From mud to bunch? Why Windows Phone 7 costs your attention

At the end of October, the official release of the new Windows operating system for mobile phones took place – Windows Phone 7. The importance of this event is that the company is still Microsoft Very successfully, a record pace, without any stops and delays, reduced its presence in the mobile market.

All her undertakings on the "mobile" field suffered collapse. This applies to both operating systems and the devices themselves (we recall the media player Zune ). According to experts, to date, only 5% of the market remains for Microsoft. The company is overtaken by everyone who is not lazy. In the first place is gradually dying, but still popular Symbian. On the second iOS , on which devices work from Apple. Following Blackberry from Rim And gaining popularity Android from Google. And only after them is microsoft weaved.

Plus in this situation there is only one: it cannot be worse. No way. Of course, the American giant is little satisfied with this state of affairs. Therefore, now he is collecting all his resources, all his influence – for a decisive battle for a place under the sun. Let's see what Microsoft has done so much in Windows Phone 7 to win this place.

Live tiles

Let's start with the simplest – with a new user interface called Metro. It consists of tiles – rather large icons, hybrids of widgets and labels. Previously, in order to work with the application, you needed to launch it (you wanted to know how many unread letters you had – you climbed in Outlook). In Winphone 7, programs always work, even when they are turned off. The data on the application icon are constantly updated: without starting the program, you see how many messages you have received, what weather will be tomorrow and how many invitations friends sent to social networks.

In fact, each program now has a double interface. The first is classic, for the full -screen mode of operation, and the second is the same icon, an analogue of the widget, which is called "Living Tiles". From these tiles, the start page will be assembled. They can be moved and grouped with simple fingertips – after all, all management is now sensory. Some applications allow you to configure the information displayed on the icons and create additional icons. The icons are large, only a few pieces fit on the screen.

But this is done on purpose: a person should get used to the fact that the visible part of the screen is only a small piece of a large desktop. Ran a finger – and the screen went up, opening more and more elements. Is it convenient? Undoubtedly. Whether the interface has become more complicated? Yes, but not too much. In terms of understandability, it is not inferior to classic shortcuts.

Hab-packs

Winphone 7 offers a completely new, unique organization of information – not on the basis of folders, but on the basis of hubs (let's say, aggregators). They are located in the same place where tiles are on the start page. So far, six built -in hubs are known – “People”, “Pictures”, “Games”, “Music and Video”, “Shop”, “Office”. Their functionality is very wide, and within the framework of this article we limit ourselves to a description of only a few features.

The most relevant hub for us is "Games". Kevin An Engt, Head of Service Games for Windows , says that “Games at the start of Winphone 7 will be greater than at one time when starting Xbox 360. We really consider this platform as a game ". Hab "Games" is connected to the service Xbox Live , What guarantees communication with friends, convenient access to games, news, trailers, demo versions, multiplayer.

By Xbox Live, the phone can be connected to the prefix (and subsequently with a computer). What it will give? Vinphone owners will be able to play with users of consoles over the network. At the time of the release, only step -by -step games (such as chess) are supported, but they soon promise to introduce a full -fledged multiplayer for all types of games.

What else? If you have both a console and a Winfon, then in the future you can play one game on both platforms – and have general preservations. For example, you started passing on a home prefix, then, having taken the phone with you, you went to study or work – and on occasion, continue the game from the place where you finished last time. “Now we are discussing the possibility of supporting the DLNA mode, which will allow the use of Vinfon during the game on the prefix as the second screen – to display additional information. And, perhaps, in the future you can, having paid once, get several customers of the game for different platforms. True, these are only plans, ”says Kevin An Engt.

Now let's see what another interesting hub has prepared for us – "Music and video". It is clear that in it you can store a collection of audio recordings and video files; There are also FM-radio elements here. But, like the previous hub, there are unusual opportunities. Return to the long -suffering failed project of Microsoft – Zune media player. At one time, the company has created an online music, video and podcast store for this project Zune MarketPlace , as well as a social network Zune Social. Now Zune's services have become for the phones on Winphone 7 analogue iTunes for iPhone. In October, Zune's services were available only to Americans, but Microsoft promised that by the end of the year everyone could use them.

The Hab “People” synchronizes with social networks, the “Pictures” hub can connect to online galleries and inform which of your friends posted new photos on the Web. The Office Hab was at the disposal of the fully recycled version of Office Mobile (and in the future there will be synchronization with Windows Live Skydrive and other network capabilities). In other words, hubs are not just folders for storing files and programs, but also the gate to the powerful online services that will increase the functionality of the device to infinity.

Phone characteristics

Unlike the iPhone, which Apple produces by the Apple itself, vinphones are created by dozens of companies around the world. This means that you can find the model to your liking-a phone with a touch screen, a device with a QWERTY keyboard, perhaps even a standard monoblock. However, Microsoft sets a number of requirements that all device manufacturers should follow. The phone under Winphone 7 should have:

• touch display with a resolution of 800×480, which can recognize at least four touch at the same time;
• 1 GHz or higher processor;
• 256 MB of RAM, 8 GB of built-in flash memory;
• a camera with a resolution of 5 megapixels and a flash;
• FM radio;
• GPS receiver;
• position sensors, illumination, approximation, electronic compass;
• DirectX 9 support.

In addition, the phone should have six compulsory controls: the turning on/off button, volume control, camera button that supports half and full pressing, buttons “back”, “start”, “search”. However, you should not treat these requirements too seriously. There are already models without radio, and indeed all these layouts will probably change more than once over time.

What should you pay attention to? Winphone 7 works with Microsd memory cards with a capacity of 8 to 32 GB. However, the flash drives will be under the battery compartment cover, and when the card is removed, all the settings of the device will be reserved.

In general, vinphones promise to be powerful cars. Existing models are equipped with a Snapdragon processor with a built -in video manner, two -core modifications are also announced. Technologies in this sector are developing very quickly, so it will not become power, the main thing is that program manufacturers do not bring down.

Company policy and release features

Releasing Windows Phone 7, Microsoft not only completely refuses compatibility with past versions of mobile OS. The company completely changes the approach to the development of the platform. If earlier the developers of the programs and users were given relative freedom, now they are taken to the hedgehog mittens: step to the left, step to the left – execution in place. This approach to Microsoft adopted from Apple, which is tightly controlled by the application installed on the iPhone/iPad.

All restrictions can be characterized by one phrase: the fight against piracy. The user is given the opportunity to connect to interesting legal services, but they completely remove the freedom to dispose of the phone at their own discretion. There is not even a file browser here. Well, at least there was the possibility of copying and inserting the text (however, it will be added only after the release in one of the updates).

Initially, the developers have been provided with a minimum set of capabilities, to obtain additional tools will have to contact Microsoft. Each program is placed in an isolated single chamber surrounded by barbed wire: even if it is a virus, it will not receive a complete access to the system. Another restriction is the lack of Flash support. Instead of him, Microsoft uses his own technology Silverlight. However, now developers are actively cooperating with the company Adobe to create a browser flash player, but when it appears, it is still unknown.

Thanks to such severe anti -Pirate measures, many program developers and mobile phone developers expressed the desire to cooperate. The most famous gaming publishers are preparing their projects – Gameloft , Konami , Namco Bandai , Popcap , ThQ https://sweety-win-gb-casino.co.uk/, Electronic Arts. More than 70 games at the start – and much more in the process of creating.

And everything would be just fine if it were not for one but: now the phone is completely dependent on the official support of Microsoft – which is not yet in Russia and will appear no earlier than in a year. The company explains this by the fact that the localization of all services is a very long business. So enthusiasts who want to try a new platform will have to put up with the lack of certification, warranty service and technical support.

* * *

By developing Windows Phone 7, the developers are betting on integration on a large number of online services. All platforms move in this direction, including computers and consoles, so Microsoft was not mistaken here.

Unlike Google Android, Microsoft is just starting to spin (Android has started much earlier) and does not spread free. Unlike Apple, Microsoft has the best scalability of iron, a large assortment of devices, and in general the platform is much more functional and interesting. But it's on paper. The thing is that Apple devices love people, and they reciprocate the companies. Will Microsoft be able to get the same return from its users – time will tell.

In general, you can state: the largest battle of giants for the right to reign in the world of mobile liliputs – began.