City Lens just keeps on getting better
Nokia appears to be in an update mood lately as this weekend we’ve noticed two of their big apps get some small updates.
Update: City Lens update was just a re-submission to fix an error with the Chinese Windows Phone Store
First up is City Lens, which is being bumped to version 1.10.1632. That’s a fairly low number change, so we’re going to assume that these are minor bug fixes and code optimizations to make it all run buttery smooth. In fact it does feel faster for us to load and calibrate but that could be placebo too.
We don’t think this is the ‘big’ new update that Nokia talked about last week—that one includes 3D icons and the ability filter items out of the line of site.
The other update is for Nokia’s media-streaming app Play To. We haven’t talk much about that app in sometime but it really has come a long way. The app allows you to stream music, video or photos to DLNA enabled hardware or even your Xbox 360 (at least with the Beta dashboard build that we’re using. That service is actually called ‘Play To’ as well).
The current version is 1.4.1.0, which is only weird because we were prompted for an update although it doesn’t look like that’s a different version number. Maybe that's just a goof on our end of the Store.
Although the app works like a charm with our Xbox 360 for photos and music, videos get choked up every 4 seconds, resulting in an almost “this is awesome!” experience. Seeing as we have the beta build of the Xbox 360 update and Play To is still being tweaked, we’ll let it slide for now.
Pick up City Lens here in the Windows Phone Store (Nokia Collection) and Play To here. Thanks, Alberto, for the City Lens tip
Noticed any changes that we didn’t? Tell us in comments!
Reader comments
Nokia updates City Lens and Play To apps for Lumia Windows Phones, changlogs are scarce
City Lens loads up for me, but the screen is blank when I try to look for anything. This is pre and post update.
Didn't know about the playto Xbox compatibility, just tried it, lovely... Very useful
Playto works well, with the exception of videos as you pointed out. Just tried it, very impressed.
Can't get PlayTo to work with my Xbox. It never finds my phone
Playto never worked with our LG screen at home...
Regarding city lens on lumia 800...
I'm getting darn tired of waving the phone in a 8 pattern every time I start it up. Looks so silly that I sadly avoid using that app...
I have only had to do it when I had the beta version and that was atleast 2updates back..am a lumia 800 user..
Is the 'big' update coming to the current lumias too..? From what I read on their blog, it seemed as if that change is coming only wp8 onwards...can someone clarify pls..?
Does the playto thing work with all audio out - sortof like with airplay - or is it limited to just this one app? For instance can you play spotify music through dlna using this app?
If not then they shoudl implement it. A "dlna sound output device"-setting. Most sound/video playback of the iphone and all output of the ipad can be used over airplay. Including screen mirroring. MS should do something similiar with the xbox. That doesn't require any interaction on the xbox. Like with appletv.
Sounds like you need an iphone and ipad then.
I have an ipad and an iphone today but I want to #switchtolumia. iOS feels very tired. There are just some OS conveniences that I think I will miss. Airplay is one of them. No comparable replacement seems to be available. Biggest annoyance will be lack of instagram though.
One limitation of the Play To app is it cannot stream Zune Pass (DRMed) music. I use a WDTV Live Hub as a receiver.I don't know if it would work with an Xbox 360.
PS3 support for play to would be nice.
Re: Waving your phone around in a figure-8 to calibrate the compass... This is true with other smartphones as well, including even the "magical" iPhone. This is the nature of magnetometers... annoying, yes, but better than a traditional compass that just points at my car's subwoofer all the time.
Psssst, Nokia...make PlayTo, play nicely with Nokia Music. :)
+10000 Nokia music vía play to is may best wish
What other apps are available like play to? I don't have a lumia anymore