Depth analysis of Windows Phone 7.5 Mango

Last year Microsoft was launched batteries and Windows Phone 7. With this platform, renewed their presence in the mobile systems market, which still held the heavy slab of an environment as disastrous as in previous generations extended as it was Windows Mobile 6.5 (in its latest version). The look of Windows Phone 7 was very innovative, attractive and easy to use. But do not got out of the bad press, and yet, there were many failures and mistakes, which resulted in the first raid of this resurgence.

From the absence of the function of copying and pasting text to the inability to customize ringtones, Windows Phone 7 raised suspicions among users, who remained in the trenches of IOS (iPhone) and Android, mainly. And on top of the first generation of terminals where would this new foray hosted Microsoft came rigged a series of incidents that did not help overcome the popularity of the software developer as an alternative in a market cornered by Apple and Google.

However, this year intended to strike at the table with Windows Phone 7.5 Mango, a new version of the platform, as well as come up with great new features, is presented in the area of ​​the hand of a handful of interesting terminals, including the new range is a result of its alliance with Nokia: the Nokia 710 and Nokia Lumia Lumia 800. Let's take a look at the new system and consider whether we are faced with an alternative that may jeopardize the competition.

Windows Phone 7.5 Mango

Interface

Windows Phone 7.5 Mango is based in the environment that Microsoft has dubbed Metro (and will have its extension in Windows 8, the desktop platform of the house is to be shown commercially). Metro is an interface that can be seen by scrolling vertically, and is composed of a grid of two columns, you can configure with squares (taking individual spaces of the grid) or rectangles (taking an area of ​​one row and two columns ).

These squares or rectangles (tiles, who called Microsoft when he referred to them as useful in your presentation) serve two functions. On the one hand, make icons for starting applications, and the fact that they have a more than generous size make this environment is the most comfortable and accessible to those who have encountered the undersigned. Of course we have the option to fill the screen as many shortcuts as you want, including applications, contacts or contact groups. On the other hand, the tiles meet the time of floating windows, or widgets, which also offers rich animations and information.

Windows Phone 7.5 Mango

On the other hand, if we shift the screen to the left, will make a secondary list that we have applications installed on the terminal and the configuration panels and other system utilities. Now the icons become much smaller, although the texts continue to be very generous in size. If any of the options in this list we find very recurrent side, we can always press for a few seconds on it, so given the option to "anchor to start," becoming one of the tiles of the main screen.

At the moment we walked in one application or one of the setup menus, enter a new navigation screen, where the vertical scroll horizontally exchanged for another. Again, we find large fonts, a good proportion of images and elements on the screen properly disposed. It seems in these spaces that browsing the phone's display area narrows vertical, like a gazebo, a much larger view, which can only display for pieces. The resulting effect, and very attractive, is really comfortable and organized to distinguish incormación areas.

Windows Phone 7.5 Mango

Contact Management

Here we may encounter a problem. Unlike what happens with the migration of IOS to Android, and vice versa, Windows Phone 7.5 Mango does not recognize the VCF contacts files. Thus, we find an initial problem when moving across our agenda if we proceed from another generation who has the contacts stored in phone memory, not SIM.

The solution to this is through two channels: the synchronization of contacts through Microsoft Exchange or using our Google account. Either way is very fast, but if you do not want to have this type of data stored in the cloud, you may not feel much sympathy for this method. The following would you necessarily involves reviewing the traditional number to number, a more typical work of Edmund Dantes in the Chateau d'If a user than smartphones.

Between contacts not only we can access the phone numbers you have stored in memory. At this point, you must sign up how well it works in Windows Phone 7.5 Mango paragraph of integration with web services (which we will be picking up at other points on). From the moment we turn our mobile WP7 for the first time, the system will give us the option to link with the system our Facebook accounts, Twitter, LinkedIN, Google and, of course, Windows Live. These profiles are clustered in different sections of the phone, and have a major presence in the contact section.

Windows Phone 7.5 Mango

This I will note, for example, when we see that among our contacts are intertwined profiles from the phone book of any other social networking sites we have linked to the phone. Of course, the system will give us the ability to link contacts to group the information disseminated in several profiles through a single tab where they relate to one of our friends, family or colleagues.

Finally, this section will not only allow us to see the agenda. Also focus on the one hand, with the latest news updates and information from our contacts in Facebook, Twitter, or any other social networks added. And, of course, presents a panel with the latest activity that we have developed with them, regardless of the platform that we used.

Windows Phone 7.5 Mango


Posts

In this section, something happens. In principle, one would think that this section is dedicated only to traditional SMS and MMS messages, but none of that. Here is concentrated the whole paragraph of text communication via phone (not counting the emails, which focus on other applications). Thus, on one screen, called "conversations", see the discussions held with our contacts, without discriminating the medium in which they are held (Facebook, IM or SMS).

A failure to note here is that it lacks integration with third-party application as popular as WhatsApp. That Microsoft should review this. On the other hand, here we also have a chat screen, called "online", in which we can see how many of our contacts are connected in any of the services supported for talks.

Windows Phone 7.5 Mango

E-mail

At the time initially set up our user accounts in Windows Live and Gmail open the option of placing on the main screen two separate accesses to our email accounts from Google or Hotmail. Through the Office 365 suite can also add Microsoft Exchange accounts, we will be very useful for our professional emails.

Everything you see, as we say, through dedicated tiles at the interface of Metro. Every time we get a new mail, the new products in the cudrado animated, showing, once opened the application, a very clean user interface and easy to use, following the panoramic perspective sections.

Windows Phone 7.5 Mango

Web Browsing

One of the highlights of Windows Phone 7.5 Mango, due to the presence of the browser Explorer 9 as system default. It says Microsoft, the same version as the PC browser, which would synchronize bookmarks and history between platforms. In fact, the configuration options for Windows Phone Explorer 9 Mango 7.5 we can choose a default preferences to define the application criteria as mobile or desktop browser.

The reality is that Explorer 9 works moderately well. It allows us to open multiple browser windows (that the system called "chips"), but fails on the incompatibility of Flash. At least, it is understandable for a bug for users accustomed to watching videos based on this support. However, in the app store there is a utility used to view content on Megaupload if you're worried.

The search engine is Bing browser, native Microsoft service. How to use it, plus it from within the application Explorer 9 is capacitive pressing the magnifying glass icon that you have installed all Windows based mobile Phone 7.5 Mango, offering a view finder much like the desktop version we see in computers.

Windows Phone 7.5 Mango
 
Music and Video

One of the shortcuts from the main interface of Windows Phone 7.5 Mango is called Music + Videos. The name says it all. Here are concentrated all power mobile multimedia based on this system, and indeed, once again the star integration of the service. Throughout this section, we can manage all video and audio files that can launch the phone system that works with Microsoft. And when we say everything we mean everything.

For example, launch the application as we ran into a section called "Applications". Here are gathered all the platforms from which we can release music or video, whether or not focusing files hosted on the phone memory. Thus, we find direct access to YouTube, another Spotify (if it is installed) and another to what he calls "connected media" and refers to the DLNA function of the terminal.

Then we have the Zune platform. As you know, Zune is Microsoft's alternative to iTunes, and although its only just misses dedicated device (a sort of italic version of the iPod developed in Redmond), the application lives on in Windows Phone 7.5 devices Mango.

Windows Phone 7.5 Mango

Zune distinguishes between its sections in the local music files that have lodged in the phone memory as well as stored video (both those who have transferred into the terminal as those obtained from recordings with the device itself) and Podcast or radio. Certainly it is once again clarify that the FM tuner can be used only if we have plugged headphones into the minijack input, acting as an antenna.

Another interesting section is the Zune online store, or Zune Market, which allows you to download whole albums or individual songs, in the wake of Apple's iTunes. The service is very similar to that of its rivals in Cupertino, but they offer an interesting differentiation value: The Zune Pass.

The Zune Pass is a service that reminds us of Sony Qriocity or Spotify, a sort of flat rate which gives us access to a catalog of music you could listen in streaming (online) or download them in a proprietary file type only can be played on Microsoft platforms (either in desktop versions of Windows, Xbox 360 or Windows Phone 7.5 Mango). It costs ten euros or 100 euros per month per year (based on subscription to embrace you.) Logically, if you're a Mac user and PS3, it makes no sense to subscribe to this service if you have Spotify account.

Windows Phone 7.5 Mango

App Store: The Marketplace

The mother of the lamb in the mobile ecosystem is in the online storefront allows you to download applications that personalize the device. In Windows Phone 7.5 Mango is called Marketplace, and now exceeds the 40,000 barrier applications. Some of the most important for smartphones are present: Facebook, Twitter, WhatsApp, Spotify, Angry Birds, Pulse, Tango or Shazam, and many others.

If you look at the most downloaded apps, perhaps surprisingly, the most popular Windows Phone 7.5 Mango are the games. And no wonder. The platform used for this is Xbox Live, the online system from its home console, Xbox 360, where some of the games are synchronized with the console, in order to play from the same point this or mobile. In fact, it is interesting that the vast majority of titles (not all) offer playable demos to see how is the game, and more discretion to decide if we want to buy it or not.

Windows Phone 7.5 Mango

Xbox Live

As we enter this section, we develop should be another interesting point about the integration of Windows Phone 7.5 Mango with other services. The Xbox Live is dedicated to very attractive. If you have a Microsoft console, you have an account with this online service, regardless of whether a member of its payment platform. If so, you've designed an avatar that, in theory, it looks like you and be part of a network of users with whom you compete in scoring and achievements.

Well, your avatar can also reside on a Windows Mobile Phone 7.5 equipped with Mango. In fact, this chapter works very well, and when we see our muñecote, we can make dance, wiggle and interact with the user. We can also see all the games we used our profile from the console, in addition to consulting achievements.

Windows Phone 7.5 Mango

User Profile

One of the tiles of the main interface is dedicated to the user himself with the laconic title of "I". From here we can find our latest reports, regardless of platform or service we have built into Windows Phone 7.5 Mango. Simultaneous inputs can also post on Windows Live, Twitter, Facebook or others, and discriminate against any of the options, also including geolocation information.

Windows Phone 7.5 Mango

Personalization

Beyond the layout of the tiles or floating windows on the main interface, Windows Phone 7.5 Mango gives little room for customization. We vary the dominant color of the system and change the background image on the screen, but beyond that, the system is shielded to customize its appearance. In fact, here's a criticism that has persisted since the previous version, we can not use MP3 ringtones for use as ring tones or message, forcing us to use to install the system as the default.

Windows Phone 7.5 Mango

Others

And to close this review of Windows Phone 7.5 Mango, we'll play some of the points that interesting results might be raised as children between the system options. For starters, the integration of Windows Live, Gmail, Facebook or Microsoft Exchange is not only dedicated to the communications section. For example, events and appointments you have registered in the calendars of each of these services are automatically synchronized with Windows Phone 7.5 Mango, and also reflected in the lock screen, which will be very useful to users more forgetful.

This leads us to propose the notification system. Its operation resembles that of Android, but simplified to the maximum, which is very comfortable. The developments are presented in real time at a bar located at the top of the screen, and warn us of new chats on Facebook or Windows Live as well as SMS messages or appointments in the calendar.

Windows Phone 7.5 Mango

Another point of interest is the mapping and GPS. His appearance greatly reminds Nokia Maps, and with good reason: Microsoft is nourished by the famous Finnish firm service, tailored to the aesthetic simplicity of the operating system and lacking the function-turn navigation, Nokia. The configuration of the application allows to view aerial view maps or simply plots of the areas we inspected. The operation is quite correct, but lacks the potential to Nokia or Google Drive Navigation.

And if we talk about the virtual keyboard on Windows Phone 7.5 Mango, the first thing we must note is how well does the text selection tool, which is very convenient to use the copy and paste system that was much criticized for its absence in the first version of the system. The keyboard itself is quite comfortable, but who has been accustomed to offering Android feedback with a small vibration every time you press a virtual button will notice that in Windows Phone 7.5 Mango lack this detail.

Windows Phone 7.5 Mango

Reviews

Microsoft has really done their homework with Windows Phone 7.5 Mango. Besides being a very original and attractive aesthetically, the integration achieved by many of the services that define the use of a smartphone is very successful. The problem is that it has managed to add to WhatsApp between these options, which is subject to the fact that Microsoft has its own plans (GroupM's hand and Skype). By the way, which is very strange that Skype is not present natively in Windows Phone 7.5 Mango, and in fact we did not find the application in the Marketplace.

A serious review must ask Windows Phone 7.5 Mango is the infamous synchronization with Mac We tried to do with the Windows Phone 7 Connector, housed in the Mac App Store as an officer for these tasks, and the fact is that has recognized the HTC Titan that we used for testing.

Windows Phone 7.5 Mango

As for multitasking, while maintaining several applications running in the background, when we pass from one to another, it seems to be started again. This case is repeated in particular the application of Spotify, which incidentally, is the most attractive of all the available versions for other platforms.

Although Windows Phone 7.5 Mango certain stability failure (during the system test process we had to restart in a couple of times, and agility of the passage between applications can be resent when we get to the phone at full capacity) and some more customization, the truth is that the work of improvements in Windows Phone 7.5 Mango is on track to confirm what many forecasts predict, that this platform can become in a couple of years as the second most widespread, second only to by Android.