A Short Windows Phone 7 Review (on a mac site)

[*LTD*]

Wirelessly posted (Mozilla/5.0 (iPad; U; CPU OS 4_2 like Mac OS X; en) AppleWebKit/533.17.9 (KHTML, like Gecko) Version/5.0.2 Mobile/8C134b Safari/6533.18.5)

The icing on the cake was them having to buy off developers from Apple's platform. Because successful developers obviously didn't want to be involved with a loser. When you can't attract them with the strength of your product, throw money at them.

You mean like when Apple arranged iFund to get developers to start making software for iPhone?

http://www.usatoday.com/tech/techinvestor/2010-09-16-ifund16_CV_N.htm

http://www.tuaw.com/2011/05/05/microsoft-makes-appeal-to-ios-developers/

Huge difference. Remember, this is MS. When they're in the same segment as Apple these days, it's all about making appeals to Apple's base of human capital. This is standard practice for MS. Since once again, they see that barely anyone cares about their late, redundant, uninspired offering. This is what happens when Ballmer laughs his ass off and then buries his head in the sand for several years.

Apple nurtures human capital to support the upcoming app boom in 2008. MS pinches off and pushes out their own me-too device four years later when all the seats are taken by Google and Apple. All MS is getting are table scraps and they're absolutely, positively ******** their pants.

It's a vastly different situation. If MS knows anything (aside from wasting their money along with everyone else's) it's how to act desperate while being completely oblivious to what it does to their image.

Here's their latest disaster-in-the-making:

http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2011-...iple-versions-of-next-windows-intel-says.html

 

[neiltc13]

You didn't explain why you think Microsoft offering financial incentives to developers is different to Apple offering financial incentives to developers. All you've done is post more unrelated negativity about Microsoft and Steve Ballmer.

 

[*LTD*]

Wirelessly posted (Mozilla/5.0 (iPad; U; CPU OS 4_2 like Mac OS X; en) AppleWebKit/533.17.9 (KHTML, like Gecko) Version/5.0.2 Mobile/8C134b Safari/6533.18.5)

You didn't explain why you think Microsoft offering financial incentives to developers is different to Apple offering financial incentives to developers. All you've done is post more unrelated negativity about Microsoft and Steve Ballmer.

MS is actively (and has always been) courting iOS developers. Shamelessly, unabashedly. The reasons for this particular tactic are explained above. They did it with the Zune, now they're doing it with Windows Phone 2007.

 

[neiltc13]

Wirelessly posted (Mozilla/5.0 (iPad; U; CPU OS 4_2 like Mac OS X; en) AppleWebKit/533.17.9 (KHTML, like Gecko) Version/5.0.2 Mobile/8C134b Safari/6533.18.5)

MS is actively (and has always been) courting iOS developers. Shamelessly, unabashedly. The reasons for this particular tactic are explained above. They did it with the Zune, now they're doing it with Windows Phone 2007.

Still waiting...

But anyway, it looks like something has gained the interest of big name software developers. Microsoft recently announced that these apps are coming to Windows Phone 7 soon:

• Skype
• Spotify
• Angry Birds
• Doodle Jump
• Sonic The Hedgehog 4: Episode 1
• Plants vs Zombies

Bank of America, USA Today, Groupon and Home Depot have all recently launched apps for Windows Phone 7.

 

[roadbloc]

Wirelessly posted (Mozilla/5.0 (iPad; U; CPU OS 4_2 like Mac OS X; en) AppleWebKit/533.17.9 (KHTML, like Gecko) Version/5.0.2 Mobile/8C134b Safari/6533.18.5)



MS is actively (and has always been) courting iOS developers. Shamelessly, unabashedly. The reasons for this particular tactic are explained above. They did it with the Zune, now they're doing it with Windows Phone 2007.

What are you on? Microsoft have been doing nothing of the sort. The boom of WinPhone7 Apps will come in 2012, if the Nokia-MS partnership pays off. Which it most probably will. Nokia have yet to have a failure, and whereas it is true they have lacked vision in the past few years, their products are still solid as ever and are still a reliable and trusted brand.

Anyway, I digressed. I think that is one of the most laughable comments you've made in a while *LTD*.

 

[wrexual]

Browser support

Hi, any chance you can tell me how well the native browser goes with HTML5 sites?

Can you test how it goes with http://www.html5test.com?

 

[neiltc13]

Hi, any chance you can tell me how well the native browser goes with HTML5 sites?

Can you test how it goes with http://www.html5test.com?

Not well at all as it's based on a combination of Internet Explorer 7 and Internet Explorer 8.

They are adding Internet Explorer 9 features (including HTML5 rendering) in the forthcoming "Mango" update.

 

[Unprocessed1]

Played around with an HTC Trophy today at a Verizon store.

I have 2 upgrades to burn and although I love the phone, I would prefer a bigger and better screen and more future-proof hardware. I'm just concerned that VZW won't get new WP7 hardware until 2012, so I have a tough choice to make. If the free 4G phones deal on Amazon tomorrow comes to fruition, I might just get a Thunderbolt and then use the other upgrade on a Mango phone with better camera, screen and 4G.

In my opinion, the Trophy should be $50 on a 2 year contract, $150 is kind of ridiculous, but the $100 price on Amazon is at least reasonable.

The one thing that is a bit annoying with WP7 is how the keyboard size is limited by the icons on the side, would be nicer to have it take the full length of the screen and be and centered.

 

[neiltc13]

Played around with an HTC Trophy today at a Verizon store.

I have 2 upgrades to burn and although I love the phone, I would prefer a bigger and better screen and more future-proof hardware. I'm just concerned that VZW won't get new WP7 hardware until 2012, so I have a tough choice to make. If the free 4G phones deal on Amazon tomorrow comes to fruition, I might just get a Thunderbolt and then use the other upgrade on a Mango phone with better camera, screen and 4G.

In my opinion, the Trophy should be $50 on a 2 year contract, $150 is kind of ridiculous, but the $100 price on Amazon is at least reasonable.

The one thing that is a bit annoying with WP7 is how the keyboard size is limited by the icons on the side, would be nicer to have it take the full length of the screen and be and centered.

Did you try the Samsung Focus? I have the similar European version (Omnia 7) and the screen is incredible. The black levels are like nothing I've ever seen on any display of any size and it is a good resolution too.

 

[SevenInchScrew]

Did you try the Samsung Focus? I have the similar European version (Omnia 7) and the screen is incredible. The black levels are like nothing I've ever seen on any display of any size and it is a good resolution too.

SAMOLED is amazing. Once you see it, you can never go back to LCD. My Captivate's screen has certainly spoiled me as well. The Focus is my fav of the WP7 devices solely for that reason.

 

[Unprocessed1]

I agree on the color contrast - the AMOLED screen is perfect for WP7 in particular.

I'm locked in on Verizon, so unfortunately the Trophy is my only option.

My dream WP7 would be dual core, 4.0-4.3" Super AMOLED plus screen (would obviously have to be Samsung), 8.0+MP camera w/ 1080p recording, and 4G.

I think it's pretty much guaranteed phones like this will be on the GSM carriers in time for the Mango release in September - unfortunately I think there's a solid chance VZW won't get another WP7 until the holidays or early 2012.

Did you try the Samsung Focus? I have the similar European version (Omnia 7) and the screen is incredible. The black levels are like nothing I've ever seen on any display of any size and it is a good resolution too.

 

[SevenInchScrew]

My dream WP7 would be dual core, 4.0-4.3" Super AMOLED plus screen (would obviously have to be Samsung), 8.0+MP camera w/ 1080p recording, and 4G.

Yea, I mentioned in another thread that, if Samsung made a WP7 device using Galaxy SII hardware (or very similar) I would be in heaven.

 

[KingCrimson]

How does Super AMOLED compare to Retina Display?

 

[TheSideshow]

How does Super AMOLED compare to Retina Display?

Super AMOLED will have better contrast and blacker blacks than the Retina but will have a more pixelated (Due to the pentile matrix) look. The Super AMOLED Plus fixes the issue and will be better in all respects than the retina besides raw PPI.

 

[SevenInchScrew]

How does Super AMOLED compare to Retina Display?

In my opinion, SAMOLED+ is better. Apple's display has more resolution, but SAMOLED+ has better color saturation, better viewing angles, great outdoor viewing, actual black, etc. Plus, they are much larger (4.3" - 4.5"). To me, the 3.5" display on the iPhone is too small. It was fine in 2007, but not in 2011. Personally, I'll take all of those positives of SAMOLED+ over sheer resolution and ppi numbers with the Apple display any day.

Super AMOLED will have better contrast and blacker blacks than the Retina but will have a more pixelated (Due to the pentile matrix) look. The Super AMOLED Plus will be better in all respects than the retina besides raw PPI.

The pentile matrix was on the original SAMOLED screens (Galaxy S, WP7 Focus, etc). The newer SAMOLED+ screens use a standard RGB matrix (Galaxy SII, Droid Charge, Infuse, etc).

Here is a YT video I found comparing the new Galaxy SII's SAMOLED+ screen to the iPhone 4's Retina, as well as the old Motorola Droid/Milestone's regular LCD....

 

[TheSideshow]

In my opinion, SAMOLED+ is better. Apple's display has more resolution, but SAMOLED+ has better color saturation, better viewing angles, great outdoor viewing, actual black, etc. Plus, they are much larger (4.3" - 4.5"). To me, the 3.5" display on the iPhone is too small. It was fine in 2007, but not in 2011. Personally, I'll take all of those positives of SAMOLED+ over sheer resolution and ppi numbers with the Apple display any day.

The pentile matrix was on the original SAMOLED screens (Galaxy S, WP7 Focus, etc). The newer SAMOLED+ screens use a standard RGB matrix (Galaxy SII, Droid Charge, Infuse, etc).

Here is a YT video I found comparing the new Galaxy SII's SAMOLED+ screen to the iPhone 4's Retina, as well as the old Motorola Droid/Milestone's regular LCD....

YouTube: video

Yeah, I guess I wasnt explicit that the pentile matrix is on AMOLED and SAMOLED. The Plus aimed to fix that issue.

 

[neiltc13]

I'm locked in on Verizon, so unfortunately the Trophy is my only option.

Huh? If your contract is over, why can't you switch to another network?

 

[Rodimus Prime]

Huh? If your contract is over, why can't you switch to another network?

Remember upgrades come a few months before the end of the contract and there could be family plan issues as well. I know with my family on AT&T it is pretty jacked up with our upgrades scattered over a 2 years.