Vasp

Actually in functions and features, Android is more like WinMo than WP7 is, imo. It’s highly skinnable, has a user accessible file system, supports sideloading, had a modding community, multitasking, less hardware restrictions, etc.

I’m always wondering what WinMo would have been like with current gen processors.

This just give OEMs the opportunity to sell new hardware (touchscreens). While expensive initially, the price will eventually come down once we see greater adoption.

By why stop at touchscreens? I would rather see a monitor with inbuilt Kinect technology and the OS ready to support it :)

First, a warm welcome to Windows Phone…

Other than many of the fine, fine apps that are already mentioned, I would suggest:

Clearer - This is a simple task-list app. It’s just simple to use with no hassle over additional data like priority/due-date/etc. I love the interface (drag downwards to add, swipe left to delete, etc.)
Ask Ziggy - a copy of Siri, less integrated. Just a bit of fun.
Freda – epub format reader.
Wordament - In case you didn’t get Pippa’s suggestion. Free Xbox Live game. Addictive fun.

I think Apollo will not be fully available for WP7 devices. But they’re working to make as much of Apollo available to WP7 devices in a separate patch.. This means fragmentation between WP7 and WP8 – but then again the platform’s around for 2 years in Oct 2012 so that’s not really unrealistic.

Admitting to the lack of any long term upgrade path for WP7 now would just serve to hurt Lumia sales (Nokia isn’t just an OEM – it is a partner – which means MS has some obligations). It would also cause undue negative publicity since they probably still sorting out what can / cannot be upgraded in WP7 moving forward,

I don’t even know if DRM is an Amazon requirement, or Publisher, or both…

Surely there are workarounds? There are subscription services and specific DRM-less methods to get music… it actually a vector for competition if Amazon sticks to on DRM.

Like I said – at least Amazon’s making an effort to keep their service available across platforms; Apple has never show itself to be partial to this. Losing Amazon’s “monopoly” for Apple’s more expensive garden doesn’t come across as the consumer winning imo – on an even keel, it’s still more expensive.

It’s the music labels all over again isn’t it? Publishers need to rethink their way in a new economy. The wholesale model that Amazon took advantage of was of the publishers own doing… They want to change now because they’re caught. I don’t see the overriding benefit to let them…

What I mean is that it didn’t sell well enough to spark a general change in the way we use portable devices. Imagine if MS develops the Courier – it would compete with W8 slates.

They had to choose – a “new” two screen form factor and totally different OS branding, or a familiar single screen factor with a more familiar Windows branding. If Windows 8 (and RT) is seen by MS as their competitor to the iPad, they shouldn’t release the Courier to dilute that competition further.

I would love to have a Courier device, but I think the the course MS has chosen isn’t exactly wrong.

And what’s to stop customers from moving to other ebook sellers then? At the very least, Amazon has shown a certain ability to provide their service cross-platform – something that Apple does not…

It’s not just profit once done. There’s support, patching, and in some cases additional free services.

“I was hoping that the release of a full blown app store would give them maybe some incentive to lower the price.”

Sure didn’t give Blizzard any incentive to lower the price of DIII… just saying.

Well Vista to W7 saw a price drop, so maybe the indication will become a trend… in any case, I think W7 upgrade rates will be slow – W7 is stable and folks are very comfy with the UI already. W8 represents a change and a hazard to something new – that alone will make many W7 users stay on the fence for a bit longer.

However, Ballmer may also be looking towards tablet sales. The prospect of having a powerful OS in the form of a tablet can be very enticing, especially if there’s a level of compatibility with someone one is already familiar with (i.e. “Windows”).

“Or you can get VLC or any other free video player software, even straight from the marketplace.”

Well we don’t really know what’s Apple trajectory doing this. They may be trying to merge the OS experience seamlessly, but I wouldn’t call them out for that just yet. But if they are, they are too slow.

With every generation of chips and other hardware/components, tablets will become more and more powerful. The current level of hardware that W8 will release with – the mobile Ivy Bridges – will attempt to straddle the divide between mobile devices (like tablets) and portable devices (like laptops).

Which also makes for a very interesting path for WP8 – as MS says, a Phone is not a PC. So WP8 should not be designed to gain more and more computing power – it should be designed to be a handy communication’s device in all sense of the word – WiFi, Mobile, SMS, Messaging, etc etc. This actually frees WP development to focus on other things instead of busily making their mobile OS more and more complex. Whether they actually deliver is another matter.

Confirmation Bias:

This pixel density debate really needs a rethink. It’s not about how dense per se – it’s also about viewing distance. A more sane approach – Q: “how much ppi?” A: “enough”

I like how the text boxes on the right looks so much nicer. :)

Toshiba had a two-screen device. It didn’t sell well.

If the hardware runs W7, it will run W8.

I think there’s a need to define “well-executed”.

Also “only well-executed objects can be beautiful.” does not mean all beautiful things are well-executed. Think about it.

MS needs to approach this slowly. An option for developers and enterprise to make use of a curated app store service is the right way to start. There’s already options for curated app stores for windows – Steam is an excellent example of this for games.

IMO, MS should focus on encouraging more alternatives. Instead of having one store, let there be many competing stores. Make it easy for enterprise to manage their own stores based on windows login. MS will manage their own store based on the Microsoft (Live) account, focused primarily on MS services and software. MS is not Apple, and I don’t see them needing the type of heavy control the Apple app store has over the iOS platform – especially not on the desktop (tablets and WinRT I can understand to a certain level)

A wallpaper would need to be muted like Zune music hub, though.