Two of the biggest complaints about Microsoft’s mobile OS reboot–no multitasking for third-party apps, and no cutting and pasting–will be fixed before the year is out, with the initial cut-and-paste update slated to arrive next month, reports Yahoo News. Speaking at Microsoft’s Mobile World Congress keynote in Barcelona on Monday, Steve Ballmer promised that the first of two patches for Windows Phone 7–the one that adds cut and paste functionality, as well as tweaks supporting handsets on CDMA networks, such as those run by Sprint and Verizon Wireless–will be coming in early March. Meanwhile, a second, “major” patch is due in the second half of this year–no word on exactly when–and will add a slew of new features, including multitasking for third-party apps, cloud-based storage for Office documents, Twitter integration into Windows Phone 7’s “People” hub (which, for now, only taps into Facebook), and a revamped mobile browser based on Internet Explorer 9…
…Read MorePodcast Series: Innovations in Education
Explore the full series of eSchool News podcasts hosted by Kevin Hogan—created to keep you on the cutting edge of innovations in education.
Windows phone 7 revealed: What you need to know
Microsoft officially unveiled its new mobile operating system, Windows Phone 7, at a press event in New York City, reports ReadWriteWeb. CEO Steve Ballmer described the new line of Windows Phones as “different” and more modern, in both design and principles. With Windows Phone 7, the focus is on how “real people want to use their phones,” he said. Besides being different, a key point Microsoft needs to drive home if wanting to compete in a crowded mobile landscape, there was also a big focus on personalization. “We also wanted these to be wonderfully mine, or yours, or yours, or the next person. Here’s my phone, the way I’ve made it wonderfully mine,” explained Ballmer. “My photos, my email, my start screen, my activities, my world… and of course, my avatar.”
The Software : Microsoft Corporate VP Joe Belifore described the phone’s final software as an operating system that helps you get things done. “We wanted to figure out how to build a phone that simplifies the basics,” he said…
Microsoft readies new phone launch with AT&T
Microsoft Corp is set to unveil a new line of phones running its Windows software today, as it attempts to pull back market share from Apple Inc’s iPhone and Google Inc’s Android system in the fast-growing market for multi-featured ‘smartphones’ Reuters reports. The world’s largest software company is hoping that the new phones, from handset makers such as Samsung, LG and HTC, will propel it back into the mobile market, which many see as the key to the future of computing. The new phones, initially available on AT&T Inc’s network, have already been shown off in prototype form, and are much closer in look and feel to Apple’s iPhone, with colorful touch-screens and ’tiles’ for easy access to e-mail, the web, music and other applications. Some analysts say they represent Microsoft’s last chance to catch up with rivals, which overtook them in the past few years. Handsets are not expected to appear in stores for a month, so their success may not be judged until the new year…
…Read MoreNew Microsoft phones aim at a younger crowd
Microsoft is trying to home in on a younger demographic with two new cell phones that have social-networking features, such as the ability to update status messages on several different sites all at once, reports the New York Times. The Kin One and Kin Two allow users to keep closely synched with social networking sites such as Facebook, Twitter, and MySpace. The start menu displays a montage of photographs from friends with notes about what they are doing, rather than a more traditional menu that caters to phone functions. The Kins also have touch screens, links to Microsoft’s Zune music service, and high-powered cameras for capturing photographs and video. “This is aimed at 15- to 30-year-olds who are social-networking enthusiasts,” said Robert J. Bach, president of Microsoft’s entertainment and devices division, who introduced the phones at a news conference April 12. Phone makers like Nokia and Samsung have long built a variety of models, including those aimed at younger buyers, many of which also link to social-networking sites. But in its focus on social networking, Microsoft has taken one of the more aggressive stances in going after this market, which the company believes is receptive to a fresh pitch…
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