Microsoft Offers First Look at Windows Phone 8 Discussion

[Grant Hatchimonji]

Microsoft just wrapped up its "Windows Phone 8 platform preview," giving developers (and the rest of the world, as it was live-streamed) a first look at the new Windows Phone 8 mobile operating system.

Read the full content of this Article: Microsoft Offers First Look at Windows Phone 8

Related Articles:

• Nokia Lumia 710 from T-Mobile Getting an Upgrade to Windows Phone Tango
• Microsoft to Block Users Without Windows Phone 7.5 From Downloading Apps
• Microsoft Evangelist Didn't Mean to Promise Windows Phone 8 Upgrades for All
• Developer's Comments Point Toward Windows 8 Upgrades for Current Windows Phones

[Mitlov]

No pictures in the article? When the start screen has been significantly redesigned? The Verge has dozens of screenshots of WP8.

The new start screen is fantastic--a real upgrade without losing the simple Metro approach--and the support for high-res screens, multi-core processors, and Skype and VOIP integration should help WP compete more directly with iOS and Android. Overall, it's great.

I think WP 7.8 is a good compromise for owners of existing devices (WP8 user interface, but WP7 under the skin, as some WP8 under-the-skin upgrades require different hardware).

[Mitlov]

Any reason why this news article doesn't appear on www.brighthand.com's front page? It's neither a "featured story" nor does it appear on the chronological list of news stories underneath the featured stories. I know y'all aren't huge Windows Phone fans here, but c'mon guys, at least try to feign interest!

[Hook]

Any reason why this news article doesn't appear on www.brighthand.com's front page? It's neither a "featured story" nor does it appear on the chronological list of news stories underneath the featured stories. I know y'all aren't huge Windows Phone fans here, but c'mon guys, at least try to feign interest!

It's at the top of the quick news on the front page. ;-) Sheesh, these windows phone guys are sensitive. (By the way, is Windows Phone 8 = Windows fate?)

[Drillbit]

The front screen looks much more like a mess now. And NT kernel, really? Don't tell me this is going to be registry architecture all over again.

[Mitlov]

The front screen looks much more like a mess now. And NT kernel, really? Don't tell me this is going to be registry architecture all over again.

The huge advantage of the new UI is that you can now choose the size of each tile--small (1/4 the size of a WP7 tile), medium (WP7 tile), or double-wide (WP7's calendar tile). You can use primarily small tiles to pack a lot on one screen like iOS. You can use all medium tiles so that it looks just like WP7. You can use big tiles for RSS feeds, NY Times, or whatever you want more space for.

It's as cluttered or as simple as you want it to be. I think the arrangements in the reveal were ugly, but they were intended to show you the three different sizes at a glance. How I would size and arrange them is like this:

FIRST EIGHT SQUARES (what you can see without scrolling): all medium tiles, except for the calendar, which is double-size. Phone, text-messaging, social networking, email, and calendar.

SECOND EIGHT SQUARES: medium-size Xbox Music tile and alarm clock tile, then a few double-wide news and RSS tiles.

THIRD EIGHT SQURES: all small tiles. Stuff like games and internet apps that I use often enough to want a shortcut on the start screen instead of tucked away in the app drawer, but compact enough so that they all fit on one screen.

[Drillbit]

Still it looks really cluttered.

[Mitlov]

Still it looks really cluttered.

Only if you customize it that way. Don't like my layout or MS's sample layout? No prob. Try one of these:

(1) Mostly medium tiles with a few large tiles (WP7-ish layout).

(2) All small tiles (iOS-ish layout).

(3) One big tile at the top with a series of small tiles underneath, repeated each "page" (a page being eight medium tiles) (quasi-Sense layout).

Or come up with something different. There are all sorts of combinations so each person can come up with a layout they like.

On another note, RIM execs must be crying into their beers at WP8's hardcore push at the enterprise market. I really don't know if RIM is going to survive WP8. BB10 had better come fast, and it better be really, really good. Otherwise RIM is toast. MS can support WP8 while it builds momentum, relying on revenues from other departments. RIM can't.

[Ed Hardy]

Any reason why this news article doesn't appear on www.brighthand.com's front page? It's neither a "featured story" nor does it appear on the chronological list of news stories underneath the featured stories. I know y'all aren't huge Windows Phone fans here, but c'mon guys, at least try to feign interest!

That is related to a technical issue with our front page, rather than our opinion of Windows Phone. For the record, Grant uses a Windows Phone as his primary device.

[weegie]

I like the far better use of space on the homescreen but still can't stand the rubiks cube look of it.
Is it going finally support a local outlook sync function? does the SD card support mean it's going to have a file explorer and no restrictions on dragging and dropping...a mass storage mode?
Can you have different alarm and notification profiles/volume?
Can you use another browser and search engine?...a Google maps application?