Windows Phone News

Hey gang, here are a few recent nuggets about my personal favorite mobile OS:

Facebook got a Facelift!  Check out the update to the Facebook app.  Not that you need it much being that it's completely integrated into the phone, but if you are one that prefers to use apps, the new improvements to the UI should be a welcome change.  For the full details go here: *LINK*

Easy Gamerscore Booster! Downloaded the game Collapse! recently as the deal of the week and completed all 200GS within a couple of hours.  I came nowhere near to completing the game, so if you're looking for a quickie for the max GS, this is a good one which is also enjoyable. *LINK*
Awesome Deal of the Week!  This weeks DoW is amazing!  If you haven't tried Gravity Guy, give it a whirl.  For $1.99, you can't miss. *LINK*
Last but Not Least! Paul Thurrott wrote a really comprehensive article about Windows 8, he is pretty much the Windows Genius.  Check it out here, it's more on the PC side of things but there are many great articles on his site.  *LINK*
Also, feel free to use the GIF as you please as it's approved for use by Microsoft.  Originally shared here: *LINK*

Cool Tidbits From the Kinect Revolution

If you own a Kinect, then you know that it's far  more than just a kid's gaming gimmick.  While most games for it are child-centric, the device offers many functionalities that take it well beyond gaming hardware.  I feel cheated when I can't tell my living room TV to pause a video, or change the channel.  Once you get used to controlling an entire echo system with your voice, it feels as if you are living in the future and it's hard to go back to using your hands.  Here are some really cool Kinect stories I've seen floating around the web that show some of the future possibilities powered by Kinect:

The Holodeck is closer to being a reality than ever imagined.  Engandget has been reporting some really cool holagraphic technologies.  How about controlling your Android smartphone on a projection on the wall?  Or creating full 3D renderings with your Windows Phone?  Or even a complete virtual theme park in Korea?  All these things are real and could be closer to becoming available to the masses than you may think.

Check out programming4fun's cool video:

Or this video posted by DDRBoxman controlling an Android phone via Kinect and a projector:


How about integrating your Windows Phone with playing Kinect games on the 360:


Click the image below for the Engadget article about the Korean Kinect theme park:

Tech Predictions Sure to be Wrong for 2012

Happy 2012 everyone!  I hope 2011 was good to you and the new year brings many amazing things!  With all the news and innovations in 2011, it made me wonder what's to come...I submit to you my list of Seven tech predictions for the last year on earth according to the Mayans.  If we make it as a species, it will be fun to look back on this and see how wrong some of these might be.  Join the time capsule and post your predictions, tech or not, in the comments and let's see if we have Nostradamus in our midst.

1. RIM will stop production of Tablets and Smart phones and become a software only provider and begin to regain profits.
2. Windows Phone will gain HUGE market share with the introduction of Windows 8 tablets, which will raise demand by creating a better environment with PC, XBOX, tablet and phone.
3. Sony and Microsoft will announce a new console, probably at the E3 conference in June.
4. 3D TV's, as they are now, will become passe and will only be invigorated by an affordable glasses-free tech, that's available on a big screen.
5. Nintendo will release six new colors of 3DS systems by year's end to add to the four already available.
6. Shigeru Miyamoto will officially announce retirement, thus crushing many fanboys souls.
7. I will finally catch all 649 Pokemon, just in time for the announcement of a NEW game in the series.

Well, that's it for this installment, I hope to get some good replies!  This will be a fun one to look back on...

HTC Radar Release Date Announced

HTC Radar Windows Phone 7.5

Now that T-Mobile users have the Mango 7.5 update available on their HD7 devices, Windows Phone brings another choice to the plate.  This is the slightly smaller and sexy HTC Radar releasing on November 2nd in the US.  While waiting for developments on the Nokia/Windows front, this appears to be the only new choice to T-Mobile customers wanting to upgrade their Windows Phone experience.  While smaller in stature, this new HTC device provides some key upgrades not found in the HD7 model.  These new features include 4G (HSPA+21) Network speeds, HTC Watch compatibility, WiFi sharing, a front facing camera and of course comes packaged with the 7.5 Update.  While the entire phone itself is smaller than the HD7's screen and it doesn't sport one of the fancy new dual core processors, the sleek white design and these great new core features make it a desirable upgrade for any Windows Phone aficionado.  Stay tuned for a full hands on review shortly after the Radar's November 2nd release.

Getting to the Core of Windows Phone Mango

by Jose Martinez

With the Mango update now so close one can taste it, Windows Phone is looking better than ever.  At this last week's conference, Microsoft announced the completion of the Mango code and began releasing it for testing.  This solidifies the previously stated Fall release of this ambitious software update.  Not only is Microsoft releasing new hardware to support this shinny new OS upgrade, but they boast all Windows Phone 7 models that are out now will also be able to run it without a hitch.  If you are one of those who thought you would never like a Windows phone because they don't offer enough features, Microsoft is challenging you with a robust 500 new features to add to what it already offers.  Here are some of the new goodies that have been released so far, with many more to come for this unique OS:

> Easier communications, with features such as:

New Group Messaging Options

Threads. Switch between text, Facebook chat, and Windows Live Messenger within the same conversation.

Groups. Group contacts into personalized Live Tiles to see the latest status updates and quickly send a text, email or IM to the whole group, right from the Start screen.

Deeper social network integration. Twitter and Linked In feeds are now integrated into contact cards. There’s also built-in Facebook check-ins, and new face detection software that makes it easy to quickly tag photos and post to the web.

Linked Inbox. See multiple email accounts in one linked inbox. Conversations are organized to make it easy to stay on top of the latest mail.

Hands-free messaging. Built-in speech-to-text and text-to-speech support enables hands-free texting or chatting.

> A smarter approach to apps, with features such as:

App Connect. See apps in search results and hubs such as Music + Videos and Pictures. App Connect works with Marketplace, so results include both apps already on your phone and new apps to download.

Improved Live Tiles. Live Tiles are more dynamic and can hold more information—making it easier to get real-time info from apps without having to open them.

Multitasking. Apps can now run in the background while preserving battery life and performance. You can also quickly switch between open apps.

Bing Local Scout

> Going beyond the browser, with features such as:

Internet Explorer 9. The power of a PC-browser plus support for HTML5 and hardware-accelerated graphics.

Bing. Bing on Windows Phone offers more ways to search the web with voice and music search and Bing Vision, which uses your phone’s camera to look up product info.

Local Scout. Provides hyper-local search results and recommends nearby restaurants, shopping and activities in an easy to use guide powered by Bing.

Quick Cards. Handy summaries of relevant info from Bing (including related apps) for products, movies, events or place you search for.

> Improved Music + Videos experience

-Podcasts (browse and download)

-Smart DJ

-Better-organized Marketplace search results

-Music + Videos Hub improvements

                -Improved History and New

                -Better mini-playback control

                -New lock-screen options

                -New artist wallpapers

                -Better playback controls

                -Better artist images

                -More playback info

                -More playback options

                -New playlist option

                -Better data management

                -More video options

> Xbox LIVE enhancements

 -See your played games and unlocked/locked achievements

-Compare Achievements with other Xbox LIVE members

-Search your list of friends to see who is online and what they are doing

-See your Xbox LIVE messages and Send/Accept/Reject friend requests

> New SkyDrive features

 -Share photos stored on SkyDrive via email, text, or IM

-Share your videos on SkyDrive

-Browse your documents stored on SkyDrive

-Search your SkyDrive documents

> New languages, phones, and app stores

Apps will be available to more people around the world, and  Mango will support languages including Chinese (simplified and traditional), Czech, Danish, Dutch, Finnish, Greek, Hungarian, Japanese, Korean, Norwegian, Polish, Portuguese, Russian, and Swedish.

New Xbox Live Arcade Releases for July 20, 2011

Here are today's downloadable goodies for Xbox Live and Windows Phone 7!  Here to kick off Microsoft's annual Summer of Arcade Promotion is Bastion and it looks amazing!

Bastion

Rated E10+ | Demo-FREE | Full Game-1200MS

Bastion is an action role-playing experience that redefines storytelling in games, with a reactive narrator who marks your every move. Explore more than 40 lush hand-painted environments as you discover the secrets of the Calamity, a surreal catastrophe that shattered the world to pieces. Wield a huge arsenal of upgradeable weapons and battle savage beasts adapted to their new habitat. Finish the main story to unlock New Game Plus mode and continue your journey!

Click here for the official page on Xbox.com

Click here for the Summer of Arcade promotion details

Also available for Bastion is some pretty cool looking Avatar Gear to freshen up your XBLA Avatar:

Bastion T-Shirt-F

Bastion T-Shirt-M

The Kid's Getup-F

The Kid's Getup-M

Squirt

Scumbag

Cael Hammer

And on the Windows Phone 7:

Tenatcles

Trial-FREE | Full Game $4.99