27 replies to this topic

[PaulOBrien]

Over at 'InsideMicrosoft', they have a very substantial scoop on Windows Mobile 7, a future release of Windows Mobile 7 that appears to be slated for release for 2009.

It's clear they've got hold of something they really shouldn't have - and i'm sure Microsoft will be livid at such extensive detail leaking so early in a product's life cycle - but for us Windows Mobile fans, it sure makes for exciting reading!

You can read the full article at http://microsoft.blo...otion-gestures/, i've included a teaser below

Let the drooling begin!

P

InsideMicrosoft said:

Microsoft is currently developing Windows Mobile 7, the first revolutionary change to its mobile device operating system. Recently, I was given a document by a source inside Microsoft that details the touch and gesture plans for Mobile 7. This document is a confidential internal use only document, used to explain the plans for Mobile 7, and contains well over a hundred pages of designs, ideas, and changes to the way we interact with our mobile devices.

Below, you’ll find over 3,000 words detailing my notes from the document. I can’t publish the document here, at least not until after the product is announced, to protect my sources. I will provide the document to trusted journalists in order to share and show proof of this information. If there is anything I leave out, please don’t hesitate to ask and I will try to provide a screenshot or answer.

The document appears to be from the past summer, and some of the details may change before the product is announced. However, the touch and gesture plans appear to be set in stone, and will be the focus of Windows Mobile 7.


What’s New
Windows Mobile 7 will dramatically change the way we use mobile devices. It will emphasize the use of touch on the device, as well as motion gestures created by using the device. It is, absolutely, Microsoft’s effort to beat back the iPhone, and the iPhone is referenced several times in the document.

[Syphon Filter]

I just read aobut this on here, engadget and gizmodo.

Looks bloody amazing! Obviously...people are going to compare it to the iPhone...but jesus...this is the overhaul that windows mobile needs.

If this is what WM7 is going to bring...then WM8 (the supposed true FULL overhaul) should be earth shattering.

Edited by Syphon Filter, 06 January 2008 - 11:04 PM.

[PaulOBrien]

Looks to me like this IS the full overhaul, and yus, I want it NOW!

You're right tho, this is the kinda of complete change that WinMo needs. I just hope it retains the power in with the user friendliness

P

[James]

oh boy! Oh boy! OH BOY!!!

Wow, wow and double wow! Well its only going to be about a year late but its sounds fantastic!! I love the idea about using the camera to detect motion

P.s. Writing this on my iPod touch:)

[mandt]

It's starting to look more and more like the iPhone was the just kick up the rear WM needed!

A very long-overdue overhaul, roll on 2009  

[loki_f]

Wow - bring it on I say, the current touch interface of WM6 is too stylus intensive and that's what I hate about it.

[emyllis]

It looks superb and really interesting/slick.  Great write up as well from that author as well.

THe interesting thing is that it appears that the camera will be a lot more pivotol in future generations.

Edited by emyllis, 06 January 2008 - 11:48 PM.

[Stuart_f]

Very nice but I suspect we will all need new hardware to take advantage of it properly.

I'm still struggling to see why this is going to take a year to get to market though...

[proindigo]

after microsofts track record of overpromising underdelivering...(eg vista)
I say yawn..

by 2009 apples phone will be at another level all together, blackberry will have the touch features and googles phone will likely be on its 3rd or 4th version.

I say too late microsoft, am done with you.

I wave a gesture at micorosft, hopefully their phones will be able to interpret

[prajith]

this is really awesome, i guess this will WM7 is the photon release then
i just hope the WM7 devices show up soon

[tsutton]

Maybe it's just me but having played with iPhone from a friend, Microsoft is just copying their design. So nothing new... move on.

(but yay, it's coming to Windows Mobile anyway lol)

[PaulOBrien]

I think it's easy to dismiss it as iphone-alike, but when you look at the detail, it's really not so much.

Remember too that WM has had touch UI a lot longer than the iPhone

P

[FlangeArtist]

Can't wait until I can 'lean to the left' and drive my car game to the left also...Will get a bit mad, when everyone on the train is all body gesturing to drive their mobiles :-) hehehe - Really like the fact that it can be used on existing devices and not need a Hardware upgrade!  M$FT might actually end up doing something right!

[jimbouk]

I am getting so bored with the MS knocking that rears its ugly head every single time we discuss a new development.

MS's products aren't a panacea. They don't stop World Poverty. They can't cure cancer.

What they do is provide a pretty damned good OS for pc's or mobiles etc.

If you don't like it, then go use someone else's OS's. Don't spend your life trying to make those of us who are "satisfied" with their products feel like dismal failures.

If all the MS knockers were the same about everything else, they would stress themselves into an early grave:


"OMG Waitrose have launched a new range of filled pasta's - but they haven't done one with Ricotta and Serano Ham - why oh why can't Waitrose be like Sainsburys?"



I say: Thank God for choice!




Edit to say this isnt aimed at anyone specifically on this thread - YET

Edited by jimbouk, 07 January 2008 - 10:16 AM.

[argh]

James, on Jan 6 2008, 23:07, said:

I love the idea about using the camera to detect motion

Having seen this facility on Nokia phones in the past, it is generally pretty poor. Think about how it behaves in bad light conditions, and the issue with battery life from keeping the camera on all the time.

An accelerometer solution is superior in every way. I use Windows Mobile and Symbian (sorry!) and the recent release of an accelerometer API for N95 has produced a variety of gesture based software similar to the stuff described here.

Additionally, an accelerometer also lets the phone know which orientation it is at, allowing for automatic rotating of the screen, automatically rotating photos/videos taken with the camera to have the correct orientation when exported, etc.

I'm guessing Microsoft is hoping to make WM7 backwards compatible with some existing handsets (at the least, it would make it easier to develop on existing handsets while new ones were being developed), or to reduce cost of handsets, but I really hope that they add in support for an accelerometer, even if it's just optional on devices. The camera based solution is a poor alternative.

[Magnetic_dud]

lol the camera motion... this sux

1. the camera always on, even on standby, will eat batteries like hot cakes
2. if you are in darkness it won't work
3. you can't use it while walking

LOL what a poor man solution is the camera motion!

[jimbouk]

I wonder when the conspiracy theoriests will suggest that MS want the camera always on so they can spy on you all the time.

[Ayle]

Now that is sweet... 2008 sure is gonna be a long wait...

[rninja]

I want to see the time, not a freakin icon!  Why does microsoft make their icons bigger than the actual info you want to see?  How about a little more thought to function over design.  That's what makes the iphone so nice.

[cdrider]

I'm not convinced this is real but if it is, it's a step in the right direction.

2009 is waaaaaay off for this though.  It needs to be out by summer at the very latest.  By 2009 the iPhone and other devices will have moved on and WinMo will be playing catch-up yet again.