Today, Engadget got their hands on some more mock-ups and some new videos of Microsoft's "Courier," that project lead by J Allard (MS's Chief Experience Officer). If it comes to fruition, it looks as groundbreaking as Project Natal. The new videos are noted for showing real-life situations on how useful the Courier could be for professionals. But honestly, the device tells its own story, making it very drool-worthy.

The sophisticated and intuitive e-Journal is much smaller than previously thought, coming in under 1 inch thick, weighing in a little over one pound and not much bigger than a 5 x 7 photo when closed. Names like "Infinite Journal" and "Page Stream" are tossed around as is the necessity of the Courier Pen, making this centered around hand-writing recognition (something we've seen mentioned earlier in regards to WP7).

The device is said to be developed on CE6, the same as Windows Phone 7 Series, which seems to be Microsoft's new toy to be used on everything. The big question we have is will this in any way interact or sync with Windows Phone 7? It would seem a no brainer to have something like that on board between the two platforms, but until we hear more...

Either way, 2010 is looking very good for Microsoft: Windows 7, Windows Phone 7 Series, Project Natal, Zune and now Courier. Anyone else getting excited?

Anyone else shocked we didn't take a chance to poke fun at the iPad in this post? Feel free to take up the torch for us in comments ;-)

Read more at Engadget and Gizmodo

Looks like the folks at Gizmodo got their hands on our favorite traditional "blurry cam" shots of the new Pink-Pure phone, which looks to be coming to Verizon sometime soon. (More info on the Pure and Turtle here)

The Pure is thought to be running the same core OS as Windows Phone 7, but with a different UI on top. As we've previously speculated, the Pink phones appear to be high-end feature phones, where as the WP7S is more in the traditional smartphone category.

The source who leaked the images also said it was very intuitive and better than Android.

Besides those two images, Conflipper has been leaking out some actual screen shots from said Pink device, specifically of the dialer/lock screen. While nothing special, it does hint that these phones may be a good deal for the masses, who want a centralized social-media device without any learning curve and more limited power.

At some point we're all going to have to remember that the fabled "Pink" phones from Microsoft really aren't Windows Mobile. But that day is not today. Gizmodo says it has on good authority (leaked marketing materials, actually) that the phones it previously scored are in fact the same ones we're about to see launch on Verizon.

Also, and this brings us back to our opening sentence, the phones do not run the new Windows Phone operating system. That's not a great surprise. This is something different. Giz also says this platform is all about social networking, and there will be apps of some sort.

What Giz doesn't know: An actual name. They opine that we may see more at CTI in a few weeks, so we'll keep our eyes peeled. [Gizmodo]

What you see above is the Microsoft sign at Mobile World Congress. At first there was nothing special except for a large sticker covering...something.

The savvy cats at Engadget decided to use the "X-ray filter" in Photoshop and lo and behold, beneath the sticker it says: 7 Series.

Seven?  Series? Sounds like that might be hinting at the rumored Business and Multimedia editions that we mentioned a few weeks ago.

While we don't know all of the details about what Microsoft has in mind for Monday, we're still surmising that the overall strategy (and what we've talked about during the podcast #88, #89) is thus:

• Pink/Zune/Turtle/Pure phones = Feature phones; not full Wp7
• Business Edition = The true upgrade path for WM6.5 --> Wp7; customizable 
• Media Edition = Combine the Pink & Business edition for one high end smartphone

Call us crazy, but we think this three-pronged approach (with only two being 'true' Windows phone 7 devices) is what Microsoft is attempting.  Mind you, according to the WSJ, we might not even hear about Pink/Zune/Turtle/Pure at Mobile World Congress. That actually makes sense as those devices are not true Windows phone 7 series nor would they want to scare off their OEMs.

It's also becoming more clear that last week's "rumors" were probably more about Project Pink than Windows phone 7, which we strongly suggested ;-)

So, what do you think? Sound off below!

Uh oh. Look what was just seen poking its head out of its shell for the Federal Communications Commission. Why, that sure looks like the old "Turtle" phone that was attached to Microsoft's on-again, off-again(?) "Project Pink."

And when you dive a little deeper, the nuts and bolts line up nicely with that leak Gizmodo scored last year. You can clearly see it's manufactured by Sharp, which, as we all know, also manufactured the Sidekick, which Microsoft later purchased.

So the dots likely are being connected to whatever it is Microsoft ends up announcing next week at Mobile World Congress. Stay tuned. [Zuneboards via iStartedSomething]

We really shouldn't joke about something as serious as this, but the lead-up has been so long and winding -- years, actually -- it's kind of hard not to.

Yes, Microsoft undoubtedly will debut Windows Mobile 7 in some form Monday at Mobile World Congress. We've been saying that for a long, long time now (November, actually). Now that the likes of the Wall Street Journal is saying it, well, then it must be officially unofficial.

At a wireless industry conference in Barcelona on Monday, the company plans to publicly show a new version of its cellphone operating system, Windows Mobile 7, for the first time, according to people familiar with the matter. The operating system sports a revamped user interface that resembles the look of Microsoft's Zune HD music player, people who have seen it said.

As luck (and Delta) should have it, we'll be at that "wireless industry conference," also known as Mobile World Congress. More on that over the weekend. But suffice to say, big things are in store.

Looks like Microsoft is once again denying anything about a Zune phone. Quoting a Microsoft spokesperson: "we have no plans to create a Zune phone," which seems pretty open and shut.

Then again ... Assuming there is something in the works, it's not like they would confirm either.  And as NeoWin points out, they also denied ever making an MP3 player, too.

With the rumors flying high this week, especially with the USB reference codes found in the .inf file from the latest Zune software update, Microsoft is probably feeling some heat from their OEMs over the issue--don't forget, they are also very interested in the prospect/denial of such a device.  We can understand if they are nervous and causing some little waves with Redmond.

Regarding that Zune update, consensus seems to be swaying from an actual "Zune phone" to "these are plans to incorporate the Zune experience into Windows Mobile,"

Check out Paul Thurrott's piece over at WinSuperSite, which delves deeper into that issue as well as detailing the recent changes to the Zune software, it's a good read.

Oh Mobile World Congress, you can't come soon enough.  Please rescue us from ourselves.

[via NeoWin.net]

Flashback 2008...

MaryJo Foley of ZDNet is continuing her Microsoft "code name of the day" contest, which seems really kind of fun and a neat way to gather info. Well, today's entry is "Rouge."

Rouge? Pink?  Sound related?  She thinks so. Using info that she's gathered she states: 

Best guess on what it is: Microsoft’s business-focused premium mobile services

Meaning/context of the codename: Rouge sounds like the business-side complement to Pink, Microsoft’s forthcoming family of consumer-focused premium mobile services.

Basically, Rouge was meant to beef up Microsoft's "... family of Office Communications Server, its corporate instant-messaging/VOIP/conferencing product."

Call us crazy, but that sounds like the sort of thing we heard described to us about Seven Business Edition, with real-time document editing between multiple sources.

So is there a code-name for the supposed Media Edition?  What do you get when you combine Pink and Rouge?  How about Project Awesome.

[via ZDNet]

On the eve of the biggest concerted launch we've seen from Microsoft's mobile side since, well, ever, comes a bit of less than optimistic rumor about the fabled "Pink" project. Mobile Crunch cites an anonymous source that spells out major trouble in the Pink camp.

Supposedly:

• A good chunk of the original Sidekick team picked up in the Danger acquisition has been fired or left.
• Third-party support is next to nil.
• There's much dissent in the ranks, including rampant iPhone use.
• The project is two years behind schedule.
• The Turtle is a piece of junk. (our words, their sentiment)
• Microsoft didn't develop the UI, and the team is struggling to replicate it.
• Mobile Crunch's source says the project “is near death and probably will be canceled.”

So basically what this source is saying is that things were in shambles (now there's something new for Windows Mobile) and that the Sidekick was bought out and is going the way of the dinosaur. We discussed Project Pink at length on the WMExperts Podcast a couple of weeks ago and kept coming to the same conclusion: If Windows Mobile 7 is going to be as Zuneriffic (my word ... Don't worry, it'll catch on) and consumer-friendly as we hope, does Microsoft really need to split its lines again with whatever the Turtle and Pure were/are going to be? This could well be Microsoft converging ideas, and sour grapes over somebody being left out.

And another thing: We're discussing a pair of unannounced, leaked devices that are part of an unannounced, highly rumored project. This isn't like Palm killing the Foleo.

The death of the Sidekick line would be a bummer to a lot of people (save for Perez Hilton). But if Windows Mobile 7 turns out anything like we've been dreaming about (and we mean that more literally for, erm, some of us), we have a feeling that in due time, nobody will remember a couple of unannounced devices that might not see the light of day anyway.

Here are a bunch more rumors about Microsoft's Project Pink, courtesy of Paul at MoDaCo, most making total sense and overlapping what we've already heard.

• Running the show has been Microsoft's "PMX" team -- Premium Mobile Experience -- which includes the assets gained from the purchase of Sidekick-maker Danger.
• Verizon's the main carrier on board, though other agreements are in place.
• The "Turtle" sports a 3.5mm headphone jack and a 5-megapixel camera. The "Pure" camera is 8 megapixels.
• Both devices are dual branded with Microsoft and Sharp.
• The OS has the same kernel as Windows Mobile 7, but won't look or feel like WM7. The UI is written in Silverlight and uses Seadragon. Looks kinda familiar.
• Zune HD software and Xbox integration are on board.
• As these are targeted toward the mass market, parental controls are on board.
• There is a unified messaging experience. (Should be interesting to see how it matches up against the Palm Pre.)
• Turtle and Pure will get their own launch party, not at CES.

Keep an eye on the MoDaCo thread, as Paul promises more details.