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Microsoft has apparently revealed at a developer event in India that it intends to produce a “low-cost version” of Windows Phone 7 primarily targeting emerging markets that would come after the initial volley of higher-end devices schedule to launch at the tail end of this year. Little else is known at this point, but Sudeep Bharati — director of India’s Visual Studio group — has mentioned that it will have a smaller screen, suggesting that this might be one and the same as the HVGA spec Microsoft mentioned back at MIX a few weeks ago. He went on to say that they’re currently in talks with manufacturers to get feedback on the lower-end version, so it sounds like this isn’t quite solidified yet — but considering that the first WinPho 7 devices promise to be pretty pricey, we wouldn’t mind seeing these things materialize, “emerging market” or otherwise.

Microsoft shopping around ‘low-cost version’ of Windows Phone 7 for emerging markets originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 19 Apr 2010 21:44:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Did you know there was a Digital Inclusion Summit going on? We already know the FCC isn’t best pleased about the fact 93 million Americans are making do without access to home broadband, and this latest event was an opportunity for it to dish some more info on its forthcoming National Broadband Plan. The major obstacles to broadband adoption identified by the FCC were noted as cost, computer illiteracy, and a sheer lack of awareness about the benefits the web offers (outside of cute kitties). The big Plan will be delivered to Congress a week from today, and its suggestions will include the creation of a Digital Literacy Corps, who’ll be performing missionary duties among the unenlightened, and the big whopper: a proposal to “consider use of spectrum for a free or very low cost wireless broadband service.” Yeah, if you can’t jump over the cost hurdle you might as well eviscerate it from existence. Quite naturally, such radical plans have been met with much grumbling opposition, and Business Week reports that it may be years before the full reforms are implemented … if at all.

FCC will consider ‘free or very low cost wireless broadband’ service originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 10 Mar 2010 06:13:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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