Archive for Mango

HTC TITAN launching on November 20 on AT&T

HTC TITAN HTC TITAN launching on November 20 on AT&T

HTC’s massive TITAN Windows Phone is scheduled to hit AT&T stores on November 20. This device will retail for $199.99 with a two-year contract and data plan. The 4.7-inch behemoth is priced similarly to the Samsung Focus S, which came out earlier this week.

In addition to a massive screen, the HTC TITAN boasts a 1.5GHz processor, 16GB of internal memory, and an impressive 11-12 hours of talk time. The device also includes an 8MP camera and a 1.3MP front-facing camera. The TITAN is only available on AT&T, but its slightly lesser cousin, the HTC Radar 4G, was recently released on T-Mobile.

If you’re looking for a great Windows Phone with an enormous screen, the HTC TITAN is definitely the device to go with. AT&T’s smartphone discount also applies to the TITAN, which means you’ll be able to purchase it online for a mere $125 until November 30.

[AT&T Facebook via Paul Thurrott's SuperSite for Windows]

Samsung releases Focus S and Focus Flash

Samsung Focus S Samsung releases Focus S and Focus FlashSamsung released its second generation Windows Phones, the Focus S and Focus Flash, on AT&T this week, right on schedule.

The 4.3-inch Focus S only includes 16GB of internal memory, throwing water on the rumor that it would come in a 32GB option. The micro-SD card slot found in the original Focus is gone as well. That being said, it’s a great phone and it should compete nicely with the HTC TITAN, which is scheduled to hit AT&T in the coming weeks. The 3.7-inch Focus Flash packs many of the same great features as the Focus S, with the exception of less internal memory and a slightly lower-end camera.

The Focus S can be picked up for $199.99 with a two-year contract, while the Focus Flash is a mere $49.99 on-contract. But if that’s too much, AT&T is currently giving online customers a $75 discount on new devices. This deal runs through the November 30 and also includes free overnight shipping.

With the release of Windows Phone 7.5 “Mango” and and a whole slew of great new devices, including the HTC Radar 4G, which is free for a limited time on T-Mobile, now is the perfect time to jump on the Windows Phone bandwagon.

[Microsoft PressPass | Techbargains.com via WMPoweruser]

Tip: Have Windows Phone notify you about new friends’ Facebook updates

Peope Hub Me 402x800 Tip: Have Windows Phone notify you about new friends Facebook updatesMany people like to keep up with everything their closest friends post on Facebook. Sure, you could subscribe to their updates via text message, but this isn’t always financially feasible. Or, you could use the power of the Groups feature in Windows Phone 7.5 “Mango” to see their latest statuses and photos right on your home screen… and run the risk of missing something. But what you probably don’t know is that you can actually set Windows Phone to send you a notification whenever a friend posts something.

The updated Me tile in Mango aggregates notifications from Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, and other social networks into a single location. It makes it extremely easy to see what’s going on with your social networks at a glance. Of course, it can also notify you about friends’ updates.

To enable this feature, all you have to do is add the friend you want to follow to your list of Close Friends on Facebook. Just go to their profile, click on Friends, and then select your list of Close Friends (a recent addition to Facebook). Suddenly, their latest statuses and photos will show up in Mango’s list of social notifications. It’s that easy.

The use case for this might be small, but it’s nice to see that Mango’s social notifications can support new features coming out of Facebook.

 

AT&T to start selling the Samsung Focus S and Focus Flash on November 6

Samsung Focus S AT&T to start selling the Samsung Focus S and Focus Flash on November 6AT&T has announced that it will begin offering the Samsung Focus S and Samsung Focus Flash Windows Phones on its cellular network starting November 6. The Focus Flash will retail for a very affordable $49.99 on-contract, while the beefier Focus S will be sold for $199.99 on-contract, just like its predecessor.

These two devices will build upon the success of the highly regarded Samsung Focus. Both phones will be powered by a 1.4GHz processor and support 4G network speeds. The Focus Flash will have a 3.7-inch Super AMOLED display and 5MP camera, while the Focus S will sport a bigger 4.3-inch Super AMOLED display and an 8MP camera. The Focus S will also include a 1.3MP front-facing camera as well.

But with just over a week to go until launch, there are still a few unanswered questions. Namely, the amount of internal storage, RAM, battery life, and whether or not they will support micro-SD cards. One unconfirmed rumor claims that the Focus S will come in both 16GB and 32GB sizes and feature 1GB of RAM. This would be excellent, if true, and definitely make up for the supposed lack of a micro-SD card slot. Unfortunately, this is all rumor and speculation until it is confirmed by Samsung, AT&T, or Microsoft.

Either way, the Samsung Focus S is shaping up to be an excellent high-end Windows Phone, with the Focus Flash perfectly fitting the low-cost-yet-still-quite-good spot. The HTC TITAN will also make an appearance on AT&T later this fall.

[AT&T on Facebook via Engadget | WMPoweruser]

HTC Radar 4G hitting T-Mobile next week for $99

HTC Radar HTC Radar 4G hitting T Mobile next week for $99 Seeking to get its Windows Phone news out ahead of the big Nokia unveiling on Wednesday, HTC and T-Mobile announced on Monday that the HTC Radar 4G will be available on T-Mobile next week. The device will go on sale on November 2 for a surprisingly low $99 on contract. It’s no HTC TITAN, but it’s a fantastic device.

Initially shown off in early September, the silvery-white HTC Radar, which is made from a “single piece of polished metal,” packs a 1GHz processor, 512MB of RAM, and 8GB of internal memory. A front-facing camera sits atop the 3.8-inch WVGA TFT display and opposite a 5MP primary camera. Best of all, the device is rated at an awesome ten hours of talk time. The device will, as previously reported, support T-Mobile’s 4G network.

The HTC Radar 4G’s final price is actually lower than the one listed on T-Mobile’s leaked roadmap, but the release date–November 2–was spot on. The handset will also feature optional dock accessories, but pricing and availability for them has yet to be determined.

The HTC Radar 4G looks like a great phone. We can’t wait to get our hands on it when it hits stores next week for just under a Benjamin.

[T-Mobile via WMPoweruser]

Samsung Focus S and Focus Flash shown off for the first time

Samsung Focus S Focus Flash and HTC TITAN 560x301 Samsung Focus S and Focus Flash shown off for the first time

Samsung and AT&T jointly announced the Samsung Focus S and Focus Flash in early September. Being the successors to the Samsung Focus, which is arguably the most popular Windows Phone on the market, many people were quite excited by the announcement. Unfortunately, the two companies neglected show any photos of the new devices, leaving the design up to the reader’s imagination.

Thankfully, that is no longer the case. Any Lees, the president of Windows Phone, showed off the Samsung Focus S and Focus Flash at the All Things D Asia conference on Wednesday. Lees also took the opportunity to show off the massive HTC TITAN for the second time. All three devices can be seen above (left to right: TITAN, Focus S, Focus Flash) and in the gallery below.

The Samsung Focus S looks similar to the original Focus, but with a much larger display. The device is still curved, but the rounded edges are much less pronounced. The camera has also been centered at the top of the device, rather than offset on the left. The Focus Flash, meanwhile, sits at the other end of the Focus family of Windows Phone handsets. The sides of the phone are much more angular, and the design is more akin to one of Microsoft’s internal test devices than any Windows Phone currently on the market.

Both smartphones look great, and we can wait to get our hands on them. AT&T has yet to reveal information on pricing and availability, but an early November release probably isn’t too far-fetched.

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Windows Phone 7.5 “Mango” now available on nearly all devices, firmware updates next week

Windows Phone Update 560x221 Windows Phone 7.5 Mango now available on nearly all devices, firmware updates next week

Windows Phone 7.5 “Mango” is now available on nearly all Windows Phone handsets, just three short weeks after it started rolling out to customers.

Rather than deliver the update to everyone at the same time and run the risk of damaging user data, an unfortunate experience that those upgrading to iOS5 had to go through last week, Microsoft decided to push the update out over the course of a few weeks. The company started with just 10% of phones, with an optional undocumented ability to force the update right away. The process went so smoothly that, six days later, the Redmond software giant opened up the spigot to 50% of devices. Now, nearly all Windows Phone customers are free to update their handsets to Mango.

A few Windows Phones, like those on Orange in Europe, still aren’t quite ready for Mango yet. Microsoft, of course, is working with its partners to resolve the technical glitches and get the update out to customers as quickly as possible. The LG Optimus 7 on Telefonica in Spain is one of the handsets that just passed testing and has now entered the scheduling phase.

Microsoft is also preparing to roll out a set of firmware updates for select devices, which will enable such late-breaking features as internet sharing (i.e. tethering). Microsoft, however, was unable to specify which devices will receive the update, as it “depends on the country, carrier, and phone model.”

[Windows Phone Blog]

Nokia 800 press shots leaked ahead of next week’s announcement

Nokia 800 Black Nokia 800 press shots leaked ahead of next weeks announcementNokia plans to officially unveil its first lineup of Windows Phone handsets next week, but that does not mean we won’t get a few tidbits of information before then. Press shots of the Nokia 800, better known as the “Sea Ray,” leaked online on Wednesday. The device looks strikingly similar to the Nokia N9, and for good reason: the Nokia 800 is rumored to be a Windows Phone version of the N9, which runs MeeGo.

The press shots, if comprehensive, seem to imply that the device will be made available in three colors: black, blue, and pink. These are fairly safe colors for a smartphone, as one or more most likely appeal to the majority of people worldwide.

Most of the Nokia Windows Phone info is pure rumor and speculation at this point, but the Finnish handset manufacturer plans to reveal all at next week’s Nokia World conference, which will be kicked off on Wednesday, October 26. Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer teased technology enthusiasts this week by noting that Nokia will show “a bunch of new devices” at the event. At least two or three devices are expected to be revealed, possibly more, with an estimated release sometime around November 15.

Stay tuned. The excruciating wait is almost over.

[WinRumors | Pocketnow]

Windows Phone 7.5 “Mango” reaches more devices

Windows Phone Update 560x221 Windows Phone 7.5 Mango reaches more devices

The Windows Phone 7.5 “Mango” rollout continues to proceed without difficulty. This week, Microsoft began delivering the update to AT&T’s HTC HD7S here in the US and SFR’s Samsung Omnia 7 in France. At this point, Mango has already been installed on more than 50% of Windows Phone handsets worldwide.

Rather than push the update out to everyone at once and risk disastrous consequences, as Apple discovered this week, Microsoft elected to deliver the update to a small segment of devices and slowly open the spigot over time. With no issues on the radar, the Redmond software giant accelerated the update rollout one week later.

LG Germany has also confirmed that it will soon enable internet sharing (i.e. tethering) on the LG Optimus 7. The feature is expected to be enabled via a small firmware update sometime in the near future.

[Windows Phone Blog | Windows Phone Blog | LGBlog via WPCentral]

Acer Allegro budget phone destined for Europe

Acer Allegro Acer Allegro budget phone destined for Europe

It’s time to add another Windows Phone to the list of second generation devices. Acer announced on Monday that it plans to release its first Windows Phone–at least, its first publicly available Windows Phone–in Europe in the near future.

Details are scarce at the moment, but the Taiwanese manufacturer did reveal that the device will be dubbed the Acer Allegro and retail for 299 Euros or approximately $400 USD. Acer plans to position the Allegro as a low-budget smartphone, so we can only assume that this quoted price is before carrier contracts, which will significantly decrease the up-front cost of the phone.

Acer showed off another Windows Phone 7.5 “Mango” handset, the Acer W4, at the IFA conference last month. The device will include a 3.6-inch WVGA screen, 1GHz processor, 5MP camera with flash and autofocus, and 8GB of internal storage. In fact, there’s a good chance that the Allegro might be a European version of the W4.

Whatever the case, it’s nice to see more Windows Phone 7.5 “Mango” devices coming down the pike.

[Telecompaper.com via LiveSide.net]