Tag Archives: windows-phone

Windows 8: keyboard, task manager and digital pen [Video]

Hopefully, you’ve checked out the walkthrough video of the Samsung Windows 8 tablet from Build 2011 but I actually couldn’t cover everything in there in that video. Sadly, I’ll have to give this tablet back soon so I decided to create another video to take a deeper dive into the software. As we covered before, Windows 8 is a bold reimagination of the platform which takes a touch-centric, Metro-style user interface and makes it the main focus of the computing experience. Tablet fans and mobile OS fans should find it comfortable but what about keyboard users and those who are happy with the traditional Windows experience? As you can see from the video, the keyboard shortcuts all still work and it’s easy to switch between apps with a quick ALT+Tab. I didn’t have a mouse in the video but I’ve used Windows 8 on other machines with that device and many of the contextual menus that are achieved through gestures can be brought up with a right click. Additionally, you can use the scroll wheel to “flip” through your pages of live tile apps. The Samsung Windows 8 tablet also came with a digital pen which you can use to write notes or draw pictures. Like with the capacitive stylus on the View 4G, I’m not convinced that I would ever use this but I’m sure there are some users who want it, so it doesn’t hurt to bake in support. Overall, we’re very excited about Windows 8 and what it will mean for tablets and the future of computing. Unfortunately, we’re probably still about a year away from this thing really hitting the market (maybe even longer for ARM tablets to land) so I’m going to cherish this tablet for as long as I can. Windows 8: keyboard, task manager and digital pen [Video] originally appeared on IntoMobile.com on 2011-09-15T01:25:55Z. FV1gMYsz9b5j

Photo tour of Microsoft Build: Windows 8, tablets and palm trees

We’ve been hanging out in sunny Southern California for the Build 2011 conference and Microsoft has brought the “wow” with the introduction of Windows 8 and it even gave 5,000 developers a Samsung tablet with the new operating system on it (Check out our hands-on with the tablet ). While roaming the expo hall we ran into multiple ARM-based tablets that will eventually have Windows 8 including one from Qualcomm, one from Texas Instruments, and one from NVIDIA which will be rocking its quad-core Kal-El processor . None of these devices were ready for prime time or for me to play with it but it’s clear that when Windows 8 is finally released some time next year, it will be on a variety of tablets from all sorts of manufacturers. Speaking of tablets, hopefully you’ll catch the pictures below of attendees playing with that Samsung giveaway and the reaction so far has been pretty positive – Sure, there’s a fan and the software isn’t quite where it will be but developers do see a ton of potential with Microsoft’s latest platform. Check out the pictures below and let us know what you think. Photo tour of Microsoft Build: Windows 8, tablets and palm trees originally appeared on IntoMobile.com on 2011-09-14T20:50:27Z. FV1gMYsz9b5j

Stephen Elop promises first Nokia Windows Phone in Q4

Talk about biting off more than you can chew. Stephen Elop Nokia’s CEO is on record to promising the first Nokia Windows Phone to hit the market in Q4. In this interview in China (below), Stephen Elop talks about the roll-out of Windows Phone 7 handsets, saying “it will start in Q4 and progress from country to country, when it’s felt the timing is right.” Rumours are pointing to a late November launch , more specifically. Elop also confirmed Nokia will add navigation and entertainment features to their Windows Phones, which was partly confirmed with its recent announcement to release an HTML5 Nokia Maps app (aka Ovi Maps) to every mobile OS . He also mentioned that we’ll see some elements of the old Ovi store music platform transitioning to Windows Phone 7. When Nokia’s Windows Phone devices finally hit the market, I expect a few more Symbian influences, but that’s yet to be seen. It’s no secret that Nokia is putting all of its eggs in Microsoft’s basket, and for Elop to start making promises like this, he must be really confident in the platform. Check out the interview in its entirety below. [via wmpoweruser ] Stephen Elop promises first Nokia Windows Phone in Q4 originally appeared on IntoMobile.com on 2011-09-14T17:19:23Z. FV1gMYsz9b5j

NVIDIA launches Windows 8 app developer program

We’re at Build 2011 and have just been introduced to Windows 8 and one of the exciting things about it is that this touch-friendly platform will run on the ARM chipset. To help capitalize on this, NVIDIA has launched a Windows 8 developer program to help developer bring great apps to Windows 8 devices. What really excites us is that the Windows 8 platform will be compatible with NVIDIA’s upcoming Kal-El quad-core processor, which could bring some serious horsepower to tablets that run Microsoft’s operating system. The developer program will help developers specifically tailor their programs and Metro-style apps for this platform. “With its elegant user interface and support for tablets and notebooks using ARM-based processors, Windows 8 will bring a seismic shift to the industry,” said Jeff Fisher, senior vice president of the PC Business Unit at NVIDIA, in a prepared statement . “Our expertise in both ARM and x86 environments, and our intimate familiarity with the Windows code base, makes us uniquely qualified to support Windows 8 developers.” If you want to register for the NVIDIA Windows 8 developer program, you can go here to sign up . Are you excited about the potential of a quad-core Windows 8 tablet? [Via NVIDIA ] NVIDIA launches Windows 8 app developer program originally appeared on IntoMobile.com on 2011-09-13T19:42:31Z. FV1gMYsz9b5j

Hands-on: Windows 8 tablet at Build 2011

Microsoft just unveiled some more details about its ambitious Windows 8 operating system at Build 2011 and we’ve been playing with a prototype tablet for almost 24 hours and we must say that there’s a lot of promise with Microsoft’s new platform. Windows 8 isn’t the company’s tablet-specific OS, as it’s the next generation of its platform and it’s meant for screen sizes from 7 inches to 70 inches. Of course, the success of devices like the Apple iPad are definitely a factor in this, as the whole thing has been rethought with responsive multitouch in mind and a big focus on apps. As for the Samsung tablet, it’s not quite what was rumored ; but it’s still quite a powerful machine with an 11.6-inch screen with an 1366 x 768 resolution, a second-generation Intel core i5 processor, integrated 3G from AT&T, 64 GB of on-board storage, 4 GB DDR3, multiple dock sensore and two cameras. Microsoft specifically said this should not be considered an iPad killer, as the device is meant to be a developer preview machine and when it finally lands in the market, it will run Windows 7. It’s a shame, as it’s a nice tablet. The point of the tablet is to show off Windows 8 and its multitouch capabilities and it’s worth crowing about. Once you boot it up, you Windows Phone 7 fans will recognize many elements: from the live tiles on the start screen to the loading animations and even the sounds and look of the virtual keyboard, Windows 8 builds upon the visual aesthetic of Microsoft’s latest smartphone platform. Apps on the home screen are displayed as live tiles and these can be customized with a few quick taps or moves. Needless to say, if you’re not a fan of the visual appeal of Windows Phone or much of its interaction method, you may be turned off by Windows 8. The Samsung tablet has excellent responsiveness with the multitouch interface and Microsoft has said that it built in touch from the ground up. While a keyboard and mouse user will still be able to use Windows 8, it’s clear that this was built to be touch. Apps take up the full screen and the demonstration apps we’ve seen in the Metro-style are bright and beautiful. There are a set of system-wide gestures which are consistent throughout the apps and start screen: swiping from the top and bottom bring up contextual menues (like a URL bar in the browser), swiping from the right will bring up the “Charms” (quick access to system controls) and swiping from the left will bring you back to your previous app. Because this is a full Windows machine, you’ll be able to multiask with some of those gestures, as you’ll be able to “snap” an app to the left or right of a main app. You can resize these accordingly but you can only scale these to certain pre-defined sizes. The Metro-style apps run smoothly, incorporate touch well and look nice. If you hate change, you can always hit the Desktop icon to go back to a Windows 7-like user interface for more precise apps like PhotoShop or Excel (the touch input is improved on that too). After spending a few hours with the Samsung Windows 8 tablet, I was very optimistic and even excited about what Microsoft is trying to do: tablets don’t mean we’re in a Post-PC Era , as users may not have to sacrifice power for UI and touch capabilities. Of course, that joy went away after thinking about it longer, as this is still a long time away from hitting the market, the touch interaction metaphors can be clunky sometimes and important factors like battery life and performance once you’re running a variety of “big boy” apps are still questions to be addressed. Still, Microsoft’s Windows 8 is extremely promising and I hope it continues to improve upon it. Watch the video below and let us know what you think. We’ll have a bunch more on this over the next few days, so let us know what you want us to talk about specifically (We’ll have another more in-depth video after the keynote). Hands-on: Windows 8 tablet at Build 2011 originally appeared on IntoMobile.com on 2011-09-13T16:08:42Z. FV1gMYsz9b5j

HTC Titan, Samsung Focus S and more Windows Phone handsets hit AT&T

Windows Phone users on AT&T have a lot to look forward to this fall . With the coming of Windows Phone 7.5, also known as Mango, the carrier plans to update its current WP7 portfolio of handsets to the new software version. Additionally, it will be launching three new Windows Phone 7 handsets: HTC Titan, Samsung Focus S and Samsung Focus Flash. The HTC Titan will be an enormous smartphone with a 4.7-inch display, hence its name, and will be powered by a 1.5GHz processor. It will also have an 8MP camera with dual-LED flash for stills and HD video, which is the perfect accompaniment to a phone with a display that’s practically a television in your pocket. The Samsung Focus S features a 4.3-inch Super AMOLED Plus display and is powered by a 1.4GHz processor. It is also just 8.5mm thin, so it shouldn’t carry too much weight or add bulk in your pockets. The Focus S will be running WP7 Mango , and will have a 5MP shooter in back. Finally, Samsung Focus Flash rounds out AT&T’s trifecta of new WP7 mango handsets coming this fall. It, too, has a 1.4GHz processor and a 5MP camera. As with all new high-end Samsung smartphones, this one will have a Super AMOLED Plus display, too. Check out the press release below for all the details. AT&T Expands Windows Phone Leadership AT&T *, the U.S. leader in Windows® Phones, announced plans to add new Windows Phones running Windows Phone 7.5, code-named “Mango”, and update its current portfolio. New 4G Windows Phones in the fourth quarter include products from HTC and Samsung. AT&T sells more Windows Phones than any other carrier. AT&T will be among the first carriers to start updating existing phones and all Windows Phones already sold by AT&T will receive the Windows Phone 7.5 update this fall. The Leader in Windows Phones Outselling all other carriers, AT&T is the clear leader in Windows Phones.  Offering the broadest portfolio of Windows Phones today, AT&T will build upon that success with three new 4G devices , two from Samsung and one from HTC.  In addition AT&T will be among the first carriers to deliver the Mango update to existing Windows Phone 7 customers this fall. Samsung Focus S The Samsung Focusâ„¢ S builds on the success of the award-winning and highest-selling Windows Phone in the U.S., the Samsung Focusâ„¢. Featuring a 4.3-inch Super AMOLED Plus display, 1.4 GHz processor, 4G-capable speeds and a thin profile at 8.55 millimeters. It includes front facing 1.3-megapixel and a rear facing 8-megapixel cameras. The Samsung Focus S will find its way into a lot of pockets this fall. HTC TITAN Debuting as the largest screen in AT&T’s smartphone portfolio at 4.7 inches, HTC TITANâ„¢ fits comfortably in the palm of your hand.  Watch video from AT&T U-Verse Mobile or play Xbox LIVE® games on the largest screen yet for a Windows Phone.  Running a 1.5 GHz processor and an 8-megapixel camera with dual LED flash, HTC TITAN will feed the senses. Samsung Focus Flash Designed to hit the market packed with value, Samsung Focusâ„¢ Flash’s 3.7-inch Super AMOLED screen will both fit in pockets and be light on pocketbooks with the full power of Windows Phone 7.5 inside.  As fast and lightweight as it is compact, it runs a 1.4 GHz processor and a 5-megapixel camera plus front facing camera. Mango Update AT&T will be among the first to offer the Windows Phone Mango update to its leading portfolio of Windows Phones this fall.  Current Windows Phones from AT&T include: HTC HD7Sâ„¢ HTC Surround â„¢ LG Quantumâ„¢ Samsung Focusâ„¢   With its unique user interface complete with colorful Live Tiles, the next version of Windows Phone, code-named Mango, puts people front and center making it easier to connect and share with friends, family and colleagues so important moments are never missed. Windows Phone has modern communication built in. Only Windows Phone has a People Hub with one touch access to Facebook, LinkedIn and Twitter, all built right in. You can group your friends, pin them to your Start screen to get live updates and easily text, email and IM them all at once. Windows Phone even has Facebook Chat, Messenger, check-ins and photo tagging all built-in so you can stay connected without missing a moment. Windows Phone has the apps you need but takes them a step further.  Pin your apps to your Start screen for live updates at a glance. And only Windows Phone connects apps to your searches making them easier to discover and use. Windows Phone brings you the Internet beyond the browser. It delivers a fast, beautiful web experience with Internet Explorer 9 and hardware acceleration – but it doesn’t stop there. Local Scout provides suggestions and prioritized local search results on restaurants, shopping and things to do so you can live like a local no matter where you are. Quotes “Our customers love Windows Phones which is why we’ve sold more of them than anyone else,” said Jeff Bradley, senior vice president, Devices, AT&T Mobility and Consumer Markets. “We’re taking our leadership to a whole new level by getting the Mango update to all existing customers and rolling out awesome new Windows Phones.” *AT&T products and services are provided or offered by subsidiaries and affiliates of AT&T Inc. under the AT&T brand and not by AT&T Inc. 4G speeds delivered by HSPA+ with enhanced backhaul.  Not available everywhere. Deployment ongoing.  Compatible device and data plan required.  Learn more at att.com/network. About AT&T AT&T Inc. (NYSE: T ) is a premier communications holding company and one of the most honored companies in the world . Its subsidiaries and affiliates – AT&T operating companies – are the providers of AT&T services in the United States and around the world. With a powerful array of network resources that includes the nation’s fastest mobile broadband network, AT&T is a leading provider of wireless, Wi-Fi, high speed Internet, voice and cloud-based services. A leader in mobile broadband and emerging 4G capabilities, AT&T also offers the best wireless coverage worldwide of any U.S. carrier, offering the most wireless phones that work in the most countries.  It also offers advanced TV services under the AT&T U-verse ® and AT&T | DIRECTV brands. The company’s suite of IP-based business communications services is one of the most advanced in the world. In domestic markets, AT&T Advertising Solutions and AT&T Interactive are known for their leadership in local search and advertising. Additional information about AT&T Inc. and the products and services provided by AT&T subsidiaries and affiliates is available at http://www.att.com .  This AT&T news release and other announcements are available at http://www.att.com/newsroom and as part of an RSS feed at www.att.com/rss . Or follow our news on Twitter at @ATT . © 2011 AT&T Intellectual Property. All rights reserved. Mobile broadband not available in all areas. AT&T, the AT&T logo and all other marks contained herein are trademarks of AT&T Intellectual Property and/or AT&T affiliated companies. All other marks contained herein are the property of their respective owners. HTC Titan, Samsung Focus S and more Windows Phone handsets hit AT&T originally appeared on IntoMobile.com on 2011-09-12T16:16:25Z. FV1gMYsz9b5j

Samsung’s High Fidelity Position app enhances GPS on Windows Phone Mango devices

Samsung launched a novel app for Windows Phone Mango devices, High Fidelity Position, to enhance GPS positioning, relying on Russian GLONASS system (GLObal NAvigation Satellite System) and other sensors like accelerometer and compass to determine your location. I’m not sure anything’s wrong with the built-in location/navigation capabilities, but I guess you could always use an extra hand in urban jungles where high-rises could affect the GPS signal. I haven’t been able to try out Sammy’s app myself, but from what we’ve heard – it rocks, effectively eliminating the “circle” around your position in Bing Maps. Once installed, High Fidelity Position won’t appear under apps — rather it will be listed under Settings, which is obviously something the Mango update enabled (at least I can’t recall seeing any other Windows Phone app getting a place there)… And that’s about all we had to say about it. Hit this link to download application and get that positioning right. [Via: WPCentral ] Samsung’s High Fidelity Position app enhances GPS on Windows Phone Mango devices originally appeared on IntoMobile.com on 2011-09-08T08:27:55Z. FV1gMYsz9b5j

Hands-on: HTC Radar with Windows Phone Mango

The HTC Radar was officially introduced last week and HTC was nice enough to give us a look at the new Windows Phone Mango device in San Francisco this morning and I’m very glad it did. The HTC Radar is a beautifully-designed smartphone that looks and feels great. The phone feels like HTC throughout. I think it’s easiest to describe the HTC Radar as a mix of the Trophy , Legend with a hint of the Flyer/View 4G. It’s incredibly light in your hand and the brushed aluminum backing makes it feels like a premium device. The 3.8-inch Super LCD screen is quite bright, crisp and it’s very responsive. The face has your standard Windows Phone buttons underneath the screen and the right spine has the camera button and a single volume rocker. On top, you’ll find the power/unlock button and a headphone jack and the left spine is where you’ll find the microUSB port. On the back, you have the 5-megapixel camera with a flash and there’s a bit of a hump on the bottom (similar to the View 4G) which comes off for your SIM card. This is HTC’s first smartphone with Windows Phone Mango , which means you get access to new features including third-party multitasking, full Twitter integration and lots of little things like custom ringtones. I’m also excited to see the new developer tools this will enable for Windows Phone apps. We would have loved to see a bit more horsepower under the hood, as a 1 GHz Snapdragon processor is fine but it may start to feel outdated in a dual-core world. It also would have been nice to have an 8-megapixel camera. Still, the look, feel, design and Windows Phone Mango software should make the HTC Radar a compelling device for those who want a premium handset but don’t want Android or iOS. I can’t wait to spend more time with it. Hands-on: HTC Radar with Windows Phone Mango originally appeared on IntoMobile.com on 2011-09-07T17:48:02Z. FV1gMYsz9b5j

Microsoft BUILD preview: Can Windows 8 tablets beat the iPad?

By this time next week, I’ll be in Anaheim schmoozing with Mickey Mouse and the good folks at Microsoft during its Build conference and we should get a much better idea of how the next version of Windows will look like and operate. We should also finally get to see Microsoft’s real answer to the iPad and see if the software giant can get back in the conversation when it comes to tablet computing. Microsoft’s tablet strategy has always been Windows but previous computer slates it has shown off had Windows 7 on it and this didn’t fit the form factor because that operating system was never built with tablets in mind. That should change with Windows 8 (or whatever it’s official name will be), as the building Windows 8 blog constantly says that this version has been designed from the ground up with touch input in mind. We’ve seen the Metro-style home screen before and it brings a tile-like interface to Windows 8 and elements of this can already be found in Windows Phone and on the Xbox. This is supposed to be a finger-friendly interface that will allow Windows 8 to work properly on a tablet, where touch interface is critical. But Microsoft has to please many masters with Windows, as hundreds of millions of users are familiar with the standard desktop interface and some (businesses mainly) will freak out with radical changes. Microsoft’s Steven Sinofsky addresses this in a somewhat vague way in that blog post about design : Microsoft is taking the middle road where it can still leverage its millions of traditional users, apps and APIs while still designing something that can fit nicely and work elegantly on a tablet. Windows 8 brings together all the power and flexibility you have in your PC today with the ability to immerse yourself in a Metro style experience. You don’t have to compromise! You carry one device that does everything you want and need. You can connect that device to peripherals you want to use. You can use devices designed to dock to large screen displays and other peripherals. You can use convertible devices that can be both immersive tablets and flexible laptops. This sounds amazing, as having a tablet with a great multitouch interface with a ton of existing apps that can easily be docked to fit your needs sounds like an incredible experience. The vision is for a user to have an iPad-like device for watching films on a plane and then being able to plug in a keyboard dock when you land and have a fully-functioning computer. This could kill the notion that we’re in a post-PC world by removing the compromises we have to accept on an iPad or on an Android Honeycomb tablet. Of course, it’s far more difficult to execute that vision and it’s unclear if Microsoft is capable of doing it or if that’s even the right approach. When Steve Jobs first introduced the first iPhone , he made a big deal about how the OS was OSX. As time progressed and the iPhone and iPad became tremendous hits, that association has been downplayed if not completely ignored even if there are technologically similar underpinnings. Apple’s iOS is now the company’s main platform and many of its elements went upstream with the introduction of Lion. When Jobs talks about the Post-PC era and the iPad, he means that Apple is trying to strip out many of the frustrating elements of traditional computing to make it easy and elegant for the mainstream to use these devices to check the web, do e-mail and social networking and consume apps. The fact that the iPad has been more successful than any other tablet to date (including Microsoft’s tablet efforts for decades) show that it’s on to something. Maybe tablet computing has to build off of a mobile OS to be successful. Yes, this includes many limitations which make power users frustrated but the focus on user experience, maximization of screen real estate and multitouch interface have proven to be extremely powerful for the tablet form factor. It may be easier to make a mobile platform smarter and stronger to fit on a tablet rather than trying to scale down and simplify a “real” OS. Or maybe Microsoft can really split the difference with the next version of Windows and provide a great desktop experience that can be scaled down for a multitouch tablet version without having a negative impact on apps, battery life or user experience. It’s going to be a tough nut to crack but if you believe that these tablets are just another form of computing (as Microsoft does), then you have to believe that the overwhelming market leader in computing software will be bringing its best stuff. Along with more in-depth looks at Windows 8, there’s a good chance Microsoft will be giving out a tablet with a beta of this new OS because developers need to test out this new interface on hardware before it gets released to the public. You can be sure I’ll be digging into that device and comparing it to my iPad. What do you want to see from Microsoft at Build? What would a Windows 8 tablet have to have in order for you to buy it? Let us know in the comments, friends. Microsoft BUILD preview: Can Windows 8 tablets beat the iPad? originally appeared on IntoMobile.com on 2011-09-07T13:16:13Z. FV1gMYsz9b5j

HTC announces two Windows Phone Mango handsets, the Titan and Radar

While Windows Phone adoption is a bit stale, quality handsets running the operating system certainly aren’t lacking. HTC, known for its great hardware and eye for design has done it again with a pair of new Windows Phones , both of which aimed at different groups. The Titan is the real showstopper of the two Windows Phone handsets. Shipping with a massive 4.7 inch display, the size a lone may be quite the turn off for some but more than welcomed to others. Only to be outdone by the recently announced Samsung Note, the Titan certainly lives up to its name when it comes to screen size. Other specs include a 1.5GHz Snapdragon processor, and 8 megapixel camera with dual LED flash, the Titan should impress spec, media, and photo junkies alike. The Radar isn’t going to blow you away with its specs in the least bit but some people just aren’t looking for the bells and whistles you find on phones today. The handset reads like this, 3.7 inch display, which we assume is Super LCD, 5 megapixel camera, and 1GHz Snapdragon processor. Obviously, one of the most attractive features about the Radar is the fact that it will ship with Windows Phone 7.5 Mango.  The handset would be considered high-end if we were in early 2010 still but time are changing and you can grab this still powerful handset one the cheap when it finally lands. With virtually every HTC Android handset beginning to blur together, it’s refreshing to see some Windows Phones coming from the manufacturer. That said, we’d be lying if we said the Radar didn’t look like a certain Android phone we saw some time ago but it’s been retrofitted nicely. Both handsets look great, oozing with HTC greatness. Anyone looking to grab one of these handset when they debut?   HTC announces two Windows Phone Mango handsets, the Titan and Radar originally appeared on IntoMobile.com on 2011-09-01T20:45:51Z. FV1gMYsz9b5j