Topic: Software

Image Gallery: 90 images of Microsoft Windows Phone 7 Technical Preview

Summary: Microsoft reached a major milestone with development of Windows Phone 7 and has devices loaded with the Technical Preview that will be sent to thousands of developers. We have one of these in hand and it is performing near flawlessly at this time, which is a good sign of things to come from Microsoft as they get back in the game. Windows Phone 7 has a rather unique user interface and is designed to help you work better without focusing on the individual application approach seen on the iPhone. Check out the 8 page article and 6 videos that go with this image gallery, Definitive Guide to the Windows Phone 7 Technical Preview.

By Matthew Miller | July 18, 2010 -- 23:20 GMT (16:20 PDT)

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Topics: Software, Microsoft, Mobility, Operating Systems, Smartphones, Windows

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Not Impressed One Bit

You'd think Microsoft would try and go away from the clunky interface that only someone with a sub-80 IQ would appreciate.

Ron Burgundy
19 July, 2010 08:34

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- RE: Image Gallery: 90 images of Microsoft Windows Phone 7 Technical Preview
 
 @Ron Burgundy
 Still not as dumbed down as the iPhone. Which is about as dumbed down as a crowbar.
 
 rreed87139
 19 July, 2010 15:19
 
 Reply Vote
- RE: Image Gallery: 90 images of Microsoft Windows Phone 7 Technical Preview
 
 @Ron Burgundy
 I like the interface, and my IQ is in the upper 1%. For MS haters, that is one step beyond Mensa (of which I am a member).
 
 MSBassSinger
 19 July, 2010 16:12
 
 Reply Vote
 - BULLSH1T!!!
 
 @MSBassSinger #1 if you're IQ is in the upper 1%, that doesn't put "one step beyond" Mensa...that just qualifies you to be in Mensa. Unless Mensa has a secret division within reservered only for the top 1%? what's the name of that secret society...WOmensa? (Ba-dump Ching!) #2 Someone with that high of intelligence wouldn't need to qualify their comment by touting "how smart they are" #3 Someone with that high of intelligence wouldn't be posting comments here, at this website #4 It's pretty obvious Ron Burgundy was trolling there...if you represent our top 1%, God help us.
 
 SonofaSailor
 23 July, 2010 18:56
 
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- RE: Image Gallery: 90 images of Microsoft Windows Phone 7 Technical Preview
 
 @Ron Burgundy I thought the purpose of Windows 7 phone and iPhone were to do away with all the crap of constant sub menus ala Android. I hate my Android phone. The move is towards simplicity and ease. For those that insist on driving down the street while playing with their phones, it may absorb less of their attention and save a life lol...
 
 The IQ comment was childish and immature.
 
 mlbslugger
 30 September, 2010 14:44
 
 Reply Vote
 - RE: Image Gallery: 90 images of Microsoft Windows Phone 7 Technical Preview
 
 @mlbslugger Menu's and submenu's???? What kind of Android do you have? I've got the Droid, so without any custom "skin". But no long or deep menu listings at all. Agenda in the center. Most used apps on the home screen, can't be easier I would say. I must admit, it's not pretty, but it works very well! The strength of Android is the way the apps work together, from yellow pages you can call a store, or navigate to it with just two taps on the screen. They're pretty efficient. They're even better integrated than on the iphone. We can hope that WP7 is indeed as competitive, the more competition the better. For many people, the iphone is too expensive. At this moment, Android basically is the only serious smartphone OS that also runs on cheaper hardware. Symbian and MS previous mobile systems are totally out of date, so we really need another strong player. Hopefully WP7 can make a difference. These first photo's don't really have a WOW effect on me to be honest. The menu interface is simply ugly, it's antisymmetric setup, the rough looks. But if MS finally has it well integrated and came up with a fast system, I don't care what it looks like. Howevert MS really should replace mr. Ballmer. His bold manners are hurting Microsoft's reputation big time. They have already more than enough MS haters.
 
 elteck
 3 October, 2010 23:54
 
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- RE: Image Gallery: 90 images of Microsoft Windows Phone 7 Technical Preview
 
 @Ron Burgundy Your funny... your avatar is pretty accurate then, so I'm wondering why you don't appreciate it then.
 
 ItsTheBottomLine
 30 September, 2010 15:00
 
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RE: Image Gallery: 90 images of Microsoft Windows Phone 7 Technical Preview

@Ron Burgundy If they made the interface so that it required a 100 IQ or better to operate, that would eliminate 1/2 the world's population as customers.

Less intelligent people appreciate "clunky interfaces"???

bathswana
19 July, 2010 11:33

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Cricket... Cricket

I think this thing will be DOA like the Kin. I don't see it competing with the Droid X, HTC, or IP4. While simple, the interface looks primative. Windows Mobile was much more elegant than this. Maybe WM was just ahead of it's time. Apart from needing a stylus, it was a great little mobile OS.

svk4u2c
19 July, 2010 12:16

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- RE: Image Gallery: 90 images of Microsoft Windows Phone 7 Technical Preview
  
  @svk4u2c
  My friends with Androids and iPhones already envy some of the capabilities of my Windows Phone 6.5.
  
  MSBassSinger
  19 July, 2010 16:14
  
  Reply Vote
  - Hilarious, MSBassSinger!
    
    @MSBassSinger I guess from your cool name we can figure out your bias! And I really think you need to actually talk to friends with iPhones to find out what they think. Maybe your WinPhone has the capability to act like a 2007 Zune!
    
    mrmacGregor
    21 July, 2010 15:50
    
    Reply Vote
RE: Image Gallery: 90 images of Microsoft Windows Phone 7 Technical Preview

Thats one ugly interface. Hope the non-preview when its finished does a whole lot to clean it up.

toucan murphy
19 July, 2010 12:53

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- RE: Image Gallery: 90 images of Microsoft Windows Phone 7 Technical Preview
  
  @toucan murphy
  It's not a locked up dumbed down iPhone so you'll be able to customize the view I'm sure.
  
  rreed87139
  19 July, 2010 15:15
  
  Reply Vote
RE: Image Gallery: 90 images of Microsoft Windows Phone 7 Technical Preview

I don't have a need for a smartphone anymore, but I'm kinda sorry I don't. This will be the new smartphone paradigm! If Microsoft delivers as planned, by New Years people will be saying: iwho? and iwhat? Also, the HTC and Droid iterations are in for a whopping a-kicking.

eargasm
19 July, 2010 12:55

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- RE: Image Gallery: 90 images of Microsoft Windows Phone 7 Technical Preview
  
  @windozefreak Come on, do you REALLY believe that by New Years people will be saying iwho and iwhat? Really?
  
  mridgesc
  19 July, 2010 19:32
  
  Reply Vote
RE: Image Gallery: 90 images of Microsoft Windows Phone 7 Technical Preview

Bing navigation has voice-enabled turn-by-turn directions. I hope this capability is enabled on WP7 at release because I sure need it for my spontaneous travels for work, etc.

techiegz@...
19 July, 2010 15:59

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RE: Image Gallery: 90 images of Microsoft Windows Phone 7 Technical Preview

all i see is a waste of screen estate. look at the top main screen, look at the top and right hand side, a blank strip with a clock and an arrow on top, and several blocks of widget on the rest of the screen. A 800 x 480 resolution becomes 700 x 360, at most.

cdcooker
19 July, 2010 20:41

Reply Vote
This is a non-apple alternative that isn't a "Free-for-all"

Let's face it, IPhone isn't bad. In fact, there are a lot of nice things about the phone. But, its a dumbed-down, closed environment. Heck, you can't even develop for the IPhone without a Mac anymore. that wouldn't be so bad, but Macs are expensive. Most people have a PC.

So, out comes the WP7. Why would they bother? Well, one thing it does is media really well (which the Android systems don't). Its also very easy to use. In addition, unlike Android and IPhone, which require learning a new language basically to code for it (Android has Java, but the UI XML is all new), WP7 is just Silverlight-like and XNA. There are millions of developers who can just download a free dev envrionment and go nuts. They wouldn't buy a Mac just to do this, nor learn a new language.

Finally, for devs, its an easy marketplace to be found it. Try looking at more than 300 apps on your IPhone... unless you know what you're looking for you can't really see more than that by browsing. But the WP7 has an awesome way to search the app store (it uses a Bing-like search for apps). Android has this as well, but its not easy to use (your mother doesn't want an Android).

I don't think people will forget about IPhone or Android, but given the two options, WP7 makes a great middle choice. And, if you ask any marketing pro, you'll know that all things considered, the middle choice is often what people take.

A Gray
19 July, 2010 22:15

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- RE: Image Gallery: 90 images of Microsoft Windows Phone 7 Technical Preview
  
  @A Gray
  
  The intentional market for the Win Phone is not the developers but regular users... This UI is ugly as sin.
  
  minardi
  23 July, 2010 11:03
  
  Reply Vote
RE: Image Gallery: 90 images of Microsoft Windows Phone 7 Technical Preview

let a phone be a phone and a compooper a compooper.
it just so happens that they may all fall under the "mobile device" category. in our search for 'ease of use,' life had just been awarded with more complications.

jester.lvph
20 July, 2010 23:17

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