Microsoft’s long awaited next generation mobile OS, Windows Phone 8 has finally been signed off for RTM. RTM here stands for Release to Manufacturing. This means that the OS is now code-complete and just needs to undergo testing on carriers and phones before being launched on devices.
Tag: Microsoft
List of Windows Phone 8 Bluetooth profiles revealed
The Bluetooth SIG has finally posted the Bluetooth profile list supported by Windows Phone 8 and it looks like the number of profiles supported has improved quite a bit compared to Windows Phone 7. Addition of the OBEX (Object Exchange) profile means that the phone should theoretically be able to both send and receive objects though specifics around that remain to be revealed.
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Microsoft renames Windows Phone Marketplace to Windows Phone Store
As part of its rebranding and simplification efforts, Microsoft plans to rename Windows Phone Marketplace to Windows Phone Store on its smartphones. The new branding is expected to be rolled out with Windows Phone 7.8 on current devices and with Windows Phone 8 on next gen smartphones.
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Microsoft and Sharp enter licensing deal to use exFAT file system in Android devices
Microsoft has patent licensing agreements with most of the Android device manufacturers out there. The latest addition is Sharp which is licensing Microsoft’s exFAT file system for use in Android devices.
Nokia Drive 3.0 now available for Lumia devices everywhere
The latest version of Nokia’s turn by turn navigation solution is now available for Lumia device users everywhere. The upgrade brings several new features to the application including My Commute which learns your driving preferences and then helps you get to your destination quicker by using those along with traffic information to assist with routes.
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Import ban on Motorola’s Android products goes into effect
We’d reported some time back on the International Trade Commission’s ruling that several devices from Motorola’s portfolio won’t be allowed to be sold in the US. The patent in question here is Microsoft’s innovation on email based meeting scheduling. This ban goes into effect starting today in the US.
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Samsung to launch Windows RT based tablet by October reports Bloomberg
Bloomberg reports that Samsung will be launching a Windows RT based tablet come October. With Microsoft entering the tablet game themselves by launching the Surface line of tablets, it will be interesting to see how Samsung differentiates itself.
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Windows Phone app store crosses 100,000 apps
At the Windows Phone Summit, Microsoft informed devs that the app store has crossed 100,000 apps. With the upcoming shared core between Windows 8 and Windows Phone 8, we should expect a much more exciting app scene for Windows Phone. Developers are now free to use native code for development making it easier to port apps to Windows Phone.
“Lumia customers can expect thousands more apps to be introduced across Windows Phone platform. The announcements underline the progress Nokia is making with the Lumia family of smartphones and in building a winning ecosystem with Microsoft. It shows how the Windows Phone experience continues to evolve at a faster pace than the competition and how Nokia’s continued investments in great location-based services benefit partners, developers and consumers.”
httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2jsLcPFlM9M
Microsoft is making a lot of under-the-hood changes to allow developers access to more features. Case in point, speech recognition will be available for each and every app to use. Easier development means more and better apps which in the end is great for consumers.
Video : Microsoft demos new Windows Phone 8 start screen
To better demonstrate the new start screen on Windows Phone 8 devices, Microsoft has uploaded a short video demo. While i was personally quite skeptical at first, the new layout definitely seems to be better in terms of displaying notifications.
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Current Windows Phone devices to get WP 7.8 update with new start screen
Windows Phone users who are feeling shafted post the Windows Phone 8 announcement can sleep a bit easier tonight. While they still won’t be getting the complete update due to the sweeping changes in the backend, they will still get the new user interface which is one of the more obvious changes in the OS.
The new interface allows users to resize app tiles. Three specific sizes have been defined by Microsoft. Small, Medium and large which would correspond to 1×1 , 2×2 and 4×2 in terms of spaces on the icon grid. Unfortunately apps compiled just for Windows Phone 8 will not be backwards compatible which doesn’t bode too well for current users. In addition there are expected to be some other Windows Phone 8 features which should make their way back to the WP 7.8 update which the company will reveal closer to launch. Continue reading “Current Windows Phone devices to get WP 7.8 update with new start screen”
Microsoft Surface Tablet Video
Here is a video teaser of the just announced Microsoft Surface Tablet . Will the iPad finally see some competition from Windows Tablets and has Microsoft finally managed to get it right in the tablet arena ? Give the video a look after the jump. Continue reading “Microsoft Surface Tablet Video”
Microsoft announces 10.6″ Surface Tablet
At an event in Los Angeles, Microsoft has just announced its first tablet called the Surface. The screen is a 10.6″ unit and is covered by Gorilla Glass. Something unique is that the tablet comes with an inbuilt kickstand.
Rumor : Office for iPad and Android to debut in November
After the purported leak of an iPad version of Office in February , rumors have existed that the extremely popular software might be making an appearance on tablets soon. Speaking to a source , BGR reports that long awaited app might be making its debut on both the iPad and Android tablets sometime in November.
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Microsoft confirms WP7 app compatibility with Windows Phone 8
Via a blog post , Microsoft’s Larry Lieberman reassured developers around the world and confirmed that all current Windows Phone apps will continue working with future versions of the fledgling operating system. Backwards compatibility is a sign of “commitment to the developers” according to Lieberman.
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Windows Phone Tango to up multitasking limit to 8 apps
Microsoft has been trying to put across the point that the Tango update will be fairly minor and aims to bring down the requirement levels to be able to launch lower end hardware without compromising the experience. What it hasn’t told anyone is that due to the reduced hardware requirements , current hardware will be able to perform better. Keeping this in mind , Microsoft has increased the limit for apps allowed to multitask to 8.
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