Posts Tagged ‘Windows Phone 7 Series’

Well, today has been quite a day with the official announcement of Windows Phone 7 Series (formerly known as Windows Mobile 7) finally happening. Overall, I’ve seen nothing but excitement from all over the social media outlets and major news sites. That is a good great thing. So, in the spirit of all the excitement generated, I’ve compiled a short list of 7 things to love about Windows Phone 7 and just why you should love each of them. In no particular order:

Things to Love about Windows Phone 7 – 01: Xbox Live integration.

Why to Love this Feature: That’s right! For all of you Xbox gamers out there, you can finally take your Xbox Live functionality on-the-go. Boost your standing within the Xbox live community by earning gamer score, achievements, play games interactively, and the best — there are going to be a number of Xbox games made available to play on WP7! Microsoft has yet to specify which ones, but this functionality in and of itself will be the *main* reason for many to love Windows Phone 7!

Things to Love about Windows Phone 7 – 02: A new emoticon keyboard layout and new misspelled word correction feature.

Why to Love this Feature: For you social networkers and text messaging fiends out there, you’re sure to love the built-in emoticon keyboard layout and misspelled word correction feature, the latter of which enables you to touch a word that auto-correction misses and a list of suggestions populates just above the text entry box. So, in practice, you can type as fast as you want and whatever auto-correct doesn’t catch, you can quickly touch a word, then touch a suggestion that matches the correction you’re looking for. If one is not present, you can simply add it for later use.

Things to Love about Windows Phone 7 – 03: Every phone will have a Bing button and FM radio.

Why to Love this Feature: No matter where you’re located in your phone, search is just a touch away with the Bing button. Every single Windows Phone 7 device is to be equipped with one so as to create the same experience on every device adopting the Windows Phone 7 OS. More on this in points to follow. The FM radio functionality is a nice touch for a number of scenarios, one of which may be if a radio station is giving away a set of tickets and you want to be present to hear when they do so you can call, but you forgot about it and you’re out jogging. Looks like you’re in luck with your handy-dandy Windows Phone 7 device! Then, of course, there’s just having the desire to listen to FM radio. That scenario works, too.

Things to Love about Windows Phone 7 – 04: Search is contextual.

Why to Love this Feature: Let’s say you’re out on the town and want to find a restaurant close to where you are. You hit the Bing search button on your phone, type the name of the restaurant and boom. Your phone knows where you are, so up comes the number, address, map, and even reviews for that restaurant closest to you. The same goes for movies where you could expect search results to contain theater phone numbers, maps, reviews, movie times, et al. The possibilities here are endless.

Things to Love about Windows Phone 7 – 05: The browser recognizes numbers and addresses in HTML.

Why to Love this Feature: Take into consideration the scenario where you’re browsing the website of a restaurant or someone selling a product you’re interested in. Well, on their page, they have their phone number and their address. Instead of having to write them down, exit your browser, and call the number or fire up another browsing instance just to bring up the address on a map, you can simply click either of them right there on the site and — since it recognizes numbers and addresses — it will dial the number for you or bring up the address you click in Bing maps. Fast and fluid to make life just a little bit easier.

Things to Love about Windows Phone 7 – 06: Zune Marketplace subscriptions work on WP7 devices.

Why to Love this Feature: Instant access to hundreds of thousands of songs, movies and more. If you own a Zune or plan to get one prior to the official release of Windows Phone 7 devices, the services and functionality of it will all be available if/when you decide to land a Windows Phone 7 device. It’s not going to get much easier than the Marketplace to download all of your multimedia desires ranging from the aforementioned music and movies to podcasts, games and more.

Things to Love about Windows Phone 7 – 07: Microsoft basically told everyone to take their mobile user experience paradigms and shove them.

Why to Love this “Feature”: You know all the talk you always hear about Microsoft copying another entity’s work? Not this time. Codename “Metro,” Windows Phone 7′s UI is very similar to the Zune HD UI, but both are ultimately enhancements of the Windows Media Center UI. In the end, the UI is nothing like anything else in the mobile phone market today. It’s simple, it’s elegant, and it’s everything anyone could want or need to navigate the vast world of ones life all contained within a Windows Phone 7 device. Also, Microsoft has upped the ante for vendors and set forth a very strict set of guidelines. No more custom UIs and no backwards compatibility with Windows Mobile anything. The slate has been wiped clean and Microsoft appears to be doing things their way, which just so happens to be the right way.

This list of 7 is compiled based on what all was announced today. In the coming weeks, events like Mix 2010 are sure to give much more insight into the capabilities of Windows Phone 7. One of the major rumored features was gesture support via a front-facing camera. Even though that wasn’t announced, the device Microsoft has been showcasing WP7 on appears to have a front-facing camera, so perhaps Microsoft has yet to completely let the cat out of the bag. Looks like we’ll all just have to continue to wait and see.

Until then, what are some of *your* favorite features about Windows Phone 7 that you’ve heard so far? Any you didn’t hear that you would like to see present?

-Stephen
http://www.msftkitchen.com

One of the major rumors surrounding the user interface of Windows Phone 7 (formerly known as Windows Mobile 7) was a front-facing, camera-based gesture UI. Supposedly, the way you moved your hand in front of the camera or how/where you looked at it with your eyes would dictate how the device reacted. Naturally, none of that came to light, so I wrote it off as rumor. However, it then occurred to me that the device being used to demonstrate Windows Phone 7 on indeed has a front-facing camera. Not surprisingly, the photo of the device that can be obtained from Microsoft’s Press website does not contain a camera, but that could very well be due to it being a Photoshopped product image (as in, completely created in Photoshop — not having the camera Photoshopped out of the image). See for yourself:

With the aforementioned in mind, it looks like Microsoft may well have a LOT more to delve into and officially announce in the future, most likely at their MIX 2010 event. Then again, maybe that front-facing camera is just there for aesthetics.

EDIT: Rafael Rivera from Within Windows made a great point below in the comments. He said, “[i]f not a camera, that maybe a light sensor to adjust various aspects of the software when indoors or outdoors.” That could very well be, too. Or, perhaps it will serve both purposes.

-Stephen
http://www.msftkitchen.com

With the Zune HD comparisons running amok (and for obvious reasons), it has me thinking on the Apple track just a bit. Follow along and see if you agree.

With the success of the iPhone came a new generation of iPod which mirrored the success of its mobile counterpart, all sans the phone functionality. Well, who’s to say that the same thing can’t happen for Microsoft? The only difference here, of course, is that the Zune HD has been present in the market for quite sometime now where the iPod touch didn’t come along until well after the fact where the iPhone is concerned. Where the Zune HD is concerned, I only see that playing to Microsoft’s advantage, though. As a matter of fact, the excitement that has already been stirred up is the exact same excitement that happened with Windows 7, and we all see how that turned out (absolutely great, if you haven’t been paying attention). Because of that, I really think it will steer attention towards the Zune — perhaps even well before Windows Phone 7 devices hit the market.

Think about it. With Windows Phone 7′s UI resembling the Zune HD’s so much and all the excitement being generated by it, people may just want to get their hands on it ASAP. And why wouldn’t you? Practically anything you do on the Zune will be instantly available on Windows Phone 7. Zune Marketplace subscriptions, Zune applications (this one isn’t officially announced yet but I’m willing to bet on it), et al will be available right there on your phone if/when you decide to adopt one in place of your Zune HD. The ability to experience the future of Windows Phone 7, available on the store shelves RIGHT NOW (sans the ability to call anyone or browse in the same manner as Windows Phone 7 will).

And let’s not forget the individuals who cherish the separation of phone and entertainment device. Though it is ultimately carrying one more device, there are plenty of individuals who want their phone to serve *only* that purpose. Those days are certainly coming closer to eradication, but until battery life becomes a concern of the past and integration between phone, entertainment, and your life becomes a completely facile process encompassed within one device (which Windows Phone 7 appears to do in spades), you will still have that welcomed distinction.

Who would’ve thunk it that the Zune HD’s most successful marketing could come from a mobile phone counterpart? Microsoft, that’s who.

-Stephen
http://www.msftkitchen.com

Windows Phone 7 Series it is. After seeing signs of it on Microsoft Canada’s events website for the past week or two, the folks over at Engadget have busted out the clever Photoshop skills to unveil what’s hidden beneath white tape below a Windows Phone banner at MWC 2010. As noted on Engadget, the “Series” mention does steer towards the notion that we may see Consumer and Professional versions of the new Mobile platform. Either way, all the speculation and rumors should be put to rest in just 2 short days when MWC officially kicks off. Below is the image referenced after their fancy Photoshop work:

Windows Phone 7 Series

Source: Engadget

-Stephen
http://www.msftkitchen.com