Edward

14-year long Windows Phone MVP joins HTC as community manager

September 26, 2011 | By Edward

Jason Dunn, a Canadian who owns several websites devoted to Windows Phone, Android, Apple, etc, including the famous PocketPCThoughts, has just announced that he is moving to USA and joining HTC:

come October 1st, I’ll be a full-time employee. I have an H1B work visa, and after closing the sale of my house this weekend (phew!), I’ll be moving in the near future to the Bellevue, Washington area

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Mini-Microsoft anonymous blogger spills the beans about Microsoft Windows Phone strategy

September 22, 2011 | By Edward

He calls himself “mini-Microsoft” (from “mini-me” in Austin Powers), he is mid-level manager at Microsoft, and he blogs anonymously about Microsoft stuff. In his latest revealing post he mentions some interesting points related to Windows Phone:

Read more after the break.
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Systematic error of Marketplace for Windows Phone: the b00b error

September 22, 2011 | By Edward

It would be funny if it wouldn’t be sad…

Myself and several other people (judging from comments on various blogs and Facebook) have a problem: trying to download TouchDevelop app from Microsoft but always getting the error above despite the fact that all other apps work fine and I have official version of the Windows Phone OS (and not a hacked Mango phone).

The error code exactly is “c101b00b” and is easy remember as it is “see LOL” (c101) and “boob” (b00b).

Commentary: I don’t understand why this problem (that may occur with other apps too, who knows, although I haven’t found any other such app) still has not been resolved by Microsoft. It’s as if it is not even noticed by Microsoft and Microsoft doesn’t bother. I want to be positive about situation but what should I do? Get Live ID from USA but the not being able to pay with my credit card from EU? Clearly it’s time for Microsoft to treat seriously such situations because iPhone 5 is being released soon (and it can overshadow upcoming Mango release as Microsoft is late with Mango) and users may lose patience …

Try your luck with the boob error by downloading TouchDevelop at Marketplace here.

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Sirius XM Buddy for Windows Phone 7 – app review

September 17, 2011 | By Edward

The bottom line: This app works without the need to pay additional Premium fee, but it’s unofficial, so it may stop working any time after purchase.

Before discussing the app, let me introduce you to Sirius XM!

USA is a territorially big country and many trucks are driving from coast to coast – several thousand miles, also through complete boondocks without even one FM radio station. Clearly it would be very difficult to provide coverage for such big area with terrestrial radio (like FM, DRS, etc) so in USA there is satellite radio system Sirius XM that makes it possible to listen to the same channel, without the need for stationary dish antenna, e.g. in a truck that drives from coast to coast – continuously – thanks to several satellites circling over territory of USA (not stationary over equator like classic satellites). Apart from satellite reception, one can listen also via Internet on PC and via apps.

One major thing about Sirius XM, as it is paid-only service with over 100 radio channels, is that it doesn’t have to comply to FCC regulations, in other words inflammatory language and adult content can be heard on Sirius XM channels, there are no limits both in topics and vocabulary. Case in the point is legendary Howard Stern who broadcasts on Sirius XM and can be listened to live with this app.

Read the review after the break…

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TouchDevelop v2.2 for Windows Phone released, now with events

September 14, 2011 | By Edward

Microsoft has just released update 2.2 of TouchDevelop app for hobby developers. It brings such improvements like handling of events (e.g. when device is shaken, a method is called), a tutorial mode (many people complained that learning curve is steep, now not anymore), improvements of code editor and many bug fixes.

At this moment when I try to download this app to my Windows Phone 7 (OS version 7.0.7392.0), I am getting c101b00b error (the famous b00b error) when I am trying to download it, but others may be more lucky…

Note: with TouchDevelop you can create mini-apps that are written in open-source script that is published on TouchDevelop website and available for all users. You cannot actually write apps with it that will be published in Marketplace, but you can write small utilities or games.

To get this app, click or tap here

More info and screenshots of the new version can be found at Microsoft here.

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Windows 8 – successor to Windows 7 – will run Windows Phone 7 apps

September 9, 2011 | By Edward

It’s not official confirmation from Microsoft but Nvidia’s CEO, Jen-Hsun Huang, is claiming so:

he believes that apps written for Windows Phone 7 will run on Windows 8, which is an operating system designed for both PCs and tablets.

To learn more, visit original source of this story.

* * * *

Commentary: Windows 8, which is the next major operating system of Microsoft for desktop and notebook computers, will feature some interesting things like support for for touch tablets and ability to run also on ARM processors (that many manufacturers, including Nvidia, is licensing), not only on x86 processors (that are made mainly by Intel and AMD). However since Windows Phone 7 apps (XNA, Silverlight) are based on .NET then inherently they are processor independent so would be able to run even on computers with x86 processors.

… and since Windows 8 uses similar tiles like Windows Phone 7, one could even say: buy Windows Phone 7 now and get a glimpse into the future of desktop Windows OS from Microsoft!

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IFA 2011 : Navigon sat nav for Windows Phone 7.5 hands-on

September 4, 2011 | By Edward

While at IFA 2011 I was playing with Navigon for Windows Phone – a TomTom-like off-line GPS turn-by-turn navigation app.

Navigon was available in 2 versions – with maps of whole Europe and with maps of USA:

It was running on HTC Mozart with Windows Phone 7.5 on them:

After calculating route it shows various variants that you can pick by selecting one of colors at the bottom:

While navigating you, Navigon can use 3D view:

… or it can be switched in settings to 2D view if you prefer it:

Conclusion: since TomTom for Windows Phone 7 is not coming anytime soon, you might consider buying Navigon for your off-line turn-by-turn navigation needs. Navigon is a German company.

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IFA 2011 : HTC stand – part 1 of 2 – photos and commentary

September 3, 2011 | By Edward

In part 2 of this report, after uploading and processing several GB of HD video, you will be able to see in action what was going on at HTC stand at IFA 2011, including demonstration of HTC Titan and HTC Radar and their features including wide angle camera and built-in panoramic mode, including me fiddling with these 2 new Windows Phone 7.5 phones, including attention grabbing dancing routine organized at that HTC Stand.

Basically HTC was presenting several of their new and contemporary phones, whereby Android phones were in majority, but also the 2 freshly announced Windows Phone cellphone models – HTC Radar and HTC Titan – were also presented:

To be precise it’s worth mentioning that the HTC stand…

… was part of much bigger macro-stand of Brightpoint:

- a big distributor which HTC is using in Europe. All in all people were wearing HTC-branded shirts, there was some commotion and HTC stuff was well exposed. Of course it was all people hired by Brightpoint, not HTC employees per se.

So, HTC was presenting (via Brightpoint) their new 2 phones: the majestic 4.7 inch big HTC Titan and cute HTC Radar. Since Nokia is not ready yet with their Windows Phone devices and Nokia was not even present at IFA, and since Samsung prefers Android nowadays and LG too, clearly HTC was the saviour, particularly the HTC Titan that was even used for demo purposes at Microsoft stand at IFA.

HTC Radar (here in white) looks small next to HTC Titan, even though said HTC Radar has a bigger display than the iPhone:

On the back of HTC Radar one can see that it’s made of aluminum, similarly like certain Android phones from HTC:

Back side of HTC Titan looks more conservative but feels well in hand:

Here are specifications of these both phones, whereby slogans, translated from German to English were funny, for HTC Titan it was “genius idea – easy multitasking thanks to huge display”:

… and for HTC Radar it was “genius idea – save perfect moments for the eternity”:

Really? Genius idea? How about using Germans lenses in HTC phones – like Nokia is doing – that would be genius idea, but that’s another fairytale…

I must say however that what I have heard and what I was shown regarding cameras of these 2 new phones is very good: apparently, as I have been told, these cameras make better photos in low-light conditions, have wide angle (so you can take photos of more things at once) but also the camera app has built-in stitching mechanism to make panoramic photos (presented in upcoming videos in part 2 of this report), and this mechanism works similarly like making photos with PhotoSync app for iPhone with snapping points on each other (here presented in HTC Titan but obviously available also in HTC Radar):

Conclusion: HTC’s contribution to Windows Phone promotion at IFA 2011 was brilliant: they presented 2 new phones – one high-end and one middle-end, and they were proving that there is life in Windows Phone area. If you need solid Windows Phone, just skip Nokia (that is late and was not showing any Windows Phone devices at IFA 2011 at all) and get yourself some solid HTC units!

… and that HTC Titan is a stunner. Titan indeed.

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IFA 2011 : Samsung not showing any Windows Phone 7 handsets

September 3, 2011 | By Edward

At IFA 2011 Samsung is present at various stands with mini-stands of Samsung, but their biggest stand is in hall 20 where there is huge, majestic show presented by the company. I was in that hall with majestic Samsung exposition and I was also in other mini-stands of Samsung e.g. at carriers etc. hunting for any sign of Samsung’s Windows Phones.

The result: Samsung was not showing even one Windows Phone cellphone!!!! Not even one and I was asking Germans, Brits and Koreans at Samsung stands.

Samsung is presenting their own Bada OS with Wave 3 handsets and Android powered mega-phone Samsung Note with 5 inch display and of course Samsung Galaxy S2 of course, also in comfy white.

I am flabbergasted. Here is a consumer electronics show, even bigger than American CES, Samsung is spending millions over millions of money on this show, and I can’t get even find one Windows Phone unit from them to check out?

Answer I got is clear: Samsung is focusing on Bada OS and on Android. Samsung obviously cannot stand that Microsoft jumped in bed with Nokia, and their commitment to Windows phone 7 now seems very poor.

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IFA 2011 : Microsoft stand + Windows Phone general situation

September 3, 2011 | By Edward

So, I am now reporting to you live from IFA 2011 trade show:

Let me tell you general situation about Windows Phone at IFA 2011, but first let’s take a short look at Microsoft stand at IFA, which is placed outdoors in so called “Sommergarten” (summer garden), on the left side near the entrance to this garden:

As you can observe from photo proof above, nobody is interested in this thing called “Windows Phone whatever”. No, frigging, body. As you can see staff is basking in sun like snakes who are bored and need a tan.

What is on the show at Microsoft stand? Well, this sexy lady is:

… and she is presenting to me (as nobody else is there) what is new at Windows Phone 7.5 (“don’t you dare call it Mango!” she said). She is using HTC Titan to present Windows Phone 7.5 (main new feature being multitasking) but all over the Microsoft stand there are demo units of HTC Mozart running Windows Phone 7.5, what is silly because it is outdoors and they don’t have AMOLED screen so I couldn’t see almost anything.

Well, maybe I exaggerated that nobody is coming to Microsoft stand at IFA 2011: in fact a news crew from very big German news channel N24 was there and above mentioned lady was presenting Windows Phone 7.5 to them too. The camera man from N24 was winking to me while looking at her.

But apart from Microsoft, what is generation situation of Windows Phone at IFA this year? Well, there is progress: several companies, including Acer, HTC are presenting new phones with Mango, err, sorry, I mean Windows Phone 7.5 … and it’s much better than at IFA 2010 when there was no Windows Phone at all.

Yes, sadly in all stands where Windows Phone is present (apart from Microsoft’s own stand obviously) majority of smartphones shown is powered by Android, and Windows Phone occupies only small part of all phones shown.

Clearly highlights of IFA 2011, when it comes to Windows Phone, are HTC Titan and HTC Radar, mainly HTC Titan, but obviously Nokia has not released their phones yet, so one can say there is tranquility before storm.

Coming up, in my next news items here: photos and videos from various stands with Windows Phone stuff, including lengthy videos from Microsoft (above lady in one-on-one action with me) and from HTC (including presentation of video of wide angle cameras in HTC Titan and HTC Radar). Stay tuned…

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IFA 2011 : No TomTom for Windows Phone 7

September 3, 2011 | By Edward

I dropped by to, rather big, TomTom stand at IFA 2011 trade show (such local tiny German trade show that happens to be bigger than US American CES) and there a press relations guy from TomTom company, named aptly, I am not kidding you, Tom Henkel (second on the left on the photo):

… told me what is the situation with TomTom apps:

* TomTom is not even working on TomTom for Windows Phone 7 or 7.5 or whatever because TomTom thinks that tiny market share of Windows Phone does not justify any efforts

* TomTom however is working pro-actively now on Android version of their TomTom navigation apps

* apart from TomTom for iPhone, that is extremely popular, TomTom recently have released TomTom designed especially for iPad

… so that’s it! I was trying to convince him that there are 5+ million Windows Phone 7 users and that soon Nokia will join the Windows Phone party and Nokia will start releasing Windows Phone 7.5 phones, then he said that according to him Nokia is over, Nokia has no future, so I am not convincing and I should crawl back to the cave from which I came. But he was clearly underlining 2 things: TomTom for iPad is out, TomTom for Android is under heavy development. However nobody is even moving a finger at TomTom to develop TomTom app for Windows Phone.

Sorry. Don’t kill the messenger (me).

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Kinect – missed marketing opportunity for Windows Phone

August 22, 2011 | By Edward

I have just scored another achievement in Fruit Ninja Kinect and I have realized how big marketing opportunity Microsoft is missing!

So, the other day I was in a shop searching for VGA cable for my Xbox, and I have noticed demo unit of Xbox, took controller and started to browse it. I noticed one position in the Xbox menu – about Xbox Live service – and in one of sub-menus there was advertisement of Windows Phone 7, with short video about it how it supports also Xbox Live. I thought to myself: well, Microsoft is using synergy in marketing after all…

… then I came home and tried to find anything about Windows Phone in menus of my Xbox (I use Xbox UK service) and: nothing! Zero, nada, nothing. What’s weird is: Microsoft is advertising within Xbox menus various new Xbox games, new movies, new services, but not Windows Phone!

* * * * *

Here is the thing: in 2009 and 2010 Microsoft and Sony were in a race: to release a full-motion sensor to the market, as an accessory to their consoles (Xbox 360 and Playstation 3). Sony failed, Microsoft won and the rest is history: Kinect is now a huge drive of Xbox gaming console popularity as people who would never consider gaming, now, with controller-less Kinect gaming, are actually purchasing Xbox with Kinect. Also people who stopped using Xbox, are dusting it off, buying Kinect and playing again.

Kinect is nothing but revolution: while previously gaming was about sitting in a chair with controller in a hand, now you can use your body and exercise by the way. Can you imagine: it’s just first generation of full motion body sensor but already so incredibly popular!

Now, you know what’s sad: Microsoft is totally squandering synergistic marketing opportunity. Would it hurt Microsoft to have one menu position with Windows Phone infos inside of Xbox menus? And also inside of some Xbox games?

Unbelievable: Kinect is hugely innovative yet it is a Microsoft product and it’s just the beginning: the really good Kinect games will be released at the end of 2011 and 2012. The Kinect frenzy is just getting started.

I am sure that Microsoft could sell much more Windows Phone devices, if only Windows Phone ad would be present inside of Xbox menus. And making some kind of interaction between Kinect and Windows Phone would be explosive: Microsoft would regain its mojo.

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TouchStudio renamed to TouchDevelop, released in version 2.0

August 14, 2011 | By Edward

Microsoft has renamed TouchStudio to TouchDevelop and released many new features, including "publishing scripts to the cloud" at TouchDevelop.com (such kind-of marketplace/app-store for scripts).

What is TouchDevelop? It’s not strictly for professional developers but rather a toy to play with scripting inside of Windows Phone 7 phones without the need to start PC (hello? Post-PC era anybody?). With this app you can create script-based programs like games, information reading, etc… and with new version you can publish your scripts with URL-shorterner-like links like www.touchdevelop.com/losv.

It looks like one cool app for me – to kill that time when you are commuting or standing in queue – and seeing how often Microsoft is releasing updates to it, one can get impression that Microsoft really care

As far as I know there is no such thing for iPhone, so this app can make a difference in smartphone wars!

To learn more about new version 2, click here.

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