Windows 8.1 'August Update' now available ahead of Windows Update launch

Microsoft has officially released the Windows 8.1 'August Update', which was formally known as Update 2 during development. The update was originally set to include a number of new things including a new Mini Start, but that feature was pulled at the last minute, leaving only small insignificant changes.

The update includes the following changes:

• Minimizing login prompts for SharePoint Online – reduces the number of prompts with federated use in accessing SharePoint Online sites. If you select the “Keep me signed in” check box when you log on for the first time, you will not see prompts for successive access to that SharePoint Online site.
• Precision touchpad improvements – three new end-user settings have been added: Leave touch pad on when a mouse is connected; allow right-clicks on the touchpad; double-tap and drag.
• Miracast Receive – exposes a set of Wi-Fi direct APIs for Independent Hardware Vendor (IHV) drivers or OEM drivers to develop Windows 32-bit applications that run on all supported x86-based or x64-based versions of Windows 8.1, enabling the computer as a Miracast receiver.

The update is 171MB for 64bit and 101MB for 32bit. It's currently unknown how big the update is for ARM processors, however we assume it'll be somewhat similar to the size of the 32bit variant.

Will you be downloading the update now, or will you opt to wait for Windows Update to automatically install it for you? Let us know below.

Via: WinBeta

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Nokia Lumia 730 to hit the market at the end of August for around $240

Vietnamese site Winphoneviet reports, via Zing.vn, that more information about the still unannounced Nokia Lumia 730 has leaked from a retailer in Vietnam.
Apparently the handset will be hitting the market there by the end of August and will cost around 5,000,000 VND (~240USD).
The new render above has accompanied the leak, and the device is expected to include:

•  A uni-body polycarbonate design, 
• 4.7 inch 720p screen, 
• Dual-SIM capability, 
• 6.7 megapixel rear,
• 5 megapixel front camera, 
• Carl Zeiss lens, 
• Snapdragon 400 processor, 
• Adreno 305 graphics, 
• 1 GB of RAM,
• 8GB of storage

The device lacks hardware navigation and camera keys.
At that price, will our readers be sending high resolution selfies soon? Let us know below.

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Full HTC One for Windows Phone specs leak, confirms 4 megapixel camera, more

WPC reports that the full specs of the HTC One for Windows Phone has leaked, confirming the handset has exactly the same specifications as the Android version of the handset.

This specs include:

• HTC One (M8) for Windows 
• Windows Phone 8.1 
• 2.3 GHz quad-core, Qualcomm Snapdragon 801 
• 32 GB internal storage; micro SD (up to 128 GB) 
• 2 GB of RAM 
• 5-inch Full HD, Super LCD3 display with Corning Gorilla Glass 3; 441 ppi 
• 2600 mAh battery 
• HTC UltraPixel camera; 5 MP front-facing camera 
• Nano SIM 
• HTC Boomsound (2 front-facing speakers with dedicated amplifiers) 
• U-Focus 
• HTC Dot View case 
• 36 x 70.6 x 9.35 mm 
• Weight 160g

The HTC One Ultrapixel camera confirms the device has the same 4 megapixel camera as the HTC One, which has great low light performance, but is otherwise uninspiring.
The camera will however also bring HTC’s nifty U-Focus feature, which allows one to refocus a picture after taking it.

The HTC DOT VIEW CASE will also bring much of the features of the Android version including:

This case lets you see who’s calling, then answer or decline the call without opening it. Just swipe to answer or simply put it to your ear. It also shows you the date, time, weather and reminders. You can also instantly access Cortana by simply swiping down.

The handset is expected to be announced on the 19th August, and could hit the market as soon as the 21st August, of course exclusive to Verizon.
Will any of our readers be lining up? Let us know below.

Via: WPCentral

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ProShot receives a new update with improved startup time and more

ProShot is not something new to our readers and to the Windows Phone community. We already have covered a lot about this awesome third party app in the past. Today the app got a new update and is now sitting on v5.2. The update is not a big one as the version numbers already suggests, but is definitely enough to catch attention.
The latest version has the following improvements:

• Improved startup time (but temporarily removed fast app resume due to API issues.)
• Fixed Lumia Cyan filter bug
• Now correctly plays or mutes shutter sound based on system settings
• Updated icon to support WP 8.1 transparency, removed Live Tile photo gallery (not possible to support both at the same time due to API issue)
• Added Brazilian Portuguese, Italian, and Vietnamese localization
• Many bug fixes and tweaks throughout

In addition, the ProShot app team is promsing further updates so that it supports Windows Phone 8.1, a way to delete images from Camera Roll and more.

You can download the new version of ProShot for $1.99 right now in the Windows Phone Store.

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WhatsApp Beta gets a new update

Today is certainly the day for Windows Phone users. First the Xbox Music got a nice update, next the Pre-Orders of Lumia 530 sold out in India and now WhatsApp Beta got a update with some new changes. The changes are not big but worth noting. The new update introduced the personal profile to the app showing common groups, profile pic, mobile numbers and more. Check the screenshot for more info.
We will update this article if we find any new changes.
What do you think about this update?

Note: Don't ask how to get Beta App as it is impossible now.

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Pre-orders of the Lumia 530 sold out in India

The Lumia 530 is all set to launch in India, as the device is listed for pre-order in the country. The pre-orders for the device on Snapdeal are already sold out, and it looks like consumers who haven't managed to get their order in have to wait until the third week of August, which is when the device is slated to launch in the country.
The Lumia 530 is also listed on Flipkart, although the page only mentions that the device is "Coming Soon." Interested users can be notified of when the device is in stock by registering their interest on the site.
As for the details of the Lumia 530, the device is the most affordable Windows Phone 8.1 device, and while Microsoft India hasn't officially announced the pricing yet, it is believed that the device would not exceed Rs. 8,000 ($130) in India. For that kind of money, you get a 4-inch FWVGA screen, 1.2 GHz quad-core Snapdragon 200 CPU, 512 MB RAM, 4 GB internal memory, microSD card slot up to 128 GB, dual-SIM connectivity, 3G, Wi-Fi 802.11 b/g/n, Bluetooth 4.0, 5 MP camera along with a 1,430mAh battery.

How many of you are eagerly awaiting the launch of the Lumia 530 in India?

Source: WPCentral

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Xbox Music receives a nice clean update

It is Saturday here and time for another update to Xbox Music app from Microsoft. We were expecting an update to Xbox Music last week, but it never came. Today Microsoft has released an update for Xbox Music that's all about significant performance improvements and recent playlists.
You'll find version 2.6.186.0 of Xbox Music in the Windows Phone Store.

New in this version:

• It's easier than ever to start playback of your favorite tunes via our new Recent Plays feature!
• You can let your kids play music worry free, now that we've added support for music in Kid's Corner (Requires Windows Phone 8.1 Update 1).
• It's noticeably faster to launch & navigate about the app, particularly the songs, artists, and albums pages.

Bugs Fixed:

• Album art & metadata reliability (more to come here!)
• Unexpected app exits & some black screens
• Playlists now shuffle from everywhere (not just first 100)

Xbox team also notes that Live Tile support is coming to the next version of Xbox Music.

Download Xbox Music for Windows Phone

What do you think of this update? Let us know below.

Source: UserVoice (Xbox Music)

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Cyan update for Lumia 1020 is rolling in various countries across the globe

After rolling out to users in the UK and Canada, Dubai and Finland yesterday, the Cyan update for the Lumia 1020 is now available in more territories. Users from Bahrain, Saudi Arabia, and other Middle Eastern countries are now able to install the update on their devices, and we've been hearing that the Cyan update is available in Australia, Denmark, India, Philippines and Switzerland.

As is always the case with staged rollouts, it may be a while before you see the OTA update. If you haven't yet received the Cyan update for the Lumia 1020 in these territories, head on over to your device settings to manually check to see if an update is available.

While most territories have received the Cyan update for the Lumia 1020, there is no word as to when users in the US would be getting access to the update. We'll bring you more information regarding the same as we receive it.

Lumia 1020 users, are you enjoying the Cyan update? What features are you liking the most?

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8018830f error = fixed , for some using 8.1 Update Preview for Developers (Updated)

Microsoft's Joe Belfiore just commented on Twitter "It was a "packaging problem" with the update. Try again and it should work." He then goes on to say "Still working on the "low storage" install prob 80188308. Note, this is not USER storage you can clear- it's install partition. Sit tight."

Microsoft may have finally addressed installation problems with the Windows Phone 8.1 Update 1 Preview for Developers. The issue initially started when Update 1 for Windows Phone 8.1 Preview began on Monday and a few users downloaded the update, but it would not install. The associated error code is 8018830f, and Microsoft's Joe Belfiore tweeted that they were investigating.

Ever since yesterday, we have received a few tips that those with the previous 8018830f error are now getting Update 1 to their phones. However, within the last hour we have received multiple tips from users who are now being alerted to the update being available, along with a successful installation. The fix may also address those with the even more rare 80188306 error.

Heading into our 8.1 Update 1 forums, there are others also confirming the fix is in place. However, not everyone with the reported error is getting the update, so it is not clear if there is a rolling fix in place or there are other factors in play. One common denominator for a successful update seems to be having Lumia Cyan installed, in addition to being mostly Lumia 925s.

We field it to you though. Let us know in comments if either the 8018830f or 80188306 errors have been resolved for you and your phone. Likewise, jump into our 8.1 Update 1 forums for more information or if you have any questions.

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Some more specs of Lumia 730 leaked:

File photo by: wpcentral.com

The Lumia 730, rumoured as "Superman," may be a forthcoming successor to the mid-range Lumia 720 from early 2013. Yesterday, the first photos of the device came forward, along with the new firmware, codenamed 'Debian Red.' At the time, the one piece of the puzzle missing came down to specifications. Luckily, we now have some more information to connect the dots.

According to our source of the original photos the Lumia 730 looks to be the ideal mid-range Windows Phone 8.1 device, as the specifications (if accurate) should please most at this price range.

We should caution that these specifications are unofficial and therefore could change.

 

Lumia 73x "Superman"

• 4.7-inch (likely FWVGA at 854 x 480, but possibly 720P)
• 1 GB of RAM
• Quad-core processor (unknown speed)
• 8GB internal storage
• Micro SD expansion up to 128 GB
• 6.1 MP rear camera
• 5MP front-facing camera
• Dual SIM

Although the processor speed is unknown, it is likely Snapdragon 400 with a 1.6 or 1.7 GHz CPU. It seems unlikely that Microsoft would opt for the higher-end Snapdragon 800 in this series due to pricing constraints. Notwithstanding, a user report claims it feels "really smooth" when compared to the Lumia 920.

The 1 GB of RAM, if proven accurate, could make this phone a sleeper hit if it is priced right. In the past, Nokia has preferred 512 MB of RAM for their lower tier phones. As the original Lumia 720 came with 512 MB of RAM, the chances the Lumia 730 would arrive with the same was a distinct possibility. With 1 GB of RAM and a beefier processor, the Lumia 730 could install any app or game on the Windows Phone store, something that 512 MB phones could not.

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