Skip to main content

Microsoft outlines new features coming to Windows Phone 7 in 2011

Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer, keynoting the Mobile World Congress conference on February 14, announced a set of features that Microsoft is promising it will bring to Windows Phone 7 in 2011.

Ballmer also confirmed, as expected, that the first Windows Phone 7 update, codenamed “NoDo,” will be out in early March 2011.

Microsoft’s press release outlining today’s announcements did not specify how many Windows Phone 7 updates Microsoft plans to release this year. Nor did it use the codename “Mango,” which is the first major update for Windows Phone 7, expected to be available on WP7 devices this fall/holiday season. Ballmer did mention “a significant release” due later this year during his remarks, which, presumably, is a reference to Mango.
But Microsoft did announce that the following updates will be added to WP7 in calendar 2011:
  • Twitter integration directly into the People Hub
  • Support for Office documents in the cloud (Skydrive Docs), going beyond the current OneNote integration
  • Dramatically enhanced Web browser experience based on IE9  (IE Mobile 9)
  • A “new wave of multitasking applications” (i.e., third-party applications get multitasking support)
Ballmer (and the Microsoft press release from today) also made no mention of when Microsoft plans to make available to carriers CDMA support. I’ve gotten lots of questions about when Sprint and Verizon will be launching Windows Phone 7 devices. Some had expected the NoDo update to provide CDMA support, but there was no word today whether this will be the case. I’ve noted previously that I have heard CDMA WP7 phones may not be out until this summer.

Update: Microsoft execs say that CDMA support will be part of NoDo. The first Windows Phone 7 devices are coming from Verizon and Sprint should be out in the first half of calendar 2011, a spokesperson reconfirmed today.

Joe Belfiore, the Corporate Vice President of Windows Phone Program Management, emphasized during his demonstrations of an early version of “the significant update” of the Windows Phone 7 code that the IE 9 code on the phone includes the same core IE 9 code that runs on the PC. That means apps and sites designed for IE 9 will run automatically on WP7, he said.

Belfiore also showed off the ability for Windows Phones to integrate with Kinect, allowing phone users to participate in games using their avatars (support for which will be coming at some point down the road).

Microsoft execs declined to comment when I asked whether there will be any WP7 updates between NoDo and Mango. (Not a good sign, I’d say. I’m thinking that means no.) Based on today’s keynote, it sounds to me like anything that isn’t part of NoDo will have to wait until Mango

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Sony Ericsson MW600 Review

If you're someone who regularly finds themselves driving, or cycling, or skiing, or cooking, or cleaning, or doing anything - for that matter - which requires your hands and at least a portion of your concentration, then you'll know the value of a Bluetooth headset. But in the more energetic of the aforementioned pursuits, you'll find that a regular ol' one-eared headset won't do. They fall out. When you're halfway down a Colorado piste, or leaning over your stew, the last thing you want that little bit of expensive plastic to do is fall out. Enter Sony Ericsson's MW600 - a teeny-tiny device with a big clip that lets you turn any pair of headphones into a Bluetooth headset. But is it worth shelling out your hard-earned cash for? Do you really need the MW600 in your life? Look down at your little finger on your left hand. The MW600 is about the same size as that. It has a clip on the back that reaches two-thirds of the w...
Post a Comment
Read more

Sony Ericsson W395- cell phone

Different high tech mobile phones are introduced by Sony Ericsson lately targeting the high strata of the society. All models of this brand come with exclusive designs as well as advanced technology. From clamshells to sliders to candy bar handsets, are really worthwhile extravaganza of this innovative brand. So many series of handsets like K-series, W-series etc., are available in the worldwide market. The young appealing model namely the Sony Ericsson W395 is blessed with numbers of user friendly features. It has 2 inches TFT display that delivers the resolution of 176 x 220 pixels and supports 265 colours. This phone is completely a slider phone and has an amazing design. Capturing of image is a simple task for the 2 mega pixel camera of this gadget. You can collect several good quality pics of your beautiful moments. To facilitate you in capturing distant images, the camera menu is supported by 2.5 x digital zoom. By zooming, you can come more close to the image subject ...
Post a Comment
Read more

world top panasonic products

Panasonic introduced a new GPS navigation system at IFA 2007 for the European market called Strada CN-GP50N . The device has a huge screen and a good price at 400€. As opposed to its strong competition in the field, such as TomTom and Garmin, Panasonic decided to focus its experience on the video and audio features of CN-GP50N which made this device more of an entertainment center rather than just plain old GPS navigation. The display on CN-GP50N measures 5″ – leaving their competition 0.7″ behind – hoping to attract consumers who are looking into watching videos in their vehicle. Panasonic incorporates maps of 37 European countries, including 1.3 million points of interest and even 3D city maps of certain locations and landmarks. For upgrades to the maps Strada CN-GP50N supports SD cards, but it can also be connected to using the USB port on the device. Some other high-end features of the device also include Smart Assist which comes into to play GPS signals are weak, the bluetooth ...
Post a Comment
Read more