Microsoft developing NVIDIA-based mobile phone - report

[AppleInsider]

Microsoft will announce its entry into the smartphone arena early next year with an iPhone rival build around NVIDIA's new system-on-a-chip (SoC) for small form factor mobile devices, according to a new report.

"What do you get if you take an iPhone, remove the clean UI, user friendliness, nice industrial design, battery life, cachet, functional OS, and in general everything else that makes it worthwhile?," writes the Inquirer. "The new Microsoft phone, powered by NVIDIA."

The satirical report, which otherwise appears to be making genuine claim, says the Redmond-based software giant will unveil the device at February's 3GSM conference in Barcelona with shipments expected to follow shortly thereafter.

Though specific functions and features were not discussed, the Inquirer cited "well-placed sources" who say the device will be powered by one of NVIDIA's upcoming all-in-one Tegra chips.

According to Wikipedia, Tegra will be made available in three variants: the Tegra 600 for GPS and automotive markets, the Tegra 650 for large handhelds and notebooks, and the Tegra APX 2500 for smartphones.

The Tegra APX 2500 is said to include a 600 MHz MPCore Processor, support for a 12 megapixel camera, GeForce ULV support for OpenGL ES 2.0, up to 720p H.264 decoding, and NVIDIA nPower technology that could enable over 10 hours of HD video playback and up to 100 hours of audio.

The first Nvidia Tegra-based devices are expected to begin shipping in mid-2009.

[ View this article at AppleInsider.com ]

[wbrasington]

Originally Posted by AppleInsider

Microsoft will announce its entry into the smartphone arena early next year with an iPhone rival build around NVIDIA's new system-on-a-chip (SoC) for small form factor mobile devices, according to a new report.

"What do you get if you take an iPhone, remove the clean UI, user friendliness, nice industrial design, battery life, cachet, functional OS, and in general everything else that makes it worthwhile?," writes the Inquirer. "The new Microsoft phone, powered by NVIDIA."

The satirical report, which otherwise appears to be making genuine claim, says the Redmond-based software giant will unveil the device at February's 3GSM conference in Barcelona with shipments expected to follow shortly thereafter.

Though specific functions and features were not discussed, the Inquirer cited "well-placed sources" who say the device will be powered by one of NVIDIA's three upcoming all-in-one Tegra chips.

According to Wikipedia, Tegra will be made available in three variants: the Tegra 600 for GPS and automotive markets, the Tegra 650 for large handhelds and notebooks, and the Tegra APX 2500 for smartphones.

The Tegra APX 2500 is said to include a 600 MHz MPCore Processor, support for a 12 megapixel camera, GeForce ULV support for OpenGL ES 2.0, up to 720p H.264 decoding, and NVIDIA nPower technology that could enable over 10 hours of HD video playback and up to 100 hours of audio.

The first Nvidia Tegra-based devices are expected to begin shipping in mid-2009.

[ View this article at AppleInsider.com ]

After listening to Balmers now famous "It doesn't even have a keyboard..." response to the iPhone, I eagerly await what MicroSoft thinks is a good UI on a phone.
Will they eat their words and go without a keyboard?
Wouldn't be the first time they ate their words, but if they have a UI people like it would be a MicroSoft first for sure.

[jawadde]

if they can power 100 hours of audio, apple has something to worry about !

but I'm not really worried... probably overhyped specs. Let's wait for real world testing

[MacTel]

Originally Posted by jawadde

if they can power 100 hours of audio, apple has something to worry about !

but I'm not really worried... probably overhyped specs. Let's wait for real world testing

Yep, competition is good. Just base it on the Zune and it will be a success.

[Rot'nApple]

Originally Posted by AppleInsider

Microsoft will announce its entry into the smartphone arena early next year with an iPhone rival

Rival?! Will it be as successful as Zune, their iPod killer? Or Vista, their Mac OS X killer?

<satire>Will it be as polished as the first Zune?</satire>

Wonder if MS learned the Zune lessons that just because you can slap together something, rebrand it thinking the MS name holds some value, and put it out there for the consumer, that it will be a huge success.

Of course, MS has taken the hard work of Apple and others and is johnnycomelately to yet another market as it tries to make a buck outside of it's original corporate concept of computer OS's and software applications.

[bloggerblog]

Originally Posted by jawadde

if they can power 100 hours of audio, apple has something to worry about !

but I'm not really worried... probably overhyped specs. Let's wait for real world testing

They definitely can, and it'll be 2" thick.

[Pachomius]

Maybe they'll copy the iPhone the same way they copied the "I'm a Mac" commercials. Maybe they'll put all their zPhone kiosks right outside Apple retails stores.

Long live the 2" thick zPhone with 100 hours of brick-like usability!!!

P

[kim kap sol]

Originally Posted by bloggerblog

They definitely can, and it'll be 2" thick.

Yup. Codenamed: "The Brick...for realz"

[Enigmafan420]

Why can't M$ come up with an ORIGINAL idea?

Anyone besides me notice that their stock has hit the toilet the past 6-8 years? Not that they were ever MUCH on innovation-but you can trace that back to the time of their last original idea (XP-which IS MUCH BETTER than anything they released before or since).

[NeilM]

Remember, you saw it here first!

[jfanning]

Originally Posted by Enigmafan420

Why can't M$ come up with an ORIGINAL idea?

As apposed to whom?

[MissionGrey]

I wish microsoft would create a quality product to push Apple to produce ever better products. However is seems microsoft has decided it just likes to create copies of apple products without even trying to be creative. They are far to slow to react, and no real breakthroughs are ever made.

[rbonner]

Can't wait for this, should be fun to watch!

[ouragan]

According to Wikipedia, Tegra will be made available in three variants: the Tegra 600 for GPS and automotive markets, the Tegra 650 for large handhelds and notebooks, and the Tegra APX 2500 for smartphones.

The Tegra APX 2500 is said to include a 600 MHz MPCore Processor, support for a 12 megapixel camera, GeForce ULV support for OpenGL ES 2.0, up to 720p H.264 decoding, and NVIDIA nPower technology that could enable over 10 hours of HD video playback and up to 100 hours of audio.

The first Nvidia Tegra-based devices are expected to begin shipping in mid-2009.

I want one if Apple can't or won't revise the iPhone specifications. There is no point on spending good money for an iPhone if it doesn't match what competitors offer.

[NasserAE]

If this is true then MS will kill what's left of Windows Mobile. Once they start optimizing their software to run on their hardware, phone manufacturer who uses WinMo will look at the alternative (Android).

[Robin Huber]

Let's not get too smug fellow iPhone lovers. The year of having the field to ourselves has past, and along with a slew of wannabes is the new touch screen Blackberry with tactile feedback on the virtual keyboard, something Apple should have done already. Yeah, I know, the Mac universe surrounding the iPhone cannot be duplicated by RIM, but a lot of kids like physical keys for texting, and this innovation bridges the gap. Apple cannot rest on its laurels and must leapfrog the competition again to avoid becoming just one of many great smart phones.

[robb01]

Originally Posted by ouragan

I want one if Apple can't or won't revise the iPhone specifications. There is no point on spending good money for an iPhone if it doesn't match what competitors offer.

Good Point

________________

[johnqh]

Originally Posted by Pachomius

Maybe they'll copy the iPhone the same way they copied the "I'm a Mac" commercials. Maybe they'll put all their zPhone kiosks right outside Apple retails stores.

Long live the 2" thick zPhone with 100 hours of brick-like usability!!!

P

LOL....I can almost see the "I am a brick" commercial from MS.

[sreehemanth]

May be it will be called "Microsoft Brick Phone" !! ... that would be so awwwesome!

[johnqh]

Originally Posted by Robin Huber

Let's not get too smug fellow iPhone lovers. The year of having the field to ourselves has past, and along with a slew of wannabes is the new touch screen Blackberry with tactile feedback on the virtual keyboard, something Apple should have done already. Yeah, I know, the Mac universe surrounding the iPhone cannot be duplicated by RIM, but a lot of kids like physical keys for texting, and this innovation bridges the gap. Apple cannot rest on its laurels and must leapfrog the competition again to avoid becoming just one of many great smart phones.

Read the reviews (or try it yourself). It seems most people hate the so-called tactile feedback, and it seems Blackberry made the OS 10x slower during the process to add the feedback.

Pay attention to Apple's products. Apple is not about adding new features. At least half of Apple expertise is in deciding how to GET RID of features.

[Shookster]

Jeez, have they not learned from the Zune?

[Booga]

The hardware specs are pretty much irrelevent. It's Direct3D and the .NET APIs that Microsoft cares about. They're going to make it really easy to port software from the XBox to this machine, and make every Windows developer feel comfortable developing for it.

Compared to Android's obscurity and the iPhone's Objective-C oddball nature, developing games on this thing is going to feel like a breath of fresh air to a lot of developers. Don't underestimate that...

[wbrasington]

Originally Posted by sreehemanth

May be it will be called "Microsoft Brick Phone" !! ... that would be so awwwesome!

That would make it the MBP.
I thought people only buy those from Apple?

[wbrasington]

Originally Posted by Booga

The hardware specs are pretty much irrelevent. It's Direct3D and the .NET APIs that Microsoft cares about. They're going to make it really easy to port software from the XBox to this machine, and make every Windows developer feel comfortable developing for it.

Compared to Android's obscurity and the iPhone's Objective-C oddball nature, developing games on this thing is going to feel like a breath of fresh air to a lot of developers. Don't underestimate that...

Oh right, developing games the xBox is a real breath of fresh air al right. Hehehehehehe

[Booga]

Originally Posted by wbrasington

Oh right, developing games the xBox is a real breath of fresh air al right. Hehehehehehe

I'm not sure what you're laughing at. If you compare developing on the XBox to developing on Nintendo or the Sony PS2, it was hugely, immensely, dramatically easier and more familiar. That's pretty much WHY anyone bothered developing for it. So yes, developing for the XBox was a real breath of fresh air.

I'm worried that Microsoft still understands developers a lot better than the iPhone SDK folks do, and even if the first phone in this line fails that they're going to rapidly build up some must-have apps and die-hard developers to drive sales of version 2 and 3.

[8CoreWhore]

[MissionGrey]

Originally Posted by Robin Huber

Let's not get too smug fellow iPhone lovers. The year of having the field to ourselves has past, and along with a slew of wannabes is the new touch screen Blackberry with tactile feedback on the virtual keyboard, something Apple should have done already. Yeah, I know, the Mac universe surrounding the iPhone cannot be duplicated by RIM, but a lot of kids like physical keys for texting, and this innovation bridges the gap. Apple cannot rest on its laurels and must leapfrog the competition again to avoid becoming just one of many great smart phones.

Total agree, apple must continue to push the threshold. And these other companies will push them to do that. Maybe they will use there new process for making their MacBook, and use it on the next iphone!

[Rot'nApple]

Originally Posted by wbrasington

I thought people only buy those from Apple?

Only the smart ones!

[Adjei]

And what's gon' happen to Windows Mobile, these guys are a joke.

[Johnny Mozzarella]

Originally Posted by NasserAE

If this is true then MS will kill what's left of Windows Mobile. Once they start optimizing their software to run on their hardware, phone manufacturer who uses WinMo will look at the alternative (Android).

I think MS already sees that handset manufacturers will not be eager to use their OS when they have Android as a FREE option. I think MS realizes that Apple, Blackberry and Android will dominate the phone market unless they act quickly and execute well.

[Dazabrit]

I also pray Apple isn't resting on its laurels, hoping the brand/community will carry it through with minimal updates for the next 5 years.
I know Microsoft have screwed up time and time again, but.... fire enough bullets and one is gonna hit.

There is a certain amount of promise in their Surface technology (the UI and the physical interaction) and the Zune isn't exactly an international effort at the moment either
so they have time to 'reposition' the brand and publicity. As for the Blackberry storm, the reviews may be turdulous but inital sales and interest appears to be very good.

The point is... don't get too comfortable, you've got to fight to stay at the top and Microsoft have a real chance to compete.
Competition is good for us all in the end but it could get messy.

Imagine if they were to take the good elements from the XBox, Zune and Surface and combine them with what appears to be decent specs,
grouped with multiple carriers, new 'partnerships' and the missing iPhone features. That kind of product could turn a few heads.

[MJ Web]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wvsbo...hoo-new-leader

[Buck]

This is probably not new, but I can't stop laughing at it:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nRKIDdIaFyE
(Microsoft's zunePhone)

It's dated 2007 but so true on so many levels.

[Pachomius]

Originally Posted by johnqh

LOL....I can almost see the "I am a brick" commercial from MS.

Yeah - "I'm a Brick" - and they'll open with Bill in a Burger King ordering a Whopper. Then he'll sit down and George Bush will walk past, noticing Bill sitting there.... both of them being "regular guys" together.

See - I too can be "original"

:-)

ZunePhone = zPhone

[anantksundaram]

Originally Posted by Dazabrit

I also pray Apple isn't resting on its laurels, hoping the brand/community will carry it through with minimal updates for the next 5 years.

What makes you (and the others) think that this is even a remote possibility?

[MissionGrey]

I agree, considering that the iphone/ipod touch, is one of their biggest breakthroughs I doubt there will let them hang out to dry. Just the app store alone created a whole new world, for what a phone can do.

[Dazabrit]

Originally Posted by anantksundaram

What makes you (and the others) think that this is even a remote possibility?

No real reason to be honest, but... 'anything is a possibility' and I don't want Apple to screw it up at the last hurdle, so to speak. Microsoft could create a killer product and Apple could be somewhat lazy. I'm hoping neither is the case

Judging by the patents that keep cropping up, we have nothing to be worried about.

I'm personally hoping for:
PA Semi Magic Chips
Additional Sensors
Better Optics & iSight Video Capability
Increased Storage
Increased RAM
Some Interesting Peripherals (Magnetic Face plates? Buttons for Businesses, Gamers & Whiners etc...)
OS Refinements
Added Software Features (Copy and Paste )

[wbrasington]

Originally Posted by Booga

I'm worried that Microsoft still understands developers a lot better than the iPhone SDK folks do, and even if the first phone in this line fails that they're going to rapidly build up some must-have apps and die-hard developers to drive sales of version 2 and 3.

I'm pretty sure MicroSoft doesn't understand much of anything anymore, let alone developers on a phone platform.
They have been pushing for YEARS, a platform they felt could rule the world.
Most serious developers won't go NEAR windows mobile, so one of the things I'm laughing at is YOU.

[TBaggins]

Originally Posted by wbrasington

I'm pretty sure MicroSoft doesn't understand much of anything anymore, let alone developers on a phone platform.
They have been pushing for YEARS, a platform they felt could rule the world.
Most serious developers won't go NEAR windows mobile, so one of the things I'm laughing at is YOU.

Well you don't have to be a jerk about it, but yeah, in terms of worldwide marketshare, Windows Mobile has underperformed pretty dramatically, considering.

It's pretty amazing, when you think about it. Microsoft has tremendous resources, and has had many years to make a dent, and they haven't done much. In the US, WM is doing 'okay', but most everywhere else? Nope.


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[TBaggins]

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