The fact that Windows Phone is far, far behind the likes of iOS and Android in terms of numbers of apps is one thing, but the fact that many "core" apps are missing only serves to amplify the problem. Instagram is one app which, for some, has hindered potential migration from the aforementioned big two platforms, and love or loathe the filter-laden network, its popularity is undeniable. For Windows Phone to take a decent cut of the market share, apps such as Instagram will need to materialize sooner rather than later, and whether it be wishful thinking or a legitimate claim, a screenshot has emerged depicting the Facebook-owned app on the Windows Phone Store.
Microsoft's Windows Phone 8 has only been around for six months, but a job posting over at the Redmond company's listings page suggests its successor will be hitting devices later this year. With most competitive operating systems churning out annual revisions, it was always presumed Microsoft would indeed offer a significant update to its smartphone firmware, but now, the job posting all-but confirms those suspicions.
The Mobile World Congress 2013 is well and truly underway, with a number of companies using the event to launch some of their newest and most exciting products. As well as launching a bunch of new smartphones to accompany the Lumia 820 and Lumia 920 on Windows Phone 8, Nokia has also made some key software alterations and enhancements to its broad range of apps.
Anyone who’s ever purchased a stock device – computer, notebook or cell phone – from any OEM, is bound to have come across bloatware. Essentially, this is bundled software that the manufacturer chooses to incorporate within the device for certain purposes; sometimes, the software may be useful in some cases. Either way, bloatware isn’t something that’s usually welcomed by end users, because they’d, for the most part, make the device slower, underperform, and take up unnecessary resources on your device.
If you cast your minds back a couple of weeks, you may remember my tentative pledge to take on the challenge of using a Windows Phone 8 device for an entire two weeks, in place of my beloved iPhone. This, on its own, is not much to shout about, but considering I had never previously acquainted myself with Windows Phone in any way, shape or form, I suspected my fortnight with the Nokia Lumia 820 would be one of trials and tribulations.
There is no doubt that smartphones are becoming everyone’s favorite digital cameras, capable of taking pictures more easily and quickly while still maintaining an acceptable level of quality. According to a new report, Nokia is taking this to a whole new level by introducing a new Nokia Lumia smartphone, running Windows Phone 8, which sports a 41-megapixel camera on the back.
Because of the fact that we live in such a connected world with our digital devices, and we do a great deal of our work and communication courtesy of an internet connection, the ability to test that connection and check various characteristics of it has become so vitally important. It's also equally important to see if our Internet Service Providers (ISPs) are living up to their promises and giving us what we pay for. Windows Phone 8 users can now see how their internet and cellular connection is performing directly from their devices thanks to the official release of the Speedtest.net experience on the Windows Phone Store.
The gaming industry is one of the largest ones out there, and no, I am not talking about the casino one. The one I’m referring to are the computer games that you and I have grown up with and developed a liking for, so strong that it, at times, borders on obsession. Computer games have redefined what powerful hardware and graphics could be used for and can achieve, and rightly so, because the level of detail that today’s popular titles deliver is as close to motion picture as you might imagine. Couple that with immersive storylines and realistic gameplay, and you may find yourself hooked to the screen for hours upon hours.
In a market dominated by the likes of the iPhone and Samsung Galaxy devices, it's difficult enough for alternative OEMs - let alone those of different ecosystems - to get any kind of look in. But Nokia has defied odds by managing to sell an incredible 4.4 million Lumia devices in the last quarter. If you were surprised by the figures, the Finnish company is, itself, pleasantly taken aback, noting of how the vast quantities have "exceeded expectation".
Windows Phone 8 is definitely picking up pace as a worthy alternative mobile operating system for those who have grown tired of iOS and Android, or who want to stay away from the mainstream offering. The firmware's cause is definitely helped by the growing number of quality apps that are appearing on the Windows Phone Store, some from large development houses and some from third-party indie developers. The platform may not have an official Instagram presence yet, but the innovative Instagram Lockscreen app that is now available could at least give Windows Phone 8 users a taste of what they are missing out on.
