Windows Phone is Microsoft’s fledgling response to the overshadowing forces of iOS and Android in the smartphone industry, and having partnered up with Nokia to bring a very slick user experience on WP7.x, the two companies are a collaborative force once more, and at the forefront of the big Windows Phone 8 push.
Finnish telecommunications giant Nokia is reportedly prepping a bunch of new Lumia Windows Phone 8 devices this year, according to a report TheVerge, whom Nokia is also said to have revealed plans to opt for a delectable aluminum body for at least one of the higher-end models. Currently codenamed Catwalk, it will also take on a thinner and lighter form factor than the current flagship - the Lumia 920.
If you own a Samsung branded Windows Phone 7.5 device, then we have some great news for you - you're getting a software update! The upgrade path for Windows Phones has been something of a black hole of information for the platform's users. Those who picked up one of Samsung’s Windows Phone 7.5 devices not too long ago have found themselves fearing the worst after learning that their relatively new handsets would not be updated to the all-singing, all-dancing Windows Phone 8 platform. But what about Windows Phone 7.8, it's slightly smaller, less exciting brother?
The once-mighty BlackBerry brand of smartphone from Research In Motion may have lost its way somewhat over the past couple of years, but a couple of browser tests carried out by The Gadget Masters suggests there's still plenty of life left in the old dog yet. Testing the BlackBerry 10's browser against Internet Explorer and Safari on Windows Phone 8 and iOS respectively, the BlackBerry come out on top. More details, and a demonstration video, after the break.
Facebook - once condemned for its lackluster collection of mobile apps - has really been on its game this week. Following the updates to both the Android and iOS apps just a day or two ago, the social network has now released one for those running Windows Phone 8. Just like the refreshers released to the Big Two platforms, the new Facebook app for Windows Phone 8 brings significant speed improvements. More details after the break.
With Windows Phone 8 still being a very new platform in the vast mobile market, good apps for those running it are still at something of a premium. Even some of the common apps from the big companies seem to be missing, or lacking an update from Windows Phone 7, but today, WhatsApp has offered a reprieve to those app-starved early adopters by bringing its popular Messenger app to Windows Phone 8.
Finnish based Nokia once sat on top of the mobile world and released some of the most iconic cellphones we have seen in the late 1990',s and even early on at the turn of the century. With that said, they are now placing their revival firmly in the hands of the gorgeous Windows Phone 8 powered Lumia devices, and although the already released Lumia 920 and 820 have been accumulating positive reviews, it seems they are not prepared to rest on their laurels and have announced the Nokia Lumia 620 device that is intended to appeal to the lower-end of the smartphone market.
If you are one of those who fondly remembers the when Nokia sat at the top of the mobile phone food chain, then it is probably warming to see the Finnish company in the spotlight once again and getting a lot of well-deserve praise for the stunning Lumia 920 smartphone. Unfortunately for Nokia, they shot themselves in the foot a little with the launch of the rather terrible HERE Maps app for iOS devices, but it seems they are having another stab at the app market with the release of their PhotoBeamer app that is designed purely for their Lumia range of handsets.
Microsoft today announced some information surrounding a new release of its Windows Phone software that will go some way to answering some of the most oft-asked questions - when will Windows Phone 7.8 be released, and who will be able to take advantage of it?
With the likes of Apple and Samsung dominating the smartphone industry in the last few years, there has been a lot of attention lavished on Nokia over the last couple of weeks as we wait patiently to see if their flagship Lumia 920 device can make any kind of substantial impact in the mobile space. Early indications suggest that the Windows Phone 8 powered device has been received extremely well by consumers but could this be due to the physical design of the device or could the embedded software be a major part of the appeal? Nokia's lead designer Marko Ahtissari has taken a few minutes to share his thoughts on the product and what he calls a "really beautiful balance between the digital and the physical".
