Hasta La Gadget!

Remember all that iPhone tracking hubbub back in April? Sure you do — you probably also recall Apple’s denial, the subsequent Senate hearing, and the rest of the fiasco’s dramatic fallout. Amid the ballyhoo, Microsoft stepped out to admit that its Windows Phone also collected location data, but quickly promised to knock it off following the next scheduled update. According to ChevronWP7 collaborator Rafael Rivera, Windows Phone 7.5 cinches it: Mango “no longer sends location data prior to being granted permission to do so.” Redmond previously told the US House of Representatives that it only collected location data if a user expressly allowed an application to send it along — a claim which Rivera debunked last week, noting that simply launching the camera application captured and transmitted “pin-point accurate positioning information.” The big M maintains that the collected location data was anonymous, and that it shouldn’t have been sent at all unless the user allowed it. Either way, Microsoft’s chapter in the big location tracking blunder of 2011 seems to be at a close, squaring the firm with Congress, its developers, and hopefully its customers.

Mango kills Microsoft’s always-on location tracking, makes good on letter to House of Representatives originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 03 Oct 2011 02:06:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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This week was packed with news on the mobile front, so it was easy to miss a few stories here and there. Here’s some of the other stuff that happened in the wide world of wireless for the week of September 26, 2011:

• Last week we heard the rumor that Sprint would be launching the BlackBerry Curve 9350 on October 2nd, and we’ve finally received the official confirmation. The device will be hitting stores tomorrow for $80 with a two-year contract. [PhoneArena]
• The Motorola Photon WiMAX, referred to as the Photon 4G in the US, is now making its way to Japan as KDDI announced the launch of the device this past Monday. [Motorola]
• Verizon Wireless launched the Pantech Jest 2 this week, which is a feature phone with a full slide-out QWERTY keyboard. [Verizon Wireless]
• The Samsung Galaxy Y is now listed as “coming soon” on O2’s website, which makes it the second carrier to announce upcoming availability in the UK. The actual date of release, however, is still unofficial. [O2]
• Softbank (Japan) looks ready to land the ZTE Lord V882, which appears to be an Android device running on Gingerbread, and comes packed with a 1GHz CPU, 512MB of RAM, 3.8-inch LCD at WVGA resolution and a 5MP camera. [LandofDroid]
• NTT DoCoMo and Orange have teamed up to offer the Sharp AQUOS SH80F, which features dual 8MP stereoscopic cameras and claims to be the world’s first Android device capable of converting 2D content into 3D in real time. It’ll first be launched in France on October 6th and will follow to other European and Asian countries shortly after. [Softpedia]
• Maybe Microsoft Canada just assumed nobody actually reads terms and conditions, because the company outed the names of a few upcoming Windows Phones in the T&C for a developer contest: the Nokia Sabre and a duo of Samsungs named the Yukon and Wembley. The Nokia Searay was also named in the list, indicating the Sabre is a second device running on Mango. [Nokia HDBlog (translated)]
• In preparation for its Windows Phone debut, Nokia is also rumored to be featuring a new voice navigation system with 3D maps, according to some leaked marketing materials. [WinRumors]
• Here’s a rendering of the HTC EVO Design 4G, also known as the Kingdom or Hero S. [Pocketnow]
• Samsung may have a midrange device coming soon to AT&T’s lineup as a complement to the Galaxy S II. We’ve already seen the I857 pass through the FCC and show up in a leaked roadmap, and now it appears to have been dubbed the Doubletime, according to uncovered Cellebrite records. [Pocketnow]
• Also appearing in Cellebrite records are the HTC Vigor (PH98100), Motorola Droid HD (XT912), and the Samsung Nexus Prime (SCH-i515). [Droid-Life]

Mobile Miscellany: week of September 26, 2011 originally appeared on Engadget on Sat, 01 Oct 2011 11:01:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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This week on the Gadget Lab podcast, the crew talks about big Amazon news, the upcoming iPhone event and Microsoft’s latest mobile update.

Staff writer Mike Isaac kicks off the show with reviews editor Mike Calore, weighing in on Amazon’s big tablet announcements this week. There’s a whole new family of Kindle e-readers on the way, as well as Amazon’s first Android-powered tablet, the Kindle Fire. Who should be worried the most, Apple or other Android tablet manufacturers?

Next up, staff writer Christina Bonnington demos a nifty trampoline which lets you work up a sweat without wearing out your joints. Verdict? Cool, but pricey: The mini-tramp costs just under $700.

Afterwards, Christina and Mike talk a little about the upcoming Apple iPhone event at the company’s Cupertino, California, headquarters next week. Of course, there’s no dearth of speculation around what’s in store (including ours). We have some inkling, but Apple almost always has a number of other hidden surprises on reveal dates.

Finally, Christina gives her impression of Microsoft’s recent update to its Windows Phone mobile operating system, Mango. It’s slick, it’s social and it’s nothing like iOS and Android. Want something new and unlike the two OS market leaders? Christina suggests giving Mango a spin.

Like the show? You can also get the Gadget Lab video podcast via iTunes, or if you don’t want to be distracted by our unholy on-camera talent, check out the Gadget Lab audio podcast. Prefer RSS? You can subscribe to the Gadget Lab video or audio podcast feeds.

Or listen to the audio below:

Gadget Lab audio podcast #126

http://downloads.wired.com/podcasts/assets/gadgetlabaudio/GadgetLabAudio0126.mp3

Windows Phone 7.5 has officially landed, but unless you’re among a fortunate few, Redmond’s tropical getaway might seem like only a twinkle on the horizon. In a wild turn of events, we’ve now stumbled across (and confirmed) a method that promises instant Mango gratification, and if you’re so inclined, we hope you’ll find similar luck. Here’s the gist: something very special happens when you run the update and then promptly disable your internet connection — about one second seems to do the trick. We first checked for Mango and kept WiFi enabled; the Zune software dutifully reported that our phone was up-to-date. Then, we executed the process and disconnected the internet… and wouldn’t you know it, the update presented itself. Now, we’re happily frolicking through Microsoft’s latest delights on our Focus. If you’re willing to try your luck, you’ll find a full list of instructions in the source. Here’s one final tip: once it’s reported that an update is available, be sure to restore that internet connection.

[Thanks, Rohit]

PSA: Force Windows Phone 7.5 Mango to update, right now originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 28 Sep 2011 08:26:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Finally, the Windows Phone 7 operating system is starting to catch up.

Microsoft’s web-based Windows Phone Marketplace goes live today, years after competitors Apple and Google launched their own. The app store launch is in conjunction with the rollout of Microsoft’s latest iteration of the Windows Phone 7 operating system (Mango).

The version 7.5 update will roll out to existing Windows Phone owners slowly to ensure there are no issues for users, according to the company. Mango adds over 500 tweaks and features to the Windows Phone 7 platform.

The Windows Phone Marketplace web portal launches with over 30,000 apps in tow, an admirable enough number (though still far behind its competitors). Apps are organized into one of 16 categories, and on the main page you can also browse by featured, free, top or new. Games are a separate tab from apps, and they’re organized into one of 14 different categories. On an app or game page, you’ve got what you’ve come to expect from a web-based app market: the app icon, price, a rating, description, screenshots and reviews. After purchasing an app from the web store, the app can be automatically downloaded over-the-air, without an SMS or e-mail link, to your Windows Phone 7.5 device¹.

The update to Mango is free and completely optional, but we got a chance to check it out ahead of time and honestly, there’s little reason not to upgrade. In particular, the OS adds some seriously cool social media integration to your contacts list, which is referred to as the People Hub. It also adds Wi-Fi sharing abilities and a Yelp-like built-in app called Local Scout to the homescreen.

If you’re a Samsung Focus, Dell Venue Pro or other Windows Phone 7 owner, you’ll receive an alert delivered OTA to your device when the update is prepped and ready to download. To check the status of your potential update, you can visit the “Where’s My Update” site, which is available starting today. You do, however, need PC or Mac connector software to install the update, but they’re available for free online (details are available on the Windows Phone Blog).

A number of Windows Phone Mango-specific devices will also be released later this fall.

Note 1. The original version of this story incorrectly stated that apps purchased from the Marketplace could be downloaded through e-mail or text message.

Photo: Jon Snyder/Wired.com