Microsoft Adds New Policies for Next Gen Windows Phone Marketplace

Microsoft’s Windows Phone blog has just announced that they are changing the Policies for the next generation of the Windows Phone Marketplace, building off of the current application marketplace.  The change comes on the heels of Microsoft’s change of direction and focuses their aim better consumer experience, and a vastly improved developer experience.  Hit the link for details taken directly from Microsoft’s Windows Phone Blog team.

Hackers using games to infect Windows Mobile smartphones

Ruh Roh! Apparentely Hackers are planting viruses into some Windows Mobile based video games in order to make you call numbers and charge your cell phone bill. The problem is, most people aren’t finding out until they get their next bill. According to a report by Reuters, smartphone attacks by Hackers are on the rise because of the popularity of mobile computing in your pocket. We do not know if these exploits will hit Windows Phone 7, but I am sure that Microsoft is certainly looking at locking down the security on their new platform before release.

The games — 3D Anti-Terrorist and PDA Poker Art — are available on sites that provide legitimate software for mobile devices, according to John Hering, CEO of San Francisco-based security firm Lookout.

Those games are bundled with malicious software that automatically dials premium-rate telephone services in Somalia, Italy and other countries, sometimes ringing up hundreds of dollars in charges in a single month.

Those services are run by the programmers who built the tainted software, Hering said on Friday.

Victims generally do not realize they have been infected until they get their phone bill and see hundreds of dollars of unexpected charges for those premium-rate services, he said.

[via Reuters]

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Recent data shows iPhone still in a commanding lead over Android

Nielsen Wire has put up some graphs, charts, and the usual yesterday. Measuring the ever impressive smartphone market share. As you can see in the graph above, the iPhone still holds a commanding lead. So commanding in fact that it is still 3 times larger than that of the  Android OS. The smartphone market in general is said to have grown to 23% in quarter 1 of 2010 up from 16% in quarter 4 of 2009. During this growth both Android and iPhone OS grew 2%. In that same period of time, current leader RIM and Windows Mobile, both lost 2% of their market share. So what does this all mean in a nutshell? iPhone is huge, Android is growing, RIM and Microsoft are slowly but surely losing and that Palm and Nokia need to get it together in North America. I think it also shows that smartphones in general still have room to grow. The fact that only 23% of phone users use a smartphone means there are still so many millions of potential customers that these companies can still attract. Come on feature phone users buy a smartphone!

[Via Neilsen Wire]

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[Video] D8: Steve Ballmer interview

Vodpod videos no longer available.

Steve Ballmer discusses antitrust, iPad, Google, mobile tech, and cloud computing. Hit the link for more videos.

A look into Windows Phone 7 Gaming prowess

Looks like a Samsung Omnia-type device is floating out there in the wild and has the ability to play Xbox Live Arcade games. It appears that the game is an iPhone game ported over called Twin Blades built by Press Start Studio. Also we are told that this was built by one programmer using 90 percent of the Xbox Live code. What is known is that this handset sports a Qualcomm Snapdragon processor, but not much else is revealed.

As noted by MTW:

It’s the smoothest mobile experience I have ever witness (on par with the iPhone) and it definitely feels a lot better when used on a real handset compared to the desktop emulator.

[via Mobile Tech World (1) and (2)]

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Windows Mobile 6.5.3 still chuggin, LG Fathom brings new hope

There isn’t a whole lot of Windows Mobile news lately. Hell, there isn’t even a lot of Windows Phone 7 news lately. That is not stopping LG from pushing out their brand new Fathom. Ironic name, hard to fathom the fact that there is still interest in 6.5 with the release of Phone 7 being so close. Aside from the OS itself, which is actually my new favorite version of Windows Mobile (6.5.3), the hardware itself is pretty spectacular. The phone will be running 6.5.3 which is the latest and greatest version of Windows Mobile and it has been optimized for touch input. It has a a 3.2 MP camera (which is beginning to get a little outdated) a 3.2″ touch screen, a 1Ghz snapdragon processor, WiFi b/g/n, a full 4 row slide out keyboard with a 4 way directional pad, and will cost $149.99 after a $100 mail-in rebate (after signing contract of course). The phone looks nice, the OS is a bit dated compared to the new stuff we are seeing from Apple, Android, and even Microsoft’s own Windows Phone 7, but some people need Windows Mobile for work and this seems like a good choice. It will be available on Verizon June 3rd so get out your company’s spending pool and get ready!

[Via Engadget Mobile]

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Windows Phone 7: office hub, emails, calender and events integration in Outlook

Microsoft has posted two videos of the upcoming Windows Phone 7. In these two videos, MS demonstrates email, calender, events integration in Outlook, office hub and also show some Powerpoint editing.

[via Microsoft Backstage]

LG Shows off working Windows Phone 7 in Portugal

Microsoft TechDays 2010 has been running since April 16th in Portugal. One of the main keynote speakers, Charlie Kindel, the Microsoft Program Manager for Windows 7 Phone, gave an interview to Vitor Domingos of The Next Web. In the interview, Vitor gets to see a working demo of the new slider LG Windows Phone 7, which seems to run very smoothly and is in fact built by non-other than emerging third party manufacturer, HTC.

The Office Hub will have the full integration and will work directly with Office 2010, with access to share point as well. Another note is that developers will be able rely on a consistent platform across all Windows Phone 7 devices, which is welcomed news. [check out the walk through by Charlie  beginning at about 5:59 into the video – note the mention of ‘smart multi-tasking’ ]

Vodpod videos no longer available.

[via the Next Web]

[How To] DIYers Crack Open WinMo Phones To Install Android

crobs808 over at the XDA Dev forum put together a great how to on how to install Android on your current WinMo device. Suddenly, I expect a ferw of the HD2 owners to take a serious look at the forums and instructions to figure out the best way to install this on their brand new T-Mobile HTC handset. Hit the link for the full breakdown.

Windows Phone 7 Series, now just Windows Phone 7

Microsoft sent out a lovely tweet today advising that the ‘Series’ in windows Phone 7 Series has been dropped. This is good news just due to the plain fact that it previously felt like a tongue twister. Personally though, I would prefer Phone 7. Short, sweet, and to the point. That is just me though. Now Microsoft just needs to get this thing out the door so I can have one!