Windows Phone 7
Hardware
Windows Phone 7 on an HTC HD7
Unlike Apple's iOS, Windows Phone 7 is available across a number of devices from different manufacturers. However, Microsoft has imposed a strict set of restrictions on its specification, meaning there's very little to differentiate among models. Each phone must feature an 800x480 pixel multitouch screen, a 1GHz or better ARM processor, a DirectX 9-capable graphics processor, 258MB of RAM, minimum 8GB of flash memory, an accelerometer, a GPS, a five-megapixel camera, and six dedicated hardware buttons.
The software must also remain the same among all phones, which means you won't have to suffer through a carrier-modified version of the operating system. Though these specifications are restrictive, it makes it much easier for users to transition between different devices. It's also a godsend for developers, who have a single unified platform to build on, which means software, such as games, should run the same on any Windows Phone 7 device.
We've been testing out the features of Windows Phone 7 on the HTC HD7, which is available on O2 in the UK, though there are numerous handsets available. These range from those with large displays, such as the 4.3-inch HD7 and 4-inch Samsung Omnia 7, to those with smaller displays, such as the 3.8-inch LG Optimus 7. There's little to choose from between handsets, other than their look and feel, as their internals are almost identical. They're priced similarly, too, with most phones ranging from £400 SIM-free to free on contract.
Xbox Live
Xbox Live on Windows Phone 7
The heart of Windows Phone 7's gaming features is a version of Xbox Live, Microsoft's popular online gaming service on the Xbox 360. It brings over most of the features from its console counterpart, including friends lists, achievements, and online multiplayer. If you're already a member of Xbox Live, your existing achievements, friends list, and avatar carry over to your mobile. This means you can message your friends on Xbox Live, change your avatar, or earn achievements toward your gamerscore while on the move.
Xbox Live lives as a separate app tile on your home screen, sharing the same bold look as other Windows Phone 7 applications. There are four sections to the app, which you access by flicking left or right between panels: Collection, Spotlight, Xbox Live, and Requests. Collection shows games that you currently own as large icons, which you tap to take you straight into the game. Icons for other games available for sale reside underneath and take you to the Marketplace when tapped. Shopping for games is incredibly easy; you can browse by top rated, newest, free, or by genre just by flicking left or right. There's a star rating next to each game so you can see at a glance what users thought of it, and you can get more in-depth reviews and info on the game just by tapping its icon.
Spotlight is like the "What's New" section of the Xbox Live dashboard, featuring links to game guides, new games, and featured gamers. You can flick up and down the list to view more content, and tapping any listing takes you to the Marketplace or a website featuring the content. It's not the most useful of features to have, but fortunately, the Xbox Live section is far more exciting. It shows you a picture of your avatar, along with you current gamerscore and the last achievement you earned. Tapping on your avatar allows you to customize it as you would on the Xbox 360. You can select new clothes, change features, or just randomly poke it until it makes funny faces at you.
Tapping on your username takes you into your full Xbox Live profile. From there, you can view any messages you've received on Live and reply to them. It's a great feature if you send a lot of messages because typing on the phone keyboard is a lot quicker than trying to hash out a message using the standard Xbox 360 controller. You can also view your full achievements list, including any for games played on your console at home. You dive deeper into each game by tapping its icon, which shows you specific achievement names and how many gamer points each one is worth. Your full friends list is also viewable, so you can see who's online, what games friends are playing, and even compare their achievements against your own. This is particularly useful for checking if any of your friends are online and seeing if they fancy a game without booting up your console.
The final section is Requests, which--as the name suggests--allows you to view and reply to friend requests, game invites, or turn on notifications for any turn-based game you might be playing. The way these Xbox Live features have been condensed onto a mobile platform is impressive. The service is free, including access to turn-based multiplayer games, and if you're already an Xbox Live member, you will appreciate being able to access your account info at any time.
67 comments
U people didnt include the great games on Android like Angry Birds,Asphalt,Splinter Cell etc.Nowadays really good games are released on android,so the game info u gave is pretty outdated... I would vote Android higher than Windows since it has more and better games and at cheaper prices.But so far,iPhone is the best
they totally dismissed Nokia here!.........i know its not up to the bar now with other platforms but the new symbian on N8 & C7 is great & smooth & very easy to use not to mention that its catching up with games & apps wide with the others as i see it
I've messed with a Windows 7 phone but not for long (it wasn't my phone). I personally have an iphone 3GS. Has some sweet games on it and once it's modded it's quite customizable. I can't speak for Android as I haven't used it, but if you are going to get an iphone....MOD IT. Not for piracy of course, just for interface customization. Once you can get that bland look of the stock iphone off there (apple products are extremely boring and bland looking, ALWAYS), it's a much more interesting device. Plus the iphone has some sweet games on it from other systems. Duke Nukem 3D, Prince Of Persia, Ridge Racer, Lara Croft And The Guardian Of Light, Doom, Sonic The Hedgehog 4, Plants Vs. Zombies. Those are just some from other systems or previous consoles not original games. Quite frankly I'd rather these mobile games just get ported to ALL the current OS' on smartphones (the three in this article). I always hated console exclusivity anyway. Regardless, if you're going to get an iphone, it has some sweet games on it. Not saying it's any better of a phone than the rest as I haven't messed with them, but it's probably the ONE good thing apple has made that I don't have huge problems with.
@Monster597 Thank you! Yes, Symbian has been WAY behind, but having a look at this new symbian^3 OS, and it is finally up to par with the competitors, as NFS, Angry birds, Pro Gholf 2011, Legend of Sparta.etc... Symbian is starting to feature. The iPhone costs more than double the price of the N8 in my country (South Africa)!
I'm a die hard Android fan, but they do need to step it up in the games department. Angry Birds and Radiant are great, but that's really about it right now. I think the Playstation Phone, Zues Z1, or Xperia Play (or what ever it's going to be called) is going to put Android on top of smartphone gaming arena. We just have to look forward to CES in a couple days and maybe we will see an official announcement... Btw, why wasn't Alchemy on this list??? Samsung Captivate - AXURA CE 2.2 ... FTW!
@DTvdHeever : Yeh man, I juts got my new Nokia C7 and its brilliant. It runs on the latest symbian 3 OS and in and plays the Angry Birds game beatifully, there are great apps and games on the OVI Store and should really be taken seriouslyyyyyy and not left out......
iphone/ipod is clearly superior when it comes to console like games collection say shadow guardian,nova 2,infinity blade,gta china town wars etc etc etc :P
@GonnaDie4TheGov When did Samsung announce they will be exclusive to Android? They just released the Omnia 7 for Windows Phone 7 the other month, and have also said they have a 'long term commitment' to WP7. Sony haven't specifically stated they're Android exclusive either, and LG have also released phones for WP7. Get your facts right.
Ok! I get the hype about the iPhone, HTC and Android, but what about the new symbian OS Symbian^3? I just got a Nokia N8 and through Ovi store I just have downloaded Angry Birds, Need for speed: shift, Galaxy on fire and Labyrinth for free! The games play fluently and with excellent graphics. I have also downloaded a ton of cool apps. Can someone please tell me if it is realy that much a weaker phone than OS, Windows Phone 7 and Android? I believe it is doing everything the other OS are doing for half their price!
@TheApd_Returns You can say the same thing with iphone :P mostly people get it just because it's an apple product and use it as fashion icon.
I bought an Android phone, and it was like magic. It came with something the iphone didnt. 400 dollars in cash! I like how people value apps so highly. HOLY FING *(&*^ I got a weather alert and now im gonna play fake guitar on my super phone! It has GPS and Pandora, and it has a cookbook, and I can see constellations and I can color (in OR outside the lines), and buy stocks and YAAAAAYYY!!! 5 years ago, life went on without these apps. We're seriously debating the *quality* of one phone's apps vs another? Here's how I judge the phone's quality: Does it have Apps? Yes. -Fin Seriously, anyone telling me that the iphone apps are so much better that it's worth the price tag is basically saying "I spent money on an unnecessary premium service, and I need everyone to know that". Anything your phone can do, my phone and my 400 dollars can do better.
I'm waiting for PSPhone. Once it's out I'll make a decision as which system I choose buy. But I hate waiting! :(
@TheApd_Returns, I beg to differ over Android being "inferior" to iOS. I have plenty of applications that I use on my HTC EVO almost day in and day out. Customization is a major must for me, I hate the fact that whenever you get an Apple product that isn't an Apple computer, you're stuck with what you have, and that's the end of it. Android still has tons of apps, and graphically from what I've seen, alot of the games are on par with iOS, N.O.V.A. runs smoothly on my EVO, nary a thing of slowdown. I completely disagree about customization being purely "aesthetic" as you put it, it goes beyond the software to the hardware. Being able to add memory via a microSD card or a standard SD card, is certainly NOT a bad thing. The fact that I could switch out my microSD card for one that is 32 gig is not a bad thing at all. With Apple, you're stuck with what you have, and that's it. Plus, if your battery dies, and you replace it yourself? Guess what, warranty voided. At least it's alot more easily done on most other smartphones, and there are even batteries that extend that life, makes your point completely moot. If Apple would just allow you to much more easily replace the batteries, and upgrade your memory via flash for their smartphones, and not be ridiculously proprietary and tied to ONE provider that sucks so much ass (around my neck of the woods, reception on AT&T's lines is a joke) then yes, I'd absolutely go get an iPhone no questions asked.
My biggest peeve is the app selection. Simply put, iOS has more, and if an app has versions on both iOS and Android, the iOS version will have better performance and future support. It will always be like this if Android keeps trying to fill the 'everyphone' role. Arguably, the most important factor of a smartphone should be its applications and utilities, whether you intend on using it for office-related tasks or gaming or media: in this case, at this point in time, there is no argument that iOS delivers both quantity and quality over Android. My second is the argument of customization. Yes, more is better than less, but people will ignore my first point and claim victory because Android really only succeeds (for the consumer) in a factor that is completely aesthetic. So you can do a cool swipe-pattern unlock, or have an animated background, or move the app icons around a little more? Technically, these aren't bad features, of course, but its kind of dodging the point that these arent really utilities. If anything, these things help contribute to the short battery life of most Android phones.
No experience with Windows Phone 7 so won't comment on it. At this point in time, I see all arguments in support of Android to be mostly inferior. Anyone who goes out of there way to get a high-end Android phone over iPhone 4 is telling me one of two things: that they value interface customization over actual application/utility, or that they want to jump on the "hey hey everyone im not mainstream!!11" bandwagon. Don't get me wrong, Android phones aren't bad phones by any means and it's good that there is a huge selection of mini-computers in our pockets now. There are quite a few things that bug me about Android phones that people overlook whenever they brag about how much better it is than iPhone.
@Decrate you might want to look at the android market and the list of games. You might think it looses but it doesn't , High end games developers focus on latest phone and even tell you you can't play on old phones. Developers "can" actually focus on some phones and not all don't know if actually realized. and no iphone is not cheaper. -_-" it's one of the most expensive smartphones out there. Current Top : Apple Future Top: Android Windows 7 : No one noes probably not going anywhere
android loses because there are too many kinds of phone configurations. developers don't want to have to make a game for 10 different devices. its like there being a bunch of xbox 360s, some with 2 core cpus, some with 4, some with slower gpus, some faster.. etc. it would be a mess. windows phone 7 is a joke for games. a 99c game on the iphone costs 2.99 on the windows phone. wtf? microsoft is basically charging 2 dollar extra for every game, and if that doesn't bother you, well the windows phone 7 only has a handful of apps and games, and with low rates of sales it probably wont go up quickly, android and ios have hundreds of thousands in retrospect so yeah its clear that apple wins because of the easier to develop hardware, and because its cheaper, also, have you all seen the game infinity blade? that thing rivals console games in graphics when played on the iphone4. not to mention all the other amazing games on it like final fantasy 1+2 which are my favorites, dungeon hunter 2, etc
Still think android should be top, More games then windows 7 and it's getting all iphones games now allready have dungeon defenders the first unreal engine game , and now game loft is realising all it's games on android with GT racing academy allready available. And better then iphone cause it allows you more freedom to customize every part of it. From lock screen , to app drawer to animations. !
first off sony has publicly announced they are only developing phones for the android platform as has samsung (i wouldn't be surprised for lg to follow suit in 2011). second, the playstation phone isn't a rumor, do a simple search. there are pics and specs all over for it. it has been shown running Android 2.2 Froyo but with the rumored launch in April it should drop with atleast Gingerbread (2.3) if not Honeycomb (version # unknown). also on the android section they talk about phones that were outdated a year ago. outside from the terrible dumb android phones (lg ally, moto backflip, etc) almost every android phone is a beast when it comes to the specs. early 2011 will introduce the dual core processors on android phones with HTC already announcing a 1.5ghz phone and moto planning their 2ghz monster. so really ios is on its way downward just like mac did vs windows 20 years ago, apple seems to shine for a few years then is brought down....i wonder what their next venture will be and how Job's will attack the compedition with slander and lawsuits. oh and on a related note as i said earlier about samsung and sony pledging to android, after they made that public microsoft was so upset they just started suing everyone. haha. ios may win for now in gaming but thats all the phone has, android has the leg up on ios now and windows phone 7 is about 2 years behind both....well that is when microsoft said you will see the cut, copy, and paste features lol.
I'm happy with my iphone 4. I think Gamespot would be mentioned games like Infinity Blade, Final Fantasy 1 - 2, Chaos Ring, Eternal Legacy, Dungeon Master 1 - 2, Dondonpachi, Space Invaders Infinity Gene, Simpsons, Samurai 2, Street Fighter 4, Mirror's Edge, Need for Speed Shift - Undercover - Hot Pursuit, Real Racing 1 -2, Split second, Pac Man Championship Ed., Knight Rush, Plant Vs. Zombies, Ghost n Goblins, Hero of Sparta 1 -2, Metal Gear Solid Touch, Dead Rising, Lara Croft and the Guardian of Light, Assassins Creed 1 -2, and so many others classics and newer titles. It's over 5000 games. I think IOS is the best choice for gaming today. Tomorrow expect something good from PSP Phone and Windows Mobile 7 (Just like MS vs Sony on consoles). I Think Android and Windows Mobile 7 will find some kind of difficult for gaming because the hardware depends of the phone model and the developers will produce a game aiming most of phones. It's like Fifa 10 bad on PC just to embrace all consumers and lower systems. Just my opinion, I think open source is good for the world, but bad comercially. Don't flame, just argue and sorry for bad english, It's not my first language.
@369fangoverfang: right, just like sony pulled d rug from under nintendo with the psp, yeah? oh wait, they didn't....
There are a rumours of a playstation phone from sony which will be based.on android OS all over the internet. lf this turns out true then it will it will quite change the scene android will be the no.1 gaming os. Btw I enjoy gaming on my android, angry bids and gba emulator and simple casual games I can easily enjoy and pass time though its not hardcore.
I agree with Sun_Quan, android to me seems like a much better deal. Its extremely customizable, and the different phone models it runs on are endless. Pretty soon, if not already, i believe it will have the largest consumer population over iPhone (and obviously WM7). Its funny that they didn't include blackberry; does anyone care about those things anymore? :P
on android i can recomend Shark or die and live texas hold em and both are free. Radiant is also really awesome
I will pass on mobile gaming (perhaps until the PSP2.) I have a PS3, PSP, and play WoW on my PC. can't see why anyone with a console play casual games on their phone.
Okay, Android is the weakest you say? Yeah right! I have an HTC EVO 4G with Sprint, and I couldn't be happier with the thing. To me it's quite comparable to the iPhone and even has some advantages over it. Including the ability to exchange out the flash memory card and upgrade it to 32 Gigs, possibly more in the future with an update, who knows. The scalability in this thing is unmatched so far. N.O.V.A. which is also on the iOS, looks quite comparable and runs very smoothly too. It also does a great job of running Angry Birds, the update MUCH improved the frame rate for me. It helps that the firmware released seems to stabilize alot of the issues that were there before. My question is though, how is it purportedly lagging behind WM7 when WM7 was JUST released a few months ago? Seriously, what the hell I says, that just reeks of fish. While I certainly will consent that it isn't up to par with iOS yet, and probably won't be for a while, Android is a fantastic OS in and of itself, and the scalability of the hardware and software puts it over the edge for a guy like me who likes flexibility. iOS is stuck to one device, and while it's rock solid, the static-ness of being forced to one handset is a massive turn-off, especially when you can't add or subtract memory as needed. You're stuck with what you get, and that's it.
@SlowMotionKarma That pretty much sums it up, for now Android doesn't have tons of games but it has plenty to keep you occupied when needed to (including fan favorite Angry Birds). Plus at the rate Android is evolving and gaining popularity more and more games will come and soon enough it will catch up with the other 2 OS in the games department. Add to that the fact that it is the superior OS for phones and Android is the no brainer choice.
Woo! GO ANDROID! That is all. I've played around with all 3 of these OS's (as well as BlackBerry OS), and my favorite is still Android. iOS and WP7 have a better "gaming hub" for mobile gaming, but I have plenty of games on my Android to keep me occupied for the odd few minutes a day I would use my phone to pass time. They all have their positives and negatives, but I'm happy with Android.
I don't understand the big draw for a gaming hub that supports achievements/leaderboards on a mobile gaming platform. I have an Android phone and an iPad. I play plenty of mobile games on both of them. Never once have I logged into OpenFeint or Game Center so that I can track achievements for these simple games. Perhaps I am just not "hardcore" enough. There is no doubt that iOS has more quality games than Android, but Android has enough decent games to occupy me 20 minutes at a time while waiting around. And I just like the non-gaming aspects of Android much better than an iPhone.
@Balck_soul who cares how many fart apps one phone has? Its not about quantity its about quality. I would rather have 100 good games, than 400,000 terrible applications
I was expecting really detailed information about each OS, the sort of games available and prices. I could have wrote this in a matter of 5 or 10 minutes. Anyhow in my opinion i prefer the customization, features and OS of andriod, but the games for iOS are the best hands down. Windows phones are just dead...
@Poidad I have an Android phone, I downloaded a GBC and a Nes emulator for free, and now I play great games such as Metroid, Zelda : Oracle of Ages/Seasons, the original Pokemon games, Metal Gear Solid ... which are better than all the games made for IOS, Windows Mobile and Android. Just take the old school gaming road, you'll be more than satisfied. And these emulators also exist on Iphone (dunno with W7).
Conversation powered by Livefyre
Table of Contents
Featured Games
-
Angry Birds Halloween HD
(IP) -
Fruit Ninja
(AND) -
Angry Birds: Seasons
(AND)
