With all the buzz lately around the upcoming Windows Phone 7 Series it’s easy to lose site of some of the amazing things that can already be accomplished today with Windows Phones as a part of the powerfully integrated Microsoft stack. Last week I had the pleasure of spending a day with some amazing folks who are doing some incredible things with Windows Phone, Microsoft Azure, Silverlight, Bing Maps, SharePoint, Photosynth and more all brought to life by the geocast goodness of Microsoft partner IncaX. Office of Naval Research (ONR), has been utilizing these technologies to help the US Navy as well as local law enforcement on the North Carolina coastline to evaluate the capabilities of their emergency response units. Conceived by Dano Debroux, Director, Disruptive Business Technologies (ONR), and supported by IncaX, HP, and Microsoft, the geocast efforts by the Office of Naval Research are a great demonstration of how the Microsoft technology can be used in a variety of extreme situations, including military, law enforcement, disaster relief, and more.

In today’s video we head out on another Productivity Adventure and see the work that has been done by the ONR first hand. To see its initial use we will observe a sea based emergency response scenario. We also hear how the use of these technologies has been received in the field and they are impacting training exercise evaluations. Finally, we actually get to head out in to the field with some great folks form the US Navy where we stimulant an insurgent bomb placement to test sensor equipment and special response team effectiveness. In the final scenario we actually carry HP Glisten Windows Phones to capture and transmit the entire mission. Although the video is somewhat unpolished, I think you will still find the use of geocasting in the scenarios pretty compelling.

The scenarios portrayed are really enabled through the power of IncaX LiveMedia GPS, a solution built entirely on the Microsoft stack. Though running today on existing Windows Phones, IncaX is already poised to deliver new enhanced capability for the next generation Windows Phone 7 Series.

To learn more about the technologies presented and to begin leveraging the power of geocasting and geolocation services use the links below:

• Get started geocasting using IncaX LiveMedia GPS here
• Lean more about the Windows Phone platform here
• Learn about Microsoft Azure cloud services here
• Learn about Microsoft Silverlight technology and it’s capability here
• Learn about the powerful mapping platform for development provided by Bing maps here
• Learn more about Microsoft Office SharePoint Server and its dashboard capabilities here
• Learn more about the power of Microsoft Photosynth technology here

Michael Gannotti is a Technology Specialist for the Microsoft Corporation and the author of the blog SocialMedia Talk. You can also find him on Facebook and Twitter

Yesterday was electrifying for Windows Phones! At Mobile World Congress in Barcelona, Steve Ballmer and the Windows Phone team revealed Windows Phone 7 Series; finally the cat is out of the bag as we have been bursting with excitement to talk about this announcement for months. If you saw the press conference, or any of the subsequent news coverage, you’re probably aware of the fresh new approach we are taking to the phone. Not only is there cool new design throughout, but the experiences, like Zune for music and Xbox Live for games, will bring together the experiences people really care about from web, music, gaming, and applications. Being an avid Xbox and Zune user myself, I could not be more excited for us to incorporate these and other experiences on the mobile phone. It seems strange to be so excited for the holidays when it’s only February, yet here I am.

Looking back on the last few months, I must say that it has been a gratifying time to work on this team. Last October we released the first mobile operating system to be called “Windows Phone” and opened the doors on a new app Marketplace. Also at that time, we committed ourselves to delivering a regular drumbeat of noticeable improvements. Since then, we’ve teamed up with our partners and delivered some great new phones like the award-winning Samsung Omnia II and HTC TouchPro 2, facilitated a growing number of fun and useful apps, and released several important improvements to the Windows Phone software. The new phone that I personally use is the HTC HD2. For those in the United States who have been waiting for it, today HTC and T-Mobile have announced that the HD2 will arrive on US store shelves in a month! In recent weeks, several of our partners have announced new Windows Phones and it certainly seems like there’s something for everyone.

• The “green” Sony Ericsson Aspen
• The Garmin Asus M10
• The HP Glisten
• HTC HD Mini

In addition to offering some great new phones we are also delivering to our device maker partners a new SKU, the Windows Phone 6 Starter Edition. This new SKU allows our partners can keep up with the growing demand for smartphones in emerging markets and offer people a lower cost alternative for work and play. Check out Bsquare’s announcement here.

The excitement continues as we look at the Windows Phone Marketplace. We have worked hard to build a store that is not just focused on pushing apps, apps, apps (quantity) but is also focused on quality; both in the apps themselves and the experience you will have when you shop. I have a personal appreciation for the store’s refund policy (I am a fickle buyer). Since the day we opened our doors last October, only four months ago, we’ve grown to offer over 1245 apps for people to choose from. Some recent additions include Prince of Persia (yeah, I’ve played it. What?), Tony Hawk’s “Vert”, and my favorite free app, Personal Assistant. I’m a busy person, and the Personal Assistant app gives me the ability to see banking transactions, travel information, and more right from my phone.

For our developer fans, I encourage you to check out Todd Brix’s blog. He has announced several updates that will help the developer community create fresh experiences and bring them to customers. Additionally, Todd has announced the winners of our Race to Market Challenge; the contest to see whose app could generate the most downloads and revenue. The grand prize was a Microsoft Surface Table. Just imagine having one of those in your house… great cocktail conversation. Click here to check out who won. With all that’s being announced today, this is a great time to develop for Windows Phones!

Lastly, for folks that are kept up at night worrying about security, the Windows Phone 6.5 operating system has officially obtained Common Criteria Evaluation Assurance Level 4+ (EAL4+). this certification provides government and enterprise customers with definitive information about the security features in Windows Mobile 6.5, and assurance that mobile workers can securely access sensitive data on information networks.

2010 is going to be an exciting year with new phones and plenty of new experiences. Mobility is in the air! Buenos Dias!

Today at Mobile World Congress we are not simply announcing the existence of Windows Phone 7 Series – we are proud to show you our design results after more than a year of talking to real people, testing out various designs and thinking deeply about how to bring together the web, your data, and applications. For the first time ever, we are bringing together Xbox LIVE games and the Zune music and video experience to phones.  We won’t make you wait any longer. Go ahead and check out this video of our new Windows Phone running on real hardware.

Just about a year ago we took a hard look at the state of the smartphone industry – particularly at design. Our view is that the predominant user interface design – screens of icons to manage and navigate – has become a little outdated. It’s a UI paradigm that was created for the PC, where it’s EASY to have lots of separate apps which you navigate between, spend time with, and operate with a large screen and mouse. We said to ourselves “a phone is not a PC… it’s got a small screen, no mouse, and you want to use it not just for long periods but in short bursts—it should work great in the tiniest of moments.” We wanted to solve for “glanceability” – so you could get data and information without constantly going in and out of applications. We knew that we would need to innovate further to deliver something in which each of us, and each of our customers can take delight. So here it is.

The design you see here, in our mind, is the next logical step in the evolution of applications and it creates a more integrated experience that blends applications with each other and with the operating system. This allows applications and the operating system to share information with the user in a natural and seamless fashion. This intelligent integration blends content, applications, and services together to create a more natural experience for the user.

Our fresh approach to phone software is distinguished by smart design and truly integrated experiences that surface the content you care about. The Windows Phone 7 Series design represents a whole set of elements that fit together, from layout, to motion, to fonts, and even hardware integration. It’s a system that’s integrated into every aspect of the phone. It allows for easy reading, simple navigation, and natural gestures. These integrated experiences are called hubs. The following hubs bring together the value of applications, the Web, and the activities of people you care about in a single, simple UI that’s fast and easy to access on a small phone screen.

People. This hub delivers an engaging social experience by bringing together relevant content based on the person, including his or her live feeds from social networks and photos. It also provides a central place from which to post updates to Facebook and Windows Live in one step.

Pictures. This hub makes it easy to share pictures and video to a social network in one step. Windows Phone 7 Series also brings together a user’s photos by integrating with the Web and PC, making the phone the ideal place to view a person’s entire picture and video collection.

Games. This hub delivers the first and only official Xbox LIVE experience on a phone, including Xbox LIVE games, Spotlight feed and the ability to see a gamer’s avatar, Achievements and gamer profile. With more than 23 million active members around the world, Xbox LIVE unlocks a world of friends, games and entertainment on Xbox 360, and now also on Windows Phone 7 Series.

Music + Video. This hub creates an incredible media experience that brings the best of Zune, including content from a user’s PC, online music services and even a built-in FM radio into one simple place that is all about music and video. Users can turn their media experience into a social one with Zune Social on your PC and share their media recommendations with like-minded music lovers. The playback experience is rich and easy to navigate, and immerses the listener in the content.

Marketplace. This hub allows the user to easily discover and load the phone with certified applications and games.

Office. This hub brings the familiar experience of the world’s leading productivity software to the Windows phone. With access to Office, OneNote and SharePoint Workspace all in one place, users can easily read, edit and share documents. With the additional power of Outlook Mobile, users stay productive and up to date while on the go.

To find out even more and stay in the know, be sure to register at http://www.windowsphone7series.com. Partners have already started building Windows Phone 7 Series phones, and you will be able to purchase one in stores by holiday 2010. Oh yes, and there will be apps! We’ve written up a note about the developer opportunity in this companion article. 

You can read the full Windows Phone 7 Series press release here.

Here is a brief chat with Microsoft’s Joe Belfiore and designers about how they think about design overall and how TED inspires them to utilize the ideas they take away from the conference to influence the design of products at Microsoft. The featured Windows Phone product members include Joe Belfiore, Albert Shum, Jae Park, Don Coyner, and Teresa Goertz.

Recently I published my Top 10 Apps for the Windows Phone platform. While they are my overall favorites my application usage changes depending on the scenario. As an example, while on a trip requiring air travel Bing is very important for its navigation capabilities. In the travel instance where I am using my own car that usage disappears as I utilize the dedicated GPS in my car.

This past weekend I traveled to Ohio to take my son back to college following his Christmas break. During that time I utilized 4 particular applications quite heavily.

1. Live Media GPS by IncaX (for creating Geocasts)
2. Glympse (for geo-position alerting to my Facebook and Twitter accounts)
3. Twikini (for Twitter updates and communication)
4. Facebook Application (strictly for uploading pictures and videos)

Now some of you might ask me how the Facebook application made this list while not making my top 10. Right now I only use it for mobile picture and video uploading tasks. I still use my HTC Ozone browser for all other Facebook interactions. I love the interface for the Facebook application and its rich functionality. Unfortunately it does not run well on my Ozone, being very slow to respond. So while it got a lot of use for mobile picture/video uploading in this scenario it still hasn't gotten my personal stamp of approval.

In the following geocast, created using IncaX Live Media GPS, I discuss why these 4 applications are my personal 4 favorites for trips. After watching that check out the Geocast and Photosynth I did while on my son’s college campus (Geocast And Photosynth: The Portiuncula in Winter), or watch any of the additional ones via the links below.
*click around the various control interfaces in the Geocast mashup

• The the full size mashup from above here
• View my posting Geocast And Photosynth: The Portiuncula in Winter

Other Geocasts form the trip:

• SharePoint Remote Storage and Azure Cloud services
• Mary and I road tripping back from Ohio

To see the interactions I had on Facebook and Twitter:

• Michael Gannotti on Facebook
• Michael Gannotti on Twitter

Michael Gannotti is a Technology Specialist for the Microsoft Corporation and the author of the blog SocialMedia Talk. You can also find him on Facebook and Twitter

With the close of 2009 I posted a listing of my personal Top 10 Windows Phone applications. To close out the apps mini series I thought I would set the context for what determined the choices (probably should have done this up front), respond to several observations of the exclusion of some applications, and talk about my hopes for the upcoming 2010 Windows Phone wise.

On My 2009 Top 10 List:

I love using my Windows Phone. In daily use I am pretty evenly balanced in my use of it as a work device as well as for a mobile social media device. On the work front I require a device that is managed by our central IT organization in order to protect the sensitive data that may reside on it from time to time. I also need the device to be backed up and have its Enterprise usage be reflective of the Enterprise needs and usage patterns of my clients. I would love to focus my use and attention on cool, cutting edge only features but my professional role necessitates a device and applications that meet my daily professional work needs. Application such as Communicator which ties in to my works Unified Communications platform, MyPhone which backs up my data to the cloud, Microsoft Tag which I use on my business cards as well as in conjunction with live events I present at are all examples of applications that fit nicely with my work requirements.

On the social media front I look for application that can help keep me connected to Twitter, Facebook, MySpace, and others, as well as capture rich mobile data. The applications have to work well for me on the device that I have which is an HTC Ozone running Windows Phone 6.1. With the device not running the newer 6.5 and not possessing touch screen capabilities the access to applications that may fit the bill for me from the Windows Marketplace is somewhat limited. However, even on Windows Phone 6.1 with no touch screen there are some incredible applications that assist me in my day to day mobile social media efforts. Applications like LiveMedia GPS for geocasting, Glympse for geolocation notification, MySpace that has helped me begin to utilize again what had been a dormant MySpace account, and more.

When I finished posting my final application, Bing, two articles were brought to my attention that raised some valid questions about my choices, the Windows Phone application ecosystem. There was also some question as to why I omitted applications like the Facebook one and why I chose applications like Twikini over other competitor products. The two articles were 1 - “What ecosystem? Microsoft apps dominate its guru's WinMo picks“ and 2 - “Microsoft shill - Michael Gannotti - names top ten 10 Windows Mobile apps - an exercise in insincerity.”

In the first article author Todd Bishop points out that fully half of the applications I chose are Microsoft created applications and justly asks whether my choices point to a lack of a 3rd party ecosystem. The second article goes even further suggesting that the large amount of Microsoft applications is an indication of shameless promotion of Microsoft applications. In response I think it is important to note that my application choices are reflective of the applications I actually use on a regular basis on my HTC Ozone running Windows Phone 6.1. The device itself, while a fine reliable one, itself limits the choices available to me. My son runs an older Samsung i760 but because it has a touch screen the number of application available from the Marketplace is much larger than what is available to me. As far as an indication of of an issue with the 3rd party ecosystem I leave that for others to decide. My choices are purely based on me finding applications that meet a need I have and perform reasonably well in addressing my needs. Once I have stumbled across an application and like it I will stick with it until it gives me a reason to look elsewhere. As a Microsoft employee I have had access to some of the early pre-release builds of some of our mobile applications. Those I found I liked, such as MyPhone, I have latched on to and continue to use, especially if the price is right…. free. As far as broad availability of 3rd party applications I do know one has only to look to Handango and other similar sites to find a plentiful assortment of 3rd party developed applications. In my caser though with me using my device as much for work as for pleasure I think it should come as no surprise that half of my picks were developed by my employer Microsoft. I never said I was publishing THE top 10 Apps for Windows Phone. I would require a better up to date, and more capable, device, in order for me to properly evaluate many of the applications out there. Even if I did have such a device I would not have the time for such an exhaustive investigation as my actual job at Microsoft does NOT include evangelism activities or reviews.

There were also a few questions around my omission of applications as well as choosing certain apps over other. In one instance a person was surprised that I did not include the Facebook application for Windows Phone in the list. Developed by Microsoft it has been perhaps the most celebrated of the Microsoft mobile social media applications. Unfortunately for me it does not appear to function well on my particular device and I find myself still relying primarily on the mobile browser view of Facebook. I hope this will change in the future but for now that is the case. I was also asked why I chose Glympse over another geolocation service and why I chose Twikini over a rival application. In the case of Glympse I saw it the first day I installed the Marketplace. I installed it, it has functioned as advertised and I have used it ever since. With Twikini the second article went so far as to insinuate that I somehow know the folks personally at Twikini. I first started using Twikini when it was in beta. I think I may have seen a post on Twitter by someone about it. It has worked well for me, I don't personally know the staff there, and it has been updated regularly. There may very well be better applications out there but I have had no cause to explore further. Again I don’t work for the Windows Phone team, i don't get paid to do reviews, write-ups, or evangelization (I wish I did and if anyone knows how I could get a gig doing that let me know ;-) so if I stumble on an application and it works I stick with it.

On 2010:

With the advent of a new year I am very excited about what is in store on the mobile front. With completion amongst device makers, platform provides, and mobile carriers heating up the consumers will ultimately be the real winners. As a Microsoft employee my professional needs remain the same but I am looking forward to trying new more productive applications. I also look forward to seeing the release of newer more capable Windows Phone devices that allow an Enterprise user such as myself to have the best of both worlds and have a managed device that truly facilitates mobile social media. I am already having visions of things like LiveMedia GPS incorporation of Photosynths in its video/Bing maps mashups. The mobile device marketplace is heating up and I can’t wait to see what my top 10 apps will look like for this next year.

Where do you see the hot spots being for applications or direction for mobile application development? Do you have any favorite applications as we move in to 2010 that you think I should be checking out? I would love to hear from you on it! :-)

Well time for me to wrap this up. Here again is a consolidated listing of my personal Top 10 Windows Phone Application for 2009 with links to the videos covering them. I hope you all had a great New Years and have a great 2010!!

1. Microsoft Bing
2. LiveMedia GPS by IncaX
3. Twikini
4. Microsoft Tag
5. Glympse
6. Microsoft Windows Live
7. MySpace
8. Microsoft MyPhone
9. AP Mobile
10. Microsoft Office Communicator Mobile

Michael Gannotti is a Technology Specialist for the Microsoft Corporation and the author of the blog SocialMedia Talk. You can also find him on Facebook and Twitter

Having saved my proverbial bacon more times than I can remember the Bing application for Windows Phone squeaks ahead in to my number one slot in my Top 10 Mobile Apps countdown. "The Bing app is your central stop for maps, directions, and local searches."

Well that wraps up my top 10 apps for this past year. My son is home from college for winter break and I have had a peak on his first generation HTC Touch and have seen that there are quite a few more applications available for touch screen Windows Phones than are available for my HTC Ozone running Windows 6.1. Do have a touch screen phone running Windows Mobile 6.5? If so what are your favorite applications?

Gotta run now. I am heading on a family vacation trip where I will be using my top 2 applications quite a bit. IncaX Live Media GPS will be used as part of capturing the whole event and we will be using Bing to navigate around the town. :-) Have a great New Years everyone and keep on living the Windows Phone mobile dream!

You can grab a copy of the Microsoft Bing for Windows Phone from the Windows Marketplace for Mobile.

Michael Gannotti is a Technology Specialist for the Microsoft Corporation and the author of the blog SocialMedia Talk. You can also find him on Facebook and Twitter.

Technorati Tags: Microsoft,Windows,WindowsMobile,Mobility,Gannotti,Technology

In the number 2 slot for Michael's Top 10 Mobile Apps countdown is LiveMedia GPS by IncaX. Okay folks, between this application and my number one it was soooooo close. For pure coolness and usefulness in a variety of corporate scenarios to include use in the travel industry, R&D, events, and more LiveMedia GPS is my hands down, number one application. With LiveMedia GPS you can capture all the rich data, video and geolocation information around virtually anything. I personally use it all the time to create geocasts while traveling. Leveraging a stack of Microsoft technologies including, Windows Server, Bing Maps, Silverlight, and more, LiveMedia GPS loads as an application your your Windows Phone to provide for compelling mobile geocast scenarios. As a great example check out the Microsoft case study "U.S. Navy Research Exercise Demonstrates Microsoft®-based Mobile GPS Solution’s Potential"

You can check out some of my own geocasts on my blog on my geocast page here.

• Check out the case study: "U.S. Navy Research Exercise Demonstrates Microsoft®-based Mobile GPS Solution’s Potential"
• Download LiveMedia GPS for you Windows Phone here.

Michael Gannotti is a Technology Specialist for the Microsoft Corporation and the author of the blog SocialMedia Talk. You can also find him on Facebook and Twitter.

In the number 3 slot for Michael's Top 10 Mobile Apps countdown is Twikini. I am an avid user of the Twitter SocialMedia web service. Twitter provides great functionality for ad hoc linkage, messaging, and such. When I am on the go I want a rich application that helps me leverage to power of Twitter and that is exactly what Twikini on my Windows Phone does for me.
From the Twikini site: "Twikini offers a powerful and efficient way to use Twitter on your phone. It conveniently updates your favorite feeds in the background, and leverages the camera, GPS, media, touch screen, keyboard, graphics and storage capabilities of your device."

I use Twikini throughout the day, every day. It is absolutely a staple of my everyday must have Windows Phone experience and for that it comes in at number 3 in my Top 10 Mobile Apps countdown.

You can get Twikini for your Windows Mobile device here.

Michael Gannotti is a Technology Specialist for the Microsoft Corporation and the author of the blog SocialMedia Talk. You can also find him on Facebook and Twitter.

Technorati Tags: Microsoft,Windows,WindowsMobile,Mobility,Gannotti,Technology

In the number 4 slot for Michael's Top 10 Mobile Apps countdown is a very cool application that brings a wealth of possibilities to events, the travel industry, and more. Microsoft Tag is a slick application that “transforms everyday things in the real world into live links to online information and entertainment.

From your mobile phone, simply snap or scan a Tag image anywhere you see it – in editorials, advertisements, product packaging, signs and storefronts – and gain instant access to Websites, videos, reviews, schedules, contact information, social networks, discounts, promotions and more!

All you need to do is download the free Tag reader on your web enabled camera phone and when you see a Tag, snap or scan it to interact with the world around you in new ways.”

With Tag:

• Makes offline media (print ads, billboards, posters, television) and physical objects (product packages, storefronts, T-shirts, museum exhibits) interactive.
• Dream up your scenario; engage with your audience in real time, in the real world; and know how successful you were.
• Remember what you saw, and share it with friends.

You can grab a copy of the Microsoft Tag for Windows Phone from the Windows Marketplace for Mobile.

Michael Gannotti is a Technology Specialist for the Microsoft Corporation and the author of the blog SocialMedia Talk. You can also find him on Facebook and Twitter.

Technorati Tags: Microsoft,Windows,WindowsMobile,Mobility,Gannotti,Technology

In the number 5 slot for Michael's Top 10 Mobile Apps countdown is a nifty application that combines geolocation services with SocialNetwork alerting, Glympse. From the Glympse site: "Glympse™ is a groundbreaking new way to share your location with anyone for a specified period of time using patent-pending GlympseWatch™ timer." You can grab the Glympse application for your Windows Phone device from the Windows Marketplace for mobile.

You can grab a copy of the Windows Live application for Windows Phone from the Windows Marketplace for Mobile.

Michael Gannotti is a Technology Specialist for the Microsoft Corporation and the author of the blog SocialMedia Talk. You can also find him on Facebook and Twitter.

Technorati Tags: Microsoft,Windows,WindowsMobile,Mobility,Gannotti,Technology

In the number 6 slot for Michael's Top 10 Mobile Apps countdown is the Windows Live App. The windows Live application for the Windows Phone brings all your Windows Live goodness together in one easy to use and navigate mobile experience. From one central spot you can search the web using the power of Bing, you can check the instant message status of your friends online, you can check, and send, email from your Live/Hotmail email account, and more. Available as a free download via the Windows Marketplace for the Windows Phone platform it is another one of those applications that I don't leave home without.

You can grab a copy of the Windows Live application for Windows Phone from the Windows Marketplace for Mobile.

Michael Gannotti is a Technology Specialist for the Microsoft Corporation and the author of the blog SocialMedia Talk. You can also find him on Facebook and Twitter.

In the number 8 slot for Michael's Top 10 Mobile Apps countdown is the MySpace App. The MySpace application for the Windows Phones provides a rich, interactive experience with your MySpace account. From it you can update status, check on MySpace friends, upload pictures and even video. If you have a MySpace account and a Windows phone then this is one application you must have.

You can grab a copy of MySpace from the Windows Marketplace for Mobile.

Michael Gannotti is a Technology Specialist for the Microsoft Corporation and the author of the blog SocialMedia Talk. You can also find him on Facebook and Twitter.

In the number 8 slot for Michael's Top 10 Mobile Apps countdown is the Microsoft MyPhone App. The following description comes from the About page of the MyPhone site: "With the My Phone service, information on your Windows phone is backed-up to a password-protected web site hosted by Microsoft. If you lose your phone or upgrade to a new phone, you can restore your information easily."

You can grab a copy of MyPhone from the Windows Marketplace for Mobile.

Michael Gannotti is a Technology Specialist for the Microsoft Corporation and the author of the blog SocialMedia Talk. You can also find him on Facebook and Twitter.

In the number 9 slot for Michael's Top 10 Mobile Apps countdown is the AP Mobile App. The AP Mobile App allows you to keep up to date with the latest news from around the world in one convenient application. The AP Mobile App is available as a download on the Windows Mobile Marketplace.

Michael Gannotti is a Technology Specialist for the Microsoft Corporation and the author of the blog SocialMedia Talk. You can also find him on Facebook and Twitter.