Windows

Live: Microsoft's launch of Windows Phone 8

posted by Ray S. / Oct 29, 2012, 11:12 AM

Live: Microsoft's launch of Windows Phone 8

And just like that, it's time for Microsoft to officially announce the start of the Windows Phone 8 era. At today's event in San Francisco, we're going to be introduced to WP8 once more, but this time we expect Redmond's team to reveal some additional details regarding its new mobile operating system, and who knows, we might even get to see (and play with) some previously unknown handsets!

Join us as we are following Microsoft's event and bringing you the latest news as they come out. We'll keep you posted with up-to-the-minute updates with our liveblog, which you can find below.

Stay tuned, the even starts at: 10AM PDT | 12PM CDT | 1PM EDT | 5PM GMT | 6PM CET

Live event tracker

13:13	This is Ray S., signing off!
13:13	Excuse us now, but we're going to check out the new devices... and will report everything interesting that we come across at once!
13:12	OK, guys, it was a wonderful Microsoft presentation. We had a lot of fun, and hope that you did too!
13:11	... Hinting at how "personal" and unique the experience of Windows Phone 8 can be.
13:10	Ballmer: "I guess you'll never be able to mistake me and Joe, and you'll certainly not be able to mistake me and Jessica."
13:09
13:09	Joe is aback on stage, and Jessica Alba is also on stage!
13:08	"As hundreds of millions of people but Win 8, they'll see how much better the experience will get with Windows Phone 8."
13:08	"Developers are all-in." - With WP8 and Win 8. "If someone hasn't been convinced until now, Microsoft is all-in."
13:07	Now that's promising...
13:07	"Between Windows Phone 8, Surface, and Windows 8, you won't be able to turn on the TV, or open a magazine, without seeing a Microsoft ad.
13:06	T-Mobile will have the Lumia 810 and 8X. Verizon - the 822 and 8X, and AT&T - the Lumia 920, 820 and 8X.
13:04	New phone, exclusive for Verizon - Samsung ATIV Oddissey - probably a version of the ATIV S.
13:04	The phones will go on sale this coming weekend!
13:04
13:03	And now we're getting an overview of the HTC Windows Phone 8X. Once Ballmer finishes with each phone, he's neatly putting it in his coat.
13:02	"We're thrilled that Samsung has built such a flat-out gorgeous phone."
13:02
13:02	Next, he's showing the Ativ S.
13:01	He's showing off some of the newest Windows phones. He starts with the Lumia 920.
13:00	"New killer hardware. I'd argue one of the best hardware, if not the best hardware" in phones.
12:59	"What else sets Windows Phone 8 apart - it's how it works with Pcs." Now that's not surprising.
12:58	"Pin your best friends, sisters, brothers, co-workers. Create a Room and pin it to the Start screen."
12:58	It's a very philosophical speech that Steve has prepared for us.
12:57	"4 years ago we really started on what became WP8."
12:56	"Windows 8 PC really are the best PCs ever!"
12:56
12:55
12:55	Wow, it's Steve Ballmer, and with a rather friendly tone at that.
12:55	Joe has finished with his presentation and has left us. Thanks Joe, you were awesome, as always!
12:54	One more person is going to come on stage now.
12:54	This will let you transfer your iTunes library to your (supposedly new) Windows (Phone) 8 device.
12:53	"We'll have sync companions for Windows 8, Windows 7, and the Mac."
12:52	Music and Playlists will also be synced across devices, thanks to Xbox Music.
12:51	Joe says we shouldn't be worried about online storage spaces with Skydrive, because Skydrive gives you the most starting space of all others
12:49	They are using an HTC phone as the demo device. Poor Nokia...
12:48	Joe is now talking about the tight integration between Windows Phone 8 devices. Thanks to Skydrive, of course!
12:47	You can share calendars, locations and other stuff with the people in your Rooms. Awesome stuff!
12:46
12:46	You can add people with other OS'es to Rooms.
12:45	Rooms is like Facebook's Groups, or something like that. You can put desired contacts in various rooms, like Family, Friends, etc.
12:44
12:43	But we are! New feature: Rooms.
12:43	Noooooooo, she left. :( Nobody in the hall is now following what Joe's talking about.
12:42	"Personal cleaning products, diapers, wipers" and other cool stuff... AND introducing Microsoft's new partner - Jessica Alba!
12:41	"I started a company called the Honest Company."
12:41	She's been mostly concerned about her music library, but Joe has come to the rescue, installed the Mac Connector app and saved the day!
12:40	"Before you got the Windows Phone, you had an iPhone. Did you find the switch difficult?"
12:39
12:38	"I love it right on my screen." Jesus...

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33 Comments

1. Muhannad

Posts: 455; Member since: Sep 20, 2011

Hell yeah! Lets get this started! Btw, is any of the PA staff present at the event?

posted on Oct 29, 2012, 11:14 AM 7

9. crapdroid666

Posts: 24; Member since: Oct 29, 2012

of course :3

posted on Oct 29, 2012, 11:31 AM 5

14. Muhannad

Posts: 455; Member since: Sep 20, 2011

I see that you edited your comment. :P

posted on Oct 29, 2012, 11:43 AM 0

26. crapdroid666

Posts: 24; Member since: Oct 29, 2012

"Windows 8 PC really are the best PCs ever!" hahahah i actually burst out laughing. no offence to anyone

posted on Oct 29, 2012, 12:59 PM 1

30. -box-

Posts: 3991; Member since: Jan 04, 2012

Are they not? The new iphone is the best iphone yet, each new ipad is the best yet, why would computers be different? Almost everything continues to improve, so as long as the qualifier (yet, which should be used in place of "ever", but that's a different conversation) is used, they're not wrong.

posted on Oct 29, 2012, 1:45 PM 1

10. Ray.S

Posts: 452; Member since: Jul 19, 2011

We sure do! How could we miss the action?

posted on Oct 29, 2012, 11:40 AM 6

25. -box-

Posts: 3991; Member since: Jan 04, 2012

Why so few Nokias for demos? Silly Microsoft, all that money you spent for them but showing mostly the HTCs... I know they'll be more widely available, but show off the flagship, not the lesser models! *EDIT* Oh yay, Steve is giving them love.

posted on Oct 29, 2012, 12:57 PM 1

2. No_Nonsense unregistered

Maybe they should give something incredible otherwise hiding WP8 would prove to be the worst move ever.

posted on Oct 29, 2012, 11:14 AM 1

21. RaKithAPeiRiZ

Posts: 1488; Member since: Dec 29, 2011

Especially when Google announced the devices without any event

posted on Oct 29, 2012, 12:13 PM 0

3. asseek

Posts: 164; Member since: Sep 12, 2012

finally it's WP time lol

posted on Oct 29, 2012, 11:17 AM 1

22. asseek

Posts: 164; Member since: Sep 12, 2012

to see the event live go to http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_YDrmqPo-dw

posted on Oct 29, 2012, 12:24 PM 0

4. -box-

Posts: 3991; Member since: Jan 04, 2012

I hope ray s is more excited about this than he was for the apple and Windows 8 events

posted on Oct 29, 2012, 11:21 AM 1

5. rembo65

Posts: 58; Member since: Oct 21, 2011

I want something "beefier" than 920, Nokia. Please and thank you.

posted on Oct 29, 2012, 11:22 AM 0

6. -box-

Posts: 3991; Member since: Jan 04, 2012

Like, what, a Note-sized Lumia 1000?

posted on Oct 29, 2012, 11:24 AM 0

7. rembo65

Posts: 58; Member since: Oct 21, 2011

nope. no need to go bigger. but a quad-core, with 2Gb of RAM would make me feel excited.

posted on Oct 29, 2012, 11:26 AM 0

11. Ray.S

Posts: 452; Member since: Jul 19, 2011

Why do you need a quad-core when everything runs just fine on dual-core (on WIndows Phone)?

posted on Oct 29, 2012, 11:41 AM 9

16. rembo65

Posts: 58; Member since: Oct 21, 2011

I just would like to feel comfortable thinking that when some badass games are available for WP8, my phone will not choke

posted on Oct 29, 2012, 11:49 AM 0

23. PhoneArenaUser

Posts: 5498; Member since: Aug 05, 2011

Because performance is required not only for OS but for apps and games too. Also performance reserves gives bigger chance to get OS updates in the future.

posted on Oct 29, 2012, 12:24 PM 0

27. -box-

Posts: 3991; Member since: Jan 04, 2012

It also raises the price, and if the apps and such cannot take advantage of such power, what's the point? When the dual-core Pentiums started hitting the market in the early 2000s, they were very quick, but none of the software or OSes could really take advantage of the power until 64-bit versions of XP came out later out. When Android started offering dual (and quad) core, yes, the phones ran smoother, but not necessarily more efficient, and few apps can use them. So in a year or two when apps are finally able to take advantage of the power the phones then will be up-to-date for that.

posted on Oct 29, 2012, 1:00 PM 1

28. PhoneArenaUser

Posts: 5498; Member since: Aug 05, 2011

Even if you are buying device for next 2 or maybe even 3 years? Also do you realise that if there will be not much Quan-Core devices then no one would even try to propagate development of software wich would support Quan-Core?

posted on Oct 29, 2012, 1:20 PM 0

31. -box-

Posts: 3991; Member since: Jan 04, 2012

Why go quad if dual is more than satisfactory? Core count isn't everything; there's still some dual-core Pentiums which can keep up with Core i5s and i7s due to optimization and using the correct hardware. There are also efficiencies to keep in mind; these are being used in phones, which need to last all day, make phone calls, and do web browsing and such, so unless the quad is as power-efficient as a dual (and some are, even moreso when on a smaller process) then there is little point to making such a device be so portable, otherwise the customer will have to install an insanely large battery on it, and at that point, as weight and power go up, and based on what the user is wishing to do with it, a tablet or computer becomes more sensible. I'd rather play a game on a 7" tablet than on a 4" phone, given equal capabilities, especially as the tablet would have more capacity for the needed larger battery.

posted on Oct 29, 2012, 1:50 PM 0

32. PhoneArenaUser

Posts: 5498; Member since: Aug 05, 2011

"Why go quad if dual is more than satisfactory?" I have already answered to that question. "There are also efficiencies..." It is not an rule that bigger core count should eat more energy, it depends on technology!

posted on Oct 29, 2012, 1:59 PM 0

8. darkvadervip

Posts: 366; Member since: Dec 08, 2010

I'm ready to get this money out my hands and spend!

posted on Oct 29, 2012, 11:27 AM 2

12. mas11

Posts: 1034; Member since: Mar 30, 2012

WP8 looks very attractive and idk if microsoft has already done this but it wold be really cool if you could remotely control your 360 and Windows 8 pc.

posted on Oct 29, 2012, 11:42 AM 0

29. -box-

Posts: 3991; Member since: Jan 04, 2012

I have a WP7 Lumia 900 and I can control my PC from it. I don't own an XBox but I believe there is some media sharing capabilities between them. I believe MIcrosoft Glass (I think that's what it's called) will offer the sort of functionality you're looking for.