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Amazon Audible hits WP 7.5, brings gesture controlled audiobooks (update)
It didn't land in the Marketplace yesterday as announced, but Amazon's Audible audio book app for Windows Phone 7.5 is now available for download. This Metro-fied version of the app is free to install (including some short samples to get you started), and signing in with your Amazon account lets you purchase any books that the service has on offer. Media can be controlled using a swipe gesture interface, and there are even varying levels of badges to reward how much of a book-worm you become. That said, we haven't been able to use the voice control functionally shown off by Microsoft at its Developers Summit is naturally a WP 8-only affair, so you won't find that feature here. If you're eager to get your literary listening on, you'll find a download and more info about the app at the source link below. Update: As many of you have pointed out in the comments, the voice control aspect is specific to Windows Phone 8. We've updated our language in the post to reflect this.
Relive the Windows Phone 8 'sneak peek': Developer Summit video now streaming
Still haven't been able to satiate your desires to see Joe Belfiore and Windows Phone 8 in action with our coverage of the Developer Summit? Lucky for you, the folks at Microsoft have just put up the whole thing up in video form for you to watch from the comfort of your monitor. So what are you waiting for? Windows Phone 7.8 and 8 won't get here until the fall, but the "sneak peek" is available now at the links below.
The Engadget interview: Nokia's Kevin Shields talks Windows Phone 8 (video)
Today at the Windows Phone Developer Summit, we had the opportunity to sit down with Kevin Shields, SVP of Program and Product Management at Nokia, and chat about the day's announcements including Windows Phone 8. Our discussion started with the apps Nokia unveiled today -- PlayTo for DLNA support, Nokia Counter to monitor data usage, My Commute for personalized routing, an update of Nokia Music to 3.0 and the Camera Extras imaging suite -- which are rolling out next week for all Lumia handsets running Windows Phone 7.5. Kevin gave us a little more insight on Camera Extras, a set of four apps (Self Timer, Panorama Maker, Action Shot and Smart Group Shot) designed to enhance the camera experience using technology from Nokia's recent Scalado acquisition. We then moved on to discussing Windows Phone 8 and specifically NFC support, with a small tangent spent on Kevin showing us the recently launched Lumia 610 NFC. The next topic was about what we can expect from Nokia in terms of hardware for upcoming phones running the latest iteration of Microsoft's mobile OS. We know that the first batch of Windows Phone 8 devices will be powered by Qualcomm's Snapdragon S4 Plus dual-core SoC, but on the topic of quad-core processors Kevin said "where additional hardware makes a difference, then sure, let's talk about it," adding "we're going to stay committed to the experience." Finally we discussed the future of Nokia's PureView technology and how it fits in with the next generation mobile OS. PureView "is a core technology that we are dedicated to and invested in" said Kevin. Sounds quite promising, right? We can't wait to see what the next wave of Lumia handsets brings to the table. Until then, go ahead and watch our video interview.
Editorial: Engadget on Windows Phone 8
Another day, another major announcement from Microsoft -- and yes, another round of opinions from your humble team at Engadget. Today it's Windows Phone 8, the (finally) formally announced successor to the company's mobile platform. Rather tragically, there's no upgrade path from any current Windows Phone device (the 7.8 stopgap notwithstanding). Your hot new cerulean blue Lumia 900? It'll be obsolete this fall. Join us after the break to get our thoughts on that and all the other bits of information gleaned today -- right after you read our initial thoughts from the original Windows Phone 7 Series, to see just how far we've come.
Qualcomm: all new Windows Phone 8 devices to be powered by Snapdragon S4 Plus for now
The puzzle pieces are already falling into place, one at a time. After announcing Qualcomm as the exclusive chipset provider for upcoming Windows Phone 8 handsets, we didn't get any word on which models would be used. Fortunately, Qualcomm reps have confirmed to us that all new devices will feature the MSM8960 dual-core Krait (Snapdragon S4 Plus) processor for now. As a sidenote, the company told us that other chipsets may be used at a later time, but Microsoft certainly appears eager to keep to its mantra of a universal experience amongst its phones.
Nokia Lumia 610 with NFC hands-on (video)
You never know what's going to be hiding in the deep dark corners of an event, and in our searches during the Windows Phone Developer Summit we came across the Nokia Lumia 610. But this isn't just the standard fare; no, this particular version offers NFC and should soon be making its way to Orange. Yes, by offering Near-Field Communication, the handset will be compatible with Nokia's NFC-enabled accessories like the Essence and Play360. While this elusive device is no stranger to us -- we've seen it shown on video, it's been certified for MasterCard's PayPass service and it's even been blessed by the FCC -- this was the first time we held it in our hands. So what can we expect from this particular flavor of the Tango-running Lumia 610? Frankly, our impressions matched that of its non-NFC predecessor: build and overall feel remain unchanged from the original version. Naturally Nokia needed to find some space to stick the contacts and antenna, and those are inconspicuously found on the back of the device and on the battery cover, respectively. We still haven't seen any pricing surface, but it's been expected to arrive on Orange at the beginning of next quarter -- which frankly means we could well see it available within the next couple weeks, though we couldn't get an official date. Head below to get a good look at the NFC-enabled glory as well as a brief video showing the phone interacting with the Essence. %Gallery-158773%
Visualized: Nokia Lumia 900 running Windows Phone 7.8 (update: full eyes-on!)
It may not be the mysterious prototype Joe Belfiore showed off at today's Windows Phone Developer Summit keynote, but it's a nice treat nonetheless: we had the opportunity to sneak a peek at an AT&T-branded Nokia Lumia 900 running Windows Phone 7.8, complete with the brand new Start screen. Because it's at such early stages in the development game, we weren't able to get our own grubby hands on the device and play around with any of the highlighted features, but it was still great to see it working on a real, honest-to-goodness device. What other secrets this software holds will remain that way for now, but we can certainly look forward to an action-packed summer full of interesting revelations. Update: We were able to snap a few extra images of this very same Lumia 900, but we weren't allowed to touch the screen or interact with the software in any way, since the build we saw of Windows Phone 7.8 is just a special version highlighting the Start screen and is nowhere near final production quality. For what it's worth, we had the opportunity to view a demo of the tiles being resized, and we couldn't detect any flaws in its execution. Check out the full gallery of precious pics below! %Gallery-158769% Myriam Joire contributed to this post.
Windows Phone Marketplace has 100,000 published apps, counts Words with Friends and Draw Something among 'em
It's not quite App Store numbers, but the Windows Phone Marketplace has finally managed to break the six-digit published apps barrier (making good on the promise of all those app submissions) as Microsoft just announced that its mobile users now have over 100,000 apps to choose from. And, while it may not be as big a deal as multi-core processor support, a new Start screen, or turn-by-turn navigation, Microsoft just told of two more apps that'll be popping up in the Marketplace soon. That's right, a duo of Zynga's most popular titles, Words with Friends and Draw Something, are coming to Windows Phone. Congratulations, all you Microsoft mobile aficionados, your time-wasting can now reach levels previously seen only by your iOS and Android-toting friends.
Windows Phone 8 updates coming over the air, early access to 'registered enthusiasts,' 18 month support program announced
Tired of plugging your Lumia 900 into your PC or Mac in order to apply software updates? Tough luck -- you'll still be doing it while future buyers snack on Windows Phone 8. Harshness aside, Microsoft made clear at today's Windows Phone Summit that all WP8 updates will be delivered over the air, with an available program to give "registered enthusiasts" early access prior to broad consumer pushes. The real kicker, however, is this line: "Devices are supported with updates for at least 18 months." For those keeping count, the Lumia 900 shipped here in the US on April 8th. Two months later, it's already confirmed that the flagship WP7 handset in America won't get Windows Phone 8. We'd also like to take this opportunity to remind you just how poorly an identical promise from Google went over in May of 2011. You may remember Andy Rubin confessing that an 18 month Android update program was being put into place at Google I/O 2011, and here we are -- halfway through 2012 -- and we've still heard zero details on how that's being policed. Pardon our skepticism, but we'll need to see it to believe it. To check out the latest updates from Microsoft's Windows Phone event, visit our liveblog!
Nokia to bring range of new and updated apps to existing Lumia lineup
That Nokia would be joining Microsoft on this day of Windows Phone 8 revelations is no surprise -- the companies long ago inked their blood pact on the back of Mango. Now, at today's summit in San Francisco, Espoo's Kevin Shields just announced a slew of new and updated apps to currently available Lumia handsets starting next week. Spreading the love to Mango and above, existing users will be treated to a new DLNA app dubbed PlayTo that allows for video, music and photo sharing wirelessly, Nokia Counter to monitor and manage data usage, My Commute which utilizes Drive to compute travel time and arrange routing and a 3.0 update to Nokia Music. And, given that this is the company behind PureView, current Lumia devices running Windows Phone will receive an imaging facelift of sorts, augmenting the baked-in optics via Camera Extras. This suite of apps will effectively upgrade the core photo-taking experience with the addition of a self-timer, action shots, panorama and a Smart Group Shot setting (likely built upon Scalado software). So, while your eagerness to adopt that cyan Lumia 900 may not pay off with an upgrade to WP 8, at the very least Nokia is adopting a policy of no Lumia user left (that far) behind. To check out the latest updates from Microsoft's Windows Phone event, visit our liveblog!
Microsoft brings true, background multitasking to Windows Phone 8
Well, Microsoft has officially left Apple as the only player in the Mobile field to not support real multitasking. With the next version of Windows Phone, background multitasking will be opened up to all devs, thanks to libraries provided directly by Redmond. During today's presentation two different background tasks were demoed, VoIP and location. The VoIP integration allows users to have calls come in, preferably via Skype if Microsoft has its way, without having the app running in the foreground and have them appear the same as a standard phone call. While watching for incoming calls is nice, a more commonly used feature is location monitoring. Now apps will be able to monitor location in the background while you perform other tasks. One by one, Microsoft is checking off boxes on our list of complaints about Windows Phone.
Microsoft partners with Audible to enhance Windows Phone voice recognition, available for WP 7.5 and up
Siri, S Voice -- well, now Microsoft's got its own answer to those rival voice services (sort of) and it's coming in the form of a partnership with Audible on the Windows Phone platform. The company's very own Kevin Gallo took to the stage at today's Summit in San Francisco to demonstrate the enhanced feature running on Windows Phone 8. Though the Redmond-made OS has supported voice commands since the platform's seventh iteration (née Mango) by allowing users to launch applications, it can now also help users search, as well as play audiobook files. In the demo, Gallo was able to skip a chapter ahead, pause and resume listening to his selected Game of Thrones title. And lest the WP faithful feel left behind with the seemingly endless spate of Apollo-only goods, the company's making this application this integration available to handsets running WP 7.5 and up available for WP 7.5 handsets starting later today, though it hasn't specified whether users will be able to take advantage of those voice controls. To check out the latest updates from Microsoft's Windows Phone event, visit our liveblog!
Microsoft details deep Skype integration in Windows 8
Microsoft's been letting loose all of Windows Phone 8's secrets this morning, and the latest tidbit is all about VoIP calling. Turns out, the team in Redmond's really putting that money it spent on Skype to good use by integrating the video chatting/VoIP service deeply in its new mobile OS. From a user perspective, incoming Skype calls are treated like cellular communications, meaning that they appear as regular calls and are integrated with standard phone features -- like call waiting -- to maintain a seamless calling experience. The VoIP apps continue to run in the background, of course, thanks to WP8's new multitasking capabilities, and VoIP integration will be available to all developers. To check out the latest updates from Microsoft's Windows Phone event, visit our liveblog!
Windows Phone 8 will finally deliver in-app purchases
Everyone else already does it, so it was about time that Microsoft jumped on the in-app purchasing bandwagon. With the debut of Windows Phone 8, Microsoft will now offer developers the ability to deliver additional content, upgrades and media via an integrated purchasing tool. The feature was demoed as part of the new wallet feature, which will protect you from accidentally completing an in app purchase with a PIN. What does this all mean? That you can finally have FarmVille on your Windows Phone. Cause that's what we've all been waiting for, right? Guys... where are you going? %Gallery-158736%
Microsoft demos support for NFC-enabled ads, business cards in Windows Phone 8
Microsoft spent plenty of time talking about its NFC-based mobile wallet for Windows Phone 8 today, but it has more than just payments and loyalty cards in mind for the technology. It's also showed off how a Windows Phone 8 device can be used to scan NFC-enabled advertisements or business cards. In the case of ads, Microsoft's Joe Belfiore used a recent issue of Wired to demonstrate how you can simply tap an ad in a magazine and have content pushed straight to your phone -- something that could also be used with posters or other ads out in public. With NFC-enabled business cards, you'd have the ability to automatically import a person's contact information simply by taping their card to your phone which, incidentally, is something that can also be done directly between two Windows Phone 8 devices (a la Android Beam).%Gallery-158726%
Microsoft confirms no upgrade path to Windows Phone 8, unveils 7.8 for legacy devices
The debate can now be laid to rest: devices currently running on Windows Phone 7.5 will not be on the receiving end of the long-awaited Apollo update (aka Windows Phone 8). But that doesn't mean those smartphones are at the end of the line. It's long been speculated that the reason Microsoft would want to restrict WP8 to new phones is primarily due to improvements in hardware support and the change in platform architecture, and this conjecture appears to be right on the money. After all, how can single-core devices with WVGA screens take advantage of multi-core and additional resolution support? That part makes sense, but that leaves the software side. So here's the plan to ensure current Windows Phone users stay happy: a few software benefits will be included in WP8, and a hearty helping of these killer features (such as the new Start screen) will be available to legacy devices in the form of Windows Phone 7.8. There'll be support for three tile sizes, with the smallest being fingertip size (a quarter of the standard square). The update will be delivered directly to users, sidestepping carriers, and can be done over WiFi. Update: While Microsoft was keen to announce that 7.x apps will run on Windows Phone 8, ZDNet has just confirmed, via a statement from Redmond, that apps built for the new platform won't be backwards compatible: "New applications compiled specifically for Windows Phone 8 will not be made available for Windows Phone 7.x devices." To check out the latest updates from Microsoft's Windows Phone event, visit our liveblog!
Windows Phone 8 introduces new Start screen
Yes, Windows Phone 8 is coming later this year, and it introduces some important changes to the user interface. The most noticeable is probably the new Start screen, which offers more customization and makes more efficient use of its real estate. As a user, you'll be able to choose any tile and tweak its appearance to suit your sensibilities. Sizing can be configured with a resize arrow while in customization mode and offers the option of small, medium or double-wide tiles that span the entire width of the display. All current applications will be automatically designed for small and medium versions by default and devs will be able to dive in to add support for the larger options should they feel the need to do so -- something that until today was reserved for Microsoft and its partners / carriers. What's that? You want more colors? Yeah, you'll get those too. %Gallery-158719% To check out the latest updates from Microsoft's Windows Phone event, visit our liveblog!
Windows Phone 8 to use Nokia map data with built-in turn-by-turn navigation (update: deals too)
You won't have to use a Lumia phone any longer to get Nokia's mapping expertise: Microsoft just announced that Nokia's map technology is being built into Windows Phone 8. Along with the requisite NAVTEQ map information, it'll carry many of the things that Nokia Drive users love so well, including offline map support, developer control over maps, and (you guessed it) turn-by-turn directions. That makes three major mobile platforms that have or will have driving directions baked in from the start -- it's now becoming par for the course rather than an advantage to lord over others. Update: Along with core navigation, there will also be support for Microsoft's new deals feature as part of the mapping update, so you'll know when the coffee house around the corner is discounting cappuccinos. To check out the latest updates from Microsoft's Windows Phone event, visit our liveblog!
MS teases Windows Phone 8 enterprise features: Company Hub, encryption, secure boot, IT management
At today's Windows Phone Summit, Microsoft alluded to some of the next-gen OS' enterprise features, including a trusted shared Windows core, encryption, secure boot and IT device management. Company VP Joe Belfiore recognized that some business users haven't been satisfied with the operating system's previous suite of enterprise features, and that definitely appears to be one focus of Windows Phone 8. BitLocker Drive Encryption will provide support for device security, while IT administrators will have have the ability to push apps to handsets while sidestepping the Marketplace. Office will also have a greater presence in Windows Phone 8, though we don't know exactly how that will play out just yet. Enterprise clearly hasn't been a primary target of Microsoft's mobile OS to date, but that could very well change beginning this fall. There's also a new Company Hub feature, which will allow companies their own app distribution pipe, as well as giving IT administrators the ability to highlight specific things depending on what's important to their organization. With so many Windows machines in the workplace, it's pretty smart for Microsoft to take a serious dive into this stuff, and it's honestly really slick. There's also a Microsoft IT app, which the company claims will be provided in template form so that outfits can tweak it to fit specific needs. To check out the latest updates from Microsoft's Windows Phone event, visit our liveblog!
Microsoft brings NFC payments and loyalty cards to Windows Phone 8
Well it looks like Google Wallet and Apple's Passbook have some new competition. Today at the Windows Phone Developer Summit, Microsoft shared its plans to bring NFC payments and loyalty cards to Windows Phone 8 with its very own mobile wallet feature. It's promising that it will be the "most complete wallet experience" on any phone. That of course includes support for tap-to-pay, the ability to link credit and debit cards, integration with third-party apps and, more uniquely, secure elements on the SIM card rather than the phone itself. You'll also have a PIN code option to protect all purchases on the phone. As for partners, Orange France is the only one that Microsoft has announced today, but it says that it expects to have a "good solution" with the US carrier-backed Isis initiative sometime next year (though not in time for launch). What's more, the wallet will come loaded on every Windows Phone 8 device, regardless of whether the carrier supports the SIM-based security, which will let folks use at least some of the features. Check out the latest updates from Microsoft's Windows Phone event in our liveblog!%Gallery-158715% %Gallery-158737%
