John at myITforum.com

Better late than never…

Taken from: http://www.microsoft.com/presspass/press/2010/feb10/02-15MWC10PR.mspx

Windows Phone 7 Series Website 

BARCELONA, Spain — Feb. 15, 2010 — Today at Mobile World Congress 2010, Microsoft Corp. CEO Steve Ballmer unveiled the next generation of Windows^® Phones, Windows Phone 7 Series. With this new platform, Microsoft offers a fresh approach to phone software, distinguished by smart design and truly integrated experiences that bring to the surface the content people care about from the Web and applications. For the first time ever, Microsoft will bring together Xbox LIVE games and the Zune music and video experience on a mobile phone, exclusively on Windows Phone 7 Series. Partners have already started building phones; customers will be able to purchase the first phones in stores by holiday 2010.

“Today, I’m proud to introduce Windows Phone 7 Series, the next generation of Windows Phones,” said Steve Ballmer, chief executive officer at Microsoft. “In a crowded market filled with phones that look the same and do the same things, I challenged the team to deliver a different kind of mobile experience. Windows Phone 7 Series marks a turning point toward phones that truly reflect the speed of people’s lives and their need to connect to other people and all kinds of seamless experiences.”

Designed for Life in Motion

With Windows Phone 7 Series, Microsoft takes a fundamentally different approach to phone software. Smart design begins with a new, holistic design system that informs every aspect of the phone, from its visually appealing layout and motion to its function and hardware integration. On the Start screen, dynamically updated “live tiles” show users real-time content directly, breaking the mold of static icons that serve as an intermediate step on the way to an application. Create a tile of a friend, and the user gains a readable, up-to-date view of a friend’s latest pictures and posts, just by glancing at Start.

Every Windows Phone 7 Series phone will come with a dedicated hardware button for Bing, providing one-click access to search from anywhere on the phone, while a special implementation of Bing search provides intent-specific results, delivering the most relevant Web or local results, depending on the type of query.

Windows Phone 7 Series creates an unrivaled set of integrated experiences on a phone through Windows Phone hubs. Hubs bring together related content from the Web, applications and services into a single view to simplify common tasks. Windows Phone 7 Series includes six hubs built on specific themes reflecting activities that matter most to people:

•People. This hub delivers an engaging social experience by bringing together relevant content based on the person, including his or her live feeds from social networks and photos. It also provides a central place from which to post updates to Facebook and Windows Live in one step.

•Pictures. This hub makes it easy to share pictures and video to a social network in one step. Windows Phone 7 Series also brings together a user’s photos by integrating with the Web and PC, making the phone the ideal place to view a person’s entire picture and video collection.

•Games. This hub delivers the first and only official Xbox LIVE experience on a phone, including Xbox LIVE games, Spotlight feed and the ability to see a gamer’s avatar, Achievements and gamer profile. With more than 23 million active members around the world, Xbox LIVE unlocks a world of friends, games and entertainment on Xbox 360, and now also on Windows Phone 7 Series.

•Music + Video. This hub creates an incredible media experience that brings the best of Zune, including content from a user’s PC, online music services and even a built-in FM radio into one simple place that is all about music and video. Users can turn their media experience into a social one with Zune Social on a PC and share their media recommendations with like-minded music lovers. The playback experience is rich and easy to navigate, and immerses the listener in the content.

•Marketplace. This hub allows the user to easily discover and load the phone with certified applications and games.

•Office. This hub brings the familiar experience of the world’s leading productivity software to the Windows Phone. With access to Office, OneNote and SharePoint Workspace all in one place, users can easily read, edit and share documents. With the additional power of Outlook Mobile, users stay productive and up to date while on the go.

Availability

Partners from around the world have committed to include Windows Phone 7 Series in their portfolio plans. They include mobile operators AT&T, Deutsche Telekom AG, Orange, SFR, Sprint, Telecom Italia, Telefónica, Telstra, T-Mobile USA, Verizon Wireless and Vodafone, and manufacturers Dell, Garmin-Asus, HTC Corp., HP, LG, Samsung, Sony Ericsson, Toshiba and Qualcomm Inc. The first phones will be available by holiday 2010. Customers who would like to receive additional information about Windows Phone 7 Series and be notified when it is available can register at http://www.windowsphone7series.com.

To watch the full replay of Steve Ballmer’s press conference at Mobile World Congress, and to experience Windows Phone 7 Series through an online product demo, readers can visit http://www.microsoft.com/news/windowsphone.

Founded in 1975, Microsoft (Nasdaq “MSFT”) is the worldwide leader in software, services and solutions that help people and businesses realize their full potential.

Note to editors: For more information, news and perspectives from Microsoft, please visit the Microsoft News Center at http://www.microsoft.com/news. Web links, telephone numbers and titles were correct at time of publication, but may have changed. For additional assistance, journalists and analysts may contact Microsoft’s Rapid Response Team or other appropriate contacts listed at http://www.microsoft.com/news/contactpr.mspx.

Over the last several weeks, I’ve been testing Glympse.  Glympse is a location based program that currently runs on iPhone, Windows Mobile and Android.  I’ll have to admit it’s one of the coolest location based mobile packages out there.  You send your “Glympse” to family members, coworkers, or friends the next time you are traveling and with no additional software needed by them, they click a web link and it not only sends them your location, but sends them a “moving” tracking link where they can watch your exact location on the map and a GlympseWatch timer to know exactly how much time you’ll take to arrive.

Check out the video.  You really need to see it to understand the cool technology. 

You can get Glympse from Windows Marketplace, iTunes App Store, or Android Market.  Or, if you have Windows Mobile, you can download from here: http://www.glympse.com/get/winmo.  The next time someone calls, emails or SMS text you and asks “where are you?”, send them a Glympse.  You’ll be glad you did, and so will they.

If you use Twitter or Facebook, you can also follow them here:

http://twitter.com/glympse

http://www.facebook.com/pages/Glympse/102072880714

I generally don’t do this type of thing, but in this case, I can’t resist.  The company (store) will remain anonymous. As most probably do, or attempt to do, we try to pay down our credit card balance each month and not carry over existing balances.  In this particular instance, what we didn’t count on was additional finance charges so we ended up owing an additional $9 in additional fees.  To that, they added an additional $2, with nothing noted other than “Fees charged”.  So, $11 total additional charges.

Here’s the “funny” part…our total balance owed is $11.  Our minimum payment is only $5.  Seriously?  A $5 minimum balance on an $11 total account balance?  I scan down the page…there are additional notes.  “If you make no additional charges using this card and each month you pay only the minimum payment, you will pay off the balance shown on this statement in about 4 months, and you will end up paying an estimated total of $17.”

Are they serious here?  I really wonder how many people would do that.  Take four months to pay off $11, while eating up another $6 in fees over that time?  You do the math on how much additional money this store would make and the interest rate charges they get away with.  Why they are able to get away with stuff like this is confusing (down economy or not).  It’s way more than highway robbery and the fact they think this is “reasonable” deserves no additional comments. 

Just for giggles, I looked up the history of loan sharks.  Here’s what I found:

Today loansharking tends to be associated in the popular mind with organized crime. The stereotypical loan shark is often thought to be a gangster who extorts repayment of the debt with threats of physical brutality. Such loan sharks do exist, but the first loan sharks were not linked to crime families and they did not beat up delinquent debtors. The phrase was originally applied to salary and chattel mortgage lenders who operated at the turn of the twentieth century. These creditors dealt in small sums (most loans were less than $100) and they charged high rates of interest (between 10% and 20% a month, and sometimes more).

My how far we’ve come…how many credit card companies, particularly department stores, charge higher than 10%-20%, and why are they not considered “loansharks”.  I’ll remember this the next time I walk in to a store and they offer me a “free credit card application”.

Rant over…

As I was installing apps from scratch this morning, I noticed that Windows Live for Windows Mobile has once again been updated.  I haven’t noticed what exactly changed yet, and can’t locate a change log anywhere to see. 

Old Version:  10.6.0053.3000

Now Version: 10.7.0061.2000

All the apps are there, and yes, you can set your Hotmail or Live mail account for direct push.  Just hit Menu > Options > Sync Schedule.

Download and install from http://wl.windowsmobile.com

Yes, I know, I know.  It’s not an iPhone, it’s not an Android, and no, it’s not even a webOS phone.  But, I’ve been testing the LG eXpo from AT&T for the last two weeks. 

Why do I like it?  Let me count the ways:

• Crisp and clear 800x400 resolution display
• 5 megapixel camera (yes, when most are struggling with 3/3.2 megapixels)
• A battery that can actually get me through the day without needing to charge
• A very speedy 1GHz Snapdragon processor…that’s right, a 1GHz processor
• Pico Projector capable
• Full sliding QWERTY keyboard, one of the best I’ve used…rate it excellent.
• Slim and light…compared to the monster HTC Tilt 2
• Samsung actually did a great job with the interface
• Running Windows Mobile 6.5 (let’s hope upgradeable to Windows Mobile 7)
• Ability to handle a 16GB SD card
• Phone quality is actually very good, no dropped calls, seamless integration with my BT headset

And yes, as I mentioned above, I realize for lots of folks think Windows Mobile is tired…dull…boring…not stable…et al.  Trust me, I’ve heard them all.  But, for what I use it for, including all of the enterprise applications I need, the AT&T LG eXpo is one of the best phones I’ve ever used. 

You can check out the phone in more details here:

http://www.lgexpo.com/

If you’re in the market for a new phone and get around all the poor publicity AT&T is taking, jump on it.

In conjunction with the announcement of Windows Mobile 6.5, it appears the Live team has also updated the Live client for Windows Mobile.

Well folks, it's been almost 9 months since our last update here and while we've been silent, we haven't been still.  Behind the scenes we've been working our fingers to the bone to bring you a completely new client full of updates, fixes, and new features!

Those of you that use Windows Live on your PC have likely noticed the evolution of the service over the past 6-9 months, especially the updates to http://home.live.com.  Things like the "What's new" feed and photos integration has created a very rich sharing and communication experience with your network.  I'm proud to announce that with this new version of our product we're bringing that experience to your mobile device in an engaging way optimized for mobile consumption.

And now...drum roll please...announcing...

Windows Live for Windows® phone!

I’ll be installing later today but my primary hesitation is that they removed Messenger from the client, and that’s one of the primary functions I use.  Did they add it back?  Will the carriers allow it?  We’ll see.  What’s changed?

• Windows Live Home - an entirely new feature!
  • View you and your friends "What's new" feed from Windows Live and other major 3rd party social networking sites.
  • View Windows Live photos and comment
  • Upload photos to Windows Live and other 3rd party sites through integration with the new My Phone client
  • View your Windows Live people
  • Update your status and accept network invitations from others
• Improvements and Updates like
  • Entirely new launcher screen
  • Significant touch investments that shine with new Windows Mobile 6.5 devices
  • Bing search integration
  • Abuse reporting
  • Automatic uninstall of previous versions
  • Virtual memory improvement and reduced installation file size through client refactoring

Jump out to http://wl.windowsmobile.com and find out for yourself.

You’ve heard the rumor, now it’s official…but can you upgrade?  The biggest disappointment is unfortunately, most of us won’t be able to upgrade.  Word on the street is that Microsoft is trying to set higher standards with OEM’s for a minimum level of specs you need to meet for running the OS.  Will it help?  Who knows…but I can tell you that the Windows Mobile 6.5 phones I’ve tested are a considerable improvement in speed, performance and operability.

So, what does Microsoft say at this point?  Selections are limited…some of the phones aren’t even available from the carriers yet (Omnia 2 and Touch Pro 2). 

You can watch the updates here:

http://www.microsoft.com/windowsmobile/en-us/meet/wm65-upgrade.mspx

You know I’ll be watching…

Microsoft Corp. is giving its operating system for "smart phones" a new look in time for the holiday shopping season.

The world's largest software maker said Tuesday that phones running the next version of Windows Mobile will hit store shelves worldwide on Oct. 6. Windows Mobile 6.5, as the new system is called, has an updated look that brings Microsoft's offering more in line with competitors such as Research in Motion Ltd.'s BlackBerry and Apple Inc.'s iPhone.

Windows Mobile 6.5 includes a new version of its Internet Explorer browser for phones, and changes that make it easier to use on touch-screen devices. Microsoft also has developed a free service called My Phone that lets people synchronize text messages, contacts, photos and other phone data on the Internet, where it can be edited or transferred to a new phone.

Microsoft is also launching a mobile application store akin to Apple's store for iPhone apps on iTunes. The company would not say how many developers have submitted applications for the Windows Marketplace for Mobile so far.

Source

Did you install Windows 7 yet?  Have you tried to access the Administrator account?  I installed Windows 7 yesterday, and after I had most of the apps reinstalled and my data restored, I wanted to ensure I had multiple accounts that I could use.  You know, just in case the profile is corrupt and you can’t log in to your primary account?  What?  That’s never happened to you?  Consider yourself fortunate.  OK, so where is the Administrator account in Windows 7?  It’s there, but I believe not active.  I had to make the account active to actually see the account to use it.  It wasn’t available in Users, and when I tried to create one, it said it already existed.  So, how to unhide the account?

Here’s what I had to do.   Run the Command Prompt as an administrator.  Start, All Programs, Accessories, right-click on Command Prompt, select “Run As Administrator”.  Once the command prompt opens, type net user administrator /active:yes and press enter.

You should see an entry similar to the following:

Once that’s done, close the window, restart the computer and you should now see a log in icon for the Administrator account.

Have you ever installed Office, only to try and activate it and find out you’ve used all your “activation" options?  I trash and burn my laptop hard drive all the time.  There is nothing, I mean nothing, more refreshing than starting with a clean install and reloading.  Well, I did it again today, only to find out that my activation codes wouldn’t work because I’d activated too many times.  Since I’m both a TechNet and MSDN subscriber, I have other codes.  So, options?  Yes, I could completely uninstall Office and reinstall with a new code.   No, that isn’t a good option.  It takes too long to install/uninstall/install.  So, what do you do?  Change the product ID in the registry so that you can enter your new keys.  Here’s how. 

Navigate to HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Office\, and look for the version you have installed.  If you’re running Office 2007, it will be in 12.0.  Once you’re there, scroll to the Registration key and there should be several subfolders listed that look like:

If you have multiple entries like I did, you need to find the product associated with each key.  So, click the first key and in the right pane, and scroll to productname:

OK, once you’ve identifed the right key, scroll up in the right pane and find the “DigitalProductID” and the “ProductID”.  Delete both keys (you may want to export the key first).  If the app is running, make sure the app is closed first.  Exit the registry editor, then relaunch your application.  You should be prompted for a new product/activation key.  That’s all there is to it, and it saves time.

Is AT&T dropping Android from Motorola even before product launch?

When Motorola announces its new Android handsets at a scheduled Sept. 10 event in San Francisco, AT&T isn’t likely to be among their carriers. Sources close to the company tell MKM Partners analyst Tero Kuittinen that AT&T (T) balked at Motorola’s Sawgrass and Heron handsets. Allegedly because of their dated display technology, the company has chosen not to carry them. That’s bad news for Motorola (MOT), which pinned its hopes of a turnaround on Google’s (GOOG) Android OS.

If it’s true, that’s more than bad news for Moto.

Source

Interesting article….and it’s ending up right where a lot of us thought it would…speculative at best.  Emphasis mine…

"Over the last two or three years, WiMAX has gained a strong foothold in developing countries in which there is a need for broadband, but the fixed infrastructure is poor. However, Analysys Mason doubts that the developing market offers sufficient growth potential and size to sustain continued investment from such heavyweights as Cisco Systems, Intel and Motorola without additional sales in the developed markets. But in the developed markets of Europe and the USA, we see some early signs of a difficult future for WiMAX.

In the USA, Sprint is rolling out a national WiMAX network through its majority shareholding in Clearwire, but the growth in number of subscribers has been disappointing. Google and Intel, among others, have already written off billions of dollars they had invested in Clearwire. This does not look good for WiMAX. Also, it appears that the North American CDMA operators may move to LTE, rather than to WiMAX.

Ericsson's purchase of Nortel's interests in CDMA and LTE will encourage CDMA operators to shift to LTE, creating greater acceptance of LTE in North America. Huawei is strongly promoting LTE and has recently opened up a new LTE laboratory in Richardson, Texas, where operators can familiarise themselves with the technology.

We’re also in the market for a new “family” tent.  Normally when we go camping, there is only 2-3 that go because of the boys ages.  It’s normally a Scouting event, and with a Wolf, Bear and Webelos, they’re really in different age groups and activity schedules.  If anyone out there is a camping freak, and can share some insight on tents, I welcome the input.

Really looking forward to this weekend.  The boys and I are all heading out tomorrow for a three day camping, boating, and fishing weekend.   No gadgets, no electricity, no laptop (ok…I may have a PDA or two with me…can’t completely cut off).  The boys woke up this morning asking what time we’re leaving, so I know they can’t wait either.  It’s our end of summer campout…where did the summer go?

Interesting list over at TechRepublic on 10 ways to get the most out of Bing. 

Some of the features I wasn’t aware of.  Just one of the “ways” posted:

Use it as a Decision Engine

Microsoft may be competing with Google by spending advertising dollars in the search universe, but it seems that the actual product has a slightly different aim. Microsoft is calling Bing a Decision Engine and positioning it as a new kind of tool, as described in this press release:

Bing is specifically designed to build on the benefits of today’s search engines but begins to move beyond this experience with a new approach to user experience and intuitive tools to help customers make better decisions, focusing initially on four key vertical areas: making a purchase decision, planning a trip, researching a health condition or finding a local business.

The next time you’re using the Web to make a decision about buying something, going somewhere, improving your health, or finding directions, give Bing a shot.

http://blogs.techrepublic.com.com/10things/?p=957