Microsoft accused of tracking Windows Phone 7 user via the camera app

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Microsoft has been presented with a lawsuit by a Windows Phone 7 user accusing the company of tracking customers via the camera app, even when the user request tracking be turned off.

The suit claims Microsoft transmits data — including approximate latitude and longitude coordinates of the user’s device — while the camera application is activated and is seeking an injunction and punitive damages, among other remedies. The suit is seeking class action status.

The case, being brought in U.S. District Court, Western District of Washington by Rebecca Cousineau, claims Microsoft has told US Congress Microsoft only collects geolocation data with the express consent of the user, but that “Microsoft’s representations to Congress were false.”

Nokia Academy gearing up for Windows Phone 7 training

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Nokia’s training arm, Nokia Academy, is apparently gearing up for Windows Phone 7 training. This is if we can believe this tweet by Dave Trevaskus, Senior Training Consultant for Nokia Academy.

The division’s mission is "to provide extensive training for distributors, resellers and even managers of stores in order to acquire a control of products to better serve their customers." Sounds just like what Nokia needs to do before springing a handset on retailers, ready for sale, at Nokia World 2011 in October.

Windows Phone 7 Mango will play nicer with Macs, update your Connector app now

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Windows Phone 7.5 will be wearing more Mac-friendly pajamas when it comes. Microsoft's Connector app just got updated to Version 2.0 and it enables both Marketplace support and ringtone transfers for Mango-equipped handsets. It also packs some other improvements which already work with WP 7.0, including drag-and-drop file importing from the Browse Device window, better backup and restore operations, and full sync and import support for Apple Aperture software. Connector 2.0 is ready and waiting at the App Store and Mango should poke its head around the mountain any day.

Samsung Omnia W Windows Phone Rumored With 1.4GHz CPU, NFC

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The Samsung GT-i8350 has already been rumored to be the Omnia W, follow-up to the wave-one Samsung Omnia 7 Windows Phone launched last year. According to recent rumors, the phone will sport a 1.4GHz processor as well as NFC.

The information comes from SamFirmware, a go-to resource for Samsung device ROMs. According to the tweet, the Omnia W will feature a 3.7-inch screen, 1.4GHz CPU and NFC. This information is not quite in line with what we've previously heard about the GT-i8350, in terms of processor (1GHz processor, 512MB of RAM, five-megapixel camera and a 3.7-inch WVGA screen, Bluetooth (as per the certification) and GPS). Still not sure about those faster-than-1GHz processors as the Chassis specifications require 1GHz Snapdragons (as per wave-one) and new requirements published at MIX talk about 800Mhz processors. Did anyone hear anything official about Windows Phone and NFC?

Microsoft To Bring Back WP7 IE9 'Find On Page' In the Future

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If you are using Windows Phone 7 Mango, let it be Beta or RTM on your developer phone or on your regular wave-one device, you definitely noticed that, while browsing a web page using the built-in Internet Explorer 9, there's no way of finding something on a page.

Microsoft has removed the "find on page" feature that allows you (a la desktop CTRL+F) to find specific words in a web page. Apparently, Redmond is planning to bring back the feature sometime in the future, says Charles Morris on the Windows Phone Developer Blog. IE9, in theory, will be able to receive updates independently of the OS so we're expecting Microsoft to bring back the ability to find text on a page as soon as possible!

Carl Camera's Response to Molly Wood's Windows Phone 7 Critique

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You may remember how Brandon Watson recently challenged Molly Wood to try Windows Phone 7 since she was frequently complaining about Android. She did a couple video reviews on her blog and came away kind of unimpressed. You can see a little summary of her findings on CBS news as well.

Software engineer, Carl Camera, decided to respond to Molly Wood's video review with a video critique of his own. He'll go over a few things that Molly missed or didn't spend much time with.

Unofficial HTC HD2 Windows Phone 7 ROM Allows Official Updates

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The HTC HD2 has long proved its ability to run Windows Phone 7 -- among others like Android -- which still makes it an iconic phone to come out from the Taiwanese phone maker's factory. It now gets the ultimate treat, an unofficial Windows Phone ROM which allows for official updates.

The ROM is Build 7.0.7004.0, so it's the original Windows Phone launched last year and is available in English, German, French, Italian, and Spanish, with the possibility of updating all the way to 7720, which is Mango RTM. It's not the ROM though that is a breakthrough but its ability to be officially updated by Microsoft via the Zune software, just like any other legacy Windows Phone.

Microsoft Updates XBOX Live Extras, Adds Mango Support

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If you couldn't wait until the official release of Windows Phone Mango and you installed one of the betas or even the RTM version of the platform refresh, you'll find that Microsoft has updated the XBOX Live Extras application to add support for Mango.

The application now supports one of Mango's main features: fast app switching. That means you will be able to switch back to the application faster, without the need to wait for that Resuming screen to finish.

More Mango Leaks; Microsoft's Plans For Tango And More - WPV

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Watch this week's Windows Phone view as we wrap-up this week's good and bad inside the world of Microsoft's Windows Phone platform. In this edition we go through more Windows Phone Mango devices being leaked thanks to some developers posting their App testing logs. We breeze through Microsoft's recent job posting where they're now in search of an expert that will do a better job in integrating Windows Phone with the desktop. We also go through our expectations on HTC's planned event for September 1st, the rumors of the LG E906, which seems to be their branded Jil Sander smartphone and we also cover Microsoft's new "We're In" application to compete with Google Latitude.

HTC Omega blessed with renders, revealing its front-facing camera

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HTC's decided to throw a similar get-together to rival the kickin' shindig we had tonight, which hopefully means the company will show off the latest and greatest phones soon to grace its lineup. One such phone that's been seeing a lot of talk lately is the Omega, rumored to be one of Peter Chou's upcoming Windows Phones. Unfortunately, it's just been a faceless name on paper -- until now. Pocketnow got its hands on a rather well-detailed render of the Mango device, which shows off HTC's traditional two-toned design (this time in white and gray) and a front-facing camera.