TechAutos » windows phone 7

HTC unveils new Windows Phones: 4.7″ Titan, 3.8″ Radar

admin — Fri, 02 Sep 2011 17:04:19 +0000

HTC just unveiled two new handsets running Microsoft’s latest mobile OS, Windows Phone 7.5 (codenamed Mango)– the Titan, a 4.7″ monster that may spawn a whole range of 4.7″ phones from HTC (as the HD2 did for the 4.3″ form factor), and the Radar, an update to the 3.8″ HTC Trophy.

The Titan (codenamed Eternity) is truly a beast, featuring a 4.7″ SLCD screen (800×480 resolution), 8 MP rear camera, 1.3 MP front-facing camera (for Skype chats). Inside, the phone sports a 1.5 GHz Qualcomm MSM8255 single-core processor, 512 MB RAM, and 16 GB storage. It’s quite slim (9.9 mm) and has a black painted unibody metal construction (minus a plastic bit at the bottom for the antennas), though Microsoft’s claim that it’ll be “the most amazing thing you’ve ever held” might a little ambitious.

The Radar (codenamed Omega) targets a lower price point. Featuring the same dimensions and weight as HTC’s current Trophy, along with the phone’s 3.8″ LCD, 1GHz Qualcomm MSM8255 processor, 5 MP rear camera, 512 MB RAM, and 8 GB storage. The Radar improves on the Trophy’s camera, and adds a front-facing VGA camera for video chat. The phone will come in gray and white variants, and while it’s slightly thicker than the Titan (10.9 mm), it’s still a decent-looking unit. HTC plans to offer landscape docks to allow the Radar and Titan to act as alarm clocks as they charge.

Imaging seems to have been a focus for HTC– both the Titan and Radar sport 28mm wide-angle lenses, f2.2 maximum aperture, and back-illuminated sensors (like the iPhone 4 and HTC’s own EVO 4G) that should improve image quality, along with LED flash (single on the Radar, dual on Titan). In addition, the phones include far more imaging options than HTC’s current WP7 lineup (along with features like panorama auto-stitching and burst mode).

HTC plans to ship its new Mango handsets in early October and will begin upgrading current phones to Mango starting in mid-September.

Source: Microsoft – Titan, Radar

Copyright © 2010, TechAutos
This feed is for personal, non-commercial use only.
The use of this feed on other websites breaches copyright. If this content is not in your news reader, then the page you are viewing is violating the TechAutos copyright. (digital fingerprint:
62f5asd34hb2b3a53c9f2188376be03g25c5d) Sphere: Related Content

TA Maps 2 hits the Windows Phone 7 Marketplace

admin — Sat, 12 Feb 2011 02:45:55 +0000

TechAutos Maps v2.0, an updated version of one of the first jailbroken apps for Windows Phone 7, has now hit the Windows Phone 7 Marketplace.

TA Maps is a mapping solution that uses sources like Google Maps and OpenStreetMap and gives better coverage in many parts of the world than Bing Maps. It includes:

Scrollable/zoomable maps
Street/satellite views
GPS location tracking
Search
Favorite locations
Driving mode (keeps map centered on GPS location)
GPS sensitivity settings
Smoothly restores your last map view and pushpins

We will be adding features like driving directions, additional map/search sources, and more point-of-Interest data in upcoming updates.

For screenshots and more details, see: TA Maps for Windows Phone 7
Marketplace link: TA Maps at the WP7 Zune Marketplace

Nokia Windows Phone 7 concept phone revealed

admin — Fri, 11 Feb 2011 22:22:55 +0000

Engadget has come across the first concept rendering from Nokia of what a future Windows Phone 7 handset from Espoo might look like. In classic Nokia fashion, the phone is shown in three different colors (black, pink, and cyan). The rendering combines Nokia’s design language with the simplicity of WP7′s three-button interface for a sleek-looking package overall.

Combine it with solid internals and Nokia’s traditional strength in phone camera optics, and we’re sold. Just hurry up and get this on the market, Nokia.

Source: Engadget

Nokia CEO responds to Google VP’s “two turkeys” tweet, clarifies WP7 strategy

admin — Fri, 11 Feb 2011 20:20:53 +0000

Two days before the Nokia-Microsoft alliance was announced, Google’s Vic Gundotra attacked the two companies by tweeting that “two turkeys do not make an Eagle.” Now Nokia’s CEO Stephen Elop has responded with a tweet saying “two bicycle makers from Dayton Ohio, one day decided to fly”– referencing the Wright brothers.

Separately, Elop and Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer provided some more details on the deal. The arrangement is not exclusive– Microsoft will continue to work with other phone manufacturers on Windows Phone 7, though Nokia will get some “unique” benefits out of the deal. When asked if Nokia would be able to customize “everything” on Windows Phone 7 (unlike current WP7 licensees), Elop said yes, but clarified that Nokia was unlikely to do so, as it preferred maintaining full compatibility across the Windows Phone platform.

Read on for more details.

WP7 will become Nokia’s primary smartphone OS, but the company will continue to ship Symbian phones for the next several months and will probably continue the Series 40 platform for non-smartphones beyond that. It will also ship one MeeGo phone this year, but “not as part of another broad smarpthone platform strategy, but as an opportunity to learn.” (for what it’s worth, Intel says it’s still committed to MeeGo, which was created as the merger of Nokia’s Maemo and Intel’s Moblin Linux) Nokia expects to significantly cut its R&D spending but boost productivity.

Elop said Nokia did have discussions with Google about Android but felt it “would have difficulty differentiating within that ecosystem” and the “commoditization risk was very high — prices, profits, everything being pushed down, value being moved out to Google which was concerning to us.” Nokia felt it could play a more significant role in the high-end smartphone arena by throwing its considerable weight behind Microsoft’s upstart OS and turning it into a “three-horse race” between Android, Windows Phone, and the iPhone.

Asked about Tablets, Elop said Nokia could go with Microsoft’s strategy in that space or pursue its own technology.

To close on an amusing and somewhat related note, John Biggs of CrunchGear just tweeted:

I’m glad the Nokia/Microsoft deal solved the Egypt crisis.

Nokia announces strategic alliance with Microsoft: Windows Phone 7, Bing, Xbox Live, Office

admin — Fri, 11 Feb 2011 12:04:50 +0000

Nokia just dropped the bombshell we predicted yesterday: a wide-ranging “strategic alliance” through which:

Microsoft’s Windows Phone 7 OS will become Nokia’s “principal smartphone strategy”
Microsoft’s Bing and adCenter will provide search and advertising for Nokia Windows Phones
Nokia’s Ovi Maps content will become part of Bing Maps
Nokia’s app and music stores will integrate into Microsoft’s (Windows Phone / Zune / Xbox) Marketplace
Like all Windows Phones, Nokia handsets will now also feature Xbox Live and Office

Nokia CEO Stephen Elop (former head of Microsoft’s Business Division) and Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer said:

“There are other mobile ecosystems. We will disrupt them. There will be challenges. We will overcome them. Success requires speed. We will be swift. Together, we see the opportunity, and we have the will, the resources and the drive to succeed.”

Read on for more about the Nokia-Microsoft deal.

As we indicated yesterday, the deal could make a lot of sense: Nokia is still at the top of its hardware game, producing among the highest-quality handsets on the market, but its software efforts (Symbian, MeeGo) have foundered. Microsoft’s Windows Phone 7 OS provides arguably the smoothest user experience in the industry but has a lot of ground to regain in market share against Apple’s iOS and Google’s Android.

A combination of Microsoft’s mobile software prowess and strong developer relations with Nokia’s hardware design and global retail presence, especially in emerging markets, could be a force to reckon with. A potential risk for Nokia lies in the fact that Microsoft tightly controls the user experience on Windows Phones to ensure uniformity and high performance. As a result, Nokia might not be able to sufficiently differentiate itself from other Windows Phone 7 handset manufacturers, from HTC to Samsung, LG, Dell, and the like.

Nokia says it plans to innovate ”on top of the platform” — what that will entail remains to be seen. The first Nokia Windows Phones should hit the market in late 2011 or early 2012. The company is planning a significant cut in R&D staff and has entirely reshuffled its leadership to match the new strategy. Symbian and MeeGo are most likely dead as consumer OSes, and Nokia is unlikely to support its Qt framework, which WP7 does not support. Windows Phone 7 remains a smartphone OS, though — and one that requires serious hardware capabilities, at that — so Nokia will still need a separate platform for feature phones, likely Series 40.

Here’s the official announcement:

Click here to view the embedded video.

Press Release:

Nokia and Microsoft Announce Plans for a Broad Strategic Partnership to Build a New Global Mobile Ecosystem

Companies plan to combine assets and develop innovative mobile products on an unprecedented scale.

LONDON – Feb. 11, 2011 – Nokia and Microsoft today announced plans to form a broad strategic partnership that would use their complementary strengths and expertise to create a new global mobile ecosystem.

Nokia and Microsoft intend to jointly create market-leading mobile products and services designed to offer consumers, operators and developers unrivalled choice and opportunity. As each company would focus on its core competencies, the partnership would create the opportunity for rapid time to market execution. Additionally, Nokia and Microsoft plan to work together to integrate key assets and create completely new service offerings, while extending established products and services to new markets.

Under the proposed partnership:

• Nokia would adopt Windows Phone as its principal smartphone strategy, innovating on top of the platform in areas such as imaging, where Nokia is a market leader.

• Nokia would help drive the future of Windows Phone. Nokia would contribute its expertise on hardware design, language support, and help bring Windows Phone to a larger range of price points, market segments and geographies.

• Nokia and Microsoft would closely collaborate on joint marketing initiatives and a shared development roadmap to align on the future evolution of mobile products.

• Bing would power Nokia’s search services across Nokia devices and services, giving customers access to Bing’s next generation search capabilities. Microsoft adCenter would provide search advertising services on Nokia’s line of devices and services.

• Nokia Maps would be a core part of Microsoft’s mapping services. For example, Maps would be integrated with Microsoft’s Bing search engine and adCenter advertising platform to form a unique local search and advertising experience

• Nokia’s extensive operator billing agreements would make it easier for consumers to purchase Nokia Windows Phone services in countries where credit-card use is low.

• Microsoft development tools would be used to create applications to run on Nokia Windows Phones, allowing developers to easily leverage the ecosystem’s global reach.

• Nokia’s content and application store would be integrated with Microsoft Marketplace for a more compelling consumer experience.

“Today, developers, operators and consumers want compelling mobile products, which include not only the device, but the software, services, applications and customer support that make a great experience,” Stephen Elop, Nokia President and CEO, said at a joint news conference in London. “Nokia and Microsoft will combine our strengths to deliver an ecosystem with unrivalled global reach and scale. It’s now a three-horse race.”

“I am excited about this partnership with Nokia,” said Steven A. Ballmer, Microsoft CEO. “Ecosystems thrive when fueled by speed, innovation and scale. The partnership announced today provides incredible scale, vast expertise in hardware and software innovation and a proven ability to execute.”

Please visit www.nokia.com/press for press materials.

Reports: Nokia may use Windows Phone 7; Microsoft India, Google execs hint at partnership

admin — Thu, 10 Feb 2011 13:29:56 +0000

Nokia CEO Stephen Elop (L), then head of Microsoft's Business Division, with Nokia VP for Devices Kai Oistamo (R) in 2009

Observers have been wondering what Nokia’s next step will be following its CEO’s Burning Platform memo yesterday. The Wall Street Journal and Bloomberg BusinessWeek reported this morning that Nokia is in talks with Microsoft to license the latter’s Windows Phone 7 operating system for use in its devices and that a deal may be announced at an event in London tomorrow. The company has also been in talks for several months with Google about its Android OS, which seem not to have panned out. Google’s flamboyant VP of Engineering, Vic Gundotra, posted a tweet yesterday presumably bashing Nokia and Microsoft after the Android negotiations fizzled:

Separately, a Financial Chronicle interview yesterday with Microsoft India’s new Managing Director, Amit Chatterjee, on the Indian launch of Windows Phone 7 included an interesting tidbit:

While HTC has already launched a couple of devices to support the Windows 7 phone, Microsoft is likely to join forces with Nokia for exploring the Indian market, he added.

Similar rumors have been flying for a while, but the most recent set seem unusually intense, and Nokia-Microsoft deal might make a lot of sense now. Nokia’s new CEO, Stephen Elop, is a former Microsoft exec who left the software giant on amicable terms. Nokia continues to produce class-leading hardware but has seen its smartphone OS efforts (Symbian and MeeGo) founder in light of strong competition from Apple iOS and Google Android.

Microsoft, once a strong smartphone player with its Windows Mobile OS, has completely rebooted its phone OS with a new offering, Windows Phone 7, that offers an entirely new UI paradigm and smooth experience but has a lot of catching up to do in market share. While Google’s Gundotra was seemingly quick to dismiss the potential of such a deal, a combination of Nokia’s hardware prowess and global retail presence (especially in emerging markets) with Microsoft’s slick new OS could form a strong mobile competitor for Google and Apple.

One potential downside of the deal is that Microsoft tightly controls the WP7 user experience, at most allowing phone makers to include some custom apps (vs. Android — and Windows Mobile before it — which allows for full UI customization). As a result, Nokia could be reduced to just another player in the smartphone spec race unless Microsoft cuts it a special deal. Also, Nokia’s emerging market presence is important because of its drive to “democratize” smartphones– WP7, however, has stringent hardware requirements that low-end handsets cannot meet today.

Whatever the case, we expect tomorrow’s announcement to at least include a high-level management shakeup at Nokia, if not this possible revamp of the company’s strategy.

HTC HD2 triple-boots Windows Phone 7, Android, WinMo 6.5

admin — Mon, 24 Jan 2011 23:15:24 +0000

Vying for the title of the most customizable smartphone ever made, HTC’s legendary HD2 can now triple-boot Windows Phone 7, Android, and Windows Mobile 6.5, courtesy to posters at XDA-Developers. The 4.3″ phone, grandfather of HTC’s current large phones, has similar specs to today’s high-end smartphones (1 GHz Qualcomm Snapdragon, 512 MB RAM) and runs all three OSes smoothly (not at the same time though).

The triple-boot system entails running Windows Mobile 6.5 as the native OS, with Android and Windows Phone 7 installed on the phone’s MicroSD card. See the thread for instructions on how to make sure you’re cooler than people who have just two OSes on their phones.

Windows Phone 7 now fully works on the phone (earlier issues with accessing Windows Live services like the Marketplace have been solved). The HD2 has also seen ports of Ubuntu and Meego, so we could soon see a quad- or penta-OS HD2.

Source: XDA-Developers

TA Maps: Google Maps for Windows Phone 7

admin — Sat, 04 Dec 2010 12:21:26 +0000

Microsoft’s Windows Phone 7 OS ships with an integrated Bing Maps client, but Bing’s map data is lacking in many parts of the world. Unfortunately Google does not have a maps client for Windows Phone 7 yet, so some WP7 users are stuck between a rock and a hard place.

We’ve come up with (the start of) a solution: TechAutos Maps is a basic Google Maps client for Windows Phone 7. It’s meant as a temporary solution until Google releases its official app (hopefully soon), and is still missing lots of features (POI search, favorites, etc.), but some users might find it useful even in its current shape. TA Maps must be side-loaded (i.e. not from the Marketplace), so it requires unlocking your WP7 phone (see instructions).

See here for more info, screenshots, and installation instructions: TechAutos Maps for Windows Phone 7

Windows Phone 7 unlocked, app side-loading commences

admin — Thu, 25 Nov 2010 22:26:49 +0000

A new tool named ChevronWP7 lets Windows Phone 7 users install applications outside of the Windows Phone Marketplace. Previously, only developers could test their applications on (just their own) phones. Now, any phone “unlocked” by ChevronWP7 will allow home-brew apps – including those denied from the Marketplace because they access private or native parts of the OS – to be installed, which could allow for customization or features beyond what Microsoft currently allows on the platform.

ChevronWP7 is available at chevronwp7.com and will run on any Windows Phone 7 device, with Windows XP SP2 and higher on your connected PC.

Windows Phone 7 outlasts Android, iPhone 4 in grilling contest

admin — Sat, 13 Nov 2010 14:40:56 +0000

If “Will It Blend” isn’t enough for you, the makers of EZGrill have put up a comparison video between a Windows Phone 7 device (HTC Surround), an Android phone (T-Mobile HTC G2), and an iPhone 4 to see which lasts longer on a grill. Looks like Windows Phone 7 has a stronger “firewall” than the iPhone, and the Android phone roasts the quickest.

See the video after the break.

Click here to view the embedded video.

Source: EZGrill (YouTube)