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Windows Phone 7.5 Mango review
Microsoft installs 'biggest Windows Phone ever' in NYC's Herald Square (video) Mango bumps NoDo, rolls the update train to Dell's Venue Pro Mango rollout going smoothly, now available to half of all Windows PhonesLet's face it: Windows Phone, as we know it, has an enormous amount of potential, but it's a first-generation operating system. For the first eleven months of its existence, it's lacked many of the common features we've come to enjoy (and take for granted) on Android and iOS, but then again, even those platforms have taken their turn getting the major wrinkles ironed out. So it comes as no surprise that Microsoft's mobile darling -- the innovative rebirth of a weak and faltering Windows Mobile platform that was quickly falling into obscurity -- would need to go through a similar process.It's finally time for Steve Ballmer & Co. to unleash its major annual update (not counting NoDo here), codenamed Mango, to a litany of devices both old and new. Also known as Windows Phone 7.5, the latest build delivers an onslaught of features -- no less than 500, according to Microsoft -- many of them we've been missing dearly. Three months ago we were given the opportunity to preview the new revamp and ogle over its smattering of new capabilities (see the full list of features here), and it's only proper for us to offer a follow-up with the update's final build. So how does the completely polished version hold up against the mobile juggernauts, not to mention its own first-gen offering? Follow us below to get the full scoop.
Talkcast tonight, 10pm ET: Anticipation Edition
Sunday night means football, the Emmys, and of course the TUAW Talkcast. It's been a busy week of waiting: for OS X 10.7.2, for iOS 5, for some definitive expectations on the next iPhone update... but the good news is, if you were holding your breath to see how Microsoft plans to challenge the iPad's tablet hegemony, it's time to exhale. We'll talk Metro, next-gen iPhones, the fate of the iPod classic, and whatever else seems interesting -- so bring your questions and comments along for the ride! To participate, you can use the browser-only Talkshoe client, the embedded Facebook app, or download the classic TalkShoe Pro Java client; however, for +5 Interactivity, you should call in. For the web UI, just click the Talkshoe Web button on our profile page at 4 HI/7 PDT/10 pm EDT Sunday. To call in on regular phone or VoIP lines (viva free weekend minutes!): dial (724) 444-7444 and enter our talkcast ID, 45077 -- during the call, you can request to talk by keying in *8. If you've got a headset or microphone handy on your Mac, you can connect via the free Blink or X-Lite SIP clients, basic instructions are here. Talk to you tonight!
Switched On: The great slate debate of Windows 8
Each week Ross Rubin contributes Switched On, a column about consumer technology. Just as Windows Phone 7's "touch-only" interface threw away the past to create a streamlined, more approachable experience, Microsoft is creating a "touch-first" experience for Windows 8 that has more in common with its new phone software than previous versions of Windows. This "Metro-style" UI will be able to run on virtually any modern PC, with screens from 10- to 30-inches and above. The touch interface will be only occasionally relevant on desktops, though, more so on laptops. Where it's obviously meant to shine is on pure slates -- will consumers really flock to Windows 8 for such slates, though?
MSDN previews Windows 8 touch on Windows 7 hardware
The latest blog from Windows president Steven Sinofsky, ably assisted by Grant George and Jeff Piira, talks about Redmond's testing of Windows 8 touch on current hardware and how touch has changed the way it develops software. Using kit like the Thinkpad X201, HP Elitebook 2740 and ASUS EP121, Microsoft is realizing that the "feel" of touch to the user is more important than simple hardware performance. It's also testing manufacturers' bezel designs, graphics setups and screen cover glass in an attempt to make Windows 8 "feel right" across the wide variety of systems it will run on -- a challenge in every sense of the word. Anyone interested in playing a quick game of "spot the device" should see the pic from inside the Windows testing lab that's after the break.
Windows Server 8 and Azure platform introduced, Metro-style app building starts today
Server and Tools Business President Satya Nadella, amongst others, took the stage at Build today in order to showcase something a bit less consumer-facing: Windows Server 8 and the revised Windows Azure platform. Fret not, though -- this all plays a vital role in how you'll be enjoying Windows 8 in the months to come. A Visual Studio 11 Developer Preview will be made available to coders starting today, enabling devs to concoct Metro-style applications with HTML 5, JavaScript, C#, Visual Basic and C++. We're told that the Visual Studio 11 Developer Preview is available today for Microsoft Developer Network (MSDN) subscribers and will be made available to the public on Friday. Microsoft also announced that Server 8 would provide multi-tenant infrastructure for cloud services, while the Azure Marketplace would expand to 25 new nations in early October. Those hoping to dig deeper can head on past the break (and visit the source links below). %Gallery-133730%
Windows 8 details: new features, UI enhancements and everything in between
Today, Windows Division prexy Steven Sinofsky treated Build 2011 attendees to a walkthrough of the various tweaks, subtle or otherwise, Microsoft's made to Windows 8. Staying true to its roots, the new OS implements the familiar keyboard commands users have become accustomed to over the years -- you know, like CMD and Ctrl+F. And as for its update to Internet Explorer, MS has imbued its tenth iteration with the ability to switch between the much-hyped Metro-style UI and plain old desktop view -- all according to your whimsy. Of course, Redmond's instituted other sweeping changes across the platform, and you can check some of the highlights after the break. %Gallery-133511%
Microsoft launches Windows 8 developer preview, downloads are live!
We got a taste of Windows 8 back at D9, but the real bounty is waiting in Anaheim. The company's kicking off its Build conference with a full-on developer preview of its next major desktop operating system, still code-named Windows 8 for the time being. According to Steven Sinofsky -- president of the Windows and Windows Live Division at Microsoft -- the company has "reimagined Windows," bringing about a "new range of capabilities" that coders will begin to dig into sooner rather than later. As we'd seen before, the "Metro-styled" user interface is front-and-center, bringing graphical elements of Windows Phone 7 to desktop, laptop and tablet users of the future. Internet Explorer 10 is also onboard, as well as a focus on "apps" that can communicate with one another, and content that can sync across devices. Folks comfortable in a Win7 environment ought to be right at home here -- Win8 is built on the same foundation, though the retooled Task Manager and Windows Explorer should tickle the average fancy. The Windows Store will enable devs to hawk their apps to any nation where Windows is sold, and yes, support for ARM-based chipsets is proudly included alongside compatibility with x86 devices. In other words, everything from "10-inch tablets to laptops to all-in-ones with 27-inch HD screens" will be able to ingest Win8 with ease. That's a markedly different take than the folks in Cupertino have expressed, with an (admittedly limiting) mobile OS being chosen to run the tablet side of things. Only time will tell which mantra proves more viable, but we're guessing the both of 'em will find varying levels of success. Microsoft has also confirmed backwards compatibility with "devices and programs" that support Windows 7, and while an exact time has yet to be revealed, we're told that developers will be able to download the Windows Developer Preview via the new Windows Dev Center later this week. Full fact sheets can be seen in the source link below, and our hands-on impressions of the new code can be found right here. Update: Downloads are live! Get in! %Gallery-133323%
Windows 8 for tablets hands-on preview (video)
Just last week, we got our paws on Samsung's Series 7 Slate, and it's already making its second debut. This time around, however, it's sporting a much more mouthwatering setup. No, it's not donning Lady Gaga's edible leftovers; this new look comes courtesy of Microsoft's much teased and hotly anticipated touch-friendly OS, Windows 8. As you've likely already heard, the latest incarnation of the operating system is something entirely new for Redmond, and, as it turns out, the world. It's unlike anything we've seen before, but that won't stop us from making comparisons.Like Apple's latest attempt at a desktop OS, Windows 8 borrows largely from its mobile kin, Window Phone 7, bringing its signature live tiles to tablets and PCs, and from what we've seen it does so effortlessly. Before we go ruining a good thing, however, we have to point out that this isn't everything Windows has to offer -- it's still a developers preview (and in turn, an OS under construction), and the device it's running on hasn't been approved as an official Windows 8 slate. Got all that? Good. Read on for our first impressions! %Gallery-133363%
Xbox Live Fall 2011 Dashboard update preview: Bing search, voice control, and a Metro overhaul
Autumn is fast approaching -- and you know what that means: it's round about time for an Xbox Dashboard update. Sure, we got a peek of Microsoft's upcoming harvest back at E3, but the good folks from Redmond invited us to take a closer look at what they're calling the "most significant update to the Dashboard since NXE." Senior project Manager Terry Ferrell was on-site to walk us through an early engineering beta and show us how an updated Metro UI, Bing search and deeper Kinect integration is going to change the way folks manage their entertainment content.
Microsoft confirms Media Center will be in Windows 8
Windows Media Center fans can finally breathe again. After seemingly endless will they / won't they speculation Steven Sinofsky, the President of the Windows Division has confirmed in a blog post that Media Center will return for yet another go 'round in Windows 8. There's no word on any possible changes, only that the company has "work to do" concerning the quality and compatibility of add-ins. Wondering why it hasn't been in some pre-release builds? Between the potential for multiple SKUs (no details until closer to release, but it seems like you'll be looking for an Ultimate pack or something similar again to get everything) and simple engineering decisions as features are added and removed that's just the way it is. Another factor is that WMC isn't exactly mass market, as he cites stats indicating only 6 percent of Windows 7 users launched the app in July, with over half of those sessions lasting less than a couple of minutes. Meanwhile, IE apparently pops up on 88 percent of Windows 7 desktops. Check the blog post for his full statement, plus a bit of discussion about the new Metro style and ribbon mechanism. [Thanks, Joe]
Switched On: Desktop divergence
Each week Ross Rubin contributes Switched On, a column about consumer technology. Last week's Switched On discussed how Lion's feature set could be perceived differently by new users or those coming from an iPad versus those who have used Macs for some time, while a previous Switched On discussed how Microsoft is preparing for a similar transition in Windows 8. Both OS X Lion and Windows 8 seek to mix elements of a tablet UI with elements of a desktop UI or -- putting it another way -- a finger-friendly touch interface with a mouse-driven interface. If Apple and Microsoft could wave a wand and magically have all apps adapt overnight so they could leave a keyboard and mouse behind, they probably would. Since they can't, though, inconsistency prevails. Yet, while the OS X-iOS mashup that is Lion exhibits is share of growing pains, the fall-off effect isn't as pronounced as it appears it will be for Windows 8. The main reasons for this are, in order of increasing importance, legacy, hardware, and Metro.
New Windows 8 leak hints at SMS support, feature licensing, geo-location
Considering its adoption of the Windows Phone metro style, its not surprising to hear that Windows 8's latest leaked build sports a metro-inspired virtual keyboard and traces of code that could bring SMS 3G enabled Windows 8 devices. An App store and feature licensing, however? That's interesting. Buried in the Windows 8 code, Microsoft enthusiasts have found strings that may hint at a Windows App store, and the ability to activate or deactivate certain OS features through that store. Will this be the end of "Home," "Pro," and "Ultimate" editions of Microsoft's flagship product? We wouldn't hold our breath. Still, Windows à la Carte doesn't sound half bad. Hit up the source link to see the code (and speculation) for yourself.
Windows 8 settings page suggests tablet compatibility, embraces Metro scrollbars (video)
We're still waiting for Microsoft to blow us away with its strategy for tablet domination but, thanks to the latest build of Windows 8 to drip through onto the internets, we have yet another indicator that the company's hopes rely on that OS. Of course we already know that it'll run on ARM processors, and now we have a look at a set of settings that have strong tablet implications. On display in the video below (and the picture above) are toggles for mobile broadband, Bluetooth, and GPS. Sure, laptops have those too, but here it's all presented with a Metro flair that, frankly, looks like a real chore to manage with a mouse. (Just look at those scrollbars!) But, with a 16:9 screen and gesture swiping, maybe it'll all come together. Meanwhile, WinRumors is reporting that there will be six separate flavors of Windows 8 and that tablets are actually quite far along, again pointing to a Q1 2012 release at the latest. Yes, we're already looking forward to next year's CES, aren't you?
Watch Windows 8's new Metro login while this creepy guy watches you (video)
Remember that leaked build of Windows 8 that hit the torrents just a few days back? Already old hat. That was build 7850. Today we've got a peek at what claims to be a newer build, 7955, of the upcoming OS and it's starting to show a few of those Metro flourishes we've all been anticipating. In the video after the break you'll catch a glimpse of a new Windows Phone 7-inspired login screen and the (somewhat perplexing) ability to set a video as your user tile. It's not a drastic overhaul -- it still looks a whole lot like Windows 7, as you'd expect at this stage of the game -- but it's nice to think Microsoft is moving quickly to bring its stunning Metro UI to the desktop. [Thanks, Vygantas]
Windows Phone 7's live tiles turned into a pretty convincing iOS theme (video)
Had enough of seeing grids and folders of static (Calendar app excluded, of course) icons on your iDevice? Well, here's one option to relieving your tedium: a Windows Phone 7 theme for the iPhone and iPod touch. You'll naturally need to jailbreak your iOS handheld in order to restyle it quite so dramatically, but once you do, you'll have all your precious apps sorted in a neat alphabetical pile on one screen, with the other waiting patiently for your customizations and live tile choices. It's a good looking little mod, we have to say, and it's currently going through beta testing, so why not grab your iPhone and see if it can survive a lick of Microsoft paint without self-combusting?
Windows Phone Android launcher brings Metro UI's simplicity, but none of its joy
Need to have the latest and greatest, but can't stand the sameness on tap? You can easily spruce up your Android device with some Windows Phone 7 window dressing to impress your fanboy friends. Mind you, the "Windows Phone Android" launcher -- now available in Android Market -- isn't good for more than a practical joke or three, as it's buggy, doesn't run on all phones (our Droid 2 failed, and we're hearing some Galaxy S derivatives aren't supported), doesn't support notifications, and doesn't even have those fancy auto-updating Live Tiles. No, what you're looking at here is just a stack of square icons to launch your apps, and a second pane with a vertically scrolling list of the same. Until some brave soul brings us the real deal, though, this may be as close as you're going to get. [Thanks, marky mark]
BMW Designworks USA flexes its eco muscle with Siemens Inspiro subway concept
BMW Group's Designworks USA -- where have we heard about those folks before? Ah, yes, that's the crew that's responsible for Thermaltake's Level 10 PC case, and we're desperately hoping that this concept has an equal (or greater) level of success in the open market. The subway car you see above is purportedly 97.5 percent recyclable, with an aluminum chassis, vivacious hues and a ridiculously spacious interior. It's being labeled the Siemens Inspiro, and it's on track to show up in Warsaw's Metro Warszawskie just over a year from now. No word on where to sign up for conductor dutie, though.
Microsoft slide chronicles the journey from Portable Media Center to Windows Phone 7
In case you missed it, Wired has a new piece out on the (very brief) history of Windows Phone 7. Unfortunately, the article pulls all punches, and skates through some bizarre statements from Microsofties, including calling Kin "a worthwhile risk that resulted in important lessons," and the real head scratcher of the piece: "Software is like making a movie and building a skyscraper. You're not quite sure how it's going to stand until it comes out in the end." Still, we were glad to find this slide (pictured above) in the article's photo gallery, chronicling the journey of the Metro design language from Microsoft's ill-fated Portable Media Center, to the vaguely successful Zune products, and around at last to the newly available Windows Phone 7. A bit of comeuppance for 2004's ahead-of-its-time, PlaysForSure-laden iPod killer? We like to think so.
Shanzhai Steve Jobs makes a special appearance in Hong Kong (video)
You know, we've had all sorts of KIRFtastic encounters while visiting China, but take this four-letter word to a whole new level and you get this: a Chinese clone of Steve Jobs. What's actually happening here is Hong Kong MTR launching the latest release of its iOS subway app (which does augmented reality!), and to mark this special occasion, the company invited local celebrity Law Kar-ying to recreate Apple's notorious reality distortion field. That said, unlike the real Slim Stevie, this dude was also giving away iPhone 4s to a few lucky audience members -- just goes to show that not all clones are bad, mmkay. Video after the break.P.S. This isn't the first time that a renowned CEO's been portrayed by a celebrity from the Far East -- Taiwanese news anchor Jeffrey Mindich unintentionally played Bill Gates a little while back. Let us know if you have a good candidate for Steve Ballmer.
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.
