14 DAY TRIAL // With the MIX10 conference opening its gates at the beginning of this week, we had the chance of learning a great deal of new details on Microsoft's newly unveiled Windows Phone 7 Series, and developers rejoiced the most, as the Redmond-based software giant made available for them a nice range of free app building tools. Most enthusiasts out there were eagerly waiting for MIX10 to kick off so as to learn more info on the new platform, and Microsoft hasn't let us down this week, that's for sure.
Not only did the company unveil a set of development tools for those interested in building applications for the new operating system, but also announced that they would come for free, and detailed more on the marketing of the solutions. The Windows Phone Marketplace is the distribution portal put in place for these solutions, and Microsoft provided a wide range of details on the store, as well as on what the development of WP7 apps is all about. The Windows Phone Developer Training Kit is a great tool for those interested in the matter, while end users might want to learn more about new devices powered by the OS, three of them to be more precise.
[admark=1]Not to mention that they would also like to learn that Windows Phone 7 includes a series of limitations, translated in the lack of features that one might have expected to find in Microsoft's OS, such as multi-tasking, copy&paste, a memory card slot, or others. It seems that some of these features will be added to the package at a later time, such as copy and paste, and that some other are present with the OS, as spotted in the unlocked Windows Phone 7 emulator, from which we've seen a dumped Windows Phone 7 Build 7.0.0.6077.
When it rains, it pours, and when it comes to delays on releasing software updates for mobile phones available on the market, the news keeps on coming. This week we learned a lot of details on the Android 2.1 update for the Motorola DROID, only to find out in the end that Verizon and Motorola have started to release it for test users only, and that the roll-out will continue. However, it seems that there are some issues with the update, and that the duo won't resume the deployments that soon, so some of the DROID's users out there will have to wait a few more days before the solution arrives on their handsets.
Some of this week's reports on the matter suggested that the Motorola DROID would taste the Android 2.1 update before the end of March, yet Verizon and Motorola stepped up soon after saying that March 18 is the lucky day for users. We've even seen a leaked update schedule, which showed that the first batch of updates were to be delivered before the weekend, and now it seems that we're put on hold for a little while, yet Verizon says that the update will continue as planned. And since Android 2.1 was one of the main topics of the week, we should also mention that Samsung released it for Galaxy Spica, and that Sprint might deliver it to Hero and Moment only in April.
Still in the Android area, we should mention that Google has just made the Nexus One available for more users out there. The handset has been put on sale with support for AT&T's and Roger's networks, and seems set to soon become available for purchase with Sprint connectivity as well. Not to mention that Verizon is also getting ready to welcome the device on its airwaves soon. For what it's worth, Nexus One certainly needs a wider availability, especially since its performance so far is not the most impressive one, as Google itself admits.
Taiwanese mobile phone maker HTC made it to the headlines quite a few times during this week, starting with a rumor that HTC Touch Pro3 might land in summer, and continuing with the confirmation of HD2's arrival at T-Mobile on March 24. HTC HD mini has been launched in Hong Kong, T-Mobile UK's HD2 Touch2 received ROM upgrades, and the company also delivered the Windows Mobile 6.5 software update for Touch Pro2 on Sprint and for Diamond2 on T-Mobile UK's airwaves. The company responded to Apple's lawsuit this week, released the Sense solution for Touch Pro2 and Diamond2 in Europe, and had its HTC Desire device listed on T-Mobile UK's website.
Moreover, we learned that HTC Incredible might land at Verizon in a couple of weeks, and that the HTC Supersonic, which emerged in a warehouse list, might be unveiled officially on March 24. HTC Hero will soon taste Android 2.1 in Europe, while HTC Desire will arrive at Virgin Media in April, along with other Android-based devices, including the Xperia X10, which will be launched in the UK by Orange too. Also in the Android area, we should mention an orkut app was launched for them, Google Maps 4.1, as well as a Google Buzz widget.
Among the other pieces of info that might be of interest, we should mention the release of final versions of Opera Mini 5 and Opera Mobile 10, the launch of Silverlight for Symbian in beta, or the fact that MetroPCS selected Gemalto for the provision of LTE solutions. Nokia's C6 touchscreen slider emerged this week, Motorola Milestone registered a price drop at Telus, the refreshed iPhone 3G 8GB can be purchased for only $29 from Fido, and we also learned that those who hoped that Nokia N900 would taste MeeGo might not be disappointed in the end.
