WPCentral Review: Windows Phone "Mango" (preview release)
To say "Mango" for Windows Phone 7 is a large update is a bit of an understatement. It's massive. Although we take had ii updates to our fledgling OS, both have been relatively small-scale. "Mango", yet, is Microsoft's endeavour to make full in all the gaps left from the v1.0 release last fall. Can it succeed?
We've been able to handle a preview release of "Mango" for the last few days and take put it through various tests, comparisons and the all of import "simply using it similar a normal phone". Our device was the venerable Samsung Focus running Windows Phone 7.661.WP7_5_Trial (mojobld).20110607-1957, which means this is a relatively late build (June seventh) and as you lot can come across, Microsoft seems to be going with "7.five" for this release.
How did it fair? What did we learn? Lets just say you won't be disappointed and yes, information technology'south basically everything Microsoft has been touting it to be since Feb--no smoke and mirrors here. So hit on by the break for our easily on review, four videos, photos and more. Then you can hitting us up in comments and we'll try our best to respond.
"It's the trivial things that affair"
"Mango" of course brings "intelligent multitasking" and Internet Explorer 9 to the table--no small feature ready. But before we get to those, lets talk near all of those "small things" that Microsoft has washed, because it's those that go to show the level of care in detail that Microsoft is giving to the Os.
"Mango" is certainly fast. While it'south not every bit big a heave equally "NoDo" back in Feb, Microsoft has continued to shave off a one-half-second here, a one-half-second in that location. "Mango" is a footling more zippy on launching apps also as closing them--it'southward a small change, but ane you lot volition certainly notice when using it everyday. We loaded upwardly 'Benchmark' (Free) past Schulte Software in the Market and let information technology run through information technology'southward barrage of tests on both Samsung Focuses. Neither device has an SD carte on board, just both practise accept apps installed. We're a bit surprised past the results, only after 21 passes, the Focus with Mango performed much faster than the NoDo version. Is that luck or the improvements to Mango? Later 21 runs, nosotros recall it's Mango, simply we're willing to consider other opinions (upon a 2d fix of 21 tests, NoDo improved slightly, simply was nevertheless below Mango):
The tiles also are easier to move around and manipulate--while not a cool new feature, it shows Microsoft is paying attention to the small annoyances that we've had since launch east.yard. getting tiles "stuck" near the top of the screen when shifting them.
The Zune buttons both in the player and toast notification are are larger, making it easier to change tracks or play/pause. As well, the book meter is gone, replaced instead past a larger, more "Metro" numeric system. Going to programs, you may have seen the new "jump list", like to contacts, that allow you to find your apps more than easily past tapping the kickoff alphabetic character. What's interesting is that jump listing won't appear till the magic number of 45--meaning you lot have to have at to the lowest degree 45 items (including native apps) in programs before you get the jump listing. The threshold seems appropriate because less than that and scrolling is brusque plenty to eyeball your listings. Smart.
Other piddling things include the Battery Saver options, which disable all groundwork services (e.k. automatic electronic mail fetching) and apps that run in the groundwork. Yous can of course still use those features, but manually. Battery saver kicks in at about xx% battery life and yous'll see a little heart-icon over the battery to let yous know. Of course it is completely optional besides, in fact you lot tin can enable it without hitting the xx% threshold.
Some other niggling changes include the shutdown screen. Similar to the lock-screen in blueprint and part, when you concur the power-button to close off the phone, a screen slides downward at present giving you i extra-step to power down. Nosotros suppose it's a good "safety" function to forbid accidently power offs as well as giving the process a picayune flair.
Oh and did nosotros mention Wallpaper? While non listed nether the Pictures Hub, in Settings under the Lock Screen section there is a "Wallpaper" button that will take yous to the Picture Hub and too a wallpaper gallery built in with (currently) 28 sleek wallpapers, including solid-colors that match Themes. Nice bear on.
Intelligent Multitasking
Multitasking in "Mango" is certainly interesting. While information technology'south not the full-blown system that Android uses, "Mango'southward" is a trivial more refined. When in an app, if y'all hit the Win cardinal to go back to the first scree, you've basically added the program to the multi-task window--a card similar system similar to WebOS. However, if yous hit the back-arrow instead, that substantially "exits" the app and it won't get to the multitasking window, giving users a bit of control over how the organisation handles. For limits, it appears that you can have six apps in memory at a fourth dimension, which while non a huge number, information technology should exist more than enough for your most used functions. In that location is no performance "striking" with the number of apps that are frozen--in fact, you would never find the system unless someone showed it to y'all (hold down the back arrow).
It'south non clear yet if apps demand to be coded for this feature using the new SDK, but we did discover some odd beliefs.[Update: Indeed, yous need to recompile your app with the seven.1 SDK to go "fast resume" to piece of work, which is why this characteristic does not work with current apps. Cheers, Arif, for the info!] Native apps e.g. email appeared instantly, right where they left off, but 3rd-party apps had to refresh themselves i.e. pull-data earlier you could apply them again. This included Xbox LIVE games, like "Sonic the Hedgehog", "Putter Jump" and "Hydro Thunder Go!", which would have to re-showtime their level if y'all exited out of the app and hopped back in using the cards, somewhat defeating the purpose of multitasking. Other games though, like "Pinball League The Juggler", "Orb", would pause the game, assuasive you to continue when you lot resumed.
IE9--the hardware browser
Does IE9 live up to the hype with its hardware acceleration? In curt, yes it does. Scoring 95/100 on the Acid3 Test and rendering pages more quickly than any other browser nosotros've seen, IE9 is the real bargain. Every bit we mention in the video, some folks lament the thought of a dual-core (CPU) Windows Telephone saying we don't demand the power, but if IE9 can take ane of those cores, we could see some serious mobile browsing in the futurity.
But what near now with our single core devices? Information technology withal loads web pages extremely fast, is compliant with most standards (HTML5, CSS3, SVG, DOM, XHTML) and is but a pleasure to use (especially over WiFi nosotros bandwidth is less of a concern). Third party browser add-ons like SurfCube still piece of work too, significant zero seems to accept been cleaved past the update.
We had no crashes either and we're told it has "Protected Style for browsing safety and Hang Protection for browsing reliability", ensuring a consistent feel. The shifting around of the address bar to the bottom works well and it's great to see it in landscape too. By reducing "chrome" you essentially take a full-screen browser on the device now, making information technology visually more than enjoyable with little distraction. Finally, in the release-version of "Mango" y'all'll exist able to direct Tweet or share via Facebook any page yous're on within the browser--a nice improver.
Bing gets overhauled
Bing was always a picayune anemic in Windows Telephone 7 and NoDo--sure it was there, worked well, but we were missing a lot of the libation things that the Bing team was working on. Finally, in "Mango", we get a more bull Bing-experience.
Start, the hardware key for Bing aka the magnifying drinking glass, universally takes you to Bing Search. Not even in the Marketplace will information technology search there (they added a soft-search button for that). It'southward a bit of an odd change, in fact developers were hoping that Microsoft would relax the control on that search key and then that devs could use it for in-app searches, merely alas Microsoft has gone the other way, taking it completely for Bing. Quick Cards are also a new, unified way of presenting information that is searched for anytime you use Bing--movies, books, CDs, etc. all presented with "About", "Reviews" and "Prices" (if applicable). It's a nice affect and makes Bing very fast since, once once more, there is no "chome" aka UI frippery.
Second, Bing Images is there, thankfully. Any search you do volition as well bring up some pictures which is pretty sweet. The downside? You can't do annihilation with the pics--can't share, tin can't download, can't apply every bit wallpaper, just stare at them. At to the lowest degree there are enough of "prototype search" apps out there to make full in that gap, but we hope Bing Images gets an update before release.
Local Scout is certainly i of the highlights of "Mango". While information technology can be extremely useful for travel, it'southward just every bit useful for your hometown. Let united states of america explain. When you starting time launch it, it of course uses geo-location to pinpoint your location. From there, you have iv sections: "Eat + Drink", "Meet + Do", "Shop" and "Highlights". "Consume + Drink" and "Shops" are pretty basic--they evidence you what places are effectually you, allowing to tap for more than data including hours, address and reviews. But "See + Practise" and "Highlights" are dynamic, meaning they change regularly. Specifically, "Run across + Do" volition bear witness y'all things that are going on today around you lot--events, concerts, live performances, fairs, y'all name it. It's a fashion to discover things to exercise instantly and with no effort. Very impressive and one of our favorite new things.
Bing Music is still being developed but it certainly works. Like Shazam, Bing Music will identify ambience music effectually you, then search for it in the Zune Marketplace, allowing you to stream, purchase or download (if you take a Zune Pass). It worked well enough for mainstream music, was a piddling rougher on more than obscure things, but seeing every bit it is withal in development, we expect big improvements by launch. Either way, information technology's bang-up to have such a part native to the phone.
Finally, Bing Vision is the other big deal. Past actively using the camera, you can scan barcodes (US only), QR (many regions), Microsoft Tag (many regions), commercial media (CDs, DVS, Books, Posters and Magazines--but may exist limited to US merely) and finally even interpret text into/from English, French, Italian, High german and Spanish. It's the Swiss Regular army Knife of photographic camera scanners and it works very well. We used it regularly to try and browse all sorts of items and had a high percentage of success--in fact it was fairly enjoyable to employ. Once an item is identified, a results screen comes upwards with information, reviews and prices (if applicable) from various merchants. In theory, if the merchant is someone similar say Amazon.com, information technology should launch into the Amazon app (or so we believed) but that feature does not yet seem consummate in this build.
Games Hub
The Games Hub, where all things Xbox Live are located, received some updates likewise, though no major new features. Some of the changes include having your avatar completely animated from within the app, instead of using Xbox LIVE Extras. That's because XNA and Silverlight tin alive inside the aforementioned app now. Some artful changes include making it all white, using smaller icons in a list, calculation friends/messaging tiles and "Spotlight" where you can get the latest Xbox news. While these changes are small, it unifies the await and feel of the Games Hub with the Xbox LIVE branding and system. Adding those tiles and refining the expect goes to show you how deep and careful Microsoft is considering advent here and we approve.
And yes, game requests are there for what we presume will exist multiplayer (asynchronous) game play in the hereafter. Finally, Xbox LIVE Extras is relegated to the task of avatar customization via the Marketplace. It's yet an optional download and only there if you want to change your features, way or purchase new items in the Marketplace. Information technology works well plenty and is quite zippy.
Zune Player
Of course the Zune Actor gets some nice additions too, specifically Smart DJ which will allow you to basically create a Pandora-similar streaming experience: you pick your favorite band or song, select Smart DJ and from their the Zune system will create a dynamic playlist based off of that style. It's been on the Zune HD actor for awhile so dainty to see it brought to WP7.
Other little changes include moving of the play/interruption, forward/back buttons to the top of the screen and making them larger. This is at present 100% consequent through they system. In addition, you have your Favorite push button ("heart"), repeat and random buttons all accessible on the role player screen.
While podcasts have been supported via the Zune Desktop, you can now do it over-the-air via the Zune Thespian/Market place. Yous can download a single episode or subscribe (and manage) any podcast, and video is supported as well. Of course there'south a grab: you lot can't download whatever podcasts (sound or video) over 3G simply accept to be on WiFi, similar to how downloading big Xbox Alive games works at present.
The other absurd thing is now 3rd party streaming apps like Last.fm and Slacker tin take reward of groundwork tasks, allowing for streaming in the background while using the Zune Actor controls--a very dainty add-on.
Oh and 'Marquee' has thankfully exist re-named to the much more than specific 'Apps' for 3rd party app integration. Some other minor changes include modifications to the UI eastward.chiliad. 'History' now scrolls only down instead of overlapping to the correct.
Hands-free Messaging and Voice communication
Yes, the Microsoft TellMe speech system is yet in consequence in Mango and has received some nice upgrades. First and foremost, you can now say "Text
Calling options are now expanded too. Yous can at present say "Phone call John, on mobile using speakerphone" and get exactly that--a perfect setup for in car driving. Y'all tin also apply the speech command while on a phone telephone call, using "Phone call" to telephone call another person or "press" to press a number.
Facebook, Twitter, Threads and Groups
No doubt "Mango" steps upwards with social networking and keeping in contact with friends and family. If you're a Facebook fiend, yous'll capeesh how "native" it is now in Windows Phone 7.v--specifically from your "Me" hub yous can check-in via Facebook (and Windows Alive), mail service a message and set up conversation status. Yous can too finally receive notifications via Facebook and Windows Alive right within the Os--then forget that Facebook app. In improver, native conversation for Windows Alive and Facebook is here, making this all but a Facebook phone (though currently, the feature is not available in this preview build). Finally, Facebook Events can be added directly to the Windows Phone agenda and include the ability to run into the clarification, attendees and decline/accept from inside said calendar--very squeamish.
Twitter is well-nigh hither. Nosotros know it will be in the final version and Microsoft has talked about it. Unfortunately, nosotros practice see "Twitter" nether "Add an business relationship" but information technology'south listed as "Coming presently!" for now. However, we can see that it volition require you to connect your Twitter account via Windows Live, not a stand alone. Microsoft did, withal, provide united states with a screen shot to go an idea of what information technology looks like and we tin say it will feature: Tweet, reTweet, comment, replay with @ mention, share spider web pages (via IE9) and share photos via the Photo Hub.
Threads, to refresh, is the ability to combine text messaging, Facebook and Windows Alive Messaging all in one identify. The thought is that you tin can seamlessly keep a chat with some regardless of medium. This is washed by linking the person to all the various accounts nether the People Hub and then the Os "knows" to combine everything together. Seeing as we were unable to test Facebook Chat, we'll accept to leave a more in-depth review later. Needless to say, the theory is at least audio and should make a much more sane experience in today's multi-customer earth.
Nosotros should too mention "face recognition" is here likewise. From your photos in your Picture Hub to online pics (SkyDrive, Facebook), a piddling square volition announced over a face, which then allows yous to "tag" them. This goes even deeper with Facebook since they're starting to automatically identify and tag faces, which is a niggling creepy. All the same, for those of you who tag your friends in photos for uploading, this should exist a swell feature.
Finally, Groups is something we've seen earlier: it's the power to create clusters of contacts e.g. family, friends, co-workers and and then have all of their data under one hub, including "status updates, photo updates, cheque-ins, missed calls, new SMS, email, IM, or voicemail". From their you tin even create a Live Tile for that Group and the above information will dynamically change as data rolls in. It'southward truly a new and unlike way to keep up socially with your friends and family. What'south neat too is the arrangement will recommend a Family unit Group based on the terminal names in your People Hub.
Loose Ends: E-mail, Maps and Market
Last but non least are the changes in email, maps and the Marketplace. While significant, they're a piffling less exciting and so some of the previously mentioned changes.
E-mail get-go and foremost now has threaded message. That is easily ane of the best changes all the same and it works pretty well, although information technology does take some getting used to, specifically the fashion the headers work is a bit unlike (information technology's an actress line of information) and the ordering is the opposite of Gmail with the newest message offset and previous emails below. That actually makes sense when you recall nearly it, simply some of u.s.a. have been "trained" by Gmail to accept it in a descending club so at first glance things seem a flake off. Likewise at that place are significant changes to Outlook support, including:
- Read IRM emails
- Alpha-numeric PIN
- Prepare Out of Function messages
- Search email server for messages
- View & sync multiple Calendars on an business relationship
- Sync To-Practice list
Then there is the ability to create a unified email box (numerous accounts linked together equally a Live Tile--very convenient) and the new part of creating a Alive Tile from a sub-folder. That concluding part is real useful. For example, nosotros have a WPCentral sub-folder in our Gmail business relationship. Ordinarily we have to open e-mail, cull Folders and and then select the folder we want to run into new letters. Now, nosotros can create a Tile that goes right to it on the Start screen. Moreover, you lot'll now get notifications for that sub-binder. In essence, y'all've created a whole new in-box and in theory, you can do this unlimited times. However, in doing this change, Microsoft did motion the Folder button to the list and in turn, the Sync option gets its own button. Some may discover that a flake jarring at showtime but it seems to make sense in a traditional email mode.
Maps finally gets turn-past-plough driving directions. While not every bit full-featured as some third party offerings, it is gratis and works well plenty. Also, yous can now take the maps "Rotate with my current direction" or "Always orient north", something nosotros recall volition do good from the addition of a hardware gyroscope.
Last but not to the lowest degree, the Marketplace gets a dainty make over. Before, when you chose an app in the Marketplace, it'due south information was all on one screen. Now there are iv that period nicely with Metro. Those 4 screens are 'details', 'reviews', 'screenshots' and 'related', with the latter smartly giving a listing of similar apps (it'south really actually authentic). Since each area now has it's ain section, detail is great, the screenshots are laid out in a better fashion (smaller, tiled) and reviews are easier to read. Plus, you can now see an app's rating before y'all click on it, allowing you to pass over those 1 or 2 star apps. The other neat feature is the ability to become suggestions as you lot type in the Market, speeding up the procedure of getting that app.
Conclusion
Whew! Did you actually read all of that and watch those videos? Than congratulations, yous know as much about "Mango" as we practise now. So what did we learn?
In our opinion, Microsoft has so far done a fantastic chore with "Mango", delivering many new features, fixing complaints from users and expanding the usage of our smartphones way beyond what "NoDo" has given us. What makes "Mango" so interesting is nothing feels tacked on. It's not like Microsoft saw what the contest was doing and decided "we can do that too!", resulting in an OS that has features haphazardly slapped together, simply zip to unify them. The changes in Windows Phone vii.v, on the other manus, experience like an extension of a vision, of a philosophy of how our mobile phones should work. While Apple tree has simplicity downward (just one button!) as their guiding strength, Android seems to have a "throw the kitchen sink in there likewise" mindset, resulting in a more chaotic, inharmonious feel.
It's almost odd to see such an arroyo from Microsoft, who's more than oft been associated with pragmatism non elegance. But "Mango" aptly demonstrates that Windows Phone vii was not just a one-hitting pattern, but rather the beginning of a whole new ecosystem (which we're now seeing extending to Xbox and the PC).
The nearly odd affair nearly "Mango" is the lack of a "killer feature". That's not a put downwards either. What we mean is there are and so many new things on board, that there tin't be an agreed upon single "wow" feature. Instead, the user is allowed to pick and choose what they feel is the best. For myself? The performance improvements, IE9 and Bing are all amazing, with IE9 being ground-breaking. For others though, the tight social-network integration or Office improvements could exist their killer feature. In short, there's something for everyone in this update.
Is information technology all rosy? Peradventure non, there'southward still some "Microsoft control" over the Bone is even so nowadays, the permanent "tool bar" above the keyboard takes away precious real-estate, the inability to download podcasts over 3G seems over-protective, etc. Only these come off every bit more nits than full on criticism. With so many fixes, new features or expansions of old ones, it seems a bit difficult to levy serious criticism. For beingness a "preview release" the Os is substantially stable, with only the rarest of hangups and demonstrates how far along in development Microsoft is with "Mango", making that autumn deadline extremely plausible (and hey, it works on the Focus already--heck, Sammy even gave usa a new firmware update this weekend).
Just there's some other half to this "Mango" equation: developers. A lot of things in this update won't smoothen until devs start cranking out new or updated apps that leverage all the new APIs, gyroscopes, augmented reality tools, new Alive Tile system, address volume admission, socket support, multi-tasking, etc. When that happens, nosotros an really be prepared to be wowed.
Microsoft has added frosting to last year's cake, at present it'due south up to devs to add together the candles. In short, Mango is delicious.
Mango Image courtesy of: VanSoaked (DeviantArt)
Oh Dear
New report reveals Microsoft'due south future AR strategy; HoloLens 3 is dead
Business concern Insider has today published a follow-upwards report with more details well-nigh Microsoft'due south canceled HoloLens iii augmented reality headset. The partnership with Samsung is said to include a headset with a fix of screens inside, powered by a Samsung phone in your pocket.
Keeping it affordable
Review: Surface Laptop SE is the new standard for Yard-8 Windows PCs
Starting at just $250, Microsoft's first foray into affordable laptops for the teaching market place is a winner. With a gorgeous pattern, excellent thermals, and a fantastic typing feel, Microsoft would practise right to sell this directly to consumers as well. Let's just promise Intel tin make a improve CPU.
Source: https://www.windowscentral.com/wpcentral-review-windows-phone-mango-preview-release
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