What should I look for when buying a Windows Phone 7 development phone?

I am looking to buy a mobile phone for Windows Phone 7 without a SIM card for development, and I am wondering if there is anything that can make a particular phone more suitable or unsuitable.

I know that Microsoft has assigned a hard core specification for WP7 phones. I also developed for many other mobile platforms and I understand that the choice of the latest, most modern phone will not be representative of the market as a whole.

What I need (maybe shaped by my experience with Android):

  • Can manufacturers and / or network operators modify the firmware of the OS (for example, with Android) or all devices work essentially with the same firmware?
  • How do different phones deal with new firmware updates? Is this a specific manufacturer?
  • Do all phones use Zune software to connect to a PC, or do some manufacturers require you to use your own software?
  • Are there any features that are not included in the basic Microsoft specification that other developers would recommend as relevant for general-purpose development?

I am currently considering the HTC Radar , as they are available in the UK for half the price of the Lumia 800 . As a developer (not a user), would I notice any significant differences between the two?

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So far I have tested my personal applications on HTC Trophy, HTC Mozart, HTC HD7, LG E900 Optimus 7, samsung omnia 7 and Lumia 800. They all work great.

My suggestion is to get the cheapest, as there is no difference between them. :)

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All phones use Zune software as desktop on PC. You can transfer the use of Zune during development to allow access to the multimedia elements of phones that are not available when connected through Zune.

Some early devices did not include all the sensors supported by the platform, one of which is a gyroscope.

All devices with one generation should have at least an Mango update, which makes them mostly comparable to second-generation devices. However, you will get additional hardware improvements and changes with two devices, such as front cameras, improved processor speeds and available RAM and storage, however, depending on what types of applications you plan to develop, you will lead to the best device for your for example, if you do not want to support a front camera or a gyroscope, then a first-generation device can satisfy your needs.

There will be things to consider, then lower specification devices are released, such as the Nokia 610 and ZTE Orbit, where you will have less RAM, but there are several resources available that allow you to develop around any potential limitations or refuse to support these lower specification devices.

If I can give any further understanding, let me know.

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Source: https://habr.com/ru/post/1402816/


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