Microsoft reveals Windows Phone platform
updated 01:55 pm EDT, Mon June 29, 2009
Windows Phone revealed
The Windows Mobile cellular platform is being rechristened as Windows Phone, says Microsoft's French product chief for the software, Audrey Zolghadr. The name change should come with a fall OS update -- formerly known as Windows Mobile 6.5 -- and harmonize the interfaces for updated services including Marketplace, MyPhone and the various Live options, such as Messenger and Hotmail. When it launches the Marketplace should contain some 600 certified applications, a fraction of the approximate 20,000 apps in wide distribution.
In searching for apps people will be able to sort titles according to screen resolution, as well as whether or not touch commands are supported. Buyers should also have access to a 24-hour refund period, and payment linked either to a credit card or a carrier account. Games, such as Maxis' SimCity, may in some cases be available for free, depending on the phone. A deal is said to have been signed with SimCity publisher EA Games.
Phones expected to launch with Windows Phone installed include the HTC Diamond 2 and Diamond Pro 2.
Fresh coat of paint...
06/29, 02:25pm reply
...same outhouse underneath.
phillymjs
Fresh-Faced Recruit
Joined: Jun 2000
phone?
06/29, 02:28pm reply
to call it "phone", I dont think is very forward thinking, they may eventually need to change it again as devices evolve/converge.
mullum
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Joined: Oct 2007
Microsoft...
06/29, 02:29pm (1 reply) reply
...always ditching names to avoid associated stigmas. I'm surprise they didn't call it Windows Phone Platform Live.
koolkid1976
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Joined: May 2003
Wow!
06/29, 02:32pm (1 reply) reply
Another Me-Too-Moment™ courtesy of Microsoft!
JeffHarris
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Joined: Oct 1999
Bing!
06/29, 02:34pm reply
You mean it's not called "Windows Bing Phone"?
64stang06
Mac Elite
Joined: Aug 2007
Ooh! Hexagons!
06/29, 03:23pm (1 reply) reply
That changes EVERYTHING!
jpellino
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Joined: Oct 1999
LOL
06/29, 03:51pm reply
Bua-HaHaHaHaHa!!!! Effin Microsoft and their retarded naming conventions!
G4_Kessel
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Joined: Jan 2003
Maybe...
06/29, 03:56pm reply
Maybe they're hoping it starts getting called wphone, in which case people might think that since iPhone is before Wphone, then the Wphone must be newer and shinier.
Salty
Professional Poster
Joined: Jul 2005
Re: Maybe
06/29, 04:00pm reply
But the problem is they stuck with the one letter in the alphabet that is multi-syllabic. So 'dou-ble-u-phone' does not roll off the tongue, or any other body part for that matter.
testudo
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Joined: Aug 2001
Re: LOL
06/29, 04:03pm (1 reply) reply
Bua-HaHaHaHaHa!!!! Effin Microsoft and their retarded naming conventions!
Let's see. You complain when they give things boring names "Windows Phone" and complain when they come up with 'new' names, like "zune" or "bing".
They could follow Apple's model and just start everything with a specific letter (iMac, iPod, iPhone, iLife, iWork, etc). Or give them cutesy names for the sake of being cute, like "Quartz", "Airport Extreme", or "Grand Central".
testudo
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Joined: Aug 2001