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Exclusive interview with Joe Belfiore, corporate VP of Windows Phone

Posted on 19. Jul, 2010 by IBM. 

By now you’ve probably read our in-depth blowout of Windows Phone 7 (and if not, what are you waiting for?). But what you haven’t seen yet is our exclusive sit-down with Microsoft’s Joe Belfiore, wherein we talk about the ins and outs of the new mobil…

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Windows Phone 7 in-depth preview

Posted on 19. Jul, 2010 by IBM. 

It’s been a long road, hasn’t it? Well, in some respects, it hasn’t — in fact, it’s only been about two years since development of Windows Phone 7 as we know it today kicked off — but when you consider that this product will be replacing Windows Mobile 6.5, that puts things in proper perspective. In fact, even the very latest maintenance releases of good ol’ WinMo are based on the same rickety underpinnings as version 5.0 was way back in 2005, at a time when WVGA smartphone displays were science fiction, 4G networks were a good two Gs beyond the average American’s comprehension, and Engadget looked like this. Nowadays, it’s a very different game; eight year-olds have access to mobile email, your phone understands German, and “Yelp” is a verb (okay, actually Yelp is a verb). Indeed, mobile devices are the new PCs — and companies like Apple and Google are dominating an industry that had once been practically handed to Microsoft on a silver platter. No one — either inside or outside of Redmond — is arguing that change isn’t desperately (and quickly) needed, because it simply isn’t enough to dominate the desktop anymore.

In light of all that, you could call Windows Phone 7 a desperation move to become relevant in the pocket again. Call it whatever you like, but regardless, brand loyalty isn’t going to save this product — it simply has to be good to sell. Scratch that; it actually has to be nearly flawless in a world where iOS 4 and Gingerbread play. Microsoft still has a few months before it intends to get the first volley of Windows Phone 7-based products to the marketplace, but we’ve recently been provided with reference hardware — a not-for-retail Samsung called “Taylor” that’s closely modeled on the Symbian-based i8910HD — to get a feel for where they’re at as the clock ticks down. Is this shaping up to be a killer platform for the next generation of high-end smartphones? And more importantly, can it win customers? Read on for our first take.

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Windows Phone 7 in-depth preview originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 19 Jul 2010 11:10:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Windows Phone 7 in-depth preview

Posted on 18. Jul, 2010 by IBM. 

It’s been a long road, hasn’t it? Well, in some respects, it hasn’t — in fact, it’s only been about two years since development of Windows Phone 7 as we know it today kicked off — but when you consider that this product will be replacing Windows Mobile 6.5, that puts things in proper perspective. In fact, even the very latest maintenance releases of good ol’ WinMo are based on the same rickety underpinnings as version 5.0 was way back in 2005, at a time when WVGA smartphone displays were science fiction, 4G networks were a good two Gs beyond the average American’s comprehension, and Engadget looked like this. Nowadays, it’s a very different game; eight year-olds have access to mobile email, your phone understands German, and “Yelp” is a verb (okay, actually Yelp is a verb). Indeed, mobile devices are the new PCs — and companies like Apple and Google are dominating an industry that had once been practically handed to Microsoft on a silver platter. No one — either inside or outside of Redmond — is arguing that change isn’t desperately (and quickly) needed, because it simply isn’t enough to dominate the desktop anymore.

In light of all that, you could call Windows Phone 7 a desperation move to become relevant in the pocket again. Call it whatever you like, but regardless, brand loyalty isn’t going to save this product — it simply has to be good to sell. Scratch that; it actually has to be nearly flawless in a world where iOS 4 and Gingerbread play. Microsoft still has a few months before it intends to get the first volley of Windows Phone 7-based products to the marketplace, but we’ve recently been provided with reference hardware — a not-for-retail Samsung called “Taylor” that’s closely modeled on the Symbian-based i8910HD — to get a feel for where they’re at as the clock ticks down. Is this shaping up to be a killer platform for the next generation of high-end smartphones? And more importantly, can it win customers? Read on for our first take.

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Windows Phone 7 in-depth preview originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 19 Jul 2010 00:02:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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What killed the Kin?

Posted on 30. Jun, 2010 by IBM. 

While the news today that Microsoft has killed its troubled Kin line didn’t come as the craziest of surprises, it’s definitely left a lot of lingering questions about just what happened. Now we may have a little insight into what went wrong — and wha…

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Windows Phone 7 Series: everything you ever wanted to know

Posted on 17. Feb, 2010 by IBM. 

Microsoft just planted a massive flag in the ground with the debut of Windows Phone 7 Series. The company’s new mobile operating system is a radical and potent departure from the past, and there’s a lot to take in — so we’ve gathered together all our knowledge and impressions of the device so far and rolled them into a single, concise guide. Of course, there will be plenty more to learn in the coming months, and we’re going to be beating down Redmond’s door for more details on this thing, but for now let’s dive into what Microsoft has revealed so far about its latest and (potentially) greatest phone operating system.

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Windows Phone 7 Series: everything you ever wanted to know originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 17 Feb 2010 11:02:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Switched On: Making it different versus making a difference

Posted on 16. Feb, 2010 by IBM. 

Each week Ross Rubin contributes Switched On, a column about consumer technology.

How many apps does it take to screw in a light bulb? That was the question facing Microsoft as rival mobile operating systems backed by Apple and Google added tens of thousands of applications giving users stylus-free access to a wide range of capabilities. For a company whose co-founder trumpeted the notion of information at your fingertips, it was a bitter position. The light bulb wasn’t screwed, but Microsoft looked as though it was.

Finally, though, the light bulb has turned on, and it has lit a path in the opposite direction from the guiding user interface philosophy that characterized Windows Mobile, née Windows CE, since it powered devices known as Pocket PCs. With its miniature Start menu, menu bars and icons, Windows Mobile had been designed to present a familiar interface to those used to using Windows 95. In this case, however, familiarity bred contempt. As Microsoft’s Joe Belfiore repeated several times during his introduction of the new Windows Phone 7 OS, “the phone is not a PC.”

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Switched On: Making it different versus making a difference originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 16 Feb 2010 17:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Editorial: Engadget on Windows Phone 7 Series

Posted on 15. Feb, 2010 by IBM. 

Microsoft took a dramatic step with Windows Phone 7 Series this morning at MWC in Barcelona, and obviously we’ve been talking about it all day here at Engadget HQ. Just like with the iPad and the Droid, opinions on the staff are all over the map — it’s not every day that a company reboots an entire OS — so we’re going to let everyone speak for themselves, starting with the people who’ve handled Windows Phone 7 Series in person: Josh, Chris, Thomas, and Sean.

Josh:

The most astonishing thing about Windows Phone 7 Series is how completely it’s managed to obliterate its Windows Mobile roots. Let’s just be crystal clear about it: this is unlike anything the company has ever done, both in distancing itself from its past, and in the clarity of its vision. From the floor to ceiling, 7 Series is just a very new operating system with very new ideas about how users should be involved with their devices. What people should recognize is that the Windows Mobile team has made a huge gamble that upending its ailing OS was the only solution… and from the looks of things, that gamble has paid off. But this isn’t a battle already won — it’s a battle yet to be fought. There’s still much we don’t know about this OS, and plenty to be concerned about when it comes to turning what looks nice in a demo into a daily use smartphone. There are huge questions to be answered. How are notifications handled? What kind of SDK will be made available to developers? How rigid will the user experience guidelines be? What is the real story on multitasking? Will the phone support third party browsers, email clients, or messaging applications? Can hardware manufacturers differentiate their products enough? Will the basic phone experience be useful to enterprise users or others looking for a workhorse and not just a pretty face?

Honestly, those are just a few of the questions I have — but I also continue to be impressed with Microsoft’s fierceness of conviction on this platform. If the company can hew close enough to its promises and deliver on the tall order it’s set out for itself, then hope for Windows in the mobile space is far from dead. It’s about to be reborn.

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Editorial: Engadget on Windows Phone 7 Series originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 15 Feb 2010 22:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Microsoft offers up lengthy Windows Phone 7 Series video walkthrough

Posted on 15. Feb, 2010 by IBM. 

Not quite sure if you’ve heard, but Microsoft launched a new mobile operating system today. Crazy, right? Unfortunately, it’ll be a few weeks seasons still before you can actually wrap your palms around an actual Windows Phone 7 Series device, but the folks over at MSDN aren’t holding back. They’ve hosted up a 22 minute video walkthrough to explain every nook and crannie of the fresh OS, and if you’re one of those “impatient” types, you owe it to yourself to hit the source link and mash play. Grab a beverage first, though.

[Thanks, Nathan]

Microsoft offers up lengthy Windows Phone 7 Series video walkthrough originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 15 Feb 2010 12:39:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Live from Microsoft’s Windows Phone press event at MWC 2010

Posted on 15. Feb, 2010 by IBM. 

We’re in our seats and the show is about to begin. Hang tight! Everything is set to go at these times:

04:00AM – Hawaii
06:00AM – Pacific
07:00AM – Mountain
08:00AM – Central
09:00AM – Eastern
02:00PM – London
03:00PM – Paris
11:00PM – Tokyo

Continue reading Live from Microsoft’s Windows Phone press event at MWC 2010

Live from Microsoft’s Windows Phone press event at MWC 2010 originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 15 Feb 2010 08:52:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Windows Mobile 7 interface and device leaked on MWC banners

Posted on 15. Feb, 2010 by IBM. 

digg_url = ‘http://digg.com/microsoft/Windows_Mobile_7_interface_leaks_out_in_Barcelona’; The eagle-eyed folks of learnbemobile have come across this stupendous leak of Microsoft’s forthcoming Windows Mobile 7 OS. It would appear that some last minute alterations were taking place under the covers in Barcelona, though apparently no one bothered to check if there were cameras around before lifting said covers. You can see what appears to be some kind of Xbox Live integration — which was heavily rumored already — taking up a corner of what’s presumably a new home screen for the OS. There are also big, finger-loving notice icons for calls, text messages, and email, with sections for Facebook, Pictures and “Me” filling out the rest. We don’t have any more info than these few shots, and the aforementioned site just has the images camped out on its Facebook page, but it definitely looks to be the real deal. If this is the new face of Windows Mobile, color us excited for today’s event — it looks like a radical departure (or at least a crazy skin). You can check out a few more shots in the gallery below.

[Thanks, HJ Willems]

Update: The official announcement has now been made and fully corroborates the visuals leaked here. Check out our hands-on experience with the fresh new software to learn more.

Windows Mobile 7 interface and device leaked on MWC banners originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 15 Feb 2010 05:25:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Microsoft’s Windows Phone event at MWC kicks off tomorrow at 9AM ET

Posted on 14. Feb, 2010 by IBM. 

If you’re both ready and set, then you’ll be pleased to know that Microsoft has major Windows Mobile goings-on to discuss tomorrow at 9AM ET (3PM here in Spain). What does that really mean? Well based on the torrent of circumstantial (and actual) evidence we’ve seen, it looks like the big M is set to deliver its most important piece of mobile news in years: Windows Mobile 7. Or, Windows Phone 7 Series… or whatever it is they’re calling it these days. Regardless, it looks like a new era for Redmond’s smartphone platform, and we’ll be there covering the whole thing minute-by-minute… as only Engadget can.

If you’re as curious as we are about Microsoft’s plans, the event kicks off on Monday, February 15 at the times below. And here’s the URL to park your browser at to see the action take place:

04:00AM – Hawaii
06:00AM – Pacific
07:00AM – Mountain
08:00AM – Central
09:00AM – Eastern
02:00PM – London
03:00PM – Paris
11:00PM – Tokyo

Microsoft’s Windows Phone event at MWC kicks off tomorrow at 9AM ET originally appeared on Engadget on Sun, 14 Feb 2010 21:02:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Windows Phone 7 Series: that’s the name

Posted on 13. Feb, 2010 by IBM. 

So we were just casually strolling through Plaça d’Espanya today in front of Fira de Barcelona — better known as the site of MWC 2010 this coming week — and we couldn’t help but notice that Microsoft’s digs at the Hotel Catalonia across the street had white stickers obviously covering something important underneath the Windows Phone logo that we’d seen a few days ago. The ensuing conversation went something like this:

Chris: Dude, I think I see something there underneath the sticker. I think it says “SEVEN” in all caps.
Thomas (staring intently): No way.
Chris: Yes, I’m telling you, “SEVEN.” It’s there!
Thomas: Fanboy. It’s official, I’m covering MWC with an insane person… looks like I’m bouncing back to Amsterdam. Peace.

Well, turns out we were both wrong — a little Photoshop magic (okay, a lot of Photoshop magic) reveals “7 Series” underneath the decal, just waiting to be torn off after Monday’s big press event. The “7″ is certainly no surprise, but the “Series” part of this is cause for some last-minute speculation — are we actually going to see consumer and professional breakouts of the platform as we’d heard rumored a few times in the past? We’ll know in less than two days. Follow the break for the full retouched image.

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Windows Phone 7 Series: that’s the name originally appeared on Engadget on Sat, 13 Feb 2010 12:26:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Microsoft’s MWC digs come together, ‘Ready, Set’ is the theme (and Steve Ballmer’s hosting)

Posted on 10. Feb, 2010 by IBM. 

The fine city of Barcelona is abuzz this week as final preparations for Mobile World Congress fall into place — and as you probably know by now, we’re all expecting Microsoft to pull out all of the stops to introduce Windows Mobile 7. Just like last year, Redmond is renting out the Catalonia Barcelona Plaza Hotel across the street from the convention center to help kick off its announcements in style, and reader Javier has been kind enough to send in some shots of the facility getting done up in Microsoft livery for the event. There aren’t any spoilers here, sadly, but we can see that the company’s “Windows Phone” branding figures prominently (we should hope as much) and they’re using the catchphrase “Ready. Set.” to get everyone fired up. You might say the “wow” starts now — or, you know, you might not. Either way, be sure to keep it tuned right here throughout next week’s festivities, because we’ll be bringing you tons of coverage live!

If you’re as curious as we are about Microsoft’s plans, here’s when the event (which you can bet your bottom euro we’ll be liveblogging) kicks off on Monday, February 15:

03:00AM – Hawaii
06:00AM – Pacific
07:00AM – Mountain
08:00AM – Central
09:00AM – Eastern
02:00PM – London
03:00PM – Paris
11:00PM – Tokyo

[Thanks, Javier M.]

Update: We’ve gotten email confirmation from Microsoft today that none other than the head honcho, Steve Ballmer, will be hosting the press conference — which means we need roughly 20 percent less coffee before showing up than we would otherwise.

Microsoft’s MWC digs come together, ‘Ready, Set’ is the theme (and Steve Ballmer’s hosting) originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 10 Feb 2010 14:12:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Rumored Windows Phone 7 details surface ahead of MWC launch: Zune-like UI, no multitasking

Posted on 06. Feb, 2010 by IBM. 

Rumored Windows Phone 7 details surface ahead of MWC launch: Zune-like UI, no multitasking originally appeared on Engadget on Sat, 06 Feb 2010 16:07:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Microsoft CFO says ‘we’ll have much more to say’ about WinMo 7 in February

Posted on 29. Jan, 2010 by IBM. 

Every indication we’ve had out of Microsoft is that Windows Mobile 7 is on track for a grand unveiling at Mobile World Congress in Barcelona next month, and indeed, Fox Business has none other than CFO Peter Klein on record saying as much — the closest thing we’ve had to a confirmation outside of Robbie Bach’s analyst remarks a few weeks back. At the 4:07 mark of the video, Klein says that the company is “heads down” on WinMo 7 and expects to have “much more to say” about the product out in Spain, which would mark the one-year anniversary since the announcement of 6.5 at the same venue. Considering the brutal response that last version endured over the better part of 2009, let’s hope they’re coming to the table with something much, much more delicious this time around.

Microsoft CFO says ‘we’ll have much more to say’ about WinMo 7 in February originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 29 Jan 2010 20:11:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Windows Mobile 7 roadmap elucidated, starts with MWC 2010 demo

Posted on 27. Jan, 2010 by IBM. 

You know, January is all but expired now. Gone are the heady (or is that headless?) days of CES 2010, and we’re nearly past the rumor euphoria of the decade, so what do we have to look forward to? According to CNET‘s sources, WinMo 7. This year. Sure, we heard as much from DigiTimes, but it’s always good to put a more legitimate source to what is quite the juicy forecast. Confirmation that Microsoft is planning to finalize all code by this summer also meshes with an earlier leak of an LG Windows Mobile 7 handset set for a September release, while the latest Pink phone rumors are also reiterated. At any rate, it all kicks off in Barcelona come February 15, with Microsoft also circling its MIX 2010 web development conference a month later as the time it’ll start dishing the dirt on how to code for the new OS. So there we have it, new consumer phones and a long overdue WinMo overhaul all coming to you within the next few months.

Windows Mobile 7 roadmap elucidated, starts with MWC 2010 demo originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 27 Jan 2010 02:17:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Zune ‘Phone’ devices listed in latest software update

Posted on 26. Jan, 2010 by IBM. 

digg_url = ‘http://digg.com/gadgets/Zune_Phone_devices_listed_in_updated_Zune_software’; Whoa, what’s this? The so-called Zune software maintenance release has a trio of Phone device drivers tucked away inside the Zune.inf file according to Long Zheng over at istartedsomething. And similar to the three devices listed representing the three types of Zunes, we have three Phone.DeviceDesc placeholders for three unannounced (Pink and WinMo 6.x/7?) phones presumably running premium Zune media services. We expect Microsoft will come clean at Mobile World Congress starting February 15th. We’ll be there live which means that you will be too.

Zune ‘Phone’ devices listed in latest software update originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 26 Jan 2010 08:48:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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