Windows 10 Technical Preview for phones is finally here!

David.Scammell

Windows 10 Technical Preview for phones has been released and is now available for select phones in select regions. Primarily, this means Lumia models xx3x in the U.S. (Lumia 630, 635, 636, 638, 730, and 830).

Please be warned that this is NOT the same as the Preview for Developers, that contains an early release of RTM (release to manufacturing), but this is considered to be more inline with Alpha or Beta testing. It is not suggested that you use this on a phone that is your primary device.

Additionally, if you somehow brick your device installing the Windows 10 TP for phones, you can use the just released Windows Phone Recovery Tool, a new and improved version of the older Lumia Software Recovery Tool (see links below), which is still used for older Nokia devices.

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Your thoughts? Are you diving in?

Minion Queen

I can't wait till it trickles down to the 522 so I can test it out.

David.Scammell

I forgot to mention that since my beloved Lumia 1520 is not eligible for this round of Windows 10 Technical Preview installations and it is my primary device, I purchased a NO contract Lumia 635 for AT&T (GoPhone) on Amazon today for only $49.84 + tax.

So, with my Amazon Prime membership giving me free two-day shipping, I should be playing with Windows 10 Technical Preview for phones before I go to bed Saturday night ... that is, if I go to sleep at all! lol

Minion Queen

Please let us know how it goes! I am really interested in hearing more!

David.Scammell

@Minion-Queen As if you could stop me from talking about it! You know me better than that! lol

scottalanmiller

Generally a Tech Preview means "Pre-Alpha" or "Almost Alpha."

Dashrender

@scottalanmiller said:

Generally a Tech Preview means "Pre-Alpha" or "Almost Alpha."

I'd find it hard to believe that would be that far behind. Since Windows 10 is suppose to go Gold sometime in June or July for a Aug Sept release, and Windows Phone 10 is suppose to come out roughly the same time...

scottalanmiller

@Dashrender said:

@scottalanmiller said:

Generally a Tech Preview means "Pre-Alpha" or "Almost Alpha."

I'd find it hard to believe that would be that far behind. Since Windows 10 is suppose to go Gold sometime in June or July for a Aug Sept release, and Windows Phone 10 is suppose to come out roughly the same time...

Microsoft's definitions are generally pretty accurate. They use the real terms. If they are aiming for June, it's only barely time to start looking at Alpha. The path is TP -> Alpha -> Beta -> Release Candidate -> Gold.

TP means things are still in flux. Alpha means that it is pretty much done moving. Beta means that they think that it is done and no changes are coming but it isn't tested enough for confidence in being stable. RC means it is heavily tested and they think that it is ready for production release but want more testing to really be certain.

So the speed from TP to Beta can be extremely fast. All of the "time" is normally lost in beta and RC testing. But by Alpha you are feature locked and nothing new comes in (or else it is a fake Alpha.)

Dashrender

@scottalanmiller said:

@Dashrender said:

@scottalanmiller said:

Generally a Tech Preview means "Pre-Alpha" or "Almost Alpha."

I'd find it hard to believe that would be that far behind. Since Windows 10 is suppose to go Gold sometime in June or July for a Aug Sept release, and Windows Phone 10 is suppose to come out roughly the same time...

Microsoft's definitions are generally pretty accurate. They use the real terms. If they are aiming for June, it's only barely time to start looking at Alpha. The path is TP -> Alpha -> Beta -> Release Candidate -> Gold.

TP means things are still in flux. Alpha means that it is pretty much done moving. Beta means that they think that it is done and no changes are coming but it isn't tested enough for confidence in being stable. RC means it is heavily tested and they think that it is ready for production release but want more testing to really be certain.

So the speed from TP to Beta can be extremely fast. All of the "time" is normally lost in beta and RC testing. But by Alpha you are feature locked and nothing new comes in (or else it is a fake Alpha.)

Interesting.. ok cool. Thanks.

garak0410

I'm enjoying my finally released DENIM for my ICON I received yesterday. Love the HEY CORTANA and the already awesome camera is even better now.

Plus, the ICON wasn't one of the few that got to receive the 10 preview yet...which is fine by me...Windows 8.1.1. rocks so far...

nadnerB

Awesome!
Not available for my phone yet, but hanging out still

thanksajdotcom

Tried a Windows 8 phone once...hated it...as much as I hated my Windows 6.x phone...however, for those who do like the platform, this is awesome news!

StrongBad

Not a fan of 8, but MS has been doing so much good work using the 8 undercarriage and improving stuff with 10 that while I'm skeptical, there is some good opportunity for Microsoft to get things right here. They have an uphill battle at this point with their phones, but they turned a lot of things around (it appears) with their desktop so there is always some chance.

nadnerB

8 was bad, soo many little things.
8.1 is tops. Most of the little things are fixed and once you get used to the start menu/screen then everything is fine

I am very keen to see how they compact 10 into a phone.

scottalanmiller

8.1 was quite an improvement on 8. At NTG we've been using 10 heavily for months and it has been quite good. I am liking it a lot.

Doughnut

I still want an Ubuntu phone

JaredBusch

I should have a 2 year old windows phone sitting in the office at a client I am visiting today. I think I may have a discussion about testing this!

Dashrender

hmm.. sounds like it's a good thing I skipped over Windows phone 7 and 8 jumped right to 8.1.

JaredBusch

Unfortunately, the phone is a Lumia 920 and not on the list.