As the presence of social media in our daily lives increases, we begin to depend more and more on our smartphones to keep us connected. That is why the news of a new Microsoft mobile operating system, to be introduced this fall, caught my eye.
On May 24, the corporate giant announced the release of Mango, a Microsoft Phone that incorporates a whole new set of features (500, to be exact!) that might just revolutionize our mobile experience. The most interesting of these concerned Microsoft’s new approach to social media.
“Our friends are people – they’re not apps,” Greg Sullivan, senior product manager of mobile communication at Microsoft, proclaims. So while other systems focus on providing an app for every social network, Mango allows users to connect with one another through a multitude of channels all at once. The new People Hub combines texting, Facebook, Twitter, Windows Live Messenger, and other mediums in a single easily accessible location.
Mango also lets users categorize their contacts into groups, such as friends, family, or co-workers. Live tiles continuously update, letting you see what each person has been up to online. In addition, for each group, there is a combined social media feed, making it even easier to stay connected. Take a look at the demonstration video and see for yourself:
[youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q8tUaD-BTxA&w=560&h=349]
The video also shows a new approach to email, which makes managing your inbox easier. Outlook on Mango groups messages by conversation (or “thread”), while Personal Email combines all of your email accounts into one, which can be accessed by tapping on a single live tile.
Altogether, Microsoft Mango gives its users a new, more organized way, of connecting with one another – anytime, anywhere. If it becomes a major player on the mobile market, it will no doubt make social media a more prominent part of our lives. But will Mango’s graceful approach to social networking be enough to overpower the appeal of the iPhone and Google Android? We will find out this fall.
[Image credit: http://www.technobuzz.net/wp-content/uploads/2011/05/Microsoft-winodws-phone-mango.jpg]
