Microsoft seems ready to give up on Windows phones, if not Windows 10 Mobile

The future of Windows phones...might not be phones?

Rumors and hopes for a category-defining Surface phone were not satisfied at Microsoft's press event last Wednesday. The company didn't even mention Windows 10 Mobile. With the collective market share of Windows phones stagnant at about 1 percent, customers and partners have to wonder why anyone should bother investing in Microsoft's mobile strategy.   

In an interview with ZDnet's Mary Jo Foley, Microsoft executive vice president of Windows and Devices Terry Myerson was asked just that. But instead of committing wholeheartedly to Windows phones—or declaring that product line dead—Myerson tried a different tack: obscurity.

"Technically, there are really two things that are unique about Windows Mobile," Myerson replied, when asked why Microsoft was, in Foley's words, "wasting time" upgrading Windows 10 Mobile. "One is cellular connectivity and the other one is the ARM processors that are there."

"So we're going to continue to invest in ARM and cellular," Myerson continued. "And while I'm not saying what type of device, I think we'll see devices there, Windows devices, that use ARM chips. I think we'll see devices that have cellular connectivity."

Blair Hanley Frank

Terry Myerson, the Executive Vice President of Microsoft's Windows and Devices Group, speaks at a company event in New York City on October 26, 2016.

Devices, not phones

The word Myerson did not use, of course, is "phones," leading some to speculate that any forthcoming Surface "phone" would instead be a tablet—perhaps an ARM-based tablet, perhaps one with cellular connectivity, but not a phone. 

To recap: Existing Windows phones run on ARM processors from Qualcomm and others, using Windows 10 Mobile. Windows tablets do not. At one point, of course, they did: The original Surface ran on Windows RT, a version of Windows designed for ARM chips. But consumers soundly rejected the Windows RT tablets, and Microsoft reportedly scrapped a smaller "Surface Mini" that may or may not have run Surface RT. 

Instead, Microsoft doubled down on the Surface Pro 3, which went on to become the Windows tablet that helped define Surface and Windows tablets in general. Microsoft encouraged development on what it saw to be a more successful implementation of Windows 10 running on top of ARM: Windows phones. 

Currently we have a pair of Windows 10 flagship phones, each manufactured by Microsoft PC partners: the Acer Liquid Jade Primo and the HP Elite x3. But Microsoft appears ready to flip-flop again. 

Windows Mobile: Part of the Windows 10 train

And why not, Myerson seems to be saying: "When you stop investing in these things, it's super hard, super, super hard to restart," Myerson said. "At Microsoft we have a few of those examples where we stopped. Sometimes, when you're investing into growth. it's easier, but when you're investing for technical strategy or things like that, sometimes people can question it—like you're doing right now."

Some observers are probably wondering why it's more difficult for Microsoft to halt development of Windows 10 Mobile than its own Lumia hardware, or why ARM and cellular connectivity are considered to be differentiating features for Microsoft alone—and not, you know,  every phone ever made. Why didn't Myerson highlight Continuum, Microsoft's phone-as-PC argument? Or virtualized Win32 apps, as HP's Passport uses? He's a straightforward man, though, so it's most likely he's simply answering the question in the way Microsoft is now framing the problem. 

Give Myerson a little credit, though. How often are smartphones used for talking? As screen sizes balloon, phones are evolving more into data-driven messaging and computing devices than simple squawk boxes.

No one believes that the cratering of Microsoft's phone business was all part of some master plan to usher in the next big thing. But the door's still open for something interesting to emerge from Microsoft's mobile business. If Myerson's to be believed,, however, it may not be a phone.

Source: Microsoft seems ready to give up on Windows phones, if not Windows 10 Mobile

Halo Spartan Assault Coming to Windows 8 PCs and Phone

Halo Spartan Assault from 343 Industries and Microsoft is a new chapter of the popular game franchise Halo. It is an action arcade single player shooter game that is exclusively released for Windows 8 PCs and Windows Phone 8. Here's a look at all the exciting new features in the game.

The Halo Spartan Assault story line is set somewhere between the events in "Halo 3? and "Halo 4." The game follows the story of the Spartan Ops program and the history of the Human-Covenant wars. Fans of the game can play the role of Commander Sarah Palmer or Spartan Davis across 25 missions. There is a fusion of touch and console-type keyboard and mouse controls making it easier to pick up the game and play on both PCs as well as Windows phones.

Players cannot play against friends one-on-one but can compare scores by competing against the leaderboard scores. There are also weekly challenges to indulge in and pick up over 40 in game medals and achievements.

The game also integrates with Halo 4. That means players can earn a bunch of experience points (XP), achievements and emblems. The developers will launch more cool features after the game launch. For players who wish to avoid the drudgery of playing hard to pick up upgrades or power ups, there are options to splash real world currency via IAPs.

Halo Spartan Assault Release Date and Pricing

A definite launch date for the game hasn't been announced yet. However, Halo Spartan Assault is expected to become available sometime in July 2013. It should retail at $6.99.

Microsoft is hoping that the popularity of the game will induce more consumers to buy a Windows device. Whatever be the reason behind the move, it looks to be one that is sure to make Halo and Windows 8 fans mighty happy.

Halo Spartan Assault Trailer

Learn more about the game by visiting the official website.

Link to the official website
Source: Halo Spartan Assault Coming to Windows 8 PCs and Phone

All About Smartphone Dual LED Flashes

All About Smartphone Dual LED Flashes

Greetings dear MIUI fans,

Welcome to yet another MIUI Device Classroom lesson. It's been a while since our previous classroom thread by me, which told you about Smartphone Dual Cameras. And now we're back with a new piece of information about another smartphone's "dual" thing for you. Let's start learning about Dual LED Flashes in your devices.

Introduction: Why do we use LEDs?

Let's first speak of what is achieved by using flash in your smartphone and what do we try to achieve with it? We live in a world of electronics. We have electronic devices for nearly anything. I am not speaking of the devices themselves, but of the sensors inside them. We have electronic radio modules, temperature and pressure sensors, light sensors, fingerprint sensors, image sensors... Wait, image sensors! We have already learnt about them in my previous lesson about dual cameras. The camera sensors are roughly also light sensors, which not only get information about light, but also transform that information into images. We call those images photographs or video-recordings. And as an image sensor needs to catch light for creating an image for photo or video, image quality totally depends on lighting.

By the time first phones started to use cameras people already knew about this fact, because first image sensors were used for producing digital cameras. Phone developers met a problem they had to solve while creating these phones. Cameras could use large flashes, but to make a phone compa ct and durable engineers had to create a small yet powerful light source to use in it. And they did that. Their choice was an energy effective light source for flash called LED (Light Emitting Diode), although the very first camera phones were using the xenon flash.

The first phone to use LED flash was Nokia N90. After its appearance back in 2005 phone manufacturers started using LED flashes for nearly every new phone model. Single LED flash, however, was giving bad image quality under low light conditions and allowed using camera under such conditions only on objects in a rather small distance. And that is the first cause of double-led flash setups to be invented - double-leds are needed to increase the light intensity to give more light to the objects. However, there is also another cause for using two leds for flashes. And it's the colour of the resulting image. But let's follow the order and learn them one after another.

In physics there is a law called "inverse square law", which can be applied to light. This law states that a specified light quantity or intensity is inversely proportional to the square of the distance from the light source to the object lit by it. You can see that in diagram:

The simplest formula for this law could look this way:

According to this law doubling the distance to an object makes it be lit with just a quarter intensity than it was before. Adding the second led to our flash we increase the distance to the lit object by 1.4 times. And it also increases the light intensity for the objects, which are placed closer.

Nokia N series and Xiaomi Mi 3 with dual led flash. Notice that leds are both white. This gives only light intensity growth, but can't do anything with color.

But the new question arises - why can't we add more leds to our flashes for further increasing the distance and light intensity? To answer it we should look at the inverse square law formula again. Not to overload your mind I can tell you that adding the third led will only lead to increasing distance to an object by 1.7 times compared to the single-led setup and 1.2 times compared to the dual led setup. However, the power consumption grows thrice compared to the single-led. So, we get more power consumption and bigger maximum distance. But we should care of both the factors. While phones are getting thinner each year their batteries go the same way. Still, the smartphones we use and their operating systems become more power-hungry, so the power-efficiency factor becomes one of the most important ones. That's why we can rarely see a phone with more than two leds for flash. However, it's not that you can't find those at all. There are, for example, phones like Lenovo Vibe Shot Z90 or Lumia 950 from Microsoft, which have triple-led flashes.

Vibeshot Z90 and Lumia 950 are using triple leds.

Sony Ericsson went the other way to improve lighting for camera phones. In 2009 they presented Sony Ericsson Satio - a camera phone with a xenon flash, which was giving good quality photos even under low light. Have a look at that flash in the image below.

Case 2: Color temperature

Yes, exactly, temperature. To understand what is color temperature we must speak of how it is measured.

Color temperature is the temperature of an ideal black-body radiator that radiates color of a comparable hue to that of the light source

Wikipedia

This definition found its use in photography, videography, electronics and display production. It is measured in Kelvin. Take a look at the diagram below to see the color temperature gradation. You can see that sunlight/daylight flash is somewhere around 5500K (slightly "blued" white).

The technology used for LED production allows us to create LEDs emitting light of different temperatures. However, while using single-led flashes phone manufacturers usually try to stick to the daylight flash temperature as it's the most common. And when you capture a photo under natural conditions (for example, making a photo of your girlfriend/boyfriend while you are hiking) objects in it look rather natural. But when you move your scene indoors, which happens more often, or make a photo outdoors under the street lights the colour temperature of the environment changes. This leads you to get photos of "blue-skinned people".

Or let's get back to your girlfriend/boyfriend and imagine that you are both romantic persons. You take your beloved one to a restaurant. You come there and see that it is candle-lit. Now look at the diagram above - it says that color temperature inside that rest aurant is somewhere around 1800K (close to orange colour) . You decide to make a photo again and get... Well, this is weird, but the environment will still have 1800K colour temperature, while the person you take photo of will be lit with the flash of 5500K. It will look so unnatural.

To improve the flash color temperature to conform with the environment the photos are made in phone producers made an interesting decision. They added one more led to the flash. But they chose a warmer color for it. Most of the phones with dual led flashes use white led coupled with an amber-coloured one. While taking a shot smartphone's software measures the colour temperature of the environment. Then it counts how much power to bring to the "warm" led to make a more naturally coloured photo. After that phone launches shooting and lights up the leds. The one of a white colour goes full-power and the warmer one gets just the part of power, which is needed to make a light for natural colours. By the way, this is what causes your smartphone to sometimes leave warm led turned off while taking photo with the flash enabled. Its lighting intensity simply depends on the environment color temperature.

iPhone 6 Plus True Tone Flash

As the warm led usually doesn't get fully powered dual tone flashes don't give the same lighting intensity I mentioned in the first case.

Here, just like in previous case, we also have some exceptions. For example, dual tone flashes can use not 2 LEDs, but also more. For example, the iPhone 7 / 7 plus uses the quad led dual tone flash (in Apple dual tone flash setup is called True tone).

iPhone 7 quad led True Tone Flash

This is my favorite section!

Xiaomi has made smartphones with flashes using both of the technologies. First smartphone from Xiaomi with dual led flash was Xiaomi Mi 3 with two white leds back in 2013. However, after that Xiaomi made a rather long pause in dual led flashes usage for their devices. But in January 2015 at a launch event in Beijing, China, Xiaomi revealed Mi Note. That model gave a start to Xiaomi's good tradition of using dual tone dual led flashes in Mi smartphones series. Redmi Note series got first dual tone flash setup with the introduction of Redmi Note 3 half year later - on November 24, 2015.Now every new mid- and high-range Xiaomi smartphone comes with this type of flash, improving color temperature regulation each time with MIUI updates.

Mi Note, Redmi Note 3, Redmi Pro and Mi5S accordingly

And one more thing .

Now selfies are so popular everywhere, that mentioning selfie flashes it totally a must. And as we are MIUI fans the best thing for selfie flash, which comes to my mind is Xiaomi's Mi IdeeBank Selfie LED Lamp. It combines nine warm-coloured LEDs in a comfortable form-factor and can be attached through 3.5mm jack socket to your favorite smartphone. This allows you to make selfies of a superb quality and with natural colours. You can read about it in the thread by @mitch002: [MIUI DEVICE TEAM] MI IDEEBANK SELFIE LED LAMP. Here is how it looks like and what it gives to your images.

Mi IdeeBank Selfie LED Lamp

Comparison of the photos taken without and with IdeeBank

PREVIOUS LESSONS

Credits:Thanks to @marcus_keong, @BharatG, @Candicesu and all my team for their help, motivation and suggestions.

Sources:GiffGaff Comunity, DigitalTrends, Wikipedia, Quora, Gadget House, PetaPixel, KnowYourMobile and many others

I hope I managed to tell you something new.

Source: All About Smartphone Dual LED Flashes

Tech Q&A: Finding a safe phone charger, choosing the best batteries

Work-at-home jobs aren't always what they seem

Q: The holidays are coming up, and I'm looking for some extra money. But so many of these online jobs look like scams. I'd love to do something remote, but how do I know what's real?

A: One of the most exciting parts of living in the 21st century is how many jobs can be done on the road, or in your living room, or on your own schedule. But you're right, many of those jobs are fake and will take advantage of you. If you find a help-wanted ad and it doesn't name the company, skip it. Lack of a legitimate website or logo is also suspicious. Whenever you find a new company, vet it by searching for the company's name plus "review" or "scam." The strongest companies already have a well-known reputation, and they usually require you to appear in person: Uber, Lyft and Amazon come to mind. Whatever you do, don't sign contracts or send personal information until you know exactly whom you're dealing with. Speaking of the holidays, the world's largest online retailer is hiring. Click here to learn how to work from home for Amazon.

Which AA batteries are the best?

Q: I noticed that Amazon.com is now selling batteries. How do they compare to the competition?

A: Consumer Reports recently tested 15 lithium and alkaline AA batteries from several brands. AmazonBasics Performance AA Alkaline batteries received an overall score of 71. That's not very good when compared with the top battery on their list, Duracell Quantum AA Alkaline batteries, which received an overall score of 89. To learn more about different battery types and see how other brands scored, click here to access the list.

Silence the ads on Windows 10

Q: I finally upgraded to Windows 10 on my PC, but ads keep popping up, even though my screen is locked. Is there any way that I can ditch them?

A: First off, I'm glad you upgraded to Windows 10, if only for security reasons. The upgrade also gives you an excuse to take a hard look at your settings. Ads can be frustrating, especially when your computer is essentially off. To kill these unwanted ads, go to Settings, then to Personalization. Hit "Lock Screen" and then "Background." Now you should see "Windows Spotlight." Change the settings to "Picture" or "Slideshow." That will do the trick! Click here to set more essential private settings for Windows 10.

Beware high-voltage phone chargers

Q: I recently lost my iPhone 6 charger, and my coworker has been letting me borrow hers. Then I realized that the charger's voltage might be a lot higher. Should I be worried about that?

A: You should just replace the cable, and right away. Cheap Lightning cables can be found at almost any electronics store, and most chain pharmacies and gas stations. (Although beware of counterfeit Apple cables; the safest way to get the genuine thing is to buy directly through Apple.) More importantly, stop using the higher-voltage cable. It might work in a pinch, but over-charging is one reason lithium-ion batteries end up exploding. It's not common, but it does happen, and using a high-voltage cord puts your battery at risk. You might also short out your phone; when this happens to a lithium battery, there aren't as many fireworks as a full-on explosion, but you'll still have to get the phone replaced. Click here to find out how to prevent your phone from exploding.

Tossing an old computer can attract identity thieves

Q: I was clinging to my old ThinkPad, but it finally bit the dust. I saw that Staples could scrap your laptop for you for free. Is that a good idea?

A: If your computer doesn't have any monetary value, sure, bid it goodbye. Office supply stores often run programs that help destroy or recycle your old computer. But before you give your laptop to anyone, even a trusty Staples employee, make sure to erase the hard drive. I don't mean just deleting files; I mean destroy every piece of data on it. Scavenging old computers is one way that hackers can steal your information, because former owners don't realize their data is still lingering there. You need to make sure every last line of code is erased. Click here to learn about a surefire way to nuke your hard drive.

From buying advice to digital life issues, be sure to listen or download the podcasts.  Click here to find your local radio station. If you are looking for topics about everything digital that you can listen to on your phone, tablet or computer, click here for my free podcasts.

Copyright 2016, WestStar Multimedia Entertainment. All rights reserved.

On the Kim Komando Show, the nation's largest weekend radio talk show, Kim takes calls and dispenses advice on today's digital lifestyle, from smartphones and tablets to online privacy and data hacks. For her daily tips, free newsletters and more, visit her website at Komando.com.

Source: Tech Q&A: Finding a safe phone charger, choosing the best batteries

Microsoft Surface Phone release date, specs news and updates: Surface Phone with Intel Atom processor coming in 2016

#Microsoft #SurfacePhone – Microsoft Surface Phone release date, specs news and updates: Surface Phone with Intel Atom processor coming in 2016 : Microsoft is expected to launch three new smartphones from the Surface Phone line-up in 2017. Earlier there were rumors of Microsoft announcing Surface Phone release date during its October event this year, which apparently did not turn out to be true.

New reports suggests that the only solid piece of evidence of Microsoft Surface Phone might come in January. The reason why tech experts are so sure of the existence of this phone is that Microsoft reportedly obtained the surfacephone.com domain name.

Many analysts believe that Panos Panay and his Surface team are working on a smartphone to replace the Lumia line, and that it'll come in an all-metal body – just like the Surface hybrid laptop family.

Coming to Microsoft Surface Phone specs and features, the upcoming smartphone is speculated to come with better hardware and top of the line features to create a standard for Surface-line phones.

Kevin Gallo, Corporate Vice President, Microsoft has recently said that the company is planning to move ahead and develop headsets with the enterprise sector in mind. This raises hopes that the Redmond-based firm is planning to enter the smartphone market in a big way, which it failed to do with its Lumia smartphones.

Reports claim that the Surface phone will include features like fingerprint reader, compass, barometer, proximity sensors and a 20-megapixel Carl Zeiss rear camera.

Also Microsoft's Surface-line of smartphones may feature an Intel Atom X3 processor, a 5.5 inch Active-Matrix Organic Light-emitting Diode display, a USB Port and a liquid cooling technology. The body design will reportedly be beautifully encased in an aluminium and magnesium structure.

The new Surface smartphone coming in three variants will have variable features like 3GB RAM in the lowest priced model while the top model is likely to have 8 GB RAM, which combined with the rumored 512 GB of the on-board storage.

Microsoft has already been talking about "Bridge solution" to run both Android and iOS Apps with their existing app onto the Windows 10 with minimum coding. Source: delhidailynews

Source: Microsoft Surface Phone release date, specs news and updates: Surface Phone with Intel Atom processor coming in 2016

T-Mobile Leaks Windows 10 Phone with VR Headset Included, Alcatel Idol 4S

Mobile carrier T-Mobile reportedly leaked a photo of a new Windows 10 phone with VR capability earlier this week during Microsoft's Windows 10 event in New York. The phone is an Alcatel Idol 4S, and ships with a VR headset similar to what Microsoft was referring to at the event itself.

The event saw Microsoft talk about a new line of VR headsets from its device manufacturing partners specifically for smartphones running on Windows 10 Mobile. The retail price was announced at $299, making it much more affordable than the $3,000 that HoloLens Development Edition currently retails for. Of course, these cheaper ones aren't Microsoft-branded, but they're designed to integrate well with holographic and mixed reality apps on Windows Store.

The Alcatel from T-Mobile is reportedly the first Windows-powered phone that comes with VR goggles, according to the page that was up on T-Mobile's website about three days ago. While the phone is geared for entertainment, it obviously comes pre-loaded with all the typical Windows 10 goodies. Except, this time they're on a phone version, which will be interesting to see.

T-Mobile also opened up a limited offer where the first few buyers will get a free 60-day trial subscription to Groove Music, a 45-day trial of Hulu and also a free copy of the game Halo Spartan.

Microsoft has been pushing its augmented reality capabilities in a big way to enterprise customers with the Development Edition and Commercial Suite version of HoloLens, the second of which retails for $5,000. On the consumer side of things it's obviously decided to partner with smartphone manufacturers and get third-party VR headset makers to join the game so they can get it down to a more consumer-centric pricing.

The price point of VR headsets is a big worry for most consumers because, frankly, a few thousand dollars for a VR or holographic experience isn't what you would normally consider a pocket-friendly product.

As a result, Microsoft is taking the partnership route so consumers can enjoy the immersive experience of Windows Holographic and Windows Mixed Reality. Of course, the content is important here so, apart from the Alcatel version from T-Mobile, most of the upcoming Windows 10 Mobile smartphones will ideally come pre-loaded with VR videos and gaming content.

Other known Microsoft partners in this endeavor are Acer and Asus, who have partnered with vendors for their VR headsets. But essentially, these are all being seen as Microsoft's line of VR products, which makes sense since they'll be compatible with relevant apps on Windows Store.

Thanks for reading our work! Please bookmark 1redDrop.com to keep tabs on the hottest, most happening tech and business news from around the world. On Apple News, please favorite the 1redDrop channel to get us in your news feed.

Source: T-Mobile Leaks Windows 10 Phone with VR Headset Included, Alcatel Idol 4S

Nokia Lumia 1020 system freeze (Our phones have now been fixed :). Thanks Microsoft/Nokia)

Video Rating: / 5

UPDATE (13/03/2014) Thank you to Possuka at MS support in Finland, and to the Nokia UK care team. The phone was replaced just 3 days after posting this video. The new phone has worked perfectly, and has not frozen once. Our other 2 64GB 1020's have also not frozen since the Denim firmware (with a record uptime of 12 days on one of the phones!).

UPDATE (20/02/2015):

Thank you to Possuka from the support team in Finland who has replied to the Microsoft forum. It looks like the latest Denim firmware's do include the software fix – and that the phone in the video *may* have a hardware fault instead. Denim has certainly improved the situation with our other two 1020's – though it's too early to say if it has fixed them completely. Regardless, it is greatly appreciate to have someone from Microsoft liaising with us. We're all reasonable people – and just want to be listened to and kept informed.

We have 3x Lumia 1020's in our family. All of them are suffering to varying degrees with daily freezes along with inoperable wifi and bluetooth modules. This is a known issue – which Microsoft hasn't fixed in FIVE MONTHS!

November, 2014;

http://answers.microsoft.com/en-us/winphone/forum/wp8-wpupdate/lumia-phone-freezes-randomly-after-update-81/7d37ff28-1573-4be7-962e-25eb78d9bb56

http://www.windowscentral.com/struggling-lumia-925-lumia-1020-freezes-microsoft-will-soon-release-fix

February, 2015:

http://www.theregister.co.uk/2015/02/12/windows_phone_update_breaks_lumia_phones_where_is_the_fix_ask_users/

Microsoft are fully aware of this problem, and confirmed a fix was inbound in November. Our phones have now received the Denim update, yet the problems still persist. Most frustratingly, Microsoft simply will not advise us on if/when the software fix is going to be delivered.

A heads up for you Microsoft – your terrible approach to customer service is likely to see you lose 3 owners of your flagship devices.

Get a grip – give us a fix.

Source: Nokia Lumia 1020 system freeze (Our phones have now been fixed :). Thanks Microsoft/Nokia)

Deutsche Bahn release DB Navigator for Windows Phone

The German Railway company has released a journey planning app for Windows Phone.

The app lets users plan safe and convenient door to door journeys and purchase tickets for the same. The DB Navigator provides information on all the connections both local and long distance including all transport formats including S-Bahn, tram, bus etc. Tickets can be saved offline and are always available, no matter the quality of your connection.

Thanks to the On-time information, both before and during the trip, users are always up to date on connections, arrival and departure times.

The app is currently in open beta and the developers would welcome  feedback.

Find the app in the Windows Store here.

Source: Deutsche Bahn release DB Navigator for Windows Phone

Phone BATTLE! LG G3 vs Nokia Lumia Icon/930! Fight! Smartphone Comparison Showdown!

Video Rating: / 5

Our comparisons continue! LG's G3 is proving to be one of the more popular phones we've reviewed on SomeGadgetGuy, and we're fielding a ton of questions about it. As we know we've got a lot of Nokia fans following this channel, many have been asking for a comparison between the G3 and the Lumia Icon/930, so let's take a look cross-platform at how LG's flagship compares to a premier Windows Phone! Shop the LG G3 on Amazon: http://goo.gl/st4t5N Shop for the Lumia Icon on Amazon: http://goo.gl/vGlNQl

Save 10% on a Loot Crate by using promo code "SGLOOT" at checkout! http://LootCrate.com/GadgetGuy

Shop for electronics using the following link on Amazon to support our site and reviews at no additional cost to you: http://goo.gl/aK495

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Source: Phone BATTLE! LG G3 vs Nokia Lumia Icon/930! Fight! Smartphone Comparison Showdown!

Circuitous v1.4 now on iOS, Apple TV, Android, Windows 10 Phone & PC

Farmers Branch, Texas – Magnin & Associates is proud to announce today an update for Circuitous, their classic iOS game. This version also marks the first time it's been available on Apple TV, Android, Windows Phone & PC. The game was produced by Ed Magnin, programmed by Willie Johnson, Jr, graphics by Joe Eisma. and Rich Douglas created the music and audio effects. Ted Colby worked on the original version.

Slide and rotate tiles to complete a circuit between two terminals. 40 levels of challenging puzzles. Higher levels include multiple terminals and puzzles where you must complete two possibly overlapping circuits. Keeps best time for game and each level. Can repeat levels to improve level and total time.

To play, simply tap the tiles to rotate or touch and drag to slide into place.

Note: There are currently no direct links to the Apple TV App Store. The Apple TV App Store is currently only viewable from an Apple TV. To quickly locate the game, just open the App Store on your Apple TV and search for either "Magnin" or "Circuitous".

Device Requirements (iOS):* Compatible with iPhone, iPad, and iPod touch* Requires iOS 6.0 or later* Universal App (supports iPhone, iPod touch, and iPad, including standard, Retina, and iPhone 5 displays)* 37.2 MB* Rated 4

Device Requirements (Apple TV):* Fourth-generation Apple TV* Requires tvOS 9.0 or later* 49.6 MB* Rated 4+

Pricing and Availability:Circuitous 1.0 is $1.99 USD (or equivalent amount in other currencies) and available worldwide through the App Store in the Games category. An Android version is available worldwide from both Google Play and Amazon AppStore. A Windows 10 Phone & PC version is available from the Windows Store. The Apple TV version is a Free download to previous purchasers of the iOS version.

Magnin & AssociatesCircuitous 1.4YouTube VideoImage (Title Screen)App Icon

Ed Magnin has been actively involved in the game industry since 1979. Earlier in his career he worked for some of the top game developers of their day – MicroProse, Cinemaware, Virgin Games, and Park Place Productions. In 1993, he founded Magnin & Associates and has focused on handheld games ever since. For the last 6 years they have created over 20 for games the iOS (with over a million App Store downloads), many of which are also available for Android, and Windows 10 Phone & PC. All Material and Software (C) Copyright 2016 Magnin & Associates. All Rights Reserved. Apple, the Apple logo, iPhone, iPod and iPad are registered trademarks of Apple Inc. in the U.S. and/or other countries. Other trademarks and registered trademarks may be the property of their respective owners.

Click here for reuse options!

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Source: Circuitous v1.4 now on iOS, Apple TV, Android, Windows 10 Phone & PC

Microsoft has run out of Lumia 950 stock in the UK

#Lumia950 #Mobiles – Microsoft has run out of Lumia 950 stock in the UK : Just over a year ago, Microsoft unveiled the Lumia 950 and 950 XL, its new Windows 10 Mobile flagship phones. In the UK, the company cut the prices of both handsets before they'd even gone on sale, and their prices have been steadily falling since then.

Indeed, last month, Microsoft permanently reduced their UK prices for the third time this year, cutting 22% off the smaller Lumia 950, bringing its cost down to £249, including a free Display Dock worth £79.99. After almost a year on sale, it looks like that had the desired effect of clearing out Microsoft's remaining stocks of the device.

The Lumia 950 is still listed on the Microsoft Store in the UK, but both the black and white models are now out of stock. A button on the page encouraging buyers to 'try this one' – which would ordinarily take them to another store page with an alternative product suggestion – is a dead link.

Amazon.co.uk is also out of Lumia 950 stock, although the device is still available to purchase from third-party Marketplace sellers on its site. Some other retailers still have stock available too, such as Carphone Warehouse – although at £309.99.

It's a good deal more expensive there than the most recent Microsoft Store price. If you shop around, you may well find it for less; Mobile Phones Direct, for example, is offering the 950 for £278.99.

The larger Lumia 950 XL is still in stock from the Microsoft Store, priced at £339 with a free Display Dock, although with stocks of its smaller sibling now depleted, it may not be long before those of the XL run out too.

Meanwhile, the Liquid Jade Primo, Acer's Windows 10 Mobile flagship, is still listed on the Microsoft Store UK site at £199 – and is even being promoted in two places on its Windows phone overview page – despite being out of stock for more than a week.

With Microsoft's Windows phones now reaching the end of their retail life, it may be a long time before the company launches any new mobile devices. Microsoft isn't expected to release its much-rumored 'Surface phone' until the second half of 2017, or perhaps as late as 2018. Source: neowin

Source: Microsoft has run out of Lumia 950 stock in the UK

What to expect from Microsoft’s Windows 10 event on October 26th

It's time for another big Microsoft event. The software giant is holding a software and possibly hardware event on October 26th in New York, where the company is expected to talk about the future of Windows 10 and a lot more. Unlike Apple or Google events, there haven't been many leaks about what exactly Microsoft will reveal at its upcoming event. But there has been a few rumors about Microsoft's upcoming announcements, so here's a list of what to expect from Microsoft's Windows 10 event later this month:

Microsoft's main focus at the event will be on Windows 10, and that's not anything surprising. The company is calling the event a Windows 10 event, so expect most things to be related to Windows 10's future. But what exactly is Windows 10's feature? It's "Redstone 2".

At the event, we expect Microsoft to give us a sneak peak at some of the biggest features coming to Windows with Windows 10 Redstone 2. Microsoft has already released a couple of Windows 10 Redstone 2 builds to those on the Windows Insider program — however, most of these builds do not include a lot of big new features. While we aren't sure what exactly Microsoft will be revealing from Windows 10 Redstone 2, expect Microsoft to talk a lot about productivity-oriented features, gaming on Windows 10, and of course, the Universal Windows Platform.

According to recent leaks, Microsoft plans on adding a feature which lets users sync files, screenshots, or just regular text across all of their devices. For instance, if you share a Word document from your Windows 10 computer, you will be able to access it from your Android smartphone. The feature is reportedly called Bundle, and it's essentially Microsoft's OneClip service which never saw the light of the day last year. Another feature Microsoft might talk about at the event is the return of OneDrive Placeholders. At Ignite 2016, the company gave a sneak peak at how OneDrive Placeholders worked, and we'll likely see more details on the feature's return at this event.

In addition to these, Microsoft should talk a lot about Xbox and gaming on Windows 10. While we aren't sure what exactly the company will reveal at the event, but we suspect Microsoft will talk about some upcoming improvements coming to the Windows Store and Universal Windows Platform for games. As for the Xbox, Microsoft will likely give us a sneak peak at some of the upcoming features to make Windows 10 work even better on the Xbox.

It is worth noting that Microsoft could be working on a brand-new File Explorer for Windows 10, but we doubt Microsoft will talk about that in the event as the new File Explorer is very limited at the moment. If the company doesn't talk about the new File Explorer at the event, we'll likely see it at Build 2017 which should be even more exciting.

As you can see, we don't really know much about what Windows 10 Redstone 2 features Microsoft will reveal at the event. Whatever it is, it should be quite exciting to see Microsoft's plans for the future of Windows 10 at the event. In case you are wondering, Microsoft will possibly release the Windows 10 Redstone 2 update for free sometime in March 2017.

Microsoft will introduce the new Surface All-In-One at the event, and that's not a surprise at all. Rumors about the Surface AIO started all the way back in June, and we have had quite a few leaks about the device very recently. According to reports, the Surface AIO will come in at three different sizes. The first variant will pack a 21-inch Full HD display, but the other two will come with 4K displays: one of which will be 24-inch, and the other will be 27-inch. There aren't many details about the other specs of the Surface AIO, but we suspect Microsoft will pack the latest Intel Kaby Lake processors in the Surface AIO, and Windows Hello should also be present on the device.

Along with the Surface AIO, Microsoft will introduce new Surface-branded accessories for the Surface AIO. The company is expected to introduce two different keyboards and mouse. The first one will be the ergonomic keyboard and mouse. And the other one is the minimalistic keyboard and mouse which will be very similar to the Microsoft Designer Desktop Keyboard & Mouse. Images of the minimalistic keyboard and mouse leaked recently, and they look just fine:

The actual design of the Surface AIO is still unknown, but it should look similar to most other All-In-One devices. Of course, Microsoft may have one or two surprises for us on the Surface AIO, so that will be quite exciting to see.

It's been more than a year since Microsoft introduced the Surface Pro 4 and Surface Book. And before we go any further, you should know that Microsoft isn't going  to reveal the Surface Pro 5 or Surface Book 2 at this event. However, the company might announce some refreshed hardware for the existing Surface Pro 4 and Surface Book for those who can't wait for the Pro 5 and Book 2. Firstly, Microsoft will potentially upgrade the Surface Pro 4 and Surface Book with Intel's latest Kaby Lake processors. The new Kaby Lake processors aren't very different from Intel's Skylake processors, but they are expected to improve performance in 3D graphics and add native USB 3.1 support. Additionally, these processors will also improve 4K video playback performance. Along with upgrading the processors, Microsoft may also upgrade the GPUs inside the Book (and maybe the Pro 4) which will also be quite interesting to see.

But what about the Surface Book 2 and Surface Pro 5? Well, these two devices won't be introduced at this event. Microsoft will likely introduce them in 2017 when the company officially releases Windows 10 Redstone 2, and we'll have more info about these devices then. At the moment, all we know about the devices is that they will also Intel's latest Kaby Lake processors. More importantly though, the Surface Book 2 reportedly doesn't include the controversial hinge gap — so you might want to wait for the Surface Book 2.

Another interesting thing Microsoft may introduce is "HomeHub". Now, we don't know anything about what the HomeHub actually is, it could be a Windows 10 Redstone 2 feature or a new device from Microsoft. So the next few paragraphs about the HomeHub are pure speculation:

HomeHub is mostly likely a Windows 10 Redstone 2 feature. HomeHub was first mentioned in a Windows 10 Insider Preview Build, and it could be a feature which lets users share devices within the same network. Another guess is that HomeHub could be Microsoft's take on devices like the Amazon Echo or Google Home. In this case, HomeHub could be a device which you can put in your kitchen or anywhere in your house, and be able to ask Cortana questions, set reminders, etc. This would actually make quite a lot of sense as Microsoft's Cortana is the only personal assistant that is available on most of the popular operating systems. For example, if you set a reminder with Cortana on the HomeHub, you will be able to access it from your Windows 10 PC, Android phone, iPhone or Windows Phone — however, devices like the Amazon Echo can't do this.

Once again, there aren't any details about what the HomeHub actually is. We'll have to wait until the event to see what Microsoft's HomeHub is, so keep an eye out for that, too.

There is some other minor stuff which Microsoft might reveal at the event. Firstly, we may finally see the official launch of Alcatel's Idol 4S with Windows 10 device — we exclusively reported about the device back in February 2016, and some more information about the device emerged recently. As we reported, the Alcatel Idol 4S will include a 5.5-inch Full HD AMOLED display, 64GB of internal storage, 4GB of RAM, Qualcomm Snapdragon 820 (or 821), Quick Charge 2.0, and it will be exclusive to T-Mobile in the United States. The device will also come with a virtual reality headset which allow users to experience virtual reality on their Idol 4S.

Skype Teams is another major product from Microsoft which we exclusively reported about recently. Skype Teams is essentially Microsoft's take on Slack, but it will be highly integrated with other Microsoft services such as OneDrive, Office 365, and Skype. Skype Teams will boast most of the features you'll find on Slack, but it will be a much better alternative for businesses who work with Office 365. Microsoft may talk about Skype Teams at the October 26th event, but there is a good chance it may not show up at the event — instead, the software giant may launch it on its upcoming Office event which is happening on the 2nd of November.

As usual, there will be some announcements related to HoloLens. We don't know what Microsoft may talk about at the event, but our guess is that there will be some stuff related to the Windows Holographic Shell — which allows users to use Windows Holographic (aka the HoloLens OS) on their virtual reality headset via their Windows 10 PC. Windows Holographic Shell is expected to arrive next year, presumably with Windows 10 Redstone 2 — so there is a very good chance of Microsoft providing more details about the feature at the event.

And lastly, the firm is also going to show off some Windows 10 devices from its partners such as HP, Dell, Samsung, ASUS, etc.

…and that's about it. October 26th will certainly one of the most interesting days of the year if you are a Microsoft fan. We'll be covering the event live from New York City, so make sure to keep an eye on the site!

Source: What to expect from Microsoft's Windows 10 event on October 26th

MICROSOFT SURFACE PHONE RELEASE DATE UPDATE: FINGERS CROSSED FOR THE 26TH OCTOBER EVENT

#SurfacePhone #WindowsPhone – Microsoft Surface Phone Release Date Update: Fingers Crossed for the 26th October Event : Microsoft took over Nokia's smartphone business after foreseeing success and profits, but the company wasn't really able to sell its Windows Phone devices well.

The Microsoft-branded Lumia phones failed to make a mark in the smartphone market that is dominated by Android and supplemented by iOS.

But the Redmond company did succeed in the tablet market with the Surface Pro series, and now Microsoft wants to extend its Surface portfolio as its primary product portfolio. After the utter failure of the Lumia 950 and 950 XL, the tech giant is ready to give another go to Windows smartphones with the much-awaited Surface Phone.

As reported by iTechPost, Microsoft has neither clearly confirmed or denied the existence of the Microsoft Surface Phone. But the existence of the device has been more-or-less confirmed by various hints, speculations, and rumors.

As per the latest rumors, the Surface Phone will be sold in three different variants with different RAM and storage capacities. The first variant will get 3GB (or 4GB) RAM and 32GB internal storage, clearly targeting the casual users.

The second version will boast of 6GB RAM and 128GB storage, so it will be preferred by smartphone enthusiasts. The top-end variant will be targeted towards professionals and businesses as it will feature a whopping 8GB of RAM and 512GB internal storage.

Source: MICROSOFT SURFACE PHONE RELEASE DATE UPDATE: FINGERS CROSSED FOR THE 26TH OCTOBER EVENT

The future of Windows: We vet the rumors of what Microsoft may announce this week

A Surface all-in-one? OK, Microsoft, wow us.

Microsoft's press event on October 26 should reveal that all is not quiet on the Microsoft front. For months we've watched rumors fly about new or updated hardware, Windows upgrades, and more—some likely, others not. Here's what we're hearing, and how likely each rumor could come true. 

Rumor: a Surface all-in-one desktop

What we've heard: Microsoft set out to define new product categories with its Surface line, and the Surface tablets clearly succeeded—at least on the third iteration. Now Microsoft appears to be preparing to break trail again with a Surface all-in-one desktop, which may be called the Surface Studio. 

FCC

Microsoft filed this image with the FCC. Is this the hint of a new Surface AIO?

What seems likely: Right now, the most solid hint of Microsoft's Surface AIO is an FCC filing for both a keyboard and mouse, shown in Surface gray. The thinking goes that the two devices have to connect to something, most likely a desktop. Dedicated trademark blog site The Trademark Ninja also reported that a possibly Microsoft-affiliated company has trademarked the term "Surface Studio," which could be the AIO's name. Late on Monday, Windows Central postulated that a related "Surface Dial" could in fact be a Surface peripheral similar to a Wacom remote, designed to store an artist's most frequently used shortcuts.

From there, it's speculation: A Microsoft patent implies that the AIO could have a modular base with stackable components, much like the Acer Revo Build. Maybe a 27-inch 4K display? We can probably assume, however, that the AIO will contain a front-facing camera with Windows Hello capability. 

FreshPatents

Another look at Microsoft's AIO patent shows a swiveling hinge that could pivot the display from a desktop to a more traditional monitor view.

By the way, sources say Microsoft isn't planning to announce an Intel Kaby Lake version of the Book or the Surface Pro 4 at this event, though an update to both products is expected eventually. (Entries on shopping sites that refer to the existing SP4 as a "2015 version" —fodder that a new version is due—are being sold by third parties, with no evidence of inside information.) Rumor has it that eventually the Surface Pro line will be incremented ahead, and known as the Surface Pro 5. If Microsoft simply refreshes the Book with a new processor, however, it may simply be called the "new" Surface Book.

What we want: If we were to design a Surface AIO, a 4K display would certainly be a must, as would a front-facing Hello-enabled camera. One screen seems a little simplistic, though, even with a 4K monitor and snapped windows. Would it be possible to "project" an AIO screen onto other nearby Surfaces? Dock a Windows phone? Demonstrate an improved Continuum experience? In Microsoft's ecosystem, raw performance isn't as important as flexibility and productivity. And that leads us to...

Rumor: A Windows 10 roadmap 

What we've heard: Microsoft's event invites reporters to "see what's next for Windows 10." The company will likely be talking about Redstone 2, the next major Windows 10 update (and one of two due in 2017). 

What seems likely: I don't think it's realistic to expect a lengthy, Build-style rundown of everything Microsoft has in store. But I'd expect chief executive Satya Nadella to outline the future of the Windows ecosystem—and in particular, what its mobile strategy is. By all indications, the company is moving on from consumer phones and returning to its traditional strength—writing operating systems for third-party hardware manufacturers. 

It's reasonable to expect executives to outline a few key, noteworthy features they're developing, along with public airings of features that Microsoft has shown off relatively quietly at developer conferences, such as this roadmap of Microsoft's Continuum solution for Windows 10 Mobile: windowed apps, taskbar submenus, and the like. 

https://youtu.be/lmdfkQMJVjk?t=23m44s

What we want:  The problem, of course, is that, right now, there is no public future for Windows 10 Mobile. Acer's Liquid Jade Primo and HP's Elite x3 represent the latest and (almost literally) only Windows phones being sold on the market today.

Mark Hachman

The future of Windows 10 Mobile most likely involves virtualized Win32 apps. 

I still think, however, that Microsoft's strongest argument for Windows 10 Mobile is HP's Workspace: virtualized Win32 legacy apps, and a solution no other OS comes close to offering. I'd like to see Microsoft executives praise Workspace, then state that Microsoft can and will implement a similar virtualization solution, powered by Azure, for a price that even mainstream consumers can afford.

The next question, of course, is what to run it on. 

Rumor: A coming-out party for Microsoft's HoloLens

What we've heard: ZDNet's Mary Jo Foley thinks the time is ripe for Microsoft to start making its case for HoloLens, especially because Redstone 2 adds the Windows Holographic shell.

Microsoft's HoloLens. When will its time come?

What seems likely: What recent Microsoft press conference hasn't included a HoloLens demo of some sort? Microsoft may indeed talk it up, but there's going to have to be some real meat on this bone. Mary Jo thinks the selling point of HoloLens will be 3D storytelling tools, like a new 3D version of Paint that leaked recently. I'm a bit more skeptical.

What we want: Microsoft's taken a go-slow approach to HoloLens, which is perfecty fine. But I agree with Mary Jo: If HoloLens is a key component of the Windows ecosystem, it's time to reveal just how big a role it will play.

Rumor: The Surface Phone, dead or alive

What we've heard: Nothing. Reporters, fans, analysts and partners are waiting for Microsoft to answer the question: Is there a Surface phone? Is this what the Dial is?

What seems likely: Microsoft certainly won't launch the phone at the event, and even a glimpse of it would certainly be newsworthy. What Microsoft needs to do, though, is put minds at ease: Is there still an opportunity for a "category-defining" Surface phone?

I would say no: my bet is that Microsoft's Surface phone died when Intel essentially killed off the Atom. But the Trademark Ninja also dug up a "Surface Dial" trademark, which sounds very much like a phone.

What seems certain, though, is that Windows 10 Mobile will live on. Microsoft will wholeheartedly back hardware partners with UWP apps, as well as legacy, virtualized Win32 apps. I believe that Microsoft sees this combination as wholly unique, and that we'll eventually see Microsoft's own version of the HP Workspace Win32 virtualized app subscription, but powered by Microsoft's own Azure cloud.

Nadir Aslam

Could a Surface Phone replace an actual PC? Given the Atom chip in the Surface 3 tablet, it didn't seem too unrealistic...until Intel killed the Atom.

What we want: Here, my heart contradicts my brain: I'm still hoping that a killer productivity phone is waiting in the wings. I'm heartened, though, by reports that say HP's Elite x3 uses the same fingerprint sensor found on some of the latest flagship Android phones. If Microsoft can't capture some of that old Lumia magic, maybe one of its partners could at least build a phone that uses the best components in the Android world.

Rumor: the Home Hub, a Cortana-powered appliance

What we're hearing: Smart appliances: Amazon has one. Google does too. We've privately wondered why Microsoft hasn't bothered shipping a Cortana-powered gizmo that could do the same. Noted leaker Walking Cat seems to think that Microsoft will, eventually.

Twitter/@walkingcat

So far, this LinkedIn link is about the only indication that Microsoft might be planning a Cortana-based device to compete with the Amazon Echo.

What seems likely: I tend to believe that Microsoft explored cooking up its own Cortana appliance, though I'm skeptical that it's developed enough to show off this week. Microsoft has no viable home-control solutions outside the Xbox. Sure, this NYC event could be Microsoft's in-home coming out party, forging connections between an AIO, Xbox, your Office PC, and more. But that seems rather wildly speculative, if not overly ambitious.

What we want: If this is real, Microsoft is going to have to sell me on why I'll want it. Microsoft has a solid foothold in the living room with the Xbox, and Cortana's a decent assistant. But a home hub doesn't really strike me as a viable product, given Microsoft's focus on productivity. 

Rumor: Teasers for the Nov. 2 event

What we're hearing: PCWorld has also received an invitation to a second event on November 2, where chief executive Satya Nadella and Office chief Kirk Koenigsbauer will "discuss the changing nature of connectivity." It's possible that some of the themes and products announced this week will be used as touchpoints for next week's discussion. 

What seems likely: Office, Skype, collaborative features, possibly a dedicated Office assistant. 

Microsoft

A screenshot of a Microsoft Sway invitation to an event on Nov. 2.

What we want: Microsoft's original Surface tablet launched Windows RT into the world. Ill-fated as that venture was, it demonstrated that Microsoft's hardware and software work best when they complement each other. We all know that Windows 10 Mobile struggled and failed due to the lack of third-party apps, and Microsoft's own weren't enough to overcome that. 

Windows and Office were the original bookends of Microsoft's business, and the two press conferences should also be seen as complementary. If Microsoft believes that the Surface AIO, Windows 10, and whatever else it announces depend upon productivity, then this second presentation should show how it all will work together.

Source: The future of Windows: We vet the rumors of what Microsoft may announce this week

Cast to for Windows Phone goes free as myAppFree app of the day

The Windows phone app which has gone free next as myAppFree app of the day is Cast to. This app is proposed as a modern replacement of "Lumia Play to" DLNA player.

Cast to Description:

The most important "killer" feature of this app (comparing to "Lumia Play to") it's a descending sorting of the most recent pictures and videos (this is a main reason why I created this app!). Second, "Cast to" has an advanced slideshow ability: you may show not just a pictures OR videos but all your media together, one by one. But it's not all: you may choose sort mode to older items first.

Download it now. Today it is FREE!!!

Source: Cast to for Windows Phone goes free as myAppFree app of the day

Communications Innovator Takes Deeper Dive into Social Media

Agora.io, a leader in internet-based global real-time communications, announced last week that the company's real-time audio and video communication solution – Agora Video and Agora Voice – has been selected and integrated into Momo's mobile application to power new voice and video call features.

Momo launched its location-based instant messaging app in August 2011, with a mission to help users discover and engage socially with people and communities nearby.

This feature is available for all Momo users with a version of 6.8 or later on Android, iOS and Windows Phone.

"By adopting Agora Video and Voice capabilities Momo is able to deliver an unprecedented level of interactivity to our almost 80 million monthly active users around the world," said Momo's co-founder and CEO Yan Tang. "Real-Time Voice and Video has helped us boost growth and user engagement. We see this as a critical breakthrough. We are excited to take this first step with Agora.io in revolutionizing social experiences."

Source: Communications Innovator Takes Deeper Dive into Social Media

Install Android On Lumia 950xl

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Source: Install Android On Lumia 950xl

Microsoft Surface Phone release date, specs, rumors: Device to roll out in late 2017 or early 2018?

#SurfacePhone #Windows10 – Microsoft Surface Phone release date, specs, rumors: Device to roll out in late 2017 or early 2018? : With Microsoft's launch event nearing, talks about the Microsoft Surface Phone and the possibility of the smartphone showing up at the event are becoming more and more rampant.

However, reports have it that the Windows phone flagship will not be part of the event as the release of the device itself is already up in the air. Trusted Microsoft analyst Mary Jo Foley said that her sources are not even sure at the moment if the Microsoft Surface Phone will end up seeing the light of day.

"My sources continue to say no new Microsoft phones of any kind are coming this year, either," the expert wrote in a follow-up report on Microsoft's launch event this month. "If and when anything like a Surface Phone ends up materializing, it will likely be late 2017 or maybe even not until 2018, my contacts have said recently," she went on to say.

The event, which will focus on the launch of the Surface All-in-One, the first desktop computer from the Redmond-based company, will simply feature Windows phones from OEMs.

It is unclear if the Microsoft Surface Phone will even be mentioned or made official at the affair, but this will be the best shot users can get considering that its imminent release is very unlikely. However, Foley's remark suggests even that is not likely to happen on during the much-awaited Microsoft event. An update on the Windows 10 software is just as far as users can get.

As for the specs of the device, the Microsoft Surface Phone is expected to stand out from the pack by embedding a fingerprint scanner on the screen rather than on the home button or the back of the device like many flagships do.

Among other features include a purported stylus, a Qualcomm Snapdragon 830 processor, and RAM that can go up to a whopping 8 GB. The Microsoft Event will be held on Wednesday, Oct. 26, at 10 a.m. EDT. Source: christiantoday

Source: Microsoft Surface Phone release date, specs, rumors: Device to roll out in late 2017 or early 2018?

Windows 10 Mobile Stagnates As Eligible Windows Phones Already Upgraded

#Windows10 #Mobile – Windows 10 Mobile Stagnates As Eligible Windows Phones Already Upgraded : Windows 10 Mobile was launched earlier this year for approximately 50 percent of the Windows Phone device lineup, and it turns out that the majority of phones eligible for the upgrade already performed the switch.

Statistics provided by AdDuplex show that Windows 10 Mobile's share stagnated for the second month, which is nothing more than the living proof that devices that were eligible for the upgrade already completed it, so only little can change in the coming months.

Windows 10 Mobile is now running on 13.7 percent of the devices in the Windows phone ecosystem, while Windows Phone 8.1 has a share of no less than 78.2 percent. This is also the confirmation that Microsoft's decision to kill apps for Windows Phone 8.1 (such as Skype) and focus exclusively on Windows 10 Mobile is leaving plenty of users behind, but Redmond doesn't really seem to care about this too much these days.

Windows Phone 8.0 is not too far either with 6 percent share, while Windows Phone 7.x still shows up in the charts with 2.1 percent.

"Anniversary Update leading the charts"

When it comes to Windows 10 Mobile versions, the Anniversary Update (version 1607) is the leading choice with 84.9 percent, followed by Windows 10 Mobile 1511 with 9.5 percent. 5.6 percent of the users are running preview builds of Redstone 2.

"Developers targeting Windows 10 Mobile can probably start leaving 1511 users behind to take advantage of the new OS capabilities," AdDuplex says in the report.

Lumia 535 is currently the top Windows Phone model worldwide with a share of 13.3 percent, followed by Lumia 520 with 10.5 percent, and Lumia 640 with 8.8 percent. These stats haven't changed too much from the previous month and are unlikely to change in the coming months either.

Lumia 550 is the number one model in the Windows 10 Mobile ecosystem with 13.5 percent, followed by Lumia 535 and Lumia 640 with 12.9 and 11.8 percent, respectively. New devices such as Lumia 950 are far behind with 6.6 percent. The newly-launched HP Elite X3 is on position number 36. Source: softpedia

Source: Windows 10 Mobile Stagnates As Eligible Windows Phones Already Upgraded

Microsoft Surface Phone 2016 With Continuum: Specs and Features Revealed (VIDEO)

#SurfacePhone #Mobiles – Microsoft Surface Phone 2016 With Continuum: Specs and Features Revealed (VIDEO) : Microsoft Surface products have obviously been manufactured for the purpose of productivity and business. Because of this, Microsoft is working behind giving their customers the best productivity solution, and this solution is integrated into the anticipated Microsoft Surface Phone 2016 – the Continuum.

Since other users still prefer Android and iOS, Microsoft is posed with a challenge for their Windows operating system, especially with the upcoming Microsoft Surface Phone 2016. Android is famous for its performance, while the iOS has a good cross-platform integration.

On the contrary, Windows mobile integrates both Android's and iOS' strong points with Continuum. Although previous Windows phone have already included this key point to its software, the Microsoft Surface Phone 2016 is said to have refined the said feature.

A Continuum Mode is native to the Microsoft Surface Phone 2016. The device can transform from a phone into a workstation within seconds after its Display Dock and its necessary peripherals are attached.

Through Continuum, the Surface Phone can power-up itself into its unique desktop setup. According to Windows Central, the Continuum can help user have a multi-functional version of Windows 10 by the power of the Surface Phone; a monitor, keyboard, and optical mouse have to be attached in order to fully take advantage of this feature.

The said feature will ultimately bring a change into how hard users make use of their devices, especially the Microsoft Surface Phone 2016. As reported by The Inquirer, the ability of the device to convert a phone into a basic desktop computer will definitely enhance productivity into a leveled-up experience.

As of this time, the device is said to be launched on Oct. 26. However, some rumors claim that its launching will be next year. One possible reason of this is the release of its processor Intel Kaby Lake.

The processor is going to be launched next year. The Microsoft Surface Phone 2016 is one catalyst in the advancement of smartphone and in technological advancement as a whole. Source: universityherald

Source: Microsoft Surface Phone 2016 With Continuum: Specs and Features Revealed (VIDEO)

Microsoft Surface Phone 2016 Release Date: Handset Ready to Break Lumia Jinx?

#SurfacePhone #MicrosoftLumia – Microsoft Surface Phone 2016 Release Date: Handset Ready to Break Lumia Jinx? : Microsoft Surface Phone 2016, breaker of the Lumia jinx, is on every tech enthusiast's lips. The highly-anticipated device is expected to break all barriers and land itself directly in the midst of cut-throat smartphone competition with top-class specs and awe-inspiring features. Alas, the maker is silent though!

Microsoft has not divulged any detail about the upcoming Microsoft Surface Phone 2016 handset and neither has it denied nor confirmed any of the million rumors rattling the Internet every now and then. The hype is building up and is taking mammoth proportions but that million-dollar confirmation remains elusive.

With October nearing its end, admirers are frustrated; though a glimmer of hope remains that the tech giant may at least announce the Microsoft Surface Phone 2016 release by month-end. The Redmond tech giant has reportedly acquired the Surfacephone.com domain name and is seriously thinking of ending the Lumia line of phones.

Reports have hinted at three Microsoft Surface Phone 2016 variants. A 32GB variant is expected to have a 3GB RAM, the 128GB variant, 6GB of RAM and 512GB variant, 8GB of RAM. Some believe that the Surface Phone will be perfect for professionals and businessmen.

Some of the wishful specs in the Microsoft Surface Phone 2016 would be a Qualcomm Snapdragon 830 processor, 5.7-inch AMOLED display with screen resolution of 1440 x 2560 pixels, Windows 10 Redstone 2 operating system, USB Type-C connectivity, highly-anticipated Surface Pen, 20MP primary camera/8MP selfie camera and Carl Zeiss lens. A fingerprint scanner will also be incorporated in the phone.

PC Tablet writes that the Microsoft Surface Phone 2016 could support Microsoft Continuum and also hints at Intel Kaby Lake processor and not Snapdragon.

The company is holding a Windows 10 event on Oct. 26 and fans could be holding their breath for a Microsoft Surface Phone 2016 reveal. The device will likely be launched early 2017. As regards the price of the handset, users may have to shell out anything in the range of $700 – $1,100. Stay tuned on GameNGuide for more updates on Microsoft Surface Phone 2016. Source: gamenguide

Source: Microsoft Surface Phone 2016 Release Date: Handset Ready to Break Lumia Jinx?

MICROSOFT EXPECTS WINDOWS PHONE TO CONTINUE ITS COLLAPSE IN THE SHORT TERM

#Microsoft #WindowsPhone – Microsoft Expects Windows Phone to Continue Its Collapse in the Short Term : We've known for a while that Windows Phone is declining, but the latest financial results provided by Microsoft for the first quarter of fiscal year 2017 revealed a 72 percent drop which does nothing more than to confirm that the future will be gloom for Redmond's smartphone platform.

And while there's still hope that Windows Phone will recover at some point in the future, it appears that not even Microsoft itself expects this to happen on the short term, with Amy Hood, CFO and EVP of the company, explaining in a conference call with analysts after the earnings report that continued decline is very likely.

Phone and Surface decline

Hood said that phones would continue to drop in the next quarter, and so will do the Surface lineup, as the company's existing models are turning 1. Microsoft is already trying to prevent a drop with discounts and special offers in the United States and in other markets, but the next quarter results will reveal if the Surface still sells well enough one year after its launch.

"Phone revenue will continue to decline and as we previously announced, we anticipate closing the sale of our feature phone business in Q2. We expect surface revenue to decline as we anniversary the product launch from a year ago," Amy Hood explains.

According to different research firms, Windows Phone has already dropped below the 1 percent market share threshold, and some put it closer to 0.5 percent.

ALSO READ : MICROSOFT SURFACE PHONE: GREAT SPECS, QUESTIONABLE FEATURES

Microsoft, on the other hand, seems to be more interesting in improving the software side of its mobile effort, as it's preparing a major Windows 10 Mobile update with Redstone 2 in the spring. At the same time, the hardware strategy is lagging behind these days, and rumor has it that the Lumia brand would go away completely.

Microsoft says that it's betting big on partners for bringing phones running Windows 10 Mobile to the market, but for the moment, the number of companies interested in such devices is still well below expectations. source:softpedia

Source: MICROSOFT EXPECTS WINDOWS PHONE TO CONTINUE ITS COLLAPSE IN THE SHORT TERM

5 Recently launched Smartphones that are now a Thing of Past

Darwin's evolutionary theory 'Survival of the Fittest' is perfectly valid for technology market. It is a world where a new product is born every day and has to fight the market and competition to stay in business.

As you may know by now that we witness a number of product launches on every day basis, spread across multiple categories- laptops, tablets, wearables, apps, drones, etc., the type of consumers' product that always manages to make headlines is 'Smartphones'.

SEE ALSO: Intex Cloud Scan FP vs Xolo Era 2 Launched with Reliance Jio 4G SIM Support: Which One is Better?

There's so much going on in the world of smartphones that a flagship handset launched today might become archaic by next month or maximum by next quarter. The smartphone's shelf life is shorter than any other product in the modern technology world.

SEE ALSO: 5 exciting features to expect from the upcoming Samsung Chromebook Pro

Having said that, we have witnessed a number of smartphone launches in the recent past that generated a lot of hype during the first few weeks or months of their arrival, but have now become a thing of past. This list of long forgotten smartphones clearly shows how brutal the world of technology is.

Stay tuned to GizBot for more updates!

Micromax Yu Yunicorn

Micromax's sub brand- Yu advertised Yunicorn as the game-changer affordable flagship smartphone for Indian consumers. The company even loaded the handset with high-end specifications such as MediaTek Helio P10 processor, 4GB RAM, a 4,000mAh battery and a fingerprint scanner, but sadly it did not manage to please the smartphone enthusiasts.

The device, touted as a 'flagship killer' by the company lost the war to Chinese counterparts such as Redmi Note 3, LeEco Le 2, Moto G4, Lenovo K4 Note, etc. Sadly, Micromax don't even remember the handset in its memories.

BlackBerry Priv

BlackBerry's first Android-based device turned a lot of heads but took a fall due to its steep pricing. The smartphone was not inferior to any of its competitor and offered top of the line hardware and features, but with BlackBerry's poor pricing strategy, it is now a distant memory.

BlackBerry Priv offers a 5.4-inch dual-curved QHD screen with a resolution of 2560×1440 pixels. The Priv is powered by a 3,410mAh battery and a Schneider-Kreuznach certified 18-megapixel primary camera with dual-LED flash, optical image stabilization to ensure great clarity to the images, and the ability to record 4K videos. The Priv also features a 2 MP camera with wide selfie mode.

Microsoft Lumia flagships

While Lumia handsets were gradually climbing the ladder of mainstream smartphone category, they were never seen as the true competitors of Android and iOS based devices.

Lumia 950 and 950XL were the last and the most amazing Lumia devices from the company that offered high-end hardware and one of the best mobile OS- Windows 10.

Android One

How can we not include the Google's Dream Project- Android One in the list, which is aimed to provide dirt cheap Android smartphones to consumers. A number of smartphones were launched under the campaign but are now lost in the war of affordable Android smartphones.

Micromax, Karbonn and Spice were the first to introduce the affordable Android One handsets in the market.

Samsung Galaxy Note 7

The latest to join the list of smartphones that are now in the pages of history is Samsung Galaxy Note 7. The manufacturing fault in the smartphone's battery units caused damages in homes, cars and to Samsung's huge yearly profits. Had it not been banned by airliners, the Note 7 would have crashed airplanes as well.

Nevertheless, we really miss this one and would love to get one, but with a bundled fire extinguisher.

Stay tuned to GizBot for more updates!

Source: 5 Recently launched Smartphones that are now a Thing of Past

Video Calls activated in WhatsApp Beta for Windows Phone

Spanish site OneWindows.es reports that some WhatsApp Beta users are now able to make video calls from their Windows Phones.

The feature appears to have been added via a server-side change, as it did not require a new update to the app, and is not available to all, but users report re-installing the app can make the feature available.

When you click the call button you are now offers two options – Voice and Video Calls. The video calls feature lets you change to the rear camera and mute the call.

Other changes to the software is that it will now show in your log if a call was voice or video, and let you initiate either.

If you don't have WhatsApp Beta we'll let you know once this feature is available for all users — so keep an eye out for it.

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Source: Video Calls activated in WhatsApp Beta for Windows Phone

What to look for when buying USB-C cables and adapters

Buying a cable shouldn't be difficult. It doesn't have to be if you follow these simple tips.

USB standards have a long history, and they've gone through plenty of changes since first implemented in 1996. The premise behind it all is providing a way to standardize cables, connectors, communication, and power transfer between electronic devices. Some of the first equipment to use USB were the really old, brightly colored iMac and speakers. USB was designed to be the one standard that does it all, and that's pretty much how it all worked out.

You can think of USB-C as a set of rules to make smarter USB plugs, cables, and connectors.

The USB-C specification is one of those USB standards. Released in August 2014, it's a set of rules for a small 24-pin reversible plug connector to use with existing USB system. Some of the connections inside are used to tell which way a cable is plugged in; others are used to transfer data or power; and some are used as a dedicated connection to allow both sides to talk to each other, and make sure the right amount of electrical current is being sent to safely charge or power one device from the other. Though it was released in tandem with the USB 3.1 specification, USB Type-C rules are only for the physical connections — data speeds are covered by other rules. You can think of USB-C as a set of rules to make smarter USB plugs, cables, and connectors.

More: Getting to know USB-C infographic

The best parts of the USB-C specification are also the parts that make buying the right cable or adapter important. With USB-C, all connected devices can send power out as well as receive power in. You can charge a phone or set of headphones or anything else that uses the USB-C spec with another phone that uses the USB-C specs. You could (in theory) build a cable that can pull power from several Lumia 950s or Nexus 6Ps and charge the battery in a MacBook if you wanted to.

Buying the right cable is a must or you risk damaging the things you're plugging in, or even starting a fire.

USB-C also includes a native way to "fast-charge" one USB-C certified device from another safely using that dedicated connection channel mentioned above. It's also an open specification that anyone can use and alter to better suit their needs, and companies making phones have done just that. This means buying the right cable is a must or you can risk damaging the things you're plugging in or even starting a fire.

More: This USB-C problem isn't going away anytime soon

But don't fret. You don't need to know all the rules in the USB-C spec or how it can tell which way it's plugged in or any of the other geeky details to make the right choice if you follow a few easy tips when you're buying a cable or connector. These three tips will help you get exactly what you need.

Buy a reputable brand

We've all seen ultra-cheap USB cables online or at the drug store and were tempted to buy them. While still not the best idea in the world, most of the time that was fine with the older USB Type-B micro standard used on most phones and other gadgets. Low voltage and low current were sent on the same pins every time, and the cable only went in one direction. That's changed, even for the older Micro-USB "standards" because of the need for faster charging.

Don't buy a USB-C cable just because it's cheap.

When you're buying a USB-C cable or a connector, look for a well-known brand. This is the best way to make sure the cable is using the appropriate size wires inside, the connector is properly constructed and the right resistance is being used. All three of these things are important when you're sending more current over tiny wires, and cheaply-made cables that aren't using the right components can be dangerous.

Cables and adapters from reputable companies often go on sale and for just a few dollars you'll have something a lot safer than you might get if you buy cheap generic-packaged cables. The best part is that we want to save money on good cables, too, and when we find a great deal we'll share it right on our homepage and on social media.

Know what you need

Remember when we said the USB-C spec was an open standard that companies can change to better suit their needs? Phone manufacturers are doing that, and sometimes the cables and chargers they sell and use aren't compatible with all the rules. Qualcomm's Quick Charge is really popular, and they can use a USB-C connector sometimes that isn't fully compatible with the standards. Other companies have their own proprietary fast charging methods, and they, too, may not be fully compliant.

Not everyone is using USB-C in a standards compliant way, so be mindful of "quick charge" methods.

If your phone has a USB-C port you can look at the papers it came with or online to see if it uses the port in a non-compliant way. Terms like "Quick Charge" or "Turbo Charge" or any other trademarked fast charging method are a dead giveaway. The list of devices doing this is always changing but at the time of this writing phones from OnePlus, HTC, LG, and Samsung that have a USB-C connector aren't fully compliant, and you shouldn't use the charger, cable, or any adapter that came with them for any other piece of equipment that has a USB-C port. A third-party high-quality cable that follows the specifications can be safely used for these phones, just don't go the other way and order extra cables from one of these companies to use with other equipment.

Your best bet here is to use the charger, cable, and any adapters that came with the phone itself. When you need a replacement, check the manufacturer's website or hit them on Facebook or Twitter to find out which cable they recommend.

So far, phones, tablets, and laptops from Google, Apple, and Microsoft have all been fully USB-C compliant. A quality third-party cable or adapter that's built correctly (that's what these three things tell you) will work fine for any of these devices. Just don't use something from HTC or OnePlus or any other company that may be using the connector differently.

Meet Benson Leung

Benson Leung is a software engineer at Google. He's also the best friend we could ask for when it comes to buying quality USB-C compliant cables and adapters because he tests them in his spare time. Thanks, Benson.

This is important because there are a lot of cables that have a USB-C plug on one end and a "regular" USB plug on the other that are non-compliant in a dangerous way. Besides using the appropriately sized wire and properly shielding the cable and connector ends, a "regular" USB to USB-C cable requires a 56k Ohm resistor to act as what's called a "pullup" on the VBUS (pins 2 and 17 if you're curious) power channel. This is one of the things you need so a USB-C device can let a power source know how much current to send and when to stop sending it. Using a cable with the wrong size wire will damage the wire. Using a cable with the wrong size resistor can damage the things plugged into each end, which costs a lot of money and could possibly start a fire.

You can test the resistance of a cable yourself, or you can see what Benson says. Thanks, Benson!

This isn't just a problem with bargain-bin cables, either. Some very high-profile companies have had (or still have) issues with their cables. If you're the type who has fun doing things like testing continuity and resistance of USB cables, that's awesome and you should test everything you buy then share your results. If you're not, you can check to see if a cable is "Benson Leung approved."

Thanks to the magic of Amazon, this is easy. Leung makes a habit of leaving feedback for all the cables he tests at Amazon. You can check to see if he's in the comments and reviews section and if so, see if he says the cable or adapter is safe to use. This is a no-brainer. Before you buy a USB-C cable, check to see if it passes the test. We'll make it easy — just check out the list below.

See at Amazon

USB-C isn't dangerous. It's capable of safely delivering relatively high current as long as the proper equipment is used, and offers a lot of benefits because of the way it can communicate with other compliant devices. What started out by powering small speakers in the late twentieth century is now robust enough to talk with the instruments used to make music and the bus the band drives to concerts. It's important to use the proper cables and adapters, though.

Just follow these tips and you'll be fine.

Source: What to look for when buying USB-C cables and adapters