11-26-2008, 05:53 AM
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Executive Editor
Join Date: Aug 2006
Posts: 29,160
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Rampant Rumour: The Microsoft Phone, Powered by Nvidia?
"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? The new Microsoft phone, powered by Nvidia. Yeah, you heard it right, MS is going to make its own branded phone, after all, everyone kicking the company around the block has one, so it should too! If you were wondering why Nvidia never mentions the phrase Linux when talking Tegra, even though it is the most appropriate OS for the chip, now you know. NV appears to have sold Linux out to get the MS flagship deal, how nice of them" This is easily the snarkiest, most acid-dripping hack job I've seen in months - and I was shocked until I saw that it's syndicated content from The Inquirer...then it all made sense to me. Putting aside the ridiculous excuse for journalism - it's really an editorial, not a news story - there are some interesting rumours. Is this the fabled Zune phone? Or some other phone-based project? I refuse to believe that Microsoft would sacrifice all their gains with Windows Mobile partners all over the world by releasing their own Windows Mobile phone - that's just not going to happen, despite some people believing that it's the only way we're going to get the "ultimate" Windows Mobile phone. Is this a Zune phone then? Possibly. When you consider that the third-generation Zune hardware is identical to the second-generation hardware other than a capacity bump, the Zune team has had to be working on something. If Microsoft did release a Zune phone, they'd cause major rifts with their Windows Mobile partners, and those partnerships are worth a lot more to Microsoft than the MP3 player partners they alienated when they released the Zune. 2009 is going to be a very interesting year, that's for sure! UPDATE: CNBC says this phone is code-named "Pink", but doesn't have much else to say about it.
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11-26-2008, 09:09 AM
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Philosopher
Join Date: Dec 2005
Posts: 541
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Even a Zune phone - not "true" WM device would probably be a mistake.
They would alienate their WM partners with such a move, since even the dumbest Zune phone would eventually evolve into much smarter device competing with WM devices.
At the end the only one benefiting from that would be Google and Android, as HTC would put much more of their efforts and resources towards Android devices and not WM devices. And for what is worth while G1 looks OK, Touch Diamond/PRO/HD still look better and have better features, but I'm sure HTC can quickly catch up the WM devices with Android if they choose to.
And not only that, but by first "screwing" MP3 manufacturers and possibly doing the same with mobile phones, I guess Dell, HP, Asus, Acer... would start wandering when Microsoft would do the same and "go Apple" also in Windows/Intel space...
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11-26-2008, 10:06 AM
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Philosopher
Join Date: Oct 2006
Posts: 554
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I think MS will do the same thing as Intel with its MIDs and Moblin OS. Design them, shows them and license or sell the design to manufacturers.
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You create your opportunities by asking for them
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11-26-2008, 10:27 AM
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Editor Emeritus
Join Date: Aug 2006
Posts: 2,432
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I think a Zune phone would be a great idea. Leave Windows Mobile to the hardware manufactures as a business platform since a lot of businesses like the fact that it looks like Windows 95 and take control of the consumer aspect.
There is no way Microsoft can make a consumer Windows Mobile where they control the hardware and software aspects of the device without upsetting the entire mobile world. That would be like shooting themselves in the face. However the Zune platform is an already established Microsoft consumer platform where it is already in the consumer minds and would make sense for Microsoft to extend that line.
Everyone made a big stink about the Zune being made fun of on Chuck a few weeks back but what they forgot to realize was the Zune was big enough as a product line that you can could rag on it on national TV and a large majority of the audiance would get the joke.
This is a good move for Microsoft if it happens and it is at a good time as well. Microsoft is starting to become boring but something like this can help make them exciting again... hopefully the web browser wont be IE6, thats all I ask 
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11-26-2008, 11:42 AM
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Thinker
Join Date: Feb 2005
Posts: 471
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Jason Dunn
I refuse to believe that Microsoft would sacrifice all their gains with Windows Mobile partners all over the world by releasing their own Windows Mobile phone - that's just not going to happen, despite some people believing that it's the only way we're going to get the "ultimate" Windows Mobile phone.
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They did it with their DAP partners so why not their smartphone partners?
Now that Microsoft own Danger, they've got all of the expertise in-house or they could simply outsource the hardware design to HTC. And let's face it, HTC are the only manufacturer to have mastered the art of Windows Mobile phones. The others could be sacrificed without much significance.
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11-26-2008, 01:37 PM
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Sage
Join Date: Jul 2003
Posts: 740
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Jason Dunn
If Microsoft did release a Zune phone, they'd cause major rifts with their Windows Mobile partners, and those partnerships are worth a lot more to Microsoft than the MP3 player partners they alienated when they released the Zune.
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Why? MS set all the specs both for the hardware and the software and send the order to HTC which will produce the device branded as Microsoft. Both would make money and probably WINMO could be rescued.
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11-26-2008, 02:33 PM
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Intellectual
Join Date: Feb 2002
Posts: 197
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It still doesn't ring true
(Almost) sorry about the pun.
Microsoft has always been a software company that dabbles in hardware in order to sell their software. (Contrast with Apple which makes software in order to sell their hardware.)
So, it makes little sense, given the business model, for MS to make it's own phone. Mayhaps it's like nVidia's own reference designs, that XFX and eVGA take and make into commercial motherboards; sort of like the "concept cars" that auto manufacturers put out. That is, of course, if it actually exists and isn't just the figment bug-a-boo of the inquirer's imagination.
I'll agree with Jason. The "article" is a hack-job of the worst kind.
The last time I saw "journalism" of this caliber was just before November 4th (election day). I didn't like it then either.
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11-26-2008, 02:39 PM
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Pontificator
Join Date: Aug 2006
Posts: 1,202
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The rumor I've head is that the "Zune Phone" is not going to be WM device, but a combined Zune/Sidekick. This is what a columnist at CNBC is reporting: http://www.cnbc.com//id/27912313. However, it very well could just be a that they are adding the Zune media interface to a beefed up sidekick. In any event, I think it's a good business decision, as Microsoft's OEM partners have been very slow to innovate and been a significant part of the reason many of us feel Windows Mobile has devices no longer measure up.
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11-26-2008, 03:21 PM
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Banned
Join Date: Dec 2007
Posts: 372
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here is the problem, Microsoft has allowed carriers to bastardize various Winmo distributions from the hardware manufacturers while Apple has basically been able to get away with murder (activating a phone with non carrier software? blasphemous!)
Look at the recent winmo offerings and how little they are subsidized compared to the iPhone. It is almost illicit at the way Apple is operating. You mean to tell me a Smartphone costs MORE than an iPhone on 2 yr contract?
I think Microsoft is taking back the reins here and building a full featured phone that they will take to a carrier like Verizon or Sprint and say "you want a brand name phone to compete with the iPhone here it is and you can't attach any conditions"
I think anyone would love to take on ATT with an alternative, but they have to let Microsoft do what they want, that means not ripping out features of WinMo or installing carrier proprietary junk.
If no carriers bite at that then Microsoft can still go out on their own and heavily subsidize the phone as unlocked WCDMA and go global with it. They have the money to pull it off. This would open them up to more retail channels than the iPhone currently has because it is tied to ATT dealers.
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11-26-2008, 05:31 PM
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Executive Editor
Join Date: Aug 2006
Posts: 29,160
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Rocco Augusto
Everyone made a big stink about the Zune being made fun of on Chuck a few weeks back but what they forgot to realize was the Zune was big enough as a product line that you can could rag on it on national TV and a large majority of the audiance would get the joke.
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Yeah, I agree - I meant to write that up for Zune Thoughts but didn't get to it. The fact that the Zune has attained enough mindshare to be made fun of is really important. Mockery or not, there's no other MP3 player brand on the market right now that has enough mindshare, even with a geeky audience like Chuck has, to work in a set-up against the iPod.
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