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Halo: Spartan Assault to be available first on Verizon's Windows Phone 8 devices
We knew Halo: Spartan Assault would be making its debut sometime this month; what we didn't know, however, is that it would only be reaching Verizon-branded Windows Phone 8 handsets initially. According to the Big Red network, its subscribers will be the first in the US to be able to download the popular franchise's mobile title, although no word was given on when exactly we can expect it to launch. Halo: Spartan Assault is set to cost $6.99 once it eventually hits the Windows Phone store -- the good news is July's almost over, so it won't be much longer before you can get in on the action. For now, it looks as if our hands-on preview will have to hold you over.
Nokia announces Lumia 1020 Imaging SDK, enlists CNN, Yelp and others for custom enhancements
Nokia's Lumia 1020 has finally gone official today and, no surprise here, it's all about imaging. To complement the handset's 41-megapixel BSI sensor and accompanying ProCamera software, Nokia's released an imaging SDK to devs that want to impose their own camera customizations. As of now, the Finnish company's seeded the SDK out to the likes of CNN, Vyclone, Panagraph, Snapcam, Foursquare, Hipstamatic's Oggl Pro, Yelp, Flipboard and Path -- all of which have already been working on custom applications for the 1020. So what does that mean for the end user? Most likely, these third-party tweaks will entail high-res photo sharing and custom filters, as in the case of Path's Lumia app. Nokia's posted the SDK on its site for all developers today, so if you're interested in seeing what the Lumia 1020's beastly sensor can do for your app or what its SDK can do for WP8 apps in general, you know where to look. Check out all the news from today's Nokia event at our hub!
Vine and Flipboard coming soon to Windows Phone 8
Here's another app that's finally made it to Microsoft's mobile OS, Flipboard. We'll admit, we're fans, so it was great to see the news aggregator's icon line up alongside several other apps looking to take advantage of Nokia's new imaging SDK. Vine, however, wasn't mentioned there and was nestled within Nokia's official press release Unfortunately, there was no mention of a release date for either (although Hipstamatic will finally arrive when the Lumia 1020 does), but we'll update you when we hear more. Check out all the news from today's Nokia event at our hub!
Microsoft doubles support lifecycle for Windows Phone 8, outlines enterprise feature update
Considering Microsoft's history of supporting desktop operating systems past their expiration date, learning that Windows Phone 8 would be cut off from updates after a short 18 months was a bit of a slap to the face. Thankfully, Redmond has come to its senses: as of this week Microsoft has doubled its mobile OS' support life cycle. Devices running Windows Phone 8 will be sustained through January 2016, provided your carrier of choice chooses to make the update available to you. The company hopes this will make the platform more appealing to enterprise users. Speaking of courting the business crowd, the official Windows Phone Blog also outlines a set of enterprise-specific features, including new options for corporate-level email, WiFi and application management. The full info with all the high-level security features you can handle is in the links below.
Nokia adds Peek hover function to Lumias running latest Amber OS update
It doesn't come close to the suite of air gestures Samsung's included in the Galaxy S 4, but Nokia's pushing out an update to give Lumia owners a limited taste of that hands-free functionality. Bundled into a new version 1.6 bump for display + touch settings released today is a new Peek feature, which gives Lumia owners the ability to wake their phones and glance at notifications with a mere hand wave. Sadly, it's only compatible with Lumia devices running the latest Amber update -- currently set for a vague "summer" rollout -- which makes this hover-to-wake function a 925-only affair for the time being.
Nokia to update Here Drive and Transit apps, release Drive+ for all WP8 handsets
Nokia's Here Drive+ global sat-nav app for Windows Phone 8, currently exclusive to certain Lumia handsets, will be available to all devices running Redmond's mobile OS when it gets updated "by the end of this week." In addition to wider availability, the app refresh will see the integration of local traffic information and bring a "more intuitive user interface." Also, the new My Commute feature will make its debut, which monitors traffic along your common route and gives you an estimated travel time so you can plan accordingly. It'll also let you know if things change while you're on the road and offer up different routes if it spots a jam up ahead. An identical update will be applied to Here Drive, the non-exclusive version of Drive+ that's tied to one country (read: local navigation license). In tandem with the Drive apps, Nokia's Here Transit app for planning journeys on public transport will be updated with a redesigned user interface. Drive+ global navigation doesn't come free, however, even for those packing a Lumia 720, 520 or 521 variant (those handsets only have the standard Drive app pre-installed). A global license which turns Drive into Drive+ costs 15.49 euro (nearly $20) in some countries, such as the US, Canada and the UK, and 34.99 euro (almost $45) elsewhere; Here Transit will also come at a price of 1.99 euro (around $2.50) in these regions. There's table after the break which neatly lays out what costs what where, and you can hit up the PR if you feel you haven't done enough reading already.
First photos from Nokia Lumia 1020 surface on Joe Belfiore's Flickr account
Just an innocuous boating photo, you say? Not quite. That's Microsoft's Joe Belfiore on the left, and his companions recently took both this snapshot and one other using a Nokia Lumia 1020 -- a phone that doesn't officially exist yet. While there aren't many clues to the 1020's camera performance in Belfiore's Flickr pages, the image metadata shows both a wide-aperture f/2.2 lens as well as cropped 3.7MP and 5MP image sizes. Whether or not the photo posts are accidents or deliberate teases, we're likely to learn more about the new Lumia on July 11th.
Spotify for Windows Phone 8 update available now: drops beta, adds track scrubbing and more languages
As teased by no less than Windows Phone exec Joe Belfiore earlier this morning, Spotify has dropped its beta learning plates. In the latest update, you'll get improvements to offline playlists (hopefully making them less temperamental), alongside more language support, with 19 of 'em now supported. Steeling itself to go up against the homemade Xbox Music (not to mention the entirely free Nokia Music), the full version also throws in track scrubbing -- something that was curiously missing from Spotify's early WP8 app. The 2MB update can be grabbed through your phone, or installed at the source link below.
AT&T Locker cloud storage arrives on Windows Phone 8
AT&T Locker has been available on Android and iOS for awhile, but those aren't the only platforms the carrier offers -- others need their online storage, too. Accordingly, AT&T has quietly posted a Windows Phone 8 version of Locker. The new app switches to a Microsoft-inspired interface while preserving all of Locker's core features, including an option to automatically upload photos and videos. If you're an AT&T customer and don't mind tying your Windows Phone's cloud storage to your choice of cellular network, you can grab Locker at the link below.
Nokia Lumia 1020 for AT&T possibly spied with Pro Cam app
Wondering what the Nokia EOS (aka Lumia 1020) will look like in US trim? This may be your first glimpse: @evleaks has posted a press image of the device in its AT&T form. If accurate, it represents our first proper view of the flagship Windows Phone's front side, and it suggests that we're looking at a subtle evolution of the Lumia 920 from this angle. Look closely at the software, however. There's a previously unknown Nokia Pro Cam app, which hints that Lumia 1020 owners will get more than just a tweaked version of the Smart Camera app on the Lumia 925. Presumably, this would include extra controls to tame the camera's 41 million pixels. There's no launch details or other tidbits included with the as yet unconfirmed image, although there's a real chance that we'll see a lot more around July 11th.
Facebook 5.0 for Windows Phone 8 now live, out of beta
Facebook's now out of beta and ready for primetime on Windows Phone 8, Microsoft announced today. It's known as Facebook 5.0 and, aside from exiting beta, the latest version of Facebook for Windows Phone adds a revamped UI, as well as, "improved navigation, support for high-res pictures, post sharing, Facebook Timeline view, and more." Should you wish to continue living just ahead of the rest of Facebook's Windows Phone 8 userbase, a beta version of Facebook will remain in the Windows Phone store -- it promises a look at "pre-release software." We also wouldn't be too surprised if this is a good look into what that upcoming Windows 8 app will look like. In any event, as you might expect, Facebook 5.0 for Windows Phone 8 is free and available now at the source link below.
Unity game engine to support Xbox One, gets a boost on Windows 8 and Windows Phone
When the Unity game engine runs virtually everywhere -- well, almost -- it's no surprise that Unity Technologies has just announced that the engine will support the Xbox One. However, the firm is also revealing a partnership with Microsoft that promises a deeper level of integration on the One than we've seen on some other systems. Microsoft Studios partners will get to build Unity-based Xbox 360 and Xbox One games for free. They'll also receive tools that take full advantage of the One's tricks, including cloud computing, matchmaking, improved Kinect gestures and SmartGlass. Developers who aren't console-inclined are covered as well: the partnership will give all Unity Pro 4 customers free access to Windows 8 and Windows Phone 8 development add-ons once they're available this summer. While there's no guarantee that game producers are more likely to target Microsoft's ecosystem than they have in the past, the Unity deal could lower some of the costs and technology barriers. And there may be more: Microsoft has dropped hints that it will provide further details on its support of indie console app development sometime in the near future.
Microsoft launches Bing platform for developers
Microsoft wants developers to make Bing a central part of their apps, and it's powering that with a new developer platform unveiled today at Build. The Bing kit will let programmers tap the search engine's wealth of knowledge, providing direct information and translations when they're relevant. It should also grant access to natural interfaces, such as gestures, as well as real-world map data. Microsoft showed the platform at work in both Windows 8.1 and Windows Phone 8, so it's clear that developers who want Bing's resources won't be locked into any one device type.
Sprint launching Samsung ATIV S Neo for $150 after rebate this summer
There may not be too many mobile-focused surprises at Microsoft Build, as Sprint has just let slip its two biggest pieces of news. In addition to HTC's 8XT, the company will carry Samsung's latest Windows Phone 8 handset, the ATIV S Neo at some point in the near future. The ATIV S followup comes with a 4.8-inch HD display, a 1.4GHz dual-core processor, 1GB RAM and a 2,000mAh battery, as well as unspecified WiFi, NFC and Bluetooth features. There's no word about on-board storage, but the release specifically mentions a microSD card slot, so we'd assume you can add either 32 or 64GB more storage to the unit. On the imaging front, there's an 8-megapixel primary camera with an LED flash, as well as a 1.9-megapixel front-facing lens with "Manga Camera" and "Beauty Shot" apps to transform your selfies and smooth away those wrinkles. The phone will also have "international roaming," meaning that owners won't suffer the pain of traveling to CDMA-phobic parts of the world like Europe. Dan Hesse's big Yellow Network isn't talking about a release date beyond "summer," but when this handset does make it to stores, it'll set you back $149.99 with a two-year, unlimited LTE deal after the customary $50 mail-in rebate.
Microsoft, Telefonica teaming up to push Windows Phone 8 devices in Europe, Latin America
Windows Phone 8 may be third in the league table, but we doubt Microsoft is satisfied with its bronze medal. That's why it's signed a one year marketing deal with Telefonica that'll see the world's fifth largest mobile network pushing WP8 handsets in Europe and Latin America. According to the release, the pair will offer customers Redmond's cloud services like Office 365, Skydrive and "Xbox" in an attempt to coax users away from the 'current duopoly of Android and iOS." Unfortunately there's no details on the specifics of the deal, so we'll guess the pair teamed up purely out of a sense of altruism.
Agent smartwatch SDK released, developers can start tinkering
Four days after hitting its Kickstarter goal, Agent Watches has released the SDK for its smartwatch. The watches won't ship until December, but all developers need to start working is the emulator and a Bluetooth-compatible device. Windows Phone 8 Developer Mike Hole posted a link to the tools on his blog, plus detailed notes with sample code and a how-to for the emulator. With all this info, maybe you'll write a few of the apps for the hip and sexy people from that Kickstarter video.
Nokia RM-875 reaches the FCC, may be an international EOS
Nokia keeps slipping out clues as to what we might expect from its Zoom Reinvented event: following the RM-877's appearance at the FCC, an RM-875 device has also popped up at the US agency. This new hardware looks like an international variant of the RM-877, and thus a second take on what we believe is the EOS. The RM-875 sheds what traces were left of its sibling's 1,700MHz HSPA+ data and switches the LTE to more exotic 850MHz, 1,800MHz, 2,100MHz and 2,500MHz frequencies, but it's otherwise a near perfect match in terms of dimensions and antenna layouts. The camera grip accessory and wireless charging cover persist, too. As such, it's quite possible that whatever Nokia unveils on July 11th will ship worldwide -- let's just hope it ships quickly.
Microsoft updates Blink for Windows Phone 8 with GIF-like clip creation (video)
If Vine still leaves you pining for the choppiness of GIFs, Microsoft's got you covered -- on Windows Phone 8, at least. Redmond's Blink app, which helps smartphone photographers capture bursts of images, has hit version 2.0 and scored the ability to create short animated clips, aptly dubbed Blinks. In addition to the bite-sized videos, the latest update bakes in camera settings in capture mode, sharing to social networks and web galleries for shared creations. Microsoft Research also released Blink Cliplets for Windows 8 and RT, which allows users to layer static and dynamic elements atop footage. Hit the break to check out the new release of Blink in action, or jab the first source link for the download.
Nokia Lumia 925 review: lots of changes, but not much difference
More Info Nokia Lumia 925 announced Nokia Lumia 928 for Verizon hands-on Nokia Lumia 920 review It's been just half a year since Nokia revealed its first Windows Phone 8 device, and we've already got another flagship to review. The Lumia 925 marks a departure in design for Nokia -- it looks nothing like its predecessors, barring an expanse of screen and some capacitive Windows buttons. This time around, the phone is housed in an aluminum frame, making it Nokia's first metal smartphone since those heady Symbian days. This, alongside some hardware repositioning and (minor) specification changes has been enough for the Lumia 925 to weigh notably less than its 920 forebear -- and we think it's enough to feel in your hand. As we juggled the two Windows Phones ahead of this review, our first impressions were that the 925 was also much easier to hold, despite only a negligible difference in thickness. This, alongside some hardware repositioning and (minor) specification changes has been enough for the Lumia 925 to weigh notably less than its 920 forebear Arriving in three comparatively restrained monochrome hues (white, black and grey), Nokia's returned to OLED for its display tech, although it's the same 1,280 x 768 resolution as the rest of the 920 series and includes the company's anti-reflective screen technology for good measure. Its new Smart Camera app debuts on the Lumia 925, standing alongside the stock app and offering up some interesting new picture-taking options. Otherwise, it's an awful lot like the Lumia 920, at least on paper: there's the same lauded 8.7-megapixel camera sensor (with an extra lens element), the same dual-core 1.5GHz processor and the same OS (albeit with some beta goodies). Nokia reckons that the phone is geared towards a different buyer than those who bought the Lumia 920, but alongside Verizon's recent US-only Lumia 928, is there enough to get fans that skipped on last year's model to buy this time around? And is there enough to persuade you not to hold out for what's on the horizon?%Gallery-191452%
Acer won't do Windows Phone this year, wants Microsoft to pick up the pace
It's been a long, long time since Acer launched a Windows Phone... and from all indications, we're going to keep waiting. The company's Allen Burnes tells Pocket-lint that Windows Phone 8 is good, but "not the right decision" for Acer in 2013. His firm is concerned with boosting sales volume, and the Liquid series of Android phones are currently better for that task, Burnes says. In his mind, Microsoft has to make a stronger case for Windows Phone -- Acer will come back to the OS once there's improved marketing and (hopefully) more demand. We aren't entirely surprised that Acer is holding off when it's already reluctant to back Windows RT, but the cautious attitude is still a disappointment for those who want a little more diversity in Microsoft's mobile ecosystem.
