Hasta La Gadget!

You may have already been able to get a Windows Phone device in India without too much trouble, but Microsoft has only just now made things fully official — complete with Windows Phone Marketplace, voice recognition support, and a trio of Mango devices. That includes just the HTC Radar initially, which will be available next week for the local equivalent of $490, while the Samsung Omnia W and Acer Allegro (believed to be the same as the W4) are set to follow sometime in November. Of the three, the Allegro is said to be the cheapest of the lot, and there’s also some reports that it will launch in Europe for €299 (or roughly $400) off-contract. Those curious about the Radar can check out our review from a few days ago.

Microsoft officially launches Windows Phone in India with trio of Mango devices originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 13 Oct 2011 01:29:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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It took life as the Omega, but it didn’t take long for HTC’s Mango handset for the masses to be christened the Radar. Alongside the higher-end Titan (with its gigantic 4.7-inch screen and souped-up 1.5GHz CPU), it holds the potential to replace numerous devices in the company’s Windows Phone lineup — the Trophy, Mozart and HD7 all come to mind. Yes, we may see additional options down the road, but for the moment, it comes down to these two. While the Radar’s aging chipset, sealed battery and limited 8GB headroom will undoubtedly discourage some buyers, it’s managed to find a soft spot in our jaded hearts. Just how’d it do that? Read on, as we count the reasons why.

Continue reading HTC Radar review

HTC Radar review originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 11 Oct 2011 12:00:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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This just in: Microsoft is ready to take the plunge into mobile modernity… at its own pace. During a recent interview with All Things D, Windows Phone President Andy Lees revealed a few details about Redmond’s future crop of handsets, which will apparently include both LTE capabilities and dual-core processors. The exec confirmed that LTE-equipped devices are indeed in the pipeline, but declined to specify whether they’d hit the market this year or next. Turns out, Microsoft wants to wait until current LTE networks prove capable of supporting more power-efficient smartphones. “The first LTE phones were big and big [users] of the battery,” Lees said. “I think it’s possible to do it in a way that is far more efficient, and that’s what we will be doing.”

Lees was similarly opaque about Microsoft’s plans to incorporate dual-core CPUs into its mobile lineup, saying only that they’re on the way. According to him, however, even single-core Windows Phones can hold their own against the dual-core competition: “They’re all single core, but I suspect that they will be faster in usage than any dual-core phone that you put against it, and that’s the point.” Lees went on to wax Panglossian about Microsoft’s strategy, claiming that the absence of LTE and dual-core processing doesn’t necessarily mean that his company is behind the times. “I think that what our strategy is is to put things in place that allow us to leapfrog, and I think that’s how we’ve gone from worse [sic] browser to the best browser,” he explained, “and I think the same is true with hardware.” Check out the full interview for yourself, at the source link below.

Shocker! Microsoft to produce dual-core, LTE Windows Phones, other modern things originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 10 Oct 2011 13:29:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Continue reading Soon, Xbox Companion will let you control your console from Windows Phone

Soon, Xbox Companion will let you control your console from Windows Phone originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 05 Oct 2011 13:40:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Whether you’re a spendthrift or just happened to be down at the shops, Phones4U had an extra early bird special this past weekend. Turns out the mobile retailer had received stock of both the HTC Titan and Radar ahead of the planned October 7th launch date, and did what any good commercial enterprise would — they put’em up for sale. If you’re down with carrier chains, you can snatch both handsets in-store or online gratis, with a contracted monthly fee on Orange, T-Mobile or Vodafone (for the Titan only). For the no SIM attached route, you’ll have to practice a wee bit more patience, and wait until this Friday when Clove will offer the Mango phones at full price — £489 and £329, respectively. Statesiders, take a deep breath, your crack at this first wave of Windows Phone 7.5 devices is close at hand.

HTC Titan, Radar on sale now at Phones4U, blow a raspberry at ‘launch date’ nonsense originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 04 Oct 2011 02:39:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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