back to article The Register is rocking on Windows Phone 7

We’re gradually updating our mobile app efforts. First out of the gate is this beauty for Windows Phone 7. El Reg news rolls on Windows Phone It’s a jazzy little number in a sleek black outfit delivering you all of our content from the convenience of your Win 7 phone. And it's completely free. Before you ask, yes. We did …

COMMENTS

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  1. Richard Ball

    At last

    A reason to get a phone that costs more than £15.

    1. Anonymous Coward
      Paris Hilton

      Re: At last

      THIS IS ONE OF LITERALLY MILLIONS OF REASONS TO BUY WINDOWS PHONES THEY PROVIDE THE RELIABILITY AND SECURITY THAT APPLE AND ANDROID OBNLY DREAM ABOUT GOD BLESS STEVE BALLMER

      1. Anonymous Coward
        Anonymous Coward

        Re: At last

        @Big Dumb guy 555

        Do you post comments as a challenge for the rest of us to work out which puntuation is missing and which words you have spelled incorrectly?

        Good job if you do, there's usually enough childish mistakes to keep us going for a while.

        1. Peter Gathercole Silver badge

          Re: At last

          What I wan to know is what happened between June last year and early April this year that caused his caps lock key to stick down. There's a gap in his posting history (which actually includes two moderator deleted posts).

          He's been registered since 2010, but up until April this year had only entered a handful of comments. Since then, something has woken him up, and caused him to SHOUT about everything he's commented on.

          1. Francis Boyle Silver badge

            Re: At last

            I suspect the explanation for the Big Dumb One involves some form of (possibly alien) brain parasite. Though more traditional types of zombiefication can't be ruled out.

        2. Geoffrey W

          Re: At last

          RE: "Do you post comments as a challenge....?"

          He posts because he thinks he's being funny and he enjoys the attention and thrill of being known to lots of users on the forums. He reminds me of my first job where some unknown non entity used to scrawl the most idiotic comments on the toilet cubicle walls. he did it until someone caught him at it and actually quit his job, which wasn't worth having in the first place, because everyone kept laughing AT him rather than with him. True wit is a very rare thing. Big dumb guy doesn't have it.

      2. Anonymous Coward
        Anonymous Coward

        Re: At last

        I LIKE WHAT YOU SAY AND WOULD LIKE TO SUBSCRIBE TO YOUR NEWSLETTER

      3. Jonathan Richards 1
        Trollface

        Figuratively

        > LITERALLY MILLIONS

        That word LITERALLY doesn't mean what you think it means. If you can come up with a list of a hundred good reasons I'd be literally astonished.

        Oh sh*t, I just responded to the troll, who's clearly on a downvote crusade, so at least I don't give it the satisfaction of bunging it one.

    2. Bob Vistakin
      Facepalm

      Re: At last

      Yes this is great news, and the announcement went down a storm at this years WP7 global user convention held in the phone box by the gents at Clapham Common south entrance. The fragrance from the adjoining building matched its user experience perfectly, and there was even talk of holding next years somewhere its user wouldn't be embarrassed to be seen with it in public.

      A round of applause greeted the announcement of the name given to this great partnership too, coined elsewhere in this forum actually - "NoWin".

      Yes, "Browsing El Reg on the NoWin Loser 800" is a worthy endeavour indeed.

    3. Anonymous Coward
      Anonymous Coward

      Re: At last

      But sadly it crap in the iPad, but great on the feed on androids UK and Worls News

  2. This post has been deleted by its author

  3. BorkedAgain

    * Tumbleweed... *

  4. EddieD

    Got it yesterday.

    Looks good, works well.

    1. Thomas 4
      Trollface

      At last

      The high percentage scores Win Phones have been getting in El Reg reviews are finally justified.

  5. wolfetone Silver badge
    Thumb Up

    About bloody time!!!

  6. Graf

    Wonder how long

    Before somone points out that theres no such dthing as Windows 7 Mobile, but rather that is called Windows Phone 7 ( or Windows Phone 7.5 for the later ones)

    1. Manu T

      Re: Wonder how long

      Why would we wanna do that?

      El Reg correctly wrote: "First out of the gate is this beauty for Windows Phone 7."

      I only wondered what I can expect with: "We’re gradually updating our mobile app efforts."

      Does that mean iOS, Android and WP7 only? Or would these efforts also cover the more common platform Symbian and perhaps go a little further with Harmattan, Bada & Brew as well. To span the whole spectrum.

      That would be a truly worthwhile effort and command respect from the tech-community.

  7. John Sanders
    Coat

    Web site apps

    Are the spawn of the devil.

    Any smartphone not capable of displaying nothing else but the full "El Reg" site doesn't deserve to be bought used nor the right to be called smart.

    Mine is the Samsung note in the pocket of my coat.

    1. phr0g

      Re: Web site apps

      I disagree. While I do use full websites on my phone (HTC One X), I prefer it when an app is available which formats it so I don't have to keep pinching and zooming.

      Really enjoying using Google currents right now, and the BBC news app is very nice too.

      1. Peter Lea

        Re: Web site apps

        Or you could use the mobile site...

        http://m.theregister.co.uk/

        1. Craigness

          Re: Web site apps

          http://m. is a bad solution, but it's better than redirecting to the mobile homepage and leaving your mobile visitors to try to navigate to the page they were linked to, which some sites still do. The best solution is to have the site redraw itself based on the device accessing the page; Wordpress is a good example. The Reg feeds all point to the desktop site, which is a pain when using Google Reader on a phone.

          1. The Envoy
            Thumb Up

            Re: Web site apps

            "The Reg feeds all point to the desktop site, which is a pain when using Google Reader on a phone."

            And even more when you're reading the neighbours computer screen using your binoculars.

            Can I please subscribe to the printed edition.

  8. Anonymous Coward
    Anonymous Coward

    ...

    Seriously? Windows 7 mobile? Its WP7 damnit!

    1. Michael Kean

      Re: ...

      .. reminds me of WP51

      That's C:\WP51>

      (WordPerfect 5.1 - a word processor for DOS back in the '80s/'90s)

      1. Anonymous Coward
        Joke

        @Michael

        And amazingly enough WP51 can also run on WP7.

        ...If someone cared to port it. Which I doubt anyone will do because the confusion would be catastrophic (but funny!) :-)

  9. Anonymous Coward
    Anonymous Coward

    Great Move Reg !

    It's going to increase the circulation by six people, fantastic.

    1. Justa
      Facepalm

      Re: Great Move Reg !

      Yes, but look at it from those 6 people's point of view. They've chosen WP7 and so need as much access to technology news as they can get.

      1. h4rm0ny

        Re: Great Move Reg !

        "Yes, but look at it from those 6 people's point of view. They've chosen WP7 and so need as much access to technology news as they can get."

        Okay. Offensive and inaccurate. But admittedly funny.

        (Lumia 710 owner)

    2. Anonymous Coward
      Anonymous Coward

      Re: Great Move Reg !

      Oh, what was that?? Oh yes!

      REEKS OF TROLL!!!

      1. Anonymous Coward
        Anonymous Coward

        Re: Great Move Reg !

        Obviously (pun intended) we have a wp7 buyer here who is a little hurt by the truth

      2. Anonymous Coward
        WTF?

        Re: Great Move Reg !

        Obviously!, are you actually for real? Do you actually have the chutzpah to call someone else a troll? You really need a recto-cranial extraction procedure.

  10. Anonymous Coward
    Anonymous Coward

    Got it...

    I got it yesterday, or the day before, something like that... I find it pretty good, although it can be a little bit stuttery where IE isn't - on an HTC Trophy. The comments, though are a bit odd, in that you've got to open each comment to see its replies, then each reply to see its replies. It would have been nicer to have all replies and sub-replies to open when you expand an initial comment. Other than that, pretty good, I am using it more than the m.theregister.co.uk...

  11. J. R. Hartley

    Hopefully the Android one will be much improved.

    Because at the minute it is proper shite.

    1. pullenuk

      Re: Hopefully the Android one will be much improved.

      What? There an android one???

    2. Phil Mitchell (Written by Reg staff)

      Re: Hopefully the Android one will be much improved.

      Yes it will be.

      1. Craigness
        Thumb Up

        Re: Hopefully the Android one will be much improved.

        I hope it will use Intents for sharing.

    3. Martin 47

      Re: Hopefully the Android one will be much improved.

      actually I think its more like half assed shite

  12. tommy060289
    Megaphone

    have you upgraded your favourite son yet (iOS5)?

    I deleted it a bit ago because it was retarded by displaying no comments and not refreshing stories.

    Have these issues been fixed yet?

    1. Growler
      Go

      Re: have you upgraded your favourite son yet (iOS5)?

      The one you refer to is "The Register UK Reader" and it is indeed a pile of shite. This one is just "The Register".

    2. Phil Mitchell (Written by Reg staff)

      Re: have you upgraded your favourite son yet (iOS5)?

      Not fixed, no. But updating soon.

      1. Anonymous Coward
        Anonymous Coward

        Re: have you upgraded your favourite son yet (iOS5)?

        Windows Phone first (1% market share) then do the other ones. That is the most important.

  13. K
    Coat

    cough cough splutter...

    Where is the PalmOS version ...

  14. Sulehir

    Thank you el reg :)

    It's nice to not be left out as a windows phone user.

    1. Anonymous Coward
      Anonymous Coward

      You know it's probably cos micros~1 bunged them cash? No one would update the Windows Phone app first otherwise.

      It's very interesting, I've been in a few ages and asked them why on earth they are releasing Windows Phone apps when it has such small market share. They all replied that Microsoft paid for it!

  15. Annihilator
    Coat

    App of the week?

    Quite possibly. But that's more a reflection on the number of apps being released each week on Windows phones, which I suspect to be one per week.

    I know, I'm going. :-)

    1. Shaun 1

      not sure if it's still the case

      but WP7 marketplace was growing at a faster pace than android when it first came out

      1. Anonymous Coward
        Anonymous Coward

        Re: not sure if it's still the case

        Because going from 1 app to 2 apps is a 100% increase. But I fess up: I do have 8 apps in the windows phone marketplace

  16. Dan 55 Silver badge
    Devil

    Symbian version?

    Well someone's got to say it.

    You could at least use Nokia's App Wizard to do something with RSS.

    1. This post has been deleted by its author

    2. Manu T

      Re: Symbian version?

      to Dan 55:

      Thanks for suppying that appwizard-site.

      I've whipped up an El Reg rss-app for Symbian through that site. It's quite fun to do.

      http://appwizard.nokia.com/get.jsp?pp=82d981

      Currently only 4 feeds are possible so I got

      -Headlines

      -Hardware

      -Software

      -Odds and Sods

      I dunno if El Reg staff would mind.

      I noticed that appwizard-apps don't like landscape mode (as it sometimes doesn't reflow the contents when you flip the phone). I also had to trace/redraw the logo to create a nice icon. I used the basis o/t old black logo. So I have an approximation of the current logo (it's a mix o/t old black and new red one but in red).

      Amazing stuff that Appwizard-thing. I literally whipped it up in minutes. Very nice, clean and simple. I could perhaps do similar one for AnandTech or Tom's hardware.

      El Reg team could probably whip up something better but this is a start. In fact if anyone from the El Reg team wants it. Then I'm happy to provide the wgz-file. I've also submitted it to Nokia Store. If they allow it the you should be able to get it for free through the Nokia Store too.

      Thanks for pointing out appwizard.nokia.com

      1. Dan 55 Silver badge
        Go

        Re: Symbian version?

        Not bad at all... I'm sure El Reg could pick up the ball and run with it up the flagpole to see who salutes (add comments, etc...).

        By the way, for anyone who wants to try it, you have to download it using Nokia's browser, not Opera Mobile/Mini.

  17. Anonymous Coward
    Black Helicopters

    Hmm

    wonders if this is the reason for the overinflated 75% score for the rubbish Lumia phone....

  18. Anonymous Coward
    Anonymous Coward

    Strange choice

    as nobody actually has Windows Phone that's got any technical competence.

    1. Toothpick

      Re: Strange choice

      So you need technical competence to operate a phone?

      Or are you saying Android user = technically competent?

      1. Anonymous Coward
        Anonymous Coward

        Re: Strange choice

        Only a total idiot with not an ounce of technical competence would buy a Windows Phone. It's clearly this years WebOS.... And it's total failure is imminent.

        1. Anonymous Coward
          Anonymous Coward

          Re: Strange choice

          You sir, r are a nob. I develop for Android and windows. I assure you, as the windows api progresses it will outperform and outshine android. Only maturity stands in its way at this time. Quality is superb. I'm giving it 12 to 18 months and it will be an api that can outshine any part of android.

  19. Anonymous Coward
    Anonymous Coward

    What is it with WP7?

    Why the hell is it considered good to have a sliver of the next screen showing on this one? Its incredibly ugly, looks like a massive graphical bug, and the main reason I wouldn't touch WP7 with a stick. Yet somehow everyone keeps raving about how great WP7 looks! WTF?

    1. Miek
      Trollface

      Re: What is it with WP7?

      Watch out, you might get down-voted or flamed for not liking the "Slick, intuitive look".

      1. dogged
        Facepalm

        Re: What is it with WP7?

        Either you like it or you don't like it.

        I see people insulting for their choice of a phone or what they find pleasing to the eye....

        I suppose all the racists have to do something now that their favourite hobby is illegal.

      2. h4rm0ny
        Headmaster

        Re: What is it with WP7?

        "Watch out, you might get down-voted or flamed for not liking the "Slick, intuitive look"."

        Actually no. It's an opinion of taste and everyone has some of that except for BIG DUMB GUY. What gets downvotes is irrational or dishonest information, or attempting to assert that your taste is objectively better than everyone elses. For example, I know what the poster means about the part of the next screen protruding onto the first screen. It does that on Metro on the PC and I think it's ugly on a monitor - I want to be able to flip between discrete pages. Just like I always read PDFs with page breaks because it feels a bit smushed together if I read it as continuous. However, I like it on the phone because that is a touch interface and it feels much more natural to just slide the tiles up and down to wherever I want them rather than flip between pages. It's very nice. However, you will note that I am not raving about how other phones are crap or shouting for joy because I've found something I think is wrong with them. I just have my WP7 phone and I really like it. I'm not going to downvote someone for not liking it.

        However, I might downvote your comment for implying that anyone criticising a WP7 device gets flamed. On the contrary, I've been down voted just for saying I like my phone or correcting somone else's obviously false information about it. Funny how the first thing someone does when they don't like another group, is accuse them of all the things they do themselves.

    2. Nick Thompson

      Re: What is it with WP7?

      It actually works really well when you're using it on the phone. But if you want to base your opinions of the entire OS based on the non-real world scenario of studying a screenshot go ahead and remain ignorant.

  20. Mark Fenton

    Fixed the iPhone version yet?

    Please fix the iPhone version. It really does blow. The app, not the phone. Well, maybe the phone too, but the app certainly does.

    1. Andrew Harvey

      Re: Fixed the iPhone version yet?

      Yup I agree! Deleted mine as it seemed to be complete sh*te - always sat there, spinning a little circle and doinghttp://www.theregister.co.uk/Design/graphics/icons/comment/thumb_down_32.png nothing.

  21. Snail
    Thumb Up

    Downloaded it, tried it, uninstalled it.

    Nice enough app, but i'd rather keep using my RSS reader, rather than have to open a seperate app for every news source.

  22. Anonymous Coward
    Anonymous Coward

    Very well done!

    What I like best is that the app. is "no nonsense". iow; no bother with livetiles, no worrying that the Bird sits on the background to slurp more info... You open the app, and you get news.

    One small complaint though; you turned off auto complete & spellcheck during input. Makes it harder to send messages.

    Apart from that: Well done!

    (sent from my phone using the app.).

    1. Shaun 1

      i was avout to piy tbe same meaaagd aboyr rne spellcjecjet

  23. divx

    nice

    nice,

    needs some pictures with each title =)

    been wanting this for a while tough. would be nicer to have text bigger without zooming in and chooping the sides off.

  24. IronSteve

    Looks nice and works well, cheers for that Reg

  25. SiempreTuna
    Thumb Up

    Why the griping?

    .. there are at least 3 or 4 Reg readers are really happy.

    You can't beat the personal touch.

  26. Lallabalalla
    Meh

    That's nice

    because the one on iOS is shite

    1. Anonymous Coward
      Anonymous Coward

      Re: That's nice

      because the one on iOS is shite

      There, fixed it for you

  27. Sil
    Thumb Up

    Finally

    Finally!

    It was so hard to read Theregister on mobile browser as you do not have a mobile-web or at the very least not for WP7 (really strange btw).

    Thanks

    1. Dan 55 Silver badge

      Re: Finally

      Click here... m.theregister.co.uk

      They don't advertise it much.

      1. multipharious

        Re: Finally

        The Register website is responsive and serves up the m.site on my Windows Phone 7.5's Internet Explorer. My iPhone 4 (iOS v5.1.1) serves up the full site...so Safari on iOS either does not identify itself as a mobile device (interesting for bandwidth consumption) or the browser navigation bar is suppressing it? (Apple just fixed a similar suppression issue in v5.1.1)

  28. Matthew 21

    Good work.

    Nice clean Metro design, excellent performance, delightful content. App of the week indeed.

  29. Pahhh
    Stop

    iPhone Troll

    Good for WP7 but like many, I will use this thread to troll about the fact they need to fix their iPhone version and do an iPad version.

    As the other poster said, the iOS version is crap.

    1. Phil Mitchell (Written by Reg staff)

      Re: iPhone Troll

      Yes, yes. We know. We've sorted it. It's coming soon.

      1. Anonymous Coward
        Anonymous Coward

        Re: iPhone Troll

        Funny, that you have so much followers using iOS since you're such a pro-Android site.

  30. nordwars
    Thumb Up

    Very pretty, very usable, appreciated

    Would be nice if there was an indicator as to which you had and hadn't read.

  31. G.Y.

    tiny letters

    text is hard to read, because of the tiny font used. Is there a fix?

    1. G_C
      Happy

      Re: tiny letters

      Spectacles? Just sayin..

    2. John Sanders
      Angel

      Re: tiny letters

      Give me full zoom and re-flow native browser glory!!!

      No more tiny letters for me any more!, ah... the mighty screen of the Samsung Note!

      I'm sorry folks I came from a Blackberry 9780 to the Note a couple of weeks ago, I'm full of joy ever since.

  32. Anonymous Coward
    Anonymous Coward

    BOFH?

    If I pin the app to my home screen, do I get a notification when a new BOFH story is released?

  33. slear
    Boffin

    Font too small

    I have installed the app. I like it, good ui and snappy.

    But the font size of the articles is too small, difficult to read for my eyesight.

    Also the articles doesn't rotate. There is space for improvement.

    1. Anonymous Coward
      Anonymous Coward

      Re: Font too small

      But it IS better than the other one (The Register UK Reader). So apps ARE improving. Though I admit the former one is similarly made with "FollowMyFeed". An RSS-modifing tool like appwizard.nokia.com as mentioned on the forum.

      Fact is even when using programs like this everyone can whip up an "app". They're kinda useless since in the case of Symbian all the browsers there can access the rss-feeds directly. But if every app count then it's a sure way to create 'an app'. One could easily create an AnandTech, Tom's Hardware or even Slashdot-app with these.

  34. Tgnome

    I downloaded and tried it. Like it so far. Thanks for taking the time to make an app for those of us that prefer the Windows Phone over the fanboys.

  35. enerider
    Happy

    Downloaded here too - will make getting the lastest information on the run easier! Thanks El Reg!

  36. Stephen Channell
    Unhappy

    Good start, but...

    no landscape view, no zoom, no search

  37. multipharious

    Thanks!

    Perfect for a quick look when I have a spare moment and I am carrying the WP7.5. Share options, getting to the comments with a button, and view as web page are nice for a first version. Thanks!

  38. doctorjbeam

    Nevermind these planks

    Thanks guys for the app! Will be using it daily now.

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