News - Microsoft unveils Windows Phone 7 today

[HEXUS]

The software giant will launch the finished version of its latest mobile OS into a savage competitive environment.

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[hermano pequeño]

A 3-way fight is miles more interesting. I hope they manage to do a better job of it this time; if the tiled UI works they you'll see Apple and Google scrambling... could be fun.

[wazi]

wonder if it will have the blue screen ability

[TheAnimus]

Windows CE doesn't appear too regretably.
(its actually a useful feature!)

[pauldarkside]

What is it their adverts say, get in, get out and get back to your life? Then they go and tout the Xbox Live integration. What sort of life are they referring too?

The videos I've seen so far today show the devices off pretty nicely. Whilst the interface appears to be quite responsive it's more about how much I can customise that home screen, promote tiles I'd actually use. A couple of weeks and the reviews should start coming and someone should dive deep enough. The handful of EA games shown don't look too shabby, I hope something can be done to reduce the loading times though, they're a little too slow for my liking. Maybe I'm expecting too much, I am still sporting a SE W850i!

I like the thought of the OS always being up to date, it's the fragmentation of Android that stops me going the Google route, Apple's updates are fine but I don't want to be tied to be tethered to iTunes or a fanatically closed Apple. Besides, I'm already invested in Windows and a Microsoft environment for gaming and work.

Out of the three (Google, Apple and Microsoft), this would be the platform I'd be most interested in developing for too, familiarity with the IDE helps I suppose. I'm just trying to find out what the restriction are on testing code you develop yourself, whether there are limits on durations etc. You must be able to test on a real device right?

[Spud1]

I think they have made yet more mistakes with this release, and its a real shame..the UI looks great and has potential, but everything else smacks of "oops we're 2 years late to the party..lets rush something out quick before we have no chance!".

Ignoring the more fundamental issues I have (lack of filesystem access etc etc..basically the lack of all the things that make 6.x so great), they have really messed up on the consumer side. Lack of copy and paste, lack of even pseudo multitasking/backgrounding, insanely large load times for apps (1min + for many according to engadget) and a lacklustre suite of xbox live intergrations..it really looks rushed.

Microsoft are not Apple, they can not carry these mistakes through the branding and come out smelling of roses. Of course everything is fixable here with patches and updates, but I think that will be too little too late to be honest.

I'm still looking forward to trying out the OS in the future but can't see it tempting me away from an iPhone or droid device in the next few months yet. I guess now we will see if Microsoft have learnt anything from apple when it comes to marketing..

[Rob_B]

I heard 3 mins load time for one game, ouch.
I like the OS but as you mention paul I need to know about the personalisation options.

I didn't realise there was no filesystem access, it's like the iPhone then, 'for the masses' which you can't really blame them for doing considering their competition. The jailbreak/root type exploit will be out soon enough to fix that though

I'll keep an eye on them, by the time my upgrade comes around there should be no doubt if MS has made a success of it or not, I hope they do as only having 2 real choices at the moment isn't good.