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Windows Phone 7 |OT|

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Commodore said:
Both are walking a fine line of balancing their closer relationships with their secondary relationships. I don't think phone manufacturers are as ticked off at Google as a few stories out there have implied, but I do think Google has to walk the finer line now that they own Moto, versus a business back scratch that MS and Nokia has. MS or Nokia can certainly back out if they really wanted; Google married Moto for the lingering family fortune.

I think Nokia's boost will bring Windows Phone into third place by next year/2013, and depending on how Google handles their first Moto produced/Google owned phone, will determine which platform is the better venture for all those companies. MS + Nokia has a ton of work to do to even dream of becoming as dominant as Google has right now in the market, but Google is up there with precarious patent footing. I hope they all do awesome and we see some amazing platforms grow and flourish. Patents Wars will probably muck things up though.
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have you ever seen patent wars bring any good?

also i thought google mainly bought moto for the patents. and realistically it shouldn't take Microsoft long (maybe 2015, MAYBE) to become second if they keep supporting WP7 and put a bit more effort in educating people. i mean they have standards, its like if you were doing a test and had all the answers given to you. you'd have to be pretty dumb to screw up.
 
14 new games announced for Windows Phone and some new* features

http://windowsteamblog.com/windows_...tures-games-on-the-way-for-windows-phone.aspx

It’s a sweet day for mobile gamers. Today Microsoft previewed new Xbox LIVE titles and features coming to Windows Phone in the months ahead. The announcement came at the annual Gamescom conference in Cologne, Germany.

We’ve already written about some of the changes on the way for the Games Hub in Mango, the next release of Windows Phone. But at Gamescom today members of the Xbox team outlined several other exciting capabilities coming this fall. Visit the Xbox press room for details. Meantime, here’s a quick recap:

Avatar Awardables:
Like achievements—but wearable. Once unlocked, these items will automatically appear in your avatar closet and can be worn on your avatar’s sleeve as a badge of honor. “Chickens Can’t Fly,” a forthcoming Xbox LIVE release, will be among the first titles to feature them.

Game Add-ons:
In the Xbox LIVE title “Beards & Beaks," players can purchase extra mushrooms and other items from within the game using Microsoft Points. In the months ahead, keep your eyes out for more titles in Marketplace that let you buy in-game add-ons and downloadable content like extra weapons or levels.

Parental Controls:
The next release of Windows Phone gives parents more control of what content their child can access on Windows Phone, including M-rated (Mature) games. The first M-rated Windows Phone title, “Splinter Cell: Conviction,” is scheduled to arrive in the Marketplace later this fall.

Fast Async:
A new Xbox LIVE service coming this fall that improves gameplay for multiplayer, turn-by-turn (or asynchronous) Windows Phone games.
Click to expand...

Today the Xbox team also unveiled 14 great new Xbox LIVE titles coming to Windows Phone in the months ahead:

Beards & Beaks: Cave Area
The turf war between gnomes and crows moves to the cave with 15 challenging new levels and where a new gnome ally and new enemies await.

Bug Village
Build and nurture a colony of active ants and busy bees. Construct homes to attract playful bugs and direct them to the garden, where they can gather resources to expand your village. Small is beautiful in bug village.

Burn the Rope
Burn as much rope as you can in this challenging puzzle game. The catch? Fire only burns upwards. So you’ll have to madly tilt and turn your phone to keep the flame alive.

Chickens Can’t Fly
You’re a corporate scientist assigned to see what chickens are capable of, answering critical questions such as: Is there life after the butcher? Are chickens afraid of ghosts? Does frozen chicken get dizzy?

Collapse!
The blockbusting, color-matching excitement of “Collapse!” returns with award-winning gameplay, all-new customizable characters, and fantastic new foes.

Gravity Guy
In a world where gravity laws were broken, a brave guy was held captive for defying the rules. Not happy, he decided to escape. Your job: guide him through a world of impossible mazes, flipping gravity at will.

Farm Frenzy 2
If you think the big city is crazy, wait until you get a load of country life. Manage a wild and wacky farm by growing grass, feeding chickens, collecting eggs and taking your produce to market.

Fight Game Rivals
Become the king of kings among tournament fighters around the world. Enter different tournaments on distinct locations, earn credits and unlock devastating attacks and skills.

IonballEX
A modern twist on a classic Breakout-style game, all delivered in a unique steampunk style.

Kinectimals Mobile
Play with, care for, and fall in love with your very own Kinectimal cub. The hit Xbox 360 game comes to Windows Phone.

Mush
This puzzle platformer (and Windows Phone exclusive) gives you control over how your character feels. Change their emotions by drawing smiles and sad faces, and by rotating or shaking the phone.

Orbital
An addictive puzzle game that challenges you to destroy as many orbs as possible.

TextTwist 2
From Game House, creators of “Bounce Out” and “Collapse!”, comes a more cerebral challenge: How many words can you form in two-and-a-half minutes with a handful of random letters? Figure out the combination with the most letters and move to the next level.

Toy Soldiers Boot Camp
Wage war on a tiny scale with four fun and addictive shooting gallery mini-games from “Toy Soldiers: Cold War”.
Click to expand...
 
Ordered myself a CaseMate Barely There case for my HD7. Hard to beat Amazon's price of £10 for it.

Had a CaseMate before for my Nexus One, regretted not using it more as I dropped it without the case on and smashed it, so I'll be making sure it stays on all the time this time.
 
kharma45 said:
Ordered myself a CaseMate Barely There case for my HD7. Hard to beat Amazon's price of £10 for it.

Had a CaseMate before for my Nexus One, regretted not using it more as I dropped it without the case on and smashed it, so I'll be making sure it stays on all the time this time.
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How do you like the phone and OS so far? Did you update to Mango?
 
brotkasten said:
How do you like the phone and OS so far? Did you update to Mango?
Click to expand...

Haven't updated to Mango as yet, still in two minds whether to bother or not with it not being that far off. Just worried incase it's any less stable, or any bugs/driver incompatibilities appear. I flash ROMs all the time when I was on Android but there is just something holding me back with WP7, probably just the fact it's a new OS to me.

The phone itself is alright, could be slightly better built but in general it's not too bad. Really enjoying using WP7 though, coming over from Android after years it just feels so much more 'together', although I do miss the much larger selection of free apps and games, although I'm sure that'll grow in time. I've noticed though on the free apps the adverts are a lot more visually intrusive than the Google ones.

Bar that it's been a good experience so far, not missing Android all that much :)

edit - another bugbear, when I hit the search key in the browser it takes me to Yahoo! :| Any way to change this to either Google or Bing?
 
My mom is offering to upgrade my phone (lol) and I've been wanting a Windows 7 phone for so long.. the thing is though I've been waiting for new hardware / mango. I have Verizon, should I just go out this week and get a trophy or keep waiting?
 
kharma45 said:
Haven't updated to Mango as yet, still in two minds whether to bother or not with it not being that far off. Just worried incase it's any less stable, or any bugs/driver incompatibilities appear. I flash ROMs all the time when I was on Android but there is just something holding me back with WP7, probably just the fact it's a new OS to me.

The phone itself is alright, could be slightly better built but in general it's not too bad. Really enjoying using WP7 though, coming over from Android after years it just feels so much more 'together', although I do miss the much larger selection of free apps and games, although I'm sure that'll grow in time. I've noticed though on the free apps the adverts are a lot more visually intrusive than the Google ones.

Bar that it's been a good experience so far, not missing Android all that much :)

edit - another bugbear, when I hit the search key in the browser it takes me to Yahoo! :| Any way to change this to either Google or Bing?
Click to expand...
yep! flash to mango. i understand that mango as it is currently is without any OEM customisation, so it should still be using Bing.

i've been running the mango RTM since it leaked, and before that the second beta for a good while. i've run into zero stability or performance issues. i'd say give it a go.
 
Coldsnap said:
My mom is offering to upgrade my phone (lol) and I've been wanting a Windows 7 phone for so long.. the thing is though I've been waiting for new hardware / mango. I have Verizon, should I just go out this week and get a trophy or keep waiting?
Click to expand...

From what i've heard a leaked Verizon roadmap had no new WP7 devices, so you could end up waiting quite a while for a newer phone.

I'm getting closer to buying the Optimus 7 btw, probably gonna sell my PSP first though to get a little cash.
 
talkinghead said:
From what i've heard a leaked Verizon roadmap had no new WP7 devices, so you could end up waiting quite a while for a newer phone.

I'm getting closer to buying the Optimus 7 btw, probably gonna sell my PSP first though to get a little cash.
Click to expand...

Yea, I would believe that. Verizon is so damn slow with everything. How is the Optimus 7 compared to the trophy?
 
plagiarize said:
yep! flash to mango. i understand that mango as it is currently is without any OEM customisation, so it should still be using Bing.

i've been running the mango RTM since it leaked, and before that the second beta for a good while. i've run into zero stability or performance issues. i'd say give it a go.
Click to expand...

Got a good guide for doing it? Might give it a go.

Might just stick with NoDo actually, too worried I'll mess it up.
 
Coldsnap said:
Yea, I would believe that. Verizon is so damn slow with everything. How is the Optimus 7 compared to the trophy?
Click to expand...

Well i've had neither phone in my hands yet, but the Optimus 7 has a bigger battery and "real" flash storage instead of the supposedly slightly slower microSD card.
 
I'm in the UK. What features are missing from the mango beta so far? Is it worth the update? Where can I get it and the instructions on how to install it?
 
JaggedSac said:
I'm assuming since devs can access sockets now, real time multiplayer can be implemented.
Click to expand...

I don't know if that works for Xbox Live titles. (anyone know?)

They've shown a few demos of apps communicating in real time so I'm guessing real-time multiplayer is doable.
 
D4Danger said:
I don't know if that works for Xbox Live titles. (anyone know?)

They've shown a few demos of apps communicating in real time so I'm guessing real-time multiplayer is doable.
Click to expand...

You are probably right, MS probably has rules about that sort of thing. They probably don't want devs to side step Live.
 
Windows Phone Team Blog!

The Silverlight for Windows Phone Toolkit is now available for ‘Mango’ application development

AUG 17 2011 by jeffwilcox

Since the new Windows Phone Marketplace for ‘Windows Phone Mango’ is nearly ready for submission of your apps, developers will be happy to know that today we are releasing the Silverlight for Windows Phone Toolkit (August 2011) add-on. This is a great new release of extra controls and should let you create even better apps with the Windows Phone 7.1 SDK.

In this toolkit you will find user interface controls like those found throughout the Windows Phone, with components like toggle switches, page transitions, picker controls and more. We have also localized the toolkit into all of the Windows Phone ‘Mango’ languages, since there’s a whole world out there hopefully looking to purchase your apps from the Windows Phone Marketplace.

As always, the Silverlight for Windows Phone Toolkit is open source, letting developers extend the components and learn more about best practices for control and application development.

PS: Click the link for all of the additions!
 
Coldsnap said:
grrr i want a windows 7 phone but the trophy just looks so dated spec wise now adays.
Click to expand...
second gen to come out near September
supposedly.


D4Danger said:
14 new games announced for Windows Phone and some new* features

http://windowsteamblog.com/windows_...tures-games-on-the-way-for-windows-phone.aspx

“Kinectimals Mobile” Play with, care for, and fall in love with your very own Kinectimal cub. The hit Xbox 360 game comes to Windows Phone.
Click to expand...
Click to expand...

DO WANT
 
So this was the second time now that the alarm acted weird.

The first time the phone completely crashed after hitting the slumber button,
and today the whole phone was mute after hitting the slumber button and there was no alarm anymore.

Dangerous! ;)
 
VanMardigan said:
Why is it DOA?
Click to expand...
Like I said, it's very expensive.
Pricing for the phone in various contexts i.e. out of contract, in contract, etc. have been revealed on the website for KDDI-AU, the carrier launching the device. From NanaPho who was kind enough to do the math for us:

  • IS12T New retail price $958
  • IS12T MNP retail price $753
  • IS12T New price with 2-year contract $458
  • IS12T MNP price with 2-year contract $252

(USD/JPY = 76.715)

(MNP price is for NTT docomo and Softbank users who want to switch to KDDI)
Click to expand...
http://www.wpcentral.com/fujitsu-is12t-pricing-revealed-it-ain-t-cheap

But maybe it's just expensive compared to our prices. Could be normal there, so who knows.
 
brotkasten said:
Like I said, it's very expensive.

http://www.wpcentral.com/fujitsu-is12t-pricing-revealed-it-ain-t-cheap

But maybe it's just expensive compared to our prices. Could be normal there, so who knows.
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i know smartphones are really expensive in India. but no clue about the rest of Asia.
hwalker84 said:
No 4.5 that I know of. But how about 4.7?

http://www.gottabemobile.com/2011/0...s-phone-with-4-7-inch-display-revealed-image/
Click to expand...
the longer i look at it, the uglier it gets.
 
Coldsnap said:
grrr i want a windows 7 phone but the trophy just looks so dated spec wise now adays.
Click to expand...
Can't really compare specs between WP7 phones and Android phones because they're on a different level in terms of OS performance.
 
brotkasten said:
It's sad, because HTC made some good looking phones. I loved the Diamond 2 and Pro 2.
Click to expand...
Diamond 2 looked good. pro not so much.

i am just really worried about the HTC prime. it looks like it will have full metal casing, but then again i ve only seen one picture and if you google search it, its the same picture over and over again but with different water marks.

and as for the specs this is all ive seen.
 
Scott Adams, creator of Dilbert, is done with the phone challenge.
Summary: I hated my call-dropping iPhone. I'm told that the call-dropping had a lot to do with the AT&T network where I live. But I rarely had an acceptable voice call when I travelled either. Maybe it's just me.

My Android phone is nearly useless unless I'm near a power outlet. The battery drains so quickly that I avoid using it if I'm out of the house for more than a few hours. And I don't use it for voice calls unless I have to. I also find the user interface to be a think-about-it-every-time experience, which is a fail. I can't seem to commit the most basic functions to reflex no matter how many times I use the thing.

The Windows phone has the best user interface experience, although the onscreen keyboard is problematic just as it is with the other phones I used. The Windows interface is intuitive, simple, and has a liveliness that I find appealing. Voice call quality was good, and battery life seemed good too. I declare it the winner compared to my iPhone 3GS with AT&T and my HTC EVO 3D with Android on the Sprint network.

However, the intangible coolness factor is impossible to ignore. Even the names Microsoft and Windows feel dated. And the home screen of the Windows phone is great from a usability standpoint, but lacks sizzle. I'd be lying if I said that didn't matter to me.

So what phone is right for you?

If you're an image-conscious hipster/rebel/brand-monkey, and you don't use the AT&T network in the SF Bay Area, the iPhone is a great choice, especially if you need obscure apps.

An Android phone is great if you enjoy its gadgety nature, which I confess has some appeal. And the larger screen on the HTC EVO 3D is a huge plus compared to the iPhone 3GS. I assume Windows can match screen size on some phone models. The downside for Android is a frustrating interface and, in my situation, with my particular phone, an inexcusably bad battery life. Other Android users I have spoken to don't complain about the battery issue although they do notice it seems short. My suspicion is that I live in a weak signal area and the phone is using extra power to compensate. Or perhaps my particular phone is a power hog; I can't tell.

If you want a smartphone that is easy to use, performs well, has a good battery life, and doesn't frustrate you, the Windows phone is the best choice of the three options I tested. All you give up is some hipster credibility and access to lesser-used apps.
Click to expand...
http://dilbert.com/blog/entry/windows_phone_challenge_result/

Microsoft did not lose.
 
That's a good result. I'm a bit baffled by the keyboard comment, it's the best in the business imo, and easier to autocorrect as well.

Also, live tiles offer home screen "sizzle" than the boring iOS, but not as much as Android's widgets and live wallpaper.
 
I was reading that earlier.. very cool.

I like that he was consistent with his software keyboard hatred across all platforms.

They definitely do have a "cool factor" problem though.. as Scott noted.

edit -

Scott just hates software keyboards in general.. it's not a specific knock against WP7. The best of the worst is still bad, afterall..
 
brotkasten said:
Scott Adams, creator of Dilbert, is done with the phone challenge.

http://dilbert.com/blog/entry/windows_phone_challenge_result/

Microsoft did not lose.
Click to expand...

I love how he dings WP7 with a lack of INTANGIBLE COOLNESS FACTOR. It's true, MS really has a tough time being cool, especially when Windows is part of the product name. Branding is lost on them. Still, if anything they have going for them, its word of mouth. I love the phone and I've never shied away from telling anyone about it. If only they could figure out how to market it. It's one thing I doubt will ever happen no matter how popular the phone might become.

Reading some of the comments on his blog I came across this:

One tip I can give you and other users of Samsung Focus. The charger Samsung gives with the device is 700mah, and the battery is 1500mah. So, the charging takes like 4-5hrs to charge, and you mostly get 12hrs of optimal phone use per charge.

Use a Nokia 1200mah or similar rating charger with Samsung Focus, you will be amazed that the battery will give you twice the time per charge. I mostly charge my device after 24hrs, and I mostly do emails, some social, and some calls. Pretty standard use :)

Give it a try, you will know ;)
Click to expand...

Bullshit? Or possibility?
 
Commodore said:
I love how he dings WP7 with a lack of INTANGIBLE COOLNESS FACTOR. It's true, MS really has a tough time being cool, especially when Windows is part of the product name. Branding is lost on them. Still, if anything they have going for them, its word of mouth. I love the phone and I've never shied away from telling anyone about it. If only they could figure out how to market it. It's one thing I doubt will ever happen no matter how popular the phone might become.

Reading some of the comments on his blog I came across this:



Bullshit? Or possibility?
Click to expand...

Hmmm. Would like to try this.
 
brotkasten said:
Like I said, it's very expensive.

http://www.wpcentral.com/fujitsu-is12t-pricing-revealed-it-ain-t-cheap

But maybe it's just expensive compared to our prices. Could be normal there, so who knows.
Click to expand...
All phones in Asia are sold unlocked, hence, the increased price. There may be exceptions out there that I am not aware.

I think the iPhone costs $1000-$1200 USD. In Taiwan, I know many people bought HTC phones because HTC phones were about $200-$300 USD cheaper.
 
Id be interested in seeing if it was actually true....

And ms does have a branding problem and while the windows name is very well known its really time for it to go away in favor of something new that they could re-brand as a more consumer friendly option.
 
I think rain almost killed my Optimus 7.

I was on my way back home, when it started raining like crazy. I was soaking wet and so was my phone, since it was in my pocket. When I arrived, my microphone and speaker didn't work anymore. When I plugged the headphones in, the speech recognition came up and didn't work at all. Did a hard reset and still, nothing. On one hand I was obviously pissed, on the other hand I was already thinking about my next phone and if I should just order an Omnia 7 for now. 10 minutes later, the speaker worked again. 15 min later, mic worked again. I'm glad, but kinda bummed. :lol
 
Commodore said:
I love how he dings WP7 with a lack of INTANGIBLE COOLNESS FACTOR. It's true, MS really has a tough time being cool, especially when Windows is part of the product name. Branding is lost on them. Still, if anything they have going for them, its word of mouth. I love the phone and I've never shied away from telling anyone about it. If only they could figure out how to market it. It's one thing I doubt will ever happen no matter how popular the phone might become.
Click to expand...

They were able to get over it with Xbox.

I'm not saying call it Xbox phone, but I think MS acknowledges the 360 is the "cool/hip" thing for them. I mean, just look at how much they have riding on the whole Bing-Xbox-Tv living room integration.

I hope in Mango apps load faster.

Maybe it's because I use my Focus without a sim on wifi, but when I play around with apps like 4square, they take a lot longer to load compared to the iOS counterparts.

I'm really excited to give Mango a week-long spin once it drops. It will determine if I go with a shiny new WP7 or stick with iOS.

I'm afraid that iCloud will win some major points with me (I'm always scheduling meetings) but MS has an alternative to that, right?
 
VanMardigan said:
That's a good result. I'm a bit baffled by the keyboard comment, it's the best in the business imo, and easier to autocorrect as well.

Also, live tiles offer home screen "sizzle" than the boring iOS, but not as much as Android's widgets and live wallpaper.
Click to expand...

Some people just doesn't like on-screen keyboard. My wife for once refuse to use any phone with software keyboard.

Anyway, they should have call it iZune Phone HD-X to keep that hipster-ness.
 
kharma45 said:
Does MS hate the rest of the world? :( It seems a lot of good stuff is US only.
Click to expand...
Thank you for the interest. Regulations covering the use of a location data vary by geography, which prevented us from releasing this worldwide.

We appreciate the feedback and hope to roll out more broadly in the future.
Click to expand...

That makes sense, I guess. They'd get less rage, when they'd sort out that crap in every important region and then push it out everywhere.
 
I just got a Samsung Focus today. It's a really nice phone.

I had a question, is there a way to change the search that pops up when I hit the little magnifying glass from Bing to Google?
 
ciaossu said:
I just got a Samsung Focus today. It's a really nice phone.

I had a question, is there a way to change the search that pops up when I hit the little magnifying glass from Bing to Google?
Click to expand...
That's not possible. You basically start the Bing app with it and with Mango, I'm not sure if I'd switch, even if I had the possibility. You can always pin the google page to your start screen or download the official "app" from the marketplace.
 
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