WinMo
Latest
Garmin-ASUS nuvifone M20 makes jump to Windows Mobile 6.5
Two years ago, the idea of a Garmin-developed smartphone running the latest Windows Mobile operating system was enough to generate spasms of anticipation across the internets. Oh how things have changed. Today the Garmin-ASUS team has announced a Windows Mobile 6.5 update for M20 owners currently stuck at 6.1. It's also expanding the M20 theater of pain to Taiwan, Hong Kong, Thailand, Singapore, Malaysia, India, Russia, Ukraine, Poland, Czech, Turkey, and other markets by the end of 2009 -- note the omission of North American and Western European countries. Fine by us, we're perfectly happy to wait for the revamped Android handset running Google's turn-by-turn Navigator... oh, wait.
Windows Mobile 7 'Maldives' test program reportedly on track for Q1 2010 release to OEMs
Ballmer may have wanted it to be out yesterday, but it looks like the initial release of Windows Mobile 7 may now finally, actually be in sight. According to ZDNet Taiwan, the mobile OS is now on track for a release to OEMs for testing (the so-called "Maldives" program) sometime in the first quarter of 2010, and will be launched publicly sometime in the third quarter of the year (or about a year after the release of Windows Mobile 6.5) -- all of which more or less lines up with earlier rumors of a release to manufacturing in Spring 2010. If past history is any indication, however, it seems likely that the earliest builds of the OS could be circulating around the usual channels well before that -- probably right on the heels of the release to OEMs.
How would you change Windows Mobile 6.5?
We know, today is totally Android 2.0's day to shine, but what would a Friday night be without a little diversity? Windows Mobile 6.5 officially landed on a gaggle of Windows Phones back in early October (a month ago to the day, in fact), but by and large, all of 'em have seemingly drifted off into some forgotten corner while Motorola's DROID has taken over the hype. Still, we've got a feeling at least a few of you loyalists went out and gave Sir Ballmer a few more of your nickles, and now we're eager to hear if you're loving or regretting that choice. Is 6.5 really a worthy update over 6.1? Are you waiting for WinMo 7 instead? What would you change about 6.5 in order to make 7 the best mobile OS of all time? Sound off in comments below!
HTC HD2 officially coming to US, out in Europe and Asia today!
Be still, our beating hearts! HTC has just pressed the "Go" button for European and Asian shipping of its latest object of desire, and it's served notice to American phone lovers that the HD2 is coming to them soon as well. Slated for a "major US carrier" some time "early 2010," it'll land squarely in the same time bracket as the XPERIA X10, which should lead to some really quite interesting decisions to be made, presumably by March 2010. The WinMo 6.5 device might be shipping now, but you'll have to wait at least until the 9th of November before you can spill your Euros for it, and we expect to see a flurry of pricing and contract information filling that short waiting time. Full PR after the break. [Via MobileTechWorld]
Windows Phone commercial is confusing for a variety of reasons
Okay, so we understand Microsoft is trying hard to rebrand Windows Mobile as Windows Phone with the launch of WinMo 6.5, but this commercial -- labeled with AT&T logos in the US but also running unlabeled worldwide -- doesn't seem to do a good job of pointing out that Windows Phone is a platform and not a device. In fact, if we didn't know better, we'd think that the HTC Pure is, in fact, the "Windows Phone" -- even though the dude in the spot is holding a totally different generic device. See how that could be weird for people? It's almost confusing enough to distract from the jubilant anthropomorphic app icons in tights. Video after the break.
HTC's HD2 gets sized up to the competition
We've already seen (and written) plenty on the HD2, and we've enjoyed our initial experiences with the device -- but now someone has finally sized up the massive, Windows Mobile 6.5 smartphone with its touchscreen contemporaries... and the differences are downright shocking. Just take a look at this beast next to Apple's iPod touch (above) or the company's own Hero -- the displays on the older devices seem dwarfed by the HD2's 4.3-inch, 800 x 480 WVGA screen. There are lots of other revealing pictures in the writeup, but it's the side-by-side shots that seem most telling to us -- this is certainly the direction we're headed in for mobile devices. Hit the read link and take a full look for yourself. [Via SlashGear]
Windows Mobile 6.5: a family portrait
Can you name them all? Don't worry, it's a lot to keep track of. Clockwise we have the HTC Tilt 2 (AT&T), Toshiba TG01 (not announced for US), HTC Imagio (Verizon), HTC Pure (AT&T), Samsung Intrepid (Sprint) and LG GM750 (not announced for US). It's a pretty diverse roundup, with two QWERTY phones in the mix and an incredible variety of home screens and themes, though all six do house touchscreens -- resistive, of course. Check out a super quick meet and greet after the break. %Gallery-74860%
Samsung Intrepid intros Sprint to Windows Mobile 6.5 on October 11
Looking for a worthy successor to that aging Ace? Sprint customers need no longer wonder when they'd be up for their own dose of WinMo 6.5 because the carrier has officially announced the Intrepid, a portrait QWERTY device that basically brings the design of the OmniaPRO B7320 and AT&T's Jack over the CDMA world. Like its predecessor, though, the Intrepid isn't just about CDMA -- it'll also do GSM for global roaming, so feel free to pack it as you gallivant across the Mediterranean, and unlike the Jack, the Intrepid's got a QVGA touchscreen up top to compliment the chiclet keys down below. At any rate, you'll be able to pick this up starting this Sunday, October 11 for $149.99 on contract after rebates -- the same price as a Pure over on AT&T, coincidentally, so pick your poison. [Thanks, Jay]
Microsoft's Windows Mobile 6.5 update guide: no, no, maybe
Alright, so it's no secret that the upgrade path to Windows Mobile 6.5 is pretty limited, but Microsoft has nonetheless gone and laid thing out with another handy upgrade guide to avoid any confusion. The short of it is that those with Windows Mobile 5.0 or 6.0 devices are flat out of luck if they're looking to upgrade to 6.5 (although they may be able to upgrade to 6.0 or 6.1), while users of Windows Mobile 6.1 devices (but not those aforementioned users that have just upgraded to 6.1) may be able to upgrade to 6.5 at some as yet unspecified point in the future. Right now, that latter group is confined to just eight phones (including the likes of the HTC Dash, Snap and Touch Pro2, and the Samsung Jack and Epix), but Microsoft says more devices may be added at a later date. Still confused? Then hit up the read link below for the complete breakdown, and try to forget about that whole Windows Mobile 7 thing for the time being.[Thanks, Jammal]
Kempler & Strauss launch Billionair 6 WinMo phone
Kempler & Strauss (who just the other day unveiled an epically cool watchphone) have just announced the imminent arrival of its newest Windows Mobile handset, the touchscreen Billionair 6. This 3G HSPA devil has a 624MHz ARM processor, boasts GPS and WiFi, and has a micro SD slot for up to 4GB of storage, plus a 3 megapixel camera. The B6, as it's affectionately called, runs a custom interface over WinMo and boasts an accelerometer to boot. The B6 runs $260 and it's available now.
Windows Mobile 6.5 review
It's widely acknowledged by users, media, and even Steve Ballmer himself that Windows Mobile is in dire need of a ground-up revamp, and it's happening -- but not quite yet. That's Windows Mobile 7 you're looking for, and realistically, it's not going to be in your pocket for at least another year. That leaves Microsoft in a bit of a pickle: how do you facelift version 6.1 -- which is already a facelift of 6, which in turn was a facelift of 5 -- just enough to eke another year or two of life out of it? Is it even possible? Let's have a look. %Gallery-74723% %Gallery-74725%
HTC Imagio pops live on Verizon with Windows Mobile 6.5
It's October 6th. A magical date in Redmond that will see the official launch of Windows Mobile 6.5 and the glorious onslaught of handsets upon which to ride. Like the HTC Imagio for example, now live on Verizon for $199 with a 2-year tithe. That price nabs a 5 megapixel autofocus cam, VZ Navigator, and V CAST mobile TV viewable on that 3.6-inch, WVGA display. Naturally, it also packs HTC's TouchFLO 3D UI. So, pull the trigger now VZW customers or wait to see what the day reveals? Tough call. [Thanks everyone who sent this in]
HTC Touch HD2 gets spec'd, rumored for T-Mobile UK
By all accounts, HTC's shooting to create the be-all, end-all king of the Windows Mobile dominion with its mighty Leo / HD2 / Touch HD2 / whatever it's called -- and a comprehensive list of specs published over on xda-developers would certainly back up that statement. Notable items on the list include the previously known 1GHz MSM8250 (that's a Snapdragon, by the bye), full HSPA with up to 7.2Mbps on the downlink, a stunning 4.3-inch WVGA capacitive display (allegedly with multitouch support so that it can be upgraded to Windows Mobile 7 down the line), an integrated FM radio, 5 megapixel autofocus cam with dual LED flash, Bluetooth 2.1, and a 3.5mm headphone jack. Sadly, it seems the phone's just set up for 900 and 2100MHz 3G, continuing the original Touch HD's bunk tradition of leaving North America out in the cold. Separately, rumors are swirling that T-Mobile UK could be joining O2 in offering the beast, and CoolSmartPhone has landed some sort of a promo shot of an HD2 branded as the "Touch HD2" in full T-Mobile livery, so we'd say that's a pretty strong indicator. Too bad this is all falling on deaf ears over at T-Mobile USA, eh? [Via pocketnow.com and wmpoweruser.com] Read - Specs, additional pictures
Marketplace is live on Windows Mobile 6.5 phones
Did you pick up an AT&T Pure over the weekend? Yeah, then you might want to spin up Windows Marketplace on your new Windows Mobile 6.5 handset. It's live and dancing right now a full day before any of this was supposed to launch -- not that we're complaining. [Thanks, Paul]
HTC Pure and Tilt 2 bring Windows Mobile 6.5 to AT&T
Long-rumored versions of HTC's ubiquitous Touch Diamond2 and Touch Pro2 have finally been made official for AT&T -- but perhaps more notably, they mark AT&T's very first forays into the WinMo 6.5 arena as Microsoft officially unleashes the latest version of its mobile platform on the world this week. The Pure (pictured left) is a particularly heavy rework of the Diamond2's industrial design, shedding the square metal-adorned shell for a glossy black plastic one while carrying over the 3.2-inch WVGA display and 5 megapixel autofocus camera. Meanwhile, the Tilt 2 resurrects the Tilt name -- dormant since AT&T's version of the TyTN II made way for the Fuze last year -- bringing a 3.6-inch WVGA display, full QWERTY keyboard with tilt-up display (hence the name), full duplex speakerphone, and a 3.2 megapixel cam. The Pure will be the first on shelves, available already (ahead of Microsoft's official release on Tuesday, interestingly) for $149.99 on contract after a $50 rebate; the Tilt2 comes "in the following weeks" for $299.99 after $50 rebate.
AT&T Pure now on sale -- with Windows Mobile 6.5
Well hey, look at that -- AT&T's riff on the HTC Touch Diamond2, the Pure, has quietly gone on sale, meaning Windows Mobile 6.5 just hit the world a couple days early. The glory won't last long, though: the nicer Imagio is hitting Verizon on the 6th, and the Leo's looming. Still -- WinMo 6.5 is here. Let's get crazy.[Thanks to everyone who sent this in]
Acer's '09 WinMo phones now members of neoTouch, beTouch lines
There are a number of ways to clearly convey that your products rely heavily on touch operation, perhaps none clearer than simply straight-up putting "touch" somewhere in the name (see TouchWiz, TouchFLO, Touch, TouchSmart, UltraTouch, the list goes on). Enter Acer, which has been preparing a number of new WinMo sets this year including the buzz-generating F1 backed by a speedy Snapdragon core -- except don't call it an F1 anymore, because it's taken on the far more trademarkable "neoTouch" name as it steamrolls toward an official release in coordination with Microsoft's global launch of WinMo 6.5 next week. Filling out the range will be three members of the "beTouch" line -- the E100, E101, and E200 -- all of which should give you that warm fuzzy feeling that you'll be able to use your finger to navigate around (if they'd been called "beKeyboard," for example, you'd have to be more skeptical). [Thanks, Daniel] Read - neoTouch (F1) Read - beTouch E100 Read - beTouch E101 Read - beTouch E200
Microsoft Recite killed off, but why?
Recite is one of the more innovative things to come out of Microsoft's Windows Mobile team in the past few years, a voice-based note-taking tool that gave users a quick way to say whatever was on their mind, archive it, and retrieve it later by speaking any keywords from the recording. The company offered it free of charge to owners of WinMo 6 and 6.1 devices earlier this year -- but Microsoft taketh away just as quickly as it giveth, apparently, because it's already pulling the plug on the tool at the end of December, which never actually made it out of "Technology Preview" status. Unfortunately, the client / server nature of Recite means that even existing users won't have a chance to keep using it, though Microsoft is offering tips on how to transfer voice notes up to a PC for archival. The app was genuinely cool, so we're hoping it's just being pulled in preparation for integration with a future version of WinMo -- they do say that the "ability to capture notes and reminders is an area we are still focused on and we will continue to consider your feedback to build out these rich experiences in upcoming products," after all -- but for the time being, the bell's tolling. [Via Ars Technica, thanks Sima]
HTC Pure starting to show up in AT&T stores, not for sale just yet
We'll withhold judgment until we have a far more intimate encounter with the device, but at a glance, the HTC Pure -- AT&T's branded, customized version of the Touch Diamond2 -- might carry the least-exciting industrial design of any variant launched thus far. Considering the business-oriented clientele, that might not be a big deal for the phone's bottom line -- but when you take a look at the slightly better-equipped Imagio that's about to launch over on Verizon, we would've liked to have seen something with a little more spunk here. At any rate, it seems Pure units are starting to flow into AT&T retail locations, which inevitably leads to some time in front of the bright lights and camera; AT&T was mentioned as one of Microsoft's global launch partners for Windows Mobile 6.5 on October 6, so if we connect the dots, we're guessing this is the phone that's gonna make it all happen. So where's that Touch Pro2, then, eh? [Via wmpoweruser.com]
Samsung Omnia II handled again, huge display delights as usual
Samsung's Omnia II is coming to Spain's Movistar in November, but in the meantime, our esteemed colleagues over at Engadget Spanish have had a chance to spend some quality time with the high-end WinMo 6.5 set. Unlike us, they've found that the TouchWiz 2.0-based interface is smooth as silk, which gives us hope that the firmware has improved significantly since way back in June -- and otherwise, there's not a lot to complain about when you're staring at a dazzling 3.7-inch AMOLED display. They've come away with the conclusion that it's plenty light and comfortable despite clocking in a bit taller and wider than the iPhone, and "light and comfortable" is a pretty good start if 6.5 wants to have a successful (if not brief) run ahead of its flashier successor. Follow the read link for the full gallery!
