All About Windows Phone

Review: Fairway Solitaire

Tue, 18 Jun 2013 16:15:14 GMT

If there are any Psion Series 3 owners reading this, then Fairway Solitaire is going to be a very interesting walk down memory line (with a twist or two), recognising the card game 'Homerun' (plus there's the 'Fairway' reference, used by our own Steve in his Psion golf sim!) I'm pretty sure that everyone else is going to recognise the golf mechanic that has been jauntily placed on top of a simple, yet addictive card game.

Reddit client Baconit updated to v2.64

Tue, 18 Jun 2013 10:39:58 GMT

The leading (yet unofficial) Windows Phone client for Reddit by Quinn Damerell has picked up another update. Version 2.64 addresses a number of issues that have arisen after the 2.6 update earlier in the year.

Microsoft's Blink burst camera moves to v2.0, adds settings, animations

Tue, 18 Jun 2013 10:32:00 GMT

Whether driven by the need to join in the current ('Vine') craze for ultra-short animations and videos, or by simply wanting to make BLINK better, Microsoft has significantly enhanced its burst mode utility, as detailed below. More settings, more options, plus the animation of your burst sets and sharing of them via a dedicated system, it's all in BLINK v2.0. And yes, it's still free.

Stick some fun on your photos with Marmelo

Tue, 18 Jun 2013 09:29:22 GMT

Looking to spice up your photos? You might want to have a look at Marmelo from Volevi Studios. There have been a lot of photo editing apps out there, but Marmelo takes a different approach, by allowing you to add stickers and images on top of your photos.

Crystalusion Liquid Glass akin to snake oil?

Tue, 18 Jun 2013 08:05:00 GMT

Let cut to the chase here. Would you pay £6 for a couple of wet wipes? Of course not, but that's essentially what you're getting here, as I discovered while trying out a sample pack of Crystalusion Liquid Glass. I'm sorry, but fancy packaging and technical instructions do not make up for that fact that the product makes very little perceptible difference. Is this product effectively just 'snake oil'? Read on for the gory details...

Of course Microsoft should spend big to get the big apps

Tue, 18 Jun 2013 06:08:00 GMT

A simple question. What's wrong with Microsoft paying developers to code applications for Windows Phone 8? As the weekend opened, Business Insider noted that Redmond was paying 'up to $100,000' for hand picked developers to write for the mobile platform. Of course, the vast majority are looking at a much smaller return. But what, precisely, is wrong about an app bounty?

Acer hoping Microsoft increases Windows Phone marketing

Mon, 17 Jun 2013 18:52:35 GMT

Speaking to Chris Hall at Pocket Lint, Acer's Smartphone Vice President Allen Burnes talks about Acer's smartphone plans, and in the near future they don't sound ready to embrace Windows Phone. While the company 'likes' the ecosystem, it still needs to be larger before Acer will commit.

Review: Camera360

Mon, 17 Jun 2013 18:24:00 GMT

There are several Camera 'replacements' for Windows Phone, even though none (as at the current OS version for most handsets) can be set as the 'default' application when you mash down the camera button - you have to launch them as 'lenses' or pick them from a Start screen shortcut. Camera Pro is geared towards the photo purist who wants to fiddle with every setting under the sun, while this, Camera360, is aimed more at someone who wants to delve more into the world of filters. If this sounds ghastly to you then move on, nothing to see. If built-in filters sound good to you then read on for my review, though note that there are still too many caveats to recommend the application in its current version.

Faster voice recognition for Windows Phone 8

Mon, 17 Jun 2013 16:56:46 GMT

Via the official Windows Phone Blog comes news that Microsoft has silently upgraded the backend for Windows Phone 8's voice recognition service resulting in results being returned twice as fast and an increase in accuracy by 15%. The update has already been rolled out in select markets (e.g. the US got the upgrade over the last few weeks) and should be available in all market that support voice recognition in due course.

Voice recognition is used by Windows Phone in a wide number of areas including search, text message composition, and the dictation of text in OneNote. Windows Phone platform APIs also allow third party app to add their own voice recognition features, powered by the Microsoft backend. In both cases audio is captured by the phone and sent for processing on Microsoft's servers. It is this server side stage that has been upgraded.

Nokia Lumia 925 Wireless Charging Covers (CC-3065) available in retail

Mon, 17 Jun 2013 14:23:30 GMT

Nokia CC-3065 Wireless Charging Cover are now available from select online and high street retailers. The official Nokia accessory acts as both a protective back cover for the recently released Nokia Lumia 925 and enables the ability to recharge the device wirelessly using Qi charging accessories, such as Nokia's DT-910 Wireless Charging Stand and DT-900 Wireless Charging Pad.

The Wireless Charging Covers are available in four colours: black, red, white and yellow. The black and yellow versions are currently being sold by online retailers MobileFun and Expansys (UK and US) for £24.99 / $33.99. All four colours are also available through Amazon UK (UK and US) and eBay (UK and US), with prices starting at £22.

CalDAV and CardDAV (Google) support in Windows Phone 8 GDR2

Mon, 17 Jun 2013 13:19:19 GMT

Windows Phone 8 GDR2, the latest software update for Microsoft's mobile platform, is mainly focused on quality improvements (bug fixes and performance improvements), but there are a number of new features. One of these is the addition of CalDAV and CardDAV support when setting up a Google account (Gmail, Google Contacts, and Google Calendar) on a Windows Phone device. In this feature we explain the background to this new feature and offer a brief video demo.

RSS reader Collector updates download engine

Mon, 17 Jun 2013 10:31:55 GMT

RSS reader 'Collector' has picked up another update as many mobile users migrate away from Google Reader ahead of its closure in July. Functionally, users will see the new support for the 'Pocket' deferred reading service (which was previously called 'Read it Later'), as well as the ability to skip over the welcome screen.

WordPress for Windows Phone updated to 2.2

Mon, 17 Jun 2013 09:31:30 GMT

With a major point update (from v2.14 to 2.20), WordPress' official client has been improved once more. June's update addresses a number of existing bugs, as well as improved image gallery support.

Can Windows Phone avoid the app clone wars?

Sun, 16 Jun 2013 23:03:25 GMT

As more people start to buy into the Windows Phone system, more app developers will be looking at the platform and wondering how to make best use of the opportunities on offer. One route I personally hope that they ignore is 'cloning' popular applications from other platforms and dropping them into Microsoft's mobile machines.

A week with the Nokia Lumia 928

Sun, 16 Jun 2013 13:38:00 GMT

Guest photoblogger Harry Myhre has had his new Nokia Lumia 928 for a week and here presents his unboxing photos and thoughts, largely positive, with special appreciation for Microsoft's SkyDrive as a 'file system' in the cloud. Note that the Lumia 928 is an exclusive design for Verizon in the USA - it's unlikely that any of the regular AAWP writers will get to try the device in a real world capacity.

AAWP Insight #66: Nokia Lumia 925

Sat, 15 Jun 2013 21:30:56 GMT

In episode 66 of the AAWP Insight Podcast, hosted by Steve and Rafe, we devote the first portion of the podcast to some first thoughts on the Nokia Lumia 925. We move on to talk about Nokia's "zoom reinvented" event and the technology that might be found in Nokia's next imaging flagship and there's also time for a discussion on CoPilot GPS versus HERE Drive.

Snapchat client Swapchat gets a free ad-supported version

Fri, 14 Jun 2013 17:54:48 GMT

A free version of Swapchat, the third party Snapchat client app that we wrote about earlier this week, is now available form the Windows Phone Store. Developer SRC Apps notes that Snapchat Free is ad-supported and will get updates later than the paid version of Snapchat. They also ask users who want to support the development of the app to "please consider purchasing the premium version".

Given that expiring-photo-message service Snapchat is most popular with younger users, offering a free version of the app is a logical move. Such users do not typically have access to a credit card, which, in the absence of operator billing support, may mean they are unable to download paid-for apps from the Windows Phone Store.

Nokia's App Highlights Social beta now available worldwide

Fri, 14 Jun 2013 16:05:05 GMT

The beta version of Nokia's App Highlights Social beta, a community powered app recommendation service, is now available worldwide for all Nokia Windows Phone 8 Lumia devices. Previously the beta was only available in the US, Finland, India, and Italy.

App Highlights Social builds on the concept of the Nokia's existing App Highlights app, allowing users to browse and create curated lists of recommended apps and games. Lists can be shared with the community, both within the app, and on the web. When you find an app list you like you can "thank" a user for creating it, which will move it up the leaderboard (ranking) system. You can also opt to follow a user, so that you can keep track of their app recommendations more easily via the apps feed section.

Review: Dots

Fri, 14 Jun 2013 15:00:00 GMT

Dots is addictive, intoxicating, and perhaps one of the weirdest gaming experiences I've personally had during 2013. Earlier in the year the game "Dots" was released on iOS from Nerdy Octopus and Betaworks. It's still horribly addictive. And now it's (kind of) here on Windows Phone.

Vimeo app update adds voice control to video consumption

Fri, 14 Jun 2013 14:17:50 GMT

The Vimeo app for Windows Phone 8 has been updated to version 2.1, adding support for voice control of key app functions. For example, it is now possible to perform a search by voice. The app's Windows Phone Store description also indicates that voice control can also be used for pausing and playing videos.

Nokia Lumia device owners may also like to note that, through the app, they can get three months of Vimeo Plus membership for free. This benefit is worth $30 and gives users a larger video upload allowance, ad-free browsing on the Vimeo website, and a number of other benefits.

Never miss a BART train again with BARTT

Fri, 14 Jun 2013 13:49:21 GMT

BARRT stands for the Bay Area Real Time Transit, and the app for the frequent traveller on the municipal light rail system in California has picked up a new version with extra features and information feeds to help the BART riders with a Windows Phone handset.

Nokia Glance Screen and display settings on the Nokia Lumia 925

Fri, 14 Jun 2013 11:18:38 GMT

As part of the Lumia Amber software update, coming soon to existing Lumia Windows Phone 8 devices, Nokia has added a number of customisations to Windows Phone's display functionality and settings. These include an option to have an always-on clock displayed on screen when your device is fully locked ('Nokia Glance Screen') and the ability to adjust the colour display characteristics of the screen ('Lumia colour profile'). In this feature, we offer an in-depth look at the new functionality as seen on the newly released Nokia Lumia 925.

DevartAPP updated for improved access to deviantArt

Fri, 14 Jun 2013 10:33:39 GMT

DevartAPP is a third party client for the deviantArt website that lets you log in to the popular creative network, and from there share and interact with your friends and other creatives on the site.

Nokia's "zoom reinvented" event on July 11th in New York

Thu, 13 Jun 2013 16:51:55 GMT

Nokia is set to hold a press event in New York on July 11th with a tag line of "zoom reinvented", suggesting that it may be about to unveil a new camera flagship to follow in the footsteps of the Nokia 808 PureView. A teaser image shows a magnifying glass with a message of "see more from Nokia", together with date, time, and location of the event.

The Nokia 808 PureView used its 41 megapixel sensor to enable a lossless 3x zoom (5 megapixel image capture), something that would seem to qualify as zoom reinvented. Nokia has repeatedly said that this first implementation of PureView would be used in future products and it seems the Finnish company is now going to deliver on that promise by introducing a Windows Phone 8 version of the world's most advanced camera phone.

EPUB Reader updated for Windows Phone 8

Thu, 13 Jun 2013 15:00:04 GMT

Developer Jan Reidemeister has updated EPUB Reader, a Windows Phone client for ebooks in the older format. With the rise of the Kindle, .mobi is used by many authors, but there's still a lot of love for the Epub format. Which is where this reader comes in useful.

Take a 'Risk' with Benoit Renaud's Hex War

Thu, 13 Jun 2013 12:40:51 GMT

Recently updated, Hex War brings a Risk still strategy game to your Windows Phone handset, but rather than specific countries, you'll be fighting over land on a hex based grid. The latest version takes care of a number of bugs, including a fix for the 'Fog of War' issue.

CoPilot GPS drives on to Windows Phone 8

Thu, 13 Jun 2013 12:28:36 GMT

ALK Technologies' CoPilot mapping and navigation solution is now available for Windows Phone 8 devices. It arrives in the form of the free CoPilotGPS app, which provides easy-to-navigate offline maps, feature-rich route planning tools, and a versatile local point-of-interest database. Voice guided navigation is an optional in-app premium upgrade, but there's a 14 day free trial included in every download to give you a taste of what's on offer.

Nokia's Access Point utility gets updates and auto-selection

Thu, 13 Jun 2013 12:23:12 GMT

One of the biggest hassles with moving SIM cards between phones is that the latter often make a bit of a meal out of trying to guess the right data settings. Sometimes the network itself sends over a configuration SMS, which also helps, but Nokia's free Windows Phone utility, Access Point, updated today and screenshotted below, also helps by applying some intelligence to the situation. In my experience, juggling three SIMs between at least five phones, this utility has got my data flowing within one tap (and sometimes none at all).

Grin lets you browse and upload to Imgur

Wed, 12 Jun 2013 22:00:07 GMT

Online image hosting service Imgur is a very popular online service used by millions (especially users of Digg and Reddit). Grin is a third party client for the service that will let you browse the service and upload your own images to the service.

Review: Temple Run: Brave

Wed, 12 Jun 2013 20:47:00 GMT

Right then, Temple Run Brave. The easiest way to review this would be quite cynical - just cut and paste the original review of Temple Run (which you can read here) and add in a paragraph about the new 'archery' section you can romp through. Then I would need to talk about why there's an archery section, why there's a different character, and we're back at a full review. So let's just go with that.

Nokia Lumia 925 introduction and unboxing

Wed, 12 Jun 2013 18:06:31 GMT

Just under a month after it was announced, the Nokia Lumia 925 goes on sale this week. Sales start in a number of European countries (Germany, UK, and Italy) with the US and China expected to follow shortly afterwards. The SIM free price, before taxes and subsidies, is €469 SIM-free, which translates to a UK high street price of approximately £475, but initially the devices will only be widely available through operators (from free on the £33-£37 two year contract tier). We're kicking off our coverage of the latest Lumia with a video introduction and unboxing.

Simple Calendar brings your appointments right out in the open

Wed, 12 Jun 2013 18:05:00 GMT

When it comes to your calendars, the more exposure of what you have to do, the better. Just about the last word in Calendar extensions on Windows Phone, Simple Calendar brings your upcoming appointments to your start and lockscreens, with the only limitations being due to the Windows Phone platform itself. See below for screenshots and link.

The first rock vid sample from the Lumia 925?

Wed, 12 Jun 2013 15:17:42 GMT

With the Nokia Lumia 925 being in the hands of the public for a day or so now, it's not surprising to see a video capture sample - this one's noteworthy in that it's filming rock (well, blues) music at pretty high volume, with the usual absence of distortion from the Nokia HAAC microphones. See the clip, embedded below, with my comments.

Strap on your Sinclair Jetpac for Great Ormond Street

Wed, 12 Jun 2013 10:47:40 GMT

Looking for some retro gaming fun from your childhood on Windows Phone? Looking to support a great charity (Great Ormond Street Hospital)? Well go and buy Jetpac right now, lovingly emulated for WP8 by LiveWire Design.

(Update) N.O.V.A. 3 is released for Xbox Live

Wed, 12 Jun 2013 09:45:04 GMT

[Update] N.O.V.A. is available in two variants, a free version badged as 'Nokia' for their Indian customers, and a Gameloft version available for everyone else. Nokia have brought another gaming franchise to Windows Phone Lumia handsets with today's release of N.O.V.A. 3. Gameloft's first person futuristic franchise has graced a number of platforms, now it's the turn of Xbox Live.

And people say the Nokia 808 and (rumoured) EOS have camera humps...

Wed, 12 Jun 2013 08:59:46 GMT

File this under industry news of interest, but Samsung has just announced what would be considered an April Fool's joke if launched a few months earlier - the 'Galaxy S4 zoom' packs a full telescopic (10x) optical zoom mechanism onto the back of an otherwise fairly standard Android device. And people complained that the Nokia 808 had a 'bit of a camera hump'! The rumoured Windows Phone-powered Nokia EOS (codename) also seems to have a raised camera island, but this Galaxy S4 zoom takes the concept of a hump to a whole new level, I think....

Review: PicasaSync

Tue, 11 Jun 2013 17:51:59 GMT

While Microsoft might want you to use SkyDrive for everything, including uploading your pictures, there are other services people use. One of them is Picasa, and Ahtut's client, PicasaSync, sets out to help you use Picasa with your Windows Phone.

Nokia accessories app updated to support CR-200 Wireless Car Charger

Tue, 11 Jun 2013 12:10:46 GMT

Nokia has updated its accessories Settings module app to version 2.5.3.1 (from 2.1.1.4), adding support for the Nokia CR-200 Car Holder, offering additional Live Tile functionality, and featuring an updated visual design. The accessories app provides a one stop shop for monitoring and controlling the settings of a number of Nokia accessories (JBL PowerUp, JBL PlayUp, Purity Pro, Reaction headset, Charging Stand, and Car Holder)

Support for the CR-200 Car Holder accessory comes in the form of the usual settings control (set which app opens on a NFC touch). In a similar vein to the time and weather mini-app for the DT-910 Charging Stand, the CR-200 gets its own custom app, which essentially provides a simplified car mode that aims to make it easier to access key functionality when driving.

Swapchat provides a polished third party Snapchat client

Tue, 11 Jun 2013 11:22:33 GMT

Swapchat is a third party client for the photo messaging service Snapchat. The app, which is available for both Windows Phone 7 and 8, allows you to send and receive the expiring photo and video messages that are the keystone of the Snapchat service. The app includes almost all of the key features of the official Android and iOS apps, including the ability to add captions and annotations to photos, see when your friends have opened your messages, and the option to specify the expiration time period.

Swapchat may not have been the first Snapchat client for Windows Phone, but it is the most polished, offering a user experience that compares favourably to the official apps on other platforms, and is in line with Windows Phone's design principles.

Make your way underground safely with Every Metro

Tue, 11 Jun 2013 10:37:05 GMT

Looking to find your way around a modern metro system? You might want to look at Every Metro, which promises maps and navigation for over one hundred transport networks around the world.