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

"In what appears as another nod towards confirming how Windows Mobile 7 will look like when it is released next year, Microsoft has posted the Office Mobile 7 UI concept that we reported on a few weeks back on their main Office website as a screen shot of Office Mobile 2010. The image can be found on this page, although we are unsure how much longer it will be up. Huge tip of the hat to Stephen Chapman who originally reported this on his site, MSFTKitchen.com. This is yet another confirmation that this will indeed be the layout of Windows Mobile 7 when it is released. Only time will tell as we get closer to the scheduled release."

I wondered when we'd see an Office Mobile 7 story surface. I sure wish this was coming out sooner. But you know, if Office Mobile is created robustly, Microsoft could have a productive, professional hit on their hands. With the Sharepoint Workspace, users can feel like they truly have their office with them. I was messing around with the new Office 2010 beta on my desktop and for the most part - I like it. I hope Office Mobile seamlessly blends in well. What do you all think? What does Windows Mobile 7 absolutely have to have to be successful?

"Following the successful technical preview program, today at the Microsoft Professional Developers Conference (PDC) Microsoft is unveiling the public beta of Office 2010, SharePoint Server 2010, Project 2010, Visio 2010, Office Web Apps for businesses and Office Mobile 2010."

Office Mobile 2010 has hit beta and is up for grabs in the Windows Marketplace for Mobile for all Windows Mobile 6.5 phones. The latest version of the suite includes the favourites, Word, Excel, and PowerPoint, as well as OneNote and SharePoint Workspace. If you've tried it out, don't hesitate to drop your thoughts in this thread.

"The Opera Mobile 10 beta for Windows Mobile looks and feels similar to the Opera 10 desktop browser and Opera Mini 5 beta. Opera is creating more cohesion between its products by introducing a unified look across many of its platforms. Opera maintains its powerful arsenal of features in this beta, including Speed Dial, tabbed browsing, a password manager and its super, server-side compressor, Opera Turbo."

Opera Mobile has for some time now been the best alternative (outside North America at least) to IE Mobile - now they've gone and upped the stakes with Mobile 10 beta. Just about any feature you're used to on Opera's desktop browser has been translated for the small screen, including tabbed browsing and Opera turbo (server side compression). Best of all is the price tag - free during the "beta" period. I can't find any info on feature or date limitations, or how long "beta" testing will last, but this one's getting loaded on my phone in a hurry. Click the link to check out the full press release.

A couple of things jumped out at me as I watched this video: first, that the Snapdragon processor/chipset of the HD2 allows Windows Mobile to finally be as responsive as the iPhone - and in fact, I'd argue it's even more responsive. HTC has continued to evolve TouchFlo 3D - seeminly now officially re-named to HTC Sense - and with this new release they've gone deeper into the guts of Windows Mobile and replaced even more than previous devices. You can finally create new calendar appointments in a finger-friendly way, and HTC Sense has been expanded in terms of built-in functionality; there's now a Twitter client, and the photo viewing software taps directly into Facebook photo albums and allows you to browse them as if they were local to your device. The rich, deep functionality of HTC Sense and the associated apps that HTC has created is truly impressive.

The question is, will HTC release this new version of HTC Sense for the Diamond2 and Touch Pro2 via a future ROM update? Or will they continue to use HTC Sense as a "buy a new device to get the new software" ploy that alienates HTC customers? Only time will tell...

"According to ZDNet Taiwan, the mobile OS is now on track for a release to OEMs for testing (the so-called "Maldives" program) sometime in the first quarter of 2010, and will be launched publicly sometime in the third quarter of the year (or about a year after the release of Windows Mobile 6.5) -- all of which more or less lines up with earlier rumors of a release to manufacturing in Spring 2010."

To quote Inigo Montoya, "I hate waiting". While WM7 is still on track for a late 2010 release, that seems like a lifetime away especially since the code will be more or less complete within the next 3-4 months. The competition is getting more formidable by the day, and Microsoft risks losing relevance in a fast expanding market space. Will the improvements in WM7 make up for being Johnny-be-lately? One can hope.

"The results from the Mozilla Creative Collective's "Firefox Goes Mobile" design challenge are in, and I'm happy to announce that the winner is "Pocketfox", by Yaroslaff Chekunov. As the official emblem of the upcoming mobile version of Firefox, we'll be using this image as an avatar on social networking sites, on mozilla.com, on t-shirts and more. It makes a great addition to our portfolio of Firefox imagery!"

Somehow, hiding in a pocket isn't quite what I expected - but I'm not sure any of the runners-up were any better in capturing what Firefox could potentially bring to mobile browsing. At least, this has the advantage of simplicity. Agree, disagree? Sound off in the comments.

BeetzStream has released a touch version of their SmartRss reader. They have a video at their site to walk you through how the app works.

It does require a touch screen, so WinMo standard device are out for this version. It works with WinMo 6.0, 6.1 and 6.5. It will even work with 5.0 if the .NET CF 3.5 framework is installed. I believe it is still in beta. There is a download link at the site, but you cannot purchase it and there is no price indicated. Their previous version was $14.99, so expect to pay in that range once it is officially released.

Product Category: GPS-assisted software

Manufacturer: JMD Software

Where to Buy: From the developer -- download available here; or from the Windows Marketplace

Price: $3.99USD

System Requirements: Marathon requires a Windows Mobile 5.0+ Professional device with a GPS receiver and a screen resolution of at least 240x240 pixels.

Specifications: Requires approximately 400K of storage memory. Cannot be installed to Storage Card.

Pros:

• Very easy to install, configure and use;
• Main user interface is very intuitive, but there are lots of settings for individual customization.

Cons:

• Not possible to pause timings if you stop for a drink or chat;
• Some of the terminology used is confusing (eg. Sprint vs Track) A Help file or glossary would be useful.

Summary: Training up for that next marathon or triathalon? Or maybe just looking for something to provide an extra nudge for your personal 'Biggest Loser' exercise program? Marathon, a GPS-enabled software package from JMD Software may be just the right coach. It provides a simple, easy way to track your progress whether you're walking, running, biking or even rallying by car! Read more...

If you're a Touch Pro2 user with Vodafone UK and are eager to upgrade to Windows Mobile 6.5, your moment has arrived. The update is free and yours to grab at the Vodafone UK site.

"Microsoft must embrace the mobile space if it wants to get its act together. The company has a bunch of semi-independent units that don't seem to talk to each other very much: Windows, Windows Mobile, Xbox, Zune, and whatever has grown out of their acquisition of the Danger/Sidekick team. As Apple has shown, you create compelling experiences by acting as one company, not as five. Unfortunately, it looks like Microsoft still isn't talking to Microsoft."

Sascha Segan at PCMag delivers a stinging critique of what's wrong with Microsoft's mobile strategy. It's not that we haven't heard all of this before, but the lost data disaster at Sidekick, rumours of trouble at Project Pink, and the relative modesty of the updates brought in by WM6.5, kinds of brings it home. A year's a long time in the mobile space, and with WM7 slated to be released only in late 2010 (RTM is supposedly in about six months time), MS is going to lose even more ground in the mobile sweepstakes. Android has really come on strong in the past six months with a bevy of sexy devices hitting the shelves and the backing of some major names, and no bets that Steve Jobs has something more up his sleeve for the coming year. Will WM7 be enough to turn the tide? Sound off in the comments.

"Most of you probably know by now that Windows Mobile 6.5 is not the be all end all Microsoft mobile operating system. However, what you might not know is that Microsoft has already up its sleeves another revision of Windows Mobile 6 - unofficially dubbed by the enthusiast community as 6.5.1 - that's faster, sleeker, more touch-friendly and in my opinion, a much better upgrade than 6.5."

Windows Mobile 6.5.1 screenshots courtesy Patrick/OSNN.net

It seems that when it rains leaks, it pours leaks - and above we have what is rumoured to be Windows Mobile 6.5.1 - or, really, it's 6.5.next. No one knows the version number, but it's clearly an evolutionary step from Windows Mobile 6.5. And now that I finally have my hands on a Windows Mobile 6.5 device - thanks to AT&T and HTC - I can see first-hand how badly this is needed. When I powered up the device the first thing I did was change the time zone - and was dismayed to see the same tiny user interface I've seen for over a decade. Over a decade you might be saying? I kid you not, the size of the drop-down menu and other UI elements are the same as they were on the Phillips Velo 1 twelve years ago in 1997. That's beyond ridiculous, but Microsoft seems to have been caught unaware by this whole "finger" thing and now they're playing catch-up in a big way.

"If you want to edit Word, Excel, and PowerPoint files on your Windows Mobile device, there is no substitute for SoftMaker Office. Only SoftMaker Office preserves all the formatting and content of your Microsoft Office files. Good news! SoftMaker Office has just become more affordable. From now until November 11, 2009, each of its applications is available for only US$ | € 9.99, and the full suite comes at a low US$ | € 24.95."

If you're looking for a powerful suite of software to work on Microsoft Office documents, it doesn't get much better than SoftMaker's Office suite. Normally quite expensive, the suite is available for $24.95 USD, or $9.99 for each separate app, until November 11th.

TouchTwit is a new Twitter app coming to WinMo devices soon. Chris Leckness at Mobility Site has a video. As Chris suggests, this could give Twikini a run for its money. There is no word on pricing yet. It should arrive in the Windows Marketplace for Mobile store soon. Hopefully, it will also appear on a website for download so the remaining 99.9% of us without WinMo 6.5 can take a look too.

"Microsoft launched its new Windows Mobile 6.5 operating system this week at the CTIA Wireless conference (see all stories) in San Diego. The OS includes a refreshed Internet Explorer Mobile, the new My Phone media sync and share service, and a brand new app store called, unceremoniously, Windows Marketplace for Mobile."

C|NET has a quick video about the Windows Marketplace for Mobile - it's hard to say without having used it myself yet, but it looks a bit clumsy compared to the App store experience I've become used to on my iPod Touch. Anyone else have opinions on what using the new Windows Mobile Marketplace is like?

"We've had access to a Windows Phone running an official Windows Mobile 6.5 build for a few days and found it to be an impressive, stable, responsive operating system. Windows Mobile 6.5 is graphically enhanced with the new Today Screen, colorful icons (or widgets as the youngsters call them) and an overall improvement over Windows Mobile 6.1."

WMExperts has published their review of Windows Mobile 6.5, and they've done a good job of comparing the old and the new, side by side. The new 6.5 interface is certainly prettier, but looking at the above screenshot, you can't help but notice that there's less information presented. Sure, the lock screen will show you your next appointment, but one of the things I've always liked about the Today screen is the amount of information available at a glance. I suppose this evolution is inevitable, as anyone who's used HTC TouchFlo 3D has gotten used to having less information presented on the home screen.

I was reading through some of the comments posted to the WMExperts article, and it got me wondering how many bugs and limitations have been addressed in Windows Mobile 6.5. Has the multi-computer sync story gotten any better? Has there been any improvements to Windows Mobile Device Center? I suspect the answer is "No" in most cases - I think Microsoft is so focused on cloud sync (read: Exchange Server) that they've forgotten that some people still want to connect the phone to their computer.

There are a few significant problems with the new Windows Marketplace for Mobile, not the least of which is security from a developers point of view. The idea is that you buy an app from the Marketplace, it installs onto your device, then deletes the CAB file that it downloaded to install itself, and that's that. But what happens if you don't allow the CAB file to be deleted, or find a way to grab it before the process deletes it? More than one person has been able to figure this out, and it's not that difficult apparently. The concern here is, of course, that developers will be reluctant to put their apps onto the Marketplace if they don't feel their investments will be protected.

From a user perspective, knowing that sometimes phones get messed up - and let's not forget the disaster that is ROM updating on the Windows Mobile platform - it's important to keep backups of your applications. I haven't heard anything about a new version of Windows Mobile Device Center that would allow the user to keep a copy of Marketplace applications on their PC. So how exactly does the consumer protect their investment in software? That's a piece of the puzzle that can't be ignored. Ideally I suppose you'd be able to enter your Marketplace ID into the device and be able to re-download all the apps you've purchased...but I don't think it works that way. Anyone with a 6.5 device care to comment? Yeah, this is me not having a clue again because I don't have a 6.5 device to test. <sigh>

"I think the intent of the Windows Mobile 6.5 release was to provide a more finger friendly user interface on touch screen devices, while non-touchscreen devices remain pretty much the same. I believe there were some backend updates and improvements, but there were not readily apparent. There are four main areas where end users will see changes and these are in the Start menu, lock screen, Today screen, and menus. Let's check out each area in more detail."

My friend the hyper-productive Matt Miller - seriously, how DOES he do it? - has his take on Windows Mobile 6.5. And it's about the same as most of the other reviews we've seen today...there's a general feeling of "Really? This is it?". Apple and Google have shown that significant updates can be made to an operating system on a regular basis, and they've raised the bar of expectation. With 6.5, Microsoft has done the limbo right under that bar...without needing to lean back.

"It's widely acknowledged by users, media, and even Steve Ballmer himself that Windows Mobile is in dire need of a ground-up revamp, and it's happening -- but not quite yet. That's Windows Mobile 7 you're looking for, and realistically, it's not going to be in your pocket for at least another year. That leaves Microsoft in a bit of a pickle: how do you facelift version 6.1 -- which is already a facelift of 6, which in turn was a facelift of 5 -- just enough to eke another year or two of life out of it? Is it even possible? Let's have a look."

Engadget has put together their review of Windows Mobile 6.5, and it's more balanced than the previously linked-to reviews from Gizmodo and Crunchgrear. By "more balanced" I mean it's not just a bunch of trash-talking - author Chris Ziegler does a good job highlighting the pros and cons of what 6.5 brings to the table. There's no escaping the fact thought that as an OS update that is more than 18 months in the making, 6.5 doesn't exactly blow the user away with great new features. Kind of makes you wonder what the Windows Mobile team has been doing all this time, doesn't it? Video after the break. Read more...

"What is Zune HD? Zune HD is a couple things. Number one, Zune HD is a music player with a nice music service. By the way, the same software will be available on Windows Phones and Windows PCs. You have that today on the PC, you'll see that in our phone environment as well."

Straight from Ballmer's mouth to your eyes and ears. Ballmer dropped this tasty morsel during an interview with CNET. Now of course there is no mention of WHEN, but like pocketnow.com, I believe it won't happen until the Windows Mobile 7 OS launches. Even the most powerful of the current crop of Windows Mobile devices probably would choke on a full Zune HD experience.

This is, without a question, excellent news. Microsoft desperate needs to integrate its different platforms in an intelligent way and this is absolutely one of them. I no longer use Windows Mobile (I switched to Android almost a year ago) and I was just saying today I can't see a reason I'd come back. This could be a reason. This would be a major upgrade over WMP at least!

"Verizon's HTC Imagio is a touchscreen Windows Mobile 6.5 handset, or "Windows Phone," with a healthy, if expected, spec set, iiiiinnncluding!: a 3.6-inch WVGA screen, Wi-Fi, GPS, a 5-megapixel camera, a 3.5mm headphone jack, and microSD storage expansion (but sadly, no included card). It's also the first smartphone with V CAST Mobile TV, which is a Flo TV-based live streaming TV service that looks and feels a bit like digital cable, phone-ified. Accordingly, it has an adorable kickstand."

This $200-with-contract device - or $100 after a rebate - is a study in how flexible Windows Mobile is. So flexible, in fact, that HTC took out almost everything that Microsoft put into Windows Mobile 6.5. Start Menu? Replaced by HTC software. Home screen? Replaced by HTC software. Internet Explorer 6? Replaced by HTC software. I've never seen a device launch with a new operating system, then work so hard to cover up that operating system. Microsoft has a significant problem on their hands here when their biggest partner wants to make the device look and act nothing like Microsoft's vision for the software. I can't really blame HTC though - without their investment into TouchFlo3D (now dubbed HTC Sense I believe), Windows Mobile phones would have been even worse off.