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

I'm sure this isn't how Microsoft wanted to show off most of Windows phone 7 - in a broken, dysfunctional emulator-based way - but they put out an emulator with this functionality, opting to hide some of the functions, so it's not surprising that someone figured this out. Check out the video for more of what Windows phone 7 is all about, though keep in mind this is unfinished software.

"One of the most appealing parts of the iPhone is its Web browser. Mobile Safari is powered by the WebKit engine, and this same engine also powers the desktop browser. The result is a Web experience that, while not identical to the desktop experience, is not far off. Windows Mobile, on the other hand, has a browser that's roughly derived from Internet Explorer 6. The result? A decidedly second-rate Web experience. Windows Phone 7 Series will improve things somewhat-to approximate parity with Internet Explorer 7-but it remains behind its desktop counterpart."

I'm finding it hard to put any kind of posiive spin on this - fact is, it's hard to be positive about a lot of the WP7S news that's come out over the past few weeks. I can (probably) learn to live with most of them, but this is one area that I'm going to find hard to gloss over. If we had access to alternative browsers like Opera that's one thing, but it looks like that's still going to be a ways off with the restrictions Microsoft is placing on developers. Getting on par with IE7 may be good enough, but...who knows? WP7S is coming late to the party as it is, and a dated web experience is just one more strike against it.

I read an email on the Mobius list where the idea was that because consumers have already adopted the iPhone in droves, they won't be interested in Windows phone 7 came out. Here was my response (with some added thoughts).

Consumers are fickle creatures; they change their minds all the time when it comes to phone contract renewal time. HOWEVER...I wonder if "app lock-in" will play a role in moving to other platforms? As in, you're Joe Smith and you have an iPhone and you've spent $200 on apps over your two year contract...that app investment, will it make you feel like you need to stay with your iPhone even if there's another phone you like more? I wonder...

The reality is, of course, that the majority of users don't yet have smartphones - so in that sense the market is wide open - yet I think the biggest adoption blocker remains the costs of data plans. If you want your phone to do more than make calls, sent texts, and MMS, you're increasing the monthly outlay by a fair bit - especially if you're a light phone user with a small minutes plan, it can easily double the monthly cost of your phone bill (it does in my case). Until the carriers start to want all these people on their data networks, I think data plans will remain expensive, and the bulk of the population will stay away.

"With breaking news about the Windows 7 mobile apps from MIX10, Chris Hardwick talks to Engadget's Joshua Topolsky about what Microsoft is bringing to the table, from Xbox gaming on Windows 7 phones, a preview of their new apps and more."

Sure, there are more than a few things that some people aren't too happy about right now with Windows phone 7, but there's one very important thing that Microsoft has done with the announcement of this new version: they've put themselves on the map in a way that hasn't happened in a very long time. More from me later on this topic, but I think it's really important to acknowledge that fact.

"We just spent some quality time with the MIX10 build of Windows Phone 7 Series running on the same prototype hardware sourced from Garmin-Asus that we saw at MWC -- and apart from a few Murphy's Law-style demo hiccups, we loved what we saw."

I'll say this much: anyone who thinks that this is a copy of the iPhone clearly isn't paying attention. Well worth watching - lots of great stuff in the video. Love it or hate it, Windows phone 7 is full of little things that, when taken together, make for a very different experience than anything else out there today.

"Contrary to the controversial report out of Microsoft MIX10 this week that Windows Phone 7 Series will not feature copy & paste functionality, a person close to the den explained that copy & paste is definitely a scenario and feature that the team is putting a lot of thought about and hope to bring to the platform soon after initial release."

This echoes what I know about the topic and have been trying to say in our very lively discussion on the subject (between the weeping and gnashing of teeth). If this rumour is accurate though, Microsoft has done itself a huge disservice by trying to spin this as a by-design feature rather than telling us "Look, we know you want it, we want it, but we just couldn't pull it off in time - but we're making a commitment to do it as soon as we can." Honesty is always better than trickery. This whole thing has made this a day I want to end soon (that photo above is how I feel right now).

"We found out from Todd Brix of Microsoft that Windows Phone 7 Series will eschew user-replaceable memory. Memory cards may still be used by manufacturers and OEMs, but those won't be easily or readily accessible to the end-user. This will allow, as Microsoft puts it, for a better user experience on the device, and we're not sure that the primary motive for locking down storage memory is for a better experience - we're guessing it has to do with DRM though the strategy would go well with Microsoft's move to remove a file management system."

Although I tend to put a memory card in my phone and leave it there - rarely if ever taking it out - I've always like the idea of removable storage because there are two constants in the flash memory world: first, that the cards will always grow to have more storage, and second, that they'll get cheaper. I railed on Microsoft for not putting removable storage card slots in their Zune products, because it would have been a key advantage over the iPod, and now Microsoft is taking a step backwards in my opinion by removing the option for OEMs to offer removable storage cards. According to Todd Brix, this is due to wanting to offer a "better user experience". I call bunk on this point - any modern program not designed should automatically scan both local and removable storage and present the user with the content they want to see. If the user options up the photo application, it should show the user all the photos on their device, and their card, seamlessly. Anything less is just lazy programming and not caring about the user experience.

If HTC and the other OEMs offer devices with decent storage options (up to 32 GB, maybe even 64 GB if they want to rock the house), I personally won't care about this too much - but I know it shuts off a lot of scenarios for some people, and I wish Microsoft hadn't gone this route. I think in this respect, they're trying a bit too much to copy Apple - and that's not a good thing.

And since we're getting all the bad news out of the way this week, there's also no file system. I think the file system is a poorly-suited concept on a mobile phone and creates too much complexity for average users, but I know power users love having a file system.

You may now proceed with getting angry at Microsoft and swearing you'll move to Android.

"Today, Opera Software released the final versions of the world's most popular mobile Web browsers, Opera Mini 5 and Opera Mobile 10. Now, nearly any mobile phone can support an Opera-driven Web experience, complete with unmatched speed, style and cost savings. Simply go to m.opera.com/ to download it directly to your phone today. Today's release puts the finishing touches on the Opera mobile-browsing duo. The focus is on delivering the best Internet experience on nearly any mobile phone, along with a unified look and feel and innovative favorite features, such as Speed Dial, password manager and tabbed browsing."

Opera Mini 5 for Windows Mobile is actually still in beta, though Opera Mobile 10 has indeed lost its beta tag and is now available as an official release. Head on over to Opera and grab it. It's free and widely seen as a better alternative to Internet Explorer.

"Bad news, HTC HD2 owners: Microsoft has finally come right out and confirmed our suspicions that the mighty HTC HD2 won't be upgraded to Windows Phone 7 Series. Joe Belfiore just told us that the HD2 is "not compliant with the Windows Phone 7 Series hardware specifications," which should end any of the lingering doubt that's clouded this issue since MWC."

Well, it's official. The HD2 will forever remain a Windows Mobile 6.5 device. While it's a bummer, it really shouldn't be all that surprising. Microsoft wants to wipe the slate clean with Windows Phone 7 Series, and that means all-new software and hardware. What we're most interested in is that now that Microsoft has made it official this early in the year, will HD2 sales be negatively impacted? Only time will tell.

"Microsoft's flavor of push notifications for Windows Phone 7 Series -- the so-called Microsoft Notification Service -- was just demoed using an MLS (Major League Soccer) app, and it fits in really well with the "Metro" UI motif."

I've never used Exchange or a Blackberry, so I don't know how different this is from the current WM6.5 paradigm. What's disturbing to me is that Engadget are speculating that this is just one more nail in the coffin of multitasking on Windows Phone. While I like the Metro UI and most of the other changes coming with WP7S, this is one development that has me worried.

"The Zune desktop software isn't just a music manager for your computer - it will serve as the music manager for your Windows Phone 7 Series handset. Just connect your Windows Phone to your computer and Zune automatically detects your phone, The "Device" tab allows you to browse, manage, and delete music directly on your phone. All changes are instantly reflected on the handset's Zune hub. Take that, iTunes!"

This is old hat to any Zune owners out there, but if you've never used the Zune desktop software before and you're wondering what it will be like to manage your content and sync it to your phone, here's a brief video demonstrating exactly that. I can't tell you how excited I am to be able to use this! Here's one reason why: when I sync my Zune HD to my PC, I have a Sync Group defined in the Zune software that will automatically sync the last 90 days of photos. So I always have the most recent photos I've taken on my Zune HD, and I don't have to do anything to get that. With my HTC HD2? The photos are two months out of date already, because I have to export the photos from Picasa in a mobile-friendly resolution, then connect my HD2, and drag and drop the folders of photos over into the right directory on the phone. That process sucks. Bring on the Zune software sync - it's going to rock!

"Pocket Stock Monitor features an easy-to-use portfolio manager, four advanced stock information views, stock charts, stock price alarms, detailed stock quote information, profit/loss and portfolio value calculations and an automatic quote fetch timer. Best in class user interface coupled with multiple stock data viewing options. Access to latest company news, multiple color schemes and large, easy to read text used for price information make Pocket Stock Monitor a must-have for everyone interested in becoming a more sophisticated investor."

Now that we're seeing some sanity coming back to equity and bond markets worldwide, software like PocketX Stock Monitor becomes more interesting and useful (and less a source of anxiety and heart attacks) - unless of course you've been shorting stocks. Version 5.9 adds some finger-friendly enhancements to the UI, as well as adding support for WM6.5.x which covers a whole slew of devices including the HTC HD2 and Touch Pro 2, Samsung Omnia II, and Sony-Ericsson's Xperia X2. I do wish they had better international exchange coverage, but you can't have everything. You can try out a demo or purchase the software for $24.95 through our affiliate link. PocketX Stock Monitor 5.9 is a free upgrade for registered users if you purchased Stock Monitor within the past year; otherwise an upgrade costs $17.95.

"Synerge Tech Solutions has released Google Analytics Mobile. As the name implies, Google Analytics Mobile allows you to access your web site's Google Analytic's data directly from your Windows Phone. For those not familiar with Google Analytics, it is a program that tracks your website activity ranging from the number of visits to where your site visitors are located (geographic regions)."

Are you an analytics fiend? Always wanting to check your Web site stats, no matter where you are? Then you'll be interested in Google Analytics Mobile from Synerge Tech Solutions. It's a neat concept, if only in that it will allow you to drill down and learn more about your Web site stats when you have some down time (sitting in the dentist's waiting room, etc.).

"Opera Software today launched a native version of Opera Mini 5 beta for Windows Mobile 5- and 6-based handsets. By integrating Opera Mini with the Windows Mobile platform, Opera is able to deliver an optimized version of the popular Opera Mini browser that dramatically improves performance and the overall user experience. While Opera Mini traditionally requires Java, the new Windows Mobile version does not, which means that Opera Mini will work on any Windows Mobile phone. The Opera Mini 5 beta for Windows Mobile includes the same rich feature set as the Java-based version. Renowned features, including tabbed browsing, the password manager, bookmarks and Speed Dial, are built-in to deliver convenience while on-the-go."

If you've found Opera Mobile to be too much for your needs and prefer something a little more lightweight such as Opera Mini, then you'll be happy to know that the latest beta is now native on Windows Mobile. That's right, there's no longer any need for a JVM. It's free, so head over to the Opera web site, download it, and give it a whirl.

"Guess we don't have to wait until MIX to have all our Windows Phone 7 Series questions answered! Microsoft's Eric Rudder, speaking at TechEd Middle East, showed off a game developed in Visual Studio as a singular project (with 90% shared code) that plays on Windows with a keyboard, a Windows Phone 7 Series prototype device with accelerometer and touch controls, and the Xbox 360 with the Xbox gamepad. Interestingly, not only is the development cross-platform friendly, but the game itself (a simple Indiana Jones platformer was demoed) saves its place and lets you resume from that spot on whichever platform you happen to pick up."

So if you're wondering what is meant by the Xbox live tile on a Windows Phone 7, this video should help explain what will soon be possible. Hit up this video, and find out! Warning: It's pretty cool!

Sometimes there are advantages to living nearby to Microsoft - Chris Pirillo got some hands-on time with a Windows 7 phone via a walk-through with Microsoft's Greg Sullivan. Well worth watching!

"As part of our continual review of our mobile range, we've decided to make a few changes to our lineup. Skype Lite and Skype for Windows Phones are no longer available for download. This isn't a decision we've taken lightly, but the reason is simple. Neither of these apps offered a great Skype experience... with the latest version of the Windows Mobile OS, it's been increasingly challenging for us to maintain an app which behaves as you'd expect on a wide range of handsets without working with a mobile operator partner."

Skype's reasons for killing the development and availability of the Windows Mobile version of Skype may be questionable, but the fact is, it's happened. And it comes at a time when Skype is performing strongly on the iPhone and Symbian platforms, and is soon to make an appearance on a wide range of BlackBerry and Android handsets. Perhaps Windows Phone 7 Series is what Skype needs to make a return? Then again, maybe not. Time will tell.

With SpaceTime 4.0 now available, the developers at Pomegranate Software have generously offered SpaceTime 3.0 for Windows Mobile Standard as a free download. So if you're toting such a device and want one of the best math apps out there, head on over to the SpaceTime web site, download a copy, and grab your free registration key. Enjoy!

"Neowin first reported over a week ago that Microsoft was planning a Starter version of its mobile operating system. But that news was overshadowed by all the Windows Phone 7 Series hoopla from the Mobile World Congress in Barcelona. Windows Phone Starter is similar in concept to the original Windows Starter Edition products. Windows XP and Windows Vista Starter were products exclusively tailored for emerging markets. With Windows 7, Microsoft broadened the availability of the Starter Edition to include all countries, with Home Basic becoming the new emerging-market-only SKU. So far, it seems as though Phone Starter is going to be an emerging-market play only and not a low-end platform for users in developed countries."

Mary Jo Foley has posted a Q&A regarding the interestingly-named Windows Phone Starter Edition that we've heard rumors about. However in the end this piece raises more questions than it answers. Personally I'm not a big fan of a "starter edition" mobile OS, considering that the whole point of a "starter edition" OS on the desktop is to eventually drie upgrades that the consumer is in control of. However upgrade when it comes to "starter edition mobile" surely means new device, right? Ugh...

"While in a recent Twitter Q&A, Microsoft UK's Director of the UK Mobile Business Group Alex Reeve hinted that 'ODMs are free to offer Windows Phone 7 Series upgrades for Windows Mobile 6 smartphones', Natasha Kwan, General Manager for Microsoft's Mobile Communications Business in the Asia-Pacific region, told APC that the HD2 - the hottest candidate for such an upgrade - 'doesn't qualify because it doesn't have the three buttons'."

With its uber-specs, the HD2 was the likeliest candidate among the current crop of WM6.5 smartphones to get an upgrade to WP7. But Microsoft appears to be taking their lockdown of the user experience in WP7 very, very seriously - and the HD2 doesn't qualify. That's going to disappoint a lot of HD2 buyers (in Asia and Europe) and prospective buyers (in N. America). I'd bet the possibility of an upgrade was a factor in the buying decision (I was certainly thinking that way), and with this development sales of the HD2, as well as its resale value, might take a hit with WP7 just 7 months away.