Here are my favorite Windows Phone highlights of the week. What about you?

The Samsung Focus 2 arrives on Sunday

Heads up that the Samsung Focus 2 makes its ATT debut this weekend. With a $50 price tag, solid spec sheet, and 4G LTE network support—not to mention classy looks—I’m betting Samsung has another Windows Phone winner on its hands. The critics agree. CNET’s Jessica Dolcourt reviewed the phone this week and liked what she saw. “I wouldn’t hesitate to recommend the Focus 2,” she concludes. Ben “Smoked by Windows Phone” Rudolph also put this white beauty through its paces and walked away impressed. “If you’re looking for a value-priced phone that gets you top-level features, the Samsung Focus 2 is a great choice,” he wrote. See ATT’s entire Windows Phone line up

Tip: Rocking the lock screen

Once you do pick up that new Focus 2, check out Laura Foy’s latest tip for new Windows Phone owners. This week she delves into the secrets of the lock screen. (Looking for more great tips? We’ve got ‘em—here and here.)

“Dear Windows Phone”

We get lots of emails from people who decide to give Windows Phone a try and are so wowed by the experience they feel compelled to share. (Keep ‘em coming!) As Business Insider and a few other outlets noticed, we recently published one from a longtime Apple fan that landed in Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer’s inbox (funny how he ignores all my mails). Read it on our website. Speaking of converts, Sydney Myers over at PhoneDog has an interesting and thoughtful post this week on what soured her love affair with Android and why she now pockets a Nokia Lumia 900 instead. “I need a tool, not a toy, “ she writes. “I need a phone I can pick up and use. Windows Phone is exactly that and it manages to be seductively attractive in the process.”

List of bargain Xbox games grows

Last month I wrote about price cuts for seven popular Xbox LIVE titles in the Windows Phone Marketplace, including Angry Birds and Burn the Rope, to 99 cents. Well, since then the list of bargain titles has quietly been growing, and I wanted to makes sure you knew about all the great games you can now get on the cheap. Here they are. What are you waiting for?

And finally…It’s Metro: the musical!

Windows Phone owner and UK-based musician Matt Oglesby had this thought the other day: What could I do with my Lumia 800 and some free music apps from Marketplace?

A lot, it turns out. His composition “Metro” was made from five apps—BitSynth, Piano 7, Level 6 Guitar Chords, SoundFlake Synth, Tones—mixed together using Cubase. The only thing he added extra was some drums. (Here are the full production notes.) As a hack guitarist myself, I thought this was especially cool. Even cooler: One of the apps he used, BitSynth, was coded by Windows Phone blog contributor Andy Myers, whose office is right next to mine. (Look for Andy’s chronicle of how he made BitSynth on the blog soon.)

Article source: http://windowsteamblog.com/windows_phone/b/windowsphone/archive/2012/05/18/the-wrap-the-focus-2-arrives-dear-windows-phone-new-99-cent-xbox-games.aspx

For the past few weeks I’ve been mentioning that you’ll soon need Windows Phone 7.5 installed on your phone to buy, download, or update apps from Marketplace. (This applies to both the phone and web storefronts, by the way.)

We’re now doing the final work needed to turn on this new requirement, so I thought it would be a good time for another friendly reminder. If you’re just tuning in, my earlier post has all the details on why we’re doing this. (In short, the new requirement is tied to a larger Marketplace improvement effort.) But the key takeaway is that if you like apps and games, you’ll soon need Windows Phone 7.5 installed to continue using Marketplace. Most of you already do.

If not, you’ll find a checklist and step-by-step instructions for installing Windows Phone 7.5 on Update Central. I’ll also be back with another reminder on the day the requirement actually kicks in.

Article source: http://windowsteamblog.com/windows_phone/b/windowsphone/archive/2012/05/17/have-you-updated-to-windows-phone-7-5.aspx

The June issue of Fast Company carries the magazine’s latest picks for its annual 100 Most Creative People in Business, which celebrates “innovators who dare to think differently.” This year one of our own made the coveted list: Windows Phone designer Jeff Fong. Check out his write-up.

Fong, 43, joined the Windows Phone design team three years ago and has been one of the leading thinkers behind Windows Phone’s signature look and the set of underlying design principles known as “Metro.”

Trained as an illustrator at the Art Center College of Design in Pasadena, Calif., Fong says he always had an interest in combining traditional media with technology. In 1993 he won an internship at Microsoft and was assigned to work on two of the company’s early multimedia efforts aimed at kids—Creative Writer and Fine Artist. He hasn’t looked back since. 

Over the years Fong has worked on everything from an interactive gardening guide to Windows Media Center and the Zune music player, two other Microsoft products often praised for their fresh and distinctive designs. After the company made the decision to reboot its smartphone effort, Fong was tapped to help lead a team to define the look and feel of what would become Windows Phone, turning to airport and subway signage as one source of inspiration.

I caught up with Fong last week for a quick QA on Windows Phone and design.

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The design of Windows Phone—and its influence on other high-profile Microsoft products like Windows 8—has been getting a lot of attention lately, including stories in Bloomberg Businessweek and the New York Times. Apple co-founder Steve Wozniak also recently gushed about his “beautiful” new Windows Phone. Some folks seem genuinely surprised that Microsoft could design something like this. Are you?

A lot of people come with preconceived notions about Microsoft. There’s always been good design here. But I think the stuff that we’ve done previously has been mostly expected. The thing we did with Windows Phone is we came out with a design that is unexpected. It’s not like anything else you see out there. That change in direction is the thing that’s bringing the attention I think.

What is the “Metro” design philosophy? Can you boil it down into a sentence or two?

Without going deep into the principles, we wanted to find a way to present content in the most clear, direct, and honest way possible. Really that’s the heart of it.

It’s certainly a big break from the look and design of other smartphones I see out there.

There’s a tendency to make things look kind of pretty.  And the way you make things look pretty is by adding decorative elements like drop shadows, reflections, glassy surfaces, and things like that. To me, it’s a distraction. One of my favorite examples is when you go to a museum, a lot of times the frame of the painting actually feels more important than the painting itself. It’s the same idea here: When you start adding other things on top of the content, it’s actually taking your attention away from it. Stripping away complexity is really relevant today in our very busy lives. I want information to be presented in a way that’s really easy for you to consume.

You spent a bunch of time working on Windows Media Center, a popular Windows desktop feature designed for connecting PCs to TVs. Was it difficult going from a big screen to a small one?

The thing I like about what we’re doing now is having touch surfaces for direct interaction, versus TV and a remote control. There’s a lot more nuance in that interaction, and we spend a lot of time thinking about the gestures and how the UI [user interface] responds. There’s something kind of magical when you touch something and it just responds.

Speaking of responding, people often mention how much they like the subtle animations found throughout Windows Phone. Are those just for decoration?

It’s storytelling. We’re taking you on a journey from Start. Motion brings a sense of depth and life and makes you feel like the phone is responding to you.  We also use motion to enhance your perception of speed. For example, we often start with an initial fast motion and then we slow it down, so what you notice more, mentally, is that initial burst of speed. It makes our software feel really responsive to our customers, and I think that’s delightful.

I saw a report last week arguing smartphones may be the fastest spreading technology in history. How will the Windows Phone I carry in my pocket 10 years from now be different?

I don’t know, and I think that’s what makes it so fun. [laughs] But I think the biggest shift that’s happened over the last few years is how connected everything is and I don’t think we’ve pushed the limits of that connectedness, whether it’s technology-to-technology or person-to-person. I think there’s a lot of really interesting opportunities to explore.

Where do you draw inspiration from when you get stuck on a design problem?

Right now the thing that really fascinates me is architecture.  I see a lot of parallels between what we do and how an architect thinks about a space. And the other thing that’s really an inspiration is the great designers we have in this studio. We have just awesome designers here. When all else fails, we have a brainstorming session. There’s nothing like just talking to other really smart, amazing people to get past a mental block. 

What will you be doing in 10 years?

The great things about Microsoft is there’s always some new technology to work on. Since I’ve been here, I went from floppy disks to CD-ROMs to the web to TV to devices to phones. There’s no way 10 years ago I would’ve been able to say I’m going to be working on smartphones. To me the fun part is just combining technology with design to bring really amazing consumer experiences.

Article source: http://windowsteamblog.com/windows_phone/b/windowsphone/archive/2012/05/16/windows-phone-designer-is-named-one-of-country-s-most-creative.aspx

Life in a modern-day family practically requires a master’s degree in management. Talk about information overload: There are doctor’s appointments, class parties, mom’s nights out, piano lessons, details of the Disney vacation, and all kinds of other stuff to track.

Enter AboutOne, a family organizer that offers a way to corral the chaos. Download it now 

The free app—currently exclusive to Windows Phone—is designed to be a one-stop family organizer and a companion to AboutOne’s web service. The app makes it easy to store notes, kids artwork, store receipts, health stats, emergency info, and all kinds of other domestic paperwork and data so it’s organized and available whenever you need it. Another nice touch: the app is password-protected in case you ever lose your phone.

I’m only scratching the surface of all the features and scenarios where AboutOne comes in handy. The AboutOne blog has more of the scoop.

Article source: http://windowsteamblog.com/windows_phone/b/windowsphone/archive/2012/05/15/now-in-marketplace-the-aboutone-family-organizer.aspx

The official LinkedIn app for Windows Phone just hit Marketplace. Download it now

The free app lets you tap all the most popular features of the popular business social network. Search for jobs, see real-time updates from your connections, stay up-to-date with LinkedIn professional groups, and follow company and industry news.

LinkedIn also makes great use of Windows Phone-only features: Live Tile notifications let you know about new messages, invitations, and LinkedIn Today updates. You can also stay on top of selected professional groups by pinning them as a secondary Live Tile.

The LinkedIn blog has more on the app.

Article source: http://windowsteamblog.com/windows_phone/b/windowsphone/archive/2012/05/14/now-in-marketplace-linkedin-1-0.aspx

Here are my favorite Windows Phone stories of the week. What about you? Drop me a comment and let me know what’s on your mind.

Samsung launching Omnia M in Europe

Samsung has been busy lately. On Monday they unveiled the Focus 2, a $50 Windows Phone headed to ATT on May 20 (check out Ben Rudolph’s hands-on review of this slick-looking phone). But it wasn’t Samsung’s final Windows Phone surprise this week.

Today the company also announced the Omnia M, a new Windows Phone initially headed for Europe. The Omnia M sports a four-inch AMOLED display and a “minimalist, compact” design. As CNET reports, it also comes with some neat social features including Family Story, a cloud-based service that lets families swap messages, videos, and photos, and ChatON, a cross-platform chat and messaging app.

Can you see me now?

Cell phone call quality understandably gets a lot of attention from engineers and shoppers alike. But the reality is that many people these days spend more time looking at their smartphone than talking on it. That raises the question: Which smartphone screen is easiest on the eyes, especially outdoors?

The folks at DisplayMate Technologies, a firm specializing in measuring and calibrating display screens, decided to investigate. Their conclusion? As The Verge reported this week, the Nokia Lumia 900’s screen was the most legible in strong indirect sunlight, edging out the iPhone 4, Samsung Galaxy S, and other popular models. Chalk it up to Nokia’s ClearBlack Display technology. If you’re curious how that works, check out this nice explainer on Nokia Conversations, the company’s official blog.

Looking for the perfect Mom’s Day gift? Try Windows Phone, says People

Mother’s Day, Father’s Day, and Graduation Day are all just around the corner, and you know what that means: Yep, it’s gift guide season. And we’ve noticed that Windows Phone is showing up on many of them. People magazine featured Nokia’s Lumia 900—a phone mom-to-be Kourtney Kardashian has taken a shine to—in its Mother’s Day gift guide. Family Circle, meanwhile, recommended the Lumia 710 as the perfect choice for dads and grads. Playboy magazine this month also singled out Windows Phone and the Lumia 900 as one of its hot buys of the spring—but you’ll have to go look that one up yourself.

Hot apps: Gerbil Physics, Home Depot, iStunt 2, WeeMee, SniperBoy

Microsoft’s Laura Foy yesterday posted her latest Marketplace favorites—including the Xbox LIVE title iStunt 2, my current addiction. Take a look.

New apps on the way for Lumia phones

Here’s one more reason to pick up one of Nokia’s  award-winning Lumia handsets: The company announced this week that a slew of hot new apps are on the way for the phone, including Angry Birds Space. Nokia Conversations has the full story on the title lineup, some of which will be exclusive to the phone. Which ones are you most excited about?

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And finally: Et tu Siri?

Last month Apple’s beloved co-founder Steve “Woz” Wozniak heaped praise on Windows Phone, calling his new cyan Nokia Lumia 900 “beautiful” and his second-favorite phone after his iPhone (c’mon, what did you expect the guy to say?).

Well, now the iPhone itself has weighed in. As WMPowerUser reports today, if you ask Siri, the iPhone’s built-in “intelligent personal assistant,” what the best cell phone ever is, this is her data-driven reply.

Tags: Windows phone, Samsung, Nokia, Home Depot, Windows Phone 7.5, Android, iPhone, Omnia M, Focus 2, Siri, SniperBoy, ClearBlack Display, WeeMee, Steve Wozniak, Gerbil Physics, iStunt 2

Article source: http://windowsteamblog.com/windows_phone/b/windowsphone/archive/2012/05/11/the-wrap-samsung-omnia-m-sunny-lumia-news-et-tu-siri.aspx