Evan Selleck

While MIX10 goes on, we here at SlashPhone are really only interested in one, big part of it: Windows Phone 7 Series. And thankfully, Microsoft has not disappointed, even in the slightest. They showcased their software in today’s keynote, and displayed for all those watching just what it will feel like to navigate through the phone, its applications, and explained in visuals just why you’ll enjoy it so much.

Microsoft’s very own Joe Belfiore took the stage to walk us through the experience, and he started off with the basics. The home screen, or Start screen, is where you’ll start off your experience with Microsoft’s newest mobile Operating System. It’s put together by tiles and Hubs, where you can watch as most Hubs are updated in real-time. These hubs are task-oriented, and dive deeper into the bulk of an application or feature of the phone with a simple press. Also, the Start screen is completely customizable. As in, you may move the Hubs and tiles around as you see fit, so that you can make your phone your own, and it doesn’t have to look like anyone else’s.

They expanded the visuals on the Calendar and Email clients as well, and made it interesting enough to get our interest significantly piqued. Within the email, you can utilize all the same functions that are available in the Microsoft Outlook email client, such as flagging an email. You can also use the pivots at the top of the screen, and navigate between all mail, unread mail, and what not. Utilizing the pivots at the top of any application is the easiest way to see where you are within the application, as well as an easy way to navigate. And inside the Calendar application, one distinct feature includes the one-touch “I’ll be late” feature, which tells other members of the calendar event that you’ll be late.

Microsoft also showcased a bit more of the “App Bar,” which is located at the bottom of most applications available. With this application bar, you can access the most commonly used actions in an application, as well as expand it to reach more services, such as the settings of an application, or other options. It’s an easy way to reach the options of an application, and it’s easy to find.

One of the most interesting features that we can see, is the fact that navigation through the phones are in a more panoramic viewscape. Meaning, instead of navigating your menus from the top to the bottom and vice versa, you move to the left and right. From what we can see, it seems like a more natural way to navigate, and we can’t wait to finally get our hands on it, on a more “full-time” basis.

One of the third party applications that Microsoft showed off was the AP Mobile application, powered by Silverlight and optimized for the Windows Phone 7 Series platform. And while it has the same style as all the other applications, it had a few promising features. The first, is the 3D image showcase that appears when you select a photo within a particular application. It actually pops out, and then displays any additional images. Second, advertisements. While they were displaying the AP app, a car showed up at the bottom of the screen, and then it turned into an advertisement for Ford. It was very interesting to watch, and it’s great that they are integrated with the applications. Lastly, if a breaking news feature comes in while you’re in the AP application, a red pop-up appears at the bottom of the screen, letting you know.

Netflix is also coming to Windows Phone 7 Series, with not only the ability to get notified when you have new things on your list available, but also to watch titles right from your phone.

And finally, one of the features that people are most interested in: Xbox LIVE integration. We’ve already shown the way that games can be played from the phone, computer, and Xbox 360, so Belfiore wanted to show a full 3D game running on the hardware. It was a title named Harvest, and it was a fully 3D title. It also offered Achievements, just like the ones you find with Xbox 360 games. The games also offer push notifications, so that asynchronous turn-based games are possible.

We still have more coming, so stay tuned. MIX10 is still going, and the news isn’t going to stop any time soon.

acalcurgewola

Hello I'm a new user here. Just wanted to say hi.

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