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Showing posts with label Windows Phone. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Windows Phone. Show all posts

Tuesday, October 24, 2017

Windows 10 mobiles can now be updated directly from PC

October 24, 2017 0

Microsoft has released an over-the-cable Updater tool for Windows Phone 8.1 and Windows Mobile 10.

windows phone lumia 920
About two weeks ago, Microsoft executive Joe Belfiore made it quite clear that Windows 10 Mobile isn’t the company’s focus anymore. However, he did promise that support for the platform, bug fixes and updates will continue to be released, and Microsoft is doing just that. To help Windows Phone 8.1 and Windows Mobile 10 users install future updates, Microsoft has released the over-the-cable (OTC) Updater tool, which moves updates from a PC to the phone. Very similar to how iTunes works for iOS updates.
In order to install the updater tool, users need to download the file OtcUpdaterZip.exe and run it on a PC. In what appears to be a hastily-written support note filled with spelling errors, Microsoft explains that the tool “updates eligible Windows phones to the latest version of WIndows [sic] 10 Mobile”.
Do note, there are certain requirements you need to meet to run the updates via the installer tool. They are:
  • Your device must be able to connect to a PC via USB
  • The device with PIN lock must be unlocked before using the OTC Updater
  • The device must be in Airplane mode before using the OTC Updater
  • PC must be running a supported Windows client OS with latest service pack installed
  • PC must have a minimum of .NET 4.0 installed
  • PC must have Internet connectivity and be able to connect to WU

   Like mentioned above, earlier this month, Microsoft effectively shut down its latest attempt at cracking the mobile market, announcing it would only focus on security updates and not new features. Belfiore revealed that Microsoft was facing a lot of difficulty in getting developers to write apps. He said that the company tried paying companies to produce apps, and they even wrote them when creators couldn’t or wouldn’t get involved, but the number of users was “too low for most companies to invest”. Why build an app for a relatively small bunch of Windows phone owners when there are many more Android and iOS users? Belfiore says that he himself switched to Android for the “app/[hardware] diversity”.

   {BGR}
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Wednesday, October 11, 2017

Microsoft Lumia 435 Windows Phone was supposed to launch with all-screen design

October 11, 2017 0

Microsoft had launched the Lumia 435 smartphone in 2014.

Microsoft Lumia 435 all screen prototype
Every year smartphones start a trend, and this year’s is all-display or edge-to-edge display design. Starting with the Galaxy S8 duo earlier this year followed by the likes of Apple in the coming months. Something surprising has now popped up online of an ‘all screen’ smartphone manufactured in 2014. Microsoft‘s Lumia 435 Windows smartphone was supposed to launch with an all-screen design, but the idea was scrapped eventually.
During its development, Microsoft had created prototypes for the Lumia 435, one of which was caught hold of by Windows Central. If you look at the supposed all screen Lumia 435 now the design might not seem striking enough. But for something like this to take birth in 2014 is surely a big deal. The Lumia 435 had almost no bezels on top and on the sides with a slightly thicker bottom bezel. The side bezels were 3mm thick, and the top bezel measured 4.4mm.
The front camera lens were placed on the bottom bezel, similar to the Mi MIX and Mi MIX 2. With no home button, the Lumia 435 housed three on-screen touch buttons for navigation. On the right side, there’s was a power key and the volume rocker. In terms of specifications, the Lumia 435 featured a 5-inch HD display with screen-to-body ratio of 79 percent, Qualcomm’s Snapdragon 200 SoC, 4GB of RAM, and 4GB of expandable storage. 
The rest of the features included a 1,800mAh battery, 5-megapixel rear camera with LED flash, and on the software front, it ran on Windows Phone 8.1. Although the Lumia 435 sports decent features and specifications, we won’t be seeing a commercial launch. Microsoft recently confirmed the death of its Windows Phone.
In comparison, the Lumia 435 that was eventually launched came with a 4-inch display, a 1.2GHz dual-core processor, 1GB of RAM and 8GB of expandable storage. The smartphone also came with a 2-megapixel rear camera, VGA front camera, 1,560mAh battery, and ran on Windows Phone 8.1.
{BGR}
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Monday, October 9, 2017

Microsoft’s Windows Phone is officially dead, and it’s a good thing

October 09, 2017 0

Windows Phone OS had potential, but only if Microsoft had played its cards right.

windows phone lumia 920
Even before Android and iOS made their debut, smartphones always existed, running on either Windows Mobile, BlackBerry OS, Palm’s webOS or Nokia’s Symbian OS. As Android and iOS started gaining dominance, the slow and steady fall of other operating systems started. Companies tried their level best to stay afloat, but somewhere lacked innovation, and trust of its loyal users. Microsoft did everything it could for the survival of Windows Phone, but the efforts didn’t do any good. Now, the company’s VP of the operating system, Joe Belfiore has put the final nail in Windows Phone’s coffin.
Those who have been following Microsoft events would know Belfiore as the face of Windows Phone. He was one of the important contributors in the platform’s development – having created Metro UI, Live Tiles, and also the company’s digital assistant, Cortana. A year ago, Belfiore took a 9-month leave of absence to travel the world, where he created uproar by using the Samsung Galaxy S7 and Apple iPhone. Currently, he owns a Samsung Galaxy S8 loaded with Microsoft software. In a series of tweets, Belfiore revealed why Windows Phone is officially dead, but before I talk more about it, let’s look at some key highlights.

The journey of Windows Phone

I’ve used Windows Phone since the early days, having tried my hands on Krome IQ700, HTC Touch Diamond and HTC Touch to name a few. Using the Krome IQ700 was an experience, it almost felt like using Windows XP on a smartphone. Microsoft made a switch from Windows Mobile platform (till version 6.5 Professional) to Windows Phone 7 with Metro UI. This was also the time when Microsoft partnered Nokia for Windows Phone 7-based smartphones.
A year later, Microsoft introduced Windows Phone 8, with more refined interface, new features, bug fixes along with a bunch of other improvements. It was also the time when Nokia introduced the Lumia 920 which brought the many firsts to smartphones – an 8-megapixel camera with aperture f/2.0, optical image stabilization (OIS) and wireless charging to name a few. 

Reviewers praised the Lumia 920 calling it – a camera disguised as a smartphone. Despite being five-year-old, the Lumia 920 camera still gives a tough fight to some of the mid-range smartphones of today. Nokia also introduced the Lumia 1020 with 41-megapixel camera, to lure customers towards Windows Phone. However, all those efforts didn’t help either.
Microsoft also went ahead to buy Nokia’s smartphone division, with an intension of making Microsoft-branded Windows phones. The Lumia 950 and Lumia 950 XL were the two flagship smartphones running Windows 10 Mobile OS, featuring top-of-the-line hardware and Windows Hello (IRIS scanner) for biometric authentication. Once again, critics praised the camera on the both the Lumia smartphones, but the wow factor was missing to excite people to buy a Windows Phone.

My personal experience with Windows Phone

Back in 2013, I was reviewing the Nokia Lumia 720, and I was fascinated with the camera prowess of the smartphone. Windows Phone 8 was just in its nascent stage, and it did seem promising. I, for once, enjoyed the no gimmick, pure OS and the Live Tile interface seemed something unique. I went ahead and bought the Lumia 920, where the first few months it felt nice.
I was impressed with the camera performance on the Lumia 920, and clicked a lot of photos, something that the competitor smartphones couldn’t. But slowly, I started feeling left out from the crowd. Yes, the app ecosystem on the Windows Phone OS is to be blamed for the same.

Look ma, no cool apps

The Windows Phone platform had popular apps, such as WhatsApp, Facebook, Twitter and Foursquare, the ones that I heavily relied on. Instagram, on the other hand, was in beta for over a year, with no major upgrades. In fact, most apps got new features a couple of months after arriving on Android and iOS. Take Facebook, for instance, while Android and iOS versions got the ability to check-in, the same arrived on Windows Phone after four months. Ditto with Instagram, after being in beta for a year, it then moved to stable build, with the ability to record and share videos.
But things don’t end there – it was the time when Snapchat started gaining prominence and I was eager to test it out. But I was disappointed to learn that that company had no plans to release Windows Phone version of the popular app. Snapchat is just one case, there have been many other apps that didn’t make their way to the Windows Phone platform. Reason? Number of users on the platform were too low for the company to invest time and resources for developing Windows Phone apps.

Android app support consideration

When Microsoft couldn’t get developers to build apps for Windows Phone platform, the company briefly considered adding Android app support to the platform. It would have allowed users to sideload APK files of their favorite Android apps and run on Windows Phone. It did create some uproar in the industry, with many calling it a failed move as it defeated the purpose of having Windows Phone OS in the first place. The company did work on it, and offered an early access to developers via preview versions, but the feature never made it to the public version.
BlackBerry, also went through the same phase with app gap problem, where it lost to rivals – Android and iOS. The company completely revived its operating system by introducing an all-touch BlackBerry 10 OS. It also introduced two smartphones – the top-end BlackBerry Z10 and the mid-range Z30. One of the interesting additions of the new OS was the support for Android apps.
While I reviewed the BlackBerry Z10, back in the day, I did give the feature a try. I copied some Android app APKs, such as Facebook, Temple Run and Subway Surfers, to name a few. But the experience wasn’t great. It was basically an app running inside an app, which not only used up resources, but also resulted in stuttering, thus ruining the overall experience.

Enough of past, back to the present

I’ve talked about the journey Microsoft Mobile OS, but it’s time to look into the present and future – where Windows Phone is officially dead! Replying to a few users on Twitter, Belfiore mentioned that existing Windows Phones will continue getting bug fixes and security patches, but the company is not planning to introduce any new features or new smartphones running on the OS.
joe belfiore on windows phone 2
joe belfiore on windows phone

Belfiore even admitted to the fact that Microsoft tried hard to pay the developers to write apps for Windows Phone platform, but the sheer volume of users was too low for companies to invest in having developers. Clearly, Windows Phone is no longer a focus for the software giant, and if you’re still clinging to one, it may be the time to move on.

The future for Microsoft

While Windows Phone OS was losing to Android and iOS, there was one thing that Microsoft did right. They say, if you can’t beat them, join them. And that’s exactly what Microsoft did by bringing popular apps such as Word, Excel and PowerPoint to Android and iOS platforms.
The move was a masterstroke, not only giving a big boost to the most used Office apps on rival platforms, but also eating a share from Google Docs and Apple iWork apps share. The basic version allows users with read-only privilege, whereas Office 365 users gain access to create and edit documents, as well as access their files from the cloud.
To put the above points into perspective, Microsoft had not only been struggling with the app ecosystem, but also with the Windows Phone marketshare which was less than one percent for over three years. The move to stop focusing on new Windows Phone OS and hardware is good for industry as we only have two major operating systems to look at. It’s also good from developer point of view, as they will only need to focus on building apps for Android and iOS that have good number of users. And considering all these points, it’s a good thing that Windows Phone is officially dead.
{Source:BGR}
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Windows phones dead, Microsoft finally admits

October 09, 2017 0

Joe Belfiore also admits he switched to Android.

windows-phone-81
After struggling to sell Windows smartphones for quite some time as Google’s Android and Apple iOS Operating Systems (OS) surged ahead, Microsoft has finally admitted that the software giant will no longer develop new features or hardware for Windows 10 mobiles. In a series of tweets, Joe Belfiore, Corporate Vice President in the Operating Systems Group at Microsoft, revealed late on Sunday that the Windows operating system will only help with bug fixes and security updates for existing users.
“Of course we’ll continue to support the platform.. bug fixes, security updates. But building new features/hw [hardware] aren’t the focus,” Belfiore tweeted.
The devices that use Windows OS are HP Elite x3, Microsoft Lumia 950 XL, Microsoft Lumia 950 and Nokia Lumia 930, among others. Bill Gates has already stopped using Windows phone.  HP Inc is also halting production of its flagship Windows handset. HP Inc recently admitted it won’t add any new handset to its existing “Elite” Windows smartphone lineup.
Belfiore also admitted that Microsoft will still support Windows 10 customers who want to use Android and iOS on their phones.  “We have tried very hard to incent app devs. Paid money. wrote apps 4 them.. but the volume of users is too low for most companies to invest,” Belfiore posted. 
According to market research firm Kantar, Windows phones account for just 1.3 percent of the market — from 2.4 percent last year — in the US. Even though Microsoft has reported a fall in Surface PC line and Windows phones revenues, the Redmond-based tech giant is reportedly aiming for new devices called “Surface Phones” and has made its patent public.
According to media reports, Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella has confirmed that Microsoft will “make more phones, but they will not look like phones that are there today.” Microsoft is set to roll out the “Fall Creators” update for Windows 10 on October 17 which will include Virtual Reality (VR) and Mixed Reality (MR) support sans the mobile experience.
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Wednesday, August 23, 2017

Top 15 Best Selfie Apps For Android, iOS And Windows Phone

August 23, 2017 0
When Selfies first started trending on social media, who would have thought they’d stay this long. It’s not just a thing gone viral anymore, it’s something that has potentially changed the way brands reached out to their audience on social media. If it weren’t that impactful, who would have come up with selfie-sticks?
Whether you are on Facebook, Twitter or Instagram, you will be welcomed with a barrage of selfies these days, so much is the craze. The selfie popularity has been well used by app developers, as they have churned out some great apps that make selfie snapping an even more fun experience. There are a lot of good selfie apps on all the platforms and the good thing is along with being a great selfie app, they are a great photo editing app too, which means you can snap a selfie and get to edit it on the go. Anyways, as always, here we are for you to help you find the perfect selfie app for your platform. So, here are our Top 15 Selfie Apps for Android, iOS and Windows Phone in 2015:

Top 5 Selfie Apps for Android

1. YouCam Perfect – Selfie Cam

YouCam Perfect
The YouCam Perfect Selfie app is a great app for all you selfie lovers out there. Along with great selfie taking features, the app also comes with great selfie editing tools to get you the perfect selfie you need. The app is feature packed and there are a number of interesting features like beautifying effects, face reshaper, object remover, stylization and ability to beautify all the features of your face.
Developer: CyberLink.com, Compatibility: Android 4.0 and up, Availability:(Free) Google Play Store

2. Bright Camera – Camera for Facebook

Bright Camera app is one of the popular apps for selfie taking. The Bright Camera app lets you take great selfies and make it even better, thanks to the great effects and frames. The app also lets you share your pictures instantly on all the social networks.
The feature list includes filters, selfie timer, beautification, tilt shift effects and more. The app also lets you add quotes and all, if that’s your thing. The app is free on the Play Store and you should definitely check it out.
Developer: Amazing Studio
Compatibility: Varies with device
Availability: (Free with in-app purchases) Google Play Store

3. Candy Camera

Candy Camera
Candy Camera app is one of the higher rated apps on the Google Play Store and it’s another great selfie app. The app lets you take selfies and see real time effects on them and there are more than hundred filters in the app.
There are a lot of editing features as well along with beautification, blemish removal, make-up features and more. The app is free with some in-app purchases, we sure you wouldn’t really need.
Developer: JP Brothers
Compatibility: Android 2.3.3 and up
Availability: (Free with in-app purchases) Google Play Store

4. Retrica

Retrica
Retrica is a full fledged app for selfie lovers and even for photo editing enthusiasts. The app even though not marketed as a selfie app is a great selfie app. The app has many fans due to its great interface and many features.
The great features from the Retrica app includes 100+ filters (along with real-time filters), collage maker, watermarking, timer and more. The app is a must check out if you want an all rounder photo editing and selfie taking app.
Developer: Venticake Inc.
Compatibility: Requires Android 2.3.3 and up
Availability: (Free) Google Play Store

5. Selfie Studio

Selfie Studio
The Selfie Studio app is aimed at all the selfie lovers out there and the app uses the front-facing camera, so if your device doesn’t have one, you won’t be able to use the app.
The app lets you brighten up your face with colours you can choose and there are other various features to better the experience like silent shoot, auto reverse, volume key shutter and more.
Developer: Vinghom
Compatibility: Android 2.3 and up
Selfie Camera App: (Free) Google Play Store


Top 5 Selfie Apps for iOS

1. CamMe

CamMe
CamMe is unarguably the most popular selfie taking app on iOS and rightly so. The app brings a lot of features, which should let you take that perfect selfie you are looking for.
There are a number of cool features like Photobooth, which like classic photobooth machines lets you take several pictures sequentially. There’s the Funshot feature, which lets enhances the pictures with cool cut-outs and and locations. The app is free for download and there are in-app purchases for more Funshot templates and Photobooth features.
Developer: PointGrab LTD
Compatibility: Requires iOS 7 or later
Availability: (Free with in-app purchases) Apple iTunes Store

2. Picr

Picr
Picr is a unique picture taking app, which has the ability to surprise you in a good way. The app asks you to take a picture everyday and creates a unique personal movie for you based on your pictures.
The Picr app on iOS lets you set reminders for taking pictures everyday or even every month. The app comes with unique features to get you the perfect selfie. The app lets you create videos with your pictures and lets add your own text and music to those videos. There are many more features and all these features are available for free on the App Store.
Developer: Marcus Rumbohm
Compatibility: Requires iOS 7.1 or later
Availability: (Free) Apple iTunes Store

3.  Frontback

Frontback
The Frontback app is a great app if you want to use your dual cameras. The app takes pictures front the front facing and the rear camera instantly, that way you can have your selfie and also tell the world the awesome place you are in.
The app also features some social features, as it lets you explore recent uploads based on popular, nearby and more. You can also follow friends or other people, who use Frontback. There’s a reaction feature as well, which lets you interact with others using a 5 second video.
Developer: CheckThis
Compatibility: Requires iOS 7.0 or later
Availability: (Free) Apple iTunes Store

4. Perfect 365

Perfect 365
If you want to perfect your selfies manually and you love tinkering with your pictures, Perfect 365 is the best app for you. The app has the headline “One Tap Makeover”, so it is a great app for people wanting to give their pictures a makeover.
The app packs in a number of features for make-up and touch-ups of your pictures. The app lets you remove blemishes, apply make-up, change your hairstyle, whiten your teeth, smooth-en your complexion and more. Yes, the app claims it will make you look like a model. The app is available for free on the Apple App Store and there are in-app purchases for various styles.
Developer: ArcSoft
Compatibility: iOS 6.0 or later
Availability: (Free with in-app purchases) Apple iTunes Store

5. oSnap

oSnap app
The oSnap app may not be a great photo editing app and it’s also not packed with a lot of features but it’s great at one thing, that’s taking selfies. If you want to take selfies on the go, the oSnap app should be a good bet.
The app lets you swipe from top to bottom to switch between the rear and front-facing cameras. The app also lets you take pictures by tapping anywhere on the display. The ease of use in taking selfies is what makes the app feature on the list.
Developer: Steve Young
Compatibility: iOS 6.0 and later
Availability: (Paid) Apple iTunes Store

 Top 5 Selfie Apps on Windows Phone

1. Lumia Selfie

Lumia Selfie
Anyone with a Lumia smartphone should be well aware of the Lumia Selfie app, which comes pre-loaded on Lumia Windows Phones. The app, previously known as Nokia Glam Me is one of the best apps for selfies.
The app lets you take selfies with ease and then edit it using the various features of the app. There are beautification features like eye enlargement and enhancing, whitening of teeth, softener, skin toner and more. The app also brings filters, sharing features and more. The app is available for free on the Windows Phone Store but it’s exclusive to Lumia devices.
Developer: Microsoft Mobile
Compatibility: Windows Phone 8 and 8.1
Availability: (Free) Windows Phone Store

2. Create A Perfect Selfie

Create A Perfect Selfie
The Create A Perfect Selfie app, as the name suggests is a great app if you want selfies taken from your Windows Phone to be perfect. You might not have heard of the app but you should definitely check it out. It’s one of the highest rated apps on the Windows Phone Store and even though it’s paid, it’s worth the small amount.
Create A Perfect Selfie brings a number of features like beautification of your photos, reshaping, defocus, red eye removal, filters, frames and more. The user experience is also up to the mark, so you’ll indeed get a great selfie experience.
Developer: Hde 7 Software
Compatibility: Windows Phone 8 and 8.1
Availability: (Paid) Windows Phone Store

3. PicMix

PicMix
PicMix is another great selfie and photo editing app that’s available on Microsoft’s platform. The app introduces itself as a mobile social photo sharing app. The app lets you take great selfies and brings some cool editing features.
The app lets you use fancy frames, add captions to your pictures, photo effects and more. PicMix also offers fun contests and social features, which make the experience of using the app fun.
Developer: Inovidea
Compatibility: Windows Phone 8 and 8.1
Availability: (Free with in-app purchases) Windows Phone Store

4. Headshot

Headshot
Headshot is a great selfie app, which makes sure you’re in the right place while taking a selfie with your rear camera. The app is the best solution if you want to take selfies with your high resolution rear snapper. The Lumias are famous for their cameras and the rear cameras are surely unmatched.
The app uses face detection to tell you which way to move yourself or the camera while taking a selfie with your rear camera. The app also has a multiple face mode, when there are more than one people in the viewfinder. The app also takes a picture automatically, when it finds you are in the right place.
Developer: Electric Squash Studios
Compatibility: Windows Phone 7.5, 8 and 8.1
Availability: (Free) Windows Phone Store

5. Intellicam

Intellicam
Intellicam, as the name suggests is quite an intelligent app, which makes use of speech and face recognition while taking selfies automatically. The app lets users take control of the camera through voice commands.
The app integrates with Windows Phone’s built in camera interface and lets you take multiple photos without touching your phone. The app should be great for people who want a hands free selfie taking experience.
Developer: Outcoder
Compatibility: Windows Phone 8 and 8.1
Availability: (Paid) Windows Phone Store
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