Although Microsoft has acquired Skype, this popular voip application is not the first to be ported over to it’s own Windows Phone 7 platform. Instead, Tango, a new kid on the block is now available on WP7.

You can now make free video calls to your friends on WP7, iPhone, iPad, Android. You can download it at the link below or at the marketplace on your mobile handset.

http://www.tango.me/get-tango/

I came across this video a while ago and thought that it is pretty creative. The short youtube video shows the creativeness and the long anticipated Windows Phone 7 update – Mango which is scheduled to be somewhere in mid Sept to end Sept.

Below is the video :

Application launching performance comparing Mango beta vs NoDo on WP7

In our test, we put the two WP7 phone side by side. The LG Optimus 7 is loaded with Mango beta while the HTC Trophy 7 is with NoDo.

We launch the game from XBOX Live and time how long before the music starts. The mango beta loaded phone took 14 secs, 2 secs faster than the HTC Trophy 7 with NoDo.

We quit the application from both phones and tested it again. This time round, we found something unusual, the HTC Trophy 7 loads up faster than the LG Optimus 7.

Does that mean that Mango only speeds up loading for the first launch and is slower in subsequent launches?

On the other hand, phone boot up time for LG Optimus 7 with the Mango beta is way ahead of the HTC trophy 7 with NoDo by at least 4 – 5 secs. Check out the video below.

http://en.ocworkbench.com/feature/lg-optimus-7-with-mango-beta-updated-differences-from-nodo/

http://en.ocworkbench.com/mobile-news/application-launching-performance-comparing-mango-beta-vs-nodo-on-wp7/

http://en.ocworkbench.com/mobile-news/how-to-install-windows-phone-7-mango-beta-update-on-any-wp7-phone/

In our last news update, we posted the instructions for readers to test out the update on their WP7. We spent the early hours (2 hrs) going through the 2 step process which took us 2 hours to get Mango beta onto the LG Optimus 7.

In the following video, we present you the interface of the Mango beta which should be almost final unless last minutes cosmetic changes. We also a few other things. The mango beta allows Chinese text input using pinyin and handwriting method. In addition, the back arrow key seems to be able to go back to the previous application which we “swap” out – well some sort of task swapping handling.

We tested it with Angry Birds but it didn’t keep the gaming state. Looks like applications might have to be modified to take advantage of this upcoming feature in Mango.

Thirdly, the XBOX Live interface is beautified but functions remains the same as on Nodo. Powering off also involve sliding down the screen before you can power down the phone. Boot up time is shorter and application also launch slightly faster than before.

Do comment and let us know what is your experience with the Mango.

http://en.ocworkbench.com/feature/lg-optimus-7-with-mango-beta-updated-differences-from-nodo/

http://en.ocworkbench.com/mobile-news/application-launching-performance-comparing-mango-beta-vs-nodo-on-wp7/

http://en.ocworkbench.com/mobile-news/how-to-install-windows-phone-7-mango-beta-update-on-any-wp7-phone/

Which mobile phones and tablets to see at CommunicAsia 2011 ?

CommunicAsia 2011 will be held in Singapore from 21 to 24 June in Singapore. This year, we will see less mobile phone manufacturers participating in this event.

Samsung is out as it has it’s own trade show held annually. LG also pulled out since 2010.

Sony Ericsson will not be participating at the CommunicAsia as usual. Instead it will have it’s own media event on the 2nd day of CommunicAsia. They have invited regional media and there are already rumours that they will be launching a dual core Android powerhouse. So, far details are sketchy but we will soon know in the coming days.

Nokia which held Nokia Connections event yearly is back in a big way at the event though. Will Nokia be announcing showcasing their phones based on Windows Phone 7.

As usual the two biggest Chinese players, Huawei and ZTE should be there and they might be showing more tablets based on Android as that is in the in thing right now.

Stay tuned at OCWORKBENCH in the coming days for more.

Microsoft has started pushing out it the firmware update to wp7 devices. Other than cut and paste feature, you’ll also see your apps and games load faster, your marketplace searches refined and your WiFi performance improved. There’s also a host of Outlook, messaging, Facebook, audio and camera improvements.

Users in North America are already getting the updates pushed to their devices. You might have to wait a while if you reside in the Asia Pacific region.

 After upgrade, the firmware version will be 7.0.7390.0.

The Microsoft Windows Marketplace for Mobile (a.k.a the
Windows Phone 7 Marketplace) has unofficially surpassed 5000 apps,
according to latest stats. That’s over 1000 apps added during the
past 13 days! The marketplace constitutes 72% paid apps and just
28% free apps, 23% of them all being Games, 15% Tools and Utilities
and 10% Entertainment apps. The average price of a paid app is
$1.51. Here’s just a preview of how the Windows Marketplace for
Mobile has grown: October 4, 2010 Early App Submissions
(Invite-only) October 25, 2010 1000 Apps November 4, 2010 Open to
Submissions November 8, 2010 2000 Apps December 1, 2010 3000 Apps
December 15, 2010 4000 Apps December 28, 2010 5000 Apps

Microsoft is reportedly readying a second Windows Phone 7 update to unveil at Mobile World Congress in February 2011, bringing with it improved multitasking support along with in-app downloads and broader customization options for end users. According to beta-testing developers talking to WinRumours, CEO Steve Ballmer will use his MWC 2011 keynote to launch the new developer APIs, themselves coming on the heels of a Jan update to deliver copy and paste functionality. 

That early update has already begun seeding with developers, with a general release supposedly scheduled to go out during CES 2011 early next month. Meanwhile some developers are also testing parts of the second update, with one reporting that it “includes some great new features for developers,” and that “Windows Phone 7 apps in 2011 will certainly become more interesting.” 

Also tipped for imminent release are a Silverlight update to Windows Phone 7, again believed to be coming at MWC 2011, and – further down the line – a significant update to the platform’s browser. That, though, is likely to see tweaks earlier in the year, but the bulk of the changes are expected to be saved until Windows Phone 8. 

Mikael Hed,founder of Rovio mobile, has once again confirmed that Angry Birds is currently being developed for Windows Phone 7 during the Le Web conference today in Paris. The game has been bought more than 12 million times (!) and has been downloaded (free version with ads) more than 30 Million times (!!). Crazy numbers right? That’s why having this game on Windows Phone 7 can only be a good thing for PR and marketing. Here’s the short transcript about the WP7 version: