Windows Phone 8: Summary of Speculation

With the recent announcement of iOS 6 for iphone (which adds features that windows phone already had), the new announcement of Windows Phone 8 is just around the corner. However there's some information about it already out in the wild.

Some things to look foward to:

• Internet Explorer 10, with a faster javascript engine which rivals (and in some cases, even beats) Google Chrome
• ability to track your data usage
• integrated Skype and other VOIP (instead of standalone Skype program)
• possible skydrive integration into disk storage
• more resolutions than just 800x480
• (unfortunately) some kind of carrier customization

From what we have here, there is much goodness in store for us as we look forward to Apollo.  As for the carrier customizations which will be permitted, I do not know much about that, but the Catholic Tech Geek will be sure to let you know when he knows more. Existing programs in the marketplace are expected to also work in Apollo with no (to maybe minor) adjustments needed. No official word yet either as to whether existing devices will get the upgrade or not.

While we are waiting, if you are a developer (or a computer science student/professor), download the Windows Phone SDK and experiment with it if you aren't already doing so. You might be surprised as to what you could make.

In other news, Windows 8 is coming soon as well. The latest preview version out, the Release Preview, is the last version before the gold release (in other words, the next build of Windows 8 will be the official released version). If you have a spare partition, go ahead and try it out. A reminder to always backup anything important on your hard drive before doing something major like this.

If you want a look at a possible Windows 8 device, check out http://www.wpcentral.com/alleged-shots-nokia-prototype-windows-phone-8-device-leak-shows-64gb-storage.

If you have any questions or any information about speculation and rumors related to Windows Phone 8, feel free to voice them in the comment box below or e-mail me at catholictechgeek@gmail.com. You can also ask me on twitter (twitter username is @rctechgeek). Feel free to subscribe to my rss feed as well.

If you need some coffee to help get you going in the morning or to help you stay awake during the day, try some Mystic Monk Coffee (use this link or click on the picture below to access the store and purchase). Trust me, it's good coffee (in many instances, better than Starbucks coffee) and you won't regret buying some. For the summer they are also offering Iced Coffee as well. If you like tea more than coffee, they also offer tea (use the same link above). Using the link to buy the coffee (or tea) helps me with college and helps the monks as well.

Feel free to try out my apps for Windows Phone: Mobile Media Manager, a media player app I made which has some features which (I feel) are missing from the system zune player, and BSA Eagle Tracker, an app that boy scouts can use to track their progress to Eagle Scout (when the scout handbook isn't always handy). New versions of the media player with new features/bug fixes is coming soon. BSA Eagle Tracker is also getting a bug fix for an obscure bug I noticed.

BSA Eagle Tracker download: http://bit.ly/Mm1Upo
Mobile Media Manager (paid version) download: http://bit.ly/y3rf6V
Mobile Media Manager (free version) download: http://bit.ly/xGCsWE


Edit (6-16-2012): An official announcement for Windows 8 should be coming out sometime next week.

Update (6-18-2012) : Microsoft is holding a press conference this morning to discuss a new Microsoft product. From what I gather on the internet, I don't think it will be about Windows Phone 8, but you never know, so stay tuned to find out what it is. Update 2 (6-18-2012): It seems that the press conference was supposed to start at 18:30 E.S.T., but it has been delayed to 19:00 E.S.T. for some strange reason.