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Topic: Mobility

Windows Phone 7 reaches major RTM milestone

Summary: Microsoft just announced that Windows Phone 7 has now reached the RTM milestone and is moving quickly towards retail availability this holiday season.

Matthew Miller

By for Smartphones and Cell Phones |

As you know I had the chance to spend a couple of weeks with Windows Phone 7 and already have my cash set aside to buy a T-Mobile Windows Phone 7 device as soon as one is available. That may be coming soon now that we hear that Windows Phone 7 has been released to manufacturing (RTM). The RTM is a big step for Microsoft and now the OS is in the final steps with their partners' hardware, software, and networks. Their holiday 2010 availability goal looks to be on target with some rumors stating we could see devices in late September or October.

As Terry states in the blog post, Windows Phone 7 is their most tested mobile platform and as I can confirm it was rock solid in the Technical Preview stage. A couple new features we now see added are:

  • The option to filter your contacts based on their sources (e.g., you don’t have to see all of your Facebook contacts if you don’t want to).
  • The ability to "like" Facebook posts from the People Hub and the ability to quickly post a message to a Facebook wall.

It is great to see that Microsoft listened to feedback about Facebook contacts littering the device and pretty amazing that they were able to take action to improve this experience so quickly. My enthusiasm and hope for the platform increases when I see responses like this and I look forward to getting my hands on a release device.

Topics: Mobility, Microsoft, Operating Systems, Software, Windows, Social Enterprise

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  • RE: Windows Phone 7 reaches major RTM milestone

    I just jumped the windows phone platform for the first time since i got my iPaq 6315, and got a Driod X. Microsoft still has the best voice command/notification software but other than wishing for MS Voice Command features on my Driod X i am not looking back.

    As someone who commutes everyday to work by bike, Pandora+Cardio Trainer+Cy-FI handsfree speakerphone for the bike+720p video recording of the rides would never be remotely possible on a non multitasking os as phone 7 is purported to be.
    ploco@...
    Reply Vote

    • Multitasking issues

      @ploco@...,

      I think MS was trying to avoid the issues shown in <a href=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uAcvIqcpHrI>this video</a>. Some people contended that the video was disingenuous, because the demonstrator should have waited until the Android phone went through its start up routine. But <a href=http://pocketnow.com/android/android-fail-multitasking>wasn't the demonstrator making the point that trying to do several things at once (e.g. interacting with the phone while it is doing certain activities) can lead to poor user experiences</a>?

      My opinion is that unless MS has the Windows Phone 7 OS monitor application performance, and preemptively manage their behavior (such as throttling their resource use, or marking them so that they can no longer act in a multitasking manner), then I certainly don't believe MS should allow Windows Phone 7 to act any differently than it does so now. In fact, I think Windows Phone 7 should approach multitasking in the future, by doing things such as automatically profiling application behavior, and sending back data to developers about bad acting applications. I believe the OS should also make recommendations to users about what the it should do about these applications. E.g. ban the applications from multitasking, or disable them until their developers address their performance issues with an update.
      P. Douglas
      Reply Vote

      • RE: Windows Phone 7 reaches major RTM milestone

        @P. Douglas & ploco@<br><br>I've maintained since day one that M$ announced a lack of 3rd party MT support, because they want to do a better job than most phones and get MT right the first time. Generally, you have to be a fairly heavy smartphone user to use Pandora, despite its obvious appeal. This opinion is supported in large part by AT&T's decision to introduce different data usage plans, since SO MANY people we're NOT using all that much data. If you're using Pandora constantly, then you're probably in that minority of smartphone users that need the unlimited plan. Consequently, it plays in M$' favor to go conservative on this one, but I'll be the first to admit that copy/paste needs to be implemented ASAP. As such, for most people being able to listen to music with the Zune player and doing something other than talking on the phone, will be all the MT they'll need. Certainly, there are many other applications that can benefit from MT, but many mainstream smartphone users never use those types of applications. So, the heavy smartphone users are not the ones M$ is targeting in release 1.0, and they know that most of these iPhone / Android lovers would never move to Windows Phone even if the Obama came out and said it was his smartphone of choice and that he would support legislation to give them away as part of distributing rich peoples' wealth.
        jjworleyeoe
        Reply Vote

      • RE: Windows Phone 7 reaches major RTM milestone

        @P. Douglas
        This sounds like exactly what they should do, but since they arent doing it they arent giving us the freedom to operate with our phone in the manner we wish.

        Before my Driod X i had a Samsung Omnia (the orginal), i did almost everything i am doing with my Driod X does right now except for Pandora i used prerecorded mp3's and there was no equivalent to cardio trainer for my WM phone.

        I did get to bike, play music via my Cy-Fi and take a call when needed. However getting the Driod X now allowed me to use Cardio trainer when commuting, and add video recording of the rides, plus listen to Pandora while at work. I know you think that makes me an extreme power user, and to an extent it does, but there are a greater number of people who use smartphones that are starting to really take advantage of them. It seems like MS is targetting people looking to upgrade from flip phones but that may be a bad demographic to target. I am no marketing person but the people i know with flip phones either cant afford the data plans that the carriers have or have no use whatsoever for anything but a flip phone. Where those who have smartphones are starting to push the boundries of their phones more and more.

        My 2 cents that are propbably worth less than 1 cent =)
        ploco@...
        Reply Vote

    • RE: Windows Phone 7 reaches major RTM milestone

      @ploco@... There are a couple companies working on releasing voice command systems for the Droid I believe will be comparable to MS versions. The nice thing is that when these finally come out for the Droid at least some of them will be free, or nearly so. Such is not the case for the plethora of features offered by Droid that are not offered by WM7, those I would most assuredly have to pay for.
      Socratesfoot
      Reply Vote

  • RE: Windows Phone 7 reaches major RTM milestone

    I think it's great that Microsoft is coming out with another failure in the portable device market...from Kin to Zune, to Zune HD...it's one flop after another for the OS giant..
    cyberslammer
    Reply Vote

    • RE: Windows Phone 7 reaches major RTM milestone

      @cyberslammer

      I can't wait to dump my Droid Incredible and move to WP7. Scummy Google can shove it, I have had enough of their shenanigans. MS WP7 here I come.
      hopp64
      Reply Vote

      • I guess you slept through...

        @hopp64 <br><br>the MS shenanigans. I think so far, on balance, MS has a worse record than Google, by far. I guess open mindedness and objectivity are not your strong suits.
        Economister
        Reply Vote

      • RE: Windows Phone 7 reaches major RTM milestone

        @hopp64
        I agree. If the interface is as good as my Zune HD, I'll be there in line with you.
        batpox
        Reply Vote

      • RE: Windows Phone 7 reaches major RTM milestone

        @hopp64
        Right, and Microsoft is somehow better then Google?
        Zc456
        Reply Vote

      • I guess you can sleep .....

        @batpox The UI looks like the epic fail called KIN.
        wackoae
        Reply Vote

      • Hard to say .... but

        @Zc456 It is hard to say that Google is becoming worst than Microsoft .... but:<br><br>Microsoft NEVER uninstalled an application remotely without any warning or explanaition. They also don't remotely install applications (outside of auto-update, which is technically "kind-of" user permission) when they feel like .... just because. Google has done both with Android.<br><br>MS sucks .... but Google is becoming scarily evil.
        wackoae
        Reply Vote

      • RE: Windows Phone 7 reaches major RTM milestone

        @economister: Tell that to the tens of thousands of people who's WiFi traffic was captured and referenced to their WiFi Access Point's MAC addresses by drive-by Google street map cars.

        Google is a FAR bigger threat to your online safety than MS will ever be.
        De-Void
        Reply Vote

      • RE: Windows Phone 7 reaches major RTM milestone

        @Economister "I guess open mindedness and objectivity are not your strong suits. " Holy Cr@p batman did he really say that wow another fine pot and kettle moment for the lunchtime entertainment. Guys - who one the bet today?
        ItsTheBottomLine
        Reply Vote

    • RE: Windows Phone 7 reaches major RTM milestone

      @cyberslammer
      You should change your use name to cyberspammer
      illegaloperation
      Reply Vote

    • cyberslammer: Your sad attempts at trolling

      show a distinct lack of intelligence on your part.

      It would appear that the only "flop" here, is you.

      :|
      Tim Cook
      Reply Vote

    • I, for one, Cannot wait to see them

      @cyberslammer

      I will looking at WP7 phones as well. :-|
      The one and only, Cylon Centurion
      Reply Vote

  • Things certainly are looking great for MS!

    .
    P. Douglas
    Reply Vote

  • RE: Windows Phone 7 reaches major RTM milestone

    The Windows phone 7 has some great features that make it a good phone to buy. now Microsoft must fill the Radio and Television stations with adds showing it's strong points The bottom line now is People have to know it exists and what it can do for them. so they can make the decision to buy it. Failure to advertise it right means less phones will be sold. They must also continue to improve the phone.
    gregnewm7
    Reply Vote

  • It is interesting to see how people....

    are predicting both success and failure for WP7. As for me, I will make no prediction. MS has a LOT of cash and therefore a lot of staying power. IMHO, a failure in the smartphone market and therefore the larger form factor derivatives would probably spell disaster for MS in the long run. They frankly cannot afford to lose this one, but that does not mean they are going to win either.

    I will really enjoy watching the battle.
    Economister
    Reply Vote
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