We might not get an official YouTube app anytime soon that isn’t more than a web player, but we’ve got some solid third-party alternatives. The two that contend for a spot on your Start screen are myTube and Metrotube. It’s hard to pick one as a clear winner since they approach YouTube on Windows Phone slightly different and therefore both rock. Let’s check what’s new in the latest myTube update in the meantime.

The last big update for myTube came in mid-August. The update brought the ability automatically play YouTube playlists, which is super handy if you want to listen to a bunch of music mixes that come together in a playlist. It also added the ability for languages to get pushed to users without the app needing an update. Here’s what’s new in the latest myTube update:

• Redesigned thumbnails
• Region support
• Offline playlist support
• Playlist creation, editing and sorting
• Pin playlists to start screen
• Option to remove the app title from the live tile
• Option to pin a static tile
• Better translation support
• General bug fixes

That’s a nice changelog for an update, but we’ll focus on the two biggest changes to the app.

The offline playlist support works a little different than you might expect. Here’s what happens: myTube pulls in playlists based off your YouTube account, from there it will create an offline playlist based on any videos you’ve downloaded in the app that exist in your other playlists.

The next big change is the redesigned thumbnails. The developer, Christopher Blackman, redesigned thumbnails based off of your feedback and criticism. The text on thumbnails (videos, playlists, and categories) is now a lot smaller, with larger margins, and slight rearrangements of info. There are other subtle design changes throughout the app in places like page titles. If you aren’t a fan of the redesign, you can always go to the “classic” theme in the settings of myTube.

The last big myTube update improved translation dramatically. Users in the beta for myTube can help translate the app into their local language. Everything in the app should be translated now assuming a beta tester has worked on their language. Right now the app is fully translated in English, German, traditional Chinese, Russian, Italian, Polish, Portuguese, Croatian, French, Hebrew, Spanish, Czech, Dutch, and Finnish. These languages only exist in myTube because of beta testers, kudos to everyone who helped bring this app into their local language. Don’t see your language? Join the beta for myTube in the settings for the app in the Store and help translate it.

What’s next for myTube and Christopher? There’s going to be a myTube app for Windows 8 coming in mid-November. That will result in a slight redesign for myTube on Windows Phone as he creates a unified design across both Windows Phone and Windows 8. Want to join the beta for Windows 8? You’ll want to talk to Christopher about that.

In the meantime, grab myTube for Windows Phone 8. It’s free, but with very reasonable viewing limits. To remove those limits the app is just $0.99. Grab it in the Windows Phone Store, use the QR code below, or swipe to the right in our app.

Skype for Windows Phone is a constant work in progress, and it looks like Microsoft is serious about making sure it’s up to task. So it’s great to see version 2.5.0.135 (up from the previous 2.4.0.108 about a month ago) get published to the Windows Phone Store within the last hour (indeed, it’s so new we’re having trouble downloading it).

Those looking for some major new features though will be disappointed as this looks to be a patch for the previous version, fixing up some little errors and performance issues. Indeed, the changelog just states “General fixes and stability improvements”, which while not much still makes the app much more pleasant to use.

From a few reviews, it looks like in certain circumstances the previous version was freezing up on people or having a difficult time resuming from the background. We’re hoping that issue (and any others you have experienced) has been fixed with 2.5.

Update: Skype has published a full changelog of v2.5:

The good news is in theory, if this version is stable the Skype team will continue to add new features and design changes for the next update.

You can download version 2.5.0.135 here in the Store. Windows Phone 8 only, 512MB devices OK. (Note, this update is super fresh, so if you have trouble updating, just try again in a few hours).

Thanks, afgzee, for the tip!

Do you enjoy the free streaming with Xbox Music? You'll soon have to put up with audio advertisements.

Microsoft is brining in TargetSpot, a New York City-based digital audio advertising network, to deliver in-stream advertisements on its Xbox Music service. Available on the Xbox 360 console, Windows RT / 8 installations and Windows Phones, the cloud service will sport advertisements on the free stream only. It makes sense for Microsoft to look at ways to monetise users who don't contribute to the pool through the optional subscription.

The free streaming side of Xbox Music is available in 15 countries and TargetSpot plans to provide a "comprehensive monetisation solution" for Microsoft's music content. Much like services such as Spotify, those who wish to listen to music without interruptions will have to upgrade to the premium subscription. The company already restricts free streaming to 10 hours per month after the first 6 months of usage.

The paid subscription sets the consumer back by $9.99 per month (or $99.99 per year) for the Xbox Music Pass, but a one-month free trial offer is available for potential subscribers to try out the added benefits of paying the small monthly fee. The service is fairly comprehensive, and for $9.99 a month consumers can enjoy unlimited streaming, downloading tracks for offline playback and more - though it's worth noting that a maximum of 5 devices are allowed.

The advertisements that will be served will supposedly be highly targeted and relevant, though this is yet to be heard. In a statement, TargetSpot states the network now spans more than 85 radio groups and pure-play online providers. This includes the likes of AOL Radio, Last.fm, Grooveshark, Myspace Music and more.

The Windows Phone community has a mixed view of the Xbox Music service, with many arguing the service doesn't cater for all their music needs since Zune was shut down. We've had numerous comments on our previous Xbox Music coverage screaming for updates and improvements to be applied. With this extra flow of funding, perhaps we'll also see some more major refreshes down the line?

Source: The Next Web

I scream, you scream, we all scream for… Digitally Imported. Lame humor aside, if you like electronic music you probably have Beem on your Windows Phone. Today it’s been upped to version 1.7. What do you get with that? Quite a bit, let’s dive in.

Beem Plus is by far the best (and only) Digitally Imported app available in the Windows Phone Store. At first glance you would think a version 1.7 would be bug fixes, but that’s not the case here. There are a handful of new tweaks and additions in this version. Drop the list:

• If you stop a recording, you now have the option to manually change the name if you don't want to overwrite the existing file.
• Ability to copy track to clipboard.
• Faster recording storage experience.
• Can navigate through stations from the native OS media controls.
• Recording prompt notifying that the application should be in the foreground can be disabled if necessary.
• Display track name and artist in the OS media controls.
• UI tweaks.

In the past, you had to either overwrite or lose the existing recording if it had the same name. Now you can manually change the name to avoid overwriting. The “copy to clipboard” option allows you to share tracks in places like text messages or emails. That was a user requested feature, which means this is a developer that actively listens and incorporates feedback from everyone. The other notable changes include faster storage recording and some UI/user experience tweaks.

Quick edit: Forgot to add - Just uninstall and reinstall if you're having trouble after updating the app. The reason is that the update might break the previous settings cache for some users. The uninstall/reinstall trick is mentioned by Den himself and has worked for you guys down below in the comments. 

Den Delimarsky has been busy improving Beem. The latest update is a testament to how awesome this app is becoming for users, it currently sits with a 4.5 rating in the Store. Give him a Twitter-five if you like Beem!

The app costs $0.99 without a trial, but it's totally worth it if you're a heavy Di Radio user. There is a free, ad-supported version coming to the Store later this month, which we'll keep you posted on. You can download Beem Plus for both Windows Phone 7.x and 8 right here in the Store, use the QR code below, or swipe to the right in our app. (Note: you may need to uninstall and reinstall the app to upgrade)

Source: Den by Default

On Saturday we reluctantly linked to the Smartphone Madness online poll to see "which is the best smartphone"...a contest which many of us here find meaningless and sensational. Still, against our better wishes (and mostly because our sister site Crackberry posted it) we had to do some link love. (And If you think people aren't cheating and running scripts, making the "contest" pointless, well you'd be wrong. Still, there's no harm either.)

With that, yesterday we recorded a podcast with myself, Rene Ritchie (iMore.com) and Kevin from Michaluk from Crackberry. It was an iMore podcast for sure, but we did cover all the platforms, the silliness of online smartphone polls and some general trends in the market--it's a worthy (and short) listen, so you should check it out.

Also consider this a teaser of an upcoming Mobile Nations event...

• Subscribe via iTunes: Audio | Video
• Subscribe via RSS: Audio | Video
• Download directly: Audio | Video

Show notes

• I'm not linking to the dumb smartphone tournament
• The Facebook not-a-phone stuff on iMore
• The Facebook not-a-phone stuff on Android Central
• The Facebook not-a-phone stuff on Windows Phone Central
• iOS 7 and iPhone 5S rumors
• Ain't no party like a CrackBerry party

Hosts

• Rene Ritchie of iMore
• Kevin Michaluk of CrackBerry
• Daniel Rubino of Windows Phone Central

Credits

You can reach all of us on Twitter @iMore, or you can email us at podcast@mobilenations.com or just leave us a comment below. For all our podcasts -- audio and video -- see MobileNations.com/shows

Jukebox (www.get-jukebox.com) is an app and service that enables consumers to upload and stream music across multiple devices and platforms. The app for Windows Phone has been bumped to version 0.6 and while there aren't a huge number of features included, the app has been built from the ground up and sports a brand new interface.

Think of the service as iTunes Match. We last looked at Jukebox late last year when the service launched, so be sure to check out our more in-depth look at what Juke box is all about. But which platforms are covered? Windows, Windows Phone, iOS and Android. Should you happen to own multiple devices, Jukebox might well be the perfect solution.

If you're looking for a way to store and stream your music library using the cloud, Jukebox is well worth checking out. It's a service suited for those who have tracks stored locally, and with this latest update it looks better than ever on Windows Phone.

You can download Jukebox for free from the Windows Phone Store (both Windows Phone 7 and 8).

Need a little help keeping track of your favorite television shows? Series Fan for Windows Phone 8 will help you manage all the episodes in your favorite series by tracking what you've watched, when what you haven't might air, and give you quick overviews of the entire series.

Series Fan has Miso to let you see what your friends are watching, earn points and badges for checking in and share your check-ins on Facebook or Twitter.  The app has potential but has a bit of room for improvement.

Series Fan has your favorite series listed on the main pages and from there you can drill down to find out information on the series, individual episodes and mark episodes as "watched".

The problem with Series Fan is that while it provides a ton of information on your favorite television series, it's a confusing app. For example, when you re-launch the app, after adding series, the main pages are blank as if you've launched Series Fan for the first time. You have to tap the "refresh" button to populate the main pages with your series information.

The main pages includes pages for your series, a "what's next" page, and a "to catch up" page. You would think that your favorite series would be listed on the series page but they aren't. The "what's next" and "to catch up" pages seems to cover the same material; the next episode in the series you need to watch.

You can hit the refresh button that you would think would update your series information but it seems to randomly change what appears on the "what's next" and "to catch up" pages. At the bottom of the screen you have a "+" button to add series to your library, a refresh button and a settings button. The settings button did not work.

As far as the series information is concerned, you have pages listing the next episode in the series that is un-watched, a listing of the various seasons, and a general overview of the series. You can not access the next episode from the "what's next" page but instead have to tap on the series number on the "series" page.

From the individual episode page, you can tap the check button to mark the episode as watched and scroll through the other episodes within that particular season as well as other seasons.

Navigation isn't Series Fans' strong suit and while the app has potential, there is a lot of room for improvement. Too many buttons are non-responsive and while there is a "tips & tricks" section in the About screens it offers little help in understanding the app.

At first I thought the quirkiness was in using the trial version but the oddities carried over to the paid version. All in all, Series Fan is a rough app that needs a good bit of polishing.  I like the simplicity of tracking which episode of a series you've watched and knowing what you've missed but the app left me scratching my head.

There is a free trial version with the full version running $1.49. You can find Series Fan here in the Windows Phone Store.

We previously looked at Air Pick Voice (check out our in-depth post for more information) at the January WPUG meetup and it left us highly impressed. The concept enables the user to control music playback on a PC with a Windows Phone app. Not only that, but streaming functionality is present allowing playback to be achieved on the smartphone.

APV has since been rebranded (for a second time) and is now TellDJ, what's more is that testing of the desktop software is well under way. TellDJ Rehearsal is now available to download for testing and feedback, which includes the Voice Recognition Lab to fine tune the software to your voice / accent. Development is still active so we look forward to see what the developer adds in the future.

Should the website be unavailable, be sure to keep up-to-date with KeyboardP's blog, and a backup mirror is online until the site is back up.

Source: TellDJ

Here's one that will cause some confusion: there are now two GroupMe apps in the Marketplace. The first one is v3.0 which reported on back during Mobile World Congress. That's the version 3.0 overhaul that we really like as it includes a Live Tile, notifications and a complete UI redesign.

But it also had a few bugs and quirks as many of you had pointed out. Luckily, version 3.1 is now out and it reportedly fixes a lot of those issues. Problem is, you won't see the update notification for the Marketplace.

The reason? There is a second, newer GroupMe app in the Marketplace but it's listed under Microsoft Corporation. For those keeping track, Skype bought GroupMe in 2011. Microsoft bought Skype, so by the transitive property, Microsoft owns GroupMe. And we guess they are now claiming it as their own, re-releasing the official app under their account (in fairness, there's no other way for them to get around this issue, so two it is).

We imagine the first GroupMe (under that company's name and left at v3.0) will eventually be pulled, but for now we recommend you uninstall that app and go get the new one with the bug fixes and keep up to date.

Grab the new Microsoft GroupMe here in the Marketplace for free. Thanks, Adrian, for the heads up!

We've heard rumors about a Windows Phone Skype app and now a Beta version of the Skype App has hit the Windows Phone Marketplace. The app will allow you to:

• Make and receive voice/video calls and instant messages to anyone else using Skype, whether on a Windows Phone, iPhone, iPad, Android phone, Mac, PC or television.
• Use your Skype account for free at home, at work, or on-the-go (WiFi connection or mobile data plan required).

There is a disclaimer pointing out that this is a pre-release product and you may come across occasional bugs and issues. You can find the Skype Windows Phone here at the Windows Phone Marketplace.

A few weeks ago, Grooveshark.com announced an HTML5 version of their music-streaming site which made many of us excited--after all, IE9 on Windows Phone is all about HTML5. But alas, the first to complain that their browsers wouldn't play anything were Windows Phone users despite attention paid by the web developer for Grooveshark, James Hartig. In fact, he detailed his experience in a blog post laying blame on Microsoft: "Windows Phone Plagued by IE9's Flawed AJAX".

That didn't stop Microsoft's Ben Riga, Technical Evangelist on the Windows Phone team and Eric Lawrence, Program Manager on Internet Explorer, from trying to help out. And in a new blog post, the Grooveshark dev has now been able to figure out how to properly get Grooveshark running on HTLM5 for IE9.

We just loaded up the site (html5.grooveshark.com) and not only does it load quickly and look beautiful, but gosh darn it actually plays music (even under the lock-screen). In other words, all is good and while we'd still prefer a dedicated Grooveshark client, we'll take this mobile HTML5 site for now, thank you very much.

Kudos to Ben, Eric and James for working this out.

Source: Dev Jar; via @benriga

One of the benefits of a Windows Phone is the amount of information it can pull up. If you need to find out information on your favorite television shows, Prime TV is one resource that will bring plenty of television information to your Windows Phone.

Remember the TV Guides your mom used to buy in the grocery store checkout? Prime TV is a lot like TV Guide but on steroids. To find out all the information Prime TV will bring to your Windows Phone, slide on past the break.

App Layout

Prime TV pulls from a handful of online resources to bring you a ton of information on television series that are currently running as well as those that have long aired their series finale.  From House to M*A*S*H to Hawaii Five-O (the original), Prime TV provides a nice collection of information on the series and episodes.

The main pages for Prime TV offers:

Shows: A listing of your favorite television shows. Just tap the "+" in the upper right and you can find your shows by keyword search.

Upcoming: This will show the upcoming air times for your favorite shows. It will include the date, time and episode information. In tapping the listing you will pull up an episode summary from the show's Prime TV pages (more on this in a second).

Aired Episodes: Here is a listing of recently aired episodes for your shows from the current week and past week. As with the Upcoming listings, tapping the individual episode will send you to the show's Prime TV pages.

News: This is where you'll find all the dirt on television series. Who's leaving the cast? What do critics say? If the series has been renewed or dumped. The news items not only cover your favorite shows but television in general.

Series Pages

Each television show or series will have a set of pages within the app. You start with a summary page that summarizes the series, identifies key cast members, display a total of unwatched episodes and any air time information. The show pages then lays out all the information on each episode from each season. As you watch episodes, you can check the box outside the summary and your unwatched episode total will be adjusted.

Along with episode information, the show pages also have pages for news specific to that particular show and an image gallery for the show.

You can drill down further by tapping on an individual episode listing to see a summary of that particular episode, any videos associated with the episode (trailers, interviews, etc.), and any still images associated with the episode.

App Settings

Prime TV's settings cover time adjustment, choose the level of animations within the app, wallpaper settings (update to the latest image or keep what you have), organization of your favorite shows, activate push notification for the live tile, and information about the app/contacting the developer.

Another useful feature of Prime TV is that a pop-up dialog box will appear as you navigate around the app to identify key features. For example, when you first visit the Series Page you will be alerted that you can customize the series genre.

Prime TV does have a live tile, which enabled will alert you of the upcoming episodes for your favorite shows.

Recently Updated

One of the pitfalls of reviewing applications that are constantly being updated and improved is that at times the update hits before the review can be published.  Such as the case with Prime TV.  The app was recently updated to version 1.14 and several new features were added.  They include,

• Live tile with automatic update
• Toast notification 15 minutes before show airs
• Trakt integration (Sync, get trending, recommendations, share thoughts)
• Twitter integration
• Use gallery image as wallpaper or save to phone

The new features really improve upon an already nice application.  I like the toast notifications that serve as a reminder of your favorite show's air time.  Not too sure about the Trakt integration but in browsing Trakt's website, it looks like a good fit.

Overall Impression

I was impressed with Prime TV. Visually, it represents the television shows extremely well with custom wall papers, transitional animations, and the image gallery.

For the most part, the app ran smoothly but on occasion, it did crash. The bug didn't occur enough to be frustrating but enough to make note of. It seemed to occur mostly when I had a weak signal and the app was trying to update. On such occasions, I would receive an error message that indicated an error in the application and that my data had been saved.

As an alternative, TV Show is also available. Which is better?  In my opinion, especially with the recent update to Prime TV, it's a coin toss.  Both apps provide a ton of information on television shows, both are visually appealing and both are running $.99. The good thing about this comparison is that both have trial versions so you can decide for yourself.

You can find both the trial and full-version of Prime TV here (opens Zune) at the Marketplace.

Some time ago we first mentioned LazyWormApps YouTube app for Windows Phone after it was recently updated. The YouTube client made a very good first impression and after tinkering with the app for a few days, that impression hasn't faded.

The app comes in two versions, Youtube and Lazytube. LazyWorm's Youtube app is a free, ad-free, app that gives you access to YouTube. LazyTube is a paid app ($.99) that also gives you ad-free access to YouTube as well as HD Streaming and a chameleon live tile that adapts to the phone theme.

Oh, before you make the jump to read more about LazyWormApps Youtube apps, you might be interested that the developer is running a fully featured free trail of LazyTube. Not sure how long this offer will last but you can find it here (opens Zune) at the Marketplace.

App Layout

With very few exceptions, YouTube and LazyTube are identical apps. There are some differences which we'll point out later but for the sake of argument, we'll cover the similarities as if they were one application.

The main pages of LazyTube/YouTube makes use of the Windows Phone 7 metro design by offering you pages for:

• Lazylist: this is a customizable video feed display. In the settings you can choose to view videos from Lazyworm Apps, your YouTube subscriptions, featured vids, most viewed vids, and top rated videos
• Search: It kinda says it all
• Most Viewed: The most viewed videos from YouTube
• Subscriptions: This is where your YouTube subscriptions show up. Naturally, you'll have to log into your Youtube account to populate this and the Favorites Page (login feature is in the top right corner of the app)
• Favorites: If you tag videos as favorites through YouTube directly or the app, here is where they will show up
• Recently Played: For quick reference to videos you've viewed but have yet to tag as favorites
• Featured: YouTube's featured videos for the day will be highlighted here
• Top Rated: Here is a collection of the top rated videos, voted on by viewers.

If some of these pages seem redundant or you simply don't care to bother with them, you can go into the apps' settings and trim them down or re-order their positioning.

LazyTube's settings are rather general in nature with pages to set your Country/Region, Video Quality, organize your pages, and determine what appears on your Lazylist.

Video Pages

Once you find a video that catches your fancy, just tap on the thumbnail to view the videos' pages. Each video will have a Details, Author, and Comments page.

The Details Page will display the videos like/dislike rating, a slider so you can vote to like or dislike it, a listing of any related videos, a selectable description (stays hidden until you tap on "description")of the video and a thumbnail preview of the video itself.

To view the video full screen, simply rotate your Windows Phone horizontally and the video converts to full-screen automatically. Return the phone horizontal and it goes back to the preview size.  Videos can be shared through email or sms as well as posted on Facebook or Twitter.

LazyTube vs. YouTube

The key differences in the two YouTube apps is that LazyTube runs $.99, supports HD videos and has a tile the mimics your Windows Phone theme color. We are told by the developers that the HD optimization is still being fine tuned and because of the larger files, it can be a little choppy.

Performance

LazyWormApps has developed two very nice, well laid out, YouTube apps. If appearance was the sole factor, I would easily give both these apps a "10".

Pages loaded smoothly with very little delay as did individual video pages. Every now and then, there would be a slight pause returning from the video pages to the apps' main pages but nothing that would cause frustration.

The HD videos loaded great when on wifi and when on the network, were at the mercy of my signal signal strength. As long as the signal was strong, load times were fine and the choppyness minimal.

Overall Impression

If your in need of a Youtube app, LazyWormApps has a pair of them worth looking into. LazyTube and YouTube presents the videos in an easy to navigate, somewhat customizable, clean fashion.

I liked the layout of the video pages. In separating the details, author information and comments LazyTube/YouTube seemed to make exploring the videos a little more smoother.

Again, the key differences between LazyTube and YouTube is that LazyTube has HD support and a chameleon live tile. YouTube is a free app and can be found here (opens Zune) at the Marketplace. LazyTube has a free trial (for a limited time) with the full version running $.99 and can be found here at the Marketplace.

Looks like our favorite mobile OS has, once again, made a quite conspicuous appearance on that hit show 'Castle'. Flashing back, it was only like 2 weeks ago since the last sighting (and then way back in November). On the episode airing May 16th, Castle decides to use his Samsung Focus (though carrier and name are blocked) to snap a photo of some evidence for safe keeping. He then quickly creates an email and promptly sends it to his partners (nice use of Outlook there too).

Overall, we dig these little placements as hopefully it'll sink in eventually with the greater viewing public. Plus, Nathan Fillion rocks. Thanks, @benalewis, for the heads up!

We're back after a two-week hiatus. And for those who missed it, we did the podcast live. Fortunately, we got it on tape. Windows Mobile, ahoy!

• Download it directly with this link
• Subscribe on your Zune
• Subscribe via iTunes
• Subscribe directly to the Podcast feed with your favorite Podcatcher here
• Listen to it here with the flash player above.

Hardware news

• Nokia working on a Windows Phone? (Not holding our breath)
• The HTC HD2: A dead end phone?
• More on the LG Fathom
• Microsoft Kin release dates

Software news

• Microsoft looking to swap WinCE for NT core? Project 'Menlo' gets outed, sorta
• Windows Phone 7 reportedly running Windows CE 7
• GPS Tab for Sense 2.5

Credits

Thanks to the WMExperts Store for sponsoring the podcast. Thanks also to these great artists for the music and to CCMixter.org for offering a great database of Creative Commons music!

• Swim below as Leviathans by Fireproof Babies
• GONE by djsociopath

Okay you TV watching fanatics, while Hulu may have lost The Daily Show/Colbert Report recnetly, it looks like somehow they are now allowing the Skyfire browser to stream videos.

Or perhaps it is vice-versa, we'll probably never know. (See Skyfire's earlier explanation to the community).

Either way, if you load up the latest version of Skyfire and head to hulu.com, you can now stream your heart away. We just tried it ourselves and we can confirm 100% (see above screens shot).

So there, you folks happy yet?

Update: And thou taketh away. Looks like it was just an error on Hulu's part as mobile streaming, once again, is dead in the water. Such teases. Thanks to everyone for sending this in.

[Thanks Scott, via everythingWM]

Malatesta finally chimes in on Windows Phone 7 Series. Plus, Phil's at CTIA, and the Best. Voicemail. Ever.

• Download it directly with this link
• Subscribe on your Zune
• Subscribe via iTunes
• Subscribe directly to the Podcast feed with your favorite Podcatcher here
• Listen to it here with the flash player above.

Top o' the news

• Sprint Touch Pro 2 Windows Mobile 6.5 update is now available!

Windows Phone 7 Series news

• Samsung joins the Windows Phone party
• Multitouch and Windows Phone 7 Series
• WP7s Apps: No Sideloading, (virtually) no background multitasking
• Windows Phone developer tools now available for download
• Yes, there's a WP7S emulator; No, you can't have a ROM yet
• No copy-and-paste for Windows Phone 7 Series
• Windows Phone 7 Series push notifications demoed
• More on Windows Phone 7 Series Notifications
• How I (might) stop worrying and learn to love the Start Experience
• Another Windows Phone 7 Series handset from LG?
• WP7S Emulator highlights Office, Zune and much more
• More Windows Phone Marketplace Details Drop
• Twikini already gearing up Twitter client for Windows Phone 7 Series
• Windows Phone 7 Series Promo Video

Software news

• Opera Mobile 10 final build now available

Other news

• T-Mobile HTC HD2 in NYC Party (Recap)
• HTC Responds to Apple Lawsuit: It disagrees

Community

Thanks to Dan and Mel for the voicemails. Drop us a line. E-mail podcast@wmexperts.com. Call us at (866) 904-5882 ext. 222. Hit us up on Twitter - @wmexperts, Deiter, Phil, Malatesta, George, Tim.

Credits

Thanks to the WMExperts Store for sponsoring the podcast. Thanks also to these great artists for the music and to CCMixter.org for offering a great database of Creative Commons music!

• Swim below as Leviathans by Fireproof Babies
• GONE by djsociopath

Phil, Dieter and Crackberry Kevin wrap up Monday's Mobile World Congress news, including Microsoft's little announcement of a thing called Windows Phone 7 Series.

• Download it directly with this link
• Subscribe on your Zune
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• Subscribe directly to the Podcast feed with your favorite Podcatcher here
• Listen to it here with the flash player above.

Mal and Phil talk up the latest Windows Mobile 7 rumors in what likely is our last podcast before Microsoft officially announces it. Plus, your e-mails and voicemails!

• Download it directly with this link
• Subscribe on your Zune
• Subscribe via iTunes
• Subscribe directly to the Podcast feed with your favorite Podcatcher here
• Listen to it here with the flash player above.

Windows Mobile recap

• The latest Windows Mobile 7 rumors ...
• Windows Mobile 6.5.3 Recap

Hardware news

• Sony Ericsson Aspen announced, is first official Windows Mobile 6.5.3 device
• Sony Ericsson Aspen caught on video
• Xperia X2 update schedule announced
• T-Mobile HD-2 rumored for March 24

Software news

• U.S. T-Mobile HD2 to feature Swype
• Foursquare coming to Windows Mobile
• Verizon Navigator goes v5.0, adds social networking, roadside assistance
• Amazon Unbox brings its videos to Windows Mobile

Community

Thanks to Jan, Chris and Douglas for the e-mails, and Rico and our unnamed friend for the voicemails. Drop us a line. E-mail podcast@wmexperts.com. Call us at (866) 904-5882 ext. 222. Hit us up on Twitter - @wmexperts, Deiter, Phil, Malatesta, George, Tim.

Credits

Thanks to the WMExperts Store for sponsoring the podcast. Thanks also to these great artists for the music and to CCMixter.org for offering a great database of Creative Commons music!

• Swim below as Leviathans by Fireproof Babies
• GONE by djsociopath

Carriers news, Smartphone numbers, and your emails.  Listen in!

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• Listen to it here with the flash player above.

News

• Sprint Treo Pro (finally) on sale now!
• Review: Pantech Matrix Pro
• Zero01 - all WinMo, all VOIP, all the time
• Sprint reportedly testing LTE technology
• Smartphones by the numbers: WinMo still growing
• GrandCentral returns! Now is Google Voice! Cause for exclamation points!
• New HTC phone apparently headed to Verizon
• Rumor Mill: Sprint to get new HTC offerings starting in May?
• Analyst: Motorola plans 10 smartphones for the rest of 2009
• Updated: Microsoft vs. XDA Developers (or not)
• Windows Marketplace details for developers

Thanks to David and Sunshine for writing in!

Credits

Thanks to the WMExperts Store for sponsoring the podcast. Thanks also to these great artists for the music and to CCMixter.org for offering a great database of Creative Commons music!

• Swim below as Leviathans by Fireproof Babies
• GONE by djsociopath

Mal and Dieter discuss Ballmer's strategy discussion surrounding Windows Mobile, some new devices, and your emails. Listen in!

• Download it directly with this link
• Subscribe via iTunes
• Subscribe directly to the Podcast feed with your favorite Podcatcher here
• Listen to it here with the flash player above.

News

• Steve Ballmer's Se7en priorities for 2009
• Ballmer speaks, and we translate
• HTC releases update for Touch Pro
• HTC updates Touch Diamond ROM
• New WM6.5 ROM Leak – Almost there!
• HP On Board with Windows Mobile 6.5
• Motorola set to sell off Good
• Pantech Matrix available ... now!
• Samsung Propel Pro, er, propeled by the FCC
• Moto Q9n Napolean still not coming to Verizon

Thanks to Dan and Dawid for writing in!

Credits

Thanks to the WMExperts Store for sponsoring the podcast. Thanks also to these great artists for the music and to CCMixter.org for offering a great database of Creative Commons music!

• Swim below as Leviathans by Fireproof Babies
• GONE by djsociopath

We’ve seen a number of the Windows Mobile apps that we know and love make their way to the dark side, but the flip side of that trend seems to be kicking in.

One of the iPhone app store’s finest, WunderRadio, is making its way to a Windows Mobile device near you. WunderRadio has gotten rave reviews from various locations in the Blogosphere as an Internet Radio application. Having partnered with RadioTime.com, WunderRadio offers mobile access to over 36,000 radio stations.

WunderRadio will reportedly be available for 30 day promotional prices of $9.99, after which it will set you back $14.99. Notable features include GPS functionality to find local radio stations and the ability to listen to popular programs after they have aired.

Via jkOnTheRun

CES 2009 wasn't all that much of a boon for Windows Mobile, but the announcement of an official Netflix application did generate a little excitement. And nearly a month later, that app has been released.

A quick run through the app shows that it works pretty well. You can search the Netflix library, add a movie to your queue, or add it to you instant queue (what, no Xbox add?). And, of course, you can view your queue and remove movies from it or change the delivery order. Click on a movie title and you get a synopsis. Or, for more movie reviews, give a listen to the WMExperts podcast for the latest with Dieter and Mal, and, ya know, some Windows Mobile talk.

Now if only Microsoft could whip up an app to find more time to actually watch movies.

Hit up the Mobile Manager for Netflix page here. More pics after the break. Just 'cause.

More info on the Windows Mobile 6.5 'leaks,' Mobile World Congress Expectations, Treo Pro on Sprint, and other assorted Windows Mobile shenanigans.  Listen in!

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• Subscribe via iTunes
• Subscribe directly to the Podcast feed with your favorite Podcatcher here
• Listen to it here with this flash player:

News

• Windows Mobile 6.5 'leak'
  • An odd sort of 'leak'
  • Blue Angel
  • Fuze / Raphael
  • Ported to CDMA
• MWC 2009
  • MS Services
  • More Proof - certification hint
  • More on Services
  • Devices 2nd half of the year
• Fewer Phones, not so much
• Microsoft Tag
• Microsoft's first layoffs
• Samsung still bringing the WinMo Love
• Iolite as XDA Guide on O2, Official HTC Anouncement
• Sprint Treo Pro
  • Sprint Treo Pro Docs
  • Released / Not Released
  • February 15th. Bummer.
• The Straight Story on Obama's 'BlackBerry'

How To and Software

• Official 6.1 for Verizon Touch
• Rom Updates for Diamond, Touch Pro. Check your ROM version!
• TouchFlo 3D vs SPB Mobile Shell

Community

Thanks to Ariel for writing in!

Credits

Thanks to the WMExperts Store for sponsoring the podcast. Thanks also to these great artists for the music and to CCMixter.org for offering a great database of Creative Commons music!

• Swim below as Leviathans by Fireproof Babies
• Drop by Raga Flow by Killbotz
• Midnight by Paradox
• GONE by djsociopath
• Purple Schlep by Whip Snapper

As you've undoubtedly read by now, Apple has dropped the digital rights management (DRM) from some 8 million of its songs in the iTunes store, meaning you'll be able to play them on something other than iTunes or an iPod. Like, say, your Windows Mobile phone.

This also poses a bit of a dilemma for a number of us. Do we continue to use the Amazon MP3 store? Or bite the bullet and switch to iTunes and its AAC-coded files. We're not going to wade into differences of the formats, prices and if we think one store is better than the other. You guys can hash that out in the comments. But what we will do is warn you of a couple things:

1. If you're buying new music from iTunes, be sure they're in the iTunes Plus format, and thus are DRM-free. Here's how you can tell. This is important because there still are 2 million songs out there with DRM attached.
2. Not all media players play the AAC codec, with which iTunes songs are encoded. That said, Windows Media Player Mobile will play them out of the box, so you won't be left out in the cold. But if you're fond of a particular media player, here's a brief list of applications that can handle the AAC format, which you'll recognize by the extension (m4a, .m4b, .m4p, .m4v, .m4r, .3gp, .mp4, .aac). If you have another favorite app, share it in the comments.


• Windows Media Player Mobile: It's the default media player on Windows Mobile phones, and one we love to hate for its lack of ease of use. But the simple fact is that it's all you need to play iTunes files on your phone.
• Kinoma Play: Still the Cadillac of Windows Mobile media players, so far as we're concerned.
• Core Player: Another favorite among WM users.
• Pocket Tunes Deluxe: This one migrated over from the Palm world and still a must-have for many.
• Pocket Player: Recently updated to Version 4.0, it now plays AAC-encoded files.
• PocketMusic: Needs a $10 plugin, but it'll get the job done.

Really, when it comes down to it, it wasn't the AAC codec that kept Apple inside its sandbox for so long. It was the DRM. So how about it, fair readers: Will this persuade you to switch to iTunes if you don't currently use it? Or will you continue to use other services, such as Amazon's MP3 store? Let us know.

Looks like a bunch of updates are coming along in December. We told you about SlingPlayer last week, Google Maps just today (awesome update) and here are a few others...

First up we have a new Skype beta is out (v2.5), which adds

• Wide range of resolution support (320x320; VGA)
• Improved sounds quality
• Improved stability
• Brings it closer to the desktop version

Adding about 0.75mb in weight, Skype for WM is now nearly 8mb in size on your device--which is pretty hefty. Still, this new version does run smoother and has better graphics, so it seems to be a good thing. Included is the handy Today plugin is well, where you can launch the app and check/set status.

Next up, the Core Player (see full review here) gets bumped to v1.3. This new version fixes a bunch of bugs, enhances performance and adds some features too like YouTube stream options (from 50 kbps to 2 Mbps), HTTP proxy support. Of course no trial is available, so you either have to upgrade your current version or just by it out right.

Finally, for the Treo 800w users, Zbop has finalized the long awaited "HideCarrier" plugin (click for pics & more info). What this little freebie does is "hide" that Sprint carrier line with those lil' icons to give you more screen real estate. Run in conjunction with TreoAlerts and you have a real winner combo.

This week we take a closer look at the Samsung SCH-i760

• Download it directly with this link
• Subscribe via iTunes
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• Check out Microsoft's Getting Started with Podcasts article
• Just listen to it here with this flash player:

Rumors and new devices this week: the HTC Touch Diamond, the Treo 800w, and more. Plus: a whole heapin' helpin' of listener emails. Plus - there's an “announcement” at the very end that you'll want to hear. Listen in!

• Download it directly with this link
• Subscribe via iTunes
• Subscribe directly to the Podcast feed with your favorite Podcatcher here
• Check out Microsoft's Getting Started with Podcasts article
• Listen to it here with this flash player:

News

• Touch Diamond Insanity!
  • Leaks Galore, Here's another leak, and another, AND another
  • Actual release of Diamond, TouchFLO 3D is neat
• Treo 800w Insanity!
  • Rumor Roundup
  • Release date and new deets
• In other Treo news, 700wx ROM cookery and Skywriter
• Xperia Insanity!
  • Ok, not really, just a rumored release date of mid-Sept
• Quickies:
  • Sony Ericsson Flash-java travesty
  • T-Mo Finally on 3G
  • Microhoo off - now gunning for AOL?
  • It wouldn't be a WMExperts podcast if Dieter didn't hate on Sprint - new WiMAX company

Tips and/or Software

Syncing without outlook

Mal's suggestion: Sync Express. My suggestion: Use a free online email service and then sync to it directly from your phone and also from your computer.

WMExperts Store

PPC 6700 Accessory blow out!

• cradle 9.95
• stylus 1.95
• pen stylus - 9.95
• [Sena Book Case] - 19.95](http://store.wmexperts.com/sena-cases-book-case/4A22A1683A.htm)

Community

Thanks to Harold, Anthony, Gabriel, and Luca for emailing in and to Eric for calling in!

Credits

Thanks to the WMExperts Store for sponsoring the podcast. Thanks also to these great artists for the music and to CCMixter.org for offering a great database of Creative Commons music!

• Swim below as Leviathans by Fireproof Babies
• Drop by Raga Flow by Killbotz
• Midnight by Paradox
• GONE by djsociopath
• Purple Schlep by Whip Snapper

This week Dieter and Malatesta overview the leaked ROMs for various Windows Mobile devices, take a look at Dashwire, and respond to a bunch of listener feedback. Tune in!

• Download it directly with this link
• Subscribe via iTunes
• Subscribe directly to the Podcast feed with your favorite Podcatcher here
• Listen to it here with this flash player:

News

• ROM Leaks and Suchlike:
  • WM6 on Treo 700wx Cooked up
  • 6.1 on the Mogul
  • 6.1 on the Sprint Touch
  • Video Drivers for TYTN II?
• Treo 800w on July 13th is a LOCK
• AIM Client for WM sorta stinks
• Giant Nokia Shakeup

Tips and/or Software

• Dashwire is sweet. MS should buy this now

Community

Thanks to Zeb, Michael, Phil, Ariel, Anthony, and Cadman!

Credits

Thanks to the WMExperts Store for sponsoring the podcast. Thanks also to these great artists for the music and to CCMixter.org for offering a great database of Creative Commons music!

• Swim below as Leviathans by Fireproof Babies
• Drop by Raga Flow by Killbotz
• Midnight by Paradox
• GONE by djsociopath
• Purple Schlep by Whip Snapper

A super-sized podcast. Plenty of upcoming devices to speak about, plus the definitive Treo Pro vs Treo 800w comparison. Listen in!

• Download it directly with this link
• Subscribe via iTunes
• Subscribe directly to the Podcast feed with your favorite Podcatcher here
• Listen to it here with this flash player:

News

• No Reboot Challenge
• Microsoft App Store
• ROM Updates:
  • Tilt
  • BlackJack II
• CDMA Treo Pro?
• Treo Pro and 800w Redux (Mashed all together)
  • 800w 30 days later
  • Treo Pro Review
  • Treo Pro on Preorder in the UK
• HTC S740
• Touch Pro Oct 19th
• WSJ Hates The Diamond
• Shadow II Close
• Motorola Q11

Tips and/or Software

• Kinoma Play, Media Player Roundup
• How To Section

Community

Thanks to Eric, Stuart, and Nate for writing in!

Credits

Thanks to the WMExperts Store for sponsoring the podcast. Thanks also to these great artists for the music and to CCMixter.org for offering a great database of Creative Commons music!

• Swim below as Leviathans by Fireproof Babies
• Drop by Raga Flow by Killbotz
• Midnight by Paradox
• GONE by djsociopath
• Purple Schlep by Whip Snapper

Treo Pro, Treo Pro, and a few other bits. Plus - your emails and voicemail!

• Download it directly with this link
• Subscribe via iTunes
• Subscribe directly to the Podcast feed with your favorite Podcatcher here
• Listen to it here with this flash player:

News

• Treo Pro
  • New Treo Revealed
  • Then leaked shots and details
  • Then EVEN MORE
  • Then a news agency leaks again
  • Then it's official
  • NYT Interview
  • Our thoughts on the device
• AT&T Tilt Aug 26th
• HTC Fuze
• Sprint Diamond: Red, thick, $299
• Q9 News
  • Silver
  • 6.1 on the Q9h
  • Q9c back

Tips and/or Software

• Fix up WMP
• Sneaky SkyFire Reg
• 1 Click to email

• Redfly Forums and contest

Thanks to Mel, Chris, Kevin, and Eric for writing in!

Credits

Thanks to the WMExperts Store for sponsoring the podcast. Thanks also to these great artists for the music and to CCMixter.org for offering a great database of Creative Commons music!

• Swim below as Leviathans by Fireproof Babies
• Drop by Raga Flow by Killbotz
• Midnight by Paradox
• GONE by djsociopath
• Purple Schlep by Whip Snapper

This week: Deepfish, crazy Samsung rumors, and your emails. Listen in!

• Download it directly with this link
• Subscribe via iTunes
• Subscribe directly to the Podcast feed with your favorite Podcatcher here
• Listen to it here with this flash player:

News

• Adios Deepfish, Hello IE6. 6!
• MS NOT making a handset, still charging license fees (duh)
• Crazy Samsung Rumors, thankfully defused by the Epix

Tips and/or Software

Ringtones

• Ringtones: size
• Ringo
• Ringtone maker

Thanks to Eric, Michael, Paracha, and Nick for contacting us!

Credits

Thanks to the WMExperts Store for sponsoring the podcast. Thanks also to these great artists for the music and to CCMixter.org for offering a great database of Creative Commons music!

• Swim below as Leviathans by Fireproof Babies
• Drop by Raga Flow by Killbotz
• Midnight by Paradox
• GONE by djsociopath
• Purple Schlep by Whip Snapper

Dieter and Mal discuss what just may be the final Treo 800w (prerelease) rumor, the HTC Diamond in a CDMA flavor, leaked carrier roadmaps, and a bunch of listener emails. Happy 4th of July, everybody!

• Download it directly with this link
• Subscribe via iTunes
• Subscribe directly to the Podcast feed with your favorite Podcatcher here
• Listen to it here with this flash player:

News

• Dear God, I think this might be the last ever Treo 800w leak mention in this podcast!
• HTC Diamond Impressions
• CDMA Diamond coming to Telus
• The Pro is Hefty
• the Toshiba G810 ain't so good either, well, maybe it is. We don't know.
• J Allard in charge now
• Verizon roadmap reveals diamond, pro, 800w (oops, that's another 800w rumor)
• AT&T has a roadmap too
• SERO Insanity

Tips and/or Software

Weatherbug Direct

Community

Thanks to Eric, Sunshine, Scott, Marc, and Kevin!

Some good profile apps for Windows Mobile Pro:

• SPB Phone Suite
• SBSH Phone Weaver
• jgui's Phone Profiles
• Profiles
• Phone Alarm

Credits

Thanks to the WMExperts Store for sponsoring the podcast. Thanks also to these great artists for the music and to CCMixter.org for offering a great database of Creative Commons music!

• Swim below as Leviathans by Fireproof Babies
• Drop by Raga Flow by Killbotz
• Midnight by Paradox
• GONE by djsociopath
• Purple Schlep by Whip Snapper

Ask and ye shall receive, Sunshine. ...That's a real user name, we're not just being flip. Ok, we're being a little flip. Listen in for a 15 minute discussion comparing the Morotola Q9h (Full Review and First Look) and the Q9c (First look at the Q9m here, it's basically the same thing).

• Download it directly with this link
• Subscribe via iTunes
• Subscribe directly to the Podcast feed with your favorite Podcatcher here
• Check out Microsoft's Getting Started with Podcasts article
• Listen to it here with this flash player:

Shoot us an email at podcast@wmexperts.com with a question for next week's full podcast (which, truth be told, might arrive just a hair late, we're traveling again next week). Better yet, leave us a voicemail: 866-904-5882 x222

Next on the hit parade is Conduit Technologies Pocket Player ($19.95). Pocket Player offers Windows Mobile users a fairly straight forward music player with a few bells and whistles. Compatible with both WM Pro and Standard devices Conduit Technologies tries to offer a music application that will stand out above the rest.

Read on to see how Pocket Player measures up.

Ed. Note: This week and next, WMExperts will be reviewing several media players for Windows Mobile. We've already taken a look at Pocket Tunes Deluxe, FlipSide, and Vito Audio Player, and we'll have several more after this George's review today, including a surprise review that you won't see coming!

Pocket Player installed without a hitch on my Motorola Q9h and when I first started the application, it searched my device for media files. Pocket Player offers full music and video support for MP3, WMA, WMV, Ogg Vorbis, FLAC and WAV files. It also offers protected WMA support, u-Law, A-Law, AU and ADPCM WAV playback.

The main screen is fairly straight forward with your media library listed above a set of playback controls. Drilling down a bit, you have a 10 band equalizer with presets, the ability to create playlists, visualizations including downloadable album art support, sleep timer and a good bit more. Touch screen devices have the added bonus themed and skinned today plug-ins. For those with or without touch screens, the player itself has a selection of skins and color patterns.

Pocket Player supports audio books with user managed bookmarks, allowing you to return to where you last were in the audio file. It has an adjustable sleep timer and automatic screen shutoff function as well.

The video playback is good but not overwhelming. The video is too small with the controls showing but if you choose the visualization command, it expands the video to full screen.

You do have the ability to map buttons for the various commands which helps in the navigation. Still, to be honest, theres so much to this application it was a little overwhelming.

Playback for audio and video was smooth but navigation through the file library did creep along at times. It was almost as if system resources werent enough to allow you to scroll down the file list. I did not experience any device lock-ups or application failures while using Pocket Player.

Overall Impression

If you are looking for a basic music player or a more customizable, detailed music player Pocket Player ($19.95) should meet both needs. You can use the default settings and Pocket Player is a good, stable music/video application. If you want more, you can adjust the audio output with the equalizer, map your keypad buttons to improve navigation and create personalized playlists from your library. Conduit Technologies has put together a nice multi-media application that does rise above similar applications and is appealable to all levels of users.