"Xappr is a gun accessory for your iPhone that'll instantly appeal to everyone from fans of the original Duck Hunt on Ninteno to the latest Halo or Call of Duty FPS shooters."
Awesome concept for smartphone games that are first person shooters. You can preorder yours here, and they are expected to run about $30.00 USD when it is launched this summer. Yes, this is made to use with any smartphone, be it iPhone, Android or Windows Phones.
"If you're here, we assume that's because you love Windows Phone as much as we do - but maybe you're frustrated that word's not getting out to everyone about how great Windows Phones are? Just like with your suggestions on features to add to future versions of the product, we'd like your suggestions on how we can spread the word about Windows Phone itself via advertising campaigns, community or social media involvement and other types of promotions."
One of the big disadvantages of being a big company not named Apple is that its sometimes (ok, most of the time) pretty hard to have your ear to the ground and keep track of the pulse of consumer likes and dislikes. So what's a big company to do? A couple of years back I had the chance to read Gary Hamel's "The Future of Management" and one of the recommendations was for companies to co-create with their customers. I think we're seeing that principle in action here - Microsoft wants YOU, to help them market Windows Phone 7 to the masses. Here's your chance to write copy, and break into advertising!
"We reached out to Microsoft, and it confirmed that $25 will secure Nokia's latest Windows Phone handset for you, but there wasn't any new info on how much the phone will cost in full when launch day comes around."
Microsoft's Brick and Mortar Stores are now taking pre-orders for the Nokia Lumia 900. The 900 is one of two LTE capable WP7.5 phones being released by AT&T on March 18th. The other being the HTC Titan II.
If you want to pre-order the 900, grab $25.00 and head to your local Microsoft Store.
"Microsoft has some major changes in store for Windows Phone 8, we've learned, which is the version of the platform currently being referred to by codename "Apollo" (the one scheduled for deployment after the upcoming Tango update)."
Details of Windows Phone 8 "Apollo" are now available thanks to a video meant for Nokia hosted by Joe Belfiore seen by pocketnow.com.
Looking at the features coming in Windows Phone 8 Apollo, this upgrade will definite put the OS in the running for top three mobile OSes. Here are just a few of the changes as cited by pocketnow.com.
- Multicore processor support
- Four new screen resolutions
- MicroSD card storage
- NFC wallet and tap sharing
- Windows 8 integration
- Data management
- And many more...
So, the question now is do you pick up the Lumia 900, wait for the 910 or hold out for Apollo and the phones that will inevitably follow?
"While it's been confirmed by Nokia already, the team over at WeLoveWP.hk have run some tests on charging the Lumia Windows Phone with a number of options. Turns out...the Nokia Lumia adapters provided more charge for a faster rate of recharge."
I'm not sure a "faster" charger is that much of an advantage, as bearing in mind my rudimentary knowledge of battery technology, fast charging like this tends to stress the battery more while also generating more heat. You might be trading off faster charging against a shorter battery lifespan. Of course, if you're in the habit of buying an extra battery or two, or changing phones every couple of years, that might not matter much. The nice thing though is that since the Lumia models will charge off a standard USB port, the decision is yours.
Starting tomorrow, Microsoft will begin the '30 to Launch' campaign to encourace developers to submit apps to the Windows Phone Marketplace. The schedule has not been revealed, but the rules state that each sumbitted app will mean entry into the contest. The 500 winners and the grand prize winner will be selected by a panel of judges and receive prizes such as a Lumia 800. Four grand prize winnders will win an entertainment package consisting of a Samsung 46" television, an Xbox 360, and more. Apps are required to utilize features such as push notifications, background agents, or music and video hub integration. Hit the link for more information and get coding to win!
"So you're walking with your iPhone in one hand, and a Starbucks latte in the other, and granted it is possible to use the iPhone in one hand, it could prove to be "fatal" since one hand tends to offer less support compared to two, and we all know that heart wrenching feeling when your brand new gadget slips out of your hand and onto the hard pavement."
Basically very simple, as all this does is attach to the iPhone case or the iPhone itself and you slide your fingers in and can start using your iPhone one handed without fear of dropping it. I can also be attached to the back of your iPad, or any other tablet for that matter. As you can see from the photos, it doesn't have to be an Apple product to work. Three sizes (small, medium and large) depending on the finger size and you can get them for $29.95 USD each from the Flygrip store located here. That seems a bit spendy to me, and I think I would rather just spend that on a better case. What are your thoughts?
"Microsoft paid Nokia $250m in Q4 2011 for adopting Windows Phone, the Finnish company's financial results today have revealed, the first of a "platform support payments" scheme expected to eventually account for billions of dollars. The two companies have always declined to put an exact figure on the "significant investments" Nokia would receive, though this new stat lends weight to earlier talk of over a billion in Microsoft subsidies."
Talk about getting paid - what kind of reward do you think would a CEO get from his shareholders, if he got another company to pony up a billion greenbacks? Conversely, what should the shareholders of Microsoft think of a billion dollars in cash going to somebody else, who isn't even a big name in the US (and losing ground everywhere else)? Still it shows the kind of lengths Microsoft, or should I say Steve Ballmer, will go to to get WP7 into wider circulation. As much hammering as Nokia has taken in the last couple of years, they're still a big presence in most major and emerging markets. This is a gamble, but given the competition, it's probably no time for half measures.
"So here we stand with the best smartphone operating system, best hardware, best development tools and the best mobile web browser. I'm certain that Windows Phone with its army of app developers, OEMs and Mobile Operator partners will be marching to victory this year."
Yes it will, says Rob Tiffany in his blog. How is he so sure? Well, he thinks it's a convergence of a number of factors that play well into Microsoft's hands. For instance, he believes that exciting new hardware options will entice customers from a handset perspective, and developers will be able to develop compelling new apps using Microsoft's effective development environment. Good points, and indeed these will be important factors. I think marketing, product positioning with both vendors and the public, and continual evolution of the reference hardware specs will be important too. Read through his blog and the drop over to our forums to let us know if you think 2012 will be "the" year for Windows Phone.
"Pinspiration is the best way to browse and post to Pinterest on your Windows phone. Think of Pinterest as a virtual pinboard - a place to catalog and share the things you love."
Pinspiration is a social network app that allows users to browse and share favorite photos. If you find a photographer you like, you can elect to follow that user and subscribe to their new pins. If you pin the app to the home screen, the Live Tile will rotate through the most popular photos that are currently being shared.
Pinspiration is available in the Marketplace. There is a paid version with full access and an ad supported one. Give the free version a spin here.
"Beginning this Sunday, January 22, AT&T will begin offering new data plans to its US smartphone and tablet customers, its first change to the plans since June 2010."
If you are constantly finding yourself using just a tick over your data plan allowances and thereby incurring overages, AT&T's new data plans may be for you. Smartphone plans are now available in either 300MB ($20), 3GB ($30) and 5GB ($50). Subscribers of the 5GB plan will get tethering tossed in for free. Tablet plans have also been revised to 3GB ($30) and 5GB ($50). The low end 250MB tablet plan for $14.99 is the only plan that remains unchanged.
Of course if you are happy with your current plan, you may elect to stay with it but new subscribers will have to choose from one of the new plans.
The Nokia Lumia 710 was released last week on T-Mobile USA and the reviews have been largely positive. The device is the first Nokia Lumia device released in the US and will come with a large advertising campaign funded by both Microsoft and Nokia. The device has 3.7" screen 5MP camera, and of course Windows Phone 7.5. Tom's Hardware has done a thorough review that looks at the hardware, special features, camera and more. Hit the link for the full review.
"But according to my source, it is indeed temporary. And other carriers will be able to sell the device 45 days after AT&T's launch date of March 18."
Paul Thurrott via his winsupersite blog is citing a rival to AT&T source that has given him some new information on the availability of the Nokia Lumia 900. Supposedly, AT&T's exclusivity on the Lumia 900 will expire in 45 days at which time Nokia will make an improved Lumia 900 with a 12MP camera available to other carriers.
Remember, this rumor is unconfirmed and comes from an AT&T rival.
System Requirements: Comes with Windows Phone 7 Mango (7720) installed.
Specifications: 1.4Ghz single core CPU, 16Gb internal storage, 1Gb RAM; 4.3in WVGA (480 x 800) Super AMOLED screen; Quad band (850/900/1800/1900) GPRS, Tri band UTMS (900/1700/2100), HSPA+; GPS; 8mp colour camera w/autofocus + LED flash, 720p HD video recording; BT 2.1 EDR & A2DP; 802.11b/g/n; 3.5mm stereo audio jack; microUSB 2.0; G-Sensor; 124mm (4.96in) x 66mm (2.6in) x 8.4mm (0.33in); 110g (3.9oz). Full specs are available at the Samsung site.
Pros:
Large, bright screen with amazing contrast;
Light weight, but solidly built;
All round, an amazing phone!
Cons:
Positioning of the power button makes it easy to 'accidentally' hit and turn it on/off when not intended;
A keyboard slider version of this phone would be a big bonus;
Sorry, it only comes in black :-).
Summary: The original Samsung Focus, despite some niggling flaws, multiple versions, and difficulties with upgrades, has been the Windows Phone 7 'phone to beat' almost from the day it arrived. While the HTC Titan and HD7 have been making inroads, the Focus still holds a significant portion of the Windows Phone 7 user community. Now, Samsung has issued the successor in two slightly different models - the Focus S with better specs and screen, and the more budget-minded Focus Flash. While not quite the massiveness of the HTC Titan, Samsung has again shown that it can 'lead the pack' in design and features with the Focus S.
Introduction
I was introduced to the Samsung Focus S by a friend of mine who had secured on through a friend who got it from the Microsoft Store in Seattle. Normally, I wouldn't even have considered the Focues S since I'd convinced myself that I had to have a hardware keyboard to handle all the emails, etc during my day. But, after seeing and playing with the Focus S for about half an hour, I was hooked. The screen was much bigger than I had on the LG Quantum and it was just plain gorgeous. I immediately started trolling eBay for an unlocked version, since they aren't available from any of the cellular providers here in Canada.
I had to spend a little bit more than I usually do on new phones, but I eventually found an unlocked one from AT&T still in its original box.
What Comes in the Package
The contents of most phone packages are getting pretty standard these days, with just the basics needed. There was, however, a nice surprise here when it came to the earphones.
Figure 1: Here's what came in the box. As mentioned, this particular unit was pretty well direct from AT&T. I suspect the only reason the box was opened was to unlock the unit.
The box is the typical AT&T colour scheme but is good and sturdy. To the right of the box is the Focus S itself and just below that is the USB to microUSB charge/sync cable. It was a very nice surprise to find that the cable was almost 1m (39in) long -- almost twice the length normally provided. Below that is the wall charger with USB output, and to the left is the stereo earphones. This set is of significantly better quality than is normally seen included in most phone packages, both in terms of comfort and sound quality. Also included (in the little plastic bag below them) are alternate rubber tips to provide a more comfortable/snug fit in the ears. Nice touch, ATT & Samsung!
Figure 2: A closeup shot of the wall charger (North American), showing the standard USB port in the side of the unit. This is the first time I've seen a charger with this particular configuration. By having the cable come out sideways from the unit (instead of the back), it does cut down a bit on the extrusion from the wall, and protects against the cable being bent by furniture, etc.
Exterior Shots
Microsoft has been pretty prescriptive about the physical specifications for Windows Phones, so there's not a lot of variation when it comes to button and port locations.
Figure 3: Here's the front of the Focus S. Almost the entire front is taken up with the 4.3in (109 mm) screen. The 'buttons' on the bottom are 'soft' keys (specific dedicated areas of the touchscreen) rather than actual hardware buttons, as we've seen on earlier units.
Figure 4: The bottom of the Focus S basically sports the microUSB port for charging and sync. Just to the right is the small hole for the microphone.
Figure 5: The only button on the left side of the unit (as you look from the front) is the volume rocker near the top (just visible on the left side of this picture).
"#smokedbywindowsphone is a wrap at CES 2012, and it was a raging success! Thousands of people (yes, we had crowds watching the challenges happen) saw first hand why Windows Phone connects them to the stuff and people they care about faster and easier than other smartphones."
The final tally is in for the $100 Windows Phone challenge. Windows Phone won 30 times, lost 3 times and tied once. Not a bad record considering the competition. You can watch the day two wrap up video posted by Microsoft on their Windows Team Blog here.
"WPCentral was lucky enough today to sit down with Nokia's senior vice president, Windows Phone program management Kevin Shields and Joe Belfiore, Microsoft's Corporate Vice President, Windows Phone program management."
It's a fairly long interview, but what you get is some insight into Nokia's plans for entering the US market and the design process for the Lumia 900. Enjoy!
Ben the PC Guy is at CES challenging users of other OS's to speed contests. If Ben wins, the loser has to say "I got smoked by Windows Phone." If they win, they get to pocket $100.00. The first taker was using a Galaxy Nexus and the challenge was to find a 4-star Chinese restaurant with directions. This challenge highlights Local Scout and it's advantage over having to go through a search then pop over to maps for directions. You can watch the video here. The best part is when the Galaxy Nexus user asks, "What app are you using?"
"We had the opportunity to spend a few minutes with CEO Stephen Elop here are CES 2012 and talk about all things Nokia -- including the freshly minted Lumia 900."
Engadget's Myriam Joire sat down with Stephen Elop and discussed Nokia's U.S. strategy and the new Lumia 900. The interview can be seen here.
Laptopmag.com have a quick hands-on with the forthcoming US version of the Nokia Lumia 900, which will debut on AT&T's LTE network soon. The hardware's what you would expect from a Windows Phone 7 except for a nice, big 4.3" screen and 8MP camera with Carl Zeiss lens. Interested? I am.
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