It’s no secret that Nokia receives near universal praise for the design of their Lumia line of smartphones. But what about the other OEMs that make Windows Phone devices? Well, Samsung is Samsung, but HTC did do something remarkable with the designs of the 8X and 8S for the launch of Windows Phone 8. They’ve just been awarded the red dot design award for their work. The red dot award...
If you're slightly confused by the title, fear not as that's describing the rather odd situation RSS fans have found themselves in. Google has announced that its popular (actually, industry leading) Reader service will be closing soon. It comes as no surprise that many Windows Phone consumers have wondered what will happen to Google Reader (and general RSS) apps that are already...
We’re getting our inbox flooded with tips from folks noting that their numerous Windows Phones (mostly unbranded), are receiving a new OS update today, knocking their build from 8858 to 8860. We just checked our AT&T Lumia 900 and did not have success, meaning carrier-branded devices may have to wait a few more weeks. There is no current changelog with the update though we presume...
Nokia has rolled out an update today for both HERE Drive Beta apps on the Windows Phone Store. Not only can Lumia owners rejoice at their turn-by-turn navigation solution being bumped to 2.2.2156.8, but so can all Windows Phone consumers since Nokia has a second version of its popular and well rated app for all other OEM smartphones on the Windows Phone Store. So what's new in the...
Nokia is one of those brands that has a dedicated fan base. Look no further than this ‘unboxing’ video of the Lumia 920 from filmmakers International House of Badman. It’s a tongue-in-cheek video that puts most other unboxing videos to shame for its sheer production value. Quick, somebody call the Academy, this video needs some recognition. I’m having a hard time deciding what I liked...
Digitec.ch has the Lumia 720 and Lumia 520 Windows Phones listed online in Switzerland. The former is available for CHF 399 ($420), while the latter is listed for just CHF 249 ($260). While both are not currently available, with no photos to join the listings, it would appear as though the online retailer is preparing for an imminent release. We're set to see both smartphones launch in...
Babbel has a well rated product line on multiple platforms, consisting of multiple ways to learn the basics of multiple languages at an affordable price. Already available on Windows 8, the company has just launched a number of apps for Windows Phone, further expanding the reach to consumers across multiple Microsoft platforms. So what can we expect to see in these official offerings?...
Windows 8 ‘officially’ launched way back in late October of last year. However, developers and enthusiasts have been using it for much longer, so you’d think there would have been an official Twitter app at launch, right? Nope. Instead we didn’t hear that Twitter was working on an app until the ///BUILD developer conference in Redmond. Four months later, we now have Twitter for Windows...
Taking notes and organizing data with Windows Phone has never been an issue. We’ve got Office, OneNote, and a variety of big name third party apps, like Evernote, to help keep you focused and on top of your work. Here’s another gem from the Windows Phone Store that you might like. It’s called Node and is currently free for a limited time. What makes Node shine? Good design and the...
Marko Ahtisaari. You should know that name by now, if not, add to your memory (we’ll wait). He’s the head of Nokia’s product and user experience design, which means he oversees how our Lumia Windows Phones ultimately look. From changing the chrome buttons to black ceramic, to the battery casing, to the overall feel of the device Marko and his team are the one’s doing it at Nokia. In...
It’s hard to get that excited for the Lumia 928 considering how little we actually know, but one thing is for certain: it should have an 8.7MP OIS PureView camera on board a lighter, thinner phone, giving those on Verizon something to brag about. Earlier today, a single sample shot taken of a beer was posted online by a Nokia employee (and then it was quickly removed) and now two more...
PCMag has conducted and concluded their annual readers’ choice awards for mobile phones and carriers with a surprising winner. That’s right Windows Phone 8 with an average score of 9.0 for user satisfaction was the highest, besting iOS at 8.6 and Android 8.1. Not only that, as PC Mag points out a score of 9 or higher for user satisfaction is quite rare, giving pause to just how pleased...
A shot taken by the Lumia 928 was uploaded to Picasa by a Nokia employee (according to the associated Google+ account). What's interesting is that the photo was quickly pulled, but remains available thanks to @evleaks where the shot was published again. We're still attempting to create a collage with pieces of information on the Lumia 928, but evidence of the Windows Phone in action is...
Many in our audience here know our opinion on Samsung—they lead the way with the Focus back when Windows Phone 7 was launched and up until recently, appeared to be a major competitor on the platform. But with Windows Phone 8 and their ATIV S and Odyssey phones (with on the runt of the litter getting US carrier support), we’re just going to say: Their phones and effort to promote the...
Pricing for the Nokia Lumia 720 has surfaced for the Russian market. The 4.3" WVGA screened Windows Phone will run 14,990 rubles. Which comes out to be about $487 U.S. The mid-range Windows Phone 8 device will sport a 1GHz dual-core processor, 512MB RAM and 8GB of storage. You'll also find microSD support, super sensitive display technology (like on the Lumia 920) and 1.3MP front facing...
In a one-two punch, Microsoft has published both Galactic Reign for Windows 8 and Windows Phone 8 with full Xbox integration. The game itself is a somewhat typical space-conquest game, whereby users take turns to advance a strategy. But it’s the details in the game, customization and sheer massive gameplay that is really intriguing. Throw in the fact that you can continue your game on...
In a new job posting and an employee posting, Windows Phone 9 gets name dropped for the first time publicly. The exact relationship between Windows (Phone) Blue and what is being referred to now as Windows Phone 9 is not too clear—for instance is Windows Phone 9 just what people are expecting Blue to be renamed to or is it another milestone OS upgrade? Regardless, the job posting by...
Nokia may be set to hop onto the train to join both Apple and Microsoft in signing patent deals with Android manufacturers. Nokia has put forward two patent infringement claims against ViewSonic and it's been confirmed that both parties are willing to strike a deal. This will prove to be yet another blow to Google with a hardware partner validating Nokia's claims that its platform has...
The ATIV S has had its priced slashed in Russia, according to a report over at WindowsPhoneLive.ru. It's believed the change is down to the Samsung Windows Phone selling rather poorly, which has led to both Svyaznoy and Euroset dropping the Windows Phone by 5,000 rubles ($160). Should you be looking at the ATIV S, now would be a good time to begin checking it out for a good deal. What...
In a recent editorial, I complained that Microsoft has largely stopped announcing or publicizing Windows Phone games in advance. Well, this week we have a prime example of that. Galactic Reign from Slant Six and Microsoft Studios has just showed on Windows 8 and RT with Xbox features and will appear for Windows Phone 7 and 8 devices (also with Xbox features) later today. Microsoft...