Windows Phone 8 & Windows RT: first looks

Recently I had a chance to check out a bunch of new Windows related products including the latest mobile phones with Windows Phone 8 and tablets with Windows RT.

I only had a few minutes to play with each device but a few things stood out that struck me as nice departures from the typical iOS/Android world I typically play in. Rogers Wireless is currently the exclusive source for Windows Phone 8 devices.

One of the handiest features on the phone was the poorly named ‘Kids Corner’ – a very handy option for people that let their kids use their phones but could easily also apply to adults when a friend wants to borrow your phone to look something up. It essentially is a guest account mode that you can customize. You can lock down and choose which apps are exposed to that user and even select what media they can access.

I also got to check out the Surface tablet:

and the ASUS Vivo Tab RT

It also has a sleek wireless keyboard and mouse:

although the mouse was a little strange to use due to it’s odd shape.

I haven’t really had enough time to put these devices through their paces beyond trying out a few apps, the camera(s) and a few apps but so far, I like what I’m seeing in these mobile and touch enabled operating systems. The hardware also seems to be there from Microsoft, HTC, Nokia and Samsung among a few others. I glad to see another competing choice enter the playing field.

This holiday season will tell the tale though if these devices end up under the tree and consumers adopt them. The biggest problem will always be catching up to Apple and Google but with things like native Office support and a big push for 3rd party app development, they certainly have a fighting chance.

Watch for a more in depth post once I get my hands on some review units.