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

"It's not news to say that we attracted some criticism for this on the X1 and we're not going to go there again with the X2. So, for the record, this is what X2 customers can expect in terms of software upgrades."

In an attempt to be upfront with consumers, Sony Ericsson has announced the software update schedule for the XPERIA X2. According to the company, March should bring a major update: Windows Mobile will be upped from 6.5.1 to 6.5.2, most applications will receive tweaks, and there will be added support for video telephony, an FM radio, and faster GPS fixes. Then sometime in May, it'll get the Windows Mobile 6.5.3 treatment. Of course, the value of all this is heavily dependent on the device making it into the hands of consumers in a timely fashion, which we're sorry to say, is not happening.

I'd have thought that WM6.5.3 would have first turned up in some nice top range models featuring capacitive screens, before going down the line to more mass market handsets. Instead we have the SE Aspen and this Garmin-Asus effort - not much of a bang, huh? The M10 features a 600MHz Qualcomm processor, 3.5" WVGA resistive screen, 4GB onboard storage and a 5MP camera that appears to be fixed-focus (in this day and age?). For pics and more details, check the Google translation of Mobile01.com's review.

"Today sees the announcement of Sony Ericsson Aspen, the business mobile phone with green credentials at its core. The newest edition to the successful Sony Ericsson GreenHeart portfolio, Sony Ericsson Aspen, allows easy multi-tasking combining the touch experience and a real QWERTY keyboard. Organise and adapt panels to change during the day and use Slide View for quick access to common features. With Sony Ericsson Aspen, view and edit office files easily and comfortably with one touch operation, or just access the internet in one click. The QWERTY keyboard is made for fast and easy typing. Simple email set up allows for a maximized messaging experience on the go. Secure the phone's contents through the Microsoft MyPhone service, which remotely erases phone data when the handset is lost or stolen."

Sony Ericsson has done what Microsoft has been avoiding for months: it's made Windows Mobile 6.5.3 official, courtesy of its latest handset, the Aspen. The QVGA touch-screen device supports quad-band GSM/EDGE and market-dependent dual-band (900/2100 MHz) or tri-band (850/900/2100 MHz) HSPA. Alongside that, there's Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, A-GPS, an FM radio with RDS, a 3.2-megapixel camera, USB mass storage support, a 3.5 mm headphone jack, and a microSDHC slot supporting cards of up to 16 GB. Available in either black or white, the Aspen should hit store shelves in the second quarter. And we sure hope they're right about that, considering that their other Windows Mobile device has suffered massive delays beyond public comprehension.

"Before the Nexus One and the HD2, there was the Toshiba TG01, sprinting along with a 1GHz Snapdragon in its belly and a 4.1-inch front end. Alas, that phone was hamstrung by a resistive touchscreen and a poorly thought-out skin atop an even worse OS (WinMo 6.1), but even by today's standards its hardware spec is top notch. Color us intrigued, then, to find its successor finally making its FCC debut -- with Bluetooth, GPS and WiFi (802.11b/g) connectivity in tow and a case outline suggesting some earlier leaked shots might still be accurate."

Well, looks like the TG01 is getting a successor. Toshiba is the little OEM that could, and as we've all seen, sometimes they can produce quality devices. But let's just hope the TG02 makes a bigger splash than the TG01.

Rumours about Microsoft's mysterious "Pink" smartphone have been circling around the net for about a year now, but according to a factual statement by a (former) Microsoft employee, we should finally see what Pink is all about this Spring. The "Pink" phone (rumored to be named after the pop-singer Pink) is to be a "Zune-like" smartphone marketed towards youth with a special emphasis on social networking and communication.

Not a bad idea coming from Microsoft. It sounds like the the once popular Danger Sidekick platform (which Microsoft acquired back in February 2008). Perhaps this IS the "next genration" Sidekick? And with Windows Mobile 7 around the corner, I wonder how similar Pink will be to the media edition of Windows Mobile 7...

Details are sparse, but the new handset (with 3 model names depending on carrier) is apparently based on the existing GM750 and features a 3" WQVGA screen (meh), 5MP auto-focus camera, and a T-DMB (Terrestrial Digital Multimedia Broadcasting - mobile TV for us mere mortals) tuner on board. Price? Around KRW 600 ($500++). Interested? Hit the link for the photo gallery.

"Looks like the HTC HD2 is getting a little spec bump on its way to our fair shores: the official spec page lists the version bound for T-Mobile US with 1GB of ROM and 576 of RAM, a boost over the international edition's 512 and 448MB. What's more, it looks like a bigger 16GB microSD card will come in the box, a big jump over the 2GB stick currently bundled overseas."

Over the weekend Engadget and others repoted that the version of the HD2 that is slated for T-Mobile will get slightly better stats than the first version available worldwide. My HD2 Saving Fund is strong in both amount and desire - how about yours?

The Boy Genius Report has a piece on a new HTC device codenamed Obsession, that may just be the first native WM7 device to hit North America. The prospective specs matches or exceeds that of the HD2 (except for screen size), and the device is expected to be picked up by AT&T and T-Mobile as the successor to the Diamond 2. We've have no firm idea on the release date, but given how early this leak is and how close we are to MWC, there's a chance the Obsession//Diamond 3 will be announced at the same time as the expected official unveiling of WM7 this month.

In Oz and have a hankering for the almighty HTC HD2? It's now available on Telstra's Next G network in Australia at $150 AUD upfront on a monthly $20 AUD, $30 AUD, or $40 AUD plan, or $0 upfront on other plans. Alternatively, you can pick it up for $829 AUD outright. It's available online and from any Telstra Shop around the country.

"Windows Mobile 6.5 fever: catch it! AT&T had the good fortune of releasing the Tilt2 late enough to get 6.5 out of the gate, but the other guys have been falling in line ever since: first Verizon, then T-Mobile, and now Sprint's getting in on the action. The bad news is that they're only committing to a vague "by the end of first quarter, 2010" window at this point"

Ah the dysfunctional Windows Mobile update model. Microsoft releases the update, and providers screw around with it for months first deciding if they should release it (or hold back hoping people will buy newer models), then tote the official party line of "we must make sure it works well on our network" (Hint: It always does, this just gives them a stall line for another 4-6 months). Then they must decide what sort of crap to put in the ROM that you'll never actually use (That takes 1-2 more months I'm guessing). Finally they have the update ready, but usually decide to hold off another 1-2 months just for fun (Looking squarely at you T-mobile...). Finally around 10 months after Microsoft releases the version, it may show up on some handsets owned by the devoted masses, but most likely won't as they've already moved on. Seriously guys - this is messed up!

"Wait a minute ... What's this? An unannounced Sony Ericsson phone called "Faith?" DailyiPhoneBlog says it's part of SE's "GreenHeart" line (read: environmentally friendly)"

Nothing too remarkable in the Specs on this new Sony Ericsson device, save for the fact it will have Windows Mobile 6.5.3, which accounts for the UI changes on the home screen in the shot above I believe.

"The utter lack of true global 3G devices has nothing to do with hard-headed resistance to manufacturing them -- in reality, it's pretty fricking difficult to create hardware capable of efficiently supporting more than a few bands simultaneously, which is why triple-band 3G phones are just now coming to market in large quantities."

Ever hanker after a fancy new smartphone, then find out it doesn't support the 3G radio bands of your carrier? The diversity of mobile spectrums across the world means that it's near impossible for vendors to build phones that support all of them, not to mention crossing the GSM/CDMA divide. Now, NTT DoCoMo is presenting an 8-band radio that might overcome this hurdle at the IEEE Radio and Wireless Symposium this week. If we're really lucky, that means we might see this technology in production handsets sometime in the next couple of years.

So, it appears that the XPERIA X2 has been re-badged as the XPERIA X2a for North America, though less newsworthy is the fact that it's still "coming soon". Considering that Sony Ericsson had originally planned to release the X2 in Q4, then seemed pretty sure of itself that it would be ready for the first week of January, only to break that promise, we're starting to wonder if the X2 is ever going to show at all. Yes, folks, at this point in time, the X2 seems destined to follow in the footsteps of its predecessor: delay after delay until the competition blows it away.

The Samsung Mondi is that rarity in the age of smartphones - it's a dedicated web device running Windows Mobile Classic (non-phone OS), rather than the more ubiquitous Professional version. The other point of differentiation is the onboard WiMax radio, making the Mondi a niche within a niche device. Apart from that, the specs are pretty good - 4GB onboard storage with additional storage available via a MicroSD slot, 256MB RAM, 3MP camera, slide-out hardware keyboard, and a nice big 4.3" WVGA screen. All I can say is - why didn't Samsung slap a phone radio on this thing while they were at it?

"You'll be familiar with the LG eXpo and its specs already -- which include a slideout QWERTY keyboard and 1GHz Snapdragon under the hood -- but we thought we'd go try the handset out for ourselves and tell you what we thought. Construction on this little machine was plenty sturdy to withstand the bumps associated with its unusual shape, while the keyboard slider mechanism had a reassuring feel to it. On the whole our impression was that you've got a middle of the road modern phone with a sales hook that depends on just how into projecting your images you are."

I've been pleasantly surprised at the reports of the LG eXpo's projector, especially since it seems highly usable. Engadget takes it out for a spin and adds a bit more info on this first WinMo Projector phone.

Nvidia had their CES press event today and among the announcements were details on the next generation Tegra chip. The Tegra powers, among other things, the Zune HD and from everything I’ve seen it’s a very impressive chip already. The current Tegra runs the ARM11 chip. The new Tegra is going to be running the dual core Cortex-A9.

They also said that there will be 8 independent processors so if I understand the transcript from Engadget correctly, that means 16 cores total on the new Tegra (I didn't understand correctly. Thanks bitbyte for pointing out there are actually 2 Cortex A9 processors). All while only consuming 500 milliwatts. They claim this will allow for 140 hours of music and 16 hours of HD video but of course, that will depend on a lot of factors unrelated to the Tegra alone.

Nvidia’s biggest announcement for Tegra is that it will be powering all Audi cars starting in 2011. I assume that means the 2012 model years but they don’t specify in the live blog on Engadget. There is no mention of the Zune or other devices specifically but they do say there are 50 devices in the pipe for the new Tegra.

I think a combination of Tegra, Windows Phone 7, and the Zune all on one platform could make for a killer device.

Check out the rest of the live blog on Engadget. They have other announcements involving 3D on our laptops, which I’m sure everyone is excited about and lots of great pictures and slides from the Nvidia’s presentation.

"T-Mobile USA, Inc. and HTC today announced that HTC HD2ä is expected to be available for the first time in the U.S. exclusively from T-Mobile USA this spring. With its industry-leading, high-resolution, 4.3-inch capacitive touch display and high-powered features, the ultrathin HTC HD2 phone delivers content in a sharper, brighter and richer way. The HTC HD2 comes equipped with the 1GHz SnapdragonTM by Qualcomm mobile processor and utilizes T-Mobile's high-speed 3G network for a fast mobile data experience. "T-Mobile and HTC have a long history of partnering to deliver innovative, cutting-edge products to T-Mobile customers," said George Harrison, vice president, marketing product innovation, T-Mobile USA. "The HTC HD2 delivers a thin, sophisticated design and powerful features that we are excited to add to our dynamic smartphone lineup this spring."

Later this spring the HTC HD2 will be coming to those on T-Mobile USA. It's a beautiful machine, so those looking to upgrade may want to fill out the form on T-Mobile's site for updates!

"I had concerns that the HD2 was simply going to be too big. The initial pictures gave me the impression that it couldn't be comfortable to carry, hold or use. I'm glad that first impression was way off target. I found the HD2 very comfortable, and the large 4.3-inch screen a joy to use. The capacitive screen is nice, but had HTC chosen a resistive screen, I believe the HD2 would still be a solid performer. Call quality is very good and the Snapdragon processor moves things along nicely."

WMExperts recently gave the HD2 a spin, and liked what they saw. Unfortunately, for those of you in the US, it's not all that US-friendly at the moment, but hang on to your seats because a US-friendly version of this snappy Snapdragon-based device is expected to land sometime this quarter.

"We're not sure we'd be able to find a piece of hardware that made us adore Windows Mobile 6.5 the same way we adore puppies or a hot cup of cocoa, but that doesn't mean that the usual suspects -- HTC, Samsung, LG, and the like -- aren't producing some magnificent hardware on which to run it. Today we've had a chance to give LG's new eXpo for AT&T a quick once-over, and on paper, this is a hell of a handset: 5 megapixel autofocus cam, a fingerprint sensor that doubles as a d-pad, Snapdragon power, a WVGA display, full QWERTY, and most notably, support for an optional microprojector add-on"

The LG eXpo is hitting the news big as of late, and Engadget has their two cents out if you're interested and want to take a look at both some nice pictures of the device and some interesting reading!

I have to echo EngadgetMobile's comments - this handset looks like something designed for industrial use, not the consumer market. Apart from that, the hardware specs are pretty decent: WVGA screen, 5MP camera, 2GB on-board storage and an FM radio. The D908 also runs on CDMA/EV-DO networks, which is pretty rare in a GSM dominated world. Will we see this outside of China? Maybe. Would we want to, though? Maybe not.