Posts Tagged ‘Microsoft’

Microsoft has launched it’s much talked about “Pink” phone, now renamed to “KIN”. From what I have seen so far, it is all about social media. It is more social than anything else out there. What do I mean by social? I mean taking all your friends activities from across the web and sticking it in one spot, and also allowing you to share what you are doing easily.

What is interesting is this is built on top of the upcoming Windows Phone 7 operating system, syncs with the Zune PC software, and works with Zune Pass (Yay!). Take a look at the Windows Phone Secrets blog for some notes that were taken during the launch event. Once you are done there, head over to the KIN website for further details.

If this gets well known I can see this being the phone that all teens will have versus the iPhone, it just seems to fit better. Oh and another little feature that is going to make this very popular is 5 and 8 megapixel cameras! The latter being the same MP as the camera I used to take most of my photos featured in my portfolio (Oh how technology changes!).

Now don’t get me wrong, This sounds like a great phone, but it is still one that I would not want, mostly for these couple reasons:

Apps? This crowd wants social networking. So we integrated that. Not siloed apps. And no third party apps. No app market. No games. But we will OTA updating. As the market evolves, will continue to add things to the device.

Carrier services? This was developed with Verizon. These are the services we are shipping with.

No IM for 1.0. Suggests they’re looking at that.

That last one is very curious considering it is a “social” phone. But alas, nothing can be perfect…

[Windows Phone Secrets] [Microsoft's Kin]

What a relief! Windows Phone 7 Series’ name has been stripped of the “Series”. Now you can say (without tongue twisting) Windows Phone 7! Thank goodness. Also gives a much nicer abbreviation as well; WP7.

[WindowsPhoneSecrets]

Do you love Halo 2? Do you despise Halo 3? Well I’m sorry to say that now you must toss your beloved Halo 2 in the trash. But wait! Don’t get all bent out of shape because you don’t want to play Halo 3, because you don’t have to. That’s right folks, you can skip Halo 3 and go straight to the BETA of Halo: Reach!

Microsoft has deemed you Halo 2 users worthy enough to train your skills on a game that is still in BETA, though in turn cares little to keep allowing you to play your precious Halo 2. So congratulations! You now can stop playing the game you loved and gain 400 MS points and a three-month Xbox Live membership to spend on a still-buggy game that might be comparable to the always-buggy Halo 3 which you hate. Thank you Microsoft for being so generous!

Disclaimer: I do not play any Halo, the only knowledge I have about it is from other articles. Nor do I have Xbox Live, though I was paying for it for a year without realizing it…

On April 15, 2010, we will discontinue the Xbox LIVE service for original Xbox games playable on Xbox v1 and Xbox 360. In our continuing efforts to evolve the service, we need to make changes to the LIVE service that are not compatible with original Xbox v1 games.

What does this change mean for you?

• It does not affect your ability to play original Xbox v1 games offline, but does remove LIVE connectivity and support for online multiplayer, leader boards, and other online features of these games.
• We realize that you are an avid Halo 2 fan. Unfortunately, with this change, you will not be able to play Halo 2 on Xbox LIVE going forward.

[Microsoft via Engadget]

I can hardly keep my excitement in! Microsoft has announced their new and vastly improved mobile operating system called Windows Phone 7 Series (okay, the name is the only thing I am not excited for). This thing is so freaking sweet that I have completely forgotten my dreams of ditching the antiquated iPhone for an Android. Enough of my drooling now, here are some excerpts from a Lifehacker article that goes over this new mobile OS. Did I mention it’s freaking sweet?

The Interface

It’s different. The face of Windows Phone 7 is not a rectangular grid of thumbnail-sized glossy-looking icons, arranged in a pattern of 4×4 or so, like basically every other phone. No, instead, an oversized set of bright, superflat squares fill the screen. The pop of the primary colors and exaggerated flatness produces a kind of cutting-edge crispness that feels both incredibly modern and playful. Text is big, and beautiful. The result is a feat no phone has performed before: Making the iPhone’s interface feel staid.

Holy Crap! The Zune Phone!

Microsoft’s vision of Zune is finally clear with Windows Phone 7. It’s an app, just like iPod is on the iPhone, though the Zune Marketplace is integrated with it into the music + video hub, not separated into its own little application. It’s just like the Zune HD, so you can check out our review of that to see what it’s like. But you get third-party stuff like Pandora too built-in here. Oh, and worth mentioning, there will be an FM radio in every phone (more on that in a bit).

Xbox, on a phone

I’ll admit, I very nearly needed to change my pants when I saw the Xbox tile on the phone for the first time. Obviously, you’re not going to be playing Halo 3 on your smartphone (at least not this year), but yes, Xbox Live on a phone! It’s tied to your Live profile, and there are achievements and gamer points for the games you can play on your phone, which will be tied to games back on your Xbox 360.

There is so much more to this, I highly suggest you head to the article and read the full extent of it.

Lifehacker: Windows Phone 7 Series: Everything Is Different Now

Also check out their hands on video of Windows Phone 7 Series (WP7? WP7S? This name sucks..)

Gizmodo: Windows Phone 7 Series Hands-on Pics and Video