ATT will have phones Nov. 8, T-Mobile just a bit later in November, as expected. EA is bringing a bunch of games, including The Sims.
AT&T will launch three devices: The HTC Surround HTC Surround, aimed at media and gaming enthusiasts with 16GB of on board storage. Only smartphone with Dolby surround sound speakers that slide up "You've got to hear this to experience it." Also has kickstand. Also $199.99
,Samsung Focus,Samsung Focus -- best looking screen of the Windows Phones, De La Vega says, 5MP camera, Thinnest windows phone in U.S. at 9.9 mm. Also at $199.
and LG Quantum with keyboard Quantum $199.99
HTC Surround and Samsung Focus are "a few weeks later" than the LG which is coming Nov. 8. The HTC Surround, with its Dolby surround-sound speakers, is getting a lot of excited gadget-freak buzz on Twitter.
Ballmer: "the differences in the Windows Phone are as much about not just what you're going to do with the phone but how you're going to do it. we've really put our energy and our design creativity into bringing together the things that you love."Lots of people using Twitter hashtag #wp7 reacting with a bit of skepticism to the "always delightful and wonderfully mine" mission statement.
A reference to the ability to customize with things like one's avatar, home screen, He shows his avatar, a bald guy with the gamertag
It's got to me mine," he said. 9 phones when the Windows Phone ships in U.S. in November. Dell HTC Samsung and LG
30 countries carriers
De La Vega notes he sees a lot of smartphone OSs. "When Steve and his team showed us Windows Phone 7, we knew it was going to be a winner."
The HTC Surround, with its Dolby surround-sound speakers, is getting a lot of excited gadget-freak buzz on Twitter.
U-verse coming to Windows Phone for both current subscribers and new users. De La Vega also says that ATT will in the next few weeks let Xbox 360 owners use the console to get U-verse TV -- something Microsoft promised was coming years ago, but is finally here. Not specifically. Got the sense U-verse might be free for existing subs and "a low monthly fee" for non-subscribers
And, it's demo time. Starring Joe Belfiore, one of the main designers on the phone product.
Belfiore showing home screen, which lets you know how many messages you have, plus details on your next appointment, even before you unlock. Now showing home screen with its live tiles.
On Belfiore's phone are tiles for Ballmer and Andy Lees, as well as Twitter, eBay, IMDB and the aforementioned AT&T U-verse service.
Belfiore just deleted Steve Ballmer's Live Tile and is adding his wife higher on the home screen. "It's about the people you care about," Belfiore said.
Windows Phone and #wp7 are now both trending topics on Twitter.
Belfiore is demoing a cool picture-taking feature. Press the camera button and the phone wakes directly to camera, bypassing home screen.
Also shows how it's easy to share photos. Photos can also be uploaded to the cloud automatically.
Demo moves on to e-mail. His exchange account shows a suggestion he not where jeans with holes in them today (He's not)
Software keyboard is amazing
Lots of chuckles from the audience when Belfiore opens up an e-mail from Ballmer announcing a post-event dinner at TGI Friday's.
There will be lots of apps at launch--not as many as Apple or Android--but lots. IMDB, eBay, Twitter, Netflix to name a few... lots of games too.
A one-touch "I'll be late" button for calendar items. This would be the button I would use the most. "We think that's an example of smart design," Belfiore says. Or just acknowledgment of human nature?
Belfiore showing how addresses automatically create a clickable link to a map. (That's part of how Microsoft gets around the fact there isn't copy and paste). It works well, but doesn't cover enough scenarios for my taste.
Belfiore is now looking for a better restaurant than TGI Fridays to have dinner at with Ballmer. (me: that shouldn't be hard for any phone to find
Belfiore demonstrating, using Bing Maps, how he's going to suggest a location to Ballmer that isn't TGI Friday's. (Thai food instead. He's searching for options.)
He segues to demo-ing built-in Bing search to look for the Thai Food. Includes a list view with some ratings.
Defaults to the local option, guessing he's more interested in finding local restaurants as opposed to learning the history of thai food (which might be the top Web result)
From Twitter user @hollyhock: "The "I'll be late" button should come with a mandatory small shock for the users. #windowsphone #wp7"
"Lots of social media buzz around Windows Phone 7 launch. #Microsoft needs some serious 'fan boys' to keep the hype alive thru holidays. #WP7"
Yep. Hotmail supported not just as standard, but also using Exchange ActiveSync allowing for push Hotmail. Been using it on my demo phone along with Exchange.
Now being demoed: Tellme voice recognition, did a search for Alaska Flight 7 and it recognized his voice and returned the results one would want -- flight details.
Belfiore is moving onto the hubs -- people, gaming, Xbox Live, pictures, Office and one more I can't remember but I'm sure he will get to.
There is some multitasking, but not full multitasking -- You can listen to music and run another app or talk on phone and run an app, but not run two third party apps simultaneously.
Demoing Find My Phone feature -- Also, on Windows Live you can see your OneNote notebook as well as see photos taken on phones.
Windows Phone 7 "People" hub brings in tagged photos from Facebook. Interesting synchronization.
We're on to Music and Video-- one of the selling points. History of recent songs and videos you've been listening to and watching as well as what's new among content you follow.. "We made that just a couple of taps away."
AT&T (available November 8):
LG Quantum
HTC Surround
Samsung Focus
T-Mobile:
HTC HD7 (available mid-November)
Crowd is sitting attentively, but not particularly emotive one way or the other. No gasps, sighs applause or any other reactions.
Dell Venue Pro (holiday season)
People Hub syncs to Windows Live and Facebook. Facebook is optional. You choose to sign in or not.
"Hundreds of thousands" of developers are working on WP7 apps, Belfiore says.
Ebay app getting a demo
"The rumors about a facebook phone were not wrong after all" with regard to WP7 Facebook integration
Belfiore loads up IMDB app on WP7 and instantly the poster for "The Social network" shows up on the home screen.
Now IMDB app which offers showtimes, top news, and other options... Showtime uses location info to find closest theater.
Now ATT's Uverse mobile getting a demo. This is the first thing I haven't seen.
No Flash support for now.
The demo seems to show a limited range of mobile programs as opposed to really getting to watch your full broadcast TV on your phone -- that's what I would want
Belfiore is moving on to gaming, another area where Microsoft has a little something extra, in terms of Xbox Live. Users can see their gamerscore, see and interact with their avatar and play with their existing Xbox Live friends.
Belfiore may not be wearing ripped jeans, but his avatar is. Gets some laughs from crowd.
Twitter chatter from the WP7 launch in London has turned to the fact that apparently comedian Stephen Fry is onstage.
Netflix yes. Not sure about Hulu Plus
I think the UI is pretty good. I have been surprisingly pleased> My real question is how well third parties keep that going vs. doing their own thing.
Elo Milo (sp?) is getting a demo
these phones are going to be amazing game machines," Belfiore said.
We're proud to say we will have EA at launch. Belfiore demoing the Sims now
Demo time is wrapping up. Belfiore notes that the phones have an updating mechanism so that all phones get updates.
Copy and paste coming in early 2011.
Everyone who buys a phone this holiday will get copy and paste in 2011
Ballmer back. "I hope you will also agree that what we have done here is a different kind of phone.
Now, video time, with hardware makers getting their say. CEO Qualcomm first up (all the phones are using Snapdragon)
Next up in the video Dell, followed by HTC CEO Peter Chou. "We are expecting that Windows Phone 7 will make a tremendous contribution to our business. This is a very competitive phone."
LG and Samsung also get their chance to praise Microsoft.
It's your same avatar as on Xbox, changes on one show up on the other.
Digging on some of the tech details you all asked about. First answer: some phones do have Micro SD. All of the phones have a GPU.
Some do have HDMI out
No dual-core CPUs now
Well, these lines were written live. Thanks to CNET live blog. I will post later some pictures of this event.
Francisco De Jesús Ecuador South America.
No comments:
Post a Comment