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 WP7 is RTM
Microsoft’s much awaited mobile phone operating system has just been signed off and released to manufactures, for the handset makers to start testing and readying for the arrival on their devices later on in the year.
The Windows Phone team announced in a blog post they’ve just reached this milestone in the development of the platform, where the OS is now with the companies responsible for the hardware in which the final version of the OS will be rolled out upon.
Mobile phone makers will now start testing this final build of the mobile phone OS on their hardware, just as they have done since every build was passed to them - only now the platform is complete and is ready for the launch around November time.
Microsoft has already been testing the OS on a reported 10,000 devices, with over 8,500,000 hours of testing already logged. MS has also had thousands of software companies and early adopters testing out Windows Phone 7 to arrive at the stage.
Their last milestone was announced when they reached the Technical Preview, where they met with the press and aired the OS in its near complete stage.
Windows Phone 7 is now ready to roll, where mobile phone manufactures such as LG, HTC and Samsung will be announcing their handsets any time soon.
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 Play console games on your mobile
Microsoft has unveiled the first spate of Xbox Live games that will be available for the upcoming Windows Phone 7 OS, which can be played on a mobile phone running that very platform.
At Gamescom, one of the largest game developers’ conferences, Microsoft released a whole range of Xbox Live gaming titles that will be launched before Christmas and can be played on handsets from companies such as LG, HTC and Samsung.
With Windows Phone 7, users can sign in to their existing Xbox accounts, where they’re able to see their own avatar and connect with friends besides being able to play existing Xbox games that are geared up for the handset.
There are familiar Xbox 360 titles at launch with names such as “Halo: Waypoint”, “Guitar Hero 5″ and “Crackdown 2, with other titles from games publishers known to most as Gameloft, Konami, Namco Bandai, PopCap and THQ.
The list of initial games is fairly vast, enough for most to get to grips with hours of entertainment to be had on a new mobile come Christmas time.
Xbox Live games for the Windows Phone 7 OS -
“3D Brick Breaker Revolution” (Digital Chocolate), “Age of Zombies” (Halfbrick), “Armor Valley”(Protégé Games), “Asphalt 5″ (Gameloft), “Assassins Creed” (Gameloft), “BejeweledTM LIVE” (PopCap), “Bloons TD” (Digital Goldfish), “Brain Challenge” (Gameloft), “Bubble Town 2″ (i-Play), “Butterfly” (Press Start Studio), “CarneyVale Showtime” (MGS), “Castlevania” (Konami), “Crackdown2: Project Sunburst” (MGS), “De Blob Revolution” (THQ), “Deal or No Deal 2010″ (i-Play), “Earthworm Jim” (Gameloft), “Fast & Furious 7″ (i-Play), “Fight Game Rivals” (Rough Cookie), “Finger Physics” (Mobliss Inc.), “Flight Control” (Namco Bandai), “Flowerz” (Carbonated Games), “Frogger” (Konami), “Fruit Ninja” (Halfbrick), “Game Chest-Board” (MGS), “Game Chest-Card” (MGS), “Game Chest-Logic” (MGS), “Game Chest-Solitaire” (MGS), “GeoDefense” (Critical Thought), “Ghostscape” (Psionic), “Glow Artisan” (Powerhead Games), “Glyder 2″ (Glu Mobile), “Guitar Hero 5″ (Glu Mobile), “Halo Waypoint” (MGS), “Hexic Rush” (Carbonated Games), “I Dig It” (InMotion), “iBlast Moki” (Godzilab), “ilomilo” (MGS), “Implode XL” (IUGO), “Iquarium” (Infinite Dreams), “Jet Car Stunts” (True Axis), “Let’s Golf 2″ (Gameloft), “Little Wheel” (One click dog), “Loondon” (Flip N Tale), “Max and the Magic Marker” (PressPlay), “Mini Squadron” (Supermono Limited), “More Brain Exercise” (Namco Bandai), “O.M.G.” (Arkedo), “Puzzle Quest 2″ (Namco Bandai), “Real Soccer 2″ (Gameloft), “The Revenants” (Chaotic Moon), “Rise of Glory” (Revo Solutions), “Rocket Riot” (Codeglue), “Splinter Cell Conviction” (Gameloft), “Star Wars: Battle for Hoth” (THQ), “Star Wars: Cantina” (THQ), “The Harvest” (MGS), “The Oregon Trail” (Gameloft), “Tower Bloxx NY” (Digital Chocolate), “Twin Blades” (Press Start Studio), “UNO” (Gameloft), “Women’s Murder Club: Death in Scarlet” (i-Play), “Zombie Attack!” (IUGO), “Zombies!!!!” (Babaroga).
Windows Phone 7 handsets for everyone
Microsoft has announced they will be furnishing every member of their staff with a new Windows Phone 7 based handset, when the mobile phone OS is ready to ship before Christmas this year.
The information came from a tweet by a Microsoft marketing person that was then retweeted by a ZDNet journalist, which mentions all 90,000 Microsoft employees will be equipped with a mobile running Windows Phone 7.
This initial information came from the company’s Microsoft Global Exchange sales event, where this news was welcomed by all members of Microsoft staff as a thank you for a job well done.
The move will be seen by some as a most definite way to get exposure for your latest product, whilst at the same time assuring the buying public confidence within that product that Microsoft most certainly has.
Microsoft recently confirmed the list of companies that will be running Windows Phone 7 on their mobiles, which are Asus, Dell, HTC, LG and Samsung - although no news yet as to what handsets will be passed out to all members of Microsoft staff.
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BlackBerry and Apple aren’t the only fruit
A day after we brought you news that Research In Motion has developed a security application for its phones known as BlackBerry Protect, Microsoft has made public a similar set of features will be in Windows Phone 7.
These native abilities to the mobile OS are comparable to Apple’s FindMe features and now BlackBerry Protect, in which we will be trialling out soon. Where this ability of Windows Phone 7 will differ is in the cost, as apparently this will be free and part and parcel of the mobile OS where FindMe does carry a price.
Microsoft has a web based portal known as SkyDrive for accessing these security features, which also allows for 25GB of data to be stored. Services such as locating of the missing phone, locking the device or remotely wiping all the data will be possible in much the same way as BlackBerry will offer.
All of this closely mirrors services that also accompany Motorola’s Android overlay known as MotoBlur, where it appears nearly every iteration of a mobile OS could now have these features although they are depended on the handset manufacturer.
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Not the end for WinMo. Reduce, Recycle, Reuse!
After the launch on Monday of Windows Phone 7, I thought, maybe I’d even secretly hoped that we’d seen the end of Windows Mobile. Apparently not. Although a fine product, it became boring. Overshadowed by Android, out performed by iPhones and lacking the ‘oo’ factor of new and mysterious operating systems like Samsung’s Bada, it was easy to drift away and demand something newer. Of course, I’m considering it from the point-of-view of a decadent European capitalist, secure in my world and eager to consume new things. For the developing world, WinMo is still a rugged proposition, providing a proven, stable and established smartphone platform. And as a legacy product, manufacturers can now negotiate and bundle it much more cheaply.
So, global Microsoft distributer, Bsquare Corporation has jumped in and is offering a rebranded WinMo 6.5 as Windows Phone 6 Starter Edition. The target audience is new and emerging markets, which means mobiles for China, India and the developing world, SIM embedded retail devices and terminals, and education and training devices, or surveying kit. All examples where innovative functionality is key, but having the latest bells and whistles isn’t a part of the marketing proposition. Shoppers selecting goods by SMS to a terminal aren’t going to wonder if the terminal is running version 3.0.1a of Apple OS.
Like to know more? press release here
WinMo becomes WinPho!
Microsoft Chief, Steve Bulmer lifted the veil of secrecy from his new mobile operating system today at the Mobile World Congress in Barcelona. Not, as expected, a new version of Windows Mobile, Windows Phone 7 is instead a virtual rewrite from the ground up.
Microsoft’s previous phone OS was getting a bit long in the tooth, and losing customers hand-over-fist to competitors that just felt fresher, like Apple OS and Android. Now Redmond strikes back with intelligent design and an integrated experience to allow users to combine their own PC use and social networking updates with gaming on Xbox LIVE and downloadable music, video and app content from the Zune marketplace.
The OS looks heavily touch-orientated, and works through front-end ‘tiles’, animated panels that can show recent activity and live updates. When selected, the tiles lead to ‘hubs’, sliding walls navigated by multitouch actions. Hubs are themed and automatically build up information from your PC applications, social networking sites or Xbox Live account. There’s also an office hub. The whole concept is seamless integration with an obvious bias towards Microsoft’s domain.
Qualcomm have announced the first chipset support, with its Snapdragon processors and HTC, Samsung, Garmin-Asus, LG, HP, Dell, Toshiba, and Sony Ericsson form the initial manufacturer line-up. The first Windows Phone 7 devices are expected around Christmas 2010. Quite a long time to wait, let the excitement commence.
Like to know more? Press release here
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