Friday 31 January 2014

Satya Nadella a Victim of His Own Success, May Not Be Named CEO

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Time for an update on the never-ending Microsoft CEO rumor-mill; as I am still traveling abroad this will (hopefully) be a short post.  Sources I have talked to tell me the board is split between Stephen Elop and Satya Nadella.  As far as I’m aware, the rumors of dark horse candidate Ericsson CEO Hans Vestberg were pretty much total bullshit by Bloomberg.  Kevin Johnson will be a back-up in case something goes wrong, more on this in another post.  I have also heard that Tony Bates is not being seriously considered due to his inexperience, but Microsoft did want to hear his vision (for the company) and ensure that he stayed at the company because of his favorability & connections in Silicon Valley….

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Nokia Storyteller will now work on your Lumia 520, but causes problems for others

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Nokia has updated their Storyteller beta app.. The app would  previously only work on 1 GB RAM  handsets, but after a recent update to 1.8.1.10  it will now reportedly also work on low RAM devices like the Nokia Lumia 520.
Since the update from 2 weeks ago the app also no longer needs  Lumia Black update .
Of note however is that users of higher-end handsets are now complaining of issues with downloading the app and having their location and time line messed up, so this may be one update they give a miss.


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Nokia Normandy pops up again in beautiful orange color

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Nokia's Android pops out again on the camera. he alleged specs for the device are a 4" WVGA screen, dual-core 1.2GHz processor with 512MB RAM, 5MP camera, 4GB of expandable storage and optional dual-SIM. It's essentially an Android rendition of the Lumia 520.
It won't be mainline Android though but rather a Nokia customization with Google's Play services swapped out for Nokia ones. Amazon did it and Nokia already has great maps to replace GMaps, but what of the rest?
Well, Nokia is holding an event on February 24, just before the MWC gets into full swing and we'll know more then.


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Nokia MixRadio updated with new features

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Nokia's music streaming service MixRadio just received a new update with a bunch of new features and improvement. Few months back Nokia changed it from Nokia Music to MixRadio. It seams like Nokia is keeping an eye on the official user voice of MixRadio and some highly anticipated features have been included. Check the changelog after the break.


Changelog:

  • Background imagery for all tracks meaning no blank pages
  • Offline downloading even when app closed
  • Offline curated mixes refresh much quicker
  • Bug fixing
You can download it from store Here.
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Windows Phone 8.1 new screenshot leaked

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So as we have only 2 months remaining for Build 2014, new leaks are spreading over the internet for Windows Phone 8.1. The earlier leaks regarding Voice Assistance videos were fake and just concepts. But today we got a new screenshot leak from a trusted source in China. WPbar posted a screenshot showing separate volume controls for Ringtones, Messages, Media and Apps. Check the screenshot after a break.


The first slider is for ‘Ringer + notifications’ while the second slider is for ‘Media + apps’. Heading to the bottom, the left icon is a toggle for Silent mode, and then on the right we can find gear icon that takes you to the sound settings page. According to WPCental the screenshot is very accurate and user will receive this feature.
Windows Phone 8.1 is rumored to land in Build 2014 on 2nd April.

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Nokia Lumia 720 gets Double Tap to Wake Up and Glance 2.0 after Black Update

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Two days ago Nokia Lumia 520 got Lumia Black update in India adding Double Tap feature. Now it looks like that Lumia 720 users are also getting this feature. Today Nokia rolled out Update 3 for Lumia 720 users in India and we are receiving tips that the new update includes Glance 2.0 and Double Tap to Wake Up. We don't have 720 as for now so we are unable to check the performance of the two features but in Lumia 520 we were losing battery on Double Tap to Wake Up turned on. The update brings a handful of new things specific to Lumia devices. It also sneaks in Windows Phone 8 Update 3 for the device.


Check for updates by going to Settings>Phone Updates>Check for Updates. Happy Updating. Enjoy. :)
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Thursday 30 January 2014

Dismantling the Nokia Lumia 520, LE55ONS-style

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Hats off to LE55ONS on YouTube for his increasingly useful set of dismantling (and, importantly, reassembly) videos of smartphones of all persuausions. For devices out of warranty, there's every chance you can have a go at repairing it yourself, it seems. In his latest video, LE55ONS tackles the Nokia Lumia 520, embedded below.

It's true that, with a removeable back and battery, there's perhaps less need to dismantle the Lumia 520 in the first place, but there may well be a particular component that has failed and the video below shows how to get to it - even down to replacing the screen or digitiser.
In the video, he covers:

01:42 Back Cover Off
02:30 Loudspeaker/Buzzer
02:54 Mainboard Removal
03:45 Mic & Usb Port
04:21 Display Removal
05:29 Headphone Socket/Jack
06:13 Earpiece Speaker
07:09 Proximity Sensor
07:46 Digitizer & Frame Separation
10:53 Genuine vs Aftermarket Digitizer
11:34 Double sided tape or Glue
18:17 +Tips


Another terrific demonstration from LE55ONS, giving us all confidence in doing something similar, even if we can't get near his speed and style!
I've dismantled numerous Symbian-based and Android devices after watching LE55ONS at work, but so far I haven't tackled a Windows Phone. What about you? Have you had need to get into this sort of thing?
I'm guessing that most viable devices are still in warranty, mind you, in which case best just Subscribe to his channel, ready for when you need the videos at some time in the future!
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Microsoft Research doesn't want you to plug your phone in for a week

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Microsoft Research is looking into white space frequencies, that we already know from an exploration venture kicked off by UK telecommunication regulator Ofcom. So what exactly are white spaces? Just in case you're confused thus far, they're essentially parts of the frequency band that aren't actively being used by digital TV or wireless systems. Making use of airwaves that are currently unused would open up new possibilities for a number of applications, which participating organisations are collaborating to work towards perfecting.

In the US, Microsoft Research has been working on white space exploration for some time now. The team has been able to install a chip on devices (including smartphones) to take full advantage of free parts of the spectrum available. Wireless data usage is increasing globally with more and more hardware connecting to the Internet. White space can even provide quicker access speeds for devices compared to standard wireless networks you use at home and work today (2GHz and 5GHz).

The Xbox team actually utilises a wireless protocol that helps deliver high throughput and low latency – essential for online gaming.
"This was a challenging twist aimed at scenarios where the gaming device shares spectrum with other home Wi-Fi devices. Each of these devices contends for wireless bandwidth, resulting in collisions and retransmissions. This may be undetectable for some applications, but in gaming, every touch or action must be transmitted within a finite amount of time. A delayed response time degrades the user experience."
To address this problem, a protocol was designed that prioritizes gaming traffic in a way that gives it a higher chance of getting delivered within a specified period of time without affecting the experience of other devices in the home.​ Ranveer Chandra from Microsoft Research took some time to talk about why they're looking into white space, how it can be useful for consumers and what the company has been able to achieve thus far.

It's interesting because the team at Microsoft Research has a number of challenges that have to be addressed. Since 2010, increasing battery life has been among these challenges (actually, you could say it's an ambitious mission), leading the team to investigate in new types of battery, how the operating system can improve efficiency, as well as installed apps and games. Then you have radio usage – think about syncing emails while the screen is turned off. As an example, the radio turns on, email is processed with the CPU and even after everything has completed, the radio remains turned 'on' for some time.

They're looking at numerous aspects of reducing energy usage in mobile hardware both internally and externally. I strongly urge you to head on over to the Microsoft Research website (link below) and read through the published article for more details – ​it's interesting stuff
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Good news for WPCentral fans

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Are you a frequent reader of WPCentral's articles? Now you don't need to open your browser window every time to surf the website. Today, they released the official app for Windows 8.1 PCs. We don't usually cover PC news but this was something which grabbed our attention. We were excited for the app from last few months. The UI interface is absolutely stunning and beautiful just like the app for Windows Phone 8 users. We tested the for several hours today and enjoyed it alot. Although we found a couple of bugs in the app but that is not something to worry about. We didn't experienced much problems. The app is so good that you can't resist yourself from using it.


Features in v1.0:

  • Live tile with all size options available
  • Rich front page reading experience
  • Portrait and landscape support for every page
  • Full article viewing with inline images and tap-able links
  • Swipe left and right to move seamlessly between articles
  • Swipe up from any article to read and reply to comments
  • Share articles with your favourite apps
  • Light and Dark themes available in the app’s settings
  • Watch YouTube videos (currently through the website)
  • Full screen image viewer with the option to save images to your library
  • Section pages allowing you to look back over the last 100 articles in each category
  • Search experience with quick list view then the ability to view each article in the full viewer
  • Offline caching of news: load the news once on WiFi then read through it later when you’re out of signal



The team also said that new features will be added to the app with the passing time. The big part of the app is that it is free of cost. Yes, you read that right. The app is free with lifetime trial and ad support. You can optionally purchase the app to remove the ads. We are getting interested in the app and will keep a eye on the latest improvements in the app. For now you can get this app free Here.
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Paid version of Instance v 2.0 is live in the Windows Phone Store

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Choice rocks. Which is why we’re stoked that there are three solid Instagram apps on Windows Phone. The official app is there, as is 6tag from Rudy Huyn, and Instance from Daniel Gary. Last month Instance hit version 2.0, but at the time only the free version received it. Today the paid version of Instance picked up its new wares.

What was the hold up? Both the paid and free versions were submitted at the same time last month. The free showed up first and we all assumed the paid version would be right behind. Turns out the paid version failed certification. That’s even though the two apps were identical. Riddle me that.

Version 2.0 of Instance is notable for bringing new features like geotagging, comment deletion, improved privacy features, profile editing, theme options, and support for even more social networks like Flickr, Tumblr, Foursquare and Pinterest.

Another hold up for the long delay could also be the next project that Daniel Gary is working on. He’s working on QuizIt, a QuizUp client for Windows Phone that I personally can’t freaking wait to play. Check out our tease of QuizIt from earlier this month.

Anyways, if you’re paying customer of Instance and want to grab the newest version head to the Windows Phone Store
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Check out these great shots of a Seattle Seahawks game from the Nokia Lumia 1020

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 We make a lot of fuss about how kick ass the cameras are on Windows Phone with devices like the Lumia 920, Lumia 1020 and Lumia 1520. That’s great and all, but it’s the person behind the camera that makes the real difference. So what happens when you take an accomplished and skilled mobile street photographer and give him a device like that? You get some pretty great results, especially when you put him on the sideline of a Seattle Seahawks game at CenturyLink Field in Seattle.



Remember We Are Juxt (www.wearejuxt.com)? It’s the community of mobile photographers that we talked about last July when a handful of members (Juxters) were given the Lumia 920. The majority of them shot on iPhones, but the experience helped opened a few of them up to Windows Phone.

One of their co-founders, Brad Puet, recently had the opportunity to photograph the Seattle Seahawks. Brad’s a cool guy that I got to meet this past summer up in Seattle. He’s got a killer passion for mobile photography and it shows in his work. Just check out his Instagram feed (@bradpuet) to see what he’s capable of with a smartphone.

He used the Nokia Lumia 1020 to capture photos of the fans, stadium, and football action. He’s got some great shots over on We Are Juxt. Be sure to head over there and read up on his tips for capturing sports with the Lumia 1020 and his experience on the sidelines. 
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Lumia Black brings one of the most awaited feature for Nokia Lumia 520

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So, are you Lumia 520 user? We have an interesting news for you. Yesterday, Nokia released the Update 3, aka Lumia Black for Lumia 520 in some of the countries. We got the update for our device and we are happy to inform all our readers that Nokia has listened to the uservoice and double tap to wake up is now available for Lumia 520 users. Earlier, the feature was only available to the high end models like Lumia 1020 and 1520. But the sad part is, Glance screen is still missing out due to Hardware Limitations. We are testing the update and soon a full review will be posted. If you have any specific query, then post it in the comments section and we will try to cover it. Till then, stay tuned.


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Tuesday 28 January 2014

Windows Phone 8.1 update launch dates leaked

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A big news coming straight from our most trusted leaker today. Finally, the launched dates for Windows Phone 8.1, aka Blue are leaked. The tweet from Nawzil shows that it will be released in three phases.
  • In March: Release for Manufacturers
  • In April: Release for Developers
  • In May: For users
Although, Microsoft is not saying much on Windows Phone 8.1 update but according to Nawzil we can expect the official announcement from Microsoft in Build 2014.
Stay tuned. There is more to come.


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Monday 27 January 2014

GTA:SanAndreas live on Windows Phone Store for download

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The most awaited game is finally available on Windows Phone. Rockstar Games finally launched the mobile version of its most popular game franchise Grand Theft Auto:SanAndreas on Windows Phone 8. On December 11, Rockstar announced that San Andreas would release the following week. But then the release date rolled around for iOS and Android with no Windows Phone version in sight. Rockstar went on to belatedly explain that our version would be coming soon. How soon? Here we are a month later, and San Andreas has arrived at last! But exactly which Windows Phone devices will it run on? And why doesn't it have Xbox features?


The first line on store writes "PLEASE NOTE: Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas is only supported on the following devices: Nokia Lumia: 1520, 1320, 822, 820, 810, HTC: 8XT.”
Although, the game runs well on all the 1 GB devices.
Also Note that when you first download the game, you’re just downloading a 20 MB installer. The installer than downloads the rest of the 2.5 GB game. As with other Windows Phone games, you'll probably need extra space to download the game. Screen time-outs will interrupt the download process, but thankfully the installer supports resuming. Still, it is recommend to turn off screen time-outs while downloading (if your phone supports it) to make things go smoother.

Story:
Five years ago, Carl Johnson escaped from the pressures of life in Los Santos, San Andreas, a city tearing itself apart with gang trouble, drugs and corruption. Where filmstars and millionaires do their best to avoid the dealers and gangbangers.

Now, it’s the early 90’s. Carl’s got to go home. His mother has been murdered, his family has fallen apart and his childhood friends are all heading towards disaster.

On his return to the neighborhood, a couple of corrupt cops frame him for homicide. CJ is forced on a journey that takes him across the entire state of San Andreas, to save his family and to take control of the streets.

Features: 
  • Remastered, high-resolution graphics built specifically for mobile including lighting enhancements, an enriched color palette and improved character models.
  • Dual analog stick controls for full camera and movement control.
  • Three different control schemes and customizable controls with contextual options to display buttons only when you need them.
  • Tailor your visual experience with adjustable graphic settings
You can download the game Here.
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SkyDrive to be renamed to OneDrive

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It seems the new name for SkyDrive will be OneDrive.  Microsoft has been forced to rename the cloud storage service after litigation by BSkyB, and after a number of pretty bad names were floated, appears to have settled on OneDrive, as evidenced by a blog with the same name showing up.

The site was noticed by Dr Windows.de who noted that the name has not been officially announced yet.

You can sign up to be notified when OneDrive is available.
Sign Up Here.


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Nokia Normandy shows up again, claims Google Play Store access

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This year has got a really funny and leaky start for Nokia fans. Two of Nokia's devices are creating big rumors this month. We saw too many leaks of the high-end Lumia Icon for Verizon. The last one was yesterday when a customer spotted it in one of the Fry's store in California. Now, today the rumored low-end Normandy spotted on the largest Vietnamese online retailer. There they confirmed the previously released specs, including a 4 inch FWVGA 480×854 pixel screen, 5 megapixel camera, a 1 Ghz dual-core processor and 512 MB RAM and 4GB Storage.


They also made the unexpected claim that the dual-SIM handset will be able to access Google Play, Google Now and YouTube, but it could be that they are simply cutting and pasting from the usual specs of any Android handset. They also claimed that it will run on the latest Android OS i.e, Android 4.4 KitKat.
Check the full specs after a break.

General Information
Operating SystemAndroid 4.4 (KitKat)
Languages
Vietnamese, English
Screen
Screen TypeTFT
Color screen
262,144
Standard screen
FWVGA
Resolution
480 x 854 Pixels
Widescreen
4.0 “
Touch Technology
Multi-point capacitive touch
Photograph & Videography
Camera follows5.0 MP
Camera ago
Not
Flashes
Not
Camera Features
Autofocus
Film
720p HD video recording @ 30fps
Videocall
Not
CPU & RAM
CPU Speed1 GHz
Number of
2 people
Chipset
Qualcomm Snapdragon 200
RAM
512 MB
Graphics chip (GPU)
Adreno 302
Memory & Storage
ContactsUnlimited
Memory (ROM)
4 GB
External Memory
MicroSD (T-Flash)
Maximum Card Support
32 GB
Design & Weight
DesignsSensor Bar +
Dimensions
Updating
Weight (g)
Updating
Battery Information
Type of batteryStandard battery, Li-Ion
Battery Capacity
Updating
Removable Battery
There
Connectivity & Interface
3GHSDPA, 7.2 Mbps, HSUPA, 5.76 Mbps
4G
Not
Type Sim
Micro SIM
Sim slot
2 SIM 2 waves
Wifi
Wi-Fi 802.11 b / g / n, Wi-Fi hotspot
GPS
A-GPS
Bluetooth
There
GPRS / EDGE
There
Headphone Jack
3.5 mm
NFC
Not
USB Connectivity
Micro USB
Connect the other
Not
Charging Ports
Micro USB
Entertainment & Applications
Watch3GP, MP4, WMV, H.263, H.264 (MPEG4-AVC)
Listen to music
MP3, WAV, WMA, eAAC +, AMR
Recording
There
Limit calls
Not
FM radio
There
Other Functions
Social networking 
Google Play, Google Search, Google Now, Maps, Gmail, YouTube, Calendar

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