When Google released Google Navigation, they definitely shook up the GPS world as turn by turn navigation was now available to the masses for a low price of $0.00/month. Coupled that with free traffic updates and Google’s strength in Search and you have a really powerful navigation device in the palm of your hand. You no longer had to bring other devices when you go on your trips and your phone became a lot more useful (not that it wasn’t already).

For those among us who use Windows Mobile devices, that itch to switch may have been great but those days may be gone! Microsoft has just released an update to their Bing application and it brings with it 2 changes: wallpaper and navigation! Yup, turn-by-turn navigation! On your phone, for the same low price that Google charges: $0.00/month!

Launching Bing earlier today provided me with a notification that an update was available and following through with it was simple enough.

Unfortunately, this service is only limited to the US and only for those on T-Mobile, Sprint and AT&T networks. On top of that, it only supports a limited number of devices which seem to be the current models available on these networks so if you are using an older device, you might not be able to enjoy this navigation goodness.

Have you navigated with Bing today? How was your experience?

(via: Bing.com)

If you have, you’ve probably seen the new update for it. Nothing’s changed as far as I can tell but when I was using it earlier, I got an error message saying that my device was not supported. Not a cause for concern and also probably why only most phones from AT&T, Sprint and T-Mobile were listed as supported (I was using the HD2).

If  you’ve not used Bing for a while, you’ll notice that the application looks more polished and while some might prefer the old icon-driven navigation, the newer layout does keep it pretty clean and tidy. Even the map application now has zoom in and out buttons always showing. And no, for those wondering, pinch to zoom for Bing is not support on the HD2 (yet I hope)!

To grab your copy, point your mobile browser to m.bing.com/download if you do not already have it installed on your phone. If you do, a simple Update check will help you get started on the right path to v 5.1.2010.

(via Twitter)

By: Michael Hunter (Contributing Writer)

When it comes to Windows Phone 7 Series, I have no clue what Microsoft is thinking. Wait, yes I do… Apple. Over the past few days Microsoft has been giving a lot of details of the newest version of what used to be called Windows Mobile. Let’s see, what have we learned so far? No side loading, or in other words no installing applications or software from anywhere but Microsoft’s fairly new Marketplace. That’s not cool Microsoft, not cool at all. I’ve always known Windows Mobile to have the most third party support out of any Mobile Operating System; the only problem was that all the software wasn’t in one centralized area. Well, now we are getting everything in one centralized area, but losing the ability to install applications ourselves via .cab files.

Secondly, Microsoft told us that there is no such thing as expandable memory when it comes to WP7S. What!!?? Why not? Well Microsoft tells us it’s for our own good, security purposes as well as to better manage your battery life. Not only that but cut, copy and paste were also omitted from this version of Windows Phone. Sounds harmless enough but a lot opf people, myself included actually like copy and paste!

Last but definitely not least Microsoft, Windows, Steve Balmer, or whoever is in charge, decided to take away multitasking. I repeat, after being around for more than a decade, Windows Mobile will no longer multitask! I don’t care what the reason or excuse they may have but I know that the one thing that comes to mind when I think of this new OS that’s slated for the 2010 holidays, and that’s Apple. It seems to me that Microsoft wants nothing more for their mobile OS than to be like Apple iPhone’s OS, flaws and all. Where is the originality? Well you know what they say; imitation is the best form of flattery.

(via: WMExperts)

By: Tariq Bamadhaj (Senior Editor)

Almost a year ago, YouTube launched YouTube for Windows Mobile and Nokia S60 phones and it’s been widely received. A year later, the good people at YouTube have released an update that bumps the version to 2.4 and brings with it some really useful features.

Besides the refreshed homescreen, you can now log into your YouTube account directly from your mobile device and view favorites, subscriptions and even playlists from wherever you are! No more having to be tied to your desktop for that personalized YouTube experience.

That’s not all! You also get query suggestions when searching for videos which will definitely save you time when looking for that video of E*trade baby commercials or something that tickles your fancy.

I’m not sure if the apps are updated in the phone’s app store but you can speed up the process and get it for yourself by pointing your phone’s browser to m.youtube.com/app to download the app. Tried out the new app? Let us know what you think in the comments below!

(via: Google Mobile Blog)

By: Tariq Bamadhaj (Senior Editor)

When the HTC Touch HD was announced late last year, many on this side of the pond were disappointed that it would never make it our soil officially. Then came the leaks of upcoming HTC devices in early 2009 and there was one codenamed Whitestone that was rumored to be coming to Verizon. That materialized to what we now call the Imagio, the sibling of the Touch HD. Before I go through my experiences with it, let’s take a closer look at the hardware shall we?

Front

Right off the bat, the Imagio srikes you as a very sophisticated device and it definitely is one. The screen is protected by a single glass over it, which makes having to access buttons in the corners (such as the minimize/close button) a lot easier. Just below that, we have the zoom bar which appeared on many HTC Windows Mobile devices this year. Through this bar, you control the zoom level within some applications by sliding your fingers across.

Lining up the bottom is a row of 5 buttons, 4 of which would be familiar to those who have used Windows Mobile: Green answer button, red end button, Windows/start button and the back button. What’s interesting is the 5th button which brings up the V Cast Mobile TV by Verizon. What’s great about this button is that you can change it to launch your application of choice should V Cast not be your cup of tea.

Surrounding the perimeter of the front is a grill-like cover and it cleverly hides the speakers of the device. Remember, the Imagio, like the Touch HD, is touted as a multimedia device and you’ll see in just a bit, how Verizon and HTC maximized this!

Left

Nothing here unfortunately.

Bottom

Here, you’ll find HTC’s USB port for both charging the device and sync-ing data between computers. Just beside that we have a standard 3.5mm port! HTC had promised earlier this year to bring the standard audio jack to all devices from and has definitely kept that promise with the Imagio. If you don’t fancy the headset that came with your Imagio, feel free to plug in your favorite pair.

Right

This side is almost sparse like the left if not for the volume button. Nothing fancy here, just 2 buttons to increase and decrease the volume.

Top

Yup, you guessed it, nothing here again. HTC has been cutting down on the number of hardware buttons since late last year, and while many welcome this change for the sleek look, I for one wish for a few more. Oh well, let’s turn the device over.

Back

Besides the standard camera lens rated at 5 megapixels and another speaker grill, you’d think that there was nothing else to it. But wait, press that black button near the end and out pops a kick stand. How sweet is that!

The kickstand lets you rest your phone at comfortable angle so you could watch videos on the Imagio while sitting at your desk, all without having to hold it up. Didn’t I tell you that this was a multimedia phone? But you don’t have to use the kickstand only for media and this has me wondering why we don’t have more devices set up like this.

Conclusion

The Verizon Imagio by HTC was definitely built with multimedia as a top priority but it has the looks to make it a winner as well. My initial impressions of it has been rather positive and I can’t wait to put it through the paces. Would the Imagio be a clear winner for Verizon users seeking a Windows Phone? Find out in the rest of this series!

Specs

• Qualcomm MSM7600 528MHz
• 512MB ROM
• 288MB RAM
• 61.7 x 118 x x14 mm
• 150g with battery
• 3.6” TFT screen with 800×480 resolution
• USB 2.0 (mini)
• Bluetooth 2.1 + EDR
• WiFi B/G
• FM Radio
• 4.9 Megapixel camera
• 1500mAh battery
• Windows Mobile 6.5 Professional

By: Tariq Bamadhaj (Senior Editor)

With Windows Mobile taking a beating since the launch of the iPhone a couple of years ago, Microsoft and its partners have been trying to redeem the once sought-after OS. While many claim that this would not be the case until we see Windows Mobile 7, that has not stopped Microsoft from closing the gap in the mean time. Windows Mobile 6.5 was one of them and Verizon’s recently launched Imagio is another.

To the faithful, this reminds you of the Touch HD which was launched a year ago and never saw any carrier love stateside; and to those who aren’t, it’s another attempt to imitate the iPhone. Truth is, the Imagio is more than that. It was one of the first few devices running WM6.5 from the get go and attempts to change the public’s perception of the platform. Does it? Well, you’ve already seen the ads on TV, standby for our review and find out.

By: Tariq Bamadhaj (Senior Editor)

So Microsoft launched Windows Mobile 6.5 just over 2 weeks ago and you’ve been waiting patiently for the official update. If you are a HTC Diamond 2 user or got yours from one Germany, Denmark, UK, Sweden, Norway or Portugal, this is the update to end your wait!

Like all Windows Mobile updates, all your data will be wiped and you will need to restore them after the process, be it through cloud sync, one of the third-party backup and restore solutions or the good old desktop method. Depending on your choice, it’s best to set aside 2 hours for the whole process from start to finish because the download alone can take up to 30 minutes.

Once updated, you will get to enjoy Microsoft’s app store, Marketplace, and Widgets. So if you’ve been waiting for the chance to officially call your Diamond 2 a Windows Phone and got your phone from one of the regions above, head over here to get your update. Be sure to follow the instructions carefully!

By: Tariq Bamadhaj (Senior Editor)

Truth be told, I really have no idea how Microsoft numbers their Windows Mobile builds. One would expect that with a new X.0 build, you would notice a user-interface (UI) overhaul but from Windows Mobile 2003 to Windows Mobile 6.1, this was not the case. Then came Windows Mobile 6.5 and all the different builds and we started seeing how one build’s interface was very different to another build’s. You could have sworn that build 23016 was a different version when compared to build 23047 and yet, they were all Windows Mobile 6.5!

So when these leaked images of Windows Mobile 6.5.1 appeared, some were rather skeptic and said they were actually from Windows Mobile 7. However, their proliferation in some of the recent cooked ROMs suggest otherwise.

The UI is definitely more polished and shows a lot of promise. Tabs have given way to more usable ‘pivot’ system and the start, close and menu buttons have all been re-located to the bottom. The top has lost some weight and house just notification icons which expands when tapped, giving you quick access to what needs your attention. Oh, and yeah, there’s all that finger-friendliness that we’ve all been craving for. No more having to use my fingernail as an alternative stylus.

Sometimes I wonder if this is Microsoft’s way of conducting a focus group to evaluate Windows Mobile and chart it’s evolution. If it is, it’s definitely paying off and making us hard-core users wonder what the giant at Redmond as in store for us come Spring of 2010!

(via iStartedSomething)

By: Tariq Bamadhaj (Senior Editor)

There are quite a number of instant messaging (IM) applications for Windows Phones but no matter which one I try, I always seem to come back to Palringo’s. It was not always this great to be honest. I still remembered my first experience with it: I dropped it after less than a day of usage because the UI was bland, the only alert I got was a boring and obnoxious beep and I kept getting disconnected countless times. Time went by and things got a whole lot better and while I am have made it my IM of choice on the Touch Pro 2 for a couple of months now, version 2.0 makes brings a lot more improvements to an already great application.

Among the changes that we see in 2.0 are:

• Completely new install/uninstall process
• Automatic updates now only notify users that an update is available – downloading is manually approved
• Settings->Display->Group join/leave alerts
• Settings->Display->Contact List (item size) option
• Settings->Display->Tab size option replaces “Large Buttons” option.
• Contact list can now be filtered by service type, so you can effectively have a separate list for Facebook/MSN/Yahoo etc.
• Added private message spam filter for Palringo service
• Edit Profile link from overview screen
• Automatic detail expansion display on reduced contact list items
• Optimized list rendering code
• Optimized avatar rendering
• Default filenames for saving images
• Reformatting of photos has been made more reliable
• Miscellaneous other bug fixes and optimizations

It’s really worth a try, even if you already have an IM client of choice on the Windows Phone. Head over here to grab your copy! It’s free so what have you go to lose?

Stay tuned for my review of Palringo 2.0 coming out in the next couple of days. Here are some screen shots of the applications in the mean time to keep you company.