Hasta La Gadget!

Windows Phone’s latest iteration (codename Mango) is all about keeping it in the hood. We had a chance to sit down with a Windows Phone rep before today’s big reveal, and they let us in on a couple of new features that will most definitely set the OS apart — at least when it comes to navigating the tangled web that is the internet. We did get a quick glimpse at IE9, but the new browser isn’t much of a game changer — it supports HTML5, but still won’t deliver Flash or Silverlight compatibility. The real news here is in the Bing-powered search function, which lets users surf the vast expanses of the web four different ways, with a focus on the local.

Clicking the dedicated search button from the Windows Phone home screen takes you to a familiar Bing page, offering the visual, audio, and voice options we heard rumored earlier this month, along with a city scape icon. That skyline represents Local Scout, a function that focuses your queries on the neighborhood you’re in, providing location-specific results that highlight important information about establishments and events in your immediate area. Clicking through on any link brings up general information as well as reviews gleaned from popular user-generated sites. That’s not all that’s new, however, as Mango also offers some nifty tricks in its visual search. Instead of just snapping a barcode, you can actually use a shot of the product itself to bring up information about pricing, availability, and relevant apps.

The demo we saw used the cover of The Girl Who Played With Fire, and supplied among the search results a link to the title in the Kindle app. This isn’t exactly groundbreaking technology — Google Goggles does much the same thing — but what’s truly different here is the tight integration of such functions in the operating system, as well as links to outside applications. Thus, the experience is a bit unlike any other in the OS atmosphere, upending our idea of what it means to search the internets without resorting to standalone programs. Whether it’s something users will take to is anybody’s guess, but we’re certain it’s enough to get folks talking. For a deeper (and very vertical) look at Local Scout, hop on past the break.

Continue reading Windows Phone ‘Mango’ search offers location-specific results, app integration (video)

Windows Phone ‘Mango’ search offers location-specific results, app integration (video) originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 24 May 2011 10:00:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Microsoft’s proper preview event for the next big release of Windows Phone may be mere hours away, but there’s still time for a bit of good old fashioned web sleuthing before then. Latest on our radar is this Microsoft Developer Network page listing out all the APIs in Silverlight for Windows Phone 7.1. That’s right, your eyes do not deceive you, there’s a whole extra decimal added to the OS number, ostensibly signifying the move to the Mango update we’re all so hungry for. We’d previously heard the moniker of Windows Phone 7.5 bandied about, but that was based on supposition more than anything else, and a .1 upgrade makes sense in light of the curent 7.0.7 version number. Fuller details will be forthcoming later on today, but for now, pencil in the number 7.1 alongside the dream specs of your next Windows Phone.

[Thanks, Garret]

Windows Phone 7.1 is the likely name for Mango OS update originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 24 May 2011 05:41:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Just how big of an upgrade will the Mango release of Windows Phone be? Try “500 new features” big. Steve Ballmer revealed that seductively round number in a speech over in Japan today, where he also said that additional information about “who’s going to be building Windows Phones” will be forthcoming at tomorrow’s preview event as well. Combine that with an otherwise unsubstantiated rumor (more coverage link below) about Microsoft showing nine new Windows Phone handsets tomorrow, and it does seem like there’ll be fresh hardware to go with the ripening software. Neither the Mango release nor any devices on show will be coming to market any time soon, mind you, but it’s nice to think we’ll get to see what the future of Windows Phone will look like in physical as well as digital form.

Update: We have confirmation from a reliable source that tomorrow’s event will be entirely focused on the software, not the hardware. So, anybody looking for a flotilla of new handsets to be deployed had best get their favorite crying pillow handy.

Continue reading Steve Ballmer promises ‘over 500’ new features in Mango, teases new WP handsets (updated)

Steve Ballmer promises ‘over 500’ new features in Mango, teases new WP handsets (updated) originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 23 May 2011 08:01:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Any Android fans that envied Windows Phone 7’s Metro UI style can have it for their media player (the WP7 launcher has been emulated before, try Launcher 7 in the Market), thanks to this app released by the developer of the popular LauncherPro homescreen replacement. As seen in the video above next to a real WP7 device, the look and functionality of the Zune player is present in a remarkably full featured interface despite its early alpha status, complete with features like scrobbling and playlists. The only thing it’s really lacking so far is a name, and obviously any Zune software integration; while we wait to see if Microsoft has any reaction to this homage you can sideload the APK yourself from the source link.

Update: If you want to see the same app running on Honeycomb (and looking amazing) check out a screenshot after the break. [Thanks @Basil_Knows!]

Continue reading Windows Phone 7-style music player for Android arrives from the developer of LauncherPro

Windows Phone 7-style music player for Android arrives from the developer of LauncherPro originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 20 May 2011 13:21:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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When Microsoft takes the stage May 24th to preview the next release of Windows Phone, will there be any surprises left for the peanut gallery? In the last week we’ve seen numerous features announced or leaked, an awfully big coincidence given the timing of next week’s event. More cats were let out of their bags today at Microsoft’s annual TechEd conference keynote, as several enterprise-related capabilities were shown off that both companies and consumers have sorely missed on their phones.

First up are pinnable email folders, giving users the opportunity to pin a specific folder of higher priority — such as emails from your boss or wife — to your start screen. Toss in email threads complete with conversation view, and now Mango is looking even more drool-worthy. But there’s more, folks: Exchange users frustrated by online having access to recent correspondence can look forward to server search — a new function that’ll enable you to sift through your entire email collection if need be. Rounding out the grocery list of new updates is Lync support, complex alpha-numeric passcodes for higher security, Information Rights Management support, and — hallelujah — the ability to connect to hidden WiFi networks natively. About time, right? Take a peek at the full breakdown of the new features at the source link.

Update: Now with video, after the break!

Continue reading Microsoft outlines new enterprise features coming to Windows Phone ‘Mango’

Microsoft outlines new enterprise features coming to Windows Phone ‘Mango’ originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 16 May 2011 14:18:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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