04-22-2010, 12:39 AM
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Executive Editor
Join Date: Aug 2006
Posts: 29,160
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The Dell Lightning: One Hot Windows Phone 7 Device!
We knew that Dell was one of the Windows Phone 7 launch partners, but I wasn't expecting something like this from them - to be honest, I didn't know what I was expecting - but the Lightning looks awesome! I'm digging that keyboard if the device thickness is kept under control. I generally adore my HD2, but the on screen keyboard sucks. It really, really sucks. Until someone can come up with a software keyboard as good as what Apple has on the iPhone, I really want to have a hardware keyboard on my next phone. Engadget has a few slides from a leaked PowerPoint deck, but the basic rundown is a 1 Ghz Snapdragon processor (the QSD8250), a 4.1 inch OLED screen at WVGA (800 x 480), AT&T and T-Mobile 3G support (in the same model? Maybe two models?), a five megapixel autofocus camera (I think I see a flash there too), 1 GB of Flash memory with 512 MB RAM, and 8 GB of storage on an attached-to-the-motherboard microSD card (presumably). It also has a GPS, accelerometer, compass, FM radio, and apparently...full Flash support. Flash support? Really? Hrm. Not sure if I buy that - Microsoft has been pretty up-front about the lack of Flash support at launch. Q4 is the release date, so no surprises there. The surprise? Apparently it's going to get an upgrade to LTE in Q4 of 2011. An OEM willing to offer a significant device upgrade a year after it comes out? Times have changed folks - and that's a good thing. Hop on over to Engadget to check out the device. So you Windows phone 7 haters - still planning on staying away? ;-)
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04-22-2010, 02:17 AM
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Sage
Join Date: Jul 2003
Posts: 740
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I will stay with my HTC HD2 with 32 GB of storage thanks.
Besides, is this thing real? The only GUI images showed seem to be the one of a Zune device; I said "seem" because I have not used a Zune in ages. I would have expected at least an image of the Metro UI.......
Mah... I could be wrong but something does not seem right.....
Last edited by Fritzly; 04-22-2010 at 03:28 AM..
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04-22-2010, 03:01 AM
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Contributing Editor
Join Date: Feb 2004
Posts: 2,503
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Fritzly
I will stay with my HTC HD2 with 32 GB of storage thanks.
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As I was about to say, Jason, that you'll need a lot more than the device to convince this crowd. 
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Baka. Soku. Zan. - The justice behind the dysORDer.
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04-22-2010, 03:13 AM
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Ponderer
Join Date: Jul 2002
Posts: 81
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its an attractive device, but whats up with the huge upper and lower bezel? makes it look a bit like the pocketpc's of yesteryear which had loads of space around the screen instead of the modern devices which front is almost all screen.
i'll be skipping the first batch of Windows Phone 7 devices, i just signed an 18 month contract and got a Sony Ericsson Xperia X10 for free, so wont be upgrading till that contract is over. So far i'm really enjoying android. Feels like a modern version of pocketPC in a way.
i guess by the time its time for me to upgrade again, windows phone 7 should have been on the market for a while and matured a bit.
things i miss about my touch HD:
windows live messenger (android versions are crap)
skype (android version is crap)
office suite (only have a viewer on android, cant edit, need to check out what my options are in the market)
the input method button (with android its a pain trying to minimize the input method, sometimes it blocks buttons)
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"May the potato be with you!"
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04-22-2010, 03:42 AM
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Sage
Join Date: Aug 2006
Posts: 667
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I wouldn't call myself a hater... more of a wait-and-see'r. I'm not sure what this is supposed to do to change anything though. The things I am concerned about with WP7 aren't really about how hot the hardware is. I mean, you could put a quad-core CPU and a terabyte of memory in the thing and, if the OS won't let you multitask, then all that means is that it's increasing the speed at which it is not running my programs.
So I like seeing this, and it's great that companies are getting on-board and designing innovative devices. I do hope WP7 succeeds big time. But at the end of the day (since my investment in WM software is gone), I'll base my next device purchase on which device seems best to me at the time. Who knows? It may be this one... it may be an Android phone... or it may be a 4G iPhone. I'm just glad I love my Imagio so much that I'm in no hurry to trade it in for any of those options.
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04-22-2010, 12:08 PM
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Mystic
Join Date: Aug 2006
Posts: 1,520
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I really like the design of this one. But it is very reminiscent of the Zune HD. Not that that is a bad thing.
I'm glad more people are getting into the portrait slider form factor.
I'm a little disappointed in the small amount of onboard storage though.
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Phone: Nexus one Backup Phone: AT&T Samsung Jack; Future Phone: I'm Watching WP7; Media Player: Platinum Zune HD 32GB; Home Server: HP MediaSmart Server LX195 Console: XBox 360, PS3, Wii |
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04-22-2010, 02:35 PM
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Theorist
Join Date: Aug 2006
Posts: 274
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The nice hardware doesnt change the OS it runs and the limitations MS has imposed and this is highlighted by the paltry amount of storage on board. The T-Mo HD2 came with a 16GB card, 8GB on this device with no way to upgrade makes it a less attractive option, no matter how nice it looks.
Its the OS and its restrictions thats the problem, not the hardware design.
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Back to being The Last Windows Mobile Fanboy - now with a Dell Venue Pro!
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04-22-2010, 02:36 PM
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Contributing Editor
Join Date: Sep 2006
Posts: 524
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I like the 4.1" screen. Most people don't seen to get the importance of a reasonable dpi. I have a 2.8" vga screen and that gives it a ridicules dpi of about 286. The problem is I can't make text as small as I want because it's too hard to read. Things should be much better with a 4.1" screen and 480x800 which gives about 228dpi.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Rob Alexander
I mean, you could put a quad-core CPU and a terabyte of memory in the thing and, if the OS won't let you multitask, then all that means is that it's increasing the speed at which it is not running my programs.
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Unfortunately, Rob sums it up for me too. I wish Microsoft would understand this. They should release two versions of WinPhone. Simple and Advanced - Both would run all the same software. Simple is what we are expecting at this point. Advanced would offer multitasking, an open installation model, storage card support, and copy & paste.
Last edited by Craig Horlacher; 04-22-2010 at 05:14 PM..
Reason: typo
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04-22-2010, 11:31 PM
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Thinker
Join Date: Aug 2006
Posts: 431
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That is actually a very appealing design. There was a lot of detail in this "leak" but not the size and weight figures. It appears to be very thin, but that is hard to confirm from these photos. I like the portrait slider form factor, but I don't care for the wide, early-Blackberry style. This appears maybe just a bit wider than my TD2.
Who usually makes devices for Dell?
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04-23-2010, 03:24 AM
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Philosopher
Join Date: Oct 2006
Posts: 554
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Very nice looking device! If software is up to the task,, and I mean Complete Office integration. So that Excel and Word doc's will not require to be reedited on a PC. Outlook will not be stripped from such important features like Tasks. twill buy this device. And the Flash is a bonus. Some sort of a stylus support would be nice too, but I guess it's too much to ask. Gotta wait for Apple to come up with it first I so microsoft could follow
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You create your opportunities by asking for them
Last edited by virain; 04-23-2010 at 03:31 AM..
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