Ryan: Microsoft reveal Minimum hardware requirements for Windows Phone 7

Microsoft is putting an end to free style design and is specifying three variants of Windows Phone 7 devices, that prescribe form factor, CPU, graphics and possibly more. Each variant, or “chassis”, specifies one of the most popular form factors, though we only have specifics for Chassis 1 for now.

Chassis 1 describes the requirements for “big touchscreen” phones. There’s no minimum screen size or resolution yet, but previous rumors suggested 3.6” WVGA. The minimum requirements for the CPU are 1GHz (that’s right - minimum) and hardware graphics acceleration is mandatory. Obviously Microsoft is really keen on ensuring smooth and comparable UI experience over various devices.

There are less details about Chassis 2 and Chassis 3. Chassis 2 will have slide-out QWERTY keyboards in addition to the touchscreen (we guess CPU and graphics requirements are the same) and the Chassis 2 devices are said to be Treo-like (strange, because the Treos are bars with portrait QWERTYs, there’s no sliding).

It’s the Windows Phone 7 Chassis 3 devices that have the bar form factor. That would make them Treo-like, rather than the Chassis 2 phones, which sound more like, say, the Sony X2.

Previous rumors about the minimum hardware requirements for Windows Phone 7 devices also listed minimum camera resolution, GPS, Wi-Fi and even a minimum set of hardware buttons. These vary quite a lot, so we’re not sure about the specifics, but it looks like Windows Phone 7 devices will be inhabiting the high-end segment only and Microsoft will have a firm grip on the used hardware via stringent licensing procedures.

The first Windows Phone 7 Chassis 1 devices should launch in time for this year's summer. There's no word on when Chassis 2 and 3 phones will launch.

Ryan: Apple hit the big 10

Apple has announced that iTunes has received over 10,000,000,000 (thats 10 billion) downloads and counting! That is a fantastic achievement and newmacgeek.com would like to congratulate Apple on a job well done!

Ryan: Apple TV, a hidden gem?

I have used Apple TV for over 12 months now, with a small hard disk and limited format support it sounds weak on paper, but as is typical of the company's products, its idiot proof usability and brilliant performance wins through. The Apple TV connects wirelessly to iTunes, where you can choose the stream all your media or sync it to the build-in hard disk. You also have full access to the iTunes store to rent, buy and preview the latest movies and TV shows as well has music. True, you'll have to convert most non-apple content but the picture, sound and overall presentation is second to none.

I have my Apple TV setup to stream from a netbook i have connected to a media drive full of movies and TV shows. This means i have access to a huge library of ready available content in HD.

I will be producing an in depth YouTube video regarding Apple TV soon.

Ryan: Play.com advertise UK iPad prices lets hope they got it wrong

If you head over to google.co.uk and search iPad under shopping, you will be presented with prices from play.com on the 64GB WiFi iPad. Now in the US it is prices at $699 but play have it priced at £699 which is not the best conversion in the world!

Here at newmacgeek.com we do think this is provisional pricing so they can take notifications email address to contact customers when it is finally released in the UK. Time will tell.

Ryan: Tip to make sure you get your iPad on day of release

Are you planning a trip to your local Apple store to get your iPad? On day of release it is expected that queues will be similar to what was seen with the iPhone 3GS! But what can you do to get in early?

Here is the plan - when the release date is announced call your local Apple store and book a personal shopper early in the morning after the opening of the store. This means you have an appointment, you can skip the queue and get your iPad!

Hope this helps!

http://www.newmacgeek.com/

Ryan: Apple still holding it's own in the touch screen Market

The high-tech industry analyzers from Canalys have published a very interesting report about the touchscreen and smartphone markets in 2009. Apparently last year was the first time when more than half of all smartphones sold globally featured touchscreen functionality.

Despite being in the market with only two devices Apple is the leader in touschreen smartphones with just over 25 million devices sold and 33.1 percent market share. It did however face tougher competition than ever as Nokia sales rose an astounding 40 times to exceed 22 million units.

Samsung also had a pretty great year and more than doubled their touchscreen smartphone sales, but still lag behind HTC.

See me on YouTube - http://www.youtube.com/user/newmacgeek

www.newmacgeek.com

Ryan: Adobe admit Mac faults and promise to repair

Adobe Systems, evidently stung by recent criticisms of its widely used Flash Player browser plug-in, has promised better performance on Mac systems.

Adobe have admitted that due to coding errors on flash that it uses almost double the CPU usage on a mac than it does on a PC and have vowed to solve the problem by giving mac more focus and not passing it by.

Apples CEO Steve Jobs has been known to criticize Adobes "Laziness" when it comes to support for OSX and refused to allow use of flash on its iPhone product range, but is this news the sign of things to change. All fingers are crossed that this new found relationship between Apple and Adobe will bring flash to the iPad in time for release.

www.newmacgeek.com

Ryan: Vodafone Uk suffers an internal twitter breach

Vodafone UK were in full "social cleanup" mode on February the 5th after an employee at there customer service center in Stoke posted a homophobic comment on twitter! (please see picture)

In an attempt to limit the public-relations damage, Vodafone replied individually to everyone who inquired about the tweet with this message: "We weren't hacked. A severe breach of rules by staff in our building, dealing with that internally. We're very sorry." The company also announced that the employee had been suspended "until further notice."

Vodafone's eminently sensible response seems to be working. A poster called denny, for example, sent this tweet Friday: "Just spotted all the excitement about your account today...hope it doesn't cause any serious changes, you do a great job."

Our only question here at newmacgeek.com is why has the culprit only been suspended not fire as this a clearly one of the worst examples of poor customer relations that will damage the reputation on vodafone in the short term.

Ryan: The Windows mobile 7 rumour

Top stories regarding Microsoft's new launch into mobile devices-

The UI goes by the codename Metro and is heavily influenced by that of the Zune HD. The interface has been described as “clean”, “soulful” and “alive”, and offers a fully re-imagined Start page. Third party UIs like HTC’s Sense will no longer be supported. Windows Phone 7 will ditch Windows Mobile Device Center in favour of Zune’s syncing software, and will offer integration with social media networks, Zune devices and Xboxes, including friends, gamer tags, achievements, etc.

Apps will only be able to be installed via the Marketplace, which supports an API as well as a try before you buy system. Flash will not be supported initially. Windows Phone 7 also won’t offer multitasking, though apps will be able to receive push notifications while paused in the background.

Ryan: Apple iPad maybe shipped with a camera after all

Trick of light, just some glare or the hidden camera? I screen shot this picture at 9 minutes and 23 seconds into Apples podcast of the iPads keynote. Could this mean the iPad will be fitted with a camera in time for launch or maybe there will be one available as an option?