Microsoft: Windows Phone News and Discussion Thread
Sanest Florida Man
Joined: Aug 2007
Posts: 46,046
Likes: 11,807
From: Florida
Jailbreaking is a misnomer. Jailbreaking implies that you get some increased functionality, which you don't on WP7. What you do get with Chevron is the ability to install applications without having them go through the marketplace.
This is good because it can create an unencumbered free market where porn can flourish. i suppose you could have other applications that might get rejected from the marketplace due to content as well.
With unreviewed apps comes the possibility of malware and/or poor performance. The marketplace approval ensures a certain level of consistency and quality. This is a positive thing, especially with a fledgling marketplace. There is a measure of fear with supporting VB in WP7 Silverlight, because some developers don't think VB programmers can code at all.
In phase one of this hack, you'd have to use Visual Studio to deploy the application to the phone. This is good because it ensures open-source. This is bad because it's too much for the average user to deal with. When they get to the point of being able to deploy compiled XAP files, that will make it easier for the average user, but brings it closer to being able to pirate XAP files downloaded from the marketplace.
This whole thing has been done once already on the Zune. I think the user was NotABigTruck who created a way to deploy a homebrew app without using Visual Studio. Not sure what came of that since I dropped out of that circle.
This is good because it can create an unencumbered free market where porn can flourish. i suppose you could have other applications that might get rejected from the marketplace due to content as well.
With unreviewed apps comes the possibility of malware and/or poor performance. The marketplace approval ensures a certain level of consistency and quality. This is a positive thing, especially with a fledgling marketplace. There is a measure of fear with supporting VB in WP7 Silverlight, because some developers don't think VB programmers can code at all.
In phase one of this hack, you'd have to use Visual Studio to deploy the application to the phone. This is good because it ensures open-source. This is bad because it's too much for the average user to deal with. When they get to the point of being able to deploy compiled XAP files, that will make it easier for the average user, but brings it closer to being able to pirate XAP files downloaded from the marketplace.
This whole thing has been done once already on the Zune. I think the user was NotABigTruck who created a way to deploy a homebrew app without using Visual Studio. Not sure what came of that since I dropped out of that circle.
Safety Car
Joined: Jul 2007
Posts: 4,845
Likes: 145
I'm not sure what kind of an indicator this is, but since I got my WP7 phone and showed it around at work, there's now three more WP7 owners. One iPhone convert, one Android convert, and one dumbphone convert.
All of the new owners are programmers and have dreams of riches from making mobile apps. As much as people say the WP7 marketplace doesn't have 300,000 apps, there are developers that are seeing this as the new Western frontier - a new gold rush.
Disregarding their intent, all of them are pleased with the performance of their phone. I've seen two of them, both Samsung Focuses on AT&T. That phone is really light. The Droid convert was the most vocal about the difference in phone performance, the iPhone convert was more neutral.
All of the new owners are programmers and have dreams of riches from making mobile apps. As much as people say the WP7 marketplace doesn't have 300,000 apps, there are developers that are seeing this as the new Western frontier - a new gold rush.
Disregarding their intent, all of them are pleased with the performance of their phone. I've seen two of them, both Samsung Focuses on AT&T. That phone is really light. The Droid convert was the most vocal about the difference in phone performance, the iPhone convert was more neutral.
Advanced
Joined: Jan 2011
Posts: 88
Likes: 0
From: Las Vegas, NV
I'm not sure what kind of an indicator this is, but since I got my WP7 phone and showed it around at work, there's now three more WP7 owners. One iPhone convert, one Android convert, and one dumbphone convert.
All of the new owners are programmers and have dreams of riches from making mobile apps. As much as people say the WP7 marketplace doesn't have 300,000 apps, there are developers that are seeing this as the new Western frontier - a new gold rush.
Disregarding their intent, all of them are pleased with the performance of their phone. I've seen two of them, both Samsung Focuses on AT&T. That phone is really light. The Droid convert was the most vocal about the difference in phone performance, the iPhone convert was more neutral.
All of the new owners are programmers and have dreams of riches from making mobile apps. As much as people say the WP7 marketplace doesn't have 300,000 apps, there are developers that are seeing this as the new Western frontier - a new gold rush.
Disregarding their intent, all of them are pleased with the performance of their phone. I've seen two of them, both Samsung Focuses on AT&T. That phone is really light. The Droid convert was the most vocal about the difference in phone performance, the iPhone convert was more neutral.
I too own a WP7 phone (Focus) and it has impressed more than a few co-workers who plan to get one when available for Verizon. Same feedback from the ones with Moto Droids in regards to it's performance.
Sanest Florida Man
Joined: Aug 2007
Posts: 46,046
Likes: 11,807
From: Florida
It's official Nokia CEO and former MS Exec Stephen Elop announced Nokia's Partnership with MS to build WP7 devices in a variety of price points and for them to share some technologies like Ovi Maps will integrate with bing maps and what not. Expect devices to start rolling out the later half of the year and ramp up in 2012.
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Sanest Florida Man
Joined: Aug 2007
Posts: 46,046
Likes: 11,807
From: Florida
MS just announced the next big update for WP7. The first update that has C&P and CDMA support along with other thing is coming early March, Neowin has that update pegged at March 8th.
The next big update is coming in 2011 and will add Multi-tasking, IE9, full twitter integration, better Skydrive support and I'm sure much more shit.
IE9 on WP7 will be hardware accelerated like it is on the PC, IE9 is also an HTML5 browser. They did a comparison with an iPhone 4 using safari vs and WP7 with IE9 doing some HTML5 graphics and the Wp7 beats the iPhone's ass cause Safari isn't hardware accelerated.
Multi-tasking will be similar to what's on the iPhone, where it pauses the app, music can also play in the background. They didn't say anything about background GPS so I'm not sure how that works.
So looks like by the end of the year they should have all the big holes filled and have a pretty darn competitive offering, they're already over 8000 apps too and growing at a few hundred more per day. If Nokia comes out with a bad ass phone in 2012 then I'm thinking it will be my next phone.
The next big update is coming in 2011 and will add Multi-tasking, IE9, full twitter integration, better Skydrive support and I'm sure much more shit.
IE9 on WP7 will be hardware accelerated like it is on the PC, IE9 is also an HTML5 browser. They did a comparison with an iPhone 4 using safari vs and WP7 with IE9 doing some HTML5 graphics and the Wp7 beats the iPhone's ass cause Safari isn't hardware accelerated.
Multi-tasking will be similar to what's on the iPhone, where it pauses the app, music can also play in the background. They didn't say anything about background GPS so I'm not sure how that works.
So looks like by the end of the year they should have all the big holes filled and have a pretty darn competitive offering, they're already over 8000 apps too and growing at a few hundred more per day. If Nokia comes out with a bad ass phone in 2012 then I'm thinking it will be my next phone.
Three Wheelin'
Joined: Oct 2000
Posts: 1,670
Likes: 72
From: Northern VA
Has anyone on AT&T received the update that was released last week? I have a feeling AT&T is blocking the update and this crap is pissing me off. If Microsoft can't make the carriers deploy the updates, I'm going to another platform.
Advanced
Joined: Jan 2011
Posts: 88
Likes: 0
From: Las Vegas, NV
I heard that MS stopped pushing it out to Samsung phones because it was bricking some. They supposedly resumed pushing updates today.
Three Wheelin'
Joined: Oct 2000
Posts: 1,670
Likes: 72
From: Northern VA
Microsoft resumed updates for Samsung phones yesterday. Problem is I haven't seen anyone on AT&T receiving the update yet, whether they have HTC, LG, or Samsung.
http://windowsteamblog.com/windows_p...re-update.aspx
http://windowsteamblog.com/windows_p...re-update.aspx
Advanced
Joined: Jun 2009
Posts: 72
Likes: 13
From: Chicago
Used the Chevron update (Chris Walsh blog) to get the NoDo and was worried for a while thinking the official update from AT&T would have problems. The recent update arrived and now have NoDo and Samsung Focus firmware updates (btw my phone is locked and branded to AT&T, told from AT&T that they will give the unlock code to me in a month and I don't need it till June anyway when I travel overseas). Love this phone. Come on Mango, you are next.
Sanest Florida Man
Joined: Aug 2007
Posts: 46,046
Likes: 11,807
From: Florida
MS is announcing the big update to WP7 codenamed "Mango" today. Engadget has come across an official PR that says Mango will be available this autumn.
It was supposed to be by the end of this year!
It seems like with this update MS will catch up to and in some cases surpass iOS and Android. Steve ballmer announced there will be over 500 new features in the Mango update. From what I've read everything that was on the WP7 missing features list will be added and more!
This is looking very good for my next phone, lets see what they got for hardware!
It was supposed to be by the end of this year!
It seems like with this update MS will catch up to and in some cases surpass iOS and Android. Steve ballmer announced there will be over 500 new features in the Mango update. From what I've read everything that was on the WP7 missing features list will be added and more!
This is looking very good for my next phone, lets see what they got for hardware!
Last edited by #1 STUNNA; May 24, 2011 at 08:50 AM.
Sanest Florida Man
Joined: Aug 2007
Posts: 46,046
Likes: 11,807
From: Florida
Mango is looking really good, it's just missing tethering I hope someone hacks it to enable tethering. Then I'd be very interested.
Here's an overview of the new features in Mango.
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Let's see what iOS has to offer......
Here's an overview of the new features in Mango.
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Let's see what iOS has to offer......
Return of the Ring
Joined: Feb 2004
Posts: 5,428
Likes: 39
Mmmmm... Mango. 
http://www.engadget.com/2011/06/27/w...preview-video/
Table of Contents
Key features
Social network integration
Email and messaging
Multitasking
Maps
Bing Vision and Music Search
Marketplace
Internet browsing
Music+Video Hub
Photos and camera
Office Hub
Games Hub
Calendar
Other changes in Mango
New or changed settings
What's missing
Wrap-up
http://www.engadget.com/2011/06/27/w...preview-video/
Table of Contents
Key features
Social network integration
Email and messaging
Multitasking
Maps
Bing Vision and Music Search
Marketplace
Internet browsing
Music+Video Hub
Photos and camera
Office Hub
Games Hub
Calendar
Other changes in Mango
New or changed settings
What's missing
Wrap-up
Sanest Florida Man
Joined: Aug 2007
Posts: 46,046
Likes: 11,807
From: Florida
yeah! I'm really liking the Nokia N9 with Mango! That may be my next phone....
skip to 1:30 to see it on video
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<param name="movie" value="http://apps4.trilobita.hu/mch3_media/static/01/player/MediaPlayer.swf?code=4i38t5"/>
</object>
skip to 1:30 to see it on video
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<param name="quality" value="best"/>
<param name="allowfullscreen" value="true"/>
<param name="scale" value="showAll"/>
<param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"/>
<param name="wmode" value="transparent"/>
<param name="bgcolor" value="#ffffff"/>
<param name="movie" value="http://apps4.trilobita.hu/mch3_media/static/01/player/MediaPlayer.swf?code=4i38t5"/>
</object>
Safety Car
Joined: Jul 2007
Posts: 4,845
Likes: 145
Got an invite to be in Mango Beta 2. I have the update on my computer. Still unsure whether to update it or not. My co-worker did and said a lot of stuff was neat, but is uninstalling it because the Outlook client now threads messages and was grouping them wrong. Apparently that was a deal-breaker.
Return of the Ring
Joined: Feb 2004
Posts: 5,428
Likes: 39
Got an invite to be in Mango Beta 2. I have the update on my computer. Still unsure whether to update it or not. My co-worker did and said a lot of stuff was neat, but is uninstalling it because the Outlook client now threads messages and was grouping them wrong. Apparently that was a deal-breaker.
Email conversations are now grouped together into one continuous thread.
Mango has definitely been focusing on making its user interface seamless and more convenient. One huge piece of evidence supporting this is the threaded email conversations. Good luck trying to find every part of an email thread that's spanned over the course of a few days in NoDo; every email is treated individually and buried among the rest of your inbox. Windows Phone will now hunt down the full email chat you've been having with your boss and pull them all together in an easy-to-find thread. These conversations can also be minimalized, making it much easier to scroll over the whole thing and move on to other emails in your inbox if you don't want to read it. If there's anyone sad to see this new functionality, stop moping; all you have to do is go into the settings menu and choose to turn it off.
Mango has definitely been focusing on making its user interface seamless and more convenient. One huge piece of evidence supporting this is the threaded email conversations. Good luck trying to find every part of an email thread that's spanned over the course of a few days in NoDo; every email is treated individually and buried among the rest of your inbox. Windows Phone will now hunt down the full email chat you've been having with your boss and pull them all together in an easy-to-find thread. These conversations can also be minimalized, making it much easier to scroll over the whole thing and move on to other emails in your inbox if you don't want to read it. If there's anyone sad to see this new functionality, stop moping; all you have to do is go into the settings menu and choose to turn it off.
Last edited by elessar; Jun 30, 2011 at 10:58 AM.
Safety Car
Joined: Apr 2001
Posts: 4,784
Likes: 2
From: Houston
I have the htc hd7 and hate it so badly. I hate zune bc I can't even dl the program on the comp. I was able to do it on a friends comp and still couldnt find out how to update the darn phone. I have songs from iTunes as well as frost wire and couldn't send any song into the phone. I have pics that I couldnt send into the phone as well.
When there is a jb for this phone for the android, I'm jbing this thing, stat!
When there is a jb for this phone for the android, I'm jbing this thing, stat!
Team Owner
Joined: Feb 2002
Posts: 28,433
Likes: 1,568
From: Miami, FL
Sanest Florida Man
Joined: Aug 2007
Posts: 46,046
Likes: 11,807
From: Florida
Mango just hit RTM phase so it should hopefully be out around Sept/Oct. Also the first Mango phone has been officially announced. It's a waterproof phone from Fujitsu-Toshiba and it has 32GB storage, 3.7in screen and a 13.2MP camera. Looks interesting.
Safety Car
Joined: Jul 2007
Posts: 4,845
Likes: 145
This morning I am happier. Dell and TMo finally pushed out the firmware update for the Dell Venue Pro. I actually have a working camera now! From what I've read, there was a programming issue with the memory and network adapter both using the same DMA channel. This would cause freeze-ups when trying to read from the network and write to cache at the same time.
I suspected that the same micro-pauses were happening in the camera, causing the shutter to stay open much longer than it should, resulting in blurry pictures. I was right.
Before:
After:
I suspected that the same micro-pauses were happening in the camera, causing the shutter to stay open much longer than it should, resulting in blurry pictures. I was right.
Before:
After:
Return of the Ring
Joined: Feb 2004
Posts: 5,428
Likes: 39
Safety Car
Joined: Jul 2007
Posts: 4,845
Likes: 145
I know. The camera was acceptable in full light, but low light was unusable. You probably know the complete train wreck of a launch that the Venue Pro had, can you imagine what things would be like if the development team said, "We have a problem with the camera in low light situations and we can't release for another 9 months." From a business perspective, you might as well scrap the device altogether. At least it isn't a hardware issue.
Suzuka Master
Joined: Sep 2006
Posts: 9,863
Likes: 439
One thing that turns me off from WP7 is the inability to directly load media onto the SD card. I open rip my DVDs and I like to load them onto my phone for viewing when on flights.... How can I do this with WP7?
Sanest Florida Man
Joined: Aug 2007
Posts: 46,046
Likes: 11,807
From: Florida
Through the Zune software much like how you get videos on an iPhone through iTunes.
Most people don't like to manage their files with dragging and dropping like you do, it's one of the big reasons the iPod was so successful.
Most people don't like to manage their files with dragging and dropping like you do, it's one of the big reasons the iPod was so successful.
Sanest Florida Man
Joined: Aug 2007
Posts: 46,046
Likes: 11,807
From: Florida
If you want to add a video to Windows Phone you would put the video in the "my videos" folder on your PC or if you have Windows 7 any folder that's part of your "Videos" Library which includes my videos by default. Then once it's in one of those folders open the Zune software click on videos and you should see said video appear automatically then with the device connected right click the file and choose to sync it to your device. Or you can drag and drop the file from within the Zune software to the device's icon on the lower left corner.