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Dell curiously missing from Windows Phone 'Mango' hardware partner list, Microsoft says 'stay tuned' (updated)
Microsoft this morning added Acer, Fujitsu and ZTE to its stable of Windows Phone hardware partners, but look at that image above and you'll find one name missing. Yes, Michael Dell's surname is a notable absentee from the group of Mango manufacturers, which prompted us to reach out to someone in charge to see what's what. A Microsoft rep informed us that the company has nothing to announce on that front at present, but urged us to "stay tuned," whatever that may mean. If you're wondering where Nokia is, fret not, it's still very much in Microsoft's future plans, it just got a separate mention. As to Dell? Not a peep in the entire keynote. This comes only a day after a Wall Street Journal article mentioned Dell's intention to reduce its presence in the consumer market and focus on its enterprise strengths -- could an abandonment of Windows Phone be one of those steps? Update: Dell is not off the list of WP7 hardware manufacturers. Microsoft told us that the Round Rock gang simply isn't one of the "partners ready to go" do the Mango tango right now.
Qualcomm confirms its Snapdragon processor will power 'new generation of Windows Phone' devices
We'd heard some rumblings ST-Ericsson might be moving in on its turf with Nokia's Windows Phone devices, but Qualcomm has now reasserted that it's still the main game in town. Following the big Mango announcement this morning, Qualcomm confirmed that Microsoft has chosen it to bring a "new generation of Windows Phone handsets exclusively featuring Qualcomm's second generation Snapdragon mobile processors to market." The company's executive vice president, Steve Mollenkopf, further went on to say that Qualcomm is "excited about this next Windows Phone Mango release," and that it will "leverage the synergy of our highly integrated second generation Snapdragon solution and Microsoft's Windows Phone software." Leveraging synergy, what more could you ask for?
Live from Microsoft's Windows Phone VIP preview event!
Microsoft's Windows Phone 7 VIP Preview Event is when you'll finally find what's coming next for Microsoft's biggest little operating system yet. Are you ready? Sure you are. Come, join us at the times below 04:00 - Hawaii 07:00 - Pacific 08:00 - Mountain 09:00 - Central 10:00 - Eastern 15:00 - London 16:00 - Paris 18:00 - Moscow 22:00 - Perth 22:00 - Shenzhen 23:00 - Tokyo 00:00 - Sydney (May 25th)
Windows Phone 'Mango' search offers location-specific results, app integration (video)
Windows Phone's latest iteration (codename Mango) is all about keeping it in the hood. We had a chance to sit down with a Windows Phone rep before today's big reveal, and they let us in on a couple of new features that will most definitely set the OS apart -- at least when it comes to navigating the tangled web that is the internet. We did get a quick glimpse at IE9, but the new browser isn't much of a game changer -- it supports HTML5, but still won't deliver Flash or Silverlight compatibility. The real news here is in the Bing-powered search function, which lets users surf the vast expanses of the web four different ways, with a focus on the local. Clicking the dedicated search button from the Windows Phone home screen takes you to a familiar Bing page, offering the visual, audio, and voice options we heard rumored earlier this month, along with a city scape icon. That skyline represents Local Scout, a function that focuses your queries on the neighborhood you're in, providing location-specific results that highlight important information about establishments and events in your immediate area. Clicking through on any link brings up general information as well as reviews gleaned from popular user-generated sites. That's not all that's new, however, as Mango also offers some nifty tricks in its visual search. Instead of just snapping a barcode, you can actually use a shot of the product itself to bring up information about pricing, availability, and relevant apps. The demo we saw used the cover of The Girl Who Played With Fire, and supplied among the search results a link to the title in the Kindle app. This isn't exactly groundbreaking technology -- Google Goggles does much the same thing -- but what's truly different here is the tight integration of such functions in the operating system, as well as links to outside applications. Thus, the experience is a bit unlike any other in the OS atmosphere, upending our idea of what it means to search the internets without resorting to standalone programs. Whether it's something users will take to is anybody's guess, but we're certain it's enough to get folks talking. For a deeper (and very vertical) look at Local Scout, hop on past the break.
Microsoft announces Windows Phone 'Mango' update, coming in autumn (updated)
Mango may no longer be a secret in and of itself, but we doubt Microsoft would've set up an entire event to preview its big Windows Phone update if there was nothing hidden up that Redmond sleeve. To that end, we've just come across an official press release from the company, released on its Romanian website. The machine translation awaits after the break. Update: We've now swapped in the natively English press release. There's also confirmation that Mango will indeed be known as Windows Phone 7.1. Update 2: Turns out Microsoft "had to give [the SDK] a name" and dubbed it 7.1, so Mango retains its formal WP7 moniker. The first thing to note is that the update will be "freely available" to all current Windows Phone handsets, something Microsoft already committed to, and will be ready for download "at the beginning of this summer." (Update: it looks like our translation machinery betrayed us, tipsters are saying it's actually the beginning of autumn.) Naturally, the new goodness will also figure in new devices and from new partners, including Acer, Fujitsu, and ZTE. Those fresh faces join Nokia and the incumbent partners of Dell (maybe) HTC, Samsung, and LG to expand the WP ecosystem. A Beta SDK of the new Windows Phone free tools will be available within 24 hours, we're promised, for developers to sink their teeth into. In the communications department, Microsoft is introducing conversation threads, which seamlessly transition between MSN Messenger chats, SMS, and Facebook messaging to keep you talking to the same person irrespective of the method. New contact group tiles are also incoming, with the ability to send quick emails or IMs to entire groups. Twitter and LinkedIn contact integration is mentioned, though we expect this go a lot deeper in Twitter's case, as Microsoft has already demonstrated. Speaking of more in-depth integration, Microsoft has improved the Live Tiles to allow the display of more dynamic information from apps, which will of course be able to multitask beautifully. Internet Explorer 9 is also joining in on the Mango fun with support for HTML5. Jump past the break for all the details. Update 3: Would you look at that, Bing search has gotten a thorough sprucing up as well. Video of all the new goodness follows after the break -- or you can click here to hit up Microsoft's own video library, which is loaded to the gills with feature overviews. %Gallery-124305%
Windows Phone 7.1 is the likely name for Mango OS update
Microsoft's proper preview event for the next big release of Windows Phone may be mere hours away, but there's still time for a bit of good old fashioned web sleuthing before then. Latest on our radar is this Microsoft Developer Network page listing out all the APIs in Silverlight for Windows Phone 7.1. That's right, your eyes do not deceive you, there's a whole extra decimal added to the OS number, ostensibly signifying the move to the Mango update we're all so hungry for. We'd previously heard the moniker of Windows Phone 7.5 bandied about, but that was based on supposition more than anything else, and a .1 upgrade makes sense in light of the curent 7.0.7 version number. Fuller details will be forthcoming later on today, but for now, pencil in the number 7.1 alongside the dream specs of your next Windows Phone. [Thanks, Garret]
IE9 code for Windows Phone 7 complete, adds landscape address bar
Ballmer didn't get specific when he said the Windows Phone Mango update would bring 500 new features, but we'd bet our blue screens that a handful of those additions are wrapped up in IE9. In addition to the long awaited landscape mode address bar, IE9 for Windows Phone promises to bolster performance through GPU acceleration and an improved rendering experience. The browser update boasts a litany of support features: the aforementioned GPU-accelerated browsing, full-screen video through HTML5 (though not embedded, sorry!), GPS-based geolocation, ECMAScript 5, 2D CSS3, etc. We should know a whole heap of a lot more come tomorrow morning, so be sure to follow along during our liveblog right here.
Microsoft's Windows Phone VIP preview happens tomorrow, liveblog happens here!
Microsoft has some Mango-flavored updates in store for its Windows Phone operating system, and we're going to be there live to see whether they're really ripe. Really juicy. Steve Ballmer has promised over 500 new features in this next major release of the OS and we can't wait to hear him list them all out. One by one. In excruciating detail. Bookmark this page right here and come on back tomorrow at the times below to join in the fun. 04:00 - Hawaii 07:00 - Pacific 08:00 - Mountain 09:00 - Central 10:00 - Eastern 15:00 - London 16:00 - Paris 18:00 - Moscow 22:00 - Perth 22:00 - Shenzhen 23:00 - Tokyo 00:00 - Sydney (May 25th)
Steve Ballmer promises 'over 500' new features in Mango, teases new WP handsets (updated)
Just how big of an upgrade will the Mango release of Windows Phone be? Try "500 new features" big. Steve Ballmer revealed that seductively round number in a speech over in Japan today, where he also said that additional information about "who's going to be building Windows Phones" will be forthcoming at tomorrow's preview event as well. Combine that with an otherwise unsubstantiated rumor (more coverage link below) about Microsoft showing nine new Windows Phone handsets tomorrow, and it does seem like there'll be fresh hardware to go with the ripening software. Neither the Mango release nor any devices on show will be coming to market any time soon, mind you, but it's nice to think we'll get to see what the future of Windows Phone will look like in physical as well as digital form. Update: We have confirmation from a reliable source that tomorrow's event will be entirely focused on the software, not the hardware. So, anybody looking for a flotilla of new handsets to be deployed had best get their favorite crying pillow handy.
Microsoft: NoDo didn't break a 32-bit color feature, it fixed a 32-bit color error
Microsoft may be promising 32-bit color support in its upcoming Mango update for Windows Phone 7, but some users already had sufficient chromatic depth -- at least until they unknowingly traded it for copy / paste. Word on the street is that HTC HD7 owners are noticing a significant drop in color depth after installing Microsoft's NoDo update, causing ugly color banding in (previously gorgeous) apps and photos. The big M, via a moderator on the Microsoft Support forums, has confirmed the phenomenon, stating that HTC launched the HD7 with color support outside of Windows Phone 7's 16-big design requirements. The update didn't remove a feature, it merely brought HTC devices in line with WP7 device requirements; to ensure "a stable and consistent customer experience," of course.
Microsoft outlines new enterprise features coming to Windows Phone 'Mango'
When Microsoft takes the stage May 24th to preview the next release of Windows Phone, will there be any surprises left for the peanut gallery? In the last week we've seen numerous features announced or leaked, an awfully big coincidence given the timing of next week's event. More cats were let out of their bags today at Microsoft's annual TechEd conference keynote, as several enterprise-related capabilities were shown off that both companies and consumers have sorely missed on their phones. First up are pinnable email folders, giving users the opportunity to pin a specific folder of higher priority -- such as emails from your boss or wife -- to your start screen. Toss in email threads complete with conversation view, and now Mango is looking even more drool-worthy. But there's more, folks: Exchange users frustrated by online having access to recent correspondence can look forward to server search -- a new function that'll enable you to sift through your entire email collection if need be. Rounding out the grocery list of new updates is Lync support, complex alpha-numeric passcodes for higher security, Information Rights Management support, and -- hallelujah -- the ability to connect to hidden WiFi networks natively. About time, right? Take a peek at the full breakdown of the new features at the source link. Update: Now with video, after the break!
Windows Phone 7 'Mango' to bring Office 365, Facebook Chat, more Xbox Live integration?
The Windows Phone Dev Podcast unearthed some seemingly legit Windows Phone 7 screenshots last week that revealed a few new features apparently headed to the mobile OS, and it's now back with another batch that show yet more additions said to be included with the so-called "Mango" update. That includes support for Facebook Chat and Office 365 (plus SkyDrive and SharePoint), as well as a revamped Games hub that suggests even more Xbox Live integration (including a rather interesting new "Automatic Sync" option). What's more, the lock screen will apparently now show the album art if there is a song currently playing, and it seems there will be some new group messaging options as well. Of course, all that's still unconfirmed by Microsoft, but you can judge all the screenshots for yourself at the link below. [Thanks to everyone who sent this in]
Latest WP7 Mango leak hints at added Windows Messenger support
The upcoming Windows Phone update is looking better with each subsequent leak. What initially appeared to be primarily targeted toward programmers has since begun bearing fruit on the user's end, a trend continued with this latest unauthorized glimpse. We're certainly taking it with a few tablespoons of salt -- the Mango screens appeared on and were subsequently pulled from Chinese site Cnblogs -- but we like what we see. Perhaps most significant among the newly glimpsed features here is integration between WP7's People hub and Windows Live Messenger, making it possible to IM people directly from the contacts list. Also present, Bing Image Search, support for East Asian languages, and added SkyDrive functionality, which we've already seen previewed. No doubt we'll be hearing more on this very subject in the near future. More info as the story ripens. [Thanks, All]
Microsoft's next major release of Windows Phone will be previewed on May 24th, and we'll be there live!
Been jonesing for more news about Microsoft's upcoming Mango OS update? So have we, and now all of us, VIPs and commoners alike, can circle the 24th of May as the date when Redmond will dish the full details of its next major software release. Notably, the mango(ish)-colored invite makes no mention of Windows Phone 7 anywhere, leading us to suspect that Microsoft will likely upgrade its mobile nomenclature as well as feature set. We'll be there whatever happens, liveblogging the full preview event and keeping an eye out for launch details for this fruity new OS.
Windows Phone 7 updates Bing to find music and barcodes, provide turn-by-turn directions and send speech-to-text SMS?
Developers are getting plenty of toys alongside Windows Phone 7's "Mango" release, but there may be extra baubles for regular users, too -- Microsoft will reportedly add a few features to Bing in the near future which could prove particularly useful. According to the latest episode of the Windows Phone Dev Podcast -- which hosted Microsoft's Brandon Watson as a guest -- a new function called Bing Audio will act like a Shazam for recognizing music (and will sell you Zune tracks) while Bing Vision will use your smartphone's camera to read barcodes and do optical character recognition, plus potentially provide support for augmented reality apps. There's also allegedly turn-by-turn voice directions for Bing Maps and a native podcast player, and one more potentially exciting thing -- voice-to-text for sending SMS messages without lifting a finger. Hear all about the rumor at our source link, at just about the 40-minute mark. [Thanks to everyone who sent this in]
Microsoft suggests WP7 dev prototypes won't get NoDo, upsets someone
Looks like it's out with the old and in with the new for Windows Phone developer handsets, with Microsoft announcing it has no intention to provide NoDo (or any future updates) to beta devices such as the Samsung Taylor. Even though test units were given free to many devs, a few poor saps have reported buying them from third-parties. Without eulogizing, we'd like to remind everyone that these phones were born from the greatness of the i8910 only to give coders early access to the platform. Considering what's coming in Windows Phone Next, perhaps it's time to shed that prototype hardware and move boldly forward. That commemorative Taylor will look mighty fine in a display case, don't you think?
This is Windows Phone Next -- developers take notes (video)
Microsoft delivered a big batch of mobile happiness at its annual MIX developers' conference this morn, promising a host of major features including multitasking, background audio, push notifications and raw sensor data (not to mention over 1500 new APIs) in the next version of Windows Phone. Of course, it's one thing to tell you how pumped attending developers might be to bite into a nice juicy mango next month and another to see for yourself, so feast your eyes on the best of Windows Phone Next in the video above. Not bad, eh? Sean Hollister contributed to this report.
Windows Phone adds multitasking, deeper OS integration, and sensor access to dev platform
We knew it was coming, and today at MIX 11, Microsoft showed off its developer platform for the next version of Windows Phone, which developers will be able to get their hands on for free in May. The new application platform adds: Multitasking for background processing, audio and file transfer, and fast app switching, including background audio playback for HTML5 webpages Deeper integration of apps into the OS, allowing programs to leverage Live Tiles, including push notifications via Live Agents running in the background Raw access to the camera and sensors (gyro and compass) via the Motion Sensor library, letting apps to control device hardware Microsoft hopes this will allow developers to make even more creative and engaging apps. To get our juices flowing, it showed off demos of new app concepts from Skype, Spotify, Layar, Qantas, Amazon Shopping, and Kik Messenger. Check out our gallery below and hit the break for the details. %Gallery-121151%
Sony Ericsson X10 Mini Pro successor spotted as SK17i, sports Gingerbread
Looking for your fibrous dose of gadget leak? Look no further than China which has, again and again, outed several spy shots of what appears to be the Xperia X10 Mini Pro's successor. Dubbed the SK17i and codenamed "Mango," this time we're looking at some proof of Android 2.3 on this little Sony Ericsson slider, along with a homescreen UI not dissimilar to that of the X10 Mini and X8 series. Other than that, we're not seeing anything new here, though we can't help but wonder if the unused Xperia Duo trademark has finally found its rightful owner -- you know, maybe Duo as in a two-part slider phone? As always, only time will tell. [Thanks, @Tehpriest]
Microsoft's Windows Phone 'mango' update to miss 2011 target? (updated)
Paul Thurrott has been a trusted insider on all things Microsoft for as long as we can remember. As such, it's worth paying attention to a recent article he published on Windows IT Pro that calls for Microsoft's first "NoDo" Windows Phone 7 feature update to hit as early as this week. Of course, Steve Ballmer said it was coming in "early March" so that's not much of a prediction. What really caught our attention are Paul's comments about "Mango" -- the big WP7 feature update that Microsoft says will bring multitasking, IE9, and Twitter integration to Windows Phone handsets later in 2011. According to Thurott's sources, Mango won't be finalized until the end of the year making a release to consumers in 2011 a "near impossibility." Ouch. How this might affect Nokia's Windows Phone 2011 launch plans hopes -- rumored to be waiting for Mango -- remains to be seen. Update: Mary Jo Foley, who's got a few Microsofties in her own back pocket, says that she's hearing that Microsoft recently promised OEMs and carriers Mango by "early fall at the latest" -- just in time for a holiday consumer launch. It's real life he-said she-said rumor flagellation folks!
