Tag: windows-phone-7

  • Microsoft Compels You to Update – Windows Phone 7.5 Will No Longer Be Optional

    Microsoft makes final preparations prior to compel its users to switch from Windows Phone 7 to Windows Phone 7.5.

    Shortly, Windows Phone 7.5 will not be optional. If you have a smartphone running WP 7 and refuse to make the update to WP 7.5, you will lose the possibility to buy new apps from the Marketplace. Moreover, you will risk being unable to update the ones that you already have. Although this information has been circulated in the past, a new blog post on WindowsTeam confirms the proximity of the event.

    The update does not come without problems. Although some users have had the opportunity to update the operating system for the smartphones with WP, many users have knowingly avoided the upgrade to Windows Phone 7.5. The reason?

    Many of those who have installed the update complained that their virtual keyboard disappears. A user said on one of the Microsoft forums that the problem with the keyboard that disappears is absurd.

    Microsoft partners are also guilty for this issue. After being notified for the first time about the virtual keyboard problem, Microsoft has tried to be operative and worked on an update. Unfortunately, the 8107 update from Microsoft had to go through the mobile operators before reaching the terminal, which is why there have been recorded terrible delays. The AT&T users of Windows Phone 7.5 – the most important mobile operator partner with Microsoft in the U.S. – even today, after 3-4 months after the event have not received the patch.

    On Apple’s terminals this thing would not happen, thanks to the centralized system of updates, which is delivered to the iOS users on the entire planet in one day.

    Ultimately, is worth to note that there will be a prior notice a few days before the “D-Day”, announced on the same WindowsTeamBlog.

  • Nokia Launches Its First Windows Phone 7 Smartphones

    Nokia has launched, on Wednesday, at Nokia World event held in London, its first smartphones running Windows Phone 7 Mango, Nokia Lumia 800 and 710, phones that did not make a splash whatsoever.

    Nokia Lumia 800: The First Nokia Smartphone with WP7

    The launch of Nokia Lumia 800 represents the most important step made by Nokia – the formal adoption of Microsoft's mobile operating system.

    Lumia 800 is similar in terms of design with Nokia N9 (OS MeeGo), has a polycarbonate casing and 3.7-inch AMOLED ClearBlack display. The first Finnish smartphone with Windows Phone has a 1.4 GHz processor and hardware acceleration, a graphics processor. Interesting is the fact that it offers only 16 GB storage capacity, but allows other 25 GB to be stored in cloud.

    The phone has an 8-megapixel camera with Carl Zeiss lens, auto-focus and dual LED flash. It remains to be seen how good it is.

    The new smartphone scores in terms of colors, being available in black, blue and the version called "magenta".

    The price for Nokia Lumia 800 will start from EUR 420 ($ 590), the phone being already available for pre-order on Nokia's website in France, Germany, Italy, Netherlands, Spain and the UK (with delivery in November).

    Also, pre-orders can also be made for countries like Hong Kong, India, Russia, Singapore and Taiwan, and deliveries will be made until the end of 2011. On other markets/in other countries, Nokia Lumia 800 will be released early next year only.

    Nokia Lumia 710: Windows Phone 7 and 1.4 GHz Processor

    Besides the high-end model Lumia 800, Nokia has also announced at the Nokia World event the second terminal manufactured by the Finnish company that runs Windows Phone 7. Nokia World 710 promises great user experience to the platform offered by Microsoft at an affordable price.

    Lumia 710 has a 1.4 GHz processor, which guarantees a high performance, a 3.7-inch AMOLED ClearBlack display and offers interchangeable casings, in colors like black, cyan, white, fuchsia and yellow. This terminal focuses on the social networking. Moreover, Windows Phone Mango platform has been optimized to include a series of Nokia services such as Nokia Drive and Nokia Music.

    Nokia Lumia 710 will be available at a price around EUR 270 ($ 380).

    Nokia Asha 200, 201, 300, 303: QWERTY Keyboard at Affordable Prices

    Nokia Asha 200 and Nokia Asha 201 are two other affordable phones presented at the Nokia World event.

    Nokia Asha 200 is a dual SIM model with Easy Swap function, available in vivid colors, which will delight the youngsters passionate about communication. The phone has QWERTY keyboard and promises an impressive autonomy of up to 52 hours in audio playback.

    Nokia Asha 201 is the single-SIM version of the Asha 200, a model that also aims for the young generation. The phone has a powerful speaker and FM radio, the other specifications being similar with those on Asha 200.

    The price for both, Nokia Asha 200 and Nokia Asha 201 is the same, around EUR 60 and will be available in stores by the end of this year.

    Nokia Asha 303 comes with a 2.6-inch capacitive touchscreen, 1GHz processor and combo keyboard. The phone has a 5-megapixel camera.

    Nokia Asha 300 comes with features similar with the 303 model, but in addition has dual SIM. WhatsApp messgener and Angry Birds are connected to this phone.

    Asha 300 and Asha 303 will hit the market by the end of the year and will have prices of EUR 85 and EUR 115, respectively.

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  • According to Nokia, Windows Phone 7 Excels Against the Android and iOS Popularity

    Nokia President Chris Weber has come up with a greatest insight into the Nokia’s latest strategy in an interview with VentureBeat. He made an astonishing comment saying that interfaces and app-based models such as Android and iOS will “outdate” soon.

    Nokia recently associated with Microsoft for its Windows Phone 7 mobile platform and coming up with some latest smartphone models pretty soon to regain its dominance like earlier. Nokia is seriously concentrating on a new strategy to gain upper hand over the currently popular Android and iOS. The new strategy of the upcoming smartphones from Nokia will be unique through arranging everything around the contacts unlike its competitors, which are based on the navigation among various apps.

    Windows Phone 7 coming up with a new interaction procedure known as “Live tiles and Hubs”. This feature offers all the key contacts along with mode of communication through dynamic tiles, which alters display as soon as a contact posts an update. Also, contacting someone is enabled through various options just through tapping, which will return back with various communication options including calling, Facebook, Twitter, email and many more. Definitely, this kind of approach is quite unique and away from the present popular mobile operating systems.

    The streamlined communication feature arranged in the Windows Phone 7 OS is quite novice and unlike apps based phones. Nokia thinking that this can gain back the throne like earlier. In fact, the mentioned feature success is mainly dependent on the mobile phone hardware. Perhaps, Nokia can succeed well to arrange require hardware for these feature through their devices, but other manufacturers such as LG, Samsung and HTC will think about this as they’re all already well associated with Android for their smartphones.

    Nokia is very well panning to make maximum out of Windows Phone 7 and planning for biggest marketing campaign for all their WP7 based upcoming smartphones. According to Weber’s latest interview, the upcoming smartphones will be available in the U.S. market “in volume” in 2012.

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  • Microsoft Unveils Windows Phone 7 Global Portfolio

    Microsoft announced nine new Windows Phone 7 handsets that will be available this October and November from over 60 mobile operators in 30 countries in Europe, North America and Asia Pacific.

    Windows Phone 7 will be available in a variety of form factors from device-makers such as Dell, HTC Corp., LG and Samsung, and from mobile operators including América Móvil, AT&T, Deutsche Telekom AG, Movistar, O2, Orange, SFR, SingTel, Telstra, TELUS, T-Mobile USA and Vodafone.

    All Windows Phone 7 phones will include the Snapdragon processor from Qualcomm. A broad selection of phones will begin shipping in October 2010 with more arriving in 2011, including phones from Sprint and Verizon Wireless.

    The following devices will come to North America, Europe and Asia Pacific in the holiday 2010 timeframe.

    In North America:

    AT&T
    • HTC Surround, United States
    • Samsung Focus, United States
    • LG Quantum, United States

    T-Mobile USA
    • HTC HD7, United States
    • Dell Venue Pro, United States

    TELUS
    • HTC 7 Surround, Canada
    • LG Optimus 7, Canada

    América Móvil
    • LG Optimus 7, Mexico

    In Europe:

    O2
    • HTC HD7, United Kingdom, Germany

    Orange
    • HTC 7 Mozart, including France, United Kingdom
    • Samsung OMNIA 7, including France, United Kingdom

    SFR
    • HTC 7 Trophy, France
    • Samsung OMNIA 7, France

    Movistar
    • LG Optimus 7, Spain
    • HTC HD7, Spain
    • Samsung OMNIA 7, Spain

    Deutsche Telekom AG
    • HTC 7 Mozart, Germany
    • Samsung OMNIA 7, Germany

    Vodafone
    • HTC 7 Trophy, including Germany, Spain, United Kingdom
    • LG Optimus 7, including Germany, Italy, Spain, United Kingdom

    In Asia Pacific:

    SingTel
    • HTC HD 7, Singapore
    • LG Optimus 7, Singapore

    Telstra
    • HTC 7 Mozart, Australia
    • LG Optimus 7Q, Australia

    Vodafone
    • HTC 7 Trophy, including Australia

    “We have a beautiful lineup in this first wave of Windows Phone 7 handsets,” said Steve Ballmer, chief executive officer at Microsoft. “Microsoft and its partners are delivering a different kind of mobile phone and experience — one that makes everyday tasks faster by getting more done in fewer steps and providing timely information in a ‘glance and go’ format.”

  • Gartner: Android to Become No. 2 Worldwide Mobile OS in 2010

    The worldwide mobile operating system market will be dominated by Symbian and Android, as the two OSs will account for 59.8 percent of mobile OS sales by 2014, according to Gartner.

    The research firm predicts that Symbian will remain at the top of Gartner’s worldwide OS ranking due to Nokia‘s volume and the push into more mass market price points. However, by the end of the forecast period, the No. 1 spot will be contested with Android, which will be at a very similar share level.

    According to Gartner, communication service providers’ marketing and vendor support for Android-based smartphones will drive the platform to become the second-largest platform, following Symbian, by year-end 2010. This is almost two years earlier than Gartner predicted a year ago.

    "The worldwide mobile OS market is dominated by four players: Symbian, Android, Research In Motion and iOS," said Roberta Cozza, principal research analyst at Gartner.

    "Launches of updated operating systems — such as Apple iOS 4, BlackBerry OS 6, Symbian 3 and Symbian 4, and Windows Phone 7 — will help maintain strong growth in smartphones in 2H10 and 2011 and spur innovation. However, we believe that market share in the OS space will consolidate around a few key OS providers that have the most support from CSPs and developers and strong brand awareness with consumer and enterprise customers," she said.

    Gartner expects manufacturers such as Samsung to launch many new budget Android devices in 2H10 that will drive Android into mass market segments. Other players, such as Sony Ericsson, LG and Motorola, will follow a similar strategy. This trend should help Android become the top OS in North America by the end of 2010.

    "CSPs and mobile device manufacturers alike will need to revisit their platform strategies and balance the need to pursue platforms with the highest current demand against the need to maintain differentiation with unique devices," Cozza said. "CSPs will likely reduce the number of platforms they offer, to reduce their support costs and clarify their propositions to market."

    Gartner predicts that by 2014, open-source platforms will continue to dominate more than 60 percent of the market for smartphones. Single-source platforms, such as Apple’s iOS and Research In Motion’s OS, will increase in unit terms, but their growth rate will be below market average and not enough to sustain share increase. Windows Phone will be relegated to sixth place behind MeeGo in Gartner’s worldwide OS ranking by 2014.

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