Windows Phone Thoughts - Daily News, Views, Rants and Raves

As I watched the Windows phone live keynote, I figured I'd take some notes to share with Windows Phone Thoughts readers. Enjoy!

• Everything is based around Live Tiles
• All devices will be capacitive touch with "big, beautiful screens"
• The device will know the people you care about and what they're doing
• It has a slide-up lock screen just like the Zune HD
• Works with "Hotmail, Yahoo Mail, and other mail services"
• If you want to remove someone from your home screen, you "broken heart" them - just like on the Zune - and it removes the tile. Cool...and somehow appropriate.
• The calender provides multiple views - everything you've expected from previous phones. They seem to support some sort of merged or multiple calenders. They showed personal and work items - I hope they allow for multiple Exchange calendars. I want to finally be able to see my wife's Exchange calendar...
• Super fast UI performance - this is crazy. The device has video out - I suspect all Windows phones will have video out as part of the base spec. Read more...

"Steve Ballmer, chief executive officer of Microsoft, and Robbie Bach, president of the Entertainment & Devices Division, deliver the pre-show keynote address in Las Vegas to kick off the 2010 International Consumer Electronics Show (CES). Coverage begins on Jan. 6, 2010, at approximately 6:30 p.m. PST with the live, streaming keynote. The Microsoft 2010 CES Newsroom will be updated throughout CES with the latest news, videos, photos and press information from Microsoft and its partners."

CES is here! Tune in to the live webcast at 6:30 PM (PST) today (world times listed below) as Steve Ballmer and Robbie Bach talk the latest and greatest in Windows 7, Office, Windows Live, Windows Mobile, Xbox, Zune, and other consumer technologies. But if you'd rather digest it all in one hit, keep your eyes peeled for our post-keynote report.

• Los Angeles, San Francisco, Las Vegas, Seattle: Wednesday, 6:30 PM
• Chicago, Houston: Wednesday, 8:30 PM
• New York, Washington, DC: Wednesday, 9:30 PM
• London: Thursday, 2:30 AM
• Paris, Berlin: Thursday, 3:30 AM
• Moscow: Thursday, 5:30 AM
• Beijing, Shanghai, Hong Kong, Perth: Thursday, 10:30 AM
• Tokyo: Thursday, 11:30 AM
• Sydney, Melbourne: Thursday, 1:30 PM
• Auckland: Thursday, 3:30 PM

"International CTIA Wireless 2009 is where broadband communications come to life. From April 1 to 3, more than 1,000 exhibiting companies and tens of thousands attendees from more than 125 countries will converge to do business, discuss innovation and exchange ideas. Join us for four days to learn more about the emerging technologies that enable us to work toward the common goal of taking wireless and broadband communications to yet another level."

Earlier in the day, we gave you a look at what Microsoft has in store for CTIA Wireless 2009. Robbie Bach is scheduled to unveil it all in a little under fourteen hours - 10AM, PDT to be exact. As always, there's the opportunity to watch it live (world times listed below). But if you prefer to digest it all in one go, keep your eyes peeled for our post-keynote report.

• Los Angeles, San Francisco, Las Vegas, Seattle: Thursday, 10:00 AM
• Chicago, Houston: Thursday, Noon
• New York, Washington, DC: Thursday, 1:00 PM
• London: Thursday, 6:00 PM
• Paris, Berlin: Thursday, 7:00 PM
• Moscow: Thursday, 9:00 PM
• Beijing, Shanghai, Hong Kong, Perth: Friday, 1:00 AM
• Tokyo: Friday, 2:00 AM
• Sydney, Melbourne: Friday, 4:00 AM
• Auckland: Friday, 6:00 AM

Microsoft's Mobile World Congress 2009 press conference is scheduled to take place in a little under four hours. Alas, not everyone and their pet dog has the luxury of attending, but that doesn't mean you can't live vicariously through the live webcast (local times featured below). We'll also be reporting the announcements as they happen - and Microsoft is promising plenty related to Windows Mobile, Windows Live for Mobile, and MSN Mobile - so simply watch the front-page for updates.

• Los Angeles, San Francisco, Seattle: Monday, 6:00 AM
• Chicago, Houston: Monday, 8:00 AM
• New York, Washington, D.C.: Monday, 9:00 AM
• London: Monday, 2:00 PM
• Paris, Berlin: Monday, 3:00 PM
• Moscow: Monday, 5:00 PM
• Beijing, Shanghai, Hong Kong: Monday, 10:00 PM
• Perth, Tokyo: Monday, 11:00 PM
• Brisbane: Monday-Tuesday, Midnight
• Sydney, Melbourne: Tuesday, 1:00 AM
• Auckland: Tuesday, 3:00 AM

After a few minutes of beatboxing and a seemingly enthusiastic Gary Shapiro introducing Steve Ballmer on to the stage, Microsoft's keynote was under way. This was Ballmer's first keynote at CES since taking over from Bill Gates, who delivered it for the first time almost 15 years ago and has traditionally done so up until last year. The question on everyone's mind was whether this keynote would be as memorable as the last. In a time when the very word, "recession", strikes fear into both consumers and businesses, would Microsoft have enough up its sleeve to turn 2009 into a year of ambition, innovation, and prosperity?

Read more...

In a little under nine hours, Steve Ballmer and Robbie Bach will deliver the Microsoft keynote at CES. What's in store for Windows, Windows Mobile, Windows Live, Office, the Xbox 360, and Zune? You'll have to tune in at 6:30 PM (PST) to find out, or simply wait for our post-keynote report. Whatever tickles your fancy.

• Los Angeles, San Francisco, Las Vegas, Seattle: Wednesday, 6:30 PM
• Chicago, Houston: Wednesday, 8:30 PM
• New York, Washington, D.C.: Wednesday, 9:30 PM
• London: Thursday, 2:30 AM
• Paris, Berlin: Thursday, 3:30 AM
• Moscow: Thursday, 5:30 AM
• Beijing, Shanghai, Hong Kong: Thursday, 10:30 AM
• Perth, Tokyo: Thursday, 11:30 AM
• Brisbane: Thursday, 12:30 PM
• Sydney, Melbourne: Thursday, 1:30 PM
• Auckland: Thursday, 3:30 PM

Live Webcast: 100k, 300k, 750k

CTIA was where it all happened - the unveiling of Windows Mobile 6.1, the parade of devices running said OS, and the showing off of other bits and pieces that you'd expect to see at a mobile and wireless trade show. Robbie Bach, and a few others, were at CTIA to do the unveiling, so if you're interested in reading or watching the keynote, click here. It's a little over 26 minutes long, or however long it takes you to read a lengthy article, if videos just aren't your thing.