Chip Hazard » Windows Phone 7

Galaxy Nexus Beats Windows Phone In Microsoft’s “Smoked By Windows Phone” Challenge [Kind Of]

Wahaab JB — Mon, 26 Mar 2012 23:53:52 +0000

During CES, Microsoft hosted a competition called ‘Smoked by Windows Phone’. In this contest, you would be issued a task on your smartphone, and evangelist Ben Rudolph of Microsoft would then wield a Windows Phone and try to perform that task quicker. If you lose, you would have to admit that you were ‘Smoked by Windows Phone’. If you do beat the Windows Phone to performing the task, you’d win $1,000.

As a part of the promotion, Microsoft has introduced this very challenge to their brick-and-mortar stores, but with slightly higher stakes. If you triumph over the Windows Phone and win, you’d win a Special Edition Hunger Games HP Folio 13, valued at just over $1,000 and the best thing was, even if you had lost, you’ll not go empty handed as you would have the opportunity to swap your Android/iPhone device with the Nokia’s Windows Phone device.

According to Reddit, Blogger Sahas Katta paid a visit to his local Microsoft Store in Santa Clara, CA and decided to participate in the challenge. The challenge he was presented with was to display the weather of two different cities, which by coincidence, Katta had already configured two weather widgets on his home screen. So, after the three second countdown to commence the competition, he simply hit the power button on his phone and exclaimed “Done!”

However, despite finishing sooner, the Windows Phone user was declared the winner of the challenge. Upon inquiring he was told that he actually had to display the weather of different cities in different states (information which reportedly wasn’t disclosed prior to the beginning of the contest.)

That’s just one side of the story in which he appears to be the innocent one, let’s see if Microsoft employees respond to this event.

Windows Phone Redesigning Was Commenced In Response To Apple’s iPhone, Microsoft Executive

Wahaab JB — Sun, 08 Jan 2012 23:38:25 +0000

If you had an old Windows Phone smartphone, you must have noticed the complexity in its UI which was not so user-friendly but with the launch of the new Windows Phone 7 OS, the UI was completely redesigned which made it very easy to use and for that reason it also got the OS of the year 2011 award.

So, where did the inspiration came to make such a beautiful interface ?. Well today an Executive from Microsoft Joe Belfiore, who oversees software design for Windows Phone revealed the grounds behind their action and surprisingly the answer is Apple’s iPhone.

Joe Belfiore To The New York Times :-

Apple created a sea change in the industry in terms of the kinds of things they did that were unique and highly appealing to consumers.

We wanted to respond with something that would be competitive, but not the same.

When the iPhone took the spotlight the guys at Redmond decided to step up their game in order to compete with the fruit giant’s awesome iOS interface. A seven hour meeting was conducted by the mobile engineering chief Terry Myerson which discussed the future of its mobile OS.

Finally after much consideration, the team decided that they would give the Windows OS a fresh look which eventually resulted in Windows Phone 7. With Nokia now officially supporting Windows Phone OS, Microsoft hopes for a brighter future ahead.

[via CNET]

iPhone 4 Vs iPhone 4S Vs Nokia Lumia 800 Browser Benchmarks Comparison

Wahaab JB — Mon, 02 Jan 2012 23:55:22 +0000

The benchmarks are in for Nokia’s Lumia 800 alongside iPhone 4 and iPhone 4 which shows performance comparsion for Browsing related stuff.

The browser benchmarks showed the comparison of Windows Phone 4′s Internet Explorer with the iPhone’s Safari browser. The previous benchmarks for iPhone 4 vs with Windows Phone 7 made an impression of Internet Explorer being superior infront of Safari, well things get a little different when iPhone 4S joined the action.

There had been made a video in which all the three phones Lumia 800, iPhone 4 and iPhone 4S browser performance is shown in which iPhone 4s stands out as the clear winner.

Following are the benchmark scores for iPhone 4, iPhone 4s and Lumia 800 :-

iPhone 4 – iOS 4.3
Nokia Lumia 800 – WP 7.5 (aka Mango)
iPhone 4S – iOS 5

Browsermark Test: Higher is better
iPhone 4 (iOS 4.3) – 37 503
Nokia Lumia 800 (WP7.5 aka Mango) – 30 452
iPhone 4S (iOS 5) – 86 702

Speed Reading Test:
iPhone 4 (iOS 4.3) – 2 fps (iPhone 4 with iOS 5.0 – around 37 fps)
Nokia Lumia 800 (WP7.5 aka Mango) – 40 fps
iPhone 4S (iOS 5) – 60 fps

Sunspider Test: Lower is better
iPhone 4 (iOS 4.3) – 4018.2 ms
Nokia Lumia 800 (WP7.5 aka Mango) – 7188.7 ms
iPhone 4S (iOS 5) – 2266 ms

Acid3 Test:
iPhone 4 (iOS 4.3) – 100/100
Nokia Lumia 800 (WP7.5 aka Mango) – 100/100
iPhone 4S (iOS 5) – 100/100

HTML5 Test:
iPhone 4 (iOS 4.3) – 210
Nokia Lumia 800 (WP7.5 aka Mango) – 141
iPhone 4S (iOS 5) – 296

Look like the Windows Phone needs to be groomed as it couldn’t even beat iPhone 4 !.

[via MyNokiaBlog]

Download Microsoft’s SkyDrive iOS App For iPhone and Windows Phone

Wahaab JB — Tue, 13 Dec 2011 23:51:31 +0000

Today, Microsoft has released its cloud storage app “SkyDrive” for both Windows Phone and iPhone which is available for free download.

The app allows uploads of videos and photos to SkyDrive, as well as opening and managing files, bringing iCloud and Dropbox like file management and syncing features.

Skydrive :-

SkyDrive is your personal cloud for your documents, notes, photos and videos. Move your files into SkyDrive and immediately they’re available from any web browser anywhere in the world. As we detailed a few days ago, there have been a number of recent updates to SkyDrive.com to improve how you share with others, manage your files and folders, and browse through your stuff blazingly fast utilizing the latest web technologies (like HTML5 and CSS3).

Yet as devices proliferate, having a great experience on the web is only one piece of a pretty complex puzzle. As people start to rely more on their smartphones, the need to be able to access files on-the-go is important.

As we mentioned two weeks ago, we view device access as “table stakes” for personal cloud storage. People are choosing where to put their files based on how portable and accessible they are across the various devices they use; therefore, it’s critical that we continue to extend the SkyDrive experience to the devices you use every day.

Skydrive for both Windows Phone and iPhone has same features , browsing of files, sharing them or interacting with them in different ways offers the same experience on both the platforms.

All the platforms including iCloud, DropBox and SkyDrive ultimately offer the same thing with minor tweaks over the other, so it’s less likely people will divert from their existing services.

At the moment Skydrive is available for Download for the iPhone version, the Windows Phone version will appear in the market place soon enough.

Downlaod SkyDrive For iPhone [iTunes Link]

Mobile OS Windows Phone 7 Receives ” Operating System Of The Year” Award, KnowYourMobile

Wahaab JB — Sat, 26 Nov 2011 23:50:23 +0000

Microsoft’s Mobile OS ” Windows Phone 7 ” has won the KnowYourMobile award for Operating System Of The year 2011.

Expecting something else ? , well even though Windows Phone 7 has failed to gain the market influence when compared with Android or iOS but when it comes to features and ease of use, Windows Phone 7 has captured the spotlight.

Following are the Judges comments regarding the incredible gadget that was the highlight of the evening at the ceremony.

It has the most potential, with a unique interface and a rapidly growing apps selection. It has a great looking UI and doesn’t look like Android or iOS.

A massive move from the previous OS. Huge growth in apps and the system looks heaps better than the competition.

Innovative interface, with more success to come.

A refreshing OS that doesn’t try and copy other operating systems. Has attracted a large number of developers too.

As seen from the comments of the judges, the main attraction they saw from the operating system was its simple and refreshing interface which Android and iOS failed to deliver. The runners up for the award surprisingly also didn’t include iOS and Android as Samsung’s Bada and Blackberry 7 ended up as runner ups.

Well Microsoft did have success in it various departments such as Kinect which was fastest selling gadget of all time since its release and XBOX Live being the only one to charge for multiplayer usage manged to defeat its rival PS 3 in terms of copies sold of recently released shooter game Call Of Duty Modern Warfare 3.

On behalf of our team at CHIPHAZARD we congratulate Microsoft for the achievement.

Confirmed: First Nokia Windows Phones To Have Qualcomm Chips

Adnan — Sat, 21 May 2011 07:08:11 +0000

It has now been confirmed that Nokia is going to use Qualcomm chips in its first round of Windows Phone devices. The first Nokia Windows Phone devices are said to release later this year.

Nokia has already started work on first Windows Phone devices and there will be as many as 12 Nokia Windows Phone handsets in 2012.

A Nokia spokesperson said:

The first Nokias based on Windows Phone will have the Qualcomm chipset. Our aim is to build a vibrant ecosystem around Nokia and the Windows Phone OS and with that intent we are naturally continuing discussions with a number of chipset suppliers for our future product portfolio

Previously we had reported about the possibility that Nokia may use dual-core ST-Ericsson chips, but now the Finnish company has confirmed its use of Qualcomm chips in the first Nokia Windows Phone handsets. However, do keep in mind that there are as much as 12 Nokia WP7 devices slated for release in 2012, and it is possible that ST-Ericsson chipsets be used in further models.

Nokia’s use of Qualcomm’s chips may be because of the fact that it wants to get out the “W” devices as early as possible and Qualcomm’s chips have already been tried and tested in the market extensively, not to mention that this would make the device cheaper overall, and that’s another factor which Nokia is keeping in mind.

Relatively cheap Nokia Windows Phone devices may be a hit in the market, as we’ll already seen Windows Phone 7 devices gain considerable traction in the smartphone hungry market. Let’s see when we finally get a Nokia WP7 device in our hands.

New Nokia Windows Phones With Dual Core ST-Ericsson Chips Being Built

Adnan — Sat, 21 May 2011 06:09:28 +0000

It has been learnt that Nokia is building new Windows Phone devices which shall tout dual-core ST-Ericsson Chips. These dual core ST-Ericsson chips will be the powerhouse in the new Nokia Windows Phones.

We already know that 12 new Nokia Windows Phones are expected in 2012 and work on first Nokia Windows Phone has begun.

Nokia will release around four of its Windows Phone devices later this year when Windows Phone 7.5 a.k.a Mango rolls out. It has also been indicated that future Nokia Windows Phones may also contain processors from ST-Ericsson.

The first Nokia Windows Phone device will have a U8500 ST-Ericsson chipset. The same chipset has already been seen in the market on devices such as the Samsung Infuse 4G and Sidekick 4G. The chip in question here, is a dual-core system on a chip or SoC.

New Nokia Windows Phone devices will mean that the Finnish company is going to put Microsoft’s signature mobile platform out in the hands of millions of people who look for relatively cheaper devices. Nokia enjoys great market presence in that particular arena.

The first Nokia Windows Phone device is apparently codenamed “W” and will probably be released later this year. We really do want to see what Nokia comes out with.

Fix Walshed WP7 Update Error Code 80180048 Permanently With Walshed Phone Support Tool

Adnan — Sat, 14 May 2011 19:57:47 +0000

Windows Phone 7 7392 update was a pretty big one for all WP7 users. However, carrier related issues delayed NoDo release for many Windows Phone 7 users which was bringing a security patch for those who resorted to using a hack created by Chris Walsh to unofficially update WP7 devices to firmware 7390. Microsoft warned all those who had updated using this tool that they would not be able to further receive any future updates for their devices until and unless they resorted to re-flashing the device with an original stock ROM. To be precise, users encountered error code 80180048 when trying to update their Windows Phone 7 device in Zune. However, now a fix for error 80180048 has been released meaning that ‘Walshed’ WP7 owners can now receive official firmware updates from Microsoft.

Chris Walsh has received the authorization from Microsoft to release the ‘Walshed’ Phone Support Tool, which means that Microsoft is welcoming back users who had used unofficial means of updating to NoDo, with open arms.

How To Fix Error 80180048 On ‘Walshed’ Windows Phone 7

The screenshot clearly shows that you carefully need to select all of the languages that are installed on your Windows Phone 7 device. Simply click continue and your ‘Walshed’ WP7 will be fixed.

It is imperative that you carefully select ALL of the languages that are installed on your device. After you’ve done this procedure, try updating your device via Zune. If you get the option to update to 7392, then its well and good. If you don’t get an option, well the update isn’t out for your device or carrier yet.

Download ‘Walshed’ Phone Support Tool for Windows

Download the corresponding file for your operating system.Once you’ve installed the Windows Phone Support Tools, extract the “Walshed” Phone Support Tool to a folder and execute WPST.exe

Download ‘Walshed’ Support Tool For x86 Operating Systems (32 bit)

Download ‘Walshed’ Support Tool x64 Operating Systems (64 bit)

Microsoft Windows Phone 7 7392 Firmware Update Rolling Out Today

Adnan — Thu, 05 May 2011 15:49:41 +0000

Microsoft has today started rolling out a security update for all Windows Phone 7 devices. This update, which brings the firmware version up to 7392, is primarily a security update for Windows Phone 7.

We had previously reported that Microsoft was going to roll out a Windows Phone 7 security update to fortify its devices against the nine bogus digital certificates that were issued by Comodo back in March.

While Comodo has already revoked the certificates, Microsoft fears that these certificates can be used to attack Internet Explorer on both desktop and mobile Windows platforms by means of spoofing content and phishing attacks. While Microsoft has already patched this on desktops, firmware update 7392 brings the fix for Windows Phone 7 devices.

Updating to firmware 7392 is very easy. Your device will receive an over-the-air notification telling you about a new update and instructing you to connect your device to Zune in order to update firmware 7392 on your Windows Phone 7 device.

New Windows Phone API Mapping Tool Released To Entice iPhone App Developers?

Adnan — Fri, 29 Apr 2011 20:52:49 +0000

There is one sure shot advantage that Apple enjoys over all its competitors in the market, be it the tablet form factor or the smartphones, and that is the phenomenal amount of apps in the App Store. Now it looks like Microsoft may be willing to entice the large amount of iPhone app developers by releasing the new Windows Phone API mapping tool.

Microsoft hopes that more iPhone app developers will use this new API mapping tool to port majority of their apps on the Windows Phone 7 platform.

Using the new API mapping tools, iPhone app developers will easily be able to discover equivalent APIs for Windows Phone apps. They will be able to pick out the iOS API calls and easily search the equivalent classes, methods and notification events in Windows Phone 7. Using this very tool, developers can search a given iOS API call and search for the similar WP7 along with C# sample codes and API documentations for both iOS and WP7.

While the tool is said to be still in progress, the team has assured developers that more iOS APIs will be added soon. Currently, Network/Internet, User Interface and Data Management APIs have been included in the mapping tool. Microsoft has said that developers should not expect all iOS APIs to be included, primarily because of the fact that the user experience, interface and environment differ across both the platforms.

via Windows Team Blog.

Chip Hazard » Windows Phone 7

Galaxy Nexus Beats Windows Phone In Microsoft’s “Smoked By Windows Phone” Challenge [Kind Of]

In Case You Missed It:

Windows Phone Redesigning Was Commenced In Response To Apple’s iPhone, Microsoft Executive

In Case You Missed It:

iPhone 4 Vs iPhone 4S Vs Nokia Lumia 800 Browser Benchmarks Comparison

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Download Microsoft’s SkyDrive iOS App For iPhone and Windows Phone

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Mobile OS Windows Phone 7 Receives ” Operating System Of The Year” Award, KnowYourMobile

In Case You Missed It:

Confirmed: First Nokia Windows Phones To Have Qualcomm Chips

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New Nokia Windows Phones With Dual Core ST-Ericsson Chips Being Built

In Case You Missed It:

Fix Walshed WP7 Update Error Code 80180048 Permanently With Walshed Phone Support Tool

How To Fix Error 80180048 On ‘Walshed’ Windows Phone 7

Download ‘Walshed’ Phone Support Tool for Windows

In Case You Missed It:

Microsoft Windows Phone 7 7392 Firmware Update Rolling Out Today

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New Windows Phone API Mapping Tool Released To Entice iPhone App Developers?

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