Steve Ballmer announced Windows Phone 7 Series (Windows Mobile 7 to you and me) and promised some big changes - but has the overhaul worked?
Ballmer apparently pushed the development of the platform back by some time in order to get it to the point he felt it could compete with the incumbent dominant platforms (such as the iPhone OS and Android).
To that end, with Windows Phone 7 Series we get a radically overhauled UI, capacitive-only touchscreens with hi-res WVGA (800 x 480 pixel count) displays and multi-touch throughout.
We got some hands-on time with the new operating system, and we were pretty impressed with the platform despite it being in its infancy.
Firstly, the home screen no longer has the boring icon layout - living tiles pepper the main display. These widgets draw information from the cloud to keep them constantly updated - so if you've pinned a favourite friend to the home screen and they change their Facebook profile picture, it's going to update with their new visage.
We like the design angle Microsoft has taken with this 'breathing' display, although it could get a tad annoying with all the motion going on, and we'd worry about the hammering the battery would get if it's being updated constantly.
The main applications can also be viewed in one long list if that's your bag, allowing the traditionalist to quickly scoot through and find what they're looking for.
Microsoft has been hard at work making cross-platform integration a big part of the Windows Phone 7 Series, and the Bing integration (accessed by tapping the front search key that, along with the Start and Back buttons, will be on the face of every such phone) works smoothly, quickly booting up a search box with text input.
The demo model we saw accessed the internet to search in an OK time - whether this will be indicative of all WinMo7 phones we don't know yet, as this was very much a prototype device.
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nicolasmerritt
February 23rd 2010
6. @ adriancal
We are very clear about these things. Our policy on headlining Hands on reviews and full product reviews here:
http://www.techradar.com/news/world-of-tech/techradar-s-reviews-guarantee-622749?artc_pg=5
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adriancal
February 16th 2010
5. I cannot stand this "Review " nonsense when the phone and its operating system aren't being released for another 7-8 months..
Just call it what it is, a quick 5 minute hands on and nothing else. Stop trying to grab headlines and attention its just retarded..
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gathonar
February 16th 2010
4. So funny with a hi-res WVGA (800 x 480 pixel count) its not a clone sorry it has 4x the screen resolution. The Apple OS on a iPhone would fit on the screen 4 times. And still leave gaps at the top & bottom as "Apple" only have a (320 x 240 pixel count) so again its not a apple clone. Sorry fruit fan's
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d4lien
February 16th 2010
3. I'm continually bemused by people moaning... "Oh its an iPhone copy" Blah blah. Trot on... They all take each others technology.
Case and point: OSX is blatantly just Linux that you pay for, albeit with extra knobs (insert joke here) to twiddle and less control to play with.
Oh I guess Apple would never use tech or ideas from others. Yeah I guess so.
Do you hear Renault drivers complaining that Citroen are blatantly copying their wheel design because its round? No! Get over it.
Optimaximal: Well said! Couldn't agree more.
I'm worried... Seriously a number, not all, of Apple fans act as marketing and advertising depts for Apple for them and even go out of their way to downplay competition.
Competition is a good thing. Every tech firm needs a boot up the backside from time to time when they fall behind the curve. Apple have done in the past as have Microsoft.
I really hope ATI and Nvidia users don't end up like this...
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optimaximal
February 16th 2010
2. How could it even conceivably be considered a iPhoneOS copy?
The interface is so radically different - just because it uses 'multi-touch', has a 'touch screen' and offers 'apps' doesn't mean its a copy.
If anything, such bile should be (mis)directed at Android - it's much closer in design that this looks to be.
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fucc74
February 16th 2010
1. uhm...this o.s.is a Apple OS copy. It's also the only possibility per Microsoft to gain marketshare.
Obviously some WM enthusiast will migrate to android (still open)....I'm very curious to read reaction from XDA community...italians: http://bit.ly/aT04Mw
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