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Windows Phone 7 Series – Rebirth Of Microsoft’s Mobile Platform

If there is one thing that Microsoft should have done years ago, it’s none other than Windows Phone  7 series. That’s what I feel and also some respond that I read about the newest mobile operating system that Microsoft just unveiled yesterday. The Windows Phone 7 Series is on the class on it’s own, stated by Endgadget in one of it’s post.

As excited as you’re, I have followed the Engadget’s live blog (coincidentally I work at night GMT+8 time, so no problem stay late) to witness the new beginning, of what I can say is the true contender for the next generation mobile operating system.

It’s totally awesome I have to admit. The UI concept is moving away from the common UI mobile OS in the market, which pretty much doing what iPhone has invented, slide left an right or up and down, and with big move-able icons on each page, some with customize background.

Windows Phone 7 Series UI is giving new perspective of what Mobile OS should be,  although the main interface remain ‘slide up an down’ concept. Called Metro, the shortcut to program is like tiles, as they were actually  called ‘live tiles’ with 1 or 2 ’tiles’ at each row.

Well, you know, photo is always the best way to describe the beauty, so here is the Windows Phone 7 series Start Screen. It’s almost similar as Zune, but as most non-US folks never had chance to use Zune,  consider this is new, at least to us in other part of the world.

02 15 10winphone2 Windows Phone 7 Series Rebirth Of Microsofts Mobile Platform

Hub is what they called each section in this phone have. Among the hubs are

  • Music & Video Hub for music, videos, podcast and live streaming.
  • People Hub which keep the relevant contact detail along side integration with their social networking feeds.
  • Pictures Hub
  • Marketplace Hub – Like app store
  • Games Hub – For Xbox LIVE integration
  • Office Hub – Office, OneNote and SharePoint Workspace and Outlook Mobile

Some features that each Windows Phone 7 Series going to or might have. This is by far that I have read on.

  • Every Windows Phone 7 Series will have 3 button – Home, Back and Search
  • No UI customization is allowed, which means all Windows Phone 7 series will have same looks regardless the manufacturer.
  • Xbox LIVE Integration
  • Zune Integration
  • Office Integration
  • Windows Mobile 6.X applications will not compatible with Windows Phone 7 series
  • Capacitive and multi touch is a mandatory on each phone.
  • Microsoft will not manufacture and sell it’s own Windows Phone 7 Series.

Again, it’s best to let official videos from Microsoft to tell the features and demo the new mobile OS.

Windows Phone 7 Series Feature Videos

Windows Phone 7 Series Demos

Windows Phone 7 Series Promo Videos

Microsoft is not alone in bringing Windows Phone 7 Series to the world. AT&T has been chosen as be US’s premier partners. Other carries include Deutsche Telekom AG, Orange, SFR, Sprint, Telecom Italia, Telefónica, Telstra, T-Mobile USA, Verizon Wireless and Vodafone. Manufacturers likes Dell, Garmin-Asus, HTC Corp., HP, LG, Samsung, Sony Ericsson, Toshiba and Qualcomm Inc are among that Microsoft has team up to manufacture the phone.

The first phones will be available by holiday 2010, which means by December 2010. So until then, stay still with your current phone. Hopefully the final product will deliver the same or higher excitement than what was demoed today. Microsoft can’t afford to fail again this time.

Other Links

WindowsPhone7series.com – Windoes Phone 7 Series Official Website

Engadget’ live blog on Windows Phone 7 Series release event

Channel 9′s Windows Phone 7 Series Hands-on Demo

Windows Phone 7 Series Press Release

Admin 16 February 2010 Software , , , , , , , No Comments

The Basics Of Google Buzz You Should Know Before Starts Using It

Google Buzz release has receive outrages respond from Gmail users, particularly concerning the privacy setting. Without account owner consent, Google Buzz has  automated most of ‘social’ task that should be handled by human, instead robot or process.

After numerous blog posts and tweets, Google Buzz on it’s latest update has overcome most of these concern, especially disabling the process of adding friend and update from other sites automatically.

To me, Google Buzz biggest mistake is arise from their assumption of 3 things.

  • Automating the process of adding followers/following in order to provide different experience of social website.
  • All activities in other Google services such as Google Reader, Picasaweb should be made visible to other people in Gmail contact.
  • The contact that we email or chat most is our closed friends, that should stay updated with the update or activity from us.

Like most of you, I’m too very new with Google Buzz, but here are 4 essential things you should know before starts using Google Buzz.

1. Google Buzz integration with Gmail

Gmail, with 174 millions user is the perfect place for Google Buzz. If you have never use Google Buzz before, when you’re opening Gmail, just before you see your inbox, you’ll be greet with Google Buzz message. This seems to be the screen whether you’re agree to use Google Buzz or not, but apparently, even if you’re not interested and click ‘Nah, Go to my inbox’, you still have Google Buzz at your sidebar.

buzz intro The Basics Of Google Buzz You Should Know Before Starts Using It

2. Followers and following – No More Autofollow

- Followers and Following refer to the people that follow your updates and the people you’re following to. When Google Buzz was first introduced, the contact that you chat and email the most will follow you automatically (and you follow them as well), even before you agree using Google Buzz.

The problem with this is, they’re not necessarily the people you want to follow, when they might be your co worker, business partner or etc. And since they’re following you, or you’re following them, they’ll be able to view your profile which suppose not to be seen by them.

Good thing is, Google has disabled auto follow. Instead of auto follow, Google Buzz will use auto suggest model, which suggesting people that you should follow, also based on the people that you chat and email the most.

For existing Google Buzz users, you have to unfollow the contact that you have no intention to follow you or to be followed manually. To prevent the ‘unfollowed’ contact from following you again, ‘block’ them to permanently block this contact from following you.

buzz follows followers The Basics Of Google Buzz You Should Know Before Starts Using It

3. Connected site

Connected site is other Google services that connect to your Google Buzz, so any updates or shared items will be updated into Google Buzz.

Before this, Google automatically connect Google Reader And Picasaweb into Google Buzz, which means any activity (that visible to public) happens there will be updated to Google Buzz as well. To block this update, either the connected site being removed or the sharing option at Google Reader and Picasaweb being turned off respectively.

Now, Google Buzz no longer showing any activity from Google Reader and Google Buzz automatically. However, existing Google Buzz users have to remove these sites or change shared setting from ‘Connected Sites’ menu for Picasaweb, but for Google Reader, it has to be modified from within Google Reader.

buzz connected sites The Basics Of Google Buzz You Should Know Before Starts Using It

4. Turn off, hide or disable Google Buzz

To turn Google Buzz on and off, browse to the bottom of Gmail, and you can see the option to ‘turn on buzz’ or ‘turn off buzz’

buzz off The Basics Of Google Buzz You Should Know Before Starts Using It

There are also now Google Buzz tab in setting manu that allow you to hide Google Buzz or completely disable it.

buzz settings The Basics Of Google Buzz You Should Know Before Starts Using It

Admin 15 February 2010 socialize & media , , , No Comments

Dell Mini 5 Making The First Appearance Unofficially

Working with top gadget blog is obviously very fun when you have the chance to try the shining new gadget that yet available in market. See how one of Engadget writer manage to spot and videos Dell Mini 5 hold by Michael Dell. It is very brief video but I’m sure that is pretty exciting. That chance doesn’t come that often..

I suppose that ‘incident’ wasn’t stopped there. By now, I guess they have been granted the permission by Michael Dell to have the first look into Dell Mini 5. So there are now more images of Dell Mini 5 complete with the video as well.

Dell Mini 5 is one ‘giant’ smart phone with huge touch screen. As expected, it’s running on Android OS. The only spec that known so far , is Snapdragon 1Ghz processor, the chip that powering this giant.

If you take a look at one photos comparing Dell Mini 5 and iPhone, you’ll notice that Dell Mini 5 is a lot bigger than iPhone . It may not fit nicely into most pockets. It’s too bulky also to be a regular smart phone when more peoples now bring along more than 1 phone. It has the potential as mini tablet which seems to be more suitable category for Dell Mini 5.

Stay tune for more impressions post, stated at the end of that post.

Admin 14 February 2010 gadget & hardware , , , , , , , No Comments

iTablet – Another Tablet In The Making

500x itablet2 01 iTablet Another Tablet In The Making

I’m sure that iTablet is giving first impression to anyone who  heard about it,  that this is an Apple creation, which used with naming their product with  ‘i’ prefix. But that’s not the true for iTablet as this is made by X2, a UK’s company. At a glance, it looks promising with clean design, white casing without bezel as well as curvy edge. The website showcased in the demo looks perfect.

Inside this tablet is 1.6 Ghz Intel processor, 250GB internal storage, 3G chip and Bluetooth. Making this tablet more compelling is 3 UsB ports, HDMI and 1.3 Megapixel Camera. It comes in 2 sizes , 10.2″ and 12.1″ with thickness of 35mm, making it one of the thickest tablet so far. It run on Windows 7 OS (but the demo version is running on Windows XP),

Pricing is not yet available as this tablet is only going to be in the market on April. But given that competing tablet such as iPad and Joojoo are priced as low as $499, expecting iTablet going to have price tag within that range as well to remain competitive.

via

Admin 14 February 2010 gadget & hardware , , , 2 Comments

Opera 10.50 Beta Unveiled

opera 10 5 beta Opera 10.50 Beta Unveiled


Opera has released the latest version of it’s Opera web browser, now in version Opera 10.5 for Windows. Mac and Linux version will out soon. Opera 10.50 is said to be the most advance and the fastest web browser with Opera Turbo, first introduced last year.

The interface is now have cleaner looks and minimalist. The new feature such as Speed Dial, effects on visual tabs were introduced to improve visual. Taking advantage of Aero Glass effect on Windows 7, Opera is now looks more sleek than before.

Using Opera is still easy as before even with all these improvements. Just like other modern browsers, there are address bar, search box at the header, the bookmarked website at the main body along the Ask search box, and the Speed Dial.

More info can be found on the press release page.

Admin 13 February 2010 Software , , , 1 Comment
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