Leaked Windows Phone 7 ROM filename suggests an HTC Mondrian?

The lads and lassies at XDA-Developers made an intriguing discovery this week: a leaked 100MB file that might be the first Windows Phone 7 ROM actually destined for a device. What's more, it could possibly reveal details about a phone we barely knew existed -- the filename references an "HTC Mondrian." At best, the contents might reveal wonders beyond imagination, including full specs, bundled apps, even the tools needed to properly shoehorn WP7 onto your existing HTC handset. At worst, the community might never open the blasted file, or discover it's all a clever hoax. There's really no indication either way, so we prefer to dream. If you think you've got what it takes, try cracking the ROM yourself (registration required) at our source link.

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First Microsoft Windows Phone 7 Series devices to boast 480 x 800 pixel displays, HD2 owners sigh

Even though Microsoft's big MIX event is still days away, the Windows Phone 7 Series development platform is already pretty well defined. It's also clear that Microsoft wants to keep things tidy for developers by requiring all WP7 phones to meet a certain base-level spec. Now, thanks to a post from Microsoft's Shawn Hargreaves, we know the display resolution for the first batch of Microsoft's next generation phones: 480 x 800 (WVGA) pixels at launch, with a future update that will introduce a 320 x 480 (HVGA) native resolution. Dedicated hardware will ensure image scaling across all those pixels without taxing the GPU. That allows game developers, for example, to write to a lower resolution (requiring less horsepower) and then scale up as required while remaining compatible to a variety of screen resolutions.

Now, for those playing along at home, the HD2 getting ready to launch on T-Mobile in the USA is also WVGA and it features a 1GHz Snapdragon processor from Qualcomm, Microsoft's WP7 silicon partner. So we can assume (but not guarantee) that it meets the image scaling hardware requirements described by Hargreaves. Man, if only the HD2 had three-buttons.

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Windows Phone 7 tablet concept is just a big iPhone (video)

How's that headline treating you? Surely the same criticism leveled at the iPad holds true for this tablet concept running the Windows Phone 7 smartphone OS right? Maybe. But it's certainly advantageous to see all those metro UI panels laid out as a single image instead of a series of vertical slices suitable to a mobile handset. And a pair of backside joysticks and double-duty touch QWERTY / viewing stand are nice features as well. Nevertheless, we already have a fictitious lover in the Courier who we're not quite ready to betray even if the designer is named Umang Dokey, okey? Test your own nobility in the video after the break.

Tablet Concept - running Windows Phone 7 Series from umang on Vimeo.

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HTC HD2 gets early Windows Phone 7 OS port, could be released before official devices

Don't look surprised. With the Windows Phone 7 Series dev tools now out in the open the pent up demand for that elusive HD2 upgrade was bound to be a priority for some well-meaning developers, somewhere... namely, Russia. Now we've got what looks to be the first screenies of the WP7S OS running on an HD2. Better yet, htcpedia claims that almost everything is working including WiFi, GPS, and Bluetooth. However, the graphics driver is still showing problems and there is noticeable device lag. Nevertheless, the team is planning a beta release soon. Imagine it, an HD2 WP7S ROM available before Microsoft and its partners can even launch an official device, with its 5 buttons or not -- now that would be something. One more grab after the break, the rest at the source below.





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HTC HD2 gets early Windows Phone 7 OS port, could be released before official devices

Don't look surprised. With the Windows Phone 7 Series dev tools now out in the open the pent up demand for that elusive HD2 upgrade was bound to be a priority for some well-meaning developers, somewhere... namely, Russia. Now we've got what looks to be the first screenies of the WP7S OS running on an HD2. Better yet, htcpedia claims that almost everything is working including WiFi, GPS, and Bluetooth. However, the graphics driver is still showing problems and there is noticeable device lag. Nevertheless, the team is planning a beta release soon. Imagine it, an HD2 WP7S ROM available before Microsoft and its partners can even launch an official device, with its 5 buttons or not -- now that would be something. One more grab after the break, the rest at the source below.

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