Microsoft | Fone Arena

Windows Phone 8.1 Preview updated, bug fixes and battery life improvements inbound

Windows Phone 8.1 debuted as a developer preview just a month ago, and today, it has received its first update, in preparation for a wider consumer launch later in the coming weeks or months. The update, first publicized by Windows Phone champion Joe Belfiore, reportedly brings many bug fixes, some new features and the much needed battery life improvements some users had wanted. The update is immediately available for download from the “Phone update” section under the Windows Phone settings menu.

Continue reading “Windows Phone 8.1 Preview updated, bug fixes and battery life improvements inbound”

Microsoft Office for iPad exceeds 27 million downloads

Microsoft launched Office apps – Word, Excel and Powerpoint for iPad in March. The software and tech giant has announced that the apps have done extremely well and surpassed 27 million downloads in mere 46 days since its launch.

microsoft-office-ipad Continue reading “Microsoft Office for iPad exceeds 27 million downloads”

Microsoft planning to launch fitness focused smartwatch?

Microsoft is the latest company that is entering the wearable market which is flooded with devices from companies like Samsung, Pebble, and others. The software and tech giant has patented a smartwatch which highlights fitness tracing.

microsoft smartwatch patent
Continue reading “Microsoft planning to launch fitness focused smartwatch?”

Microsoft’s Surface mini reportedly uses a Qualcomm processor

Microsoft is all set to unveil the Surface mini, a 8 inch Windows tablet at an event in New York City on the 20th of May. It is just 13 more days until the announcement, and we don’t even know how it looks, but are finally starting to see some bits and pieces of information floating around the internet. Bloomberg’s Dina Bass reports that the Surface Mini will come with a Qualcomm processor, unlike its bigger brothers Surface RT and Surface 2, which run on rival Nvidia’s chips. Nokia was the only other OEM to come out with a ARM based Windows tablet in 2013, which coincidentally ran on the Qualcomm Snapdragon processor.

Continue reading “Microsoft’s Surface mini reportedly uses a Qualcomm processor”

Microsoft updates OneDrive for Android with file sharing and sorting, bigger thumbnails and more

Microsoft which recently renamed its cloud storage service as OneDrive has updated the Android app with several features. The latest 2.5 version of the app allows users to share files by inviting people, sending a link, or you can even send files to another app.

onedrive android Continue reading “Microsoft updates OneDrive for Android with file sharing and sorting, bigger thumbnails and more”

Windows Phone 8.1 File Manager app teased, may come this month

File management is one of the most underrated features of a mobile operating system. For any platform to be truly independent, a file manager that allows local storage and management of any kind of file, is a necessity and with Windows Phone 8.1, this is finally happening. After moving to WinRT APIs for its latest mobile release, Microsoft has finally added the ability to download or upload files on the phone’s browser or through various apps, using the file picker. The file picker naturally necessitates a file manager, which will be released as a standalone app by Microsoft, as revealed and teased on a Reddit AMA, by the company’s Windows Phone champion, Joe Belfiore. The app is almost ready and is reportedly set to release this month.

Continue reading “Windows Phone 8.1 File Manager app teased, may come this month”

Microsoft launches Remote Desktop Preview app for Windows Phone 8.1

Microsoft has released preview version of its Remote Desktop app for the recently announced Windows Phone 8.1. The company had launched the Remote desktop app on Android and iOS in October last year. It allows users to control your PC from a Windows Phone device while on the go, but it requires Windows Phone 8.1 that is currently available only for developers.

Microsoft Remote Desktop for Windows Phone 8.1
Continue reading “Microsoft launches Remote Desktop Preview app for Windows Phone 8.1”

Microsoft India and HP launch Omni 10 Windows 8.1 tablet with educational content for college students

Microsoft India has partnered with HP and Pearson to launch a new tablet for college going students. Aiming at students from engineering and management streams, the tablet is powered by Windows 8.1 and dubbed as HP Omni 10.

HP-Omni-10 Continue reading “Microsoft India and HP launch Omni 10 Windows 8.1 tablet with educational content for college students”

Nokia to complete it’s sale to Microsoft on 25th April

nokia-microsoft-acquisition

The long drawn affair of Nokia’s sale to Microsoft will finally come to a close on 25th April. Having received the go ahead from all regulatory bodies, the company today announced that the transaction will finally be completed on 25th April when Nokia Oy will be rebranded as Microsoft Mobile Oyj. The acquisition is meant to help Microsoft have a stronger foothold in the mobile space and to help push adoption of Windows Phone running devices. As is evident, it is also a push towards using Microsoft services which was also seen on the Android based Nokia X. Continue reading “Nokia to complete it’s sale to Microsoft on 25th April”

Nokia Oyj to be rebranded as Microsoft Mobile Oy

nokia-microsoft-acquisition

Following the completion of Microsoft’s acquisition of Nokia, the Finnish company will be renamed as Microsoft Mobile Oy. Multiple sources have confirmed that the name change may be in effect as soon as end of April if the transaction completes within the estimated time frame. Continue reading “Nokia Oyj to be rebranded as Microsoft Mobile Oy”

Microsoft to start letting developers reply to User Reviews

Google Play Store allows developers to respond to the reviews and feedbacks of the users on their applications in the Play Store and soon, Microsoft will be doing the same. Microsoft had recently announced that it will let developers respond to user reviews and feedbacks.

windows-store-update Continue reading “Microsoft to start letting developers reply to User Reviews”

Universal Windows apps start showing up on the Windows Phone 8.1 Store

Just after rolling out the Windows Phone 8.1 Developer Preview, universal Windows apps, the key factor Microsoft aims to attract developers with, are already starting to show up on the store. Microsoft announced this new addition, along with several other enhancements to the developer side of things on Windows Phone, in a blog post today. Developers can now link their Windows Phone apps and Windows apps, as Microsoft has unified the Store front on both the platforms, with the same pricing and even streamlined in-app purchases. Apple has been allowing universal apps between the two form factors iOS is based on, but Microsoft is taking it to another level with support for all of its consumer platforms that occupy a wide range of form factors, from phones to tablets to desktops and even its Xbox gaming console on a TV.

Continue reading “Universal Windows apps start showing up on the Windows Phone 8.1 Store”

Windows Phone 8.1 Developer Preview Update is now live

As promised, Microsoft has initiated the Developer Preview program today, for its latest and greatest mobile operating system, Windows Phone 8.1. Touting a new virtual assistant, tile backgrounds and a lot more, the update is now available for download as a part of the enthusiast program that officially started with the GDR3 update for Windows Phone 8. Microsoft had its grand reveal of the newest operating system at the Build developers conference, with them showing off all the new features in a lengthy keynote. The highlight was, of course, Cortana, the new virtual assistant that provides a combination of functionality from Apple’s Siri and Google’s own Voice and contextual assistant.

Continue reading “Windows Phone 8.1 Developer Preview Update is now live”

Nokia receives regulatory approval in China for transfer of Device & Services division to Microsoft

The acquisition of Nokia’s Device and Services division by Microsoft which was announced on 3rd September 2013 has been long due to the long winded regulatory approval process in major markets. Today, the company has announced that it has received said approval from the Ministry of Commerce of the People’s Republic of China. Continue reading “Nokia receives regulatory approval in China for transfer of Device & Services division to Microsoft”

Microsoft rivals Apple’s CarPlay with Windows in the Car and demos concept at BUILD Conference

Earlier this year, Apple introduced CarPlay as iOS for cars and now, Microsoft has demoed its concept for Windows in the car. At the BUILD conference which was held in San Francisco, Microsoft demoed the concept for its Windows in the car. Over years, Microsoft has been powering the entertainment systems in various cars from manufacturers like Ford, Kia, BMW, Fiat and Nissan. They have used their own UI so far and now, as a goal of unifying the Windows experience across platforms, Microsoft is bringing the “Metro” look to the car dashboard.

windows-in-the-car Continue reading “Microsoft rivals Apple’s CarPlay with Windows in the Car and demos concept at BUILD Conference”