How to Turn off HTC’s Sense on the HD2

This may seem like a pretty straight forward tip to some, while others will find it extremely valuable. For me, I was playing with HTC’s Hero device running Android prior to picking up the HTC HD2. On the Hero, the Sense interface can not be disabled. So the thought never crossed my mind when I started using the HD2. Your home screen style can be yours to decide.

From the Start menu, tap on Settings. HTC does a nice job of simplifying the settings screens with Sense on Windows Phones and we need to change a setting that is not exposed in their interface.  Tap on Menu and then select All Settings from the menu that appears. When the settings menu opens, tap on Today and then at the bottom of the screen tap on the Items tab. By default the HD2 is going to load HTC Sense for the today screen plugin. Just tap on Windows Default at the top of the list and then OK to save the changes. That’s it, that’s all.  Now you can enjoy using Microsoft’s default Today screen for Windows Mobile 6.5.

How to Hard Reset the HTC HD2

The hottest Windows phone device available today is the HD2 from HTC. It’s beautiful large screen, fast processor, and ultra-thin design make it a joy to use. HTC’s Sense user-interface sure helps too. So there’s no question that this is the current smartphone that all the other Windows Phone devices will be judged against.

So you just picked up a device off ebay, or perhaps you’re getting ready to sell yours. Or maybe the unthinkable has happened – a 3rd party application is causing problems and the device will no longer boot. You’ll need to hard reset the device so it’s back to factory settings. Here’s the steps to get that done:

1. Turn the phone off
2. Press and hold both the volume up and volume down buttons
3. Press and release the Power / Hang-up button
4. The device will turn on – release the volume buttons when you see the tri-color screen. It flashes for a second or two
5. The device will then display a prompt asking you to confirm the reset of the device
6. Press the volume up button to continue with the hard reset, or press any other button to cancel.

If the device still boots up, you can perform the same reset using the software on the device. Just tap Start / Settings / Security / Factory Reset and then enter the 4 digit security code – 1234, and the hard reset will begin.

Be sure to charge the device prior to performing the hard reset. As well, it’s worth noting that all of your data will be erased from the device during the reset process. Be sure to backup any valuable files or information before following these steps.

Windows Phone 7 Announced by Microsoft at Mobile World Congress

The mobile world has been buzzing with talk about the future of Microsoft’s Windows Mobile operating system. After stumbling the last couple of years and allowing new comers like Google  and Apple to capture a significant portion of the mobile market, all eye’s were on Microsoft. They really need to pull an ace out or risk being left behind in the fast moving mobile space.

Many are looking to Mobile World Congress as the best time for Microsoft to share their plans with the world. And share they did. A couple of minutes ago, Microsoft announced the long awaited Windows Phone 7. Billed as “Windows Phone 7 Series”, the mobile operating system takes a new fresh approach to the mobile world. With custom “tiles” and “hubs” you can be sure to keep informed of the information that matters most to you.

Phones are expected from all the major hardware manufacturers by this holiday season. Initial rumors had devices hitting the market in April or September. They appear to be a little off the actual date, but not too bad.

The full press release can be found below. Give it a read and share your thoughts with us. My initial reaction is that Microsoft is hitting the mark with this release. There’s still a load of unanswered questions. Hopefully we can get all the details shortly.

UPDATE: Check out the live demo on http://www.windowsphone7series.com/

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Microsoft MVP Global Summit Time

As you’re reading this, I’m traveling to Seattle to attend the this years MVP Summit. The summit is always a good time to get together with the other Mobile Device MVPs as well as the product group and various teams behind Windows Mobile.

This year, the summit falls at the same time as Mobile World Congress (and the 2010 Olympics in Vancouver). If Microsoft decides to share Windows Phone 7 at MWC, then I expect the product teams will have more to share with us. Unfortunately, a lot of what we talk about is under NDA. Rest assured, that whatever I can share, I will share. And I will also take with me a list of issues and questions that I have gathered from your comments posted on Mobile Jaw over the last while.

I’m looking forward to seeing everyone again.

Windows Mobile 7 Leaks and Rumors Running Crazy

With Mobile World Congress just around the corner, the rumors are starting to swirl about the Windows Mobile 7 announcement that is expected from Microsoft. Now that 6.5.3 has been announced, there is almost no question that Mobile World Congress will be when Microsoft takes the wraps off Windows Mobile 7. This long awaited OS is expected to be a game changer for Microsoft. If it doesn’t come out strong, then it could be the end of the road for Microsoft in the mobile space.

Over the weekend, there was a couple “leaks” that came out around the features and functionality from Windows Mobile 7. Before I get too in-depth on these leaks, please make note that none of this has been confirmed. For all we know, it’s just some guy making crap up in his basement. Or, it could be the real deal. Either way, we won’t know for sure until Microsoft makes their announcement next week.

Now, onto the details! According to PPCGeeks, here’s what you can expect:

• The user interface is going to be very similar to the Zune HD interface.
• The Start menu will be completely revamped
• Application installation will only be possible through the market place
• No multi-tasking support. Instead, applications will pause when in the background
• No NetCF backwards compatibility
• Devices will be ready for September
• There will be full integration with Zune – No more ActiveSync or Windows Mobile Device Center. It will all be handled by Zune desktop software
• No more 3rd party user interfaces
• Full Xbox gaming integration and social networking integration

Some of this sounds pretty cool, but other parts suck pretty bad. If all this holds true, it’s very much a “me too” response to Apple’s iPhone platform. And while Apple certainly has done some things well, I don’t think the best approach is to directly copy every aspect of their platform.

I’m looking forward to the big announcement to settle some of these rumors and get a full understanding of everything that Microsoft is working on with regards to Windows Phone.

Custom Theme Generator for Windows Phone

Earlier, we posted about adding custom wallpaper to your Windows phone. In that post, the wallpaper was a custom Windows Start button that was meant as your desktop wallpaper. If you’re looking to further customize your phone so that it’s you from top to bottom, then you will want to check out the Microsoft theme generator.

The theme generator is for Windows Mobile 6.5 devices only.  First thing you need to do, is pick your device from the rotating images. Then you can select the color you want to use, followed by the wallpaper image. You can even upload your own image and zoom/crop the image as you see fit. Once you have it just the way you like it, you can save it as a CAB file to your computer and pass it around for everyone to enjoy. You can also send it directly to your phone using an SMS message. It’s free and it’s cool. It’s worth checking out. Build a theme and share it here with us! I would like to see what everyone is capable of creating with this tool.

Custom Windows Start Button Wallpaper on your Phone

Everyone loves to customize their phones in one way or another. Clinton Fitch has a tip on how to build your own custom Windows Start button wallpaper and then getting that on your phone. The end result looks pretty cool. The wallpaper is customized to your interests and then loaded up on your phone. I just wish they had more mobile choices when making your Start button wallpaper.

Head over to Clinton’s web site and get all the details on how to get this setup.

Sony Ericcson Announces the X2 Smartphone

Yesterday, Sony Ericcson announced the X2 Windows phone. This latest smartphone from Sony Ericcson is a messenger style device with a touch screen.  The form factor is not common among mobile devices. In fact, I think you can count the touch screen devices that have a physical front facing keyboard on one hand.

Regardless, the new device comes in two colors, black or white. According to the press release, it will also be available in a UK and North American version. Other features like a 3.5mm headphone jack, MicroUSB, MicroSD, Bluetooth, and a 3.2 megapixel camera, are pretty standard for a mobile device now. However, it was a little surprising to see that this phone has a QVGA screen (320×240). I understand that there is limited space on a messenger style device, and it would be difficult to put a larger screen onto that device. You could use the same size screen with a higher resolution, or try to widen the device to allow for a slightly larger screen. Either way, QVGA just doesn’t cut it on touch devices any longer.

While I like the looks and styling of the device, I would have been more impressed to see a higher resolution screen. Otherwise, this device could be a real winner. It will be interesting to see how well the public receives this phone. I’ve included the press release below, take a look and let us know your thoughts.

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Mobile Wars: Mobile Market Place

It seems that every mobile operating system has its own Market Place. A short while ago, there was no on-device market place to download and purchase applications. (Yes, I know that some app portals did build a device client, but it was poorly implemented and never received any traction) But are all market places created equal? The answer is a flat out – NO.

Google’s market place is loaded with applications. In much the same way as Apple advertises, there is an app for that with Android.  Perhaps it’s not as full, but I never had a problem finding an app to do what I was looking for. Further, almost all the apps are free. Sure, free doesn’t help put food on the table for the developers family. It does appeal to my cheap side however. You may find an application here and there that charges, but overall that’s rare.

 

When you take a look at Microsoft’s market place for mobile, you’ll have a much harder time finding free applications. While I don’t mind paying for the right app, it’s also much harder to find the right app.  There are few applications available on Microsoft’s platform. In fact, the market place is lacking so much, that there is now a free alternative called OpnMarket – which has substantially more applications that Microsoft’s version.

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SPB News 2.0 and SBSH GoNews go Head-To-Head in a Review

RSS feeds have become one of the best ways to stay connected and updated on the news being posted on your favorite websites. If you’re wondering how to take advantage of RSS on your Windows Mobile device, or perhaps you’re simply wondering what some of the better RSS clients for Windows phones are, then you should take a look at the review Clinton Fitch has posted. It takes SPB’s News 2.0 and directly compares it with SBSH’s GoNews application. Both of these companies are well known for creating great software. With Clinton’s head-to-head post, you can be sure to get the application that best suits your RSS reading style and the features you need. Check it out!

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