“After years of scratching away at competitors like Apple, Palm and Google with Windows Mobile, the software equivalent of a steam shovel among bulldozers, Microsoft is finally ready to wheel out its own heavy equipment. Windows Phone 7 Series will arrive this fall, giving Microsoft one more shot to prove that the Windows name belongs in your pocket as much as on your desktop. A handful of prototypes made their way to press and developers early this week as part of a technical preview, giving a sneak peek at what’s to come. Here’s what you need to know about Microsoft’s last hope for mobile salvation…”

Microsoft has confirmed an impressive hardware partner line up for Windows Phone 7: Dell, Asus, LG, HTC, and Samsung are already there with others expected to sign up as well.

From Pocket-lint- “Microsoft has confirmed the hardware partners that will be launching Windows Phone 7 handsets, at a one-to-one briefing with Pocket-lint.

Although the company still wouldn’t be drawn on any specific dates for the launch of the new mobile phone operating system, beyond some time in the “Holidays”, it was happy to tell us who was making the devices for day one sales.

Greg Sullivan, senior product manager for Microsoft, told Pocket-lint that we could expect handsets from Dell, Asus, LG, HTC, and Samsung at the launch later this year.

It confirms certain former rumours.

We always thought Dell would be launching a Windows Phone 7 device, the Dell Lightning. And HTC exclusively confirmed to us that it was also launching a Windows Phone 7-powered handset too.

In our meeting, Sullivan referenced an LG Pacific, possibly a renaming of the LG Panther doing the rounds, but refused to be drawn further…”

Windows Phone 7 Game Development contains everything that C# developers will need to get to grips with writing games for Microsoft’s new phone platform.

The book will cover 2D and 3D game development in XNA, game development in Silverlight, extensive game control coverage including touch screen and accelerometer control, sound effects and music and also includes masses of example code and a complete working game.

Publication is currently scheduled for December 2010, and lots more information is available at www.adamdawes.com.

“It’s been a long road, hasn’t it? Well, in some respects, it hasn’t — in fact, it’s only been about two years since development of Windows Phone 7 as we know it today kicked off — but when you consider that this product will be replacing Windows Mobile 6.5, that puts things in proper perspective. In fact, even the very latest maintenance releases of good ol’ WinMo are based on the same rickety underpinnings as version 5.0 was way back in 2005, at a time when WVGA smartphone displays were science fiction, 4G networks were a good two Gs beyond the average American’s comprehension, and Engadget looked like this. Nowadays, it’s a very different game; eight year-olds have access to mobile email, your phone understands German, and “Yelp” is a verb (okay, actually Yelp is a verb). Indeed, mobile devices are the new PCs — and companies like Apple and Google are dominating an industry that had once been practically handed to Microsoft on a silver platter. No one — either inside or outside of Redmond — is arguing that change isn’t desperately (and quickly) needed, because it simply isn’t enough to dominate the desktop anymore…”

STAFFORDSHIRE, UK – July 14, 2010 – Astraware is pleased to announce the release of two new games for Windows phone and Windows Mobile devices – OddBlob and Police Range.

OddBlob is a fun puzzle arcade game created entirely from modelling clay. Help OddBlob bound across the squishy maze to grab bonuses, chomp fruit, and win points as quickly as he can as the chasing tiles disappear behind. Bounce and double bounce tiles can help you reach your goal or throw you through the gaps to impending peril below, and cake slices earn you a try at the Cake Or Doom mini-puzzle!

Police Range is Astraware’s take on the classic shooting range game. Put your skill and accuracy to the test as you train on the shooting range to become a crack police marksman. Choose from 2 ranges to train on: Target Practice, and Crime Alley, which between them test your accuracy, reaction speeds, eye and nerve!

Both OddBlob and Police Range include Astraware’s new online high score table, which enables players to submit their best scores using wifi or data connection to see how they compare with other players worldwide. Players with non-connected devices can post their scores on the local high score table. Both games also include a range of fun awards and achievements.

OddBlob and Police Range are both available for devices with touchscreens running Windows Mobile or Windows phone 5 and later. Both games are priced $4.99 each, and a special discount will be available to Astraware Newsletter subscribers. To subscribe, visit this link.

From Shawn Hargreaves Blog- “Windows Phone includes a hardware image scaler. This allows XNA games to choose what backbuffer resolution they want to draw to, regardless of the physical screen size. You draw at whatever size you like, then the scaler adjusts the resulting image to fit the screen. This is similar to how the video output works on Xbox 360…”

HTC’s HD3 is claimed to be just 10mm thick, will also be one of the first smartphones to run Windows Phone 7 Series, which was first unveiled in February 2010…”

It looks like Microsofts worries are over at last.

“Microsoft Corp. today announced a new technology aimed at improving the battery installation process called InstaLoad battery installation technology, which allows users to easily install a battery without regard to positive and negative polarity. Never again will people have to squint to see battery installation diagrams – the device simply works regardless if the battery is installed positive-side-up or positive-side-down. InstaLoad is a patented battery contact design now available for license by third-party device suppliers, with companies like Duracell already lining up to endorse the technology for use in their own products…”

A long time ago, way before the world realised that mobile devices could play games and organise people, a company called spiffcode released a game called Warfare Incorporated.

I cannot think of a complex mobile game as perfectly balanced as Warfare Incorporated or one that offers excitement continuously over long periods of time. I am writing this article because I decided to revisit an old friend today and downloaded it for my iPhone. Three (3!) hours later I have stopped playing the game for a short time until I ‘need’ to jump right back in and have another crack at the enemy.

I am not great at strategy games because I do not have the patience to play them, but like the opportunity to think about what I am doing while under pressure and this is where Warfare Incorporated excels. There are times when you will be frantically building new vehicles, soldiers and towers to protect your base and others where you have to carefully consider the entire structure of your base. If you take your time and think about what you are doing you just may be able to pull off a victory, and in some levels you need to think about every possible scenario to have a chance.

The game is extremely fluid and at no point do you feel like you are solving a puzzle, at no point do you feel like you are repeating steps and at no point do you want to put it down and do something else. You are presented with a story mode in which you have to solve every more difficult levels and this builds into a clever storyline which is not contrived and which flows nicely to give you a genuine sense of achievement at the end.

The real beauty of Warfare Incorporated is that this is not the end. There are literally hundreds of add-on missions created by players that you can download and play at will. Some are pure fun, but some are vicious in their difficulty. The forum at the developers website is a good place to learn how to author missions and also to get help and the community is still quite vibrant after all of these years.

All I can say is that if you have not tried the game, spend a few pennies and see why I am so positive about the experience. It is ludicrously priced on the iPhone and also still available for Palm OS and Windows Mobile. Without doubt one of the greatest mobile games ever created.

More details at www.warfareincorporated.com.

Piel Frama has announced the iMagnum leather case for the HTC Evo 4G which comes with high quality cowskin leather, Snap closure system, Sync through travel cable, Rotable and completely removable Ultra Belt Clip (the knob is also removable), Polypropylene inner structure, Soft leather lining and ABS inserted protection.

PDair has released a huge selection of new cases including multiple models for the BlackBerry Pearl 9100 3G, Nokia N8, Sony Ericsson Aspen, Apple iPhone 4 and HTC Evo 4G.

MobileNavigator 7 for Windows Mobile is currently on sale for only $49.99 (normally $89.99) until 5th July. Good app, good price.

Turn your Windows Smartphone into a full blown navigation device that rivals dedicated PND’’’s with NAVIGON’’’s MobileNavigator 7. NAVIGON as a world wide leader in navigation products and services now offers it’s latest technology on mobile Windows powered devices.

The Garmin ASUS nuvifone M10 is a combination of Garmin’s proven GPS navigation system and the highly popular Windows Mobile platform, making it the perfect all-round digital assistant. It is the first fully converged Location Based Services (LBS) smartphone with integrated GPS.

The nuvifone M10 is ready to use as a satellite navigation device as soon as you take it out of the box, setting it apart from other GPS enabled Smartphones. The new touchscreen device from Garmin ASUS not only comes with software pre-installed, but also includes the kit needed to mount your device in-car.

The nuvifone M10 aims to provide the best possible navigation solution. European maps are intergrated with no extra cost or hidden fees. Navigation functions are also linked to frequently used applications such as calendar, contacts, email, internet browser and messaging, providing the most advanced LBS experience on a Windows Mobile device.

GPS aside, the nuvifone M10 still offers powerful smartphone features. You are able to connect to the internet using WiFi or 3G/HSDPA, make use of services such as Facebook, YouTube and Picasa, streaming audio and video while on-the-go or at home.

The 5 Megapixel camera built-in to the nuvifone M10 allows you to take high-quality photos and videos, which can then be stored on the 4GB internal memory or a microSD card. Access to the Windows Mobile Market Place also ensures that you can customize your device with a range of apps.

The Garmin ASUS nuvifone M10 is a must-have if you are looking for a smartphone with the best available GPS navigation system. With its feature-rich Windows Mobile OS and high-quality GPS system, you will always have access to the information you need, when you need it.