Microsoft to Announce Cell Phones on April 12
Microsoft yesterday announced a mysterious event for April 12. Though the reason for the event has yet to be announced, sources say its all about Project Pink and that we'll see Microsoft-brand phones next week.
On Monday, invitations were sent out for an event set to take place next Monday. With the tag line, "IT'S TIME TO SHARE," written in bold across the front of the invite, Microsoft wasn't revealing much other than a time and location. However, Reuters cites "sources familiar with the matter" who say this event will be all about a Project Pink launch.
Project Pink is the code name for the heavily rumored but never quite confirmed Microsoft-brand smartphone. When Microsoft was gearing up to announce the Zune HD last year, a lot of people were talking about a Microsoft phone and the Project Pink name was being bandied about quite freely. There was a lot of confusion surrounding Project Pink at the time. Was it a Zune Phone? Was the Zune HD also a phone? Was it a separate project altogether? When the Zune HD launched and it didn't have cell phone capabilities, the answer seemed clear: Project Pink was a separate endeavor and eventually, we'd be seeing a Microsoft phone.
As the months wore on, rumors gave way to leaks and two devices were named as the fruit of Microsoft's Pink labor. Dubbed the Turtle and the Pure, the two were said to be launching on Verizon. Not much else is known about the devices other than that they'll be aimed at the social media and social networking savvy crowds.
However, there is something puzzling about these two phones. If reports are to be believed, the specs for both are well below Microsoft's minimum requirements for Windows Phone 7. Does this mean Microsoft is going to release its first own-brand smartphones and not have them run the latest iteration of the company's mobile operating system? Windows Mobile 6.5 on these two sounds like a recipe for disaster, simply because the hype surrounding Windows Phone 7 would make them seem obsolete before they're even available. Then again, there is the possibility that Microsoft has something completely new up its sleeve.
Given what we know, we're betting this is Microsoft's attempt to expand on its acquisition of Danger, the company that makes the Sidekick, a device for the messaging maniac. Considering the Turtle, the Pure and the Sidekick are all made by Sharp, it doesn't seem like a big leap. It also seems like the only plausible explanation if Microsoft is going to release a brand spanking new phone that doesn't run Windows Phone 7.
Either way, we're excited to see what Microsoft has to offer. Stay tuned for more!!
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Microsoft entering the cellphone market? Now this is going to be interesting.
But looking at the extremely competitive environment of the cell-phone market especially now with I-phones, Androids, Nexus etc. etc they better come up with something revolutionary and innovative if they want to keep up.
Last time I checked, Android is running strong and will out pace all of them, watch out Apple. I would never own a MS OS phone.
Why would this phone not run windows 7? The specs may not permit this but Microsott can do whatever they want!
Recipe for FAIL:
1.) Acquire company that makes a sup-par phone with a useless, tiny screen, which only gets attention because you've given away a few hundred to celebrities while paying to host their parties.
2.) Scrape the bottom of the barrel for hardware.
3.) Install much-maligned last-generation operating system after spending millions to build-up your latest OS as the greatest.
4.) Do NOT profit.
That top phone is really ugly. Why would they release it with Windows 6.5? I'm interested to see what Windows Phone 7 can do, but if you are going to put 6.5 on there you may as well just put Android on there.
These phones are horribly ugly. I can’t imagine anyone wanting the turtle and the pure is not that great either. Since both of them have a keyboard this must be an indication that they can’t get touch technology working correctly for release.
Just when you thought your cell phone was stable...
@el33t: Thank you for adding that MS' entry into the phone market will be "interesting" Who would have thought of that?
@Abrahm: Thank you for restating the question about W6.5 vs 7, posed in the article. Who could have remembered that since they read it way back, 30 seconds ago, before your comment?
they should design better phones... These things just look outdated and thick and ugly...
Apple started the revolution, others follow...
Now it created a war...
As a consumer, I hope it would be a price war.
@el33t: Thank you for adding that MS' entry into the phone market will be "interesting" Who would have thought of that?@Abrahm: Thank you for restating the question about W6.5 vs 7, posed in the article. Who could have remembered that since they read it way back, 30 seconds ago, before your comment?
someone's a lil ansy today, very dry humor I add.
But anywho, since the spec'd hardware were all sources of "leaked information" perhaps microsoft is building something different into them so they can support Windows Mobile 7 and they'll play on the surprise. Keep an eye out for ads.
@superblahman123: Thank for the nod. You're right. Your comment is right on. The article has little to say because there is little known. On one hand, MS is not stupid so they should be good products, on the other hand, MS is notorious for bad hardware products (except maybe basic mice)
The Pure looks like any QWERTY slider, and the Turtle looks incredibly like a Palm Pre...I'm not impressed although I'm looking to see what Win7 Phone is like.
nobody even knows for sure if this turtle and pure is what its goning to be about on monday..
Seems to be a lot of hate about this but I think it's great. The more competition the better for us. That being said (thanks Larry David), that top phone in particular is hideous. Hopefully they'll have something else new and fancy to wow us with in a week.
Is that possible to be a gaming phone ? xbox Phone ? x720p ? xb360P ?
interesting~
you can get a blue screen of death and red ring all at the same time now. Microsoft is not good at hardware.
Why would Microsoft release a phone without their own software on it? Microsoft is a software company, that just doesn't compute. That would be like Apple (which claims to be a hardware company) releasing OSX but letting you put it on any hardware you wanted. Ha!, that would be the day!
I'm interested to see what Windows Phone 7 can do, but if you are going to put 6.5 on there you may as well just put Android on there.
I suspect someone will put Android on there soon after the phone is released just to prove they could. It would be interesting to compare performance between the two on the same hardware.
First there was the "Blue Screen of Death". Then there was the "Red Ring of Death". I wonder what the name will be for this little toy's death screen? I keep hoping Microsoft will make a product that doesn't suck. Maybe some day!!