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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.
LG Optimus 7, Quantum, and Optimus 7Q welcome Windows Phone 7 to the fold
LG was naturally expected to show up for today's announcement seeing how the company has been a longtime "strategic" partner of Microsoft's -- and indeed, they're bringing two models into the fold. First up is the Quantum (known as the Optimus 7Q in markets outside the US, pictured right) that we broke as the C900 back in August, a landscape slider equipped with quadband EDGE and triband HSPA (850 / 1900 / 2100MHz), 16GB of storage, a 5 megapixel camera with 720p video capture, a 3.5-inch WVGA display, and an all-too-familiar 1GHz Qualcomm Snapdragon core; as you might have guessed from the 3G bands, this puppy will be coming to AT&T. Next, the Optimus 7 (pictured left) will be seeing a much wider international release on Telus in Canada, America Movil in Mexico, Movistar and Vodafone in Europe, and SingTel in Singapore. What is it, you ask? Well, it's exactly what you'd figured by now from the leaks -- a 3.8-inch WVGA slate at 11.5mm thick with specs that largely mirror the Quantum's otherwise: 1GHz Snapdragon and 5 megapixel cam, notably. Both models will support "Play To," the brand name for the DLNA features LG touted back at IFA, allowing users to fling media to DLNA-compatible TVs, set-top boxes, and the like. Expect both the Optimus 7 and 7Q to start rolling out on October 21, eventually deploying in over 35 countries; on AT&T, the Quantum will run $199.99 when it hits in the next few weeks. Follow the break for LG's full press release.
Samsung Focus, HTC Surround, and LG Quantum all outed a bit early on AT&T's Windows Phone 7 site
These details aren't supposed to be live yet, we presume, but AT&T's just posted full information on its Windows Phone 7 lineup over on its site. We've got the Surround from HTC, the Samsung Focus, and the LG Quantum -- and as expected, they're a slider (sorta), a slate, and a full QWERTY slider, respectively. The Surround is touted as featuring Yamaha speakers in its slide-out surround sound arrangement with 16GB of onboard storage, the Focus is "slender and light" with a 4-inch Super AMOLED display that we imagine is ripped straight out of its Captivate stablemate, and the Quantum's listed with a 5 megapixel camera. All three are listed as "coming soon," so we'll have to hold tight and see whether we get any release dates today. [Thanks, Shane C.]
Researchers develop means to reliably read an electron's spin, take us one step closer to the quantum zone
Another day, another step bringing us closer to the next big revolution in the world of computing: replacing your transistory bits with qubits. Researchers at Australia's Universities of New South Wales and of Melbourne, along with Finland's Aalto University, have achieved the impossibly tiny goal of reliably reading the spin of a single electron. That may not sound like much, but let's just see you do it quickly without affecting said spin. This particular implementation relies on single atoms of phosphorus embedded in silicon. Yes, silicon, meaning this type of qubit is rather more conventional than others we've read about. Of course, proper quantum computers depend on reading and writing the spin of individual electrons, so as of now we effectively have quantum ROM. When will that be quantum RAM? They're still working on that bit.
UK research team brings quantum computing closer than ever... or so they say
You know the drill -- some quirky research team whips up some phenomenal discovery in the middle of nowhere, gloats about it, gets it published in a journal you've never heard of it, and then it all vanishes into the ether, leaving your soul hurt and wondering why you ever got your hopes up in the first place. The Foundations wrote a little tune about this very situation back in 1968, but a UK team from the Center for Quantum Photonics led by Jeremy O'Brien are claiming that their latest discovery is no joke. According to him, most people have believed that a functional quantum computer wouldn't be a reality for at least another score, but he's saying "with real confidence that, using [his] new technique, a quantum computer could, within five years, be performing calculations that are outside the capabilities of conventional computers." The center of this bold claim is a new photonic chip that works on light rather than traditional electricity, and those who built it say that it could "pull important information out of the biggest databases almost instantaneously." Of course, this stuff would hit the Department of Defense long before it hits your basement, but it's on you to keep tabs on the progress. Wouldn't be let down again, now would we?
All-optical quantum communication networks nearly realized, 'Answers to Life' airing at 9PM
Ready to get swept away into the wild, wild abyss known as quantum computing? If not, we're certain there's a less mentally taxing post above or below, but for those who answered the call, researchers at the University of California Santa Cruz have a doozie to share. A team of whiz kids at the institution have developed a minuscule optical device that's built into a silicon chip, and it's capable of reducing the speed of light by a factor of 1,200. If you're wondering why on Earth humans would be interested in doing such a thing, here's the long and short of it: the ability to control light pulses on an integrated chip-based platform "is a major step toward the realization of all-optical quantum communication networks, with potentially vast improvements in ultra-low-power performance." Today, data transmitted along optical fibers must still eventually be converted to electronic signals before they're finally understood, but the promise of an all-optical data processing system could obviously reduce inefficiencies and create communication networks that are far quicker and more robust. There's still no telling how far we are from this becoming a reality -- after all, we've been hearing similar since at least 2006 -- but at least these folks seem to be onto something good... even if it's all too familiar.
Quantum refrigerator could cool your quantum computer, allow for quantum overclocking
The quantum computer is still ranking pretty high up there on the vaporware charts, somewhere between Duke Nukem Forever and a Steorn in-home power generator. Eventually we'll get there, and theoretical physicists at the University of Bristol are helping with a quantum cooling system. It is effectively a means for two qubits to cool a third, with the outer two cooled by lasers and absorbing energy from the third, which is heated to its excited state. Unsurprisingly this is all rather theoretical at this point, but the team does plan to actually build such a quantum refrigerator in the not too distant future. Then, we figure, they'll host the first quantum kegger.
Electromagnetically induced transparency could create a quantum internet, quantum memes
The transistor ushered the modern world of gadgets that we all love, and now optical transistors could help to bring us to the proper next generation of the internet. Researchers at the Max Planck Institute of Quantum Optics have demonstrated successful electromagnetically induced transparency, or EIT, which is effectively a way of enabling one beam of light to control another. In their experiments, researchers used a rubidium atom to indicate state, blocking a beam of light in one direction but, when a laser hit it at a perpendicular angle, turning it transparent to allow the first beam through. The idea is that this could serve as a sort of optical gate for quantum computers; the building block of a next-gen internet for next-gen devices. There's reason for excitement about the potential here, but researchers have a long, long way to go before anything like this is ready for reality, so don't give up those handlinks just yet.
InVisage envisions a world where cell phone cameras don't suck, embraces quantum dots
The invention of nanocrystal semiconductors -- more commonly called quantum dots -- has spurred scientists to create everything from precisely-colored LED lamps to higher-density flash memory. There's also been some talk of applying a solution of the tiny crystals to create higher sensitivity cameras, and according to a company named InVisage, that latter utility is almost ready for commercial production. By smearing light-amplifying quantum dots onto the existing CMOS sensors used in cell phone cameras like so much strawberry jam, InVisage claims it will offer smartphone sensors that have four times the performance and twice the dynamic range of existing chips by the end of the year, and roll out the conveyor belts in late 2011, just in time for the contract to end on your terrible new cameraphone. [Thanks, Matt]
Quantum Theory, Trinity: Souls of Zill O'll delayed [update]
Tecmo Koei announced delays of two of its titles in Japan today. The female-focused shooter, Quantum Theory, has been moved out of its March 25 date to a troubling "TBA" date in the interest of improving quality. Tecmo Koei Europe confirmed that the delay affects the European release date, and it's likely to bump the North American date as well -- after all, if the game is still being worked on in March, we don't expect it to be released. [Update: Tecmo has confirmed the North American delay to Joystiq.] The Koei side also delayed a title: Omega Force's RPG Trinity: Zill O'll Zero, which is to be released outside of Japan as Trinity: Souls of Zill O'll. Its new release date is also "TBA." [Via Andriasang] Source: Quantum site Source: Zill O'll site
Pressure-sensitive touchscreens show up on the not too distant horizon
Ever heard of quantum tunneling? It's the basis for the latest approach to gather steam in the never-ending quest to endue touchscreens with force recognition, and its promises are as lofty as you'd expect. Developed by UK researchers Peratech, this new methodology revolves around a 75-micrometer (less than a tenth of a millimeter) quantum tunneling composite, which display makers can add to their screens relatively cheaply and painlessly. The pressure-sensing layer consumes no power when it isn't depressed and requires a miniscule two micrometers of movement to register a touch. Japanese display maker Nissha (who counts LG and Nintendo among its customers) has grabbed a license and we're even hearing devices could be coming out as soon as April. Check the Peratech site for more info.
New Quantum Theory trailer and screens remind us of something
This new footage and screens from upcoming Quantum Theory really look like something else: Gears of War 3. We feel bad for Epic's Cliff Bleszinski, who must feel a bit miffed himself at the new Tecmo title. It's taken some wind out of his sails, showing us pretty much everything we expect to see in the third installment of the Gears of War franchise, save for the chainsaw guns. You can check out the gameplay trailer above and find the new screens in our gallery below. %Gallery-83219%
Quantum batteries are theoretically awesome, practically non-existent
Today's dose of overly ambitious tech research comes from the physics lab over at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, in a proposal titled "Digital quantum batteries: Energy and information storage in nano vacuum tube arrays." It's like a who's who of undelivered promises got together and united to form one giant and impossible dream, but it's one we'd prefer to believe in regardless. Aiming to improve battery performance by "orders of magnitude," the project's fundamental premise is that when capacitors -- and we're talking billions of them -- are taken to a small enough scale and packed to within 10nm of one another, quantum effects act to prevent energy loss. The projected result is a wonderful world of rapid recharges and storage of up to ten times the energy current lithium-ion packs can hold, as well as the potential for data retention. The only problem? It would take a year just to build a prototype, meaning we can expect market availability somewhere between a score from now and just prior to the underworld morphing into an ice rink.
Google working with D-Wave on what may or may not be quantum computing
When we first mentioned D-Wave way back in early 2007 we immediately compared it to Steorn -- less than optimal beginnings. The company was promising quantum computing for the masses and, while it did demonstrate a machine that exhibited qubit-like behavior, the company never really silenced critics who believed the underpinnings of the machine were rather more binary in nature. Those disbelievers are surely shutting up now, with word hitting the street that Google has signed on, building new image search algorithms that run on D-Wave's C4 Chimera chip. The first task was to learn to spot automobiles in pictures, something that the quantum machine apparently learned to do simply by looking at other pictures of cars. It all sounds rather neural-networkish to us, but don't let our fuzzy logic cloud your excitement over the prospect of honest to gosh commercial quantum computing.
Quantum Theory leaps from PS3 exclusivity, comes to Xbox 360
Click to browse all new screenshots. Tecmo's Gears of War clone is no longer a PS3 exclusive. During a recent interview in Tokyo, Tecmo revealed that Quantum Theory will also be coming to Xbox 360 in Spring 2010. That's the same North American release window given to the PS3 version, which is currently 70% complete. While Tecmo has traditionally focused on making engines and games exclusively for one system at a time, Quantum Theory is being developed on an unnamed internal PC-based engine designed to make multiplatform development easier, much like Square Enix's Crystal Tools. However, we still have our doubts about the engine: the latest build we saw of Quantum still suffered from performance issues. Quantum Theory has been largely panned, not just for its gameplay but its rather uninspired look. However, Tecmo responded to these claims, saying they can provide a unique look for the genre. "One of the ways we're looking at differentiating Quantum Theory and one of the things that we can bring to the genre is an emphasis on story, art and visuals," Tecmo's Producer Makoto Shibata told us. "Most third person shooters are military-based and kind of brown. We're trying to bring more color and beauty ... We think this kind of style is kind of unique to us, and says about what Tecmo can do differently," Shibata added, noting that over half the art staff is female. There are some decidedly Japanese gameplay elements, including a mechanic that's been described as "R-Type-esque." The AI-controlled female partner is, in many ways, exactly like the arcade shooter's Force: players throw her to inflict massive damage via her melee attacks. Ridiculous? Certainly, but it's quite possibly the most original thing Quantum Theory has going for it. %Gallery-34101% Editor's note: Interview conducted by Joystiq Japan correspondent Ittousai.
Quantum computer chips get infinitesimally closer to happening
We've already seen at least one (sort of) functional quantum processor, and one breakthrough after the other in quantum computing, but it looks like some researchers at Ohio State University have now made a breakthrough of their own that could possibly speed things up considerably. The big news there is that they've apparently found a way to fabricate a quantum device called a resonant interband tunneling diode (or RITD) using a chip-making technique called "vapor desposition," which is commonly used today for traditional chips. While there's still quite a bit of perfecting to be done on the device itself, lead researcher Paul Berger says the RTIDs could be used for ultra-low-power computer chips that operate with small voltages and produce less excess heat, and may even allow for ultra high-resolution imaging devices that can "operate at wavelengths beyond the human eye" -- opening up possibilities for everything from advanced medical imaging to the ability to see through rain, snow, fog and dust storms.[Via Physorg]
Hands-on: Quantum Theory (PS3)
Aping a popular franchise's mechanics and style may be seen as a safe business proposition, but in terms of critical evaluation, the copy-cat game is likely to face stricter judgment. After all, if you're going to copy the good stuff, you've got to get it right. Tecmo's PlayStation 3 exclusive, Quantum Theory (just Quantum outside of Japan), certainly succeeds in evoking memories of Gears of War -- at least, if you remember Epic's shooter being a technically unsound and completely unappealing disaster. If the Tokyo Game Show build is any indication, Quantum needs to undergo crucial work before its early 2010 release.%Gallery-34101%
Okoro delivers mini Media PCs with a full size price tag
Continuing its streak of questionably high priced media PCs Okoro has announced the new OMS-Q100 and OMS-Q200 Quantum mini Digital Entertainment Systems. Combining an Intel Atom processor and NVIDIA ION in the OMS-Q200 and Mobile Core 2 Duo in the OMS-Q200 with 4GB of RAM with 320GB of hard drive space, 7.1 audio outputs, OTA & QAM recording capability (plus optional digital cable tuner) these tiny, quiet boxes could find a welcoming home theater somewhere, though the starting price of $1,295 may make for a difficult fit. You probably don't need our help to put together something equivalent or better for less than that, but feel welcome to it.
Keepin' it real fake, part CCXXVIII: the Quantum lives up to its name, somehow
The "Quantum." For us, a name like "Quantum" invokes visions of powerful, everlasting batteries, huge touchscreens, cameras that could makes your Hasselblad look like a Cracker Jack toy, and infinite badassery the likes of which the world has never known. Creating a phone that dares to bear the name Quantum, therefore, is less of an engineering science and more of an art. Admittedly, mating an iPhone with a Samsung Memoir never crossed our minds as a possible means to that end -- but we're pleased to see that some manufacturing firm had their eyes on the prize and saw that vision through to its glorious conclusion. Indeed, the Quantum is far greater than the sum of its parts -- sure, the camera has shriveled from 8 megapixels to 0.3 and the radio has gone from HSDPA to GPRS, but college-level physics can't be measured in megapixels or megabits per second. Especially when they only cost $94.03.[Via technabob]
Quantum team says PS3 has 'the highest specs'
Tecmo is prepping not one, but two PS3 exclusives. Quantum is Tecmo's take on Gears of War for the PlayStation audience. When questioned by Siliconera on why the team chose PS3 exclusivity, director Makoto Shibata said that they wanted to work on the most powerful hardware around. "The PS3 [is] the hardware with the highest specs," he said.With Ninja Gaiden Sigma 2 and Undead Knights also coming from Tecmo, it appears the company has shifted gears towards being a largely Sony-oriented development company. That's strange, considering the large number of high-profile Xbox-exclusive titles the company is known for: Dead or Alive and the original Ninja Gaiden games. This apparent change in platform choice isn't intentional, though. "It's not that Tecmo is shifting away from the Xbox 360. It's about timing. From the beginning this was seen as a PS3 title and it happens to be coming out at the same time as Ninja Gaiden Sigma 2."For more details on Quantum (like DLC), read the full interview at Siliconera.
