Mix 11 Keynote Windows Phone Fun

Scott Guthrie describing all the new goodies for Visual Studio and Windows Phone Mango.

Went to the Mix 11 keynote today. The new Windows Phone version, codenamed Mango and due for release later this year, looks very good. It seems as if they’ve worked through the wish list from the previous release and just about added everything.

Mango gives task switching, background processing (in a very well managed way), sockets, an on-board database, application powered Live Tile support and some lovely enhancements to the user interface. Furthermore, the emulator enhancements in Visual Studio will make it really easy to simulate the accelerometer and GPS system. And we will also be getting some impressive performance monitoring tools.

Applications will also now be able to use both Silverlight and XNA components in the same program, which will make creating game menus much easier. There was so much stuff I’ve probably forgotten something..

The tools will be available next month, the phones start being upgraded around autumn. This is great news for Windows Phone lovers like me, and anyone who fancies following the easiest path to mobile development that there is.

After the keynote I went for a wander.

This is a Kinect controlled LazyBoy recliner. Just move your hands in front of the sensor to move around and even recline the seat. Amazing.

Over at the Curious Cloud stand they are now getting readings from teams who have devices that are uploading sensor data to the cloud.

Comments

[Louis]

Announcements made of win. and also THE GU!

[Ash]

Great to hear this. Do you know if these enhancements will be able to be installed on existing devices, or would it be specific to new Windows Phone devices ("Mango"?)

[Andy G]

Hello,

i want to say thank you for a great job you've done on your blog.
I have a software download website and I also write articles for people to help them with their computers and software. Is it possible to place this article on your blog as a guest post?

Regards,
Andy G.

[Jules]

I was actually hoping that they would be surprise annoucment of a summer WP7 Release "Tango" to keep us happy until the long wait for Mango. If it were Steve Jobs was up on stage (Hope he is well enough to make an appearance at the IPhone5 Launch) then all his annoucements would be delivered in product within a month later.

Lots of interesting API and detailed stuff for us developers, but not so much on better Office Apps integration for the end Business Users, access to a local filestore, local PC file copies, folders or any User/ Developer definable Hubs. So Mango is not offering much to the Corporate sector.

And not such real great upades on the Pepole Hub and any furher Social Integration, when they have made a reasonably interesting start.

So its seemed good for developers, but not very inspring to Social and Corporate Users, when they do in fact have a very good platform for both these sectors to build upon. No point having great developers respurces and APIs if we cannot convince any one to buy the Phones :(

But we will at least get custom RingTones !

[Rob]

Ash: All existing devices will get these upgrades.

AndyG: of course you can put it up as a guest post.

Jules: I think they are working their way down a list. The stuff you mention is important, and will probably be next.