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Microsoft just planted a massive flag in the ground with the debut of Windows Phone 7 Series. The company's new mobile operating system is a radical and potent departure from the past, and there's a lot to take in -- so we've gathered together all our knowledge and impressions of the device so far and rolled them into a single, concise guide. Of course, there will be plenty more to learn in the coming months, and we're going to be beating down Redmond's door for more details on this thing, but for now let's dive into what Microsoft has revealed so far about its latest and (potentially) greatest phone operating systemWindows Phone 7 Series is the successor to Microsoft's line of Windows Mobile phone operating systems. It's based on the Windows CE 6 kernel, like the Zune HD, while current versions of Windows Mobile are based on Windows CE 5. Microsoft announced the new OS at Mobile World Congress 2010 in Barcelona, and says that the first handsets to run it are supposed to be released by the holiday shopping season of this year.
The visual and underlying differences in the operating system are almost too numerous to mention, including a completely (and we do mean completely) upended user interface, an emphasis on finger-based touchscreen input, deep social networking integration, fully branded and expansive Zune and Xbox components, and extremely strict hardware requirements for partners. A couple familiar touchstones from the past include plans for Outlook and Office support, as well as licensing to a wide variety of third party hardware vendors -- despite the name change, Microsoft still isn't building any phones itselfPart of what makes Windows Phone 7 Series a departure for Microsoft is that the company is taking a much bigger role in dictating what hardware is allowed to run the OS. While we still haven't seen an actual device produced by a manufacturer for retail (the demo unit being shown off is a prototype slab allegedly made by Garmin-Asus, but not a device that might ever come to market), Microsoft has a very clear picture of what they want these units to be built like. Still, while the company is laying down the ground rules in an attempt to create a more consistent experience across phones, it doesn't mean there won't be variety. You'll see variation in devices (yes, some with and some without a keyboard), but there will be a much more steady tone in the nature of Windows Phone 7 Series handsets. Here's a look at some of the minimum specs detailed to us thus far:
As we said, Microsoft is showing the OS off on unbranded prototype hardware. It's a simplistic slate phone with a 3.7-inch capacitive touchscreen, what appears to be a front-facing camera (a point we haven't heard the company sound off on yet)... and not much else. We still have plenty of unanswered questions on hardware, not just about that camera, but storage specs, whether or not we'll be able to use microSD or some form of removable storage, and how we'll go about connecting these devices to our laptops
well, a Chinese firm claims that Apple stole the ipad design and name. A number of company's already carry products called ipad. Now a tiny electronics company in southern China is claiming that Apple didn’t steal just the name of its product, but also its design. Wu Xiaolong, executive director of Shenzhen Great Loong Industrial, says that last July, his company released a tablet computer called the P88. “Anyone who sees the P88 will realize the iPad looks exactly the same,” he said. “We talked to a lawyer and we’re preparing material for a lawsuit.” The P88 and the Apple ipad are nearly identical, but the P88 runs Window's 7 unlike the apple ipad.In challenging Apple, Great Loong is trying to take a page from the playbook of America’s technology giants, which for years have complained about how small electronics firms in southern China clone the look — and sometimes other components and features — of branded goods, including the iPhone, Nokia cellphones and Dell computers. Some of these cheap knockoffs — called shanzhai goods — are popular in rural areas of China because they look like the real thing but cost significantly less. Reference: New York Post
Hey Guys!
Introducing Project Natal, a revolutionary new way to play: no controller required. See a ball? Kick it, hit it, trap it or catch it. If you know how to move your hands, shake your hips or speak you and your friends can jump into the fun -- the only experience needed is life experience. Yes gamers, this is what you think it is. It's a controller free game system, almost virtual reality. Microsoft (creator of the xbox line) unveiled natal in June 2009 at the E3 games industry expo in Los Angeles.A player standing anywhere between 0.8 and 4 metres from Natal is illuminated with infrared light. A monochrome video camera records how much of that light they reflect, using the brightness of the signal to approximate their distance from the device and capture their movements in 3D.This means Natal doesn't require users to wear markers on their body - unlike the technology used by movie studios to animate CGI figuresMotion capture normally requires massive processing power, and paring down the software to run on an everyday games console was a serious challenge, says Natal's lead developer, Alex Kipman. "Natal has to work on the existing hardware without taking too much hardware processing away from the games developers." Natal, a small box that sits on top of an xbox 360, should come on sale late 210. Soon, Microsoft wants to put this technology in computers. Imagine what that would be like. Wow! You can read more at the xbox natal main page here http://www.xbox.com/en-US/live/projectnatal/ If you're interested in more about how the natal works, you can go here
You Are the Controller.
