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AT&T claims it will be ‘the premier carrier’ for Windows Phone 7

Posted on 27. Jul, 2010 by IBM. 

Without question, AT&T‘s wireless growth these past few years has been largely based on iPhone — and with apparently good reason, if you look at the numbers. As far as other platforms go, however, it’s not been as rosy. Android‘s relation with the carrier, for example, is a story woven with years of hesitation, some questionable releases, and a rival that’s fully embraced it to notable success (releases like the Captivate and Streak suggest a stronger future). So with all that in mind, what we’re hearing from AT&T in the wake of Windows Phone 7 is decidedly more committal. Here’s what a spokesperson told PC World this week: “We’ll be the premier carrier for Windows Phone 7″ (emphasis ours). Strong words, but we still haven’t heard concrete plans from anyone, including Microsoft, on what’s going on with the release. Whispers care of our friend Michael Gartenberg suggest AT&T has “signed up for 8 million” phones and our own eyes have espied some launch materials, but we’ll just have to see. Your move, Ma Bell. Assuage our doubts, k?

P.S. It’s also worth noting that, after the Kin debacle, Microsoft and Verizon aren’t exactly BFF, meaning rival AT&T’s “premier” claim isn’t likely to be contested by the one carrier with more subscribers.

AT&T claims it will be ‘the premier carrier’ for Windows Phone 7 originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 27 Jul 2010 22:28:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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The Engadget Show returns next Wednesday, August 4th with game designer Peter Molyneux, Windows Phone 7, and much more!

Posted on 26. Jul, 2010 by IBM. 

Well ladies and gentlemen, it’s that time again — the Engadget Show is back in a big way next Wednesday, August 4th at 8pm! This time around, we’ll have the inimitable Peter Molyneux, one of the world’s most forward-thinking game designers and crea…

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Mystery HTC Windows Phone 7 device: in the wild and lacking any Sense

Posted on 25. Jul, 2010 by IBM. 

A candybar slate from HTC with a 3.7-inch SLCD and 1GHz Snapdragon processor — sounds about right for the Desire, but this little puppy is actually running Windows Phone 7 (presumably a developer build, given the apps catalog). According to our tipst…

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HTC Sense coming to Windows Phone 7, after all

Posted on 24. Jul, 2010 by IBM. 

Some cried and some cheered when Microsoft revealed that handset manufacturers couldn’t reskin Windows Phone 7 devices wholesale. But as it turns out, at least one major OEM is still banking on software to help differentiate its phones. HTC’s Drew Bam…

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Microsoft wants employees to code Windows Phone 7 apps ‘in their spare time’

Posted on 23. Jul, 2010 by IBM. 

You had to know those freebie WP7 devices for Microsoft employees would come with a few strings attached. We imagined the Redmond brain trust was aiming for some word-of-mouth popularization along with a boost in team morale and proactivity, but as it…

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Microsoft confirms Windows Phone 7 manufacturers: ASUS, Dell, HTC, LG, and Samsung all on board

Posted on 22. Jul, 2010 by IBM. 

Microsoft is no stranger to having partners galore in the phone business, but its lineup of manufacturers for the upcoming, surprisingly promising Windows Phone 7 launch is no less impressive. After plenty of rumoring, Microsoft has confirmed that Del…

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Microsoft to employees: ‘everybody gets a Windows Phone 7!’

Posted on 21. Jul, 2010 by IBM. 

Microsoft guru extraordinaire Mary Jo Foley has retweeted a company employee boasting of a commitment to hand out Windows Phone 7 devices to each and every one of Redmond’s 90,000-plus employees around the world. That’s certainly one way to spread the …

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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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Microsoft comes clean on doling out cash, free hardware to entice Windows Phone devs

Posted on 14. Jul, 2010 by IBM. 

Microsoft director Todd Brix has apparently revealed what’s been known from a series of non-denied rumors for a while now: they’re making it rain on mobile developers with good ideas. According to a BusinessWeek report, it seems they’re pursuing a num…

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Microsoft’s Windows Phone Developer Tools package goes to beta

Posted on 12. Jul, 2010 by IBM. 

Early versions of the tools Windows Phone 7 developers will use to craft their wares have been floating around since Microsoft’s MIX event in March, but it looks like things have finally gotten robust and feature-complete enough this week to bless the…

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HTC files seemingly confirm Mondrian, Mozart to be Windows Phone 7 handsets

Posted on 08. Jul, 2010 by IBM. 

We’d already had some indication that both the HTC Mondrian and Mozart would be Windows Phone 7 handsets, and it looks like that has now been all but confirmed by HTC itself. According to some XML files dug up on HTC’s own site by Conflipper, both dev…

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Samsung’s Windows Phone 7 prototype slipping out to Imagine Cup finalists

Posted on 08. Jul, 2010 by IBM. 

You thought about shipping off to Warsaw for the Imagine Cup 2010 finals, didn’t you? ‘Tis a shame you didn’t, because Microsoft is fixing to hand out Windows Phone 7 prototypes to every last finalist at the show (around 400, we’re hearing). The winni…

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HTC Gold with Windows Phone 7 in November, and more from a rumored UK roadmap leak

Posted on 06. Jul, 2010 by IBM. 

O, to see what Omio sees. The outlet has obtained what it claims to be “a huge UK mobile phone release schedule for the rest of the year… [from] all the manufacturers” (emphasis its own). So, from where would such an all-encompassing roadmap hail? W…

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AT&T stores getting Windows Phone 7 retail materials, launch coming sooner than expected?

Posted on 05. Jul, 2010 by IBM. 

Microsoft’s mobile efforts may look like they’re slightly in disarray after the expensive and embarrassing Kin debacle, but it looks like Windows Phone 7 may yet emerge unscathed from the chaos — and potentially even earlier than expected, if this sh…

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Windows Phone 7′s October release casually mentioned in Microsoft ad presentation

Posted on 24. Jun, 2010 by IBM. 

“I’m gonna ask rock star Kostas… to come on. And Kostas has brought with him Windows Phone 7, which we launch this October.” So sayeth Microsoft VP for Marketing Mich Mathews in introducing GM of Live Labs’ Kostas Mallios, who was at the Cannes Lions…

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