Speaking of Windows Mobile… Windows Mobile 7

Eh, I don’t recall anyone officially saying Windows Mobile 7 would be out this year. All I’ve seen publicly are rumors and hearsay that X or Z manufacturer would be dropping a WinMo 7 Handset on certain dates. Those are all rumors and I don’t know why it’s any surprise to anyone what we see on Cnet this morning.

Microsoft has informed some of its partners that it has had to delay Windows Mobile 7, a much anticipated update to its cell phone operating system.

Although Microsoft has not publicly said when to expect Windows Mobile 7, partners who had expected to have a final release in their hands by early next year have been told now that it won’t be ready until the second half of next year, sources told CNET News.

The delay is a significant blow for the software maker, which has been counting on the next version of Windows Mobile to enable devices that better rival Apple’s iPhone. Among the features widely expected to be part of the release is advanced gesture recognition, perhaps along the lines of the iPhone, but possibly also using the camera as a means for reading gestures. Microsoft’s Tellme unit, which focuses on speech input, has also been working on Windows Mobile 7 features.

I mean we are just now seeing Windows Mobile 6.1 updates hit the streets.

Sure, people want to see Microsoft push out something that everyone thinks could compete with the slick Apple UI and the Android OS that will be powering the T-Mobile G1 hitting today.

I wish I could share more at this time, but don’t get upset. If Microsoft had announced Windows Mobile 7  to launch on a certain day officially and pushes it back, then you need to be angry. :)

Later Handango! Microsoft seems to be Getting in Gear!

I must admit Handango, you guys took some big step even before the "iTunes App Store" hit, but now it’s time for Microsoft to do their thing. No more gouging developers for more of a cut than it’s worth for them. No more gouging users with download protection fees. Well, no more from you. Maybe Microsoft makes some mistakes too, but at least they appear to be working on something. The quote below is a job posting for Microsoft. Perhaps some Handango folks should apply.

Job Title: Senior Product Manager - Skymarket
This is a unique opportunity and time of rapid change in the mobile industry for a Senior Product Manager in the Mobile Communications Services team to drive the launch of a v1 marketplace service for Windows Mobile.

Yes. This weekend, iStartedSomething posted some info about a possible Mobile Software Store for Windows Mobile powered devices. The info comes from a leaked HTC Powerpoint slide that indicate that this store (skymarket perhaps) and Windows Mobile 7 are coming early 2009. Woohoo! Of course this is just rumor, but Long Zheng has been pretty good with his info!

Source : iStartedSomething

Windows Mobile 7 Coming 1st Quarter 2009?

Apparently some HTC exec has loose lips and shared some info that called for Windows Mobile 7 devices to be out early 2009. Well, that doesn’t quite line up with what sites were saying when Windows Mobile 7 details were leaked a couple months ago. Those reports were talking mid to late 2009. What do we believe? Well, what we “want” to believe for sure. I want to believe that we’ll see Windows Mobile 7 that early.

“If you’re apt to believe it, supposedly a regional HTC GM by the name of Kevin Chen flapped his lips about the first Windows Mobile 7 devices launching in Q109 — so between six and nine months from now. We reached HTC, which had no (further) comment on the matter, but everything we’ve seen about 7 so far kind of leads us to believe that 7-based devices launching before next year’s Mobile World Congress sounds a bit premature, even if that doesn’t necessarily jibe with the MWg roadmap (which promised devices possibly even later this year).”

Let’s see… Not many devices even have Windows Mobile 6.1 yet, what makes folks believe that Windows Mobile 7 is coming that soon? I would just say, “Don’t get your hopes up”.

Source : PPCT

Android, WinMo 7 Devices in the Next 6 Months?

Meraj Chhaya over at PhoneReport had a very interesting sit down with Kevin Chen, a general manager at HTC during the Touch Diamond release in South Africa.

First of all, Mr. Chen stated that HTC is going to have an Android based device released before the end of 2008 but refused to give out any details of the nature of the device or clues about what features to expect. Both the date and the reticence is pretty consistent with all I have heard about Android thus far. Google is clearly hoping to pull a Steve Jobs-style rabbit out of their hat when they finally release, only without all the leaks. This one frankly goes into my “believe it when I see it” file, especially as I have a feeling that Android’s release will end up being something of a non event…more like Symbian then iPhone and therefore not sexy enough to catch the US consumer market’s attention.

The big news, as far as I am concerned, is that Chen has stated that HTC WILL have a Windows Mobile 7 device out in Q1 of 2009. This is consistent with the leaked HTC roadmap saying a WinMo device will be announced by the end of 2008. Of course, no details about the device but HTC devices are the hottest WinMo phones in Europe and Asia bar none, so expect something impressive with a definite ready-for-business feel to it.

Do I believe it? Yes, I do. Q1 09 would be the perfect time for Windows to shake things up with a major step forward in Mobile Software. The 3G iPhone buzz will have died down and the next iPhone feeding frenzy will be a few months away at least, so the stage will be Window’s to take. Also, if ANYONE is going to come out with a hot, early WinMo 7 device, it will be HTC.

I am excited to see what they come up with for this major milestone in the WinMo roadmap.

Will you be around Orlando, FL this Weekend?

If you are in any way interested in Development for Windows and Windows Mobile devices then you are invited to attend a FREE event Saturday and Sunday.

The weekend event is called Microsoft Community Summit 2008 or ]InBetween[ or Tweener (?!?!). The whole event is FREE. This event involves several minor events held during the weekend in between the TechEd Developer (happening this coming week) and the TechEd IT Professionals (the following week). It is a group of events organized by the Florida user group communities in the Orlando Convention Center.  It will have Sessions, .Net University, Open Space, Certification, Exam Cram, Train The Trainer, SQL University, SQL Saturday, Visual Studio U events.

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Why Developers need to know about SQL Server Compact Edition (SQL CE)?

So you are a developer who works on applications that run on the desktop; or you are a project manager who has only heard of SQL Server Compact Edition… In any case, if you have hardly heard of SQL Server CE, or you are assuming that SQL Server CE runs only on portable devices, then you should read on to learn about some new powerful options available for your environment of choice.

Well, SQL Server CE in not only intended for devices who run on the Windows CE platform (Windows Mobile, Xbox 360 and many others among then) but also for PCs running XP and Vista:

WHAT? You didn’t know? Never mind, keep reading then…

While SQL Server comes in many flavors, SQL Server Express is not the smallest of them all. Yes, it’s free and it can run in your desktop if you want it… but do you really want to run a SQL Server on your desktop? Is that the smallest you can go?

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Windows Mobile feedback

Do you care about Windows Mobile? Do you use a Windows Mobile powered Smartphone or PocketPC? Do you have any feedback or comments on how Microsoft could make it better?

By all means leave a comment here, but the best place to get your voice heard (and let others contribute refinements to your ideas) is over at the Windows Mobile Connect site.

You don’t need to sign up in order to view existing feedback but if you want to comment or submit a new item you will need a LiveID to log in.

If you’re a developer you should also check out the Windows Mobile Developer Forums for more in-depth nut-and-bolts type discussions.

What’s the Deal with Windows Mobile 7 and MWg?

I don’t think Microsoft has announced any release date or even really announced that Windows Mobile 7 is even coming officially, but I don’t think I can buy the reports that MWg is planning on delivering Windows Mobile 7 Powered devices to the market as early as the 4th quarter of 2008. Most of the rumor mill around the net is pointing at 2009 if I am not mistaken. If this is true, I will be very surprised and happy too. According to BGR, there was a video shot during an MWg presentation recently that showed a device on a road map in Q4 with Windows Mobile 7.

Wow, not sure we expected this one. According to a video shot during the roadmap portion of an MWg presentation, Q4 of this year will bring with it the first crop of Windows Mobile 7 devices. This of course makes absolutely no sense given the time line between 6.1 and 7, but we suppose crazier things have happened. The presenter neglects to delve into the specs in depth, but his visual aid speaks for itself.

Like I said, I sure would be happy to see it, but I don’t think so. Microsoft just released Windows Mobile 6.1 and we know how often major release updates to Windows Mobile happens. So, two major OS releases in one year? Think about it.

Speaking of MWg, Cnet UK has taken a look at their Zinc II Pocket PC Phone.

PDAMill Rats!! Contest Winners

We have our contest winners for the PDAMill Rats!! game.  Thanks to all those brave souls who answered, and thanks again to PDAMill for their generous contribution!  The 5 winners picked for some wacky answers to what might make Morty’s power pack biohazardous are (in no particular order):

smwoodcrafts

lodai

bob hagen

JohnPan

daddybfree 

Congratulations!!

Winners, kindly contact me, breley, so I can send you your license key.

Windows Mobile 7 Details Leaked?

I can’t comment on the validity of the article, but it does in deed look nice.

Windows Mobile 7 will dramatically change the way we use mobile devices. It will emphasize the use of touch on the device, as well as motion gestures created by using the device. It is, absolutely, Microsoft’s effort to beat back the iPhone, and the iPhone is referenced several times in the document.

Windows Mobile 7 will use touch gestures, similar to how the iPhone does. You will be able to flick through lists, pan, swipe sideway, draw on the screen. A lot of emphasis has been put on making navigation easier and doing away with scrollbars, including a new scroll handle that allows for multiple ways of finding items extremely fast.

Windows Mobile 7 will use motion gestures, something the iPhone does not. It will not use an intricate and complicated series of gyroscopes and accelerometers. Instead, it will use the camera on the phone to detect motions and create appropriate actions. You will be able to shake, twist and otherwise manipulate the phone and get things done. The phone will be able to perform actions when placed face down on a surface, and it will know when it is in your pocket or bag.

Windows Mobile 7 will have an exciting locking screen, that will allow you to play around with it, draw on it, shake it and completely otherwise mess with it.

Windows Mobile 7 will have dramatically improved visuals, different from the iPhone and much more similar to the dark and futuristic visuals of Windows Vista. It will feature graphical transitions, subtle effects, and other things to make it more interesting to look at. This is not detailed in the document, but featured in the multitude of screenshots.

Windows Mobile 7 is designed to use the finger, not the stylus, though many devices will be required to include a stylus. It is designed to be easy to use with the hand, including one-handed, and to be fun to use and easy to understand. It is designed to be used on devices with no buttons, few buttons, lots of buttons, full keyboards, and devices without touch screens.

Windows Mobile 7 is clearly designed for better media playback, with screenshots indicating a much-improved Media Player and photo gallery application. There is talk in the document of a games mode. Mobile Internet Explorer runs full-screen web pages in a minimalistic interface, and has “tabbed” browsing, except you can switch tabs by shaking the phone.

The keyboard has been improved, but plans for a full touch keyboard, a la the iPhone, have been shelved until a future version of Windows Mobile.

Below are my detailed notes. Some of it is raw, some of it is very detailed. It is accompanied by screenshots direct from the document which show off other features planned for Windows Mobile 7.

Read the entire article in more depth at InsideMicrosoft

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Windows Mobile 7 Multi-Touch?

Say it isn’t so… I have no knowledge of this, but that doesn’t mean it might not be far fetched since I haven’t had the chance to check out anything beyond WM6 yet.

Bad news for for iPhone users. Hilton Locke, test engineers working for Windows Mobile 7, says that Windows Touch Technology will support Multi-Touch, which it’s functional in Vista. This is a step forward because you can give more complex commands using Multi-Touch and it has much more input options, also more elaborated interactions. This is supposed to boost sales for Microsoft and might also motivate other cellphone companies develop Multi-Touch capable devices.

Update : It seems that to many via links have turned the commentary from one thing into another thing that I was excited about. Apparently the Hilton Locke article is referring to Tablet PC and not about Windows Mobile.

Source: Dodevice via Pocket PC Addict