Thoughts on WP7 Tech previews missing features and other observations

July 19, 2010 | By rush24

By now, we have read our fill of the early reviews of WP7. As the dust begins to settle, the main focus is shifting away from how surprisingly solid the OS is to suddenly “must have” features. I will try to address them one by one along with other observations.

Lack of Twitter support

This is a big one since next to Facebook, Twitter is the other big player in the Social networkworking space. The answer is quite simple. The current version of windows live connected services does not have twitter support which is necessary for the cloud services to integrate with the phone. Liveside has a plausible explanation. It was present in Windows live 3 then they pulled it out.

First, you won’t see contacts integration between Twitter and Windows Live – if you’ve followed Bill Gates on Twitter, it wouldn’t make sense to have him in your Windows Live contact list, and on top of that, many Twitter accounts are not real persons, so contacts integration just wouldn’t make sense (although I would like to see Microsoft to prove me wrong)

As such, we expect that even if Microsoft does improve the Twitter connected service, it would simply be giving users the ability to post their status updates directly to Twitter from within Windows Live. Nothing more – unless Microsoft finds a way to match Twitter accounts to your Windows Live contact list.

I believe that there will be twitter support in the shipping version of the OS, I just don’t know in which form, integrated with contacts or dedicated app.

Multitasking

The new feature that has found religion in the minds of skeptics. The topic has been beaten to death that WP7 and IOS4 basically use the same method the difference being the latter sporting a task switcher via the home key. Blogger Manan addresses the issue once more and this quote from a Neowin reader in which also covers copy and paste sums it all.

Charles Keledjian -

I tested the emulator of WP7. Out of the box is the only phone that can do this simple test: search for a movie in a zipcode, select movie, select theater, see theater in map app, and with one click search restaurants/parking near that theater, see reviews/hours of operation of restaurant, then call a friend and SMS the restaurant address so you can meet there, all without having to copy and paste or without having to switch manually to another app. After all these years, it has to be Microsoft that brings back the ‘smart’ to smartphones.

Most if not all of the first party apps multi-task and add the ease of navigation through integrated experiences instead of app hopping eases the pain of the current limitation.

Copy and Paste

This is the second “suddenly must have feature” WP7 addresses this using “smart links” or see Charles Keledjians excellent description above coupled with the ability to tap and hold to share webpages and snippets via email, MMS, Facebook etc. MS has promised an update to fix the issue while in the meantime, 80% of the feature has already been taken care of.

Facebook contacts overrunning the People Hub

This is a legitimate gripe that can be easily solved by Microsoft providing the ability for the user to pick lists of contacts from FB instead of the whole dataset. KIN also had a good system that enabled the user to only view updates of their “favorite friends” further reducing the update noise on the phone.

No Universal search

MS has decided to go with a context based search depending on where the user is on the phone. For example in pictures, it searches for pictures in email, it searches for email etc. I think it makes more sense but for most people they either will hate it or love it.

No threaded email or Universal inbox

The current version of office mobile supports this so I see no reason why this will not be available at launch. I for one like to keep my emails separate so the lack of a universal inbox doesn’t bother me. For many people that is not the case so an option for having an “Email hub” would be welcome.

Lack of Apps in the Marketplace

I can’t even believe there are complaints about this. It is a Technical preview people!

Lack of Youtube, Silverlight, Flash in the browser and HTML5

Youtube support can be easily fixed by enabling h264 video playback and HTML 5 support in the browser. With reports of the current Youtube mobile page being better than the dedicated apps, this should be the way to go. If any developers out there receive the phone, please let us know if the mobile webpage of Youtube and Facebook videos work.The version of flash available on the other platforms still looks buggy and it is of course absent from the Apple platform. As for Silverlight, it is not currently available elsewhere thereby no comparison is possible.

All these missing features are important and should be addressed but I would argue that they not deal breakers against using the phone even at its present state.

A few other observations.

-The browser is very fast though with some quirks in landscape mode not showing the address bar and the keyboard covering most of the screen.

-The keyboard is excellent Greg Kumparak from mobilecrunch says…

Who the hell did Microsoft hire to make this keyboard? Because whatever they’re being paid, they deserve a raise.

I’ve got no idea what sort of sorcery Microsoft used to build this thing, but it rocks. I’ve typed the character-count equivalent of a novel or two on just about every smartphone platform’s software keyboard, and this … this just might be the best one. I could type as well on this immediately after picking it up as I could on my iPhone after weeks of practice. To say I was pleasantly surprised would be an understatement. Auto-correct works as expected, and if it misfires on a word it just doesn’t know, switching it back is a matter of tapping the word once at any time. The word you originally typed will lead a list of potential alternative corrections — tap the original, and all is returned to normal.

-The UI looks crisp and fast with the text and images rendering clearly even when zoomed out. Do you realize that these review devices are displaying on a 480×320 resolution? Wait until we see it on a 800X480 screen and 262 dpi!

-The “pocket to picture feature” adds a nice touch and if your phone is password locked, the picture will still be taken but the user will not be able to view the saved pictures on the phone without the code.

I am sure our readers will find more areas that the WP7 Tech preview falls short or surprising features that have not been discovered yet. Let us know your findings.

About Rush24

Rush24 loves everything Microsoft and is fascinated by the influence of technology in everyday life.

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Tagged news, windows phone 7, wp7

http://intensedebate.com/people/djguapo djguapo

The truth of the matter is most of these so-called "complaints" are probably not true at all and are only the effects of using an incomplete operating system. I would especially like to call out Twitter support, universal search, and threaded email on features I would pretty much guarantee will be on the final build.

Others, like Multitasking and Clipboard support are things Microsoft has already said they are working on for post-launch.

The only real legitimate issue in this list is video support in the browser. Microsoft will be the only company without video support in their mobile browser, so I think this is also something that should be high priority for post-launch. However, given that they are still working on bringing video support in their desktop browser, we might need to wait a while for this to show up in WP7's IE.
http://twitter.com/adamUCF @adamUCF

"Do you realize that these review devices are displaying on a 480×320 resolution". Where did you get that from?

http://intensedebate.com/people/l3v5y l3v5y

Paul Thurrotr said it in his postings about the Samsung Taylor, though I'm not entirely sure I believe him. I think it's a WVGA screen.

GP007

Why would he lie about something like the screen res though? I see no reason to.

http://intensedebate.com/people/l3v5y l3v5y

Not sure, though many of the screenshots he posted are at greater than HVGA resolution.

http://intensedebate.com/people/rush24 rush24

Paul Thurrot says
"Interestingly, Microsoft was also apologetic about the device's screen, which displays at the lower of the two possible Windows Phone 7 resolutions, 480 x 320 (HVGA) instead of 800 x 480 (WVGA)."

I may have seen it somewhere else too. I need to sift through all the open tabs on my browser to find it.

hvakrg

I'm guessing that it has alot to do with cost, these are preview models, so they probably want to cutt the costs where they can and the screen is probably one of the easier places to do so.

GP007

This is why MS is putting out this tech preview and giving devices out to devs for free, so they can get feedback on the little things here and there that they should fix or add before this goes RTM.

The rest, if they stick to a quick update schedule, should be ironed out by mid-2011 I say. If I get nice updates, say bi-monthly, then I don't mind starting off with a few things missing. And I doubt MS will hold off and try to do a 6 month massive update type release, like a WP7.5 if you will.
John

I dont think copy paste is a big deal, since the smart links seem to cover that pretty well. The only problems would be transfering text from one 3rd party app to another..

Twitter support is overblown, unlike the iphone which doesnt have social networking support out of the box. (personally i just hope twitter ends like the fad it is)

But really most of these complaints are non-issues. My days of being a 'power user' are over. I just want the device to work well and be a rewarding experience.
Whocares

Copy and Paste in general is a big deal, with this OS not so much as some reviews have pointed out as well as this article itself most of the need for it is covered. So it's not worth the freak out that some people appear to be having and it will be complete soon after launch I'm sure.

The twitter support is twitters fault for pulling support for Windows Live but I'd rather have an app for that and I've already seen a few great looking twitter apps in the making.

You can still be a "power user" (overused buzz word in my opinion) with this phone. The reviews so far have shown a lot of peoples worries are unnecessary and I know once the general public gets a hold of these phones a lot of people will come around and even more so after a few updates.

efjay

Its funny, c&p and mulitasking were things that were known from announcements already made yet all the reviewers are reacting as if this is a shock to them. For me none of the so called "issues" are of any consequence and if top-class hardware is released to support it WP7 should still do very well at launch.

Just put Halo on the damn thing and watch it fly!!

Ken

Anyone know if/whether WP7 supports multiple user profiles or how it handles multiple email/calendar differentiation? Eg. 1 calendar for personal and 1 for work, so that the user can differentiate/combine easily if they so wish in realtime.

http://intensedebate.com/people/rush24 rush24

I'm not sure what you mean by multiple profiles but it does have multiple calendar support with color coding to differentiate the various calendars.

efjay

Only mobiletechreview seems to have the right approach to reviewing WP7, and that is to compare it to a STOCK version of the iphone or android. Twitter functionality in particular is not implemeted natively on those platforms so why is WP7 being beaten up about not having it? Both android and iphone only provide twitter integration via 3rd party applications but that fact seems to have been conveniently forgotten across the entire internet today. And of course as rush24 says, its actually due to a change in policy from twitter themselves but that little fact wont be mentioned by the WP7 haters.

Not surprising really as most of the reviewers are either apple or android fanboys and carry a deep hatred for anything Microsoft.

hvakrg

I would prefer a stand alone app and I think both Seesmic and Twitter themself will give us that. I use Twitter mainly for two things:

– To follow people I don't know but that can bring me content, people like Leo Laporte, Paul Thurrott and some of Microsofts twitter-accounts. Basically I use it in the way Digg 4 wants to be used.

http://twitter.com/chmun77 @chmun77

"search for a movie in a zipcode, select movie, select theater, see theater in map app, and with one click search restaurants/parking near that theater, see reviews/hours of operation of restaurant, then call a friend and SMS the restaurant address so you can meet there, all without having to copy and paste or without having to switch manually to another app."

I do not get how good is that without a task switcher. So how do you go back to the map app if your friend did not sms the address? Do I have to go all the way back to the tile screen and navigate to the map app again? It will be a hassle to do that.

http://intensedebate.com/people/rush24 rush24

I think it works by tapping and holding on the address you get a option to share via email or MMS. It then sends message with the address together with a picture of the map, so you basically never have to leave the app in the first place.
hvakrg

Huh? What are you asking here? How to get back to the map after sending the SMS? The way I see it there are two posibilities.

– Once the SMS i sent you automatically jump back to the map without doing anything at all.
– You press the back-button and you're sent back to the map.

And even if this isn't so I don't really think it's that much hassle to press the home button and then press the map app. How is that any more hassle then pressing the task switcher button and then pressing the map app?

But like I said, my guess is that you're sent back to the map app when you've pushed send on the sms.

Personally I can't want for WP7, the only downside is that I probably won't be able to use alot of these cool features because of Bing being a US-focused searchengine, but one can only hope they manage to push out the full Bing experience in Norway aswell this fall.
http://www.mobilitydigest.com Murani

Like others said below, simply use the Back button to go back 1 screen and you're right where you need to be. The whole point of the OS is to make it a seamless experience.

Task Managers (Task Switcher if you're Steve Jobs) is highly important because of the App In App Out currently seen on phones. Microsoft has done a great job pioneering a more refined way to interact with your phone.
http://www.facebook.com/ckeledjian Charles Keledjian

I was so surprised to be reading an article here for the first time and see a quote from one on my posts! Well, the smart-sense makes any address anywhere into a hyperlink to the maps app. So, once you are in tha maps app, clicking on the location lets you see nearby restaurants and parking and read reviews. So you select one restaurant and down there there is a button to SMS and another to pin the link to start menu. So can SMS directly there or if you want you can call friend to tell him about the plans and while on call click anywhere on screen to get control and go back to maps and click on SMS button (maps will still be in the same restaurant page you left it) or use the pinned link and send message from there. Maybe I post a youtube video

Jacob Gamlieli

I can't wait for WP7, but I am still trying to figure out if I will be able to sync my local copy of outlook which contains my calendar and contacts to the phone by using something like activesync? I have to use this method because we use Lotus Notes at work, so i sync Notes to outlook on my PC by using third party software, and then use activesync to sync the contacts and calendar to my phone. How will I do that in WP7? I tried outlook connector for windows live, but it does NOT sync your local calendar or contacts to a windoes live calendar. This would solve the problem….I know I am not the only one out there who uses Lotus Notes at work….any ideas?

dropqube

The phone will sync through the Zune software (it's 10 times better than iTunes).
I think Outlook Sync will definitely be supported through this.

http://intensedebate.com/people/rush24 rush24

Paul Thurrott has some answers about account types but I'm not sure if it solves the Lotus notes question. Here is the link… http://windowsphonesecrets.com/2010/07/19/a-quick…
GAM3R

MSFT and others's the previous articles which lied about wp7 has Multitasking. Now BGR, Engadge, CNET, Wired's recent commented that wp7 had lack of Multitasking feature in W7p. then why you try to defense it for Wp7?

I tell you WP7 wont be complete with High ended handset Blakcberry, Iphone, WebOS, Bada, and Android. Million people will think wp7 is LOW ENDED HANDSET for rest…

dropqube

oooh look, here is our main-hater "GAM3R" again. I don't know why you even spend so much time visiting so many WP7 blogs just to post your stupid trolling.
Don't you have a job or a school to go to?
Jason

They never said anything else. They were quite up front from the begining that the phone does not allow third party programs to run in the background. To make up for this they are allowing programs to save their state so when you pop out of them you can resume where you left off. They are planning to allow specific programs to run in the background in the future (IM client, music, etc).

WP7 won't be a low ended handset because of the strict minimum specs. All phones will have a minimum processor speed, ram, screen, etc.
http://intensedebate.com/people/Lennard Lennard

there's actual real multitasking for 1st party apps. not for 3rd party yet. so saying the OS can't multitask just shows up your lack of knowledge…or your inability to understand.
GAM3R

I took MSDN Blogs quote- "No Multitasking: False. The phone has multitasking. There is limited access to multitasking to ensure a good user experience. You will still have your Pandora." Very Controversy- BGR, Engadge, CNET, Wired's had said "there is very lack of Multitasking feature in W7p." I believe BGR, Engadge, CNET, Wired' more then MSDN Blogs or this.

@Dropqube, America is freedom and speech, isnot it?

@Jason, MSFT won't allow 3 party programs since Zune HD and KIN. Wp7 won't complete with High ended handset IP4, BB, Android.

NO App switcher
NO Copy & Paste
NO 3rd Party
NO YouTube
NO Universal search
NO GPS
NO Apps in the Marketplace

You see above as list, Wp7 is low ended phone unlike Meego and Bada already have Multitask, app switcher, and Copy & paste. thats is AWESOME! they are still courage the world of developers who create more apps for both. I support them. SHAME ON MSFT!

@Lennard – If I had lack of understanding or knowledge about wp7..then I wont be here.. I tell you the truth, WP7 copied android UI's horizontal panorama in background. So you never understand how Wp7's horizontal panorama work with two or three or even four screens thats wipe left or right to move from one screen to another without cut it. You aren't photographer nor Film Developer makes the flim picture to panorama! Idiot, There is already example a category of horizontal panorama each as division of people, zune, office, game, marketplace. the horizontal panoramic is the super-glued Lego, thats it. There is really IMPOSSIBLE to add Multitask or app switcher nor others on horizontal panorama. Just leave it that way for lifetime..SUCK! Unfortunately, You wont see Wp7/Zune phone in another 5 years LESS.

http://www.mobilitydigest.com Murani

Seriously? You actually mentioned Meego and Bada. Again Seriously? You just lost all street cred with that foolishness.

http://twitter.com/UXMagic @UXMagic

Multitasking- the iPhoneOS didn't have it, and it didn't stop them from gaining marketshare, now people complain about dead batteries if they don't kill all of their tasks.. Twitter Support: There are many Twitter apps out there, I wrote one of the first WPF clients for one back in 2006, honestly it's not rocketscience.. I look forward to metro-TWIT and honestly have you checked windows live services lately or Seesmic Mobile or Desktop (Ping.FM) I am sure it's there and will be there.. Facebook Complaints: learn account and privacy settings… It will fix a lot of your woes right on facebook.. Universal Search… Hmm I've got a WP7 app for that SMILE that also crawls and is live on social networks. (continued)

Don Burnett
Microsoft Expression Blend MVP
2008-2009-2010 http://blog.donburnett.com

http://twitter.com/UXMagic @UXMagic

Cut Copy and Paste: What don't you guys get about the fact that this API is built into Silverlight 3's portable .NET.. In fact why isn't it in the default win phone 7 interface. Do you realize that the iPhone didn't have it before version 3.2 and sold MILLIONS.. No one cared or used it..

As far as email goes: let's give some room for third party developers to make enhancements and port other email clients.. More people use social networks and messaging now.. Plus threaded messaging is confusing for most consumers on a small screen device.. Someone at Microsoft actually thought about this when designing the mail client.. Did it hurt the iphone ?

http://twitter.com/UXMagic @UXMagic

Silverlight Flash HTML5: Microsoft is just readying IE 9 with HTML 5.. It's not even out yet and probably won't be there when WinPhone 7 ships until just before 2011.. Microsoft has plenty of time to deal with the browser component.. Also regarding Silverlight in the mobile web browser, it worked just fine for me in the Original CTP my fullscreen animation in SL3 (http://www.uxmagic.com) worked JUST FINE on it.. I doubt Silverlight sites will not work for very long.. Instead of using in-built they probably will make a plug upgrade.. Also Microsoft and Adobe announced already Flash for Win Phone 7.. I think they are probably just being fair with Adobe relating to competitive matters about it..

Thanks and those are my thoughts..

http://twitter.com/UXMagic @UXMagic

I think you really can't take the mentioned areas in the article above as problems..

Don Burnett
Microsoft Expression Blend MVP
2008-2009-2010 http://blog.donburnett.com

http://twitter.com/UXMagic @UXMagic

By the way when Apple and Google have phone dev tools that can do all of this, then I will say that they are competitive..

[youtube yMMbpWz5r08 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yMMbpWz5r08 youtube]

None of the app design tools for these other platforms are as advanced or can do this..

Don't be a hater..

Technically Silverlight 3 (the basis for the UI) has worker processes..

Baz

Until you actually have a comparable user base, and developers making applications for WP7 that sell, your talk of competitiveness is just air blowing out your bum, your kin was a big deal also…where's that now pray?

Proof of the pudding will be how many WP7 devices you sell, not give away, I couldn't care less how good the developer tools are that make everything the same so the lowest common denominator doesn't get confused, I also don't care about social networking, xbox, all I care about is that this hunk of swipey "I wanna be an iphone" crap is supposedly replacing the pocketable pc of wm.

The fact you say things like " the iphone doesn't have it, and they sold lots" and "I don't think the above things are problems" is ridiculous, can't you idiots have a thought of your own now without steve jobs doing it first, or see the market perception differences between yourselves and apple or something?