Okay everyone, time to put on your rumor helmets (they're like beer helmets, but filled with vodka). Here's what we are hearing about Windows Mobile 7 from various sources (none of which has been announced by Microsoft). 

We'll spill the beans on what we're hearing about supposed various versions of Seven, two WM7 devices including full specs (the LG "Apollo" and HTC "Obsession") time-frames and even features.

Read the rest of this entry »

According to Engadget, LG stated at CES press event that Windows Mobile 7 will be on devices this year. Obviously this still isn’t an official announcement from Microsoft, but LG is one of their bigger partners for Windows Phones. Might we hear something official from Steve Ballmer at his CES Keynote tonight? Rumor has it that Robbie Bach, Microsoft’s President of Entertainment & Devices Division, will be joining Steve on stage.

Tune in at 9:30pm Eastern, 6:30pm Pacific for our liveblog from the event.

So we've managed to snag one of those (as of now) hard to come by pico projectors for the LG eXpo (Read George's full review here).

We'll be doing a full review of the projector, including a video demonstration, in a few days, but for now we figured we would give you our quick, initial impressions of the $179.99 add-on.

First, it's pretty tiny and light. Weighing in at just 50 grams (1.75oz) the little plastic guy is light as a feather.  It's actually remarkable how small and light it is, making it easy to carry around (especially since it comes with a nice little satchel ).

Second, it's easy to set up: you just take the metal battery cover off of the eXpo and slide on the projector.  In that sense, it feels like you're adding on an extended battery cover.  You then turn on the phone and if you slide the lens door on the projector open, you get a pop screen giving you basic directions and a slider. Move the slider and on comes the projector.

The projector will display anything.  That is, if it's on your screen, it can be on the wall.  The camera button acts as a portrait/landscape button and you have a physical slider on the projector to focus (which can be a bit tricky).  It of course uses your phone's battery and yeah, it drains a bit, but you can always plug in your phone. Still, you should easily get two full hours we suppose.

How's it look?  Pretty good actually.  It can project up to a 40 foot picture and the throw is pretty remarkable (they say the throw is up to 8 ft, but we easily more than doubled that). We tossed it onto a small screen in an actual movie theater and it was totally workable--not cinema quality, for but presentations or showing off a video clip...yeah, it would do the job.

So our initial thoughts: impressed.

Have questions?  Want us to test something specific?  Hit us up in comments and we'll get it done.

LG turned heads with the announcement of its latest Windows phone, the eXpo. The slide-out keyboard phone is the first Windows phone designed with an optional pico projector.

Our first impression of the eXpo are good. The phone feels well-built, comfortable in the hand and has some interesting features, such as an optical scanner that pulls double duty as a directional pad and fingerprint scanner.

We shared our initial impressions on the Expo and now we share our thoughts after taking the phone out for a test drive. Ease on past the break to see how long our initial impressions of the Expo lasted after a few days of use.

Read the rest of this entry »

Now let's try to wrap our minds around this one ... Sprint is going to be announcing a Windows Phone that makes use of WiMax, which is the technology behind Sprint’s 4G network. The logic behind this theory is that Sprint has an event scheduled for January 6 with announcements by Dan Hesse (Sprint’s CEO) and Steve Ballmer (Microsoft’s CEO). Also, Sprint and LG have been sending out invitations to an event scheduled for the following evening; giving possible insight into the identity of the device manufacturer. InformationWeek points out that the January 7 event is being hosted by Brooke Shields, and states that a celebrity of that magnitude isn’t brought in for a small announcement.

To this point, we haven’t seen ANY WiMax-capable smartphones hit the market. We’ve seen rumors every now and again, but nothing solid. If Microsoft could be the first to market with this technology, even over Palm and its current exclusivity with Sprint, this could be a major coup for Microsoft.

[InformationWeek via Boy Genius Report]

We've got the LG Expo from AT&T (minus the piggyback pico projector) and we will be posting a full review shortly. In the meantime, here's a video hands-on with the Expo.

The initial impressions on the Expo are good, and I'm interested in seeing how well the Snapdragon processor performs. Does it drain the battery in half a day?  How well does it handle multitasking? The Expo is also fitted with a optical scanner capable of fingerprint recognition and it will be interesting to see how well that performs as well.

For the record, the guy on the right, lusting after the LG eXpo, is Malatesta. ;) [YouTube via Windows Phone Thoughts]

Word is that Verizon is set to get a mysterious WM6.5 LG device called the VS750.  Not much is known about the guy at this time, but call us crazy if it doesn't sound like the CDMA variant of the GM750 recently released in Europe (see our hands-on from October).

If true, it's not as tech-tastic as the LG eXpo on AT&T but it ain't half bad either.  The GM750 had the following specs:

• BT 2.1
• WiFi
• 3-inch 240x400 display
• 1000 mAh battery
• 5 MP camera
• Optical joystick

And if this is not a CDMA variant of the GM750 well...LG get better naming schemes.  And congrats on landing on Verizon, we're kinda psyched about your growing U.S. presence.

[via Unwired View]

While we wait for the delays on the new LG Expo from AT&T to get settled, sit back and enjoy a promotional video for the new Windows Phone.  The Expo should prove interesting with it's detachable projector (sold separately) and fingerprint "smart sensor" technology.  It will be interesting to see if the actual projection comes close to the "simulated" projection.

LG and AT&T has also created a microsite for the Expo (along with a few plugs for the movie Avatar) for those wanting to see more of the Expo.  Still no word on the new release date but pricing is scheduled to be $199.99 for the phone after rebates and contract discounts with the piggy-back projector costing $179.99.

Read: wmpoweruser.com

Telus sure has an odd pricing scheme, at least for those of us used to two-year deals in the U.S. But hey they did get their hands on the LG IQ and if you sign a whopping three-year contract it can be yours for a low $99.

Only want to do two years?  That will cost you an extra $300:

• 3-year contract: $99.99
• 2-year contract: $399.99
• 1-year contract: $449.99
• No contract: $499.99

But hey, that IQ sure is a nice phone and we have to admit, we'd like to get our grubby mitts on it.  Featuring WM6.5, 1gHz processor and a 5MP camera, it's pretty swell.  Luckily AT&T has the eXpo coming very soon, once their shipping issues are straightened out.

Get the LG IQ now.

[via MobileSyrup]