SPG - Windows Mobile News

HTC launching the HD3 on September the 15th?

Tue, 07 Sep 2010 16:38:26 +0000

The rumour mongers are out again concerning HTC, it's looking likely that a press event is to be held by HTC in London on September the 15th and that the guest of honour will be the HTC HD3.

The specification is looking to offer a tablet shape 4.5-inch, AM-OLED touchscreen with a 1280 x 800 pixel resolution -- giving it a larger, higher resolution display than current models like the Motorola Droid X and HTC EVO 4G.

Allegedly running Windows Phone 7 it has been completely redesigned to be consumer focused.

It will use a 1.5 GHz dual-core processor with 1 GB RAM and 32 GB of storage, if unconfirmed reports are correct. This would give it a significantly faster chip than is in any current smartphone.

This HTC model is supposedly going to have an 8 megapixel camera with dual LED flash. It will be able to record high-definition video and well as play it over its HDMI port.

Also on the leaked feature list is 3G and 4G cellular-wireless networking, as well Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, and GPS.

Powering all this will reportedly be an 1800 mAh battery.

So far, the only carriers who has been linked to this smartphone are O2 in the UK and Telsra in Australia.

Windows Phone 7 advert states 'the revolution is coming'

Mon, 06 Sep 2010 16:41:27 +0000

Windows Phone 7 advert states 'the revolution is coming', this was shown at the presentation of Lawrence of Arabia at London's Secret Cinema event :

LG WP7 phone and its media capabilities leaked (with video)

Sun, 05 Sep 2010 14:06:13 +0000

With the run up to the imminent release of Windows Phone 7, we are starting to see some near-production phones being demonstrated, and quite tasty they appear to be too

At this week's IFA conference in Germany, the LG Optimus 7 (AKA GW910 or Panther) pre-production phone was actually seen on the LG TV stand at the Expo, demonstrating the DLNA capabilties of the TV; stand staff appeared to know little about it, but the Mobileburn staffers were able to pick it up and play with it

At IFA in Berlin Germany, we were stumbling through the LG booth when we came across a DLNA display. Curious to check out DLNA performance running from a mobile phone, which looked to be a Windows Phone 7 device based on its key layout and Windows logo, we decided to give it a whirl.

After booting it up, it turned out the device was indeed running a full version of Windows Phone 7 and looked like what's being called an LG GW910 (Panther) on the internet. We're currently speculating that this could be marketed as LG's Optimus 7 when it hits retail shelves as a Windows Phone 7 smartphone. Based on its speed, it's possible that this is also running NVIDIA's new dual-core Tegra 2 processor. That's some serious processing speed.

The DLNA functionality on the device allowed me to drag photos and videos upward on the screen, as if dragging it through the air to the HDTV itself. Quickly the videos and photos began playing on the HDTV. There wasn't a hard menu to surf through or anything, it was just a simple drag-and-drop action

This is their video of the device:

Screenshot of myPhone for Windows Phone 7 leaked

Sun, 05 Sep 2010 13:47:43 +0000

WMPoweruser has obtained an anonymous screenshot of the desktop version of Microsoft myPhone for Windows Live Mobile

As can be seen in the attached image it is very similar to the current version but is integrated into the Live Mobile system. From the picture seen, there's no evidence of the current version's backup/restore facility but I'd assume it must be there somewhere, unless that's going to be handled by the Zune system.

HTC 7 Trophy gets approved

Thu, 02 Sep 2010 16:44:33 +0000

Yet another HTC phone gets "approval". The name is the HTC 7 Trophy and it received approval from the Global Certification Forum (GCF), which is a partnership between OEMs, operators and the test industry to basically certify phones.

The OS on the HTC 7 Trophy is not known either but there are two hints:

It has '7' in the title
The 'Trophy' was rumored awhile back (like December 2009)

Windows Phone 7 – Released To Manufacturing

Wed, 01 Sep 2010 21:15:53 +0000

The guys over at the Windows Team Blog have just published the good news:

Today is the day that the Windows Phone team has been driving towards, and we’re very excited to say that we’ve reached the biggest milestone for our internal team – the release to manufacturing (RTM) of Windows Phone 7! While the final integration of Windows Phone 7 with our partners’ hardware, software, and networks is underway, the work of our internal engineering team is largely complete.

Windows Phone 7 is the most thoroughly tested mobile platform Microsoft has ever released. We had nearly ten thousand devices running automated tests daily, over a half million hours of active self-hosting use, over three and a half million hours of stress test passes, and eight and a half million hours of fully automated test passes. We’ve had thousands of independent software vendors and early adopters testing our software and giving us great feedback. We are ready.

I last posted on this blog when we reached the Technical Preview milestone, and we’ve received some great feedback since then which we’ve been able to respond to and improve the smart design throughout the OS. For example, folks loved the Facebook integration in the People Hub, but they also wanted ways to filter their contacts so only the Facebook friends they really know will show up in their contact list – we’ve added support for that. We’ve also made it easy to “like” a post right from the People Hub, or quickly post a message to someone’s Facebook wall directly.

This has been one of the most incredible product development efforts I’ve ever been a part of. Today’s milestone is exciting not just because of what we’ll deliver to customers later this year, but how it sets us up for success over the long term in the mobile space… we’re really just getting started.

We reached today’s milestone because of the tremendous efforts of the entire team including our partners, early adopters, and independent software developers providing feedback. I want to send a huge THANK YOU to this extended team– we couldn’t have done it without you!

Paul Thurrott notes that there has been several last minute changes to Windows Phone 7 including:

Facebook contacts filtering in the People hub
Facebook "Like" capability from the People hub
Various user interface updates, including a new Search button in the contacts list.

Windows Phone 7 is expected to be available in October for us folks in Europe and November for those in the US.

What OUTLOOK (and other PIMs) can not do

Wed, 01 Sep 2010 17:08:38 +0000

Posted on behalf of Andreas Erle, who is also a fellow MVP for Mobile Devices:

Several months ago I asked the Norwegian programmer Ronny if he can write a small app for me. I use Outlook heavily and face quite often the situation that I have to shift many appointments and/or tasks from one day to the other. In Outlook and (so far as I know) in all other PIMs (Exchange, Google Calendar etc.) you have to do that manually, which is a tedious task.

With this new Windows Mobile app you can move all appointments and/or all tasks from one or more weeks to another OR from one or more days to another in one go. And you do that in 10 seconds no matter how many days or weeks (or hours) you want to shift. When done, just sync your PDA with your PIM and you are done.

Thus, this app is – to my knowledge – the first and only one worldwide which can shift one contiguous block of PIM-data.

I love this app and I know your readers will do the same.

You can find a Step-by-step guide with 2 short videos (which prove that one can do it in 10 seconds) here.

My opinion; the app is worth the price (9.99 USD). Let your readers go and get it on Windows Mobile Marketplace
( https://marketplace.windowsphone.com/ )

HTC HD3 launching in October? Renamed as HD7?

Wed, 01 Sep 2010 16:58:32 +0000

Engadget are reporting:

We've been tipped off that the HD3 -- HTC's mythical successor to the wildly popular HD2 -- is not only alive and kicking, but headed for a bright and sunny Windows Phone 7 future, starting as early as October 18. Before we get too far ahead of ourselves, all the evidence we have for now is the above spreadsheet, which we're told is an internal planning doc from UK carrier O2. It's not exactly the hardest thing in the world to forge so keep your skeptical wits about you, but as silly as this inflationary renaming to HD7 may sound, we find it strangely believable.

Fact / fiction / fantasy, I guess we'll have to wait and see!

Windows Phone 7 App Categories Finalized

Tue, 31 Aug 2010 22:12:55 +0000

App categories are Microsoft’s way of organizing applications so that users can more easily find what they are looking for. For Windows Phone 7, there are 41 categories and sub-categories to help organize applications for users. When you submit your app to Marketplace you can choose from one of the categories below to help users find your app. Apps can only be placed in one category.

1. Books & Reference
- eReader
- Fiction
- Non-fiction
- Reference
2. Business
3. Entertainment
4. Finance
5. Games
- Action & Adventure
- Board & Classic
- Card & Casino
- Family
- Music
- Puzzle & Trivia
- Shooter
- Sports & Racing
- Strategy
- Xbox Companion
6. Health & Fitness
- Diet & Nutrition
- Fitness
- Health
7. Lifestyle
- Community
- Food & Dining
- Out & About
- Shopping
8. Music & Video
9. Navigation
10. News & Weather
11. Photo
12. Productivity
13. Social
14. Sports
15. Tools
16. Travel
- City Guides
- Language
- Planning
- Travel Tools

[Source]

LG to release 1.3GHz WP7 Phone?

Tue, 31 Aug 2010 12:50:12 +0000

Engadget are reporting a news item from a Polish Android site which shows that LG are planning to release the fastest ever mobile phone, with the Snapdragon 1.3GHz chip, and capable of 720p video playback and recording.

Quote:
Android.com.pl has the best pre-release shots of the 3.7-inch LG E900 yet, replete with some titillating specs. We're told that the upcoming Windows Phone 7 device will be driven by a 1.3GHz Qualcomm QSD8650A system-on-chip -- basically a Snapdragon with the training wheels taken off. It promises better 2D and 3D graphics acceleration, integrated GPS, HD video recording and playback, and multi-mode UMTS and CDMA 3G connectivity. As to the handset itself, light and proximity sensors have been spotted on its body, along with a miniUSB port and a 3.5mm headphone jack.

LG are certainly making good on their promise of some tasty WP7 hardware!

XBox Live subscription rising in November?

Tue, 31 Aug 2010 12:41:04 +0000

The XBox Live US site has an announcement of a $10 per year price hike from November 1st. The UK site has no mention of it, but presumably we can expect a similar rise? At least the US site has a special offer for those renewing before November 1st, for whom the price is £39.

This does seem a little odd at a time when Microsoft are releasing WP7 and hoping to attract new users due to its integration with XBox Live.

Presumably they feel it will be better to apply the rise before the majority join up, rather than shortly afterwards, or is this just an attempt at some easy money making?

WP7 fast to boot?

Fri, 27 Aug 2010 15:36:02 +0000

PocketNow have done a boot time comparison of similar devices spec wise to a WP7 machine and state:

In this video we compare the startup time of Windows Phone 7 with Windows Mobile, iPhone, and Android. As a reminder, we're testing on non-final Windows Phone 7 hardware and software. Remarkably, Windows Phone 7 starts up in almost half the time of all of the other smartphone operating systems. Since most people leave their phones turned on all the time, startup time is not that big of a deal, but when the time is under 30 seconds (as is the case with Windows Phone 7, this build at least), it's worth mentioning. If you want more Windows Phone 7 coverage, here's what we've gone through so far:

Microsoft to spend over a half-billion dollars to launch WP7?

Fri, 27 Aug 2010 15:31:45 +0000

Neowin are reporting:

When you are entering a fiercely competitive market late, you better either have a unique product that changes everything, or enough money to promote your device like your life depends on it. While Windows Phone 7 may be a unique product, Microsoft is also throwing a boatload of cash behind its platform.

TechCrunch reports that “Jonathan Goldberg, an analyst at Deutsche Bank, estimates that Microsoft will spend $400 million on marketing alone for the Windows Phone 7 launch. That doesn’t include the millions it has already committed to pay for ‘non-recurring engineering’ costs that help offset development costs for handset manufacturers.”

It shouldn’t come really as a surprise that Microsoft is going to throw all of its weight behind the platform. For WP7 to have any chance at competing with Blackberry OS, iOS and Android, it will need all the help it can get.

If you’re thinking that this may not work, Microsoft has proven that this strategy does work. Several years ago when the original Xbox debuted, many thought it wouldn’t stand a chance against Sony and Nintendo’s offerings. However, if you look at the current marketplace today, you surely know that Microsoft has firmly planted itself into the home console genre and has been quite successful with it too. Microsoft relied on its ability to completely saturate a market, marketing and pushing a product to every home it has access to, and overwhelming the competition with numbers. It looks like Microsoft will be taking the same route with WP7.

A hell of a lot of money, lets hope it pays off!

Final Free App Friday from Handango! :-(

Fri, 27 Aug 2010 10:54:25 +0000

Handango's final Free App Friday is today.

They are offering HollerID nametones, I quote....

Put your smartphone to work so that when a contact calls you, your phone will literally announce the first name of the caller. An incoming call from a nametone-enhanced contact will no longer require that you grab the phone and read the display. Just listen for the nametone and decide whether to take the call or not. Download HollerID Nametones today for FREE using 100% off code FAF827.

Features include:

■1,780 of the most common American first names, according to recent Census data

■Each nametone has the option of one, three or five seconds of delay before it will be repeated

■Every nametone is available in at least fifteen different voices

Good things is the multi-platform availability - WM, Android, Blackberry and iPhone!

Normally $9.95 but free today.....

Windows Phone 7 powered HTC T8788 breaks loose

Tue, 24 Aug 2010 19:24:46 +0000

Engadget have got hold of a nice exclusive, the first images of the WP7 powered HTC T8788, a rather prettier WP7 incarnation, and a slider, but not a slider with a keyboard, but with a speaker:

In case you needed any more evidence that AT&T is going all-in with Windows Phone 7, take a gander at this little beast, a phone known only as the HTC T8788 at this point (rest assured, you'll get a snappy, memorable, trademarkable name by the time it's on shelves). Though it's a landscape slider, it doesn't slide to reveal what you'd normally expect -- a keyboard, that is. Instead, you get a speaker, an unusual (though not unprecedented) concept that should make this a decent media device... and the kickstand around back should help with that, too. We'd argue that this is the prettiest WinPho 7-powered device we've seen so far -- not surprising, considering HTC's reputation -- though we're sure plenty of folks would prefer the QWERTY.

WinMoSquare gets updated

Tue, 24 Aug 2010 16:47:40 +0000

The foursquare Windows Mobile client 'WinMoSquare' from Touchality just updated with a new beta build offering a host of new features and bug fixes:

WinMoSquare Beta 1.5.0.0 (2010.08.21.01)

Added leaderboard
Added in-app maps
Added specials
Added mayor icon to friend's list
Added mayor informaiton to venue details
Updated app icon
Added in-app friend request
Added user history
Added support for both male and female default user icons
Improved lists can now return more than 50 items
Added specials here icon to venue list and detail screens
Added distance to venue in venue list
Added score panel
Added the ability to edit a venue
Added the ability to flag a venue as mislocated
Added the ability to flag a venue as duplicate
Added the ability to flag a venue as closed
Added support for venue tips
Added support for viewing user photo full size
Added ability to follow Touchality on Twitter
Added ability to friend Touchality on foursquare
Added in-app change log
Added venue category icons
Added user agent header to all web requests
Improved code to determine location based off cell tower
Improved code to determine location based off wifi connections
Improved code to determine location based of IP address
Better error and exception handling
and a WHOLE lot more

Whew!!!

WP7 Browser Vs iOS Safari vs Android

Tue, 24 Aug 2010 14:36:17 +0000

Pocketnow have a good video of the browser performance on an iPhone 4, WP7 LG device and Nexus One. What's surprising is just how close the performance is across all but especially how good it is on WP7 at this early stage.

To be honest there's not much in it at all and most people would be satisfied and dissatisfied with their chosen platform in equal measures I would have thought.

Main action starts about 4 mins in.

[Source]

Spb update Spb diary

Mon, 23 Aug 2010 17:17:14 +0000

A long awaited update for Spb Diary is out featuring:

Version 2.7 (August 20, 2010):

Windows Mobile 6.5 support
Finger scrolling in the native tabs
Gestures for fast tabs switching (experimental for custom tabs)*
Possibility to convert mail to appointments, tasks and contacts
HVGA resolution support
On WVGA resolution height of the plugin can now be set larger than 600 pixels
The checkbox for completing tasks and collapse/expand icons are now part of the skin
Possibility to display high/low temperature values
PIM items can now be separated with a line*
Possibility to set minimal height for PIM items*
Possibility to set minimal height for headers*
Possibility to set larger font size (20-24)
Special icon for the invited events in the Messaging tab (including meeting responses)*
Minor bugfixes

You can grab it http://spb.com/pocketpc-software/diary/.

WP7 dev tools go gold on Sept 16th

Mon, 23 Aug 2010 16:56:18 +0000

Microsoft keeps on saying that Windows Phone 7 is going to be ready in time for the Christmas holidays this year. Today they're announced another small step in the process by finalizing the dev tools that were first shown at MIX in March. Specifically, the gold build will be début on September 16, while the Marketplace will start accepting apps sometime in early October.

You can read the full roadmap here.

Yet more on Xbox Live and Windows Phone 7, engadget goes hands on!

Wed, 18 Aug 2010 08:07:01 +0000

Following on from our recent stories regarding Windows Phone 7 and XBox Live, engadget.com have been hands on with the Xbox Live experience, it looks very impressive indeed, even in the developmental stage:

"We've known that proper Xbox Live gaming (powered by XNA) was coming to Windows Phone 7 devices, but we'd yet to see any of that thumb-spraining goodness in action besides a brief demo and a few developer videos. Well, Microsoft has finally come clean with details about its launch strategy for the platform, and from where we sit, it's definitely looking pretty promising. First off, the company has announced a full list of launch titles for WP7 handsets, including some familiar names and franchises like Castlevania, Halo: Waypoint, Star Wars, Crackdown, and Guitar Hero, alongside a handful of newer properties like the ultra-cute ilomilo, produced in-house by Microsoft Game Studios. In total, the company will launch with over 60 game titles, with new offerings appearing every week in the Xbox Live Marketplace, just like its big brother console version. We've got all the details, a full list of the launch titles, and our hands-on preview after the break -- so read on to get the scoop!"

Follow this link to the source for more pictures and hands on videos!.

More on Xbox Live and Windows Phone 7

Tue, 17 Aug 2010 07:53:12 +0000

In a press release from Redmond on 16th August, Microsoft issued a commentary on the upcoming XBox Live integration with Windows Phone 7 (see our report of today's formal announcement above).

Quote:

Today at Gamescom 2010, the world’s largest gaming conference underway in Cologne, Germany, Microsoft announced the first wave of video games that will be available for Windows Phone 7 at launch or shortly after. The first 50 titles – a mix of new and familiar games that target both the casual and hardcore gamer – are just a sampling of what will ship this holiday, said Kevin Unangst, senior director of PC and mobile gaming. But the list conveys the wide range of video games that will be available on Windows Phone 7.

The company also announced that its Windows Phone 7 games will be closely linked with Xbox LIVE, and said that gamers will be able to extend the experience of some of their favorite console franchises to the phone.

“We’re really approaching this as we would a console, so we have to deliver the breadth of games and the quality people expect from Xbox,” Unangst said. He said that’s why starting out with a strong portfolio of games is so important. “To have this quantity and quality of games committed this far ahead of launch, with even more to come, is a statement of support that says Windows Phone 7 will be a big success,” he said.

Among the first titles are familiar casual games like “Bejeweled” and “Uno” as well as new ones like “Game Chest” - a collection of card and board games. Those games should appeal to the target audience that’s all ready to buy a Windows Phone 7, Unangst said.

Microsoft’s mobile gaming portfolio also will appeal to Xbox’s millions of gamers, he said. Popular games like “CarneyVale: Showtime” will be ready to play this fall when the phone launches, for example. But going beyond bringing Xbox games over to Windows Phone 7, Microsoft is building mobile experiences that connect with and complement the Xbox 360 experience, Unangst said.

As announced previously, Windows Phone 7 will connect with Xbox LIVE, meaning that mobile users can earn achievements on-the-go, update their avatar and keep track of their gamerscore. At Gamescom, Microsoft announced several familiar Xbox titles that will offer companion experiences on Windows Phone 7. “Halo: Waypoint” an Xbox LIVE hub where Halo fans can go to watch videos and engage with the Halo community, also will be available on the phone, for example. And games like “Crackdown 2: Project Sunburst” will be mobile companion games that offer different gameplay than the console versions, but will be set in the same universe. In addition, hits from Xbox LIVE Arcade like “Rocket Riot” also will make their exclusive mobile debut on Windows Phone 7.

Unangst said the integration of Xbox Live, together with a quality launch lineup, will be what sets Windows Phone 7 apart from its competitors. “Consumers clearly look to gaming as an expected experience on their mobile phone now, and we’re going to take that expectation and that delivery up to a different level,” he said.

Mobile gaming is rapidly becoming big business. Internal Microsoft research shows that 80 percent of gamers in the US have or will purchase a smartphone this year, and a quarter of what gamers spend on games is spent on mobile gaming. According to research firm In-Stat, mobile gaming is already a billion-dollar industry in the U.S. and will continue to climb.

That’s why getting gaming right on the new mobile platform is important to the success of Windows Phone 7, said Greg Sullivan, senior product manager with the Mobile Communications Marketing Group. “Depending on how you measure it, games are one of the biggest application categories in the smartphone space," Sullivan said. “That’s one reason we’re so excited about the Game hub broadly and the Xbox LIVE integration in particular.”

Of course, Windows Phone 7 will have plenty of room for non-Xbox LIVE titles, and consumers can still have a great gaming experience on the phone even if they never plan on owning a console, he added.

Still, because of the Xbox draw, Microsoft expects game developers to take advantage of Windows Phone 7’s gaming capacity in a way that extends the Xbox LIVE network and creates powerful new scenarios, Sullivan said. “I think folks are starting to think this through and consider the realm of the possible with gaming when you start to extend the leading gaming network of Xbox LIVE out to potentially millions of mobile devices and you have a platform that lets developers create great experiences that span the Xbox and the phone,” he said.

Unangst said he gets questions about how Microsoft will compete with the iPhone and other platforms that have been around for a while. His response is that Microsoft is following the same playbook that worked for Xbox 360 – a laser-focus on great games.

Like it did with its console, Microsoft is actively managing its mobile game portfolio and making sure the best titles will be available on Windows Phone 7. The company is working with third party developers as well as bringing its own resources; Microsoft Game Studios (MGS) now has a dedicated group tasked with extending the best console games onto Windows Phone 7, and delivering all new mobile-specific games.

“We’ve done this over and over, and we know how to launch a gaming platform,” he said. “Starting with the announcement today, we’re going to bring a set of high-quality games and experiences to bear at the launch of the Windows Phone 7.”

Microsoft announce XBox Live games for WP7 at launch

Tue, 17 Aug 2010 07:47:12 +0000

Today (August 17th) at the Gamescom 2010 fair in Cologne, Microsoft have announced the availability of a number of XBox Live games, and other XBox features ready for the launch of Windows Phone 7 later this year.

This is an exciting prospect for current XBox users who will be able to continue their gaming and social connections seamlessly across their fixed and mobile devices. This may well be a major factor in the uptake of the new mobile OS.

Quote:
COLOGNE, Germany — Aug. 17, 2010 — Today at gamescom 2010, the world’s largest consumer-oriented games showcase, Microsoft Corp. premiered the first wave of Xbox LIVE games launching on Windows Phone 7 this holiday. With even more games and applications to come, Windows Phone 7 is putting the power of Xbox LIVE into the palm of your hand — from Xbox LIVE Avatars to staying connected with friends, Xbox LIVE is now at your fingertips, anytime, anywhere.*

“We believe that no matter where life takes you, the best in gaming and entertainment should follow,” said Marc Whitten, corporate vice president of Xbox LIVE at Microsoft. “Windows Phone 7 takes a different approach to handheld gaming, utilizing Xbox LIVE, Microsoft Game Studios, leading game publishers, and innovative indie developers, to create powerful, shared experiences for everyone.”

The Games You Want, Played When and Wherever You Want Them

In a sea of games, apps, gadgets and gizmos, the biggest obstacle can be finding the game that’s right for you. Only Windows Phone 7 has a Games hub featuring Xbox LIVE, creating a different kind of mobile gaming experience that puts the games you want front and center. Xbox LIVE games on Windows Phone 7 will be specially selected from the top names in mobile, PC and console game development, making the best mobile games even better, thanks to Xbox LIVE. With try-before-you-buy demos, Xbox LIVE leaderboards, turn-based multiplayer, Achievements and more, Windows Phone 7 brings the quality, consistency and community of the Xbox experience to gamers on the go.

Windows Phone 7 also will be supported by content from Microsoft Game Studios (MGS), providing strong first-party gaming titles and intellectual property for the phone. For Xbox fans, this means that Windows Phone 7 will offer companion titles to familiar names, such as “Halo: Waypoint,” and “Crackdown 2,” extending the experience of their favorite Xbox 360 franchises.

“Windows Phone 7 is the launch of a major gaming platform for Microsoft,” said Matt Booty, general manager of mobile gaming for MGS. “Just like we’ve done with Xbox 360, our charter is to push the envelope and deliver definitive games that maximize the platform. We will have an incredible lineup of MGS titles, and that’s just the beginning.”

The most creative minds in game development are bringing the biggest franchises to Windows Phone 7. The first wave of launch portfolio titles includes Xbox LIVE games from the likes of Gameloft, Konami Digital Entertainment, Namco Bandai, PopCap and THQ. Whether you choose to play a gem of a puzzler with “Bejeweled™ LIVE” (PopCap), bring down the house with “Guitar Hero 5” (Glu Mobile), fight off a destructive alien invasion in “The Harvest” (MGS), paint your way out of a corner with “Max and the Magic Marker” (PressPlay) or defend your city in “Crackdown 2: Project Sunburst” (MGS), the first wave of games announced in the launch portfolio of Xbox LIVE games on Windows Phone 7 has something for every mobile gamer:

• “3D Brick Breaker Revolution” (Digital Chocolate)

• “Age of Zombies” (Halfbrick)

• “Armor Valley” (Protégé Games)

• “Asphalt 5” (Gameloft)

• “Assassins Creed” (Gameloft)

• “Bejeweled™ LIVE” (PopCap)

• “Bloons TD” (Digital Goldfish)

• “Brain Challenge” (Gameloft)

• “Bubble Town 2” (i-Play)

• “Butterfly” (Press Start Studio)

• “CarneyVale Showtime” (MGS)

• “Castlevania” (Konami Digital Entertainment)

• “Crackdown 2: Project Sunburst” (MGS)

• “De Blob Revolution” (THQ)

• “Deal or No Deal 2010” (i-Play)

• “Earthworm Jim” (Gameloft)

• “Fast & Furious 7” (i-Play)

• “Fight Game Rivals” (Rough Cookie)

• “Finger Physics” (Mobliss Inc.)

• “Flight Control” (Namco Bandai)

• “Flowerz” (Carbonated Games)

• “Frogger” (Konami Digital Entertainment)

• “Fruit Ninja” (Halfbrick)

• “Game Chest-Board” (MGS)

• “Game Chest-Card” (MGS)

• “Game Chest-Logic” (MGS)

• “Game Chest-Solitaire” (MGS)

• “GeoDefense” (Critical Thought)

• “Ghostscape” (Psionic)

• “Glow Artisan” (Powerhead Games)

• “Glyder 2” (Glu Mobile)

• “Guitar Hero 5” (Glu Mobile)

• “Halo Waypoint” (MGS)

• “Hexic Rush” (Carbonated Games)

• “I Dig It” (InMotion)

• “iBlast Moki” (Godzilab)

• “ilomilo” (MGS)

• “Implode XL” (IUGO)

• “Iquarium” (Infinite Dreams)

• “Jet Car Stunts” (True Axis)

• “Let’s Golf 2” (Gameloft)

• “Little Wheel” (One click dog)

• “Loondon” (Flip N Tale)

• “Max and the Magic Marker” (PressPlay)

• “Mini Squadron” (Supermono Limited)

• “More Brain Exercise” (Namco Bandai)

• “O.M.G.” (Arkedo)

• “Puzzle Quest 2” (Namco Bandai)

• “Real Soccer 2” (Gameloft)

• “The Revenants” (Chaotic Moon)

• “Rise of Glory” (Revo Solutions)

• “Rocket Riot” (Codeglue)

• “Splinter Cell Conviction” (Gameloft)

• “Star Wars: Battle for Hoth” (THQ)

• “Star Wars: Cantina” (THQ)

• “The Harvest” (MGS)

• “The Oregon Trail” (Gameloft)

• “Tower Bloxx NY” (Digital Chocolate)

• “Twin Blades” (Press Start Studio)

• “UNO” (Gameloft)

• “Women’s Murder Club: Death in Scarlet” (i-Play)

• “Zombie Attack!” (IUGO)

• “Zombies!!!!” (Babaroga)

Additional titles in the launch portfolio will be released between now and the Windows Phone 7 launch this holiday season; once the phone launches, new Xbox LIVE titles also will be added to the games portfolio every week.

Xbox LIVE: Bringing More to Your Mobile Gaming

Xbox LIVE on Windows Phone 7 unlocks a world of games and fun and directly connects you to a global community of more than 25 million active Xbox LIVE members. Windows Phone 7 is the only phone that seamlessly integrates Xbox LIVE and provides unique mobile gaming experiences:

• Avatars. Connect to your Xbox LIVE profile and Avatar, or create a new one if you don’t already have an Avatar or Xbox LIVE profile; take your 3-D Avatar and props with you on the phone with full closet access.

• Friends. Bring your Xbox LIVE friends with you everywhere; compare Achievements, challenge rivals to your favorite game, and even see who’s online and what they’re doing on their consoles, PCs or phones.

• Game access. Easily view and launch your full game library from a single location; find, try and buy new games either in the Marketplace or Games hub.

• Achievements. Earn, view and track Achievements, view Xbox LIVE leaderboards and build your Gamerscore across Xbox 360 and Windows Phone 7 — every time you play an Xbox LIVE title.

• Messaging. Communicate with all of your Xbox LIVE friends, any time you want, through Xbox LIVE messages.

• Multiplayer. Invite, connect and play against friends on other Windows Phone 7 phones or the PC with turn-based (asynchronous) multiplayer gaming.

• Spotlight. Access Xbox LIVE Spotlight feeds, including the latest game titles, breaking news from Xbox LIVE, game tips and tricks, and more.

About Xbox LIVE

Xbox LIVE is the online entertainment service for your Xbox 360, connecting you to an ever-expanding world of games, movies, TV, music, sports and social entertainment. Xbox LIVE lets you play the best games, enjoy the largest on-demand library on any console, listen to millions of songs and share the fun with friends around the world. This holiday season, Xbox LIVE will come to Windows Phone 7 and put the power of connected entertainment in the palm of your hand. Xbox LIVE is also the exclusive home of controller-free online entertainment through Kinect, making your Xbox 360 more intuitive and interactive than ever before. With an active community of 25 million people across 26 countries, expanding to 35 this fall, Xbox LIVE, together with Xbox 360 and Windows Phone 7, provides you with instant access to the entertainment you want, shared with the people you care about, wherever you are. More information about Xbox LIVE can be found online at http://www.xbox.com/live.

So, who will be first with an official WP7 phone launch?

Tue, 17 Aug 2010 07:15:13 +0000

What HiFi are reporting that LG aim to be the first company to offer a Windows Phone 7 device on the open market.

Quote:

LG is looking to Windows Phone 7 to boost its position in the smartphone market, where it currently lags behind Korean rival Samsung.

The company will strengthen its offering by becoming the first manufacturer to launch handsets running Microsoft's Windows Phone 7 operating system, starting with European models due in the shops in October.

Reports from Korea say that LG will launch its WP7 smartphones as part of its Optimus line-up, ahead of offerings from the likes of Samsung and HTC.

Models for Europe will have a 3.8in touchscreen, while those appearing in the States a month later will also have a 'hard' QWERTY keyboard. The phones are not due on sale back home in Korea until early next year.

The launch will mean the Optimus line-up will have phones running WP7, others running Google's Android, and also tablet PCs, the company believing that the Microsoft OS could be as important in the smartphone market as Android and Apple's iOS.

Historically, HTC have been the market leaders in all Windows Mobile/ Pocket PC versions so there might have been some expectation that they would be the first to market; we've also seen some shots of a Samsung device in use in Slovenia, so they are also obviously in the running!

With the official launch possibly only a month away now, the anticipation is beginning to grow!

HTC Spark - Another Windows Phone 7 Smartphone from HTC?

Fri, 13 Aug 2010 14:50:27 +0000

Arne Ness at theunwired.net has also posted up the specifications of another possible Windows Phone 7 device, again from the Chinese site 911HTC:

"A Chinese forum user has posted a spec-sheet of a new HTC Windows Phone 7 smartphone which is called the "HTC Spark". According to the screenshot, the HTC Spark will be powered by a Qualcomm CPU at 1 GHz and features GSM/GPRS/EDGE as well as UMTS/HSDPA (up to 7.2 Mbps)/HSUPA (up to 5.776 Mbps). The device is said to come with a 3.7" WVGA screen and a 5 megapixel autofocus camera. Somewhat unusual for a Windows Phone 7 devices is the hardware button layout because the device is said to feature a Back, Home, Start, call Send and End key while no Search key is mentioned. However, Windows Phone 7 requires a Search key and doesn't allow call Send/End keys."

SOURCE via 911HTC

A New Samsung Windows Phone 7 Device Spotted

Fri, 13 Aug 2010 14:26:34 +0000

Pocketnow.com have found what looks like a new Samsung Windows Phone 7 device on andrejt's blog :

"We know that the Samsung Cetus is on its way to AT&T this fall packing Windows Phone 7, a 4" AMOLED display, and a round-corner design. But what is this device, posted by a developer on Twitter? It's different than the Samsung Taylor which has been deployed to thousands of developers around the world. It's possible that it's a more mature reference design from Samsung (since the Taylor was pretty much an Omnia HD under the hood), or it could be a new WP7 device headed to market. It has sharp edges, what looks to be an AMOLED display, a circular indentation surrounding the Start button, plus no front-facing camera. We'll keep digging as we try to learn the true identity of this new device."

Another image available via the SOURCE.

HTC Mozart / Mondrian Photos Leak

Fri, 13 Aug 2010 08:34:45 +0000

Xmoo a member of xda-developers.com has posted up pictures of the HTC Mozart on his blog, read on for the story via pocketnow.com:

"We've known about the HTC Mondrian for months after the ROM was leaked on XDA-Developers. It's going to be one of the first Windows Phone 7 devices from HTC. From these new leaked pictures, it appears that the device will have a slate form factor with a very predomenant Windows Flag key on the front (required for all WP7 devices).

The back has a large camera lens with a flash, and the casing seems to be a combination of soft-touch plastic and metallic dark silver plastic.

The back cover can actually be removed in multiple parts, which is very interesting. Like the HTC Legend, the battery slides out from the bottom. We're curious as to why the area surrounding the camera lens can be removed.

Yup, it's a Windows Phone 7 device for sure. Not seen here are any customizations made to the Start screen, which means that it's definitely a prototype/early device."

More pictures are available from the source HERE.

Microsoft to open gaming studio for WP7

Wed, 11 Aug 2010 16:11:30 +0000

A job posting on Microsoft’s website states that:

“Microsoft Games Studios is establishing a new Studio - MGS Mobile Gaming - focused on bringing games and entertainment to the mobile life that people lead. Our vision is to deliver games and entertainment so good that people will want them always with them, on a service that makes them social, connected and relevant anywhere their life goes.

New Hotfix for HTC HD Mini- addresses audio problems

Wed, 11 Aug 2010 10:50:12 +0000

HTC have just released a new hotfix for the HD Mini in their Support Site

These are the details:

Update for HTC HD mini intermittent audio muting
Release Date: 2010-08-10

This update for HTC HD mini improves sound handling when in a call.

Installation Instructions:

Note: This update is only applicable to ROM versions less than or equal to 1.36.XXX.X for all SKUs, except Vodafone Spain.

Follow the instructions below to download and install the update on your device:

Make sure you have Microsoft ActiveSync® installed on your Windows XP PC or Windows Mobile Device Center on your Windows Vista® PC.
Connect and synchronize your device with your PC via Microsoft ActiveSync® or Windows Mobile Device Center using the USB cable.
To download this update select the update below and the location closest to you then click Download.
Copy the update, which is an .exe file, to your device. To install the update, tap the .exe file and follow the on-screen instructions.’
First execute the file RUU_PHO3693_20100728.exe on your PC while your phone is connected. This will update critical files before you begin your update.
Then, copy the update, PHO03693.exe, to your device. The tap the exe file on your phone and follow the on-screen instructions.

Note: If you perform a device hard reset, you will need to reinstall the update after the hard reset.

Some Twitter clients, including Twikini to stop working next week.

Wed, 11 Aug 2010 09:23:46 +0000

Those of you using the Twikini Twitter client from Trinket software are warned that this application will 'probably' cease operating by the end of August, and will see significant slowdowns from next week. Also affected is TouchTwit. Happily, MoTweets is not affected

This has come about because Twitter is changing the authentication method for 3rd party connector clients; Trinket Software does not consider the work needed to modify their WM6.* client worthy of the effort as they are fully into developing their WP7 version.

Quote from WMExperts:

Trinket software, developers of the extremely popular Twitter client 'Twikini' notes that their app will stop working in a few days. Worse still, there are no plans to "fix" the problem.

Evidently, Twitter is changing authentication protocol required for third party programs on August 16th, 2010 which will result in slowdowns till D-day, August 31st when the plug is finally pulled.

Now most Twitter apps will be or already have updated their authentication method to use the new protocol. But Trinket software has basically "moved on" from WM6.5+ to Windows Phone 7 and in turn, won't be delivering any updates to fix the problem.

Sorry guys, with the shape WM 6.x is in, we've moved on to other projects. Twikini will be back on WP7.

Grrrr.

In a twist, Trinket is considering making their Twikini code open-source, meaning the community can then fix the problem as well as...well keep adding things we suppose. To that idea, we say 'Yes please!' as it'd be the right thing to do (and the least) for all the loyal users who have bought the application.

Update: We just go word that MoTweets (see review) is already updated and should be fine August 16th; unfortunately TouchTwit has not been updated for the new protocol.

Windows Phone 7 Includes Voice Recognition, and has more functions than previously thought!

Tue, 10 Aug 2010 13:38:11 +0000

It looks as if the earlier fears of Microsoft's WP7 TellMe voice recognition only being being able to perform a few functions is unfounded, according to this news report from mobilitysite.com.

"Some people with developer Windows Phone 7 devices have not quite discovered this feature yet, but voice recognition is embedded into most Windows Phone 7 functions. WP7 comes with the service powered by TellMe, one of the largest cloud-based voice recognition platforms currently active. This provides immediate voice pattern recognition with a level of accuracy that is unparalleled. On top of that, you can’t really tell whether it’s calling an online web service or not, although because it is a “cloud-based” service, it really is going out to the cloud to recognize my voice.

You can easily access this service by pressing and holding the start key. This shows a screen that indicates the phone is “listening”. You then say something like “Call Joe Mobile”, “Play Artist U2”, “Open OneNote”, etc and the phone executes exactly what you indicated.

The most useful actions to ask of the phone are:

“Call ” where contact name can be a first name, last name or both and phone type can be mobile, home, work, etc.
“ in ” where search item is what you want to search for (i.e. coffee shops, etc), followed by “in” and then the name of the city and the state where you are searching that item. i.e. “Coffee Shops in Boca Raton Florida”. This pops up Bing search with the search items and location you indicated.
“Open ” where the application name is the text identifying the application icon in your app list. As long as you have that application installed, it will launch the right one, no matter how obscure the name of that application is.
“Play ” where the category will be artist, album, song, etc and the item will be an item of the category you listed. i.e. “Play Artist U2”.

There are many other actions and possible combinations to use with the Microsoft TellMe service. In all cases it took no more than 1 or 2 seconds to successfully recognize what was being said. While the request is being executed and the voice is being recognized, the screen shows a “thinking” animation that has some garbled text moving around until the text interpreted is displayed… all in all the process is very quick and surprisingly accurate.

This service seems to work very well and it makes so much more sense to use with a phone while driving a car. You won’t need to take you eyes from the road simply because you are now having a conversation with your Windows Phone."

Original source and more screen grabs HERE.