WP7 First Look: The Live Tiles and Hubs interface

Tony Sarno
13 October 2010, 6:22 AM


Check out how the Windows Phone 7 interface works, with our quick and dirty video run-through on the first-available WP7 handsets at the Sydney launch yesterday.


The difference between Microsoft's new mobile OS, Windows Phone 7, and competitors such as iPhone, Android and Blackberry is evident the moment you switch on a WP7 phone. Whereas the other platforms are fundamentally app launchers with screens full of icons, WP7 opens with a set of  dynamic tiles which update with changing content from the phone's apps. The idea is that all that's relevant to a user is not buried inside apps, but highlighted on the phone's first screens.

With the WP7 handset on its way to our Labs, we took the opportunity at the launch yesterday to run through some of the features of Windows Phone 7 on some test mobiles. 

This captioned video looks at the WP7 interface and its Live Tiles and Hubs.

[Due to the high levels of extraneous noise at the crowded Sydney launch of WP7 we've added captions and removed the audio. We'll do a thorough in-house filming of the phones when they arrive in our labs shortly]





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Paul S (New user):

I wonder what all this live tile stuff does to the battery life?

13 October 2010, 2:11 PM (2 years ago)report abuse Send to a friend reply

deusexmachina (New user):

So how is this different to having notifications turned on with an iPhone and being able to see your txts, calls, ims, weather temp, fb alerts, app updates, and date and time all on the front screen?

13 October 2010, 3:45 PM (2 years ago)report abuse Send to a friend reply

Paul S (New user):

It just looks like Microsoft is upping the ante,
As you said, notifications turned on - you have to turn 'em on.
On first impressions in WP7 it looks like all is on by default.
- I'm not saying it's true, nobody has one, just my thoughts (worries)

13 October 2010, 5:17 PM (2 years ago)report abuse Send to a friend reply

deusexmachina (New user):

Quoting Paul S:
you have to turn 'em on.


I do like having the option of controlling exactly how my 3G data and battery life will be used...

14 October 2010, 10:49 AM (2 years ago)report abuse Send to a friend reply

Tin (User):

I've always thought it looked retarded... And now I know it is...
It looks like ads. Which my brain is just filtering out and looking for the real content... I don't want to be doing that with my phone...

ALso, are these segments going to be usable by 3rd party programs? Or are you stuck with clients for things that MS has released? I asked because the Facebook program for Windows Mobile is rubbish, and part of the success of the iPhone and Android is the vast choice of apps that can be used in a semi-integrated way with the phone, where MS has said no custom interfaces.

13 October 2010, 8:58 PM (2 years ago)report abuse Send to a friend reply

TheMechanic (New user):

After waiting almost a year for this thing I need to go Android. All this stuff is nice but no tethering (no WiFi hotspot) and no Mass Storage (let alone a generic USB Mass Storage)are absolute deal-breakers (and no plans). I don't much care when they bring out copy/paste.

Is it just me that thinks these should be no-brainers?

13 October 2010, 9:32 PM (2 years ago)report abuse Send to a friend reply

Cranborile (New user):

judging by the speed of the demo your going to need an i7 processor in your phone to see it run at any decent speeds! Ugliest mobile OS Ive seen yet!!

14 October 2010, 12:48 AM (2 years ago)report abuse Send to a friend reply

MJD (New user):

- The live tiles shouldn't have too much effect on battery life, no more than notifications should
-The iPhone you get the options of badges which display a number. With live tiles you can actually see the information. For example if you pin a contact (which you can't do with iOS) you see their most recent facebook status.

- Looks like ads? How so? You pin the information that you want and arrange it the way that you want. You shouldn't tune it out because it is the stuff that you selected.
- 3rd party apps can have their own live tiles.
- iPhone apps are sandboxed completely. WP7 apps can add functionality to the existing hubs. For example a Flickr app can integrate itself with the pictures hub.

- Need an i7? Did we watch the same video? The hubs launched almost instantly and scrolling was smooth


14 October 2010, 10:06 AM (2 years ago)report abuse Send to a friend reply

TV Bis (New user):

Quoting MJD:
Need an i7? Did we watch the same video? The hubs launched almost instantly and scrolling was smooth

Seems to me that every one here is negative when it comes to a new microsoft product.

After getting and using the iPhone (what a sucker) I can now say that the Microsoft product is looking pretty good.

15 October 2010, 9:03 PM (2 years ago)report abuse Send to a friend reply

Eli68 (New user):

Microsoft product looking good ?? why have either the Android phones offer more then both of these. I used to own a iPhone3GS but have since upgraded to a Samsung Galaxy s & now I have everything the iPhone4 has & more like sd micro card, faster GPU, Just upgraded OS to 2.2 now I can go to any website that has Flash, full multitasking btw it didn't mention it here but the WP7 doesn't even multitask not to mention full Blue tooth 3.0 I could go on & on but in the end both the WP7 & iPhone are so far behind it's not funny only a fool wouldn't buy a new droid.

19 October 2010, 9:07 AM (2 years ago)report abuse Send to a friend reply

Geoff_Prior (New user):

Good to see the comments. Mixed as you might expect. I for one will be watching to see how WP 7 rates after more people get to use it.

31 October 2010, 10:02 PM (2 years ago)report abuse Send to a friend reply

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