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10/10/10--17:00: Microsoft's Windows Phone 7 launch event is Monday at 9:30AM ET, and we'll be there live! (chan 1172765)



As you may have heard, Microsoft is having a major event Monday in NYC to announce details surrounding Windows Phone 7 launch dates and devices... and Engadget is going to be there delivering the best live coverage in the universe. In case you don't already know, Steve Ballmer and AT&T's Ralph de la Vega will be on stage to delight your senses, and there will likely be lots of new hardware we'll be getting our hands on.

You can see all of the news unfold in realtime right here at our liveblog post, and the whole thing starts tomorrow, October 11th, at the times listed below. Don't miss it!

03:30AM - Hawaii
06:30AM - Pacific
07:30AM - Mountain
08:30AM - Central
09:30AM - Eastern
02:30PM - London
03:30PM - Paris
05:30PM - Moscow
10:30PM - Tokyo

Microsoft's Windows Phone 7 launch event is Monday at 9:30AM ET, and we'll be there live! originally appeared on Engadget on Sun, 10 Oct 2010 19:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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10/11/10--03:02: HTC Mozart and mystery LG Windows Phone 7 device appear in Telstra storefront, coming '21-10-10' (chan 1172765)



Well hello there giant Windows Phone 7 handsets. This interactive sidewalk display was just unveiled at the Telstra store in Melbourne Australia. On the left we've got what looks to be the HTC Mozart already rumored for Telstra. The device on the right, though, is a previously unseen LG Windows Phone 7 device. Best of all is the "coming 21-10-10" text in the fine print that matches up nicely with the rumored European launch date. Don't worry, in a few hours we'll have all the details nice and official like.

Update: The LG phone is the Optimus 7Q.

[Thanks, Jason B.]

HTC Mozart and mystery LG Windows Phone 7 device appear in Telstra storefront, coming '21-10-10' originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 11 Oct 2010 05:02:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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10/11/10--07:32: First (legitimate) Windows Phone 7 television ads unveiled (video) (chan 1172765)



Steve Ballmer's already working the salesman magic, but Microsoft won't try to sell you Windows Phone 7 solely on stage -- find a pair of familiar-looking debut TV spots for the new platform right after the break.

Continue reading First (legitimate) Windows Phone 7 television ads unveiled (video)

First (legitimate) Windows Phone 7 television ads unveiled (video) originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 11 Oct 2010 09:32:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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10/11/10--07:34: Microsoft announces ten Windows Phone 7 handsets for 30 countries: October 21 in Europe and Asia, 8 November in US (Update: Video!) (chan 1172765)

It may have "Windows" in the branding, but Windows Phone 7 is not the desktop PC experience shoehorned into a cellphone. Microsoft tried that with Windows Mobile... and we all know how that turned out. Today, eight months after the Windows Phone 7 OS unveiling in Barcelona, we're finally seeing the official launch of the retail hardware: nine new WP7 handsets, some available October 21 in select European and Asian markets and others from early November in the US. The phones will find their way to over 60 cellphone operators in more than 30 countries this year. Microsoft tapped Dell, HTC, LG, and Samsung to deliver the Snapdragon-based handsets with a carrier list that includes AT&T, T-Mobile USA, Vodafone, TELUS, América Móvil, Deutsche Telekom AG, Movistar, O2, Orange, SFR, SingTel, and Telstra. And that's just for the first wave -- Microsoft has even more handsets coming in 2011 including the first for Sprint and Verizon in the US. Here's the lineup of 480 x 800 pixel (WVGA) phones announced today:


• HTC 7 Surround -- The 3.8-inch T8788 with slideout speaker for AT&T and Telus
• HTC HD7 -- Schubert comes of age as a 4.3-inch HD2 cousin for T-Mobile and beyond
• HTC 7 Trophy -- the 3.8-inch Spark headed to international carriers
• HTC 7 Mozart -- another heavily leaked int'l player with 3.7-inch display
• Dell Venue Pro -- 4.1-inch portrait QWERTY slider for T-Mobile we broke as Lightning
• Samsung Focus -- AT&T's 4-inch Super AMOLED slate we broke as Cetus
• Samsung Omnia 7 -- the i8700 is a 4-inch Super AMOLED jobbie for Europe
• LG Optimus 7/7Q -- the E900 is the official 3.8-inch global workhorse
• LG Quantum -- AT&T's 3.5-inch landscape slider first seen as the C900

• HTC 7 Pro -- a 3.6-inch QWERTY slider for Sprint (2011)

"Glance and Go," is the slogan Microsoft is using to differentiate itself from an already crowded smartphone market. Something we've already seen alluded to in that leaked AT&T ad. As Ballmer notes, "Microsoft and its partners are delivering a different kind of mobile phone and experience - one that makes everyday tasks faster by getting more done in fewer steps and providing timely information in a 'glance and go' format." He's referring to WP7's customizable Live Tiles, of course. Xbox Live integration is another biggie with EA Games just announcing its first Xbox Live-enabled wares coming to Windows Phone 7 in the fall including "Need for Speed Undercover," "Tetris," "Monopoly," and "The Sims 3." The other big differentiators are the slick Metro UI, integrated support for Zune media and Zune Pass subscriptions, Bing search and maps, Windows Live including the free Find My Phone service, and Microsoft Office Mobile.

Now quit stalling and jump past the break for the full list of handsets per carrier and country.

Update: Added the official WP7 overview videos after the break.

Continue reading Microsoft announces ten Windows Phone 7 handsets for 30 countries: October 21 in Europe and Asia, 8 November in US (Update: Video!)

Microsoft announces ten Windows Phone 7 handsets for 30 countries: October 21 in Europe and Asia, 8 November in US (Update: Video!) originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 11 Oct 2010 09:34:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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10/20/10--17:01: Windows Phone 7 review (chan 1172765)



Have you been looking for the definitive review of Windows Phone 7? Well, look no further. Microsoft's next (and perhaps final) opportunity to break back into the smartphone race has officially begun, and Engadget has been cranking on a variety of launch devices across several continents to see if the platform holds water.

Back in July we took a deep dive on Windows Phone 7 using a developer device that Microsoft handed out to journalists, and now we're back for the full review. What we realized going into this process was that really very little had changed between the summertime preview and the new OS' fall launch. Even though there have been tweaks and fixes in Microsoft's mobile experience, there hasn't been any addition so large that we felt the software required a completely fresh look. Instead, what we needed to do was go back to the observations made during our initial experience with the OS, compare it to the final product, and figure out where the company improved (or diminished) specific facets of the operating system. And of course, we finally had a real chance to use Xbox Live and third party applications -- two of the crucial elements of this OS. So, below is our re-edited, refreshed take on Windows Phone 7, complete with real answers to nagging questions, and our definitive score of Microsoft's great smartphone hope at version 1.0. Read on for the full story!


Gallery: Windows Phone 7 interface



Continue reading Windows Phone 7 review

Windows Phone 7 review originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 20 Oct 2010 19:01:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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10/22/10--16:47: Samsung Focus review (chan 1172765)



Even though we've seen a torrent of Windows Phone 7 devices, we couldn't leave you hanging on a review of the Samsung Focus. In the last few days, a flurry of new Microsoft-powered devices have hit the market, boasting slight differences, but all looking and acting largely the same. We've taken a deep dive on the operating system itself, the Omnia 7, Optimus 7, Mozart, HD7, and Surround (phew!) -- now it's time to focus on the, er... Focus. The device itself has a lot in common with its European brother, the Omnia 7, boasting the same 4-inch Super AMOLED display, 8GB of internal storage, 1GHz CPU, and 5 megapixel camera. The device will soon go on sale in America for $199.99 on AT&T's network -- in fact, it's the only Windows Phone 7 device you'll be able to buy on the network when they go public on November 8th. But is it really worth your hard earned cash when there are so many other options in the market? Read on for the full Engadget review to find out!

Update: Just a note, the HD7 will also be available (for T-Mobile) on November 8th and we've updated the above information to reflect that.

Update 2: We had the numbers wrong on the RAM / ROM. It's 512MB and 1GB, respectively.

This review is primarily of the Samsung Focus hardware. Check out our full review of Windows Phone 7 for our thoughts on the OS.


Gallery: Samsung Focus review hands-on






Continue reading Samsung Focus review

Samsung Focus review originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 22 Oct 2010 18:47:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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10/29/10--09:20: HTC Trophy review (chan 1172765)



Why yes, yes it is another Windows Phone 7 device review. Not that we're complaining. It's not everyday that a new mobile operating system this polished arrives at our doorstep. Having already gone in depth with Microsoft's entirely new OS and half dozen or so other WP7 devices, it's now time to dive deep into the life and times of the HTC Trophy (codenamed, Spark). And it's about time. We first saw the words "HTC" and "Trophy" on the same page in a roadmap leak all the way back in 2009. Several of the leaked handsets eventually launched -- but not the 3-inch portrait QWERTY Trophy running Windows Mobile 6.5. Perhaps that original design was scrapped along with WinMo's relevancy to the consumer smartphone market. We don't know and we may never know. What we can tell you is what it's like to live with a production HTC Trophy for a week -- an average speced touchscreen slate offering anything but a middle-of-the-road experience.

This review is primarily of the HTC Trophy hardware. Check out our full review of Windows Phone 7 for our thoughts on the OS.

Gallery: HTC Trophy review



Continue reading HTC Trophy review

HTC Trophy review originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 29 Oct 2010 11:20:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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11/01/10--06:29: Canalys: iPhone becomes most popular smartphone in the US, Android continues as most popular OS (chan 1172765)



The Canalys numbers are out, and with Android coming off an 886 percent jump reported at the end of the second quarter we were expecting something big. So, here it is: Android is up 1,309 percent worldwide from this time last year, taking over 43.6 percent of the US smartphone market in the third quarter. In terms of mobile operating systems that makes it the dominant player in America, but with Apple capturing 26.2 percent it now jumps into the lead when it comes to hardware, beating out RIM's 24.2 percent. That's a swap from last quarter, where BlackBerries beat iPhones 32 to 21.7 percent, and worldwide things are looking the same: Apple at 17 percent compared to RIM's 15. However around the globe it's Nokia and the Symbian Foundation still dominating the stage as the leading smart phone OS vendor, owning 33 percent of the market compared to 38 last quarter, while Microsoft sits at a lowly 3 percent. With WP7 ready to rock the world, and Ballmer ready to release the advertising hounds, that's a figure we'll be keeping a close eye on for the next few quarters.

Update: NPD has posted its third quarter smartphone market share and Mobile Phone Track reports; they basically back up Canalys' report, though NPD gives both Apple and RIM slightly less market share. Interestingly, RIM's BlackBerry Curve 8500 series is identified as the second-best selling phone in the US in the quarter, while the lowly LG Cosmos for Verizon takes third. Weird, huh?

Canalys: iPhone becomes most popular smartphone in the US, Android continues as most popular OS originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 01 Nov 2010 08:29:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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11/04/10--00:41: LG giving away ten free Windows Phone 7 apps every two months (chan 1172765)



Windows Phone 7 launched with a dizzying variety of handsets. On closer inspection though, all nine WP7 devices hitting retail space in 2010 feature the same processor and display resolution. So outside of a few notable hardware variations, software is going to be a big differentiator for consumers. That's why LG has teamed up with Microsoft to offer a revolving portfolio of free, so-called "quality" apps to owners of LG Windows Phone 7 handsets. Ten free apps valued at more than $30 will be given away every 60 days via the LG Application Store -- that's 60 apps per year. These are in addition to the free apps already developed exclusively for LG handset owners like the PlayTo media streaming app we fawned over during our Optimus 7 review. Keep it up LG and your mobile handset division might finally pull itself out of the ditch. See the first ten apps listed after the break.

Continue reading LG giving away ten free Windows Phone 7 apps every two months

LG giving away ten free Windows Phone 7 apps every two months originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 04 Nov 2010 02:41:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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11/07/10--21:56: Windows Phone 7 now on sale in the US (chan 1172765)



Check it Microsofties, it's time to get back into the game. While some phones have already launched in Europe and beyond, today is the first day that you can put down cash in the US for a Windows Phone 7 device all your own. The Microsoft online Store just loosed the HTC HD7 (T-Mobile), HTC Surround (AT&T), and Samsung Focus (AT&T). Rumor has it that the 4.1-inch Dell Venue Pro (T-Mobile) will be out on shelves at Microsoft retail locations today as well. So why not use that extra hour of wakefulness that Apple provided to think it over?

Update: Prices drop to as low as $149.99 at Dell Mobility (which still doesn't list its own Venue Pro) and $99 at Amazon Wireless when purchased with new service plans. The LG Quantum is up for pre-order too with Amazon claiming an 8 to 9 business day delivery.

[Thanks to everyone who sent this in]

Continue reading Windows Phone 7 now on sale in the US

Windows Phone 7 now on sale in the US originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 08 Nov 2010 00:56:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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11/09/10--01:57: Google Search App bungs Bing on Windows Phone 7 Marketplace (chan 1172765)



Bing not meeting your needs? Don't fret, Google just pushed its Google Search app for Windows Phone 7 live in Marketplace. A move the mirrors the Bing app availability on the Android Market. The Google Search app utilizes your location to provide local search results and features suggestions as your type and a search history to quickly repeat any previous queries. While there's no way to reassign Google Search to the dedicated search "button" on WP7 devices, you could always pin the app to the Start screen. Unfortunately, we're still not seeing it populated in the UK Marketplace (search for "Google Search") but that should be remedied anytime now.

Google Search App bungs Bing on Windows Phone 7 Marketplace originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 09 Nov 2010 04:57:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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11/09/10--15:57: Trimble enhances its Nomad 900 series rugged computers, takes WinMo further into the field (chan 1172765)



Windows Phone 7 may be the talk of the town, but good 'ol Windows Mobile is still gettin' 'er done in industrial devices around the country, gadgets like the Trimble Nomad 900 series. These rugged and suitably yellow handhelds are now even better at finding their way through the wilderness with improved GPS circuitry to decrease the time it takes to pull coordinates from the heavenly bodies above. Also new is a 5 megapixel camera with flash, paired with the same 806MHz processor, and 3.5-inch VGA display, 128MB of RAM, and 6GB of flash storage. Not enough for you? CompactFlash expansion is on offer, and you know how cheap CF cards are these days.

Continue reading Trimble enhances its Nomad 900 series rugged computers, takes WinMo further into the field

Trimble enhances its Nomad 900 series rugged computers, takes WinMo further into the field originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 09 Nov 2010 18:57:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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11/14/10--14:41: Verizon happy to offer Windows Phone 7 devices 'as soon as Microsoft has 'em ready' (chan 1172765)



Yes, Verizon's calling them "Windows 7 mobile devices," but the underlying message is clear -- Verizon's tossing the Windows Phone 7 CDMA ball squarely into Microsoft's court. There are no CDMA-ready smartphones running Microsoft's latest mobile operating system (save the late-blooming HTC 7 Pro for Sprint) and Verizon doesn't intend to take any of the blame for that. You're up, Microsoft. Time for a three-point basket.

P.S. We suppose this could also be a coy reference to CDMA-ready Windows 7 tablets.

[Thanks, Daniel R.]

Verizon happy to offer Windows Phone 7 devices 'as soon as Microsoft has 'em ready' originally appeared on Engadget on Sun, 14 Nov 2010 17:41:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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11/20/10--16:01: Windows Phone 7 hitting Verizon stores 'this holiday season,' according to Microsoft tweet (update) (chan 1172765)



Looks like Microsoft took Big Red's challenge and decided to respond in kind, as the official Windows Phone Twitter feed claims that Windows Phone 7 devices are finally headed to Verizon. They'll allegedly arrive this holiday season, a good bit earlier than we were told, but we doubt you're exactly dismayed to get your hands on CDMA WP7 phones ahead of schedule. You know how we hate to mince words, but "devices" does suggest more than one phone, and those of you warily eying your local retailer's selection of Christmas lights could even argue that "this holiday season" has already begun. So when, exactly, will we get these handsets... and which ones?

Update: The original entry hasn't been pulled, but there's a brand-new tweet now, reading "Verizon is a valued partner and we look forward to seeing Windows Phone 7 devices in their stores in 2011," which doesn't quite refute the idea of seeing devices in time for Yuletide too. Needless to say, we've pinged Verizon and hope to clear up this matter soon.

[Thanks, Jay and Jonathan D.]

Windows Phone 7 hitting Verizon stores 'this holiday season,' according to Microsoft tweet (update) originally appeared on Engadget on Sat, 20 Nov 2010 19:01:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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11/23/10--12:27: TerreStar Genus now available to anyone who wants one for just $1,150 (chan 1172765)



Just how much is the promise of anywhere, anytime cellphone reception worth to you? If you answered "one thousand, one hundred and fifty dollars," well... your time has finally come. After initially launching through business channels alone for $800, TerreStar's unique GSM / HSPA Windows Mobile 6.5 smartphone for AT&T with satellite connectivity is now available to consumers from all walks of life, as long as you've got $1,149.99 lying around. The Genus features Bluetooth, WiFi, GPS, a 2 megapixel camera, and pretty much every other amenity you'd expect form a WinMo 6.5 smartphone with circa-2008 hardware specs, with the obvious exception that it can be used anywhere you can see TerreStar's satellite pretty much anywhere in North America. Of course, we'd be a little hesitant about buying a four-figure phone that operates on a bankrupt service, but if you need coverage in the boondocks, your options are pretty limited. Follow the break for TerreStar's demo video and full press release.

Continue reading TerreStar Genus now available to anyone who wants one for just $1,150

TerreStar Genus now available to anyone who wants one for just $1,150 originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 23 Nov 2010 15:27:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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11/25/10--06:40: Windows Phone 7 Marketplace hits 3,000 apps and games, attracts 15,000 developers (chan 1172765)



It's staggering to think how much things have changed in the cellphone industry over the last few years. Where vendors once measured success largely in terms of units shifted, future success is now measured by the number of apps, games, and devs attracted to each opposing platform in a burgeoning smartphone marketplace. Just last week, Nokia announced that it had lured in some 400,000 new developers over the last year. Now Microsoft is touting a rather meager (by comparison) 15,000 Windows Phone developers "signaling their intent to bring exciting content to Windows Phone." Enough implied manpower to push well beyond the 3,000 apps and games expected to be populating the Windows Marketplace by the end of this week. Of course, objectively measuring a developers intent to develop on a platform is difficult. And really, platform potential is not the primary thing driving the purchasing decision of most consumers -- not with so many viable handsets available today. Still, it's good to see such optimism coupled with the fact that the vast majority of people around the world -- gasp! -- don't use smartphones.

[Thanks to everyone who sent this in]

Windows Phone 7 Marketplace hits 3,000 apps and games, attracts 15,000 developers originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 25 Nov 2010 09:40:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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12/01/10--08:02: Nielsen: Android makes huge gains in US smartphone marketshare, RIM takes a backseat, Apple leads in desirability (chan 1172765)



Nielsen's just released a report finding that 29.7 percent of mobile users in the United States now own a smartphone. Of that 29.7 percent (which you can see in the pie chart above), 27.9 percent of them have iPhones, 27.4 percent are BlackBerry users, and 22.7 percent have an Android device. Windows Mobile, Symbian, Linux and Palm are left to divide up the remaining chunk -- about 22 percent -- of the market. That's a massive shift from the beginning of the year, when the iPhone boasted 28 percent of the market, BlackBerry had 35 percent, and Windows Mobile about 19 percent. The biggest winner in this story is Android, which has gone from 9 percent of the smartphone-owning market at the beginning of the year, to 22.7 percent of the market today. The story looks a bit different, however, when people are asked about what kind of smartphone they would like to own next. In that case, Apple and Google are the big winners, with 30 percent of 'likely' smartphone upgraders' reporting they'd like an iPhone, while 28 percent said they want an Android device, and only 13 percent reporting that they're interested in a BlackBerry device.

The picture looks very much the same with current smartphone owners, as well. As far as gender goes, the percentages are very similar when asked what smartphone is desired next, except that more men report wanting an Android device, while more women -- about 12 percent more -- say they simply don't know what they want next. Hit up the source link for charts on all this knowledge.

Continue reading Nielsen: Android makes huge gains in US smartphone marketshare, RIM takes a backseat, Apple leads in desirability

Nielsen: Android makes huge gains in US smartphone marketshare, RIM takes a backseat, Apple leads in desirability originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 01 Dec 2010 11:02:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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12/03/10--03:38: Keepin' it real fake: Verizon-branded Droid X ditches Android for Windows Mobile 6.5 (video) (chan 1172765)



No matter how many we see, we never cease to be amazed by some of the KIRFs out there. Take this Droid X, for instance, which doesn't even bother with a name like "Motorolo Foid X," and even goes so far as to include some legitimate-looking Verizon branding to back up its nearly spot-on appearance. The real kicker, however, is that the KIRFers behind the device have decided to ditch Android in favor of Windows Mobile 6.5 for reasons unknown to us. Don't believe us? Check it out in action in the video after the break, and look for the device itself to set you back around $244.

Continue reading Keepin' it real fake: Verizon-branded Droid X ditches Android for Windows Mobile 6.5 (video)

Keepin' it real fake: Verizon-branded Droid X ditches Android for Windows Mobile 6.5 (video) originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 03 Dec 2010 06:38:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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12/04/10--16:10: ComScore: Android keeps chugging, BlackBerry falters, world awaits Windows Phone 7's numbers (chan 1172765)



Compared to last month's report, it's more or less business as usual in ComScore's latest smartphone market share numbers for the three-month period ending in October, but there are a few interesting points worth calling out. Most notably, RIM's decline seems to have accelerated -- they've lost a claimed 3.5 percent of the US market in the latest period compared to 2.8 percent prior, which means they're now down to 35.8 percent. Of course, that's still more than enough to keep them comfortably in first place, but it's a situation they're going to want to reverse sooner or later -- hopefully with TAT's help. Meanwhile, Apple's tacked on a slightly larger slice of the pie, but they're still holding fairly steady; Google, meanwhile, continues its stratospheric rise, tacking on another 2.1 percent since last month's numbers to hit 23.5 percent -- nipping on Apple's heels, we'd say. The most intriguing story, though, would have to be Microsoft: they're lower than before at just 9.7 percent of the market, but these figures don't include Windows Phone 7 yet -- and clearly, no one's buying WinMo 6.5 gear at this point. Should start to get interesting in the next month or two on that front.

ComScore: Android keeps chugging, BlackBerry falters, world awaits Windows Phone 7's numbers originally appeared on Engadget on Sat, 04 Dec 2010 19:10:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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12/07/10--11:48: Microsoft's Joe Belfiore live from D: Dive Into Mobile (chan 1172765)



We're about to hear from Microsoft's Joe Belfiore at the D: Dive Into Mobile event -- stay tuned, there's no telling what could happen! (copy paste copy paste copy paste copy paste...)

Continue reading Microsoft's Joe Belfiore live from D: Dive Into Mobile

Microsoft's Joe Belfiore live from D: Dive Into Mobile originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 07 Dec 2010 14:48:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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12/15/10--04:28: HTC Hub update helps save us from our Windows Phone 7 phones (chan 1172765)



Remember the Windows Phone 7 ads, the ones that promised to "save us from our phones" by giving us more "glance and go" information? For the most part, these phones haven't delivered on that promise due to the relative dearth of apps taking advantage of Microsoft's live tile concept. That changes a bit today thanks to an update to the HTC Hub app that ships with every Windows Phone 7 device manufactured by HTC. Now, instead of a generic double-wide icon, the HTC Hub presents you with the current weather condition and temperature and the forecasted highs and lows. As such, you'll never have to click through and be subjected to HTC's overwrought animations that feel so out of place on Microsoft's more demure user interface. More please.

HTC Hub update helps save us from our Windows Phone 7 phones originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 15 Dec 2010 07:28:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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12/23/10--10:22: AT&T, Verizon, RIM get serious about security for mobile devices (chan 1172765)



As commonplace as smartphones have become, it's about time that carriers and manufacturers start getting serious about mobile security (and no, we don't mean iPhone tethers). According to a recent Wall Street Journal article, Verizon is currently working with Lookout, a San Francisco-based company known for remote backup and geolocation apps for BlackBerry, Android, and Windows Mobile devices, while RIM has recently announced a little something called BlackBerry Protect, which promises to lock or even wipe a misplaced phone, pinpoint the thing on a map, and make regularly-scheduled wireless backups. By far the most ambitious plans in the article, however, belong to AT&T, which -- aside from recent deals with MobileIron and McAfee -- is currently opening a new mobile security lab in New York City. From here, the company will research malware, worms, viruses, and other threats as they develop in the mobile sphere. "Everyone is realizing that this is an uncontrolled environment," said AT&T chief security officer Edward G. Amoroso. "We don't want to have the same problems that we had with PCs."

AT&T, Verizon, RIM get serious about security for mobile devices originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 23 Dec 2010 13:22:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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12/31/10--08:56: Just got a Windows Phone 7 handset? The best apps, accessories, and tips (chan 1172765)



Ah, so you've just been given a Windows Phone 7 handset. If that's what you'd been begging for all this time, then many congratulations; but if not, don't hit eBay just yet -- sure, WP7's range of apps is comparatively limited with its recent 5,000 milestone, but hey, you gotta start somewhere, right? Even at its infancy, WP7 has proven to be a nice alternative choice if you want to stand out from the rest of the smartphone crowd, and don't forget its two powerful weapons: Zune and Xbox Live integration. Until WP7 gets its major upgrade early next year, our holiday guide should keep you and your new phone going for a little longer. Go ahead and read on.

Continue reading Just got a Windows Phone 7 handset? The best apps, accessories, and tips

Just got a Windows Phone 7 handset? The best apps, accessories, and tips originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 31 Dec 2010 11:56:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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01/14/11--11:53: GameBoy Advance Phone caught in the wild (by the guy who built it) (chan 1172765)



Perhaps if there was some sort of Brundlefly-style gadget mix-up five years ago, the outcome would look like this: an HTC Hermes jammed inside a GameBoy Advance housing. This prototype, presented by Windows Phone Hacker, features some fun changes that make it feel more like your beloved handheld gaming console, and less like your dated Windows Mobile Pocket PC, including a startup GIF animation of the original GameBoy Advance boot screen, custom software that keeps the OS in landscape mode, and custom notifications and ringtones from the Mario games. Also included is PocketGBA emulator for playing GameBoy Advance ROMs on the phone itself. Of course, this is just the beginning of the project: we look forward to seeing a version where the buttons work! In the meantime, check out the thing in action after the break.

[Thanks, Juan]

Continue reading GameBoy Advance Phone caught in the wild (by the guy who built it)

GameBoy Advance Phone caught in the wild (by the guy who built it) originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 14 Jan 2011 14:53:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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02/15/11--04:30: HTC CEO Peter Chou on Microsoft / Nokia partnership: 'it'll make the ecosystem stronger' (chan 1172765)



Here's a nugget to chew on as you roll out of bed this morning. During "The Power of Applications" keynote today at Mobile World Congress, HTC CEO Peter Chou was just asked what his take was on the Microsoft / Nokia partnership. Of course, we've heard before that the company loves Android and WP7 equally, and it was certainly onboard from the get-to with the launch of the 7 Mozart, but it's not often that one handset manufacturer comments on another. Contrary to popular belief, Peter seemed fairly positive on the deal, though he made sure to focus more on the software side rather than touching on Elop's decision making skills. Here's the quote in full:


"They're doing what they have to do. It won't be easy, but they're doing what they have to do. We are very committed to Windows Mobile, and we are one of their lead partners for Windows Phone 7. So we are positive, because this combination will surely make that ecosystem stronger. As a strong player [in this ecosystem], HTC will be a beneficiary from [their decision]."

In other words, HTC's pumped that WP7 now has more backing, which will in turn (hopefully) make its own Windows Phone 7 devices more marketable, attractive and desirable as the ecosystem grows stronger. Talk about looking on the bright side of things.

HTC CEO Peter Chou on Microsoft / Nokia partnership: 'it'll make the ecosystem stronger' originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 15 Feb 2011 07:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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02/17/11--07:30: Swann DVR4-2600 kit is 4 cameras and 500GB worth of remotely-accessible home security overkill (chan 1172765)



We've seen IP cams before, inexpensive ones like the DCS-930L from D-Link that get the job done with no frills, rather fancier ones like the Logitech Alert system that offer a premium feel -- at a premium cost. But nothing quite like this. It's the Swann DVR4-2600, a system that comes with four separate cameras, each offering a "high resolution" VGA that are about 10 years past a time when VGA could reasonably be called "high resolution." They do, at least, offer 65 feet worth of night vision and all-weather functionality. There's also a 500GB DVR included that can be connected directly to a TV or accessed remotely from a plethora of mobile apps covering everything from Android and iOS to Windows Mobile 6 and Symbian. You can get e-mails whenever your prisoners guests move and, the pièce de résistance, the kit includes four theft deterrent stickers. If those don't keep the crooks away, maybe the rottweiler* will. Full details in the PR below.


Gallery: Swann DVR4-2600 kit




*Rottweiler not included.

Continue reading Swann DVR4-2600 kit is 4 cameras and 500GB worth of remotely-accessible home security overkill

Swann DVR4-2600 kit is 4 cameras and 500GB worth of remotely-accessible home security overkill originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 17 Feb 2011 10:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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04/15/11--03:35: Magellan's eXplorist Pro 10 does GIS data collection for $700, makes Google maps green with envy (chan 1172765)



It's been quite awhile since we last saw a GIS unit from Magellan, but the company is once again dipping its toes in the cold, clear waters of GPS data collection. Running Windows Mobile 6.5 (so it'll play nice with existing GIS data collection programs) and powered by dual AA disposables, the eXplorist Pro 10 has a three-inch 240 x 400 color transreflective display -- so on-screen site surveying is as easy in direct sunlight as it is in the dark of night. The device fears neither raincloud nor Super Soaker and comes with a 533 Mhz CPU, 128MB of RAM, 4GB of onboard memory, and room for more bits and bytes via microSD. A 3.2 megapixel camera, three-axis compass, pressure altimeter, and a barometer round out the geographic measurement gear, and a Bluetooth radio is included for connecting peripherals should the existing array of tools be insufficient for your mapmaking needs. On sale now for $699.99, the Pro 10 is aimed squarely at the pro crowd (shocking, we know), but Google's pretty much made casual cartography unnecessary, anyway. Press release is after the break.

Continue reading Magellan's eXplorist Pro 10 does GIS data collection for $700, makes Google maps green with envy

Magellan's eXplorist Pro 10 does GIS data collection for $700, makes Google maps green with envy originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 15 Apr 2011 05:35:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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04/17/11--17:12: Screen Grabs: HTC Hero caught running WP7 on Smallville, Tess Mercer due for an upgrade (chan 1172765)

Screen Grabs chronicles the uses (and misuses) of real-world gadgets in today's movies and TV. Send in your sightings (with screen grab!) to screengrabs at engadget dot com.





It looks like Tess Mercer's got more than one hero in her life, but only one of them is running Windows Phone 7. In this week's episode of Smallville, Lois Lane places a call to Tess Mercer, who appears to be packing a white HTC Hero. Oddly enough, though, it's not rocking Eclair. That's right, this Hero's a Microsoft man -- which has us wondering: what OS is Superman running?

[Thanks, Rich]

Screen Grabs: HTC Hero caught running WP7 on Smallville, Tess Mercer due for an upgrade originally appeared on Engadget on Sun, 17 Apr 2011 19:12:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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05/13/11--20:19: Android beats out iPhone in Japan, celebrates with buffet of alphabetical desserts (chan 1172765)



Google's steady march toward global smartphone dominance scored another major victory, this time in the Land of the Rising Sun. According to new numbers from Tokyo-based analyst group MM Research, Android shot to the top of the mobile OS market share heap, nabbing 57 percent of that country's smartphone market for the last fiscal year. That number is up from 11 percent the year prior, increasing from 250,000 to 4.91 million devices shipped -- it's also a good deal higher than the 37.4 and 38.5 percent that Google commands in the US and internationally, according to recent studies. Apple, meanwhile grabbed second place in Japan at 3.23 million iPhones, according to MM -- or 38 percent of the market -- with Windows Mobile and BlackBerry rounding out the top five. Dessert enthusiasts who don't believe numbers until they see them in pie chart form can check out the graphic after the jump.

Continue reading Android beats out iPhone in Japan, celebrates with buffet of alphabetical desserts

Android beats out iPhone in Japan, celebrates with buffet of alphabetical desserts originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 13 May 2011 22:19:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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05/25/11--06:53: Microsoft ending WinMo 6.x app submissions to focus on newfound love of tropical fruit (chan 1172765)



While Microsoft has been singing the praises of the latest version of Windows Phone, it's also been making quiet funeral arrangements for the operating system's predecessor, letting developers know via e-mail last week that it will be be shuttering Windows Mobile 6.x app submissions this summer. As of July 15th, the company will no longer accept new apps or updates to older ones, including pricing and metadata -- not a shocking turn of events, given the software giant's current love affair with WP7. Despite the deadline, however, users will still be able to download the soon to be neglected apps, stats will still be tallied, and developers will still get paid for their work. And don't feel too bad for Windows Mobile -- we're sure its old pals Zune and Clippy have been holding a spot for it on the other side of the pearly gates.

Microsoft ending WinMo 6.x app submissions to focus on newfound love of tropical fruit originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 25 May 2011 08:53:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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05/31/11--12:21: ViewSonic ViewPad 10Pro and ViewPad 7x hands-on redux (video) (chan 1172765)




We've already fiddled with ViewSonic's two new tablets at Computex's pre-show event, but we decided to hit the booth earlier today to get a closer look at the ViewPad 10Pro's BlueStacks Android virtualization on Windows 7, as well as the ViewPad 7x's funky UI. Starting off with the bigger slate, you'll see in the above video that the Android implementation isn't as good as it sounds -- ViewSonic says it wants to offer an Android experience "similar" to that of actual Android devices, but alas, we beg to differ with the virtual Android's laggy performance plus its odd bugs. The reps assured us that the final product will be much smoother, but then we were further let down by the fact that Android Market is absent. The reason? It's simply because from ViewSonic's point of view the 10Pro's focus is on Windows 7, so the company decided that it wasn't worth all the hassle to obtain a Google Mobile Services license. To sum it up, this whole Android "feature" is very much just a gimmick, and it doesn't look like running native Android on Oak Trail soon will do much good, either.

On a brighter note, the dual-core ViewPad 7x fared way better than its bloated brother. This world's first 7-inch Honeycomb tablet ran surprisingly smooth, and we were glad to see SPB's contribution here with its Shell 3D Android launcher (which we reviewed with much praise a little while back). We managed to get ViewSonic director Max Liu to give us a brief demo of the 7x after the break, and to be frank, the more we look at it, the more we want it. Here's hoping that this tablet will be priced right.

Oh, and did we mention that ViewSonic had a few real Gouldian finches on the show floor? Check out them birds after the break.

Continue reading ViewSonic ViewPad 10Pro and ViewPad 7x hands-on redux (video)

ViewSonic ViewPad 10Pro and ViewPad 7x hands-on redux (video) originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 31 May 2011 14:21:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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06/08/11--19:56: Marketplace for Windows Mobile website closing shop on July 15th, My Phone following suit (chan 1172765)



For most phone enthusiasts, hearing that Windows Mobile 6 is winding up operations is much like receiving news that your neighbor is moving -- when all along you'd thought the house was empty. And so it's with some remorse that we announce the Windows Marketplace for Mobile website will cease operations on July 15th -- the very day it will stop accepting app submissions from developers. Those hesitant to go Metro are given a reprieve, however, as the storefront will survive on your mobile device -- ready and willing to accept your impulse purchases.

In related sadness, the My Phone sync service will meet a similar fate on August 7th, giving you until that date to migrate to SkyDrive. If you're forgetful, Microsoft plans to automatically save your contacts, calendars, text messages and photos to its Live service -- but it's on you to transition your video, music and documents. We know everybody makes the switch at their own pace, but once you're ready to part with that iPaq perhaps it will find a happy future on the streets of Hong Kong. For the complete communique from Microsoft itself, just follow the break.

[Thanks, all]

Continue reading Marketplace for Windows Mobile website closing shop on July 15th, My Phone following suit

Marketplace for Windows Mobile website closing shop on July 15th, My Phone following suit originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 08 Jun 2011 21:56:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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06/27/11--16:22: Windows Phone 7.5 Mango in-depth preview (video) (chan 1172765)




Make no mistake, Microsoft isn't playing coy in the smartphone market any longer. The folks in Redmond are making a significant jump forward in the mobile arena, announcing that the upcoming version of Windows Phone, codenamed "Mango," will be heading to a device near you in time for the holidays. As its competitors have raised the bar of expectations to a much higher level, Microsoft followed suit by adding at least 500 features to its mobile investment, which the company hopes will plug all of the gaping holes the first two versions left open.

We received a Samsung Focus preloaded with the most recent developer build (read: not even close to the market release version) and we had a few good days to put it through its paces. It's still far from completion, as there were several key features that we couldn't test out; some weren't fully implemented, and others involved third-party apps that won't be updated until closer to launch. Yet we don't want to call this build half-baked -- in fact, it was surprisingly smooth for software that still has at least four months to go before it's available for public consumption.

At the risk of sounding ridiculously obvious, we're mighty interested in seeing the final result when all is said and done this holiday season. As a disclaimer, we can't guarantee that the stuff we cover here will actually look or act the same when it's ready to peek out and make its official introduction in Q4; as often happens, features and UI enhancements are subject to be changed by the Windows Phone team as Mango gets closer and closer to release. Let's get straight to brass tacks, since there's a lot of details to dive into. It'd be best to grab a large beverage (we'd recommend a Big Gulp, at least), find your most comfortable chair, and meet us after the break.

Continue reading Windows Phone 7.5 Mango in-depth preview (video)

Windows Phone 7.5 Mango in-depth preview (video) originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 27 Jun 2011 18:22:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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07/31/11--16:00: Switched On: Desktop divergence (chan 1172765)

Each week Ross Rubin contributes Switched On, a column about consumer technology.





Last week's Switched On discussed how Lion's feature set could be perceived differently by new users or those coming from an iPad versus those who have used Macs for some time, while a previous Switched On discussed how Microsoft is preparing for a similar transition in Windows 8. Both OS X Lion and Windows 8 seek to mix elements of a tablet UI with elements of a desktop UI or -- putting it another way -- a finger-friendly touch interface with a mouse-driven interface. If Apple and Microsoft could wave a wand and magially have all apps adopt overnight so they could leave a keyboard and mouse behind, they probably would. Since they can't, though, inconsistency prevails.

Yet, while the OS X-iOS mashup that is Lion exhibits is share of growing pains, the fall-off effect isn't as pronounced as it appears it will be for Windows 8. The main reasons for this are, in order of increasing importance, legacy, hardware, and Metro.

Continue reading Switched On: Desktop divergence

Switched On: Desktop divergence originally appeared on Engadget on Sun, 31 Jul 2011 18:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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08/23/11--15:09: Android still king of the US smartphone hill, Motorola facing a market nosedive (chan 1172765)



In other obvious news, Android and iOS continue to sit pretty atop the US smartphone market, according to a recent NPD study. The current titans of the mobile industry both saw their pieces of the OS pie increase in Q2 of 2011, putting Andy Rubin's green robot in the lead with 52 percent and Apple at 29 percent. Newly adopted webOS, and Microsoft's WP7 and Windows Mobile all managed to cling to their respective 5 percent shares with no yearly change, leaving only BlackBerry OS to experience an 11 percent decline. But the real meat and potatoes of the report focuses on Google's soon-to-be in-house partner: Motorola. Despite the rosy picture painted by recent acquisition talks, the company appears to be facing tough competition from Android OEM rivals, and the wireless market as a whole. In regard to overall mobile phone share (read: dumbphones, et al.) and smartphone-only, Moto saw a 3 percent year-to-year decline, with its biggest loss coming from Android unit sales -- a 50 percent drop to 22 percent of the market. Will the rosy glow of Mountain View "help inspire new paths to differentiation" for Moto, or are we just looking at a repeat of the "RAZR era?" While you ponder these pressing questions, head past the break to read the full report.

Continue reading Android still king of the US smartphone hill, Motorola facing a market nosedive

Android still king of the US smartphone hill, Motorola facing a market nosedive originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 23 Aug 2011 17:09:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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09/01/11--18:18: Nielsen confirms Android on top, buyers split on next smartphone (chan 1172765)



In a recent report from Nielsen, Google snagged 40 percent of the smartphone market, while Apple captured approximately 28 percent -- up just barely .01 percentage point from last year. This report coincides with findings filed earlier this week by ComScore, citing Google with 41.8 percent market share and Apple with 27 percent, up one whole percentage point from last year. Diving a bit deeper, Nielsen found that around 33 percent of people planning to buy a smartphone in the next year want an iPhone, while another 33 percent would prefer an Android. The tie between those who want an Android v. an iOS phone fluctuated when Nielsen asked the "early adopters" within the group what kind of phone they are hoping to cop. 40 percent of "innovators" said they would like a phone on Google's OS, while 32 percent want a bite of the Apple -- leaving a mere 28 percent of self-proclaimed tech junkies desiring something else, like a BlackBerry or Windows Phone. Perhaps these figures are an indication that Google will remain on top for 2012, or will there be an upset? Only time will tell.

Nielsen confirms Android on top, buyers split on next smartphone originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 01 Sep 2011 20:18:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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10/13/11--07:18: MobiUS smartphone ultrasound hits the market two years too late for relevancy (chan 1172765)



Mobisante's MobiUS smartphone ultrasound system scored FDA approval back in February, a big step towards getting the product out the door. Now the brainchild of former Microsoft bigwig Dr. Sailesh Chutani is finally available to order, the only problem is that it's based around two-year-old tech. At the heart of the MobiUS system is a Toshiba TG01 (it of Windows Mobile 6.5 stock) a now hopelessly outdated handset. Still, the probe and phone together cost $7,495, just a tiny fraction of what traditional ultrasound systems cost. We're sure there are small clinics, especially in poor and remote parts of the world, that are already eyeing Dr. Chutani's solution and, if his company scores enough orders, he hopes to cut the price in half. Maybe they can put some of that money towards developing a system that works with smartphone platforms people actually use -- like Android and iOS. Check out the demo video after the break.

Continue reading MobiUS smartphone ultrasound hits the market two years too late for relevancy

MobiUS smartphone ultrasound hits the market two years too late for relevancy originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 13 Oct 2011 09:18:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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12/14/11--05:41: Android leads US market share, iOS may have stopped growing, RIM is still falling (chan 1172765)



NPD just published its latest plotting of the great American smartphone OS rivalry, and although the report covers annual rather than quarterly trends, it's perhaps more interesting to hold it up against the previous set of figures we saw -- those for Q2 2011. Back then, Google's OS had a 52 percent share, but these new figures suggest a marginally better performance of 53 percent between January and October. Meanwhile, iOS's 29 percent share is identical to what we saw in Q2, hinting that its growth has slowed right down or even stopped. RIM's share of the pie is 10 percent, compared to 11 percent in Q2, showing that the Summer flurry of new BB7 handsets like the Bold 9930 and Torch 9810 had little immediate impact. WP7 obstinately refuses to overtake Windows Mobile, although these figures are pre-Titan, while the doomed Symbian and webOS are barely clinging to life. Aside from all that, perhaps the only stats that are genuinely still shocking are those at the top of the column for 2006. Click below for further detail's in NPD's press release.

Continue reading Android leads US market share, iOS may have stopped growing, RIM is still falling

Android leads US market share, iOS may have stopped growing, RIM is still falling originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 14 Dec 2011 08:41:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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12/15/11--06:45: Internet Explorer to start automatic upgrading across Windows 7, Vista and XP (chan 1172765)

Imitation is the sincerest form of flattery right? Well, in an attempt to keep its tenuous grip on the browsing crown, it's borrowing some tricks from its plucky upstart competitors. Microsoft's announced that Internet Explorer will now tie into future Windows Update releases. The new system will start in the new year in both Australia and Brazil -- no, we don't get the connection either -- with a graduated roll-out from there throughout 2012. Microsoft says that this will help keep their browser secure and on the cutting edge of all those HTML5 developments. Fortunately, according to the Windows Team Blog, auto-update antagonists will still be able to opt out of the system. See how Ryan Galvin, Internet Explorer's General Manager, explains the reasoning over at the official blog; the link's just below.

Internet Explorer to start automatic upgrading across Windows 7, Vista and XP originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 15 Dec 2011 09:45:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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01/19/12--10:59: Microsoft, Alcatel-Lucent settle decade-old patent spat (chan 1172765)



It's no secret that Alcatel-Lucent and Microsoft have a long and somewhat litigious relationship, but today the two companies are letting bygones be bygones. CNET is reporting that A-L and MS have reached a "confidential settlement" in a patent dispute dating all the way back to 2002. Originally targeting Dell and Gateway, then-Alcatel alleged that information entry techniques used by Microsoft Outlook, Microsoft Money and Windows Mobile violated a portion of its patent portfolio. Microsoft stepped in on the OEMs' behalf, and in a 2008 ruling, a court granted the newly formed Alcatel-Lucent over $350 million in damages -- subsequently reduced to $70 million in July of 2011 and further reduced to just over $23 million upon appeal. The final settlement is, as we said, unknown, but a Microsoft spokesperson was quoted as saying the deal is "to the satisfaction of both parties." No word on when the two will file their next multimillion dollar blockbuster lawsuit, but apparently both counsels will be sleeping easy tonight.

Microsoft, Alcatel-Lucent settle decade-old patent spat originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 19 Jan 2012 13:59:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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