Gadgetell | Tech News, Reviews, and Interesting Things

The future direction of Microsoft’s Windows Mobile 7 would appear to be all about “touch and gestures”, says a leaked source dated from last summer. “You will be able to flick through lists, pan, swipe sideway, draw on the screen.“ Considering the prior quote, you have to laugh out loud when they say “Windows Mobile 7 will dramatically change the way we use mobile devices. It will emphasize the use of touch on the device, as well as motion gestures created by using the device.“

So what follows next will either have you drooling or laughing out loud:

• Windows Mobile 7 will have an exciting locking screen, that will allow you to play around with it, draw on it, shake it and completely otherwise mess with it.
• Windows Mobile 7 will have dramatically improved visuals, different from the iPhone and much more similar to the dark and futuristic visuals of Windows Vista. It will feature graphical transitions, subtle effects, and other things to make it more interesting to look at. This is not detailed in the document, but featured in the multitude of screenshots.
• Windows Mobile 7 is designed to use the finger, not the stylus, though many devices will be required to include a stylus. It is designed to be easy to use with the hand, including one-handed, and to be fun to use and easy to understand. It is designed to be used on devices with no buttons, few buttons, lots of buttons, full keyboards, and devices without touch screens.
• Windows Mobile 7 is clearly designed for better media playback, with screenshots indicating a much-improved Media Player and photo gallery application. There is talk in the document of a games mode. Mobile Internet Explorer runs full-screen web pages in a minimalistic interface, and has “tabbed” browsing, except you can switch tabs by shaking the phone.

The source may be a little out of date, but there is no reason to think that the details are significantly wrong, because at the end of the day Microsoft will just following what others are already doing! Sorry, I can’t type any more I am laughing so much. In short Microsoft will give us their version of the iPhone. There that is so much easier and quicker to say!

Via [Microsoft]

• Random Amazon game deals
• Xbox 360 Arcade units confirmed to include 256MB onboard memory
• Microsoft using Office’s AutoUpdate feature to check licensing

I was chatting up Leigh Geary of coolsmartphone.com about what his expectations were from Mr. Gates at tomorrow’s CES keynote.  With the iPhone entry, Google’s Android looming like a specter, we (both Leigh and I) are looking to Windows to bring something new to the table.  Will Bill deliver something outstanding in his last CES address as CEO?

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