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.

Microsoft Updates Zune Client to 4.8.2345.0, Adds Mango Support

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Those of you brave enough to try the Beta 1, Beta 2 or even the RTM version of Windows Phone know that one of the steps needed to achieve this is the installation of a beta Zune client that supports connecting Mango-based phones.

Microsoft has just updated its Zune client to version 4.8.2345.0 and the update will hit both those running the old "final" version 4.7 and those who installed a previous beta of 4.8. After installation, Mango-based devices can connect to Zune and successfully sync. This is just normal as we're just hours away from the Japanese Fujitsu-Toshiba IS12T Windows Phone on KDDI.

Microsoft Confirms Windows Phone Tango For Developing Nations

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For as much as we know about Windows Phone Mango, its supposed follow-up, Tango, is largely a mystery. One rumor from earlier this month said that Microsoft would be using the update to help bring Windows Phone to lower-tier hardware, in an effort to attract users in markets with more of an eye to budget-priced smartphone. Now we hear that Microsoft has essentially confirmed that aspect of Tango, commenting on the update at a Hong Kong seminar.

Working past the translation issues, the key points Microsoft hit on seem to be that Tango is definitely not going to be a major update like Mango, and instead will be a follow-up release under the umbrella of Mango-related updates. Apollo is still planned to be the next major release after Mango.

Microsoft Granted Patent For Its Metro User Interface

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In the modern tech world we live in, where players often sue each other over almost anything, it's just normal that a company would file for a patent on its innovation, let it be hardware or software. Microsoft has been recently granted patent for its innovative Metro user interface found on Windows Phone.

Redmond filed for patent early 2010 but the United States Patent and Trademark Office has just recently granted it, on August 18.

LG Optimus 7 going dirt cheap on Amazon.de

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It seems if you want a cheap generation 1 Windows Phone 7 smartphone Germany is the place to go.

We wrote about the Dell Venue Pro being available in Germany for only 199 Euro a few days ago, and now we have the LG Optimus 7 available for only 174 Euro.

The phone is famous for being the only one with real hardware buttons, making for a much more predictable gaming experience, and of course comes with 16 GB storage and DLNA support out of the box, making the underrated handset a great deal.

Silverlight Toolkit For Windows Phone Mango Refresh Coming This Month

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Silverlight toolkit for Windows Phone provides developers with prebuilt components, design samples,etc to make the Silverlight development better. Many developers are already using it in their apps, they can update their apps for Mango release once this gets released. The toolkit will be updated with upcoming Windows Phone Mango SDK 7.1 and to be released soon this month.

Darks Forces Team releases Mango 7713 Custom ROM for HTC Windows Phones

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Last weekend was the release of DFT's HSPL/RSPL tools, tools which would enable one to begin the process of making a custom ROM for their HTC Windows Phone (first generation, except for the Sprint Arrive and Verizon Trophy). A few days later, we had a custom ROM for the HD7. Flash forward to today and DFT have released their "Freedom ROM" featuring Mango build 7713 (that's one more than 7712 which developers got, but still not the RTM'd 7720).

The ROMs are ChevronWP7 unlocked, lack carrier customizations but do include your standard HTC apps. Other than that, we're talking a pretty straight port with no other discernible difference. Still, this is more about a proof-of-concept and a first step than anything else and for that, impressive.

Using Windows Phone Device As USB Storage Device

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As you all know we can’t use Windows Phone devices for USB storage. You need Zune client for simple photo or music transfer. The same case goes for Zune HD too, but there are couple of registry hacks which would enable us to use them as USB device. There is no working solution for this problem currently for Windows phones. Den Delimarsky, a Microsoft stack developer from dzone has developed a hack which would enable USB storage file storage on Windows Phones.