Rumor: HTC Omega leaked specs reveal 1.5GHz CPU and 8MP camera

It looks like someone noticed the HTC Omega case's appearance yesterday and decided to flesh out the rumors we know so far. Previously we only knew that the Omega would have a 3.8" display, but now things are getting a lot more interesting with Gadgetian claiming to have the full spec sheet for the unreleased device. So what goodies does it reveal? Here's are the highlights:

• Windows Phone Mango
• 1.5 GHz Qualcomm MSM8255 CPU
• Adreno 205 GPU
• 512 MB of RAM
• 3.8-inch SLCD screen
• WVGA (800x480) resolution
• 16 GB internal storage (No slot for microSD)
• 8-megapixel autofocus camera w/LED flash and 720p recording
• Accelerometer, G-Sensor (Gyroscope), 

Yes, this is indeed the second HTC device rumored to be packing the 1.5GHz 8255 processor and does line right up with the new Chassis requirements Microsoft outlined at MIX '11. It's also worth noting that the specs show European 3G frequencies and if you couple that with the 3.8" display and high-end processor, we think it's safe to assume this is the true followup to the HTC Mozart. We're looking to see if any manufacturer can squeeze out a dual-core phone powered by the 8x60 line rumored to support Windows Phone, but we could totally settle for such a powerful single core chipset. Rumors are coming fast and hard, so hold on to your hats people--Mango hardware is just around the corner!

Via: WMPU
Source: Gadgetian

11.29 | 0 komentar | Read More

Poll: Which Mango device are you most excited for? (Updated)

In the last two weeks there has been a lot of news related to upcoming Mango hardware. The snowball began rolling down the hill when Microsoft pulled out a surprise preview of upcoming Acer, Fujitsu, Samsung and ZTE devices at its WPC event. Then the snowball burst into a full-on avalanche when we were given our second look at Nokia's Sea Ray (this time unofficial) running what's supposedly a near-final build of Mango. We also spotted LG's Fantasy as an official render thanks to a recent leak. So now that we've already seen six unreleased devices in the wild it's time to ask the inevitable question: which one are you most excited for?

Are you a power user interested in Samsung's 'Galaxy S II' clone with Mango, or are you leaning towards the seductive LG 'Fantasy'? Then there are the more unique options like Fujitsu's waterproof IS12T or the sleek N9-mimicking Nokia 'Sea Ray' (bonus: they both probably come in pink)? Maybe you'd rather have something less dramatic and more practical, like Acer's slick and slim W4 or ZTE's solid-build mystery handset? We don't know much about any of them, but if you had to pick right now what would be your choice? Vote in our poll below!

Update: We completely forgot about HTC! We've added a trio of possible HTC Windows Phones: the Bresson, the Eternity, and the Omega.

14.44 | 0 komentar | Read More

Hardware Compatibility Warning messages found in Mango, Fragmentation in its Infancy

We all knew this day was coming, and with the Mango beta in the hands of developers we've received our first real look at how Windows Phone will handle fragmentation. MobileTechWorld spotted a small warning message just below Foursquare's tile in its Marketplace page and when tapped on the above 'Compatibility Warning' message appears, detailing exactly why your phone may not be up to snuff. In this case, Foursquare's compatibility warning is most likely a bug instead of an actual hardware conflict (the app claims the Omnia 7 doesn't have a camera). Still, many have called this the first sign of fragmentation; we disagree.

Why? Windows Phone is already fragmented. In case you forgot about the entire NoDo debacle, that's fragmentation--when phones are receiving the same core update at different times. While it's nothing as severe as Android where not even one software update is guaranteed to the end user, Windows Phone is still already fragmented. In the future, Windows Phone's actual hardware fragmentation will be similar to that of iOS where a Generation 1 device may not be compatible with an app that was written for Generation 3. So don't start panicking and rioting in the streets--the overwhelming majority of Mango apps most likely won't affect current devices.

Source: MobileTechWorld

14.31 | 0 komentar | Read More

Windows Phone Mango RTM build complete (Update: Denied by MS)

We really have to make a habit of listening in on the Windows Phone Dev Podcast more often. It was revealed on last night's show that Mango is complete on Microsoft's end of the equation and is now at an RTM (release to manufacturers) build. Also, carriers already have Mango with them as well and have begun testing the release for their phones. There isn't much else to say, except that this isn't some kind of big shock reveal. With the Nokia Sea Ray rumored to have been running a final build in its leaked video and the Fujitsu IS12T set to be revealed next week, we'd be more surprised if Microsoft hadn't given the RTM build yet. Still, this is a big milestone and confirms that Microsoft has stayed true to its word of a Fall release...now we'll see if carriers and manufacturers can hold up their end of the bargain this time.

Update: Microsoft's Bill Cox mentioned earlier today via his Twitter that Mango is actually not in the RTM stage yet and teases for us to 'stay tuned'. See it for yourself here.

Via: WMPU
Source: Twtter (@billcox), Windows Phone Dev Podcast

11.49 | 0 komentar | Read More

LG Fantasy Leaked in Product Roadmap, the sole new Windows Phone from LG?

PocketNow landed on a huge pile of information thanks to a leaked product roadmap for LG's smartphones. Within that roadmap contained what is most likely LG's upcoming Mango handset: the LG Fantasy. Unfortunately no details were given so we don't know much outside of the requisite specs for all Windows Phones. Just looking at the render above, we can see there may not be a front-facing camera either. However an interesting note was made about the design of the handset:

One thing that's clear from its appearance: LG seems to be using the same design cues seen on its top-tier Android devices, eschewing the somewhat plasticky look associated with its first-gen Windows Phones. A fourth quarter release is also likely here.

We just so happen to agree with their observation because the Fantasy looks gorgeous. Sadly though, it appears the Fantasy may be the only Windows Phone handset to come from LG this time around although it's still possible we'll see a carrier-exclusive version like the Quantum. We can't say we blame them--they've already reduced their phone sales expectations for the year and LG's latest and greatest are still being overshadowed by local bully Samsung. Just give them a break!

Source: PocketNow

11.13 | 0 komentar | Read More

Five Things We Love (and Five Things We Hate) about Windows Phone Mango

As gracious as Microsoft has been to let developers get their hands on Mango ahead of the mass population, they didn't do it just for kicks. No, Microsoft wants to see real feedback from real people about their operating system's next major update so they can get to work. Well we're here to do our part now and after spending a few weeks with the Mango beta on our Samsung Focus, we're ready to tell Microsoft just how we feel about Mango. Here are the five things we love (and the five things we hate) about Windows Phone Mango.

We Love...
Bing
Microsoft's little-search-engine-that-could has really grown up in Mango. Before, Bing was lacking and was typically only useful for us when doing a quick web search or looking up directions. Now we've started making a habit of using it for a lot more thanks to the new features included. Whether it's busting out our phone to figure out just what song that is with Music, having some spare time to look nearby with Local Scout, or going crazy and scanning random stuff with Vision, Bing has never been better.

People Hub / Me Tile
Windows Phone 7 when it was initially launched was nicknamed by the press as "the Facebook phone", and in Mango that has only become more true. The Me tile plays a significant part in Mango's social skills, which now includes quick access to status updates, Places check-in support, notifications, and chat status. Then if you jump into the People Hub, each contact linked to their Facebook or Live account has their Pictures included. Tie all of these features into the new Groups, and we think a lot of people will be 'Like'-ing Mango this Fall.

Internet Explorer 9

As fast and responsive as Internet Explorer Mobile was in the past, IE9 kicks things up a notch. Not only is the browser faster, it's also just plain better. Color banding is a thing of the past, weird formatted text is (mostly) gone, and we can finally use a near 90% of our screen to browse the web. Some have sorely missed the removed fullscreen option in landscape mode, but it really isn't a very big deal (especially because devices like the HTC Arrive/7 Pro needed compatibility). Plus HTML5 really rocks, we just hope more sites plan to recognize IE9 mobile (for example, YouTube's HTML5 mobile site doesn't show up in Mango--just the standard mobile site).

Marketplace

To say the Marketplace needed an overhaul would be an understatement, and Microsoft heard complaints loud and clear. The new Marketplace is a totally amped-up experience, making a ton of new layout changes and yet maintaining the same exact feel as before. Games and Apps have finally been properly separated, the native Podcast support is powerful enough to kill any 3rd-party apps available right now, and now even more content is shown meaning developers are more likely to get their app into a spotlight while users can find even more great apps. Win-win.

The Little Things

Windows Phone really excels when it comes to the little things--the tiny features that can plant a big wide smile on your face. One of our favorites is the new keyboard prediction enhancements, which are shockingly accurate. For example when we typed in 'The Dark Knight' and then typed a single R after it, the first predictive choice was 'Riddler'. That's awesome! Another tiny feature we love are the new interactions you can have with your Avatar in the Games Hub. Or the new ability to pin folders from an email account to the Start page, which is absurdly useful for us bloggers. There's tons more that we haven't mentioned here, but all of them combine to create a really memorable experience and shows us that Microsoft is pouring plenty of love into Mango before it reaches the production floor.

We Hate...
Multitasking
Before the hate mail starts pouring in, hear us out. For one, we obviously know that multitasking is still a Beta feature and we don't have any 3rd-party apps with the feature enabled. Secondly, our issue isn't with 3rd-party apps or apps at all--it's the limitations Microsoft has imposed on the feature that has our blood boiling. In its current Beta form, only 5 apps are allowed to stay open in the fast app switcher (aka the "Cards" view). Besides that, apps can also use APIs to do different tasks in the background even if they're not open in a Card. While in theory that sounds fine, in execution it was lacking. If you open app number 6, app number 1's Card disappears (it gets tombstoned) and there's no way of going back to where you were. In our opinion five is just too restrictive for what people want to do with apps.

For example, I'd love to be able to keep a Twitter app open at all times while I do other things so I can quickly go back. But for now that's impossible unless you do a lot of micromanagement to make sure the app isn't accidentally killed. There's also no way to simply kill an app, like a basic X button, so you're forced to go inside the app and use the Back button to reverse your way out. We can't help but feel that in an effort to make multitasking simpler, Microsoft seems to have made it more confusing and a lot less intuitive. Hopefully we'll get to see a significantly revamped form of multitasking, but for now we can't say we're satisfied.

Limited Landscape Support
Yes Mango still lacks proper landscape support for a lot of areas within the operating system. Just like in NoDo and the launch firmware, none of the Hubs orient to landscape and that has to be the biggest oversight we've seen so far in Mango. How are devices like the HTC Arrive/7 Pro supposed to even use these when the keyboard is still out? Microsoft has created Windows Phone with the goal of it begin accepted across a variety of form factors. While it undoubtedly looks great in portrait mode, the simple fact remains that Windows Phones are coming out with slide-out keyboards and yet the operating system still doesn't properly support them.

New Drop-Down Volume Controls
Speaking of landscape, one new change in Mango that also adversely affects the side view in Mango are the new drop-down volume controls. While in portrait they work quite well with large playback controls and a quick way to jump into the Zune music player, in landscape they dramatically affect usability especially in games. How? Take a look at the photo below of a game of Angry Birds. The drop-down volume controls take up more than a third of the entire screen and you're left waiting a few seconds before it gets out of your way. There's so much unused space to the right of the controls too that we're left wondering why they couldn't have just rearranged some elements. It may seem like something small, but constant access to volume controls means this will affect a lot of people so we highly recommend Microsoft look at this.

Wi-Fi
This may seem like a pretty odd complaint at first, but there's a reason why we're bringing it up. With Mango-compliant apps on the horizon that will feature lots of new background tasks, data usage is definitely going to spike considerably. Yet once again in Mango, if you have set the Wi-Fi on and lock the screen it automatically sleeps. As data plans become more expensive with lower allowances, lots of consumers don't realize just how much data apps can consume and so they may go for the cheaper option. Then if someone has 3G on in the background and thought their Wi-Fi would also stay on with the screen locked, they may receive an unpleasant surprise come billing day. We understand why Mango puts Wi-Fi to sleep (it uses up quite a bit of battery if it's always on) but we don't understand why there isn't an option to turn the feature on/off at will in the Settings. It's something insignificant compared to the scale of Mango's features, but adding it could avoid a lot of future headaches and will really benefit the consumer.

The Little Things
There's good little things like above, and then there's bad little things. For example, Internet Explorer 9 tabs can each take up a card and this is nice for quick switching between them. However like we said before, there's no way to get a Card back after its gone and if you open one too many IE9 tabs you may just close an app you didn't want to by accident, so adding an option would be nice there. Then there's the mysterious absence of Windows Phone's much loved 'Extras' feature that lets developers "plug" their apps into areas of the OS. For example, Thumba Photo Editor used to plug into the Pictures Hub under Extras but now the menu is completely absent and therefore requires more steps to get to the app. Finally there's the odd choice in Bing search results that removed the 'News' pivot and instead added those results in a condensed form beneath your web search results. This actually confused us at first as we thought these were search results, and we can only imagine that others will mistakenly do the same. We hope Microsoft moves 'News' back to where it originally was as a pivot instead.

In Conclusion...

There's a lot to love about what Microsoft has achieved in Windows Phone Mango. They've finally made Bing useful, the People Hub makes relying on a Facebook app less of a requirement, Internet Explorer 9 gives its competitors a run for their money, the Marketplace offers more content without screwing up what made it so great, and there are delightful minor tweaks that we can't get enough of. However, Mango is far from perfect and there are plenty of issues to resolve. Multitasking is very close to being called 'botched' in its actual user friendliness, the lack of proper landscape support is something that should have been fixed before launch, the volume controls in landscape really harm the experience even more, the Wi-Fi default settings could end up (literally) costing consumers in the long run, and there are minor things that really tick us off as to why they were broken or have yet to be fixed. Overall, Mango is still very much in Beta and while they've clearly gotten a lot more right than wrong, we hope Microsoft's hard working Windows Phone team still has enough energy to get through the final push and tweak all of the things we mentioned.

18.08 | 0 komentar | Read More

Developers: Mango App Submissions start on August 22nd, App Hub changes detailed now (Update)

Yesterday an App Hub update began to roll out globally and we spotted quite a few new features. However, everyone was confused as to why Microsoft hadn't bothered detailing what's new but now Todd Brix has come to give us all the details. Here's the quick lowdown (for the rest of the details hit the source link below):

• Geographic Expansion: 19 new consumer markets, 7 new developer markets (with China on the way and India to be expanded), App Hub localization, Updated price tiers, in-app Microsoft Advertising market expansion.
• New Private Distribution Methods: Beta Distribution (must be pre-certified, limited to 100 users) and Targeted Distribution (published app that is invisible in the public Marketplace, unlimited number of users, shared through deep-links).
• Enhanced application management: Better application management, Enhanced developer dashboard, More detailed reporting, New ‘Crash Count’ report, Streamlined application submission process, New App Categories.

Finally, Brix also dropped a bombshell on us that we weren't expecting to hear: Mango app submissions to the Marketplace will begin in August! Microsoft will also be unleashing Windows Phone Release Candidate (RC) tools later which will be required for those wanting to submit their apps. We know all of you developers been working tirelessly to bring your tropical-flavored apps up to snuff, and now it's time to kick things into high gear for the rest of the month. This also implies that we could very well see new Mango hardware sometime in August, which is exactly what we've heard about the Fujitsu IS12T. It's all coming together folks.

Update: Joe Belfiore himself just mentioned through his Twitter account that Mango app submissions begin specifically on August 22nd! There's the date people, now get to it!

Source: Windows Phone Developer Blog

11.39 | 0 komentar | Read More

Rumor: Nokia's first Windows Phones to run stock Mango, won't include integrated services?

As exciting as Nokia's first Windows Phone may be, there's no doubt the company had to make sacrifices to significantly speed up their development process. Now rumor has it Nokia's first Windows Phones may actually be running a completely stock build of Mango with almost zero customizations under the hood. Eldar Murtazin, the infamous Nokia insider and editor of Mobile-Review, recently went on local Finland station YLE and discussed what could be disappointing news about Nokia's upcoming smartphones:

It’s the same inside, it’s the same speed, the display is the same. There aren’t any differences. In practice we are getting exactly the same device.

We already know that in practice Nokia didn’t get anything at all. There is no chance of changing the display, they cannot add their own unique services. In practice Nokia’s Windows 7 phone is just Nokia’s own design. And that’s it.

Now this is definitely still a rumor as Murtazin has been proven wrong before. However, it's completely logical to assume that Nokia really may not have enough time to throw in their special sauce if they plan to meet their aggressive release dates. Take into account Nokia only official announced this deal in February, and if the first device is released to market by October they would have done so within only eight months which is absurdly fast for a phone's development cycle. We can still dream about what tweaks Nokia may include in the future, but for now don't expect to see them in the Sea Ray or any other soon-to-be-released devices.

Via: Nanapho.jp
Source: The Nokia Blog

13.09 | 0 komentar | Read More

Fujitsu IS12T set to be unveiled in Japan next week, the first official Windows Phone Mango device

After last week's exhilarating sneak peek at four upcoming Mango devices and yesterday's even more exciting Nokia Sea Ray leak, we're exhausted. Yet the barrage of Mango hardware news continues today. Nanapho.jp is hearing KDDI and Fujitsu are all set to unveil the first second-generation Windows Phone to the public on July 27th...which is next week! With the IS12T rumored for a release in early August, we don't think anyone could have predicted how sudden this phone's release may be. With more leaks coming every few days, Mango phones may really be right around the corner.

Via: Windows Phone Metro
Source: Nanapho.jp

11.33 | 0 komentar | Read More

Developers: App Hub back online, brings along new UI & Beta Marketplace support

As we mentioned yesterday morning, the official Windows Phone developer web portal 'App Hub' went down for service updates for most of the day. However, late last night App Hub reemerged and as many predicted it brought along with it quite a few new changes in preparation for Mango. Our friend Cris Rowlands at 1800PocketPC has taken a deep dive into the new changes which includes:

• Redesigned Windows Phone Hub interface
• Support for new app distribution methods
• Beta app publishing
• New app information pages (includes reviews, pricing, details, and life-cycle)
• New windowsphone.com deep-linking for apps
• Crash information which displays the affected phones' model and firmware, as well as the frequency of crashes.

For more pictures and details, read the full article at the source link. If you'd rather skip that and get your hands dirty by playing with these shiny new toys, then head on over to the App Hub to see what's new for yourself.

Via: 1800PocketPC

07.00 | 0 komentar | Read More

Bing Vision: The Garage Sale Test

We've been absolutely giddy over the new Bing features added in Mango; from the incredible utility of Local Scout to the Shazam-slaying Bing Music, Microsoft has finally justified why the Search button should stick to the engine's services. However, there is one feature of Bing that may be the most difficult to describe and even more challenging to determine the value of: Bing Vision.

It's an incredibly cool feature that uses your phone's camera to search for items on the web. While the implementation is undeniably slick, we've struggled to find a situation where we'd actually want to use the feature in the few weeks we've had the Mango Beta on our phone. Well we finally came up with one to put Vision through its paces: a garage sale! What better place to whip out your phone and quickly look up some info on some goods? So to see how Bing Vision fared in our garage sale test, jump past the break.

Upon launching Vision (by tapping on the eye icon in Bing's appbar) you're presented with a text overlay on top of your camera's live feed. The text near the top states, "Scan barcodes, QR Codes, Microsoft Tags, Books, CDs and DVDs." Well it just so happened that this garage sale had all of those things and so we went all out. For those a little muddled on the feature, the way Vision works is extremely simple: open Vision, hold up your phone as though you're taking a photo of an item and then don't touch anything. Bing will automatically focus on the object and begin scanning the web for content. Then if it finds something it will spit back a list of results to choose from over the camera feed.

Like we said, we went all out and scanned a bunch of items. The result? Vision passed with (mostly) flying colors. First we tested out what Vision told us it could do: books, CDs, and DVDs. As you can see in the photos above, we were completely successful scanning an old Linkin Park CD, the Halo: Fall of Reach novel, and a used copy of Underworld on DVD. But then we decided to see if video games would work as well and to our surprise they did. As you can see in the bottom-right photo above, Bing Vision even accurately picked up on the full Guitar Hero 2 with Guitar set when we pointed it at the box. It's clear that Bing Vision can handle a lot of stuff, but we did run into a few hiccups. A more obscure copy of John Steinbeck's Once There Was a War sadly didn't pick up on any results.

However, the bigger takeaway we found from Bing Vision wasn't the core functionality or how accurate it was. Instead we were most impressed by the new Bing 'quick card' feature. All of the results in each image above are all part of Bing's own database, and tapping on the top few results brings up a ton of information about the product. We tested this with the PlayStation One copy of Tekken 3 and were shocked by the truckloads of details the quick card result included.

In the About pivot alone the card showed: the cover art, the average price, a short description, the video game console, the overall rating, the graphics rating, the sound rating, the enjoyment rating, the replay value rating, the documentation rating, the ESRB rating, the genre, the game's style, themes, original release date, the developer, the publisher, control input method, what's included in the package, the UPC, what hardware is supported, languages supported, release country of this copy, tech support contacts, and a basic overview of the game's controls. All of this for a game released 13 years ago on a gaming console that has already seen two successors. Plus many other games, DVDs, CDs also include the same amount of information. Besides the About pivot, there's the Reviews pivot which beams in critiques from users and press, and finally the Prices pivot which shows a collection of well-known online stores (Amazon) as well as more obscure ones (vpgames.com).

In the end, has Bing Vision passed the Garage Sale test? We'd say yes...by a lot. Not only is the scanning procedure easy, fast and simple you're also getting a huge amount of information within seconds. If that's not a killer feature then we don't know what is.

15.25 | 0 komentar | Read More

Transparent wallpapers broken in Mango?

The single coolest hidden feature of Windows Phone is undoubtedly the transparent wallpaper trick. The result is a unique effect when used well and a totally gimmicky feature to show off to your friends. We recently took our own custom-made transparent wallpaper for the site and put it on Mango to get that slick look again. Unfortunately though, it appears the transparent wallpapers have run into some major conflicts with Mango's new lock screen.

As you can see in the photo above, when the picture idles on the lock screen (left) the image is garbled with repeating segments and an already active transparent layer. But if you hold the screen with your finger (right) the image clears up, continues to use the transparency and works as it should. Just to prove that it's not just our wallpaper, we also tested out one of 1800PocketPC's awesome Transformers wallpapers and received the same result. You can see that photo past the break.

What is causing this change in behavior? Our best guess is that it's related to the context-sensitive Zune player controls that pop up on the lock screen whenever you've played a song or podcast. It looks like Microsoft did some background work on the lock screen and when combined with the transparent wallpaper, the result is what you see above. This is extremely disappointing to see, and we sincerely hope Microsoft is working on a method to fix this. However minor of a feature it may be, it's still one of the few cool customization options users have with Windows Phone--a little goes a long way!

14.24 | 0 komentar | Read More

Mango update dramatically improves storage memory speed

So we know that Mango is a significant improvement in performance based by feel, but how does it perform in raw numbers? MobileTechWorld took their Mango beta-infused Omnia 7 under the microscope with performance benchmark app WP Bench to answer just that question. The biggest surprise was a significant boost in the storage memory access speed, which leaped up from 3.82 MB/s in NoDo to a whopping 13.07 MB/s in the beta. We're suspicious of that 13.07 MB/s number because as you can see in the above picture that's the same number the memory speed test achieved, which makes us believe WP Bench may need a Mango update in order to properly gauge hardware performance. But then again, they ran another test with a larger file and received similar performance for storage speed and a higher result memory, so maybe it's just a coincidence. Either way, we know Mango includes speed boosts anyway so it's safe to say we won't be losing sleep over these numbers.

Source: MobileTechWorld

09.30 | 0 komentar | Read More

ZTE Mango phone spotted in the wild, white skin changed to throw off trackers

Mangoes are getting more popular in Asia by the second, with word on the Fujitsu IS12T Windows Phone making the rounds over the past couple of days. Now we're finally receiving more info on another device, this time the ZTE Mango phone which has leaked in new photos. The source of the photos is actually a legitimate one, coming from the Weibo account of General Manager of Mobile Communications at ZTE himself, Dr. Luo Zhong Sheng. As you can probably tell, this version looks noticeably different than the one Microsoft flaunted at WPC 2011 featuring a fresh coat of white paint, a ZTE logo replacing the front Windows Phone logo, and a clear shot at what's most likely the proximity sensor (seems too small for a camera). Besides that not much else is known at the moment, but there is one more scandalous blurry photo after the break.

Via: LiveSide.net
Source: Weibo

14.20 | 0 komentar | Read More

Fujitsu Windows Phone launching in August in Japan, first Mango device to hit the market?

It seems the most talk coming out of Microsoft's surprise unveiling of future Windows Phones powered by Mango has surprisingly centered around the waterproof hot-pink Fujitsu. Yesterday we discovered the device is reusing a similar shell as the Android-powered Regza T-01C handset and now today we've received the device's model number and possible release date, becoming what could be the first second-generation Windows Phone.

Yes, Japanese carrier KDDI seems to have announced the upcoming release of the network's first Metro-lovin' phone in the Fujitsu IS12T and a late August timeframe for its launch. Unfortunately, that's all the carrier has announced likely respecting the manufacturer's plans to unveil the device on its own terms. It looks like rumors of Microsoft launching Mango devices in time for September may just come true after all.

Via: PocketNow
Source: Nanapho.jp

08.40 | 0 komentar | Read More

Fujitsu Windows Phone based on Android-powered Regza?

Well it appears some people still want to recycle old hardware for new phones with different software. In the past HTC has been the one most accused of this practice, but judging from that crop of teased Mango phones it appears the practice is still in full force among other OEMs too.

Now it's been revealed that the mysterious waterproof Fujitsu Windows Phone isn't so mysterious after all, almost identical to the company's own Regza T-01C. The Regza T-01C is powered by Android and features some headlining-qualitites for a smartphone: 12.2 megapixel camera, 4-inch LCD, NFC support, DLNA support, MicroSDHC support, and can go up to 1 meter underwater.

If any of those hardware features make the transition over to its Windows Phone cousin, it could be worth the wait for some. However it's become a disturbing trend lately how manufacturers are willing to commit to Windows Phone but only contribute the bare minimum. Hopefully Nokia is going to shake things up this Fall.

Via: LiveSide
Source: Nanapho.jp

11.49 | 0 komentar | Read More

Rumor: Mango phones to be released by September?

Winners of Microsoft's Imagine Cup 2011 contest are lucky...very lucky. Apparently the finalists are all going to be awarded with Mango-powered production phones from Microsoft for their talent. That's a pretty sweet deal for them and we're insanely jealous, Microsoft may have let some crucial release info slip by making this announcement. According to a tweet from the official Twitter account for Imagine Cup:

#ImagineCup finalists ALL receive Windows Phone 7.5 Mango release! Each student will get the phone by September!

Hmm...September, eh? Sounds reasonable to us. That would be the perfect time for Microsoft to unleash the second generation of Windows Phones--but they could be going head-to-head with the rumored iPhone 5. Oh and if you're skeptical and think we're reading too much into this, try reading the tweet for yourself here.

...yes, it's been deleted and yes we forgive you in advance for questioning our wisdom. We know, those previewed Windows Phones are too good to be true but it looks like they are and they're likely heading you're way by September.

Via: PocketNow
Source: Twitter (@imaginecup)

23.00 | 0 komentar | Read More

Teased ZTE device reveals new Windows Phone branding

It looks like those leaked phones from yesterday have brought about a decent amount of information, despite some mild controversy. We actually noticed this late yesterday when we were wrapping up our in-depth video analysis, but Nanapho.jp also just took note of the new branding so we figured we'd mention it now. As you can see in our first screenshot above, sitting just below the earpiece on the front of the ZTE phone there is a new Windows Phone logo. It's not dramatically different, but the biggest change is certainly the now square Windows logo instead of the old circular one. That actually makes a lot more sense for the platform too, considering how heavily promoted the tiles are. There's one more picture of the back of the ZTE phone with the same branding after the break.

What do you think about this minor logo nip-tuck? Better or worse?

Via: Nanapho.jp, WMPU

13.54 | 0 komentar | Read More

Microsoft wasn't authorized to show teased Windows Phones, damage already done

Yesterday if you read the site, you'd know we were among the first sites to break news on the surprise reveal of four new Mango-powered phones from Acer, Fujitsu, Samsung and ZTE that are presumably on their way with the rest of the second wave handsets. Later in the day we analyzed the video more in-depth and spotted a few goodies while giving impressions, and to say we're excited about the future of Windows Phone hardware is beyond an understatement. Well it turns out the manufacturers also found it to be a surprise, as we've now heard from a few sources saying Microsoft is attempting to silence coverage on the "leak".

WinRumor's Tom Warren and WPCentral's Daniel Rubino both mentioned via their Twitter account last night that Microsoft wasn't exactly clear to fly when it showed off the four Mango-lovin' phones on the horizon. So far we haven't heard any complaints from Microsoft, but that may just be because we're a tiny tiny tiny enthusiast site without the real pull of anything more legitimate like WinRumors and WPCentral. Still, it's funny to think manufacturers can control the leak since it came from an official source and has already reached major tech publications. It's also interesting that Microsoft went ahead with the reveal when it's clear they didn't have the go-ahead. Perhaps Microsoft was too excited and wanted something to show at their Worldwide Partners Conference, but it was more likely a miscommunication between them and the OEMs.

We wonder if we'll get slapped with a request soon considering we did that whole in-depth thing. Stay tuned for the unexciting legal conclusion shortly!

Source: Twitter (@tomwarren) (@malatesta77)

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A Detailed Look at Revealed Windows Phones

After breaking the story earlier today, we've been closely scrutinizing the video from WPC 2011 in which new Windows Phones were revealed. Our best look was at the mysterious Samsung Windows Phone which got a nice close-up shot as it was being gloated about. We also got a few good shots of the Fujitsu and the ZTE. So we carefully took a few screenshots and did our best with them to figure out exactly what these devices could be like. Join us past the break for an in-depth look at what to expect from tomrrow's phones today!

The first image is one that shows just how thin the device is. Doing a quick duplicate-what-he-was-doing-by-using-a-mirror test, this Mango device appears to be thinner than the Samsung Focus. That's hardly a surprise if this phone really does turn out to be a replica of the Galaxy S II, which measures 8.7mm at its thinnest point.

This second shot shows the Samsung device being held up near the other three devices from a wider angle. Assuming that the Samsung is roughly the same distance away from the camera as the others, it appears that the device has the largest screen. Once again if rumors come true, the display will likely be the same 4.3-inch Super AMOLED Plus from its Android cousin.

The next device is the Acer handset and we've photoshopped the dummy picture of the Acer W4 alongside it. When we first saw the device we just assumed it was the W4, but after comparing the two it's possible they are different--the model shown today appears less rounded at the top and bottom Or it's likely the design has changed since the W4 appeared as a fake model. The phone still appears plasticky to the touch and therefore a little cheap meaning this could very well be a midrange handset. We won't know until we get a peek at what's under the hood.

Then there's the Fujitsu device, which looks like the most plastic anyone could ever fit onto a smartphone. Still, it's touted as being waterproof and seems to be a quite lean device, so they could have done worse. The device itself is a rectangular slab that looks pretty similar to the Nokia N8 to us. That's all we know at the moment about this one.

Finally, moving on to the ZTE handset, we can see that it's a fair bit chubbier than the other phones but the quality of materials seems better. The back appears to be soft touch while the sides look like aluminium or at least coated plastic. We really do like the overall look of the device, except for the over eager Windows Phone branding on front and back.

Are you excited about any of these phones? Personally we're extremely excited to see the new Samsung device, but the ZTE handset doesn't look too shabby either. Tell us your picks in the comments below!

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