Amazon & Android. New competition or just hype? Amazon, the online retailer we all know and love, are testing a smartphone. According to reports, sources within companies who supply hardware for Amazon's upcoming handset have confirmed that testing of said device is already underway, with production set to take place later this year or early 2013. With what we've seen with the...
We're getting word in that Brandon Watson, no stranger around here at WPCentral, will be leaving Redmond for greener pastures. In a recent Tweet he made (and a confirmation we received), he notes: "The rumors are true. The team is in great hands. I'll miss working on #wpdev. I will the community, but won't be a stranger." In a way, this should not be a surprise as his old Twitter...
In response to circulating rumors regarding Windows Phone 8's lack of application backwards compatibility, Microsoft's Brandon Watson -- Director of Developer Experience -- confirmed today that the upcoming OS revision will run older Windows Phone 7 applications. Yep, that means Sally's Salon will port over just fine. But from a technical perspective, how existing apps will work...
Good news for those of you like Viber (see site), the mobile VOIP solution that millions are using on the iPhone and Android these days, as the app is set to come to Windows Phone in early 2012. Viber has an interesting history with Windows Phone. They lamented the "closed" system very early on, noting that they would not bring their app over simply because they could not due to the...
Today on Windows Weekly (ep 227), Brandon Watson joined Paul Thurrott, ZDnet's Mary Jo Foley and co-host Leo Laporte for an interesting and frank discussion on Windows Phone and the Mango update. Laporte, who is an admitted Android devotee, was offered by Brandon to step up and take the Windows Phone challenge--essentially using nothing but a Windows Phone running 7.5 Mango for two-...
Oh, so now we know Brandon Watson is using the just announced Samsung Focus S, sporting an 8MP camera, 4.3" Super AMOLED Plus screen and rocking 4G connectivity. He mentioned the phone, indirectly, before but now we have evidence. In a photo just uploaded to TwitPic, the EXIF info reveals all, as can be seen above. The SGH-i937 aka "Kapua" aka Samsung Focus S shows up in the EXIF data...
While the aftershocks from HP showing webOS hardware the door continue to ripple throughout the smartphone industry, Microsoft is extending a hand to webOS developers. Brandon Watson has extended an offer to any published webOS developer to provide them what they need to successfully transition to Windows Phone. According to the tweet that includes phones, development tools and...
If you recall, Scott Adams of Dilbert fame was lamenting his iPhone and EVO 3D on Twitter and thus fell in to Brandon Watson's clutches. Watson famously offered Adams a $1,000 donation to his favorite charity if he would take Windows Phone for a spin and didn't like it. Well, Adams received the phone and has written up a decent little review of it compared to his iPhone 3GS and HTC EVO...
We recently covered Brandon Watson offering Scott Adams with a free Windows Phone handset to try out and to get his opinion. Scott has been having issues with both iOS and Android, so Brandon offered $1,000 to charity of Scott's choice if he doesn't enjoy the WP7 experience. All he's looking for in the OS is to perform like a dumbphone (calls not dropping etc.), easy email...
We’ve discussed at length Microsoft’s commitment to bringing developers to the Windows Phone 7 ecosystem. Microsoft has long been a friend to developers, from making world class tools to educating devs on the platforms that they’re building upon; Microsoft is the company that others emulate. With Windows Phone 7 Microsoft is going over and above even for them, as exemplified by a recent...
We’ve been covering the exploits of the ChevronWP7 team for a couple of months. From the original release and the various applications released for unlocked devices, to Microsoft having a heart-to-heart with the team and the subsequent discontinuation of the unlocker, it’s been a busy couple of months. The stated reason for ChevronWP7 development being discontinued was that Microsoft...
And by haircut we mean had his head shaved by a bunch of fellow Microsoft employees. Watson should be a familiar name by now. He's the Director of Developer Experience at Microsoft, overseeing the roll-out of the tools and ecosystem that developers rely on to make our new software. Long story short: in a bet on how many applications would be in the Marketplace on launch, he under-...
For some reason on Monday, the keynote on Windows Phone 7 at 2pm during WPC10 never aired--presumably "technical difficulties" but alas the video is now available to watch in its entirety right here or just click the 'Read the rest of this entry' below. Some interesting tidbits of the nearly hour long video focus in on Office, Outlook, pictures, contacts, maps and basically the core...
Back a few weeks ago we mentioned how Microsoft's Brandon Watson would answer your questions--well a few of your questions, depending if you made the cut or not.Weeks passed and we're worried if we would ever hear back and finally we did. Some good info in here but alas, my fellow Expert-tiers, you seemed to have gone for the gold and asked him a few questions that were met with the...
If you folks recall, a few weeks ago we summarized an interview with Brandon Watson, Microsoft's Director of Developer Experience. The video itself was very informative as Brandon was especially forthright in answering questions about Windows Phone 7. No PR spin here, just answers from someone who knows software development on the inside and what WP7 can and can't do.Mobility Digest has...
Brandon Watson, Microsoft's Director of Developer Experience hosted an online question and answer "backstage" event on the official Windows Phone 7 site yesterday.The questions were mostly geared for developers, but even you non-programmer types will be able to make heads and tales of the conversation. We have to say, Brandon seems to be a stand up guy and he was more than honest in...