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Windows Phone 7 App Contest

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Microsoft is an aggressive beast.  Not only are they paying developers cash up-front to begin developing games for WP7, but now they are hosting an application suggestion contest.  Here is what Microsoft’s site says they’re doing:

Pitch us your idea of the dream app you’ve been waiting for.  If it gets the votes, we’ll build your app and make it available on Marketplace as a FREE download for Windows Phone 7 shortly after its Holiday 2010 launch.  We’ll also throw in $5,000 and a new Windows Phone 7 device!

Grab a camcorder, camera phone, or flex your writing skills – get creative.  Tell us about the app you want to see on Windows Phone 7.  We can’t wait to hear what you have to say.

Contest ends July 8, 2010.
Hey, why not submit your own suggestion?  Microsoft is really behind in the race for mobile applications.  I might go so far to say that I sense a degree of desperation in trying to “win over” mobile developers to WP7.  At the end of the day, it works.

Here’s a video of an avid Windows Phone fan talking about his suggestion, an app that allows you to turn you Windows Phone into a WiFi hotspot:

Has Microsoft Placed Its Last Mobile Bet?

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Has Microsoft Placed Its Last Mobile Bet?
PC World
Nick Jones of Gartner wrote in a blog post that he expects that Windows Mobile 7, a more significant upgrade expected to come next year, will be Microsoft’s …
More Details Emerge on Windows Mobile 7Softpedia
Windows Mobile 7: Microsoft’s last chance?InfoWorld
Microsoft to Detail Office Mobile 2010 at TechEd EuropeSoftpedia

all 620 news articles »

Windows Mobile 7 vs. Android 2.0

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As 2009 winds down, the excitement grows for the release date of Windows Mobile 7. Still unannounced, Microsoft will most likely release their new mobile OS in October, 2010. But is it too late? The iPhone dominated the mobile market in 2007. And in 2009 Google’s new Android mobile platform swept up whatever the iPhone didn’t grab, especially now that Android 2.0 just released. Anybody in between either had a Smartphone or Pocket PC that ran Windows Mobile 6.

Now it’s Microsoft’s turn again. And remember, Microsoft is usually never 3rd in the competition. Of course, you have to give it to Apple for jumping into the Smartphone arena so aggressively, they really did do a phenomenal job marketing their iPhone. And Google… well they didn’t need to do much to grab the attention of the public.

The battle continues, and we won’t know who really deserves the Smartphone marketshare until sometime in 2010. I always gauge the success of the iPhone, Android, and Windows Mobile between each other using Google Trends. This Google tools allows you to compare multiple keyword search terms based on popularity. Notice how Microsoft has a significant lead over Google Android, even right after Android 2.0 came out. This shows you the kind of lead Microsoft has, and why they aren’t necessarily worried about Apple or Google. As long as they’re in the top 3, they won’t sweat it. But Steve Ballmer will not settle for #3, or #2. Even #1 is a little shady but I guess that will have to do :)

Google Android vs Windows Mobile, Google Trends

Google Android vs Windows Mobile, Google Trends

Rare Preview of Windows Mobile 7

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Here are some screenshot mock-ups of Windows Mobile 7 that Microsoft uses internally (probably by the graphic/design team).   Windows Mobile 7 will have a slider-unlock feature!  Ok, now we’re even with the iPhone.

You can immediately tell from the screen shots that Microsoft took a whole new approach to the user interface w/ WM7.  But until we have a video of it in action, we can’t see how ‘fluid’ it really is.  If there is any lag with the new UI, I’m off Windows Mobile forever.  Lag is like getting into bad traffic: you’re upset that it’s there; and if it doesn’t go away soon, you’re going to honk your horn.

wm7new_thumb1

[thanks to wmexperts & pocketnow.com]

Project Pink and Windows Mobile 7?

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What is going on here?  Project Pink?  It’s a codename for the new Windows Mobile team that Microsoft is thrusting full throttle.  Only a few minor details are known about project Pink.  In short, it involves the integration of the Zune platform with Windows Mobile 7, but like I said the details are shady.  It’s great news though to see Microsoft making innovated, albeit risky decisions.

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