Microsoft announces ten Windows Phone 7 handsets for 30 countries: October 21 in Europe and Asia, 8 November in US (Update: Video!)

It may have “Windows” in the branding, but Windows Phone 7 is not the desktop PC experience shoehorned into a cellphone. Microsoft tried that with Windows Mobile… and we all know how that turned out. Today, eight months after the Windows Phone 7 OS unveiling in Barcelona, we’re finally seeing the official launch of the retail hardware: nine new WP7 handsets, some available October 21 in select European and Asian markets and others from early November in the US. The phones will find their way to over 60 cellphone operators in more than 30 countries this year. Microsoft tapped Dell, HTC, LG, and Samsung to deliver the Snapdragon-based handsets with a carrier list that includes AT&T, T-Mobile USA, Vodafone, TELUS, América Móvil, Deutsche Telekom AG, Movistar, O2, Orange, SFR, SingTel, and Telstra. And that’s just for the first wave — Microsoft has even more handsets coming in 2011 including the first for Sprint and Verizon in the US. Here’s the lineup of 480 x 800 pixel (WVGA) phones announced today:

  • HTC 7 Surround — The 3.8-inch T8788 with slideout speaker for AT&T and Telus
  • HTC HD7Schubert comes of age as a 4.3-inch HD2 cousin for T-Mobile and beyond
  • HTC 7 Trophy — the 3.8-inch Spark headed to international carriers
  • HTC 7 Mozart — another heavily leaked int’l player with 3.7-inch display
  • Dell Venue Pro — 4.1-inch portrait QWERTY slider for T-Mobile we broke as Lightning
  • Samsung Focus — AT&T’s 4-inch Super AMOLED slate we broke as Cetus
  • Samsung Omnia 7 — the i8700 is a 4-inch Super AMOLED jobbie for Europe
  • LG Optimus 7/7Q — the E900 is the official 3.8-inch global workhorse
  • LG Quantum — AT&T’s 3.5-inch landscape slider first seen as the C900
  • HTC 7 Pro — a 3.6-inch QWERTY slider for Sprint (2011)

“Glance and Go,” is the slogan Microsoft is using to differentiate itself from an already crowded smartphone market. Something we’ve already seen alluded to in that leaked AT&T ad. As Ballmer notes, “Microsoft and its partners are delivering a different kind of mobile phone and experience – one that makes everyday tasks faster by getting more done in fewer steps and providing timely information in a ‘glance and go’ format.” He’s referring to WP7’s customizable Live Tiles, of course. Xbox Live integration is another biggie with EA Games just announcing its first Xbox Live-enabled wares coming to Windows Phone 7 in the fall including “Need for Speed Undercover,” “Tetris,” “Monopoly,” and “The Sims 3.” The other big differentiators are the slick Metro UI, integrated support for Zune media and Zune Pass subscriptions, Bing search and maps, Windows Live including the free Find My Phone service, and Microsoft Office Mobile.

Now quit stalling and jump past the break for the full list of handsets per carrier and country.

Update: Added the official WP7 overview videos after the break.

Continue reading Microsoft announces ten Windows Phone 7 handsets for 30 countries: October 21 in Europe and Asia, 8 November in US (Update: Video!)

Microsoft announces ten Windows Phone 7 handsets for 30 countries: October 21 in Europe and Asia, 8 November in US (Update: Video!) originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 11 Oct 2010 09:34:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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First (legitimate) Windows Phone 7 television ads unveiled (video)

Steve Ballmer talks WP7 today on Today, gets no respect from Matt Lauer

Steve Ballmer’s already working the salesman magic, but Microsoft won’t try to sell you Windows Phone 7 solely on stage — find a pair of familiar-looking debut TV spots for the new platform right after the break.

Continue reading First (legitimate) Windows Phone 7 television ads unveiled (video)

First (legitimate) Windows Phone 7 television ads unveiled (video) originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 11 Oct 2010 09:32:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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HTC Mozart and mystery LG Windows Phone 7 device appear in Telstra storefront, coming ’21-10-10′

Well hello there giant Windows Phone 7 handsets. This interactive sidewalk display was just unveiled at the Telstra store in Melbourne Australia. On the left we’ve got what looks to be the HTC Mozart already rumored for Telstra. The device on the right, though, is a previously unseen LG Windows Phone 7 device. Best of all is the “coming 21-10-10” text in the fine print that matches up nicely with the rumored European launch date. Don’t worry, in a few hours we’ll have all the details nice and official like.

[Thanks, Jason B.]

HTC Mozart and mystery LG Windows Phone 7 device appear in Telstra storefront, coming ’21-10-10′ originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 11 Oct 2010 05:02:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Microsoft’s Windows Phone 7 launch event is Monday at 9:30AM ET, and we’ll be there live!

As you may have heard, Microsoft is having a major event Monday in NYC to announce details surrounding Windows Phone 7 launch dates and devices… and Engadget is going to be there delivering the best live coverage in the universe. In case you don’t already know, Steve Ballmer and AT&T’s Ralph de la Vega will be on stage to delight your senses, and there will likely be lots of new hardware we’ll be getting our hands on.

You can see all of the news unfold in realtime right here at our liveblog post, and the whole thing starts tomorrow, October 11th, at the times listed below. Don’t miss it!

03:30AM – Hawaii
06:30AM – Pacific
07:30AM – Mountain
08:30AM – Central
09:30AM – Eastern
02:30PM – London
03:30PM – Paris
05:30PM – Moscow
10:30PM – Tokyo

Microsoft’s Windows Phone 7 launch event is Monday at 9:30AM ET, and we’ll be there live! originally appeared on Engadget on Sun, 10 Oct 2010 19:00:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Verizon rolls out FiOS on Demand app for Android, BlackBerry, Windows Mobile

There’s still no word on that promised, live TV-enabled iPad app, but Verizon has just rolled out its FiOS on Demand app for Android, BlackBerry and Windows Mobile 6.5, which will let you buy, rent and watch so-called Flex View movies right on your phone. As we’d heard earlier, the number of officially supported devices is somewhat limited to start with — including the Droid X, Droid 2, and Storm 2, to name a couple — but Verizon notes that the list is expanding, and to check back often. Of course, you won’t simply be limited to watching the movies on your phone; you can also transfer them from your phone to your PC, and view them on any combination of up to four devices in addition to a FiOS TV set-top box.

[Thanks, Nate]

Verizon rolls out FiOS on Demand app for Android, BlackBerry, Windows Mobile originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 07 Oct 2010 18:59:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Spotify launches on Windows Mobile, coming soon for Windows Phone 7

There. That feels better, doesn’t it? Windows Mobile loyalists (yeah, all eight of you) who have been holding off on switching for inexplicable reasons now have a reason to celebrate: Spotify’s live on Windows Mobile 6.x. That sweet, sweet music streaming action that other mobile platforms have been enjoying for months is finally on Microsoft’s now-ancient smartphone OS, but the real news is that the team already has a build ready to go for the forthcoming Windows Phone 7. As you’d expect, these versions will allow users to search, browse and play back millions of tracks, stream over WiFi / 3G / 2.5G, play music sans an internet connection (offline playlists) and wirelessly sync between a local computer and a mobile. Windows Phone users should point their browser to m.spotify.com to get their download on (or hold off for it to hit the Windows Marketplace), and those who are still feeling timid can catch a beautifully narrated promotional video just past the break.

Continue reading Spotify launches on Windows Mobile, coming soon for Windows Phone 7

Spotify launches on Windows Mobile, coming soon for Windows Phone 7 originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 04 Oct 2010 09:45:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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HTC Mozart Windows Phone 7 specifications leak, ‘late October’ UK launch confirmed

We’re getting close, very very close to the official launch of the Windows Phone 7 OS. And while the US might be waiting until November for actual handsets to go on sale, Europe looks set for an October release… just like we heard from Microsoft back in August. Things are even rosier in the UK where all five major operators will have Windows Phone 7 devices in stock. Now, according to a screengrab we’ve received from an internal Phones 4U system, we know that the HTC Mozart is on deck for a late October UK retail debut. To start with, the 119 x 60.5 x 11.9 mm touchscreen slate will feature a 3.7-inch 800×480 pixel TFT LCD, 1GHz CPU, 8MP camera with Xenon flash and 720p video recording, a 1300mAh battery, 8GB of memory, and a bevy of sensors for ambient light, gravity, compass, and proximity. Other specs include a 3.5-mm audio jack naturally, surround sound, Bluetooth 2.1, A-GPS, and 802.11n WiFi. Expect it to be sold free with the usual £35 per month carrier tithe. Man, you thought deciding on a smartphone was tough now, just wait until we’ve got WinPho 7 and MeeGo (hopefully) devices on the market before year’s end.

Update: Looks as if an Orange help guide all but confirms that the Mozart will be coming its way in the UK. Thanks, Gears!

HTC Mozart Windows Phone 7 specifications leak, ‘late October’ UK launch confirmed originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 04 Oct 2010 07:19:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Motorola ES400S earns its keep on Sprint in October

You may not remember the Motorola ES400 announced back in June; it’s the first device to run Microsoft’s Windows Embedded Handheld platform, after all — an offshoot of WinMo 6.5.3 — and doesn’t have a whole lot of relevance to the average consumer. Well, let this be your refresher: Sprint has revealed that it intends to launch its own version of the phone, the ES400S, through a variety of Sprint sales channels next month, marking the first time an enterprise-oriented Moto has been branded and offered directly by a carrier. It meets a variety of standards for ruggedness and includes a 3-inch VGA display, full QWERTY keyboard, 3.2 megapixel camera (which actually performs the barcode scanning duties, not a traditional laser scanner), 802.11a / b / g, GPS, and both CDMA with EV-DO Rev. A and GSM / HSPA for international use. You get a 1540mAh battery in the box, but a whopping 3080mAh unit is available separately if you plan on enterprisin’ away from a charger for days on end. “Qualified” businesses will be able to get in on the ES400S starting sometime before the end of October for $499.99, while average Joes will have the option of paying $549.99 on a new two-year deal. Follow the break for the press release.

Continue reading Motorola ES400S earns its keep on Sprint in October

Motorola ES400S earns its keep on Sprint in October originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 29 Sep 2010 15:16:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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TerreStar Genus hybrid satellite phone hits AT&T at long last for $799

It’s been just shy of a year since TerreStar’s Windows Mobile-based Genus was announced for AT&T, offering a unique combination of GSM / HSPA backed up with satellite capability for those times when you find yourself in the middle of nowhere; in fact, you may have assumed that it had already been released by now. After all, this isn’t the phone for 97 percent of the population — it runs Windows Mobile and still works in places where us soft city folk would never dream of going — so odds are good you never bothered to follow up on it. Fact is, though, it’s just now available for the first time today, so as long as you’ve got a line of sight to TerreStar’s bird and a willingness to tolerate WinMo 6.5.3, you’ll be able to make and receive calls throughout the US, Puerto Rico, U.S. Virgin Islands and in the surrounding waters — and it’s all on one telephone number. Of course, having a single number eliminates the cool factor of being able to say “if you can’t reach me, try my sat phone,” but let’s be honest: convenience wins here. Right now, the phone’s only available to business and government users… and with $799 upfront for the phone and satellite service running $25 a month plus per-minute, per-message, and per-megabyte charges of 65 cents, 40 cents, and 5 dollars, respectively, that’s probably for the best. Follow the break for AT&T’s full press release.

Continue reading TerreStar Genus hybrid satellite phone hits AT&T at long last for $799

TerreStar Genus hybrid satellite phone hits AT&T at long last for $799 originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 21 Sep 2010 00:07:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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ComScore: Google’s Android surpasses Microsoft in US smartphone market share

Considering that Steve Ballmer himself said that Microsoft “missed a cycle” in the smartphone sales universe, we guess it’s not too shocking to see Android leap past Windows Mobile and Friends in ComScore’s latest US smartphone report. If you’ll recall, we saw back in July that Google was tailing Microsoft by the slimmest of margins, and now that the latest data is live, it’s clearer than ever that Android is rising while the competition is slipping. The research firm’s MobiLens report found that Google’s market share in the US smartphone sector surged five percent in the three month average ending April 2010, while RIM sank 1.8 percent, Apple 1.3 percent, Microsoft 2.2 percent and Palm… well, Palm remained flat with just 4.9 percent of the pie. Of course, one has to assume that Microsoft loyalists are holding off on upgrades until Windows Phone 7 hits the market, but there’s little doubt that the flurry of higher-end Android phones has done nothing but help Google’s cause. And if Gingerbread actually brings support for serious 3D gaming? Look out, world.

[Thanks, S.H.]

ComScore: Google’s Android surpasses Microsoft in US smartphone market share originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 20 Sep 2010 07:42:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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