Mango Press Event Summary

So damn early.. 7am Pacific start of this Mango Preview.  I'll be grouping these (hopefully not all 500 new features will be shown because that would be a really long event) into different categories so hopefully it will help you sort out your needs (i.e. business users vs. consumers). 

Just before you get too excited, remember that all these new features are targetted at the US market - most will make the International market but not all - anything that has to do with Zune or Xbox Live are doubtful for non-US markets.

Mango is coming this fall (early fall) - OTA update - really?

General:
IE9

• Speed test with HTML5 - going up against BB Torch, iPhone 4, Droid Charge, and of course a Mango device
• BB Torch - 5fps, Charge - 10 fps, iPhone 4 - still thinking, Mango Device - 30fps (holy moley)

Bing:

• App Connect - search for a movie/restaurant, Bing can now transfer the results directly into an app and get integrated results about a movie, restaurant - Neat!
• Visual Search - no typing, no speaking - just hover over whatever you want to search for (i.e. want to know where your friend bought that kick ass cup?  Visual Search can find it for you online)

New Hardware:

• Samsung, LG and HTC will be deploying new phones (LG??? I thought they lost all faith!)
• Nokia - Of course
• New Partners - Acer, Fujitsu, ZTE

Consumers:

Messaging Hub

• Messenger will be seamlessly built int Windows Phone, texting and IM will be together at last - built into the Messaging  hub
• Facebook Chat fom the new Windows Phone
• IM and SMS switching is going to be seamless - via the Messaging Hub
• Photo Sharing from the Cloud
• Group Chat
• Voice to text - built in-voice recognition within the Messaging Hub

Social Networks

• In addition to Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn will be integrated
• new feature called Groups - group contacts into personalized Live Tiles to see the latest status updates, order email, text, or IM the group, directly from the start screen.
• Calendar now shows Facebook events - cool

UI Enhancements:

• new smarter keyboard - if you love the keyboard on your wp7 handset right now, the new keyboard will suggest words - i.e. you type "happy", it suggests "birthday" for quicker inputs
• email and IM are more integrated.  The conversation between email and text are shows up in a integrated thread.  Got an email from someone?  Reply with IM and the conversation shows up in the same thread - very cool
• Multitasking - switch between apps without losing your progress

Apps!

• Took some jabs at all other platforms (iOS, Android, BB OS, webOS)
• with WP7, Apps are integrated into the hubs - (ala picture hub, music and video hub, etc) - haven't we seen this already?

Gamers

• Gaming will be a really social experience - like Xbox360 - hopefully with little kids swear on top of their lungs telling me that I suck or I am cheating because they suck

Business Users:

• Documents can now be edited directly on your Skydrive via WP7

Developers:

• Beta Mango Tools Available Today