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Posts Tagged ‘Microsoft Phone’

Microsoft: Windows Phone 7 series ‘will not initially offer copy and paste,’ case-specific actions integrated into OS

Here you go, folks, an official statement from Redmond itself on the perennial Windows Phone 7 Series / copy-and-paste discussion. First and foremost, from the onset, there will be no copy and paste in the traditional sense; Microsoft is hoping to bypass the issue by integrating into the OS contextual, single-tap instances for viewing an address on a map (let’s hope it has some good recognition algorithms here), doing Bing searches based on highlighted terms, dial a phone number, and so on. But the book isn’t entirely closed here, apparently, as the statement goes on to say the company “will continue to improve our feature set over time based on what we hear.” We’ve also got a statement regarding the hacked emulator, to which a representative told us, “we have been very clear that [it] is based on early code and is not reflective of the final user experience,” which is a nice way of saying don’t get your hopes up on those fun little surprises (task manager, anyone?). Full statements after the break.

Continue reading Microsoft: Windows Phone 7 series ‘will not initially offer copy and paste,’ case-specific actions integrated into OS

Microsoft: Windows Phone 7 series ‘will not initially offer copy and paste,’ case-specific actions integrated into OS originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 19 Mar 2010 18:41:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Olé, Contoso: Windows Phone Marketplace will integrate carrier-branded stores

So we noticed this odd “Contoso” label on Microsoft’s Windows Phone Marketplace press image earlier today, and we finally got to the bottom of it: Microsoft’s Todd Biggs says it’s a placeholder entry for a carrier-branded section of the store — instead of having a separate portal and / or store, Verizon or AT&T or whoever can simply sell their content to customers directly through Marketplace. So why Contoso? Todd says it’s a random trademark owned by Microsoft used in place of carrier names that doesn’t actually mean anything, although we think it suggests adventure, white roadsters, and finely-groomed mustachios. And now you know.

Olé, Contoso: Windows Phone Marketplace will integrate carrier-branded stores originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 15 Mar 2010 23:57:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Microsoft demos push notifications on Windows Phone 7 Series

Microsoft’s flavor of push notifications for Windows Phone 7 Series — the so-called Microsoft Notification Service — was just demoed using an MLS (Major League Soccer) app, and it fits in really well with the “Metro” UI motif. Notifications come in via an unobtrusive bar across the top of the display — better than iPhone, and not unlike webOS — and tapping them takes you into the app where you’re presumably taken to a fuller view of the relevant information. The notifications are available regardless of whether the app is open, a model that mirrors Apple’s and likely a heavy dose of foreshadowing that multitasking — at least, multitasking as we know it — won’t be available.

Microsoft demos push notifications on Windows Phone 7 Series originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 15 Mar 2010 13:47:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Microsoft offers up lengthy Windows Phone 7 Series video walkthrough

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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ViewSonic heats up phone collection, V901 spotted on Microsoft China site
In just one week, ViewSonic has gone from a glint of a 3G phone maker to having two models prominently on display. We’ve already seen VPC08 Windows XP phone, and now up to bat is the V901, found in the pages of Microsoft China’s official site. The Windows Mobile 6.5, apparently TouchWiz-skinned device has a 3.6-inch, 480 x 800 touchscreen, a Marvell PXA310 processor, 128MB RAM and 256MB ROM storage with microSD expansion, 5 megapixel camera, GPS, Bluetooth, all hailing to the wavelengths we call CDMA EV-DO Rev. A. Launch is Q4 2009, so sometime very soon — but we get the feeling this is China-only, at least for now.

[Via iTech News Net]

Filed under: Cellphones

ViewSonic heats up phone collection, V901 spotted on Microsoft China site originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 13 Nov 2009 23:58:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Microsoft Debuts Mobile Backup Service ‘My Phone’, Adds Premium Features

Coinciding with the introduction of the Windows Mobile 6.5 operating system, Microsoft has upgraded and launched its free phone backup service My Phone – previously in beta – and added a couple of useful premium features to it.

Despite the fact that the official My Phone blog and Twitter account remain silent for the time being, users have definitely taken notice and started tweeting about it.

If you have a Windows Mobile 6 phone, you can use Microsoft My Phone to backup all your data, including your contacts, calendar, photos and more to a password-protected website. When you switch to a new Windows phone, or you lose (data on) your current one, you can head to the website to restore documents, contacts, music, and anything else you synced in just a few clicks.

The website also gives you an easy way to organize your phone photos, or to search your text messages and anything else you synced to the service. In addition, you get an easy starting point for redistributing media to your Windows Live account or other social networks, either from your phone or the web application. All in all, it’s a no-brainer to start using it if you carry a Windows phone. Most newer Windows phones come with the program pre-installed anyway, but you can also download it to your device on the fly right here.

Microsoft does not charge a fee for using My Phone, although it new boasts a couple of Premium Features which require a charge ($4.99). These features are:

- Ring Your Phone: remotely have your device ring (even if it is set to “silent” or “vibrate” mode) so it’s easier for you to retrieve in case you misplaced it
- Locate your phone: in case someone stole your phone and left it on, this feature will enable the GPS receiver on your device and show it on a map
- Lock your Phone: will lock your phone and display a message (e.g. your name and contact information) in case you have lost your phone and a good soul finds it
- Erase your phone: remotely wipe off all data from your phone

All these features are free to trial for 60 days.

Give it a whirl and tell us what you think.

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Microsoft’s Project Pink finally bearing fruit in 2010 with two self-branded phones?
The concept of a self-branded Microsoft phone (or two) actually making it to market is more believable than ever. A deterrent frequently cited in years past was Microsoft’s vested interest in keeping its Windows Mobile hardware partners happy — but as even their staunchest supporters (think HTC and LG) have turned to Android to shore up their smartphone lineups, it’d be far less of a backstabbing move on Redmond’s part to get into the business next year than it would’ve been in, say, 2006 or even 2008. Add in the fact that the Zune HD shares 99 percent of its DNA with what could be a top-notch Windows Mobile-beating smartphone, and… well, it’d actually be a little ridiculous at this point if they didn’t move in that direction, wouldn’t it?

This discussion takes us back once again to Project Pink, the oft-rumored secret package of hardware, software, and services (or some combination thereof) allegedly being developed deep within Microsoft’s skunkworks. Last we’d heard it’d be based on Windows Mobile 7 Chassis 1 with a heavy dose of 2009-spec components capable of chewing through processor-intensive apps and games, and now 9to5Mac says it’s received information that Microsoft will be releasing two Pink devices next year, likely at CES. We’ve heard for a long time that Pink is one of the fruits (perhaps the only fruit?) of the company’s Danger acquisition, and to that end, the Pink devices will apparently be sourced from Sharp — Danger’s primary Hiptop ODM, up to and including the Sidekick LX 2009 — and will feature “Microsoft+Sharp” co-branding, not unlike Garmin Asus. The handsets are said to be codenamed “Turtle” and “Pure,” both sliders of some sort with Pure possibly destined for Verizon. As you might expect from a product developed with Danger, it’ll feature tight app store support with carrier integration, but otherwise, there’s nothing else to this latest noise. Considering Danger’s utter lack of experience with Windows Mobile, that could account for the amount of time it’s taking for Microsoft to show its Pink cards — assuming it’s all WinMo- or WinCE-based to begin with. That would also imply that the company would have to start revealing details on its primary next-gen mobile platform in January, which gives 6.5 extraordinarily little breathing room at the top of the food chain.

Of course, 9to5Mac isn’t exactly a bastion of reliable Microsoft banter — we turn to the likes of Mary Jo Foley for that, who’s been providing much of the guidance on Pink so far — but it’s an interesting rumor that we think holds far more water than The Inquirer’s bunk piece from a little under a year ago. Let’s not forget that Danger has a history of procuring its own hardware, and that precedent has transferred to Microsoft by virtue of the purchase. If we see Microsoft+Sharp gear with GSM radios bow in a little over three months, you won’t find our jaws on the floor.

Filed under: Cellphones, Handhelds, Portable Audio

Microsoft’s Project Pink finally bearing fruit in 2010 with two self-branded phones? originally appeared on Engadget on Sat, 19 Sep 2009 19:59:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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