Images emerge of Microsoft's own phones
updated 08:20 pm EDT, Wed September 23, 2009
Microsoft Pure and Turtle images
A handful of images have leaked of what are widely believed to be the first Microsoft-branded phones. The renderings slipped out by Gizmodo appear to confirm the Turtle, a vertical QWERTY slider that also appears to have a touchscreen, as well as the Pure, a more conventional touchscreen with a side-sliding keyboard. Both have a very rounded design influenced by Sidekick creator Danger, which Microsoft bought out last year, and an interface mockup that borrows heavily from the visual style of the Zune HD.
Little else has been given by the source for the supposed images, although both the Pure and Turtle have previously been pinpointed as co-designed by Sharp and fitting into Microsoft's Pink platform. This would incorporate elements of Zune design on top of Windows Mobile and may have specific hardware guidelines, such as a fast processor, a high-resolution touchscreen and more typical smartphone features like GPS and Wi-Fi.
Their launch info is still a mystery, though Windows Mobile 7 isn't due to ship until the second half of 2010 and is the most probable time frame for Pink to appear.
Pure
Turtle
Fresh-Faced Recruit
Joined: May 2004
Huh? Just turn the Zune HD into a phone.
As an iPhone user, I have to admit the Zune HD has great design reminiscent of the Nokia-owned Vertu phones. I even wish Apple would introduce aluminum materials into the 3GS with sharp edges. But Microsoft came out, IMO, with a better design for the Zune HD with an OLED screen. And so the next logical step would turn it into a phone.
And then these plastic phones are surfacing. I have nothing against the Sidekick creator, Danger, but those designs are not appealing anymore. Scrap it before it comes out. It just looks like one of those Motorola phones and the last time I checked, their mobile phones are close to dead.
Zune HD Phone.
My two cents.