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

"One interesting observation from the new HTC Radar and Titan is that HTC have been able to move their add-on "apps" such as Sound Enhancer, custom camera options and Attentive Phone to Settings..."

The guys at WPCentral has made an interesting observation. The HTC add-on apps are now baked directly into the OS on the newly announced Radar and Titan. Not sure if this is a good thing or bad. I actually preferred it the old way. On my Focus, I could pick and choose the OEM apps I wanted on my phone. With the add-ons baked in, they are now required and harder to update.

"Jumping Jehoshaphat Batman, we almost hit that seagull!!" All kidding aside, this first Gaston episode (#2's already availanble for the iPhone) has our intrepid hero taking off into the clouds in search of baloons and seagulls. Angry Birds it ain't but for $2.99 I could think of worse ways to pass the time. If you're interested, hit the link to get it from Windows Marketplace (no trial unfortunately).

[UPDATE]Vetasoft has released version 1.1 of the game to the Marketplace, where you can now download a demo version

"Windows Phone 7 Connector is a simple, easy-to-use application designed to sync your favorite media files from your Mac, with your Windows Phone 7 or Zune HD. You can also sync photos and videos you captured on your phone with your Mac, and when needed, update your Windows Phone 7 software."

Mac users, make your way to the App Store and grab today's update of Windows Phone 7 Connector. Microsoft has tagged it with a version number of 2.0, and with it, there's full sync and import support for Aperture, drag-and-drop support, ringtone transfer and Windows Phone Marketplace support if your phone is running Windows Phone 7.5, as well as a bunch of other goodies ranging from backup and restore improvements to additional languages. And all for the good ol' price of free.

Still holding out on making the jump from WinMo 6.X, but want the look of WP7? If so, TodayXLive is the app for you. TodayXLive is a plugin for your Today screen that gives you a tile-based start page, complete with live updating. The plugin works for Windows Mobile Pocket PC 5 and 6 and requires .NET Compact Framework 3.5.

Before I purchased my Samsung Focus with its slippery Windows Phone 7 interface, I was chugging along with my Omnia II with its ageing Windows Mobile interface. It was atop this that I had finally installed the SPB Mobile Shell which kept me going, I guess. When skins for the SPB Mobile Shell became available sporting the then new WP7 look and (somewhat) feel, I had to give it a go. It was nice to be touting my Omnia II in its new WP7 dress, but it was at the detriment of overall performance and ultimately battery life. One annoying side effect of the SPB Mobile Shell for a sizable subset of us users was the Alarms bug, or lack of alarms going off, as the case was for me. I need alarms; nothing irks more than missing something important. Read more...

"Microsoft has just dropped us a line to note that Fujitsu and KDDI au have released the IS12T in Japan, becoming the first Windows Phone 7.5 (codenamed "Mango") handset to hit retail anywhere in the world."

Finally, the wait is over. The first official release of a Windows Phone with Mango on it is now available. It is a Fujitsu phone, the IS12T, and is being offered by KDDI au in Japan. There are a number of significant enhancements in the new Windows Phone 7.5 software release, and developers will be releasing apps to take advantage of the new features in the days and weeks ahead. This is becoming a very interesting time for the Windows Phone platform, with potential patent battles looming in the Android world, and with the continuing development of the Microsoft-Nokia partnership. The Read link has additional information about the release.

"Looks like Mango still has a few hidden surprises. As you can see to the right, that's an official instantiation of Internet Sharing on a Samsung Focus running Mango."

Good news for those of you who depend on your mobile phone as a hotspot when on the go. Mango 7720.68 is showing signs that hints at mobile hotspot capability in a future release of WP7.5. Of course whether this feature ultimately makes it to your phone or not will most likely be up to your carrier.

"We noted last month that App Hub would begin accepting Mango apps in late August. The infrastructure for accepting your Mango apps is coming online as we speak!"

Developers get your Mango apps and updates ready. Microsoft will soon be accepting Mango apps via the App Hub. Detailed overview of the submission process will be available within the next 24 hours.

Ever wonder how your WP7 phone stacks up against others? Now's your chance - WPBench, the first WP7 onboard benchmarking tool, now offers you the ability to upload your test runs and see how your device does against the competition. The app is in the marketplace now and costs $1.59, but the trial is free and fully functional.

"Apple and Google are clearly the two front-runners competing for market share in the mobile world, which is why it's no surprise we think of iOS and Android when we think of apps. With the growth of the smartphone industry also came the resurgence of native apps (thanks largely in part to Apple's App Store which still dominates the space). However, Mozilla hopes that web apps will soon mature to provide a comparable experience for end users and an even better alternative for developers."

It's no secret that some are switching to web-based versus app based access due to what they deem restrictive guidelines in the Apple App store. This would make this move by Mozilla a pretty astute one, and since it is across all platforms it would appear to be a benefit regardless of your phones operating system. The plans are for the APIs to interact with your phones address book, contacts etc so you would have the same functionality as if you were using a native app. The only difference is that it would be in your browser and would work the same on an iPhone, Android or Windows phone platform. I really don't have a preference per se, since I use very few apps that work with Internet access anyway, so if I'm using a browser or an app, as long as it functions the same why would I care? The only reason I can think of would be one of security or stability, since the apps on the iPhone go through approval process. What are your preferences? Or does it matter to you? If it does matter, I'm curious why.

"Tanks is a free and exciting, turn-based multiplayer game you can play with your friends - or take on the world."

There's quite a few decent games available in the Marketplace right now, but few have had the courage to go all-multiplayer as this title does. I think the appeal might have been broader with a single-player, but hey, you can't argue against the price - free! Search the marketplace or try this link (launches Zune).

"The application, named "we're in" and built by the Bing team, is exclusively available to Windows Phone users. We're in allows users to join a virtual group and share their location."

Microsoft's Bing Mobile Team has just released a location aware meeting app called "We're In." Unlike other mobile apps created by Microsoft, "We're In" is currently exclusive to the Windows Phone 7 OS. It allows users to join a virtual group and automatically share their location. Users invite friends to a virtual meeting by their mobile numbers. The app then shares locations of all invitees which automatically expires at the end of the preset meeting time.

"We're In" is available for download now in the Marketplace.

"Do you have too much info to remember? Do you wish you could take all your passwords, credit cards, account information and logins with you - so they're handy when you want them? But keep them safe - so you don't have to worry about intruders finding them? You need eWallet GO!TM If you want secure, easy, mobile storage for all your info, just grab eWallet GO! and take your passwords with you everywhere you GO!"

Well now...here's a good deal! Effective now and running until the 21st of this month, you can get eWallet GO! for a mere 99 cents on Windows Phone 7, Android, and iPhone/iPod Touch devices. On Windows and Mac versions, the software is free. Sweet! Jump here to find the version you need. The OS X version is in the Mac App store, and the Windows version requires registration for the free download. On iOS, Android, and Windows Phone 7, you'll find it in their respective app stores.

This is actually the first I've heard of this series, but the premise has me intrigued. The app itself pulls content from the show's website for easy viewing on the go, so if you're a fan, you can pick it up for free here.

"Interestingly, the other day we saw what was thought to be the first screenshot of Windows Phone "Tango", the next iteration of the OS coming after "Mango". Starting with build 8200 and higher, "Tango" is still a bit of a mystery, seeing as "Mango" hasn't even rolled out yet. Yesterday we saw mention of it as a low-cost option for Microsoft."

Well this was short-lived! No sooner than the news hit it has been pulled. If you are the sort to dance on the edge, you will have to wait a little bit longer before taking "Tango" for a spin. In the meantime, enjoy the refreshing Mango when it lands. The countdown has already begun, and Mango is just around the corner.

UK football (soccer for the US readers) fans rejoice, ESPN has released a new app dedicated solely to the Barclays Premier League. The app allows you to check scores, view video highlights, and check stats for all your favorite teams. The app seems to be very clean well done from the screenshots, but unfortunately it's not available in the US. If you are in the UK, hit the marketplace for the download and enjoy!

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.

"8th In the directory "NoDoToRC" the file "ISV_Provisioning_Live.exe" run as admin (right click, ...) ... 19th In the directory "c: RCToRTM" and change (if still connected phone) the file "ISVTo7720.bat" run as admin (see above)."

If you are attempting to install Mango build 7720 on your phone and get an errors on step 8 while trying to install "NoDoToRC" the file "ISV_Provisioning_Live.exe," try it without right clicking and running as administrator. Simply double click it and let it run. The same goes for step 19 (ISVTo7720.bat).

"We have a great show for you this week, welcoming Bill Pardi to the studio to talk about the voice to text features in Mango."

If you aren't sold on Mango yet, you will be after listing to Windows Phone Radio episode 38. Matt Akers, Mike Stroh and guest Bill Pardi give a few examples of the usefulness of the Voice to Text feature in Mango. The most impressive example given is how the phone handles text messages while over a bluetooth connection. The Voice to Text feature talk starts at about 3:45 (WPR-38).

"A poster by the name of longshot442 has posted a 404MB file which contains the official RTM build of Mango aka build 7720."

The RTM version of Mango carrying build number 7720 has found its way on to the forums at XDA. It is currently unknown if there are adverse affects in installing this build via the methods described. But, then again, that's what XDA is all about. If you are feeling adventurous, head over to the XDA site for the instructions. Or if you are the cautious type, download the file first (in case it gets pulled) and wait and see reported results from other then decide if its something you want to try.

"Microsoft has narrowed down the date when it starts rolling out Windows Phone 7​'s Mango update, contacts slipped on Thursday. Both an upgrade for existing owners as well as new phones are poised to be available as soon as September 1."

That's quite a bit sooner than I expected - and it's really to Microsoft's credit that they're moving with such urgency. not long to go now people - September 1 is barely two weeks away (and change). Woot!