From the Forums: Jessica Alba or Alicia Keys, x86 Windows Phones and suggestions

By Rich Edmonds
last updated

It's that time again, folks. More discussions pulled from our ever expanding and growing Windows Phone community. If you've not been 100% with it these past handful of days then fear not as we have you covered. The forum is constantly a busy place, which isn't a bad thing, but it can prove difficult to keep up with everything that's currently going on. So what's being discussed?

First up is the inevitable Jessica Alba versus Alicia Keys. The former helping represent mums with Windows Phone, while the latter takes on a role at BlackBerry to help push the brand out and drum up custom through the media. Which is better suited for the job? Well, we'll let the following photo from the BlackBerry 10 launch help you decide:

Alicia Keys BB

Awkward, much? We've got to hand it to BlackBerry though, they sure know how to pull in well-known faces, and it doesn't get much better than Alicia Keys. That said, the presentation did seem rather awkward. While Keys went through exactly what her role would be at the company, we couldn't help but view Jessica Alba's position with Microsoft as slightly more effective. But it's early days and we'll have to see how things turn out.

Forum member Saint Michael asked the question: Jessica Alba or Alicia Keys? Which do you prefer so far, and do you believe Alicia really does have the capabilities to help BlackBerry out? Add your thoughts in the "Jessica Alba vs Alicia Keys" thread.

Would anyone go for an actual x86 Windows 8Phone?

Intel is rumoured to be looking into Windows Phone development with an engineer job posting being viewed by many as signs of interest from the company. Unfortunately, we have little to go on and aren't too sure what this all means. Forum user tomatoes11 has an idea:

"It says that intel is looking into developing a x86 Windows phone which I guess is possible considering there are Atom based tablets that are pretty mobile running full Windows 8. I am not sure if it is possible to run a phone that doesn't totally over heat yet without a ARM processor but it would definitely be interesting. Battery life would still be a problem as well I believe."

What are your thoughts on Intel's intentions? Do you believe the company wishes to involve itself in mobile phone developement with Microsoft, or to actually bring Windows 8 to the pocket? Be sure to add your opinions over in the "Would anyone here dump their WP8 device for a true Windows 8 phone?" thread.

Your 8 suggestions for Microsoft

Our Daniel published a superb article the other day that looked at issues with Windows Phone. But what do you guys think? Have 8 suggestions of your own to add to the already expanding pool? Head on over to the "8 things that Microsoft need to fix in Windows Phone right now" thread and add your suggestions and thoughts.

Rich Edmonds
Rich Edmonds
Senior Editor, PC Build

Rich Edmonds was formerly a Senior Editor of PC hardware at Windows Central, covering everything related to PC components and NAS. He's been involved in technology for more than a decade and knows a thing or two about the magic inside a PC chassis. You can follow him on Twitter at @RichEdmonds.

49 Comments
  • Would there be an advantage of having Intel chips vs Qualcomm?
  • according to anandtech they are slightly faster and offer the same amount of heat/power as arm (s4 in particular) these of course are single cores with hypertreading vs an actual dual core. This is pre haswell/broadwell based so in the near future we might be seeing faster with the same power draw.
  • Clover trail+ is dual core and releases soon. First phone is Lenovo K900 Android. Bay trail quad core is coming for devices this holiday and is 22nm (unmatchable). Windows Phone should jump on while it is still small.
  • I agree.  If Intel can manage a few OEM design wins in the mobile market (they've had a few insignificant ones), I believe the market will shift to Intel parts. Arm dosen't have anything on the horizon that can match Haswell on performance per watt.  It's just a matter of getting OEM's to use Intel parts and the platforms to allow developers to target a single platform independent codebase.  The stores can then transparently recompile, build and deliver the version of software a customer needs based on the hardware they're running. Intel worked with Google, and refactored Android to allow it to build on x86, which is great.  However, many existing apps won't build for it unless specific things are changed for those apps.  Meaning that it requires developers to get involved to enable x86 support.  Which is why Intel built an emulator -- which doesn't work real well from what I understand -- to allow apps to run that can't be rebuilt for naitive support.  The exact reason eludes me at the moment, but it has something to do apps built to target Dalvik or AOSP, I forget which. Hopefully MS has forseen these potential issues, since the bulk of their experience is with x86.  Only time will tell.
  • JESSICA ALBA
  • Alba was brought on stage to demonstrate how the device works for her.  Whether she was paid or not and whether not her explanation was shaky, she is still seen in the public using the phone months after that launch event.  I think she even updates her photos on facebook with her 920. 
     
    Alicia Keys being "hired" as a Creative Director is corny and then have it as their "oh, one more thing" moment makes it even more cornier.  She will fade away and nobody will ever know she was a black berry "employee". 
  • Yup, probably exactly like Polaroid with thier Lady Gaga Creative Director position.
  • and don't forget that Intel hired Will.i.am as Creative Director!
  • Still seen using the platform trumps hired with a token title.
  • tl,dr ...just clicked this article in hope to see some new hot pics of jessica alba
  • Gwen Steffani !!!
  • You don't get any hotter than Gwen and Jessica on the same team. Our team!
  • ^This.
  • Unless you add in Halle Berry!
  • I wonder if they get to file W2's from MS and BB
  • Yup good call love the choices great team together.
  • Both Jessica and Alicia are B-List celebrities at best, and neither of them should have been hired
  • Alicia Keys is a B-list celebrity???? On what planet?
  • They can be on my A List anytime
  • You're an idiot for stating this nonsense..
  • As an Acer W510 owner, I wouldnt mind seeing an intel based windows phone. The atom porocessor does a fairly good job with my Acer (after a couple critical updates). Very stable and performance is always great, and dont have any over heating issues, not too good with games though. But would love to see how they would approach the windows phone ecosystem.
  • Just get the Old Spice guy to market WP8.
  • LOL Terry Crews on a WP8 ad Would be awesome and hilarious
  • Windooooooooooooooows!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
  • Look at me, look at you. Now look at me using the phone you love to buy tickets to that thing you love. I'm on a horse.
  • Look at your phone. Now look at mine. Look at yours again. Now back at mine. Notice yours is not mine. But it can be...
  • Hahaha great idea!
  • Wait till alba gets in a bikini good god!!
    I'm buying another wp8 just for the heck of it
  • Alba. In whatever category you want to put her. ;-)
  • Singing and booty?  Alica Keys.  I'd even through prettier in there as well but that's just my opinion. ;)
  • We differ :)
  • I agree!
  • Yohelloandrew? Wrong! Alicia keys is one talented sexy cool young lady.. Would u have rather them adopted sonic the hedgehog for their mascot?? Much love for Alba aa well..
  • I personally like Alicia Keys more than Jessica Alba, but I think Alba's role in helping out WP was more effective than Keys'. Keys' involvement with BB just didn't seem believable imo.
  • I'm a way bigger Alicia Keys Fan but a Way bigger Windows Phone Lumia 920 fan.
  • Jessica Alba....oh yeah! The next generation 22nm Intel Atom SOC processor is going to destroy the new 28nm Snapdragon 800 SOC processor in every way! WP8 smooth like butter!
    I love my ATIV So awesome!
  • Agreed, Intel could snap a lot from the Dragon! Smaller Nano Meters is probably going to be the biggest player in battery life for the mobile market as well as lower chip temps. I am sure Intel has already got someone to play with unless they are making their own phone! I would rather go for Jessica Alba and Gwen Stefani...
  • Personally I don't want another Intel monopoly. They aren't a very creative company.
  • Intel only has AMD as competition, for the last 3 years Intel has been top dog with i7-2700k, i7-3770k, i7-4770k and all have the same clock speed of 3.5GHz and all are Quad-Core only! Intel proved the world that it doesn't need 4GHz+ clock speed and Octa-Core processor's to stay fast! And the fastest CPU to date. This why AMD is moving to ARMv8 technology to get away from Intel's x86 technology. A year from now Intel has 14nm with Broadwell microarchitecture game over AMD in the PC market! With the 22nm Atom out this year and the 14nm Atom a year later....bye bye ARMv8 competition!
  • Say what about my future kids mothers?
  • The Motorola razr i has a 2gig atom chip and its no worse for it and has legendary battery life.
  • That's a older 32nm Atom with One-Core on it only!
    When the Atom processor move's to 22nm this year Q4. - 22nm
    - Quad-Core + HT
    - 2.8GHz
    - Direct-X 11
    - Ultra Low Power This is why iPhone, Android, Windows Phone all talking about this new ARMv7 killer!
  • I want a x86 in my pocket YESTERDAY
  • Neither. Both overhyped for what they do
  • For the younger crowd, watch a couple of episodes of the old series "Dark Angel" before you decide between Alba and Keys.  It's be a no brainer afterwards.
  • I like Alba's sponsorship mainly because she was spotted using a Lumia 900 long before she was hired to promote Windows Phone 8.
  • ALICIA KEYS!!!! ALL DAY!!
  • what the he** is Thorsten trying to do to her in the pic @@
  • Go out and get Beyonce