Windows Phone Thoughts - Daily News, Views, Rants and Raves

Microsoft has a tough road ahead of them. In the coming months, we will see whether or not they are able to overcome the negative image that they have earned as a result of their stagnation in the mobile market over the last decade. This will be a difficult task, but Microsoft has the will and the cash to make this happen. No one has ever argued against Microsoft's persistence. One thing that could trip up their plans is stumbling out of the gate with a less than polished product. After the recent deluge of previews there were a few points that stuck out as consistently griped about. Here are some simple fixes that Microsoft can implement before release to help placate the critics. Read more...

"My thoughts on iPhone coding a master-detail set of two views on iPhone versus Windows Phone 7 and why the designer-developer story is better with the Microsoft toolset thanks to Expression Blend and the C# language.. This is just an opinion piece, but realize I am not a newbie at either platform. I was using Interface Builder on NeXT boxes in 1993-1994 and unfortunately in my opinion not enough has changed, to put real design into the hands of the iPhone coder."

Don Burnett over at Don's Blog has done an excellent comparison of developing an application for the iPhone vs. Windows Phone 7. In the slide presentation that he has created, Don demonstrates creating a simple menu system using both Interface Builder (for the iPhone) and Expression Blend (for Windows Phone 7). After completing the process, Don finds that using Expression Blend to create a simple application takes about half the time (12 minutes vs. 7 minutes). I've mentioned in a previous post that using Visual Studio, XNA, and Expression Blend with a familiar and popular programming language really do give Windows Phone 7 developers an incentive to give the platform a chance. Hopefully this will lead to a large selection of applications at launch.

"Graphic.ly is a place for all people that, like us, love the art and story telling that lives within the pages of a comic book or graphic novel, and enjoy nothing more than sharing that enthusiasm with their friends."

Graphic.ly, a comic book reader with social integration will release a version of their software for Windows Phone 7. This comes as excellent news as the Adobe Air version of the application shows promise. After downloading the desktop application you can create a username that will allow you to post comments to a stream, as well as link your account to Facebook and Twitter. Most importantly, after logging in you are presented with a nice interface with which to discover and purchase comics and a nice full screen view that allows you navigate your comic as well as insert/read comments from other readers. Look for Graphic.ly when Windows Phone 7 launches this fall.

A couple of questionable pieces of evidence have recently been made public that point to the existence of two potential Windows Phone 7 devices.

First up is an unspecified AT&T Windows Phone 7 device. A released photo of an AT&T retail sign provided some evidence that the phone could hit the market some time over the next few months. The second piece of evidence comes from a supposedly pictured T-Mobile roadmap for the second half of 2010. Included in the picture is the HTC Schubert, a Windows Phone 7 device discovered by Conflipper.

Windows Phone Thoughts will keep you updated as these rumors are either confirmed or debunked.

Hello Windows Phone Thoughts readers! My name is Adan Galvan and I am a new Contributing Editor. In my day job, I’m an equity analyst for a small investment management company in Chicago, IL. As such, I’ve been able to closely track the developments in the marketplace from a unique perspective of seeing these companies not just as distributors of amazing technology, but as potential investments for my clients.

Over the last decade, the technology world saw amazing growth and change as the trend moved towards smaller, faster, more powerful devices. All of the major players have scrambled to compete with the largest and most influential company, Apple. RIM, Nokia, Palm, and of course Microsoft have had to adjust strategies and products to cater to a decade in which consumer focus has become the meme. As an equity analyst, I’ve marveled at the pace of innovation and the developments in the marketplace.

As a consumer, I’ve salivated at the new gadgets and wondered how I could possibly afford them all. As a new Contributing Editor for Windows Phone Thoughts, I hope to share some news and opinions, and to foster some conversations on Microsoft’s mobile strategy and products. Although I won't be giving recommendations on these companies, I look forward to the opportunity to discuss the future and strategies of Microsoft as it pertains to the mobile world.