shutter release, we presume) along the side. And the fact that it's running Windows Phone 7 Mango seals the deal. See a few more shots and the full uncut video (and relevant snippet) after the break. [Thanks, Advil and Zeban]
Nokia Windows Phones will launch in six European nations first, Finland not among them
Nokia VP Victor Saeijs has this week disclosed the six launch markets for the vanguard devices born out of the Microsoft-Nokia partnership. France, Germany, Italy, Spain, the Netherlands, and the UK will all count themselves as hosts to Nokia's Windows Phone debut, but the company's mother nation of Finland has strangely been left out in the cold. Knowing Nokia, there's no doubt that once the WP7 handsets are ready they'll find themselves swiftly available worldwide, but if you care to be among the very first to own one, you'll be wanting to visit Europe's western shores -- preferably some time before the year's through, as Mr. Saeijs also reaffirmed that there will indeed be a Nokia Windows Phone coming out in 2011.
Microsoft job listing hints at annual Windows Phone updates
From the looks of it, a job posting on Microsoft's career site has informally confirmed that Windows Phone is on track to receive "major yearly releases." The idea of pushing a hefty Mango-sized package of features to its phones once a year shouldn't come as much of a surprise, as both iOS and Android aim for the same goal, but it's nice to see that the folks in Redmond have a good feel on exactly where the platform is headed. Now, update fans need not be worried about refreshes only coming once a year; the listing asks for someone to head up work on minor amendments in between these releases, which means we should look forward to NoDo-style maintenance updates on a regular basis. Or it could all amount to absolutely nothing. Your move, Ballmer. Your move. Head to the source link for the job listing.
Microsoft details SkyDrive integration with Windows Phone Mango (video)
We already knew Windows Phone Mango would include SkyDrive functionality, but Microsoft has now released a few more details on some of the cloud storage features we can expect to see when the update rolls out, later this year. With the update, SkyDrive users will be able to share their stored photos via text message, e-mail or IM, and to upload their videos to the cloud with the touch of a button. They'll also be able to browse, share and edit uploaded MS Office documents directly from their handhelds, while searching through their entire SkyDrive via the Office Hub. Storage limits remain capped at 25GB, though Microsoft says we should expect to see more cloud-based features roll out in the near future (including a revamped, HTML5-based SkyDrive web interface), so more changes may very well be on the horizon. Soar past the break for some demo videos from Redmond, along with a hands-on clip from WinRumors.
AT&T's Ralph de la Vega: Windows Phones 'not selling as well' as hoped
We don't envy AT&T Mobility CEO Ralph de la Vega's job one bit, nor the amount of time he spends on the hotseat. We do, however, admire his willingness to open his mouth and reveal interesting tidbits. Interviewed after his D9 appearance, de la Vega fielded questions about Windows Phone, confirming what we have suspected for quite some time: the platform hasn't been selling as well as AT&T or Microsoft would've liked. He didn't divulge numbers or get any more specific, but he did sound optimistic looking to the future. When asked if WP7 is a hard sell, de la Vega noted that it's a brand new OS, and the growth both companies are hoping for will come once the Mango update is readily available; consumers are looking for a bigger app store, more functionality, and a larger number of features. So adding more functionality will make phones more appealing to consumers? Crazy thought. If you're interested in seeing what else Ralph had to say in his one-on-one, head to the source link.
Microsoft outlines new features for Windows Phone Mango's Music and Video Hubs
When Microsoft unveiled Windows Phone Mango last month, the company spent a lot of time walking us through some of the 500-plus changes to the OS -- most notably, conversation threads, people groups, enhanced search functionality, Twitter and LinkedIn integration, IE9, and the instantly responsive Bing Vision. It's no wonder, then, that Redmond didn't have much time to talk multimedia. Well, the company just spilled the beans in a blog post, laying out a raft of new features that run the gamut from podcasts to improved playback controls. We've got a lot to recap, so join us past the break, won't you? %Gallery-125313%
Live from D9: Nokia's Stephen Elop takes the stage
We know, we know -- you should've left the office hours ago, but if you hang tight for just a wee bit longer, you'll be able to join us on our journey of the last D9 liveblog for June 1st, the year two-thousand and eleven. Hot on the heels of Steven Sinofsky and Leo Apotheker, it's the president and CEO of Nokia, Mr. Stephen Elop. He's been doing the media rounds while camped out in California today, and now it's our turn to see how he reacts to Walt and Kara's questioning. Live coverage of the interview continues after the break!
Acer W4 Windows Phone Mango handset eyes-on (video)
It'll be a little while before Windows Phone 7 Mango phones pop up in the shops, but here at Computex, Acer decided to give us a little tease with a mockup of its upcoming W4 handset. Before you get all excited, though, the hardware specs are pretty yawn-inducing: there's a 3.6-inch 800 x 480 display of unknown type, 1GHz Qualcomm MSM8255 CPU, up to 8GB of storage, 5 megapixel auto-focus camera, and DLNA support. Hardly anything new here, which is a surprise given that we're looking at a Mango device -- a phone to be shipped with a major WP7 refresh. Anyhow, you'll also find the usual radios like 802.11 b/g/n plus Bluetooth 2.1 here, but interestingly enough, it looks like the W4 will be coming in two SKUs: one with HSPA 850 / 1900, and one with HSPA 900 / 2100 -- obviously a potential problem for globetrotters. As for look and feel the W4's well within the comfort zone of Acer's smartphone ID, and the curved back felt nice and solid in our hands, but we shall save our final judgement for the real deal. When we hear a release date, you'll know it as soon as we do. %Gallery-124954%
Huawei dips its foot into Windows Phone pool, considers going for a swim
Wherefore art thou, Huawei? Noticeably absent from the Windows Phone party last week, we were left to wonder if the Chinese manufacturer is still on the fence or it hopped off and walked away from WP7 altogether. After an interview with ZDNet, Huawei CMO Victor Xu confirmed that his company is indeed keeping a close eye on the platform and will "probably" have something cooked up and ready to go in 2012. This can't be much of a surprise since ZTE threw its hat into the ring last week, and Huawei won't want to lose much ground to its bitter rival. Nothing is set in stone yet, but this is still good news for Microsoft, which has a lot to gain by gathering another OEM into its fold.
Engadget Podcast 241 - 05.27.2011
It's all about doing new stuff, right? This week, we're doing a lot of new stuff: paying for soda pop with our cell phones, reading books on E Ink displays, and waiting for Duke Nukem Forever. OK, well maybe none of those things are actually new, but we're doing them in new ways this week, kind of. Listen to the podcast, is all we're saying.Host: Tim StevensGuests: Brian HeaterProducer: Trent WolbeMusic: 10yr - Regulate02:30 - Kobo unbuttons for $129 eReader Touch Edition, we go hands-on (video)03:52 - Barnes & Noble announces new touch-enabled Nook for $139 (video)13:43 - Barnes & Noble selling Nooks for $99 on eBay18:03 - Live from Microsoft's Windows Phone VIP preview event!22:00 - Windows Phone 'Mango' search offers location-specific results, app integration (video)29:36 - Windows Phone Mango and Bing Vision hands-on32:05 - Live from the Google Wallet press event!33:50 - Google Wallet mobile payment service, Google Offers announced35:16 - Google Wallet vending on Nexus S hands-on43:21 - Droid Incredible 2 review48:53 - Spotify and Facebook partner up, send Europe a friend request?50:55 - Sony makes good, doles out identity protection activation codes for PSN and Qriocity users51:28 - TweetDeck and Twitter, together at last54:00 - Duke Nukem Forever goes gold, will meet promised June deadline (really!)Hear the podcastSubscribe to the podcast[iTunes] Subscribe to the Podcast directly in iTunes (enhanced AAC).[RSS MP3] Add the Engadget Podcast feed (in MP3) to your RSS aggregator and have the show delivered automatically.[RSS AAC] Add the Engadget Podcast feed (in enhanced AAC) to your RSS aggregator.[Zune] Subscribe to the Podcast directly in the Zune MarketplaceDownload the podcastLISTEN (MP3)LISTEN (AAC)LISTEN (OGG)Contact the podcastSend your questions to @tim_stevens.Leave us a voicemail: (423) 438-3005 (GADGET-3005)E-mail us: podcast at engadget dot comTwitter: @tim_stevens @bheater
Windows Phone patch comes to Sprint and Orange, beefs up security
Windows Phone owners start your engines -- or at least your Zune software. First promised three weeks ago, Microsoft is ready to roll out the "7392" post-NoDo update to phones on Sprint in the US and Orange in Europe (with one exception: updates to the Omnia 7 will be meted out in phases). It's not a Mango-sized update, so you'll be sorely disappointed if you're yearning for new features; the 7392 refresh is a security patch that fixes fraudulent third-party certificates that could lead to phishing attacks or content spoofing, and that's it. If you still haven't put NoDo on your phone, however, 7392 will bundle both updates together in one package. On one last note, it looks like phones previously updated using "unofficial mechanisms" are still unable to get the refresh. If that's not a concern, the security patch can be installed through your computer if you're so inclined.
ZTE plans to launch LTE devices later this year, Windows Phone in early 2012
It may have been the third runner-up in global market share last year, but ZTE isn't content to just sit down and keep quiet in its new position. Speaking to Reuters, CEO Cheng Lixin mentioned his company wants to push LTE devices out to the States during the second half of the year, and introduce phones blessed with Windows Phone's Mango update in early 2012. We're already expecting an LTE-based tablet from ZTE in this same timeframe, but are unsure of what handsets may pop up between now and then. With thriving markets like LTE and Windows Phone, the Chinese manufacturer has a golden opportunity to grow right alongside them. But as hopeful as we'd like to be about the whole thing, let's not take Lixin's announcement as a guarantee that his phones will end up on AT&T's and / or Verizon's 4G lineups specifically -- while they'll be the only national players using LTE this year, MetroPCS already has a history of working with ZTE and could swoop in to pick one of its phones (or tablets) up. No matter where they land, we want these phones to be blazing fast.
Microsoft to launch web-based Windows Phone Marketplace alongside 'Mango'
We're not quite sure why Microsoft didn't make mention of it during its big event yesterday, but the company has now confirmed that its forthcoming "Mango" update will also bring with it another significant addition to the Windows Phone scene: a web-based Marketplace. That will of course let you browse and buy apps right from your favorite web browser, and then have them installed on your phone over-the-air ("via SMS or email," apparently). You'll also be able to take advantage of various social networking tie-ins to share apps with your friends, and the Marketplace will hang onto your download history so you can easily reinstall all of your apps if you switch phones -- and, yes, you can count on plenty of Bing integration as well. Update: Microsoft got in touch with us to clear up some of the confusion about how apps are actually delivered to the phone. It says it expects the vast majority of customers to install apps OTA in a single step using its regular notification system. SMS would only be used in instances where that service is not already turned on, and in that case there would still be "no links or added engagement on the phone." Customers can also choose to send themselves an email with a link to the app but, again, it expects most folks to simply let apps install in the background.
Windows Phone 'Mango' will be used on first Nokia WP devices (updated: multiple!)
Nokia has noted Microsoft's announcement of the new Windows Phone 7 (aka Mango) with word that the software being demonstrated today will be the one we'll see on the first Nokia with Windows Phone device. That's singular, not plural, indicating that Nokia will likely start off with one phone and work its way up. It also slightly contracts the roadmap for the first handset born from the Microkia partnership, though Nokia's statement makes sure not to make any promises about when said device will show up. Finally, we find the "Nokia with Windows Phone" phrasing somewhat peculiar, don't be surprised if you see it turn into a branding strategy for Nokia's smartphones going forward. Here's the relevant statement, straight out of Finland: "Today Microsoft has announced the key new ingredients of the latest 'Mango' release of the Windows Phone operating system. This is the software that will be used on the first Nokia with Windows Phone device, and so should be of keen interest to Nokia-watchers everywhere." Update: Microsoft just concluded its keynote with word that it already has Nokia phones running Mango in its labs. And none have leaked out yet, amazing! Update 2: We were just contacted by a Nokia representative indicating that there was a mistake in the original announcement the company distributed. It wasn't supposed to read device, it was supposed to be devices. More than one! Update 3: Nokia's Executive VP of Smart Devices, Jo Harlow, has told Forbes that the forthcoming "small portfolio" of phones -- which are currently on target for a 2011 release -- won't look like the renderings we've seen before. Not only that, we may see a CDMA Nokia handset at some point, as the company is "working in that direction."
Windows Phone Mango and Bing Vision hands-on
We're done listening, it's time to start doing. Microsoft had a number of Windows Phone Mango devices scattered about after this morning's intimate event concluded. So we grabbed one, went somewhere quiet, and got a little more intimate with the operating system itself, checking out the new hubs, groups, and Bing Vision search that should make cross-shopping a whole lot easier. Join us, won't you, to see what Mango is -- and what it isn't. %Gallery-124322%
Windows Phone Mango augmented reality hands-on
We're still waiting to get our first big bite of the full Mango experience after this morning's liveblog, but we were able to get a quick hands-on with a few of the apps making use of the operating system's new features. Chief among them is the History Channel app, which is making use of the augmented reality features that have been enabled. Using the internal gyro and accelerometer the device was able to overlay landmarks, which with a tap can be added to the phones home screen -- you know, in case you really want to know what's up at the Brooklyn Bridge. We also got a look at the updated Weather Channel app, which will not identify cloud types using any augmented reality trickery, but will give you quick and easy access to what's up -- and about to start falling. Check out the pics below, and get ready for a video after the break. %Gallery-124315%
