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HTC Radar WinPho 7.5 smartphone
It's been a year since Microsoft revamped its mobile offering with Windows Mobile 7, which was greeted with cautious enthusiasm by critics and punters alike. It's taken a while, but we're now seeing the first major update with version 7.5 (aka Mango) appearing on the solidly built HTC Radar, which also includes a 5Mp camera. …
daft storage decision
The asinine decision to provide so little storage while denying memory card expansion rightly cost this device a slew of customers. Seeing as most smartphones today need to be tethered to the power grid just about every day, it appears deranged to force customers into the cloud for their media files, too - wasting expensive bandwidth and precious mAhs on 3G. Not to mention potential customers living in areas with patchy wireless coverage.
For a phone that is supposed to increase WP7's market penetration, MS's business decisions remain rather unfathomable.
75% ?
Thats rather generous, as the HTC Radar I saw was pretty rubbish, barely deserving a 50% on the usual El-Reg scale. I'm guessing someone is keen not to upset Microsoft...
The Radar looks very similar to my old Mozart, and I rate that higher than my iPhone 3GS... I prefer my htc Sensation, but I prefer WP7 to iOS and in use the Mozart is very good (just got the Mango update this morning).
How much did El Reg subtract from the iLove for not having an sd slot?
Having an SD slot matters more if there's not much Flash storage.
The Radar only has 8GB; the iPhone 4S has 16GB minimum, and can be had with 32GB and 64GB on board.
actually it matters a lot
One of the handiest things I can do it swap an uSD between phones to transfer things quickly. Saves finding 2x cables a PC and syncing slowly etc. No uSD is just plain stupid. No flash is even worse.
@Tony Smith:
"Having an SD slot matters more if there's not much Flash storage."
Last time I looked, both the 3GS and iPhone 4 are still being offered for sale by Apple with just 8GB of non-expandable flash storage. And they're selling like hot cakes.
The apps themselves don't take up that much space. It's the user data that soaks that up. Many users aren't going to have that much, so 8GB is plenty of caching space. If you need more, buy a different phone. (Granted, there's not much choice in WinPho7.5 phones at the moment, but once Nokia's phones start hitting the market, that should change.)
On my iPhone 4 (a 16GB model), the apps add up to just 3.8 GB. The rest is all data, including music (8 GB) and the odd video. Even my 64GB iPad has only 9.3 GB of apps. The rest is, again, data. (And my apps tend to be big: dictionaries, reference works—including the Oxford Dictionary and Thesaurus of English, "Il Ragazzini" English-Italian dictionary, and the Italian Language's own ODE equivalent, "Treccani". And then there's Gray's Anatomy, with all the gory illustrations... these are some seriously large apps. And I even have some games on there too.
The problem I've always had with Android devices is their reliance on SD Cards to make up for a lack of internal storage. Split storage systems are a pain in the arse. I've had WinMo6 phones in the past that took this approach, and the Faff Factor® was annoying enough then; it's not going to be any more fun now. Especially to non-techies, for whom "cache" is something you get out of an ATM.
My 32GB iPhone never had more than about 12GB stored on it.
My 16GB Mozart (don't forget, the amount of memory in many of the WinPh7 devices is down to the carrier, the UK version had 8GB, T-Mobile in Germany ordered it with 16GB) also rarely had more than 10GB used.
On both, the largest user of space was my photo collection, which I rarely used anyway.
My Sensation came with an 8GB uSD, that still isn't half full.
I'm yet to become one of the masses and own a mobile phone, but I am kind of intrigued by this. With the Xbox 360 update out next month and Windows 8 next year everything seems to be coming into sync for Microsoft and I like the idea of the same/similar desktop for all three devices. I guess perhaps I have become some kind of Microsoft fan boy without realising it.
I just want to say
Hats off to you sir for managing to get this far and not succumb to getting a mobile phone!
a UI so dumbed down it works on all devices?
I'm still struggling to understand why anyone thinks the same UI is a good idea on all sizes of device.
I control my mobile with a thumb and occasional pair of fingers for zooming, that works because the phones in my hand in thumbing distance. Reaching out to the monitor just over an arms length in front of me really doesn't work for me, too much fatigue even if I could reach the screen comfortably. The standard joypad on a console is just a non starter and a mouse on PC or console cant replicate multitouch... do you really want a UI so dumbed down it can cope with all those problems on different platforms?
Kinect might seem the answer, but I'm holding my phone with at least 1 hand so that's half the control missing!
You clearly haven't bothered researching this.
The "Metro" UI in Windows 8 is *intended* for tablet form-factors, not all-in-ones. If the likes of HP or Dell want to slap it on an all-in-one anyway, that's *their* design cock-up, not Microsoft's. (Microsoft are being a bit more careful over the platforms they support with Windows 8, but they have nowhere near the iron control over the platforms their OS appears on that Apple have.)
Windows 8 will have both the traditional GUI _and_ the new "Metro" UI. Devices using x86 processors will be able to use both. Devices running on ARM processors will apparently only run the "Metro" UI.
One of the reasons why Windows 8 has this dual personality is to support tablets that can be docked into a station that lets them run as traditional desktop PCs too. As Microsoft themselves have pointed out, this allows corporates to buy Win8 tablets for their employees, without also having to buy desktops for them as well. This is a neat solution for corporates as it allows for very flexible use of office space. (I.e. you can sit and work anywhere you have a docking station available.) The old WIMP-focused Windows GUI simply doesn't work well in a tablet form-factor, so the GUI switch is a good compromise.
The "Metro" GUI is not backwards compatible with existing Windows applications, so corporate buyers need the old GUI for their legacy applications to work. The Windows 7-derived GUI must be there to allow these applications to run.
Microsoft do make some excellent development tools—as they ought, given their history—and building to the Metro GUI doesn't add much overhead to building for WinPho7's very similar UI. This is despite their using different technologies under the hood. I'm an Apple user, but even I think Microsoft are onto a winner with this, but there'll naturally be a transitional phase as developers learn the new ropes.
Microsoft's Metro UI work also proves beyond any doubt that the argument that slavishly ripping-off Apple's iOS user interface is the ONLY way to build a multi-touch user interface is complete and utter bullshit. Microsoft are offering another way. What's Android's excuse?
RE: I just want to say
Thank you kindly, it has been a struggle and initially people took the piss, now though people tell me how they wish they could get away from theirs, but now they have one everyone expects them to answer it 24/7. I also dont have a Facebook account, but I don't think that is as rare as not owning a mobile phone.
So that's how WP7 conquer the market by being the cheapo option?
Also, it looks like HTC have been borrowing the design attributes of the Nokia E7. But when you look at their other handsets you can see why, butt ugly.
Being able to show a list of apps currently in a suspended state in the background isn't multitasking. It's app switching. It might ease flitting between various apps but it's not the same at all as multitasking which would imply multiple applications running at the same time with preemptive, or cooperative multitasking.
Instead WinPho 7.5 has things called background agents which are for running stuff in the background which might be regarded as lightweight non-interactive asynchronous job, usually scheduled, but nothing comparable to true multi tasking. It would poll or do something in the background and notify the foreground to update a tile or the app its associated with. It's analog in Android might be a service class which is there for a similar purpose.
Pretty much...
the same as the iPhone, only a little slicker...
I would argue
If it looks like a fish, breathes water and swims like a fish then to the end user it's multitasking regardless of the technical definition.
it seems a step back from WM6.5 - I still remember forgetting to shut down GPS apps whilst they happily run along in the background chewing up battery (whilst you are browsing on the web for instance).
Isn't it a fish?
Gordon 10 tell me if you think so after reading this
Multitasking is pretty well understood even amongst non technical types - stuff happens while you're doing other stuff. The only thing WinPho 7.5 supports that way is streaming audio, e.g. you can run Spotify in 7.5 and it streams audio while you do something else.
But what about other types of multitasking? e.g. Voip, GPS trackers / navigation, instant messengers, download clients etc.? Do background agents cater for that? Not really.
There are two kinds of agent. Periodic agents are lightweight agents which are allowed to run for 25 seconds tops before they're terminated and may run only once every 30 minutes. Even that granularity is not guaranteed. So they might be useful for periodically checking your mail but tough if you want to poll any faster or use it for for instant messages.
Resource intensive agents (i.e. those that crunch numbers, background download a file) are allowed to run for 10 minutes tops and will not run unless the phone is charging (!). Oh and the screen has to be locked (i.e. not running while any other app is in the foreground).
You can have up to 6 periodic agents and only 1 resource intensive agent running at any one time. The restrictions are so severe IMO that they're worse than useless you may as well ignore the feature altogether and write some tiles and apps and hope users don't notice. BTW I'm not making any of this up, see for yourself:
don't you mean a step up from WM6.5?
True multitasking isn't a feature on smartphones - it's an error. All it does is reduce battery life and provide opportunities for malware. There are very very few genuine use cases that require it.
Is this supposed to be an MS flagship or are they just testing the water? I hope the latter but it would seem strange to slide your OS upgrade out a side door. The spec is underwhelming, not even on a par with the Desire S once you factor in internal memory and the lack of storage expansion. Mind you, Google's Galaxy Nexus (while superior) doesn't exactly break any HW boundaries either.
I'm conflicted. I always enjoy watching MS fail but the smartphone market needs healthy competition. Most folks seem stuck on the idea of MS either getting burnt or conquering the market but it's quite possible mid-table mediocrity will be their niche, e.g. the punters who currently still have Nokia phones.
Good to see it back. Carry on!
20 years ago, an Irish bloke regularly photographing a post box would have been less fluffy :)
Thank god you're not brown, Dave!
It would be nice to have a review of WP7.5, and then the phone reviews can actually review the phone... so every phone review isn't a review of the OS too.
...start typing the name of an app ...
But apps have such stupid names. Why not type some description? like Email or Search? or perhaps have a magic key sequence, like ctrl-k? or qq, ww, dd?
Sorry, this all sounds /wrong/.
8 apps per screen is more than anyone will ever need
Why not have 'tiles' small enough to fit 16 or 20 on each screen, so all the apps you use every day are just a click or 2 away? Oh, just realised, Apple,Android,Symbian and even featurephones already do that and Microsoft cant be seen copying the old ways ;)
A UI where every app icon is really a supersized widget 'tile' shows Microsofts tradition of telling users how to do things instead of supporting what users want. No-one can possibly need more than 8 apps on their home screen after all. Think I'll stick to having the choice to mix&match tiny launcher icons with larger widgets scattered across multiple selectable screens.
BTW: I had single key shortcuts available for 2 years on my old Android phone. Didn't use it once. Didn't need it.
Sometimes users don't know what they want
As the adage goes, if Henry Ford asked his customers what they wanted they'd have asked for faster horses. I think Microsoft is being bold to try a new tiled interface and I assume that they will do what they always do and provide some "classic" mode for people who prefer the old way. I see nothing wrong with that in the slightest.
My beef with WP7.5 is how crippled the application programming API and the cage they're building around what users may do with their device. It's not even a golden cage, more of a silver plated cage.
Another Windows phone for the scapheap.
With the new Nokia phones being announced in London later this week I doubt this will retain it's "flagship" status for much longer!
if by "greeted with cautious optimism" you mean:
"eeeugh, does it bluescreen?"
"eeeugh what a bunch of loosers, they don't have a fully populated app store yet"
"eeeugh what an unpopular choice; less than 30% market share? I don't want to know"
"eeeugh blah, blah, source code, Micro$oft, blah blah"
I'm not in the market for a phone, so I've no particular axe to grind; but it seems that if it were any other player coming to the market they'd be welcomed for introducing some competition....
The most ironic thing is the mobile o/s which most like the old XP experience of registry settings, dodgy drivers, programs that could hang the o/s, the occasional need for a reboot isn't the windows one! Yes, I'm sure *your* particular droid behaves impeccably...
Oh, and if we're going to take marks off for lack of memory card slot... lets do it universally :)
Omnia 7
Got the Mango on Friday, not much has changed really and the three big things I want updated have not been done:
1. Timer function for the clock - I don't care that you can download an app every other phone I have owned since the late '90s has had this function and I miss it.
2. Flash support - iPlayer in the car please
3. Tethering - 3 is happy for me to tether and yet there is no way to do it (I have tried the "hack" but the phone doesn't get seen as a modem by the computer so it doesn't work) - I would really have to say this is my number one bugbear with the winpho.
The winpho os is actually quite nice and the games, whilst overpriced, are actually quite good (really enjoying tentacles) but the above three points I believe make it not as good as either Android or IOS. Still, another year on my contract before I make a decision to change or not.
Tethering is in Mango but for some inexplicable reason it's only on the new phones, so my Mozart doesn't have it and neither does your Omnia but the two new HTC phones do and the Nokia phones will as well.
My Mozart is the first phone I've had for 10 years that doesn't support tethering. I haven't used it often but it's nice to know it's there if you need it.
Bizarre that it is an option on the newer handsets, especially as there doesn't appear to be any real hardware differences. Perhaps an email to MS is required about this, they are usually quite nice if you ask the right person....
I don't care if this thing washes my dishes and scrubs my back in the tub. I won't put my cash anywhere near something with a Microsoft or Windows logo as long as they carry out their patent trolling again the open source community, Android and others.
good for you son. good for you.
I'll need the coat to catch the venom there.
But where to get one anyway?
From the high-street, it only looks like Orange is stocking this and it's Titan big brother. Well, Carphone Warehouse and Phones4U do as well, but out of the operators it's only Orange.
Telling in itself perhaps?
"in a similar way to the widgets available for Android handset."
Call the lawyers! Similar look and feel!
Seriously... WinPho7.5 is major lame
As a 5 year Symbian vet, I had to change my work handset lately and went with the HTC HD7 (effectively the same devive without front camera). I couldn't face BlackBerry and the extra cost (paid by me!) to go with an iPhone seemed unreasonable. No more Symbian, so lets see the new WinPho 7...
What a disgrace. I cannot belive how much crack they must be smoking at Nokia to go with this pile of crap. The HTC hardware is nice (Nokia fanbois, remember that they will be fully outsourced devices too) and mostly pretty good. But the OS is like something from 5 years ago. If you were in a competition to create a new UI in 2006 for a touch mobile device and you'd come up with this then people would've said great effort and still gone with iOS. But nowadays this just feels plain retarded.
I really had high-hopes for Mango to fix BASIC phone functions like making the USB work without Zune, tethering so I can use my 3G witha useful device, crappy onscreen keyboard, a UI that sometimes is portrait only then sometimes landscape only (at its choice, not yours), bizarre ringtone/vibrate selection (cuae you only need 'ring' or 'ring+vibrate' and one vibrate is more than enough!!!) and my list goes on (currently 117 issues on my blog). The browser is soooooooooo useless without any other option it is almost criminal in 2011 how many pages you can't use.
After 4 months, I have to say that I have given up thinking of my phone as a smartphone. I have a lovely screen that does emails and occaisionally I can get it to answer a call (about 50% of the time it doesn't unlock fast enough to answer, 49% it is on vibrate and I never know about the call). In day-to-day use an HTC Windows phone is an untold misery of uselessness. And I so wanted it to be great. Shame on the Reg for giving this 75%.
David Black
since you seem to hate it so much ill give you £50 for it, then i can put my HTC HD2 back to WM6.5 and have a propper "smartphone" for work and keep the WP7 for social.
Its unfortunate you cant / wont use it or understand what its all about but dont let it go to waste, ill give it a good home and keep it fed an watered.
Infact, same offer to all you lot that have actually own one (HD7, Radar, Titan) if its in perfect nick first person to reply can have £50 for it
Many of you seem to hate it so much and i can only assume that all the hate comments come from owners because it would be daft to knock something unless youve actually spent a reasonable amount of time on it. that there must be someone wanting to get shot of one
Have you used the phone?
USB wtihout Zune. I'm assuming you mean having access directly to the device without using Zune? Personally, I never had a need to connect my WP to my computer, and when I plug it into power it just syncs automatically all of my music, phones and video. I've never had a need to directly access the filesystem of the phone on my computer (which you can do with a hack). Only time I've needed to directly connect to to perform software updates.
Tethering is supported by Mango, but your phone and device firmware have to support it. Most older devices do not at this point. So I have to agree if you don't have it, then it isn't there.
UI in portrait and some in landscape in the default OS. I would like direct eveidence of this on the phone. While some of the UI doesn't work in landscape, I don't know of single instance where you are forced to use landscape if you didn't want to.
Bizarre ringtone/vibrate optioin? I don't know that this means. Mine has vibrate only and ringtone/vibrate. I can turn virbrate off in the settings if I want ringtone only. What are you looking for? Different levels of vibrate? Otherwise, what makes these bizarre, the fact that it has them?
What is useless about the browser? Does it not display webpages? Mine does, if your can't perhaps your phone is broken.
If you can't drag the screen up about 1 inch to press the answer button, that perhaps a smart phone isn't for you. You have to be kidding me!
For the virbrate only, do you know that if you turn the volume down it goes to virbrate automtacally. Am I not understanding? I've never had a problem with this.
Personally, either this phone is just too complex, you have an axe to grind, or don't even have one. I tried to find the 117 issues on your blog, but Bing and Google can't find it. Would be nice you say that you have a listing of these you include the link to people can look.
Not saying the phone is perfect. But lets get real here thing like "you can't get the screen to unlock fast enought to answer a call" are total BS.
I use my Samsung Windows Phone for business day to day and it has worked great. Again, not saying there aren't an issue here to there, but nothing that you have listed (expect perhaps the internet sharing).
Other than USB not showing as removable media (see iPhone) everything else you posted is shit.
Teathering is in Mango
The onscreen keyboard has been reported as one of the better ones on smartphones. Just as good as the one on my Desire
What are you banging on about with the ringtone/vibrate nonsense? You can choose what combo you want (vibrate only, ringtone only, both, none). Maybe your jeans are pressing against the volume down rocker after accidentally unlocking the screen?
To answer a call you slide up (half an inch is fine) and press accept. That's too tricky?!?!
Browser works fine for me. Tech websites, GMail, general research, YouTube... Never had a problem. Flash would be nice though...
Any other bullshit you wish to spout? Think the polite term is FUD.
Sooo, I'm not sure, but... You didn't like it?
I like mine.
Sadly I don't like it. It really is a lame design for a phone and so much of it lacks polish.
Tethering... er, it lacks hardware support but Mango is great. Well, being honest I'm a bit of a 'if it works it works' on this. It doesn't work on my device and that's incredible given that every device (mostly Nokia) I've owned for the past 12 years supports tethering in some form.
Ring/Vibrate... all good here. Maybe you are lucky but personally I like to set my phone to silent and have it beep once then vibrate persistently until answered. Not complicated but I can't do it. The vibrate has it's own setting (ie vibrate once for a reminder) that isn't mine to control.
Keyboard... really good actually. Again, how many other onscreen keyboards have you used. I type at an fairly quick rate and the flashing of the last letter is an annoying distraction (likely to induce fitting in some I'd guess) and the autocorrect poor. I'd say it has improved nicely in Mango, even the portrait mode, but still it's not on a par with Swype or the iPhone and much worse for single hand input.
USB... Zune is great. Don't mind Zune myself but I really would like the option of loading an MP3 onto my phone when at a friend's house without doing a 15 minute install and reboot of their machine to support my device. Why no mass storage mode? Also it does limit the ability to use other nicer music management software than Zune.
Portrait./landscape... all great. Again, seriously. You really think it is fine that your phone choses the orientation for you. This is just lame software implementation. Why is the homescreen only portrait? My phone even has a kickstand to keep it nicely in landscape but yet when I swap between videos I'm dumped into a portrait world with words half split across the top of the screen. It is just a lazy software implementation. I'm sure it boosts performance and speed, but from a user perspective, it is lame.
So what other issues...
- battery life is terrible and some apps really chew it (listen to music for 4 hours and you're out).
- screen lock activates on every screen timeout meaning you have to type a code every few minutes... sadly my corporate email requires the lock on, but lock and screen timeout should be different
- mute doesn't mute the microphone with headphones plugged in... prob more of a bug than design but massively annoying for making conf calls on trains etc.
-email client pulls email 24/7 with no control of 'sleep' times... gotta love those Americans emailing you viagra offers at 3am... luckily your phone wakes you up to tell you, don't miss out :)
- signal indicator is pretty much absent for no reason... there's space there for icons, they just don't show them... weird design choice.
- no receipts for texts or other messages to confirm delivery... an SMS funtion available since er, 1991
- messy (or lovely) social integration doesn't always give you the right number when you try to call... prob a design choice that I could get used to but really some of my friends have 4 or 5 numbers, I know which to call them on at different times, why does my phone assume it can choose the default and always dial just that?
- the pointless search button... just why when you have 7 buttons on a device would you devote one of them to search? It's an 8 gig device and I know what's on there (it is my phone) why would I search it? And if you're just doing a web search, why not just give me my browser?
- multitasking... the most disappointing fail in Mango, this is a pretty lame effort
- app store... laughable selection of crud, no iplayer bunch of other useless crap and not very navigable
I really can go on. I don't doubt than in a couple of years it'll be amazing when the edges are polished but why would anyone give it a couple of years. Sadly my contract has me for 20 more months of this so I guess I'll see...
Are you sure you've upgraded to Mango? Some of this stuff you've listed is solved.
- screen lock activates on every screen timeout meaning you have to type a code every few minutes... In Mango you can choose separate times for screen timeout and phone lock
- signal indicator is pretty much absent for no reason... tap the top of the screen and the indicator appears
- no receipts for texts or other messages to confirm delivery... delivery reports are in Mango, I haven't tried them because the stupid O2 network doesn't support them but the options are there
- the pointless search button... Again, in Mango the search button has changed, it now links you in with the new bing functionality. Including the text translation stuff, QR code reader and the local scout which I actually used at the weekend to find a nice restaurant near my hotel in Brighton.
- multitasking... the most disappointing fail in Mango. If you want true battery draining multitasking, get an Android phone. If you want to be able to listen to music whilst you browse the web and pick up where you left off in an application, the Mango implementation is fine.
but it is has the same interface that NOBODY was buying last week
but the hardware platform is looking even lamer compared the weekly release of a new Android handsets
but it totally lacks the wow factor of the IPhone
I know ..
but just wait for Nokia to release a phone - that looks the same as every win phone
but just wait till Windows 8 is released - because everyone wants a phone that looks like their desktop
Maybe Microsoft needs to hire some of those "Computer Scientists" running Android, steal some of the UI folks from Apple to design a decent phone and find someone in the company with a clue that the 90's are over and Microsoft's game plan of sticking "Windows" on a product does not mean anyone really gives a dam about it.
Thats the thing, it doesnt need high end dual core SoCs, it works perfect on my old HD2 which is now outdated by current high end standards but it wouldnt run any faster, its lightning quick as it is, i am the limiting factor is this.
Saying that Android runs on multi core SoCs and must be better is like saying home users must have 16 core Zeons systems to get the full benifit of browsing the web or watching a DVD.
Android and WP7 have taken different approches to this, and trying to compare the two of them is a little bit daft, WP7 works, and works very well, it is not pretending to be like other smart(dumb)phones, if it were then MS would have just improved WM6 which is still to this day significantly more "smart" than its newer cousins people write WM off, which is a shame, yeah its UI sucked and it was not the quickest of OSs but there is nothing it couldnt do or be made to do, if MS trully wanted to take on that market then it would just have easily revamped WM, but they didnt, because people people do not actually need a "smart" phone, people just want a funky phone that works, us nerds are the minority!
Whats intresting is the hugely different specs of android out there, im very intrested how they handel cross device app compatibilty, i hope it doesnt end up fragmented mess like some of its desktop ancestors.
End of the day, choice is good for everyone, i wont be ditiching my WP any time, and im quite likely to get another one, are there things i would want it to do, of course, but these features blur the line between pocketPCs and a phone, id rather my phone just worked thanks, anything else my WM6.5 can deal with or failing that my computer.
I think what people here are forgetting is that consumers like ourselves now have more products to chose from, and I like choice. What I've also seen here is that there are people slaggin off windows phone because it has a low market share, I use an operating system thats got a very low market share, as well as one thats got a very high market share, and I use the one with the low market share 90% of the time, because I choose to, because I like to. Windows phone will have people buy and use them because they enjoy to, and if they don't they could always try something else.
The alien icon, because I'm on my second run through of Dead Space 2!
Don't think geek
It is a fluid and easy to use interface. Does the web (sans flash, a la i* devices), does the mail, and the calendar, does the twitterbook thing. Has GPS, takes and syncs photos and documents to the cloud and the home pc, does the music player bit too. The screen keyboard works nicely too.
So. It covers the basics, and possibly better than an android device (which is too customizable thus frightening for some) and as well as an iphone (which is usually more expensive).
If you are not a fashionista or technically minded (or a gamer), this is one good smartphone.
I've used iphone and currently using Android. I've also known a lot of people who have not installed much anything on their phones (be it Android or iOS) and going with the factory installed stuff. WP7 (or 7.5) may not have gained significant foothold, but it is a sleek, fast (well optimised) and easy to use.
Hey the naysayers! Have you even used one, before slinging mud? ( - just because it's from the same company which brought Windows ME - )
Personally I prefer (thus use) Android. But I also think the Metro interface is much better than the grid of icons iphone has for the ordinary person who thinks in terms of tasks, not applications; does not want to hunt and peck but just get on with looking at photos or messaging people.
Android with its live backgrounds and widgets and desktop metaphor can get complex (and be intimidating for mom and dad). iOS UI, despite the pretty icons, doesn't have much on my old Palm IIIx.
Of all unexpected places, Microsoft has managed to come up with something different, and with style and zen too.
This is not the flagship device, the Titan is.
There is sooooo mmuch missing from this review that it almost comes across as deliberate flamebait!
I have Wireless Tethering running just fine on my Omnia 7, works a treat. Just look on XDA for the know-how..
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Burt Wolf: Travels & Traditions "Bermuda" Only six hundred miles off the coast of Carolina, Bermuda is an ideal island resort for a quick and easy getaway -- packed with interesting historical sites, beach front dining and lots of local food specialties. D
8:00 pm
Globe Trekker "Caribbean Island: St. Lucia, Martinique & Montserrat" Trekker Zoe Palmer visits the islands of St. Lucia, Martinique and Montserrat. With rainforests, mountains and volcanoes and a hybrid of English, African and French heritage, these islands are among the top vacation spots in the world.G
9:00 pm
America's Test Kitchen from Cook's Illustrated "Sweet Summer Endings" NULL
9:30 pm
Simply Ming "Michael Schlow & Butterflying" NULL
10:00 pm
Joanne Weir's Cooking Confidence "Dinner Dance Or Swept Off My Feet" NULL
10:30 pm
Rick Steves' Europe "Norway's West: Fjords, Mountains and Bergen" Rick sails under towering fjord cliffs, hikes on glaciers and finds surviving traditions in remote farm hamlets. He delves into Hanseatic heritage and takes in the salty hospitality of Norway's historic capitol, Bergen.G
11:00 pm
In Search of the Novel "Where Do Novels Come From?" This program explores the genesis of characters, plot, themes, and interpretation from the novelist's point of view. Participants examine the relationship between the novel and the objective reality from which it may spring. D

subset: commoncrawl


text:
Vollrath Overall Customer Rating:
In business for over 135 years, Vollrath knows what it takes to create innovative, durable foodservice equipment. Their goal is to make every part of the foodservice industry faster and more efficient, while creating environmentally conscious products with sustainable manufacturing practices. Vollrath has expanded from humble beginnings in Wisconsin to site locations across the world. Read more
These serving spoons, spatulas, and tongs from Vollrath are made of high temperature silicone that can withstand up to 500 degrees Fahrenheit in some cases.
Boil, simmer, and reduce sauces and soups, and more in a durable, practical aluminum sauce pan from Vollrath. Available in several sizes and price ranges, and featuring various extras, aluminum sauce pans from Vollrath are sure to stand up to any task.
A good mixer is necessary for any commercial kitchen. Vollrath offers a variety of mixers in several speeds and sizes depending on what kind of foodservice operation you run.
Chop, slice, and dice quickly and efficiently to create salads, sandwiches, salsas, and more. These machines are simple and safe to use and are available in several sizes and materials.
- #1 Can Openers and #2 Can Openers
- 12 Compartment Vollrath Glass Racks
- 20 Compartment Vollrath Glass Racks
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- 48 oz. Slide Top Server / Dispenser Jars, Lids, and Collars
- 49 Compartment Vollrath Glass Racks
- 9 Compartment Vollrath Glass Racks
- Amber High Temperature Plastic Food Pans & Lids
- Batter Dispensers and Stands
- Black High Temperature Plastic Food Pans & Lids
- Bottom Mount Hot Food Wells
- Bread Loaf Pans
- Bun / Sheet Pans
- Carving Stations / Carving Shelves
- Cereal Dispensers and Dry Food Dispensers
- Chafer Boxes
- Chafing Dishes
- Cheese Slicers and Cheese Cutters
- Coated Handle Metal Ladles
- Cocktail Shakers & Strainers
- Coffee and Beverage Labeling
- Colanders
- Cold Crocks, Pans, and Lids


text:
Happy New Year, everybody!
I rarely make a list of what I hope to accomplish when the new year strikes. But for some reason, I decided I needed an extra push this year. Unemployment has left me with plenty of time to think about what makes me happy (and unhappy). I need some positive energy in my life and that can only be accomplished by being productive with my time and immersing myself in activities I enjoy – while challenging myself and learning at the same time. Here is my list:
1. Take 365 photographs (one good quality photograph per day) - I want to learn to see more creatively and compose my photographs better.
2. Ride my bike 3,000 miles (not all at once!) – Cycling is one of my favorite forms of exercise. Over the summer I was averaging 75 miles per week. I think this is a very attainable goal, and I hope to surpass it if possible!
3. Travel – Often traveling for Tim and I means driving someplace cool and going on an extended backpacking trip. That's perfectly acceptable, but we never really take a vacation where we just relax, explore a new city, and eat lots of yummy vegan food. I would love to go to San Francisco or Vancouver, British Columbia.
4. Write my cookbook (or a cookzine) – My motivation for my brownie cookbook is constantly changing. I lost interest for several months. I am considering turning it into a zine, or writing an outdoor adventure cookzine.
5. Learn to knit with circular needles – My friend Kittee is going to teach me how to use my circular knitting needles. I am not an advanced knitter, but it would be nice to explore patterns beyond scarves and dishcloths!!
6. Summit Mt. Saint Helens with Tim – We have talked about doing this for years. I think it's about time we commit! Expect photos once this goal is accomplished!!
7. Find a job – This might be the hardest goal on my list. I'm not sure what I want to do and social anxiety is a nasty obstacle.
8. Be less negative – I am going to work at this one every day. I need to be more optimistic. My natural scowl shall disappear by the end of the year!!
9. Read more books – Lately cookbooks are my novels of choice. I used to read quite a bit, but stopped for some reason. This needs to change.
10. Eat less sugar – I have a major sweet tooth. My sugar intake can get out of control because baking is my greatest passion. Tim and are I are working on this one together :)
11. Visit/explore a National Park – Tim and I hike/backpack a lot. Would you believe we have never been to a National Park? It will be difficult to choose just one, but California boasts plenty of options so we wouldn't have to travel too far.
Wish me luck!
What are some of your most challenging goals for the new year?


text:
Tomboy styles are already well established for A/W, now, by the looks of Olivier Theyskens latest collection for Theory, there'll be enough mannish styles to last us till Micklemas 2012. Theysken's Theory collection was a mix up of beautifully casual, instantly wantable pieces, since Theory is a mid-price brand, neither High Street nor really high end.
His key shapes were trousers, miniskirts and dresses and jackets. The trousers were the most interesting, as Theyskens had cleverly conceived of a solution to high waist/hipster dilemma - by somehow creating pants that clung to both, due to an ingenious double waistband. Sounds wrong but looked really right. All the models had their hands wedged firmly into their pockets - and it somehow looked appropriate. Even though this was the runway at NYFW none of the girls looked as though they would be out of place in a chic version of everyday life.
The slouchy trousers were neither particularly tapered or flared, but gave a 'straight up and down' feel to the outfits and the addition of fitted jackets - either soft shouldered and waist-length or power shouldered and fitted at the waist, felt perfectly in sync with how modern women want to dress - comfortable bottoms and a jersey, rather than button-down top, with a bit of tailoring slung on over the top to bring the look together, and perhaps some posh shoes.
If this is all starting to make you want to nod off - then don't! it wasn't all workaday separates and neutral hues. Theyskens riffed on the idea of iridescence in a couple of different ways - he had treated some of the leather pants with a kind of shimmery foil, giving a lovely Ariel from the Little Mermaid effect, as well and crystal embellishments on some of the cute little jackets, which had the same underwater effect. Just for fun, the last few looks were great, galleon-like delicately deconstructed gazar ball gowns, just to remind everyone of the reason his name gets mentioned every time the topic of Lagerfeld's retirement comes up, (even if it didn't in the case of Galliano) - i.e. there's more to this designer than slouchy pants!


text:
FORT WASHINGTON, Md. (AP) - Prince George's County police say they've made two arrests in the shooting death of a teenager who attended a Fort Washington birthday party.
Seventeen-year-old Akil Darnell Ings of Suitland and 19-year-old Kquantae Fisher of Fort Washington are both charged with first- and second-degree murder in the death of 16-year-old Marcus Antonio Jones. Police say Ings is in custody in Washington awaiting extradition. Fisher is being held without bond.
Detectives are also looking for a third suspect.
Jones was shot after leaving a party early Sunday.
Police say the party was carefully planned. Those invited were required to show identification at the door, but they say word of the party spread and some were turned away. When the party broke up at midnight, shots were fired as the crowd was leaving.
(Copyright 2013 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.)


text:
Teen Tuggers
By: xtube_sponsor
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Teen Tuggers
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Prices and availability are subject to change from the time and date that you print this page.
11/29/2014 5:24:25 AM. For Customer Service, please call 800.933.9904
Our Amazon Parrot Hand Puppet has a movable mouth and wings and is just like having a real one, without the birdseed all over the house.
Details, details
- Movable mouth and wings
- Puppets can be combined with books to encourage language and literacy
Show 'em what you're made of
- Polyester fill
Care instructions
- Spot clean
Age range
- 3 and up
The Land of Nod Guarantee
At The Land of Nod, nothing is more important to us than providing safe, high-quality products to you and your family. We believe that kids' products should be able to handle everything kids throw their way (literally and figuratively). That's why all of our products have an 18-year quality guarantee. And, hopefully, your kids will no longer be sleeping in bunk beds by then.
Knock, Knock.
Who's there?
Ida who?
Ida like to come in.
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Ida like to come in.


text:
Items In Cart
Total $0.00
- 7-Keto
- Acai
- Acidophilus
- Amino Acids
- Antioxidants
- Astaxanthin
- B Vitamins
- Bone Formulas
- C Vitamins
- Calcium
- Carnitine
- Chia Seeds
- Chlorella
- Coconut Oil
- Coenzyme Q10
- Collagen
- Colostrum
- Cranberry
- Creatine
- D Vitamins
- Enzymes
- Epicor
- Fiber
- Fish Oil
- Glucosamine
- Homeopathy
- Hyaluronic Acid
- Krill Oil
- Meal Replacements
- Multiminerals
- Multivitamins
- Mushrooms
- Omega 3-6-9
- Probiotics
- Propolis
- Pycnogenol
- Red Yeast Rice
- 21st Century Health
- California Gold Nutrition
- Carlson Labs
- Country Life
- Doctor's Best
- Enzymatic Therapy
- Enzymedica
- Garden of Life
- Healthy Origins
- iHerb Brands
- Jarrow Formulas
- Life Extension
- Madre Labs
- California Extracts
- Doctor's Best
- Eclectic Institute
- Frontier Natural Products
- Himalaya Herbals
- Jarrow Formulas
- Life Extension
- Aromatherapy Oils
- Bath & Shower
- Beauty Formulas
- Collagen Type I & III
- Conditioner
- Cosmetics, Makeup
- Creams, Lotions & Serums
- Deodorant
- Facial Care
- Gift Bags, Travel Kits
- Hair & Scalp
- Hair Coloring
- Hair, Nail & Skin
- Hand Sanitizer
- Lip Care
- Lip Stick, Gloss, Liner
- Madre Labs, Bath & Beauty
- Massage Oil
- Men's Personal Care
- Mouthwash
- Neem Oil
- Oral, Dental Care
- Personal Hygiene
- Shampoo
- Shaving
- Silica (Silicon)
- Skin Health
- Acure Organics
- Alba Botanica
- AnneMarie Borlind
- Aubrey Organics
- Avalon Organics
- Aveeno
- Derma E
- Desert Essence
- Alpha Hydroxy Acids
- Alpha Lipoic Acid Skin
- Azelaic Acid
- CoQ10 Skin
- Creams & Serums, Day
- Creams & Serums, Eye
- Creams & Serums, Night
- DMAE Skin
- Formulas, Acne
- Formulas, Psoriasis
- Glycolic Acid
- Green Tea Skin
- Hand Lotions
- Hyaluronic Acid Skin
- Acure Organics
- Alba Botanica
- Andalou Naturals
- AnneMarie Borlind
- Aubrey Organics
- Avalon Organics
- Bee Naturals
Customer Reviews
Great for coconut chocolate
10 people found the following review helpful
Posted by Reviewer3181965 on Jun 24, 2012
Purchased at iHerb
I used this product to make coconut chocolate; it turned out great! Good quality and taste. Some of the negative reviews concern bitter taste. Raw cocoa powder is bitter. Some kind of sweetener is required to make it more palatable.
Absolutely delicious and invigorating
10 people found the following review helpful
Posted by ludvig on Jul 13, 2012
Purchased at iHerb
Tried to make hot chocolate with this... It was so delicious... so euphoric... What I did was to mix two table spoons with this powder, two equal parts with coconut crystals, and then filled up the cup with warm milk... stirred it... and there I was: in Chocolate Heaven!
Dark as a Cup of Coffee Raw Chocolate
20 people found the following review helpful
Posted by wholefoods on Aug 13, 2012
Purchased at iHerb
I bought a bag of this product intending to use it as a sweet chocolate cocoa mix, like the kind grandma used to make. When I put the powder into a coffee mug and stirred it, it ended up tasting more like a cup of dark coffee. Not that that is a bad thing. There isn't anything sweet about this product. It is very dark tasting and bitter. At first I couldn't get used to the taste. Now, I drink a cup or two a day at work in place of coffee. I appreciate that this product is filled with iron, magnesium, protein, fiber, healthy fats, and a host of antioxidants. It also makes me feel calm after drinking a cup, probably a combination of the caffeine and other components of the raw cacoa. Also, because Navitas specializes in whole foods products, including cacoa in all its manifestations, I trust the quality. Highly recommended!
Cacao powder testimonial
28 people found the following review helpful
Posted by Reviewer2990970 on Jan 04, 2010
Purchased at iHerb
I have been using this product for several months. It is extremely effective at controlling my hypertension. I haven't had to use statins forr several years now. Before treatment with statins, my blood pressure was somewhere around 140/90. The best I was able to achieve using statin prescription medicine was around 130/90. My blood pressure levels are now consistently around 120/80 using the raw cacao powder.
Cacao Powder
6 people found the following review helpful
Posted by anncha on Sep 07, 2012
Purchased at iHerb
Love it... I`ve made healty"icecream" with it, and it taste reeeaally good.. But make sure you don`t use to much, it`s better to use less than you think and then add a bit more if you need to..


text:
Thinking about going ? Votes are doubled for Pro users; each vote adds +2 or -2.
Ideas for:
The Service
Have a new idea?
Submit a suggestion
Maybe any pluginshttp://www.launchy.net/plugins.php
Posted at 7:43pm on May 27, 2011
I'm using this to send tasks to RTM:http://lifehacker.com/5190601/email-yourself-reminders-from-launchyand here's an updated versions that i didn't check out yet:http://lifehacker.com/5197116/remember-the-milk-for-launchy-adds-tasks-in-a-flashhope this helps!jordi
Posted 3 years ago


text:
Yes we are.
The Steeler way...is the only way.
Uhhh...who said Johnson was the 'phin's #1 wr? LOL
NFLC reporting Wallace will report to camp soon.
Don't we have a poor mans version of Reggie Bush in Chris Rainey?
possibly, but bush could do so much more. hes rainey with good size and strength
There are currently 1 users browsing this thread. (0 members and 1 guests)


text:
Items In Cart
Total $0.00
- 7-Keto
- Acai
- Acidophilus
- Amino Acids
- Antioxidants
- Astaxanthin
- B Vitamins
- Bone Formulas
- C Vitamins
- Calcium
- Carnitine
- Chia Seeds
- Chlorella
- Coconut Oil
- Coenzyme Q10
- Collagen
- Colostrum
- Cranberry
- Creatine
- D Vitamins
- Enzymes
- Epicor
- Fiber
- Fish Oil
- Glucosamine
- Homeopathy
- Hyaluronic Acid
- Krill Oil
- Meal Replacements
- Multiminerals
- Multivitamins
- Mushrooms
- Omega 3-6-9
- Probiotics
- Propolis
- Pycnogenol
- Red Yeast Rice
- 21st Century Health
- California Gold Nutrition
- Carlson Labs
- Country Life
- Doctor's Best
- Enzymatic Therapy
- Enzymedica
- Garden of Life
- Healthy Origins
- iHerb Brands
- Jarrow Formulas
- Life Extension
- Madre Labs
- California Extracts
- Doctor's Best
- Eclectic Institute
- Frontier Natural Products
- Himalaya Herbals
- Jarrow Formulas
- Life Extension
- Aromatherapy Oils
- Bath & Shower
- Beauty Formulas
- Collagen Type I & III
- Conditioner
- Cosmetics, Makeup
- Creams, Lotions & Serums
- Deodorant
- Facial Care
- Gift Bags, Travel Kits
- Hair & Scalp
- Hair Coloring
- Hair, Nail & Skin
- Hand Sanitizer
- Lip Care
- Lip Stick, Gloss, Liner
- Madre Labs, Bath & Beauty
- Massage Oil
- Men's Personal Care
- Mouthwash
- Neem Oil
- Oral, Dental Care
- Personal Hygiene
- Shampoo
- Shaving
- Silica (Silicon)
- Skin Health
- Acure Organics
- Alba Botanica
- AnneMarie Borlind
- Aubrey Organics
- Avalon Organics
- Aveeno
- Derma E
- Desert Essence
- Alpha Hydroxy Acids
- Alpha Lipoic Acid Skin
- Azelaic Acid
- CoQ10 Skin
- Creams & Serums, Day
- Creams & Serums, Eye
- Creams & Serums, Night
- DMAE Skin
- Formulas, Acne
- Formulas, Psoriasis
- Glycolic Acid
- Green Tea Skin
- Hand Lotions
- Hyaluronic Acid Skin
- Acure Organics
- Alba Botanica
- Andalou Naturals
- AnneMarie Borlind
- Aubrey Organics
- Avalon Organics
- Bee Naturals
Customer Reviews
Increases acne
17 people found the following review helpful
Posted by Reviewer1194625 on Jul 24, 2011
Purchased at iHerb
I can't rate this one on weight loss. After just a few days, I had a horrible outbreak of cystic acne on my chin. Large painful cysts. No reviews here mentioned acne as a side effect, but after my experience I did a little more research. Acne is a definite side effect. I won't be taking any more.
Arthritis Sufferers BEWARE!!!
14 people found the following review helpful
Posted by Reviewer1724174 on Oct 20, 2012
Purchased at iHerb
I'm 46 and have rheumatoid arthritis. I had to quit taking Natrol's Tonalin CLA after just a few days. Basically... this stuff cranked my arthritic inflammation up to a point that I'd not seen in a long time. And the anti-inflammatory prescribed by my rheumatologist couldn't keep up despite increasing the frequency that I was taking it from once a week to nearly daily. I knew CLA was an omega 6. And that omega 6 fatty acids contribute to inflammation, especially if taken in too high a proportion as compared to omega 3 fatty acids. I figured I'd be fine though since I eat sardines about every other day and supplement omega 3s even further with daily Schiff Mega Red. I was way wrong! From my experience, this stuff kicks arthritis into high gear. I had no idea that omega 6s could have such a fast and harsh impact on inflammation.
9 people found the following review helpful
Posted by Reviewer2717476 on Apr 27, 2010
Purchased at iHerb
I have lost 3 inches off my waste with this product however once you use it for three months it doesn't do anymore. Having said that it then keeps off putting inches back on. This is my seond time on this product and it works. I would recomend this product without question. Especially if you are hypothyroid.
This is working!
4 people found the following review helpful
Posted by Reviewer2247920 on Feb 19, 2008
Purchased at iHerb
I feel a difference after using these for a couple of weeks. My clothes are fitting differently already!
love this!
4 people found the following review helpful
Posted by Reviewer1962143 on Nov 15, 2011
Purchased at iHerb
I'm a big fan of CLA and I have to say NATROL TONALIN is the bestest CLA I've ever used. You will see results after two weeks! and Iherb is simply the best place to purchase it! thank you so much iherb!


text:
Underwritten by Clifford Law Offices and Navigant
Join the Young Lawyers Section at its Eighth
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