Windows Phone Thoughts.com

Microsoft Says the Hidden Costs of Android Are Expensive

Jason Dunn — Wed, 01 Sep 2010 21:00:00 GMT

http://gizmodo.com/5625796/microsof...s-are-expensive

"According to Business Insider, Microsoft says that Android's hidden manufacturing costs are much higher than their own $15-per-unit Windows Phone 7 license. They have some very good points, but others are not so good. Here are their arguments..."

Go check out the article and tell me what you think - is Microsoft right? Are the costs of a "free" operating system higher than most people think? I think there's definitely something to be said for an off-the-shelf experience that doesn't require customization to work properly, but thus far, the deficiencies in Android's offering hasn't exactly been slowing down the adoption rate...

Windows Phone 7 Has Gone Gold

Adan Galvan — Wed, 01 Sep 2010 18:00:00 GMT

http://windowsteamblog.com/windows_...ufacturing.aspx

Microsoft has officially released Windows Phone 7 to manufacturing. This means that carriers have in their hands a final version that they can use to load onto devices. Unfortunately, we still have no information on exact release dates for Windows Phone 7. Current rumors suggest the release date will be some time in October, but nothing definitive has been discovered.

In addition to information that the OS had been released to manufacturing, Microsoft also revealed that there are multiple small improvements that made it into the released build. One of the more interesting features resolves a problem where Facebook contacts were automatically imported into the phone when a Facebook account is added. Now, Facebook contacts are matched to existing phone contacts and those that aren't found are not added. More Facebook functionality has also been added into final build, such as the ability to comment on contact's walls, and the ability to ‘like' someone's posts. I'm sure that there will be many other small features that are discovered when the phone is finally released.

LG E900 With WP7

Nurhisham Hussein — Tue, 31 Aug 2010 10:00:00 GMT

http://gizmodo.com/5626159/lgs-e900...-7-in-htc-style

We have a name for one of LG's prospective WP7 models - the E900 sports the usual WP7 chassis specs and a 3.7" capacitive screen. It may be just me, but I'm beginning to miss the days when spec hunting used to be fun. With the Microsoft spec lockdown for WP7, there's a numbing sameness to nearly every new handset, irrespective of vendor. While that may be to Microsoft's and WP7's advantage, there're very few ways that manufacturers can differentiate their offerings - witness the fact that they almost all look the same.

AT&T Tilt 2 Gets ROM Update

Nurhisham Hussein — Mon, 30 Aug 2010 20:00:00 GMT

http://www.wmexperts.com/att-tilt2-...pdate-available

AT&T and HTC have gotten around to releasing a ROM Update for the Tilt 2. It's apparently the same one that leaked earlier in July, and includes Sense 2.5 and a few hotfixes (download link here). Bear in mind that if you use this, it will wipe your phone clean, so be sure to back up your data first.

Does $1B Seem About Right to Develop and Market Release 1 of Windows Phone 7?

Brad Wasson — Mon, 30 Aug 2010 11:30:00 GMT

http://technolog.msnbc.msn.com/_new...ts-chump-change

"Microsoft is rapidly developing Windows Phone 7, a smart phone platform to compete with iPhone, Android and BlackBerry. It's due this fall, though we don't yet know the dates, prices and carriers. We do know one thing, the launch will be massive. Like billion-dollar massive."

Wilson Rothman, writing on the msnbc.com tech blog Technolog, has postulated that Microsoft might be spending upwards of $1 billion to develop and market the first release of Windows Phone 7. His postulation comes from the consideration of the commentary of various industry people who have speculated on the actual costs. Well known Microsoft watcher Mary Jo Foley from ZDNet is one such resource.

This figure might at first appear staggering, but it important to consider what it supposedly covers, and unfortunately none of the sources is being too detailed about what that is. So, they might be close to the mark, or off by 50% or more. No one but true Microsoft insiders will know for sure, of course, but if past reports and speculations are of any merit, these significant technology releases cost big, big, bucks. Rumors of the size of contracts issued to marketing companies always seem to get bandied about. In 2008, for example, Microsoft was rumored to have spent $300 million on a consumer product ad campaign. What we do know for sure is that Microsoft has a lot riding on the upcoming release. This could very well make or break them for years, if not forever, in the mobile phone marketplace. Considering that the $1 billion figure covers both development and marketing, I think it could well be close. What do you think?

Windows Phone 7's Geolocation Capability Opens Interesting Opportunities for Game Developers

Brad Wasson — Sun, 29 Aug 2010 19:30:00 GMT

http://www.wmexperts.com/geolocatio...rts+(WMExperts)

"We've mentioned in the past about 'Orion', the geolocation service/API for Windows Phone 7 which allows developers access to many forms of locating the phone's location extremely quickly."

WMExperts has posted a short article commenting on their expectation that developers will soon be taking advantage of the Windows Phone 7 platform's geolocation service/API to develop interesting game play. The geolocation API allows developers to ascertain the location of the phone, opening up intriguing opportunities for games. One could envisage game play where your phone's physical location could play a role in what you can "see" or have access to. The options are endless. There is a potential downside to geolocation information however - privacy. Your phone's location is often close to your location, so one could infer where you are quite easily. Properly implemented though, this capability can be managed by the end-user giving appropriate permission. It will be interesting to see what sort of game play the developers come up with.

Verizon Clearing The Deck

Nurhisham Hussein — Sat, 28 Aug 2010 13:00:00 GMT

http://www.wmexperts.com/verizons-w...e-end-life-list

Every Windows Mobile device that Verizon is currently offering, including the HTC Touch Pro 2 and the Samsung Omnia 2, will be off the shelf by the first quarter of next year according to a leaked end-of-life document. You can take this one of two ways - either Verizon is completely fed up with Microsoft after the Kin debacle, or they're placing a big bet on Windows Phone 7. I wouldn't lay odds either way. Hit the link for the details.

Windows Phone 7 Game Videos

Jason Dunn — Thu, 26 Aug 2010 17:30:00 GMT

Curious about what some of the gameplay and graphics will be like on upcoming Windows Phone 7 games? Wonder no more - I've collected a few videos showing what a few of the upcoming games will be like. I've got to say, Harvest looks particularly awesome!

Windows Phone 7 Gaming To Get Even More Interesting

Brad Wasson — Wed, 25 Aug 2010 20:00:00 GMT

http://www.joystiq.com/2010/08/24/m...console-gaming/

"So initially we're turn by turn-based," the rep said, referring to the phone-to-phone multiplayer capabilities on day one. "We are working on real-time phone-to-console, likely initially through Wi-Fi -- again, operator networks are sensitive to that. That's not on day one; day one will be turn-by-turn as well as companion-type gaming where you play a level on the phone and it may unlock a level or a weapon or some special achievement on the console game. But, uh yeah -- absolutely working on phone-to-console real-time. That is something we're working on and expect to have in the near future."

The potential of Microsoft's Windows Phone 7 gaming hub has had a lot of people intrigued. Its linkage to the Xbox world has already been demonstrated, but until recently we have not had a clear understanding of just how far the integration will go, nor exactly what capabilities will be provided. Some questions are starting to be answered, and new ones stimulated. From the quote above we learn that turn by turn-based game play will be supported initially, but sometime in the not too distant future phone-to-console game play should appear (initially through Wi-Fi). If this is true, then we have some mighty interesting scenarios that could play out, and we could lose a lot of time testing them (well, someone's going to have to do it, and it might as well be you!). Game players out there: is phone-to-console game play a big deal, or is this over-hyped?

Flexicord Mini Synch and Charge Cable Reviewed

Chris Gohlke — Wed, 25 Aug 2010 07:00:00 GMT

We are approaching cable nirvana. Micro USB is becoming fairly standard for charging and synching lots of devices, meaning that we can now leave our giant bundle of cables at home when we travel. This also means that charging cables are pretty much just a commodity item and we just go for what's cheap. So I was pretty excited when I found the Flexicord Mini since it looked to bring something else to the table and really didn’t ask much in return.

The Flexicord Mini is really a simple concept. It's your basic cable, but the insulation is thick and firm and allows you to bend it into a variety of shapes. Besides just being fun, it is great for making a quick and dirty stand for your phone or other small electronic item. I’d been carrying a couple paperclips for just this purpose, but this is better since the rubbery coating will also keep the stand from sliding. The cable has enough material to work with to make a stand that will hold your standard tablet sized phones in either portrait or landscape mode.

Figure 1: Quick and dirty Droid stand.

The construction feels sturdy and my initial impression is that the integrity of the cable should hold up to being repeatedly bent. I tested this with my Droid and it worked fine for both synching and charging. If you have one or more devices that use micro USB, I’d recommend this as a worthy addition to your gear bag. The Flexicord Mini is $11.95 and available through Amazon.com. [Affiliate]

Chris Gohlke is a Contributing Editor for Thoughts Media. He loves roller derby, poker, RPGs, and Sci-Fi and loves to get his hands on real-life tech gadgets. He lives in Tallahassee, Florida, USA with his wife and three cats.

Do you enjoy using new hardware, software and accessories, then sharing your experience with others? Then join us on the Thoughts Media Review Team! We're looking for individuals who find it fun to test new gear and give their honest opinions about the experience. It's a volunteer role with some great perks. Interested? Then click here for more information.

HTC T8788 Landing At AT&T

Nurhisham Hussein — Tue, 24 Aug 2010 19:30:00 GMT

http://www.engadget.com/2010/08/24/...eaks-cover-for/

New WP7 models are popping up everywhere now - evidence that there's been a lot of work behind the scenes. This latest from HTC features a kickstand and a slide-out speaker, which ought to make it a decent media player on the go. I seriously doubt that the T8788 moniker will stay for long though.

Mini Size, Maxi Features: The HTC HD Mini Reviewed

Doug Raeburn — Tue, 24 Aug 2010 07:00:00 GMT

Product Category: Windows Mobile 6.5.3 Smartphone

Manufacturer: HTC

Where to buy: Expansys

Price: $339 USD Unlocked version

Specifications: From HTC site

Pros:

Good performance;
Small and light - fits nicely in your hand and your pocket;
Capacitive touchscreen is responsive with fluid scrolling;
Most thoroughly "touch enabled" WM phone yet.

Cons:

Capacitive buttons on front panel too easy to hit by accident;
Back cover difficult to remove;
Doesn't support 3G for AT&T.

Summary: Not too long ago, HTC introduced the HD2, which featured just about everything a Windows Mobile smartphone buyer could ask for. But it also had a couple of characteristics, namely comparatively large size and heavy weight, that didn't thrill some prospective buyers as much. So HTC subsequently introduced the HTC HD Mini in Europe, with the goal provide the bulk of the HD2's capabilities in a smaller and lighter form factor. How successful were they at achieving that goal? Join me as I research that question...

It's interesting to see that some of the most intriguing and sophisticated designs for Windows Phone 6.5.x are coming out just as that version of the OS is about to be superseded. HTC has been very busy coming up with a vast array of designs for the Android OS, while the release of new Windows Phone designs from them has slowed considerably. I'm hoping that they start giving strong support to Windows Phone 7 when it finally becomes available, because the HD Mini is on a par hardware-wise with their Android offerings and that combined with a new, more modern OS might just give the current smartphone sales leaders some real competition.

First Impressions

Upon handling the Mini for the first time, I was pleasantly surprised. I found a device that felt sturdy, lightweight and a perfect fit for my somewhat small hands. I was also pleased to see few of the "form over function" design cues that were evident with my Touch Diamond. As much as I loved that phone, whoever thought that a faceted back was a good idea, well, I hope they've found a different line of work better suited to their questionable judgment.

The HD Mini is a device designed for those who liked everything about the HTC HD2 except its size and weight. Of course, since it's clearly a sibling of the Android-based HTC Aria offered by AT&T, it's unknown if the hardware was truly designed specifically to supplement the HD2 or if it's just a Windows Phone version of a phone intended for multiple platforms. The Mini's dimensions (4.09" x 2.27" x 0.46" or 103.8mm x 57.7mm x 11.7mm) give it a footprint that's a whopping 3.24 sq in or 26% smaller than its big brother. At 3.88 oz. (110 g) with battery, it's also 1.7 oz. (47 g) or 30% lighter than the HD2. I prefer smaller, more pocketable phones, so the Mini's smaller and lighter stature immediately appealed to me.

Of course, since there's no such thing as a free lunch, the Mini has a few scaled back features and specs to go along with its smaller size. First, it should come as no surprise that the screen is smaller, an unavoidable change given a 26% smaller footprint. The HD2 has a huge 4.3" screen, while the Mini makes do with a considerably smaller 3.2" screen. And size isn't the only scaled down aspect of the Mini's screen...it sports a resolution of 480 x 320 vs. the HD2's 800 x 480, giving the Mini a mere 40% of the pixels of the HD2. Other scaled back features include a slower processor, less RAM and no flash for the camera (though they both are rated as 5 megapixel). The Mini does offer ~20% greater battery life, however... there are some benefits to a slower processor and a smaller, lower resolution screen.

In this day and age of 800 x 480 HD2's and 960 x 640 iPhone 4's, the Mini's 480 x 320 screen may sound underwhelming. But any doubts that I had about screen quality went away when I pressed the Mini's power button. As is typical for HTC devices, the screen is beautiful. Extremely bright, crisp and colorful. If I had been forced to guess the resolution of the screen based on appearance, I probably would have said 640 x 480 like my Touch Diamond. So it may not have the highest resolution screen on the market right now, but I doubt that many people would complain after using it.

Hardware Tour

Figure 1: The prevailing standard for WM 6.5.x designs. The capacitive buttons were a bit too easy to activate by accident.

The layout of the front panel provides all of the expected features and controls. Along the top you have the multi-function notification light on the left and the earpiece in the middle. Below the screen you'll find a row of buttons that adhere to the latest and greatest standards for Windows Phones. From left to right you'll find the Talk/Send button, the Home button, the Start button, the Back button and the End button.

For longtime users of Windows Mobile phones, a few things might stand out. First, there is no longer a directional pad, it having been rendered largely redundant by the very sensitive capacitive screen. Second, you'll note that the screen no longer features the Start button that was once ubiquitous on Windows Mobile Professional phones (the most recent previous name for the platform). The dedicated Start button under the screen replaces it. And when you press that button, you're presented with a screen of diagonally arranged icons (similar to that of Windows Phone Standard devices and the main screen of an iPhone) rather than the desktop style fly-out menu of older versions of Windows Mobile.

The buttons are flat and touch sensitive, so you won't be able to operate them by feel. Thankfully, the buttons are always visible, even when their backlighting is off. When the light sensor detects low light conditions, it automatically activates the backlighting. That's an improvement over my Touch Diamond, on which the similar touch activated buttons were invisible when the backlight was off. What's not an improvement, though, is their location and perhaps excessive sensitivity. I was forever pulling up the phone interface by touching the Call/send button by accident, which of course disrupted whatever I was doing. Never had that problem with the TD, even though its front panel buttons were capacitive as well.

Figure 2: The top view. The metallic accent is a nice touch.

The top panel features the power button and a 3.5 mm audio jack. It's looking like HTC has finally abandoned proprietary connectors for good (yay)!

Figure 3: Nothing more than the volume control...

The left side panel features only a single control for volume up and down.

Figure 4: I wonder if Apple will ever discover the benefits of non-proprietary connectors. Probably the only thing they don't benefit is Apple's bottom line for accessory sales.

On the bottom panel, you'll find the microphone and the Sync/Charge connector. Once again, the connector is non-proprietary (Micro USB).

The right side panel is free of any controls, so I didn't take a photo. Imagine the left side without the volume control and you've basically got it.

Figure 5: As usual, HTC tries to inject some style into their phones.

The back cover is black with a matte finish. The phone's speaker and camera lens appear here. There's some nice detailing here, with a combined metal cover for the speaker and surround for the camera lens. Attractively finished screw heads are situated in all 4 corners. These are real screws that hold the phone together, but they appear through holes in the back cover... you don't have to remove them to remove the cover.

Figure 6: Quite the contrast between the exterior and interior colors...

Removing the cover highlights one of the few ergonomic hiccups on the Mini. There's a small indent at the top of the screen into which you insert something (probably a fingernail) to pry the cover off. It takes some work to get the cover to pop off, and I imagine you could easily break a nail and/or ruin a manicure in the process. With all of the nice design touches in evidence in other aspects of the Mini, the rather poor design of the rear cover was disappointing.

Follow-up note: as I was using the Mini, I discovered that the rear cover became easier to use, loosening up a bit. Which brings up a concern about it continuing to do so, becoming too loose. Not a great cover design in any case, IMO.

The last point aside, though, I was impressed with the overall design of the Mini, with high quality materials, tight construction and thoughtful features.

Windows Mobile 6.5 Not Done Yet: Samsung Releases Omnia Pro 4

Brad Wasson — Mon, 23 Aug 2010 18:30:00 GMT

http://www.mobileburn.com/news.jsp?Id=10474

"As you may know, the Omnia Pro 4 was announced in June alongside Omnia Pro 5, two Bada-powered phones (Wave 2 and Wave 2 Pro) and Galaxy 3 (I5800). It has a candybar form factor, sporting a full QWERTY keyboard a la BlackBerry and such things as 2.62-inch QVGA touchscreen, 3.2-megapixel camera with auto-focus, HSPA and WiFi connectivity, GPS, 3.5mm headset jack and a microSD memory card slot. Windows Mobile 6.5.3 is running the show and there's also the Office Mobile 2010 suite pre-installed on the device."

Well, what have we here? Does this image get your motor running? If you are a big Windows Mobile 6.5.3 fan there's no need to wait for Windows Phone 7 to get a brand spanking new and capable smartphone for your busy daily use. Samsung has not forgotten Windows Mobile 6.5.x, and as Mobile Burn has reported, the specs look quite nice for this particular form factor.

LG E900 On Camera

Nurhisham Hussein — Mon, 23 Aug 2010 18:00:00 GMT

http://www.engadget.com/2010/08/23/...a-little-dance/

I've got a crick in my neck and my eyes are smarting from watching this blurry video (very obviously taken with a phone camera), but we're treated to a preview of what will be the svelte LG E900. I like the boot-up time - reminds me of when you can actually get Windows Mobile to restart in less than 30 sec, back in the Jurassic Age. There's also what appears to be some custom tiles on the home page, which sadly weren't tried out in the video. But have a look and see for yourself.

WP7 Developers: Final Tools Coming, Get Ready for Launch

Jon Westfall — Mon, 23 Aug 2010 11:00:00 GMT

http://windowsteamblog.com/windows_...nch-timing.aspx

"August marks the six-month anniversary of the public unveiling of our next-generation mobile phone, Windows Phone 7. Six months is an interesting bit of time; it can fly by, or it can feel like it's dragging on forever. The gating factor tends to be how much fun you are having. For us on the Windows Phone team, it feels like just yesterday that we first introduced Windows Phone 7 to the world. Now, just a blink of the eye and phones will be on shelves. All of the work of the last six months is certainly paying off, as just about every conversation we have with developers focuses on their strategy for generating more business with Windows Phone 7. It's amazing to see so many inspired developers looking to create experiences for Windows Phone 7. In fact, to date there have been north of 300,000 downloads of the Windows Phone Developer Tools."

Lots of interesting points in Brandon Watson's latest blog piece, here's the basics:

300,000 downloads of the WP 7 Developer tools... wow!
Final tools drop on Sept. 16
Marketplace starts taking submissions (e.g., opens) in early October!
Marketplace policies have been updated in preparation.

An exciting time to be a Windows Phone Developer!

Ultrasone Wants to Save Your Ears

David Tucker — Sun, 22 Aug 2010 09:45:00 GMT

http://www.ultrasone.com/index_en.p...22&inhalt_id=22

Ever since the advent of the Walkman, researchers have been warning us that we're all about to go deaf. I don't know if those fears have been realized yet since I still don't hear about scores of the Walkman generation showing up for hearing aids. Maybe people have been heeding the warnings!

Whatever the case, the warnings have hardly abated over the years and there's been new warnings and research that has come out recently that shows that hearing loss in teens is on the rise. This really isn't surprising to me since as we've transitioned to digital music its become trivial to have your entire library of music in your pocket.

The challenge is finding a way to play your music at lower levels and still enjoy it the same. There does come a point where you start to lose things in the music if you can't put the volume high enough. Of course, if you make yourself deaf trying to find all the subtle nuances of your heavy metal, it may end up as a moot point eventually.

Ultrasone says that they have the answer with their S-Logic technology. They claim that it can decrease pressure on your inner ear by up to 40% which is definitely a pretty positive thing. Not only that, but Ultrasone says that because it delivers the sound more naturally, that your listening experience will actually be improved.

Safety and quality come at a price, however. Ultrasone only appears to provide over the ear headphones and all start at over $100 and go up into the thousands. If you're an extreme audiophile who demands the best listening experience and and want to ensure your hearing safety, this could be the answer for you. Its a pretty expensive solution for what is, admittedly, a pretty significant issue.

Samsung Cetus i917 for AT&T

Nurhisham Hussein — Fri, 20 Aug 2010 23:00:00 GMT

http://www.engadget.com/2010/08/20/...indows-phone-7/

Engadget has (a few) exclusive pics of the new Samsung Cetus i917 with WP7, said to be destined for AT&T this holidays season. As usual we're light on specs, though again it shouldn't be hard to guess. My first impression is that all that glossy plastic will be a huge fingerprint magnet, and there's not a whole lot in terms of looks to distinguish the i917 from say, Samsung's Galaxy S line - it's all going to boil down to the OS experience.

Will EA Bring Gaming Titles to Windows Phone 7?

Brad Wasson — Fri, 20 Aug 2010 08:30:00 GMT

http://www.engadget.com/2010/08/19/...one-7-doesnt-h/

"If you examined the fairly impressive roster of Windows Phone 7 Xbox Live launch titles that Microsoft waved proudly in our face the other day, you might've noticed that EA is particularly absent from that glorious list. Well, the folks at Mobile Entertainment bothered to ask EA Mobile about that absence, and EA had this terse reply: "We are constantly evaluating new platforms and opportunities, but have nothing to announce right now.""

EA is a titan in the gaming world, with titles in virtually all genres and support for numerous platforms, including the PC, Wii, Xbox 360, Playstation 3, Nintendo, iPhone, iPod, iPad, and, of course, the web. As Engadget has pointed out, it is fairly odd that they've made no explicit comment on their intentions for the Windows Phone 7 platform. There are a number of possible reasons for this. They may be taking a "wait and see" position to determine just how well the platform will do in the marketplace. They could just have too many projects underway on other platforms to take on the new Windows Phone 7. They might even be holding something back for a surprise at launch time. They definitely have a long-term relationship with Microsoft as represented by some of the stellar sports games available on the Xbox 360 platform. It seems we will just have to hold on a bit to see if their support is forthcoming. In the meantime, do any of our readers have thoughts or insight as to what might be at "play" here?

CNET Goes Hands-On With Windows Phone 7 Games

Jason Dunn — Wed, 18 Aug 2010 22:00:00 GMT

http://news.cnet.com/8301-13860_3-20013978-56.html

"After about a month of using a Windows Phone 7 device with no extra apps at all, it was fun to get my hands on some games. On Tuesday I had a chance to play with a handful of the titles that Microsoft just announced would be coming to Windows Phone 7 when it launches later this year. Though just a small sample, the quick look showed that Windows Phone 7 is quite a capable platform for games. That's important, because games in general--and the phone's Xbox Live tie-in specifically--will have to be a key selling point if Microsoft is to make a dent in the ultra-competitive smartphone business."

The videos speak for themselves - Microsoft has really put a lot of effort into this experience, and for anyone that enjoys playing games, this is a powerful experience.

Windows Phone 7 Jump Start Training

Brad Wasson — Wed, 18 Aug 2010 17:30:00 GMT

http://windowsteamblog.com/windows_...t-training.aspx

"We recognize that providing as much technical content as we can for the full range of developers is what developers deserve. While we plan on having more live training sessions in the coming weeks and months, we are also committed to making that content available as quickly as possible to as many developers as possible. Since this round of content is based on Beta Windows Phone Developer Tools, we will not be localizing it. For our non-English speaking developers, we will be providing localized training once we have released the final developer tools."

The Windows Team Blog has recently posted a set of 12 web-based training videos for Windows Phone 7 developers. The videos, typically about 50 minutes in length, are intended to be used in self-paced training. A quick perusal of the topics covered reveals sessions on application development (for various levels of skill), games, working with media, and more. This looks a great starting point for the budding Windows Phone 7 developer.