wired
The user interface is gorgeous and useful Ok, so this is hardly the most important factor, but good heavens, the user interface (UI) sure is pretty. The entire interface practically flows from one end to the other, one menu to the next. It’s so buttery smooth I get weak-kneed, every time I see it in action. The fluid interface, codenamed “Metro”, is a panoramic experience that extends across several screens. A little bit of cut-off text tells you to swipe left or right to discover more.
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Everybody loves choices
relevant information from the web in real-time. The People hub, for instance, isn’t a contacts list per se. On top of displaying your recent contacts, the hub also displays the latest status updates from your Facebook friends and integrates their contact info in to your phone. Similarly, the Pictures hub collects all picture related tasks into one smooth interface.
Instead of little app icons, Windows Phone 7 utilises a clever feature called hubs. After you take some effort to set up your Facebook and Windows Live accounts, these hubs start to pull in
With some notable exceptions such as the Xbox, Microsoft does not manufacture hardware. It is primarily a software company, and it licenses the software it makes to other device manufacturers. Unlike the iPhone, which only comes in one single model, there will be a hell lot of devices running Windows Phone 7, allowing for great diversification in the market. Like physical keyboards? Look out for the Dell Venue Pro. Like taking photos? LG preloads a sweet camera app on its Windows Phone 7 phones.
the naming convention yet? Starhub will offer the HTC Mozart 7, LG Optimus 7, and Samsung Omnia 7. Finally, the HTC Trophy and Samsung Omnia 7 will be coming to M1. Several other devices by other companies such as Sony Ericsson are in the works. The older generation calls us fickle; but we say we like our choices! With the variety of hardware manufacturers releasing their own designs, there’s bound to be a Windows Phone out there for you. And I hear some of you are still waiting for your white iPhone 4!
At the time or writing, SingTel will offer the Samsung Omnia 7, HTC HD7 (exclusive to SingTel), and the LG Optimus 7. Noticed
Big on the cloud Windows Phone 7 is big on the cloud. That’s just a fancy way of saying the phone automatically pushes and pulls information to and from the Internet in realtime. For example, once you set up your Facebook account, Windows Phone 7 starts pulling in your contacts, photos, status updates etc. of all your friends and integrates them into their respective hubs. This is a huge deal for students, since we practically live most of our lives on Facebook! You can also synchronise your various calendars across the web, such as Google
Calendar, Outlook Calendar, or Windows Live Calendar right onto your phone in a tightlystyled calendar app. But wait, there’s more: if you configure a Windows Live account, you can let your phone instantly sync all your pictures to your SkyDrive or Facebook as you take each snapshot. It works brilliantly as a back-up and/or sharing tool, ensuring that your data is intact even if you lose your phone. But what if you really do lose your phone? Windows Phone 7 has a nifty feature called “Find my Phone”, which is completely free of charge. Let’s say you
lose your phone, but you’re not sure it it’s actually at home somewhere. You can log in to www.windowsphone.live.com with your Windows Live ID and force your phone to ring, even if it’s on silent mode. If you’re sure that your phone is lost somewhere, you can then try locating your phone via GPS, or lock your phone and tell it to display a customised message, such as your plea for its return. When all else fails, you can tell your phone to erase all data on it. A handy service for careless and poor students like us!
photograph microsoft/gizmodo