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Posts Tagged ‘Windows-Phone-7’
Tuesday, April 5th, 2011
Just like Google, BlackBerry, HP (webOS) and Apple have made it clear that they will (and have) pulled apps from their marketplace if they violate their policies, Microsoft has communicated their point to developers as well. However, the Windows Phone Marketplace is well over 6 months old and until now there had not been a peep of an app being rejected until last week.
You might remember that Microsoft is boasting well over 10,000 apps in their application store as well as 30,000+ developers. With those numbers it is to be expected that every once in a while an app will fall through the cracks. Well that so happens to be a certain app named Imagewind. The application, as some have styled it, is a “great app to kill some time.” Basically the app pulls random images from Twitter and displays them on the user’s phone. For those not familiar with Twitter, unlike many other social networks who hosts images for their users, Twitter only hosts background and profile pics leaving the rest of the image hosting to other sites such as TwitPic. Many of these sites do not have stringent policies on nudity and other forms of offensive content. Imagewind’s app pulls from many of these sites and this “violates” Microsoft’s TOS.
Many could argue that a browser does the same thing but is beside the point. Microsoft originally gave the creator some time to remedy the problem but has since pulled the app from its store. According to Roger, he is working on a fix for the app which would filter out such content.
Source: Smarty Pants Coding
Tags: Imagewind, Microsoft, Windows-Phone-7
Posted in Microsoft Phones | No Comments »
Friday, April 1st, 2011
There has been little talk out of Redmond on the numbers involving the actual sale of Windows Phone 7 devices. So far all we have been able to wring out the company is a vague statement claiming that sales are on track and that they have met their expectations.
On the other hand while Samsung has not come forward with any specific numbers, they have said that they were a bit disappointed at the sales figures regarding their part in the Windows Phone 7 launch. But while the company did stop short of giving actual stats, it is clear to see that not everyone so far is smiling upon the success of the platform. Even with that, Microsoft has said that they expect to long haul in making Windows Phone 7 successful and that might be one of the reasons they have decided to spend over $1 billion in advertisement for the platform.
That said, there has been some good news for the platform today. According to Microsoft, thanks to a developer network totaling 36,000, Windows Phone Marketplace now boasts a cool 11,500 apps. Now I’m sure many people will begin comparing these numbers to Android’s Marketplace which currently boasts over 150,000 apps or worse Apple’s App Store which is sitting above the 300,000 mark, but it’s not like all of those apps are unique as many have duplicated functionality. That being said, with the next major update for Windows Phone 7 coming in the holiday season of this year (codenamed Mango), it looks like things will be moving up from here. Plus we cannot forget the new support Nokia will be giving the platform a much needed boost over the next 2 years thanks to their dropping of Symbian and the adoption of Windows Phone 7.
Source: Engadget
Tags: Windows-Phone-7
Posted in Microsoft Phones | No Comments »
Monday, March 28th, 2011
As Nokia continues to rebuild itself from the ground up, the company is paying special attention to its marketing. Remember the days when there was the Nokia Sans typeface, well you can say goodbye to that as the company is moving on with a more streamlined typeface; one that many are claiming is more in line with what Microsoft has to offer for its Windows Phone 7 fonts.
The company has gone ahead and published an 800-word justification for why it decided to dump Nokia Sans and in turn replace it with Nokia Pure. According to the article, the new font is described as “beauty in supreme usability.” An excerpt from the company’s blog reads as follows:
Nokia Pure also needed to feel open, inviting and friendly, reflecting Nokia’s heritage in approachable, human design. So we were after organic, flowing forms – nothing stressed, mechanical or too obviously ‘on trend’. There were other considerations too, notably that the design should translate across many different alphabets – everything from Greek and Cyrillic, to Arabic and Japanese. And because creating a new typeface is such a huge investment in time, skill and money, we had to have one capable of doing its job for at least a decade.
Of course this is coming just a few months after the company officially announced it would be dropping support for the aging Symbian OS and in turn use Microsoft’s Windows Phone 7 to power their devices from here on out. Could it be that Mr. Elop is trying to make sure that the font of the company and that of WP7 look matched on their boxing and not necessarily out of place as has been the case on many an Android device? Honestly we don’t know, and frankly we couldn’t care, as long as this translates into a good blend of hardware and software, we’re good.
Source: Nokia
Tags: Nokia, Nokia-Pure, Windows-Phone-7
Posted in Nokia Phones | No Comments »
Wednesday, December 22nd, 2010
 The HTC Wildfire handset is getting the Froyo update. Users under Vodafone and T-Mobile will be getting the update a little earlier with the expected update to launch by the end of this week. For those Wildfire users under other networks, the wait might take as long as until February of next year. Version 2.2 Froyo brings Flash support, better performance and of course, is a step closer to the Gingerbread OS.
Speaking of the Gingerbread, the Google branded Nexus One smart phone will be receiving the update in a matter of weeks, though it has yet to be confirmed when the exact release date would be. As the first Google branded device (and the one that Google has handed directly to developers), the Nexus One is one of the first Androids that we should expect to receive standalone updates first.
Android smart phone owners will be happy to know that the touch screen typing aid Swype is finally coming. The tool that makes typing on the virtual keyboard a lot easier and more intuitive is finally here; this allows users to send messages and updates faster than ever, without the need for a slide out QWERTY keyboard.
Location based service app Foursquare has now updated their servers to take on not only the light load of user login details, but also for longer comments and more importantly, images. Users of the app can now choose to upload images of the locations of various Foursquare locations.
Lastly, Microsoft is enjoying a quiet success with the Windows Phone 7. While the overall public reaction seems lukewarm, the sales show a different scenario with over 1.5 million devices sold in a span of six weeks. While this does place the new OS only slightly over the Samsung Bada, it is still a good start –and only time will tell if the platform can live up to Andy Rubin’s earlier visions for it.
Tags: Google, Google-Nexus-One, HTC, HTC-Wildfire, Swype, T-Mobile, Vodafone, Windows-Phone-7
Posted in Google Phones, HTC Phones, Microsoft Phones | No Comments »
Monday, December 20th, 2010
 It seems that the Windows Phone 7 update will not be arriving as early as we thought –that and there is a possibility that smaller updates might be released along the way. According to the latest reports, the WP7 Mango update (yes, Microsoft is calling it the Mango), will be released sometime during summer of 2011. This tags the release date of the patch to be sometime around August to September.
Originally, it was believed that the first major update of the Windows Phone 7 mobile platform will be out by the first quarter of 2011; however it seems that there are certain add-ons that are proving to be so massive that it will take a while before the update gets released. At this point, many are calling the Mango as “7.5” and from the initial reports, it appears that HTML5 support, and more Silverlight will be added in the update. There are also rumors that the Windows Phone 8 mobile platform will be released by 2012.
Google’s new Android version has finally gotten a designation, and we are not talking about the recently launched Gingerbread operating system. Indeed, the search engine giant is churning out one massive Android update after the other, starting with the Éclair at the end of last year, to the flash capable Froyo that came out mid-year and just a couple of days back, the 2.3 Gingerbread. Google has not made it a secret that the next OS to follow the big G is the Honeycomb, but no designation has been confirmed.
It appears that the Honeycomb might be taking on the 2.4 designation, though there are questions as to whether the update is really not that far from the 2 series. It has been confirmed that the Honeycomb is designed specifically for touch screen tablet devices –which the original Android is not all that good for (or so Google says).
Tags: Android-2.4-Honeycomb, Google, Microsoft, Windows-Phone-7
Posted in Android Mobile Phones, Google Phones, Microsoft Phones | No Comments »
Monday, December 6th, 2010
 There is no such thing as the perfect handset. Simply put, everything has its own design and manufacturing flaws. While Apple’s iPhone 4 may have suffered such issues (and indignities) worst of today’s new devices, going all out and pointing fingers is never a good idea.
Many of you may recall the whole antennagate issue that had Apple naming names and dropping brands like the entire mobile industry had a problem –and they did specifically state that outright. They even made videos to show their point. But one quick look and everyone can easily tell, the real antenna issue is not when a phone loses signal bars because it was being held in a funny way (upside down, flipped around, held with two hand cupping most parts, etc). It is when a phone completely loses signal strength because a pinky or ring finger is located where it should normally be when using the device.
All phones have antennas, and covering up the parts near the antennas will certainly affect performance –which is the same issue with the HTC HD7. While the phone does not suffer from the iPhone 4 syndrome, it does lose more bar than the typical smart phone.
HTC is aware of the issue and has stated that the problem is not that big of deal –and they are absolutely right. The most one can take off a good coverage is about two to three signal bars, completely losing connection would require going to an area with weak signal strength and holding the phone in a silly way using two hands. Seriously, that is not something to complain about.
The most interesting thing here is that HTC chose not to bring up Apple –the mere omission shows a level of professionalism that is so rarely displayed by the Cupertino based company. Steve Jobs ought to start jotting down notes on his iPad about this.
Tags: antenna, HTC, HTC-HD7, Windows-Phone-7
Posted in HTC Phones | No Comments »
Wednesday, November 24th, 2010
A recently reported news bit about Windows Phone 7 has revealed a major flaw in the mobile platform: it cannot swap micro SD cards. And this is where you get some pause to let that sink in.
For those who cannot appreciate the gravity of the issue, here’s the basic lowdown: the micro SD card is basically removable storage for any mobile device. You can transfer and store files in card and basically allow you to switch between multiple handsets or multiple cards (depending on how you prefer).
Switching between phones is understandable, if you have an Android and a BlackBerry, being able to carry around a single media library means that you can still watch that next episode stored on the card, regardless of which phone you use. In that same regard, being able to carry multiple cards means that you can delegate space better –like having one card store all music and another for videos.
In any case, the ability to switch and swap micro SD cards is longer a feature of convenience, but something that is expected from smart phones. But this is not possible with the Windows Phone 7 operating system. Apparently, the OS tends to stick to the initial card you use, with the data supposedly written in a completely new format (ironic, since this is a Microsoft OS). And worst of all, only certain SD cards work well with the OS (which seems to have a high transfer rate speed requirement).
In other news, it seems that T-Mobile and Orange UK are looking into making the iPad more accessible to buyers. The team that brought us Everything Everywhere has hinted that the Apple iPad price tag might drop down as far as 200 Pounds –depending on the 3G contract. For those who feel that the almost 500 Pound cost of the touch screen tablet is too much, this is a perfect opportunity.
Tags: Apple-iPad, microSD, Microsoft, Orange, T-Mobile, Windows-Phone-7
Posted in Apple Phones, Microsoft Phones, Orange Phones, TMobile Phones | No Comments »
Tuesday, November 16th, 2010
 The Windows Phone 7 mobile platform is proving to be quite the impressive operating system. Despite that fact that is has some glaring flaws (such as the micro SD card limitations), it is hard to deny that the WP7 succeeded in their mission to change the way people use mobile phones.
Sony Ericsson has long been using the Window Mobile platform, but with the failed marketability of the original XPERIA X1 and XPERIA X2 handsets, it is pretty much expected that SE would turn away from WinMo. The launch of the XPERIA X10 Android smart phone pretty much sealed the issue: SE has moved on to a better and more successful mobile platform. Things are certainly changing now however. Just like with LG’s Optimus series which uses both WP7 and the Android OS, the XPERIA series will be bringing back Microsoft into the fold, but this time, the platform to be used is Windows Phone 7.
It is not surprising that the XPERIA X7 has this specific designation in the phone’s name. After all, the earlier XPERIA devices are also Windows phones. The only difference is that they used an older version of the mobile platform. The launch of the X10 skipped several numbers ahead, leaving plenty of unused names.
The only thing we are wondering about is what Sony Ericsson will be naming the Windows Phone 8 handset as the X8 designation has already been given to an Android device. X9 is still vacant, as well as X3 to X6.
In terms of specs, the X7 and X7 Mini both live up to the minimum hardware requirements of Microsoft for WP7, though the X7 Mini is exactly on the exact specs while the main X7 device brings in a few improvements such as a much larger touch screen display and the addition of an HDMI video output.
Tags: Sony-Ericsson, Sony-Ericsson-XPERIA-X7, Sony-Ericsson-XPERIA-X7-Mini, Windows-Phone-7
Posted in Sony Ericsson Phones | No Comments »
Tuesday, October 26th, 2010
It takes a lot to say that something has been re-invented, after all, breaking past the borders of upgrades and innovations to totally bring something new as a whole is not something that is aspired for as a goal –but it something that is simply achieved through the process of making things better.
Of course, the base argument here was that Microsoft had plenty to make better. The developer of the ever famous Windows desktop OS is also responsible for Windows Mobile, which is definitely one of the most horrid mobile platforms ever made. It was certainly fit for the job of handling office work (which was what it was designed for in the first place), but the design concept was so rigid, the UI was so badly designed, that when smart phones started becoming more commonly used by the general market, the WinMo OS did not make a successful transition.
In contrast, the BlackBerry OS (which was also beating the WinMo in business sales) made an easy transition. Something was definitely wrong with Microsoft’s formula.
Steve Ballmer’s plan to change everything and bring in the Windows Phone 7 operating system into reality is the perfect plan for Microsoft, and he pulled it off. The new OS is sleek, easy to use and is by far, the most dynamic mobile platform we have ever seen.
User interface animations aside, the lined functions and easy access commands brings a whole new level of diversity to the phone’s user experience –something that no other platform has been able to deliver.
Checking out the HTC HD7 (the WP7 sequel to the HD2), we can easily see what makes the new OS work so well –consistency. Despite the artsy approach to the user interface, the fact that all the commands and functions are delivered in a single method (with varying visual differences), makes the UI consistent, understandable and easy on the eyes. We can certainly expect to see more great things from Microsoft’s WP7.
Tags: HTC-HD7, Microsoft, Steve-Ballmer, Windows-Phone-7
Posted in HTC Phones, Microsoft Phones | No Comments »
Tuesday, October 12th, 2010
When Windows Phone 7 was initially introduced, the user interface alone was enough to surprise and delight a great majority of us in the mobile phone industry. Steve Ballmer and his team managed to do what was originally deemed impossible; to turn the unnaturally cold and indifferent Windows Mobile platform into something that the general user can relate to.
Of course, this meant that Steve and company had to go back to the drawing boards and redo everything from scratch, but that is the kind of dedication that has brought to us the new Windows Phone 7 mobile platform. As much as an improvement that Windows 7 was over Vista, the WP7 platform is definitely the one OS that shows to us that Microsoft still has their game when it comes to developing.
The dynamic user alone is impressive to look at, but the functions that are integrated are certainly something more. According to Steve Ballmer, the new OS is “thoroughly modern”, and as he showcased on connectivity feature after another, we all understood what the man meant by modern –being in touch.
The contacts tab is the major springboard of events, maps and other iconic details in the new OS. And all other functions keep jumping back to it to. Even selecting a game on the Xbox Live Games center gives users an option to invite their friends to the game.
Indeed, the OS has gone from business to very personal in a big way, and judging from the looks of things, there is much, much more to come.
Longtime Apple supporter Stephen Fry was a surprise guest at the WP7 launch and despite his own allegiance to the Cupertino based rival, he also expressed his delight with the new Microsoft platform. Microsoft has given Fry a chance to try out the new OS for quite some time and earning his approval –showcasing how personal the new OS has truly become.
Tags: Microsoft, Stephen-Fry, Steve-Ballmer, Windows-Phone-7
Posted in Microsoft Phones | No Comments »
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