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All posts tagged "metro"


Tuesday, November 29, 2011

It's All About The Interface (And That's Where WP7 Shines)

Posted by Brad Wasson in "Windows Phone Talk" @ 07:00 PM

http://crave.cnet.co.uk/mobiles/why.../?tag=mncol;txt

"One company makes a beautiful, intuitive, elegant interface, and the other makes a dated, clunky interface. But now it's Microsoft showing off the thing of beauty, and Apple that's behind the times. Microsoft is the underdog and Apple is the monolithic, restrictive monopoly. Has the world gone mad?"

Rich Trenholm, over at CNet, doesn't want an iPhone any more. It's not because they are not impressive phones, and it's not because the iOS app store isn't big enough. It's primarily because he believes there are better smartphone interfaces for him to work with, ones that make him more productive without having to wade through the icon metaphor of the Apple iOS devices. His preferred interface? The Windows Phone 7 Metro interface. His editorial goes into more detail about the reasons why he prefers the WP7 interface, and it's quite interesting reading. The Read link has the complete story.


Tuesday, November 15, 2011

Spotify For Windows Phone 7

Posted by Brad Wasson in "Windows Phone Talk" @ 05:00 AM

http://www.businessinsider.com/spot...phone-7-2011-11

"The app itself looks incredibly slick, and is ultra snappy to use. Spotify catered the music streaming experience elegantly to Windows Phone's Metro User Interface, and includes all the features you'd expect, plus more."

The Spotify music streaming service is not available to everyone, but if you are able to connect to it then this app for Windows Phone 7 should be on your list. This is a very nicely-designed Windows Phone 7 app. Features include playlists, a news feed, "now playing" indicator, and a "People" screen that helps you pick out a friend and see what he or she is listening to. Well worth checking out.


Monday, September 12, 2011

Windows Phone 7: Making Solid Progress

Posted by Brad Wasson in "Windows Phone Talk" @ 01:30 PM

http://pocketnow.com/windows-phone/...ne-7-is-winning

"Market share numbers are important, but so is momentum. Momentum is the feeling of forward-progress; it's what creates excitement, draws anticipation, and makes people become true fanatics towards a given product. Momentum is the critical "X factor" that any new product needs to succeed. Windows Phone 7 has this momentum."

If you read smartphone-focused sites like pocketnow.com, you will probably be familiar with the name Brandon Miniman. As Editor-in-Chief he has a wealth of experience in the industry and I find his commentary interesting. His recent editorial on the state of Windows Phone 7 suggests that Microsoft is well on-track for success in this highly competitive marketplace. He analyses four aspects of the product's play in the market: the overall product experience, support from OEMs, competitive positioning, and Microsoft's financial wherewithal. I agree, for the most part, with his analysis. I think the new WP7 offerings from HTC (the Titan and Radar), for example, will help interest consumers in switching to the platform. Hit the Read link to read his editorial, then drop back here and let us know your thoughts on Microsoft's potential future success.


Sunday, August 14, 2011

Metro Wallpapers

Posted by Nurhisham Hussein in "Windows Phone Software" @ 08:00 PM

http://www.wpcentral.com/windows-ph...pers-metro-look

Not too shabby, though personally I've gone with something more individualistic for my lock screen. But if you're looking for that unified look, here's your chance - there's a matching colour for each theme.


Monday, June 6, 2011

Windows Phone 7 Influences Windows 8

Posted by Adan Galvan in "Windows Phone News" @ 10:00 AM

http://www.wpcentral.com/windows-8-...windows-phone-7

Last week was huge for Microsoft as they unveiled Windows 8 for the first time. This release represents perhaps one of the biggest transitions for Microsoft as they prepare the operating system to function as a multi-form factor (tablet, desktop, etc.) release. The video that was recently released shows just how dedicated Microsoft is to the Metro design methodology. The most obvious influence comes in the form of the live tiles that will now represent the start screen for Windows 8. Hit the link for more on the new operating system and a video demonstration.

Tags: metro, windows 8

Tuesday, January 25, 2011

A Users' Perspective Of Windows Phone 7: 3 Month Report Card

Posted by Brad Wasson in "Windows Phone Talk" @ 07:00 PM

http://arstechnica.com/microsoft/re...=1#comments-bar

"As of today, the smartphone platform has been on sale for exactly three months-long enough for things that felt like minor flaws at the time to develop into fatal, infuriating, carbuncles. I've been using it since launch on a range of handsets: how does it stack up now that the new gadget glow has worn off? Is it still a platform with promise, able to hold its own against the competition? Or are its widely publicized flaws and omissions crippling in longer-term use?"

Peter Bright of ArsTechnica has provided a three-month update on his experience with the Windows Phone 7 platform. It is a most interesting read. Bright begins by commenting on his opinion of the platform from a very practical perspective - he believes that the platform can get the basics of a smartphone platform (e-mail, search, browsing) done, and done well. He also finds that after three months of use Microsoft can be commended for designing a user interface with a nice balance of animations and utility. He finds Bing searches very effective, and is impressed that third party apps are adhering to Metro user interface concepts in many cases. It's not completely rosy of course. He finds searching in Zune and Marketplace less then effective, there are long load times for some third party apps, and the lack of multi-tasking causes performance issues in day-to-day use. One of his conclusions sums things up his impressions well:

"Three months on, there's no doubt that Windows Phone 7 works well on a day-to-day basis. The interface and design aren't just eye-catching razzamatazz. They're well-thought-out, functional, sensible pieces of design, marrying form with function. The platform's beauty is more than skin deep".

There's more to read, but what has caught my attention is that his experience has been mostly positive, and he clearly likes the platform after extended use. The Total exXperience Index reading for him seems to be trending in a positive direction. It will be interesting to read his thoughts after the first software update.


Tuesday, June 22, 2010

Windows Phone 7, Metro, and Adrian Frutiger

Posted by Jason Dunn in "Windows Phone Articles & Resources" @ 02:00 PM

http://crocusgirl.wordpress.com/201...gn-notes-part2/

"In the first post of my "Windows Phone 7 Design Notes" series, I tried to provide a general introduction to the Metro design language and share links of text and media resources, which you may find useful if you wish to dive deeper into the design concepts behind Windows Phone 7. This article is going to be a bit lengthy, as it includes my personal impressions on Metro and its type-centric design features plus a recent typography project, which actually sparked the idea to write this series."

Over the past handful of years, basically since just before Windows Vista came to light, I've watched Microsoft become an increasingly design-focused company. It's a slow process, and the culture shift doesn't always go smoothly, but in group after group, I've seen a distinct shift toward design-led software creation. If ever there was an example of this, it's Windows Phone 7. This article talks about some of that design language, Metro, and what sort of roots it has. It you're a typography geek, you'll find it especially fascinating.


Thursday, March 18, 2010

Early Concepts of the Metro Visual Design for Windows phone 7

Posted by Jason Dunn in "Windows Phone Software" @ 05:00 AM

http://www.istartedsomething.com/20...phone-7-series/

Long Zheng has some really cool screen shots on his site, apparently of what early mock-ups looked like for Metro, the name for the visual design that Windows phone 7 is made up of. Well worth checking out - some of them I like more than how Windows phone 7 looks today!


Tuesday, March 16, 2010

A Look at Microsoft's "Metro" Book

Posted by Darius Wey in "Windows Phone Talk" @ 05:00 AM

http://www.istartedsomething.com/20...metro-the-book/

"At Microsoft MIX10 today the Windows Phone 7 Series team are handing out a very special picture book all about our favorite user interface, Metro. There is 47 pages full of beautiful text and icons that explain where Metro comes from, what Metro represents and what guide Metro."

Doing the rounds at MIX10 is Microsoft's picture guide to Metro, the UI driving Windows Phone 7 Series. Want a look? Head over to istartedsomething where Long Zheng has delivered a slideshow of this 47-page book in all its page-by-page glory.


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