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Sound Off! What's missing from your favorite operating system?
Whether you're running the latest version of Android, iOS or Windows Phone, there's bound to be something missing from your favorite mobile operating system. Personally, I find it amazing that iOS still makes me play Whac-a-mole when it comes to clearing out my notifications panel. What are some features you can't believe are still missing? Sound off with your fellow Engadget readers in our forums.
HTC One (M8) for Windows review: Same muscle, different soul
Since Windows Phone's humble beginnings, Microsoft has been the underdog in the wireless industry. Four years later, nothing's changed -- except, perhaps, a few more percentage points of market share. Even then, it's got a long way to go before catching up to Android and iOS. Let's give the company credit for pushing forward, improving its platform and not giving up, though: When I reviewed the last major OS update, I said I could finally use Windows Phone as my daily driver. The one element that Microsoft continued to lack, however, was buy-in from large phone makers. They put more focus on Android products, which meant anyone interested in Windows Phone had a small selection of devices to choose from. For Microsoft, it's time to experiment with a new, simpler approach. The software giant has buddied up with HTC to convert the One M8, its Android flagship, into a Windows Phone. That's all there is to it. There's absolutely no change to the hardware -- and it's a fantastic idea. If it fails, neither company loses much from the deal; since they're using an existing phone, the cost of design and engineering is far lower than it would be on a standalone device. If it's successful, it may inspire other manufacturers to follow suit, resulting in a market with a wide variety of Windows Phones to choose from. If you can't beat 'em, join 'em, right?
Spotify is now free for Windows Phone
Spotify has offered free, ad-supported streaming to Android and iOS for months, leaving Windows Phone users wondering what they'd done wrong to be so roundly ignored. Today, it seems, Spotify has finally remembered that they exist, and has announced that both Windows Phone 8 and 8.1 devices will enjoy "free" music from today. The updated app, available from the Windows Store, also has a few other tweaks, including better search and discovery features, helping you to work out which artists you love, and which artists are, eh, kinda okay, I guess.
Huawei boss says Tizen has 'no chance' of success
Fans of mobile operating systems not called "Android" or 'iOS" might be sad to hear what Huawei's head honcho just told the Wall Street Journal. In an interview, Richard Yu spoke about the company's plans regarding Tizen, Windows Phone and a long-rumored homegrown OS, and basically said they were all doomed. According to the executive, unnamed mobile networks had asked Huawei to make Tizen smartphones, but Yu feels that the platform has "no chance to be successful." It's a bit of a u-turn, since the company has previously had a research unit looking into the Samsung-made software, but Yu said that he shut it down.
Viber's Snapchat-like voice feature comes to Windows Phone 8
Internet calling is what Viber's mostly known for these days, although the Rakuten-owned service does invest heavily in the messaging side of things, too. Hold & Talk (aka push-to-talk), for example, allows Viber users to send quick voice messages to each other, with the touch of a button. And now, nearly eight months after it came to iOS and Android, the feature is ready to grace Windows Phone 8 handsets. This means contacts can communicate between themselves almost instantly, in a Snapchat-like way but with voice messages rather than pictures. Viber also made some design changes to the application, which brings the looks of it more in line with Microsoft's desired guidelines after that WP 8.1 software refresh. Your move, Skype.
BlackBerry's BBM messenger app officially arrives on Windows Phone
Have a Windows Phone and crave access to BlackBerry's famed messaging app? Today's your lucky day. Announced in a video posted today, BBM is now exiting beta to become available for download in the Windows Phone store. The company said it spent considerable time tweaking the app's interface to fit with Microsoft's mobile OS, and the result is a clean UI that looks considerably different than the versions you'll see on iOS and Android (not to mention BlackBerry OS 10). BBM for Windows consists of three main screens -- chats, feeds and contacts -- and you'll have the ability to pin a chat right to your phone's start screen. Windows Phone users who are new to BBM can pick up a few tips on getting started via the video (posted below). As of this posting, the app wasn't yet live in the Windows Phone store, but the rollout should begin shortly.
Microsoft takes shot at Siri in new ad
Microsoft's Cortana voice assistant is an impressive addition to the company's Windows Phone software, and while Siri's update in iOS 8 will likely give Apple's digital gal the edge once again, Cortana has the lead at the moment. Microsoft decided to take advantage of its current "window" of superiority by releasing a new ad mocking the less impressive Siri. The clip "compares" Siri and Cortana by showing a couple of Cortana's new abilities that Apple has yet to add to its assistant. Cortana shows off her skills at sussing out complicated directives involving names of contacts and specific places, while Siri admits her inferiority. There's no denying that, at least for the moment, Cortana is a good deal more powerful than the virtual helper living inside the iPhone. Unfortunately for Microsoft, people need to actually own the device before they can use Cortana, and the company still isn't quite sure how to make that happen. [via TechCrunch]
Cortana won't sound like Cortana on UK Windows Phones
Now that Microsoft is rolling Windows Phone 8.1 out to handsets, users can now start chatting with its new virtual assistant, Cortana. Right now, she's limited to the US, but the Cortana man at Microsoft, Marcus Ash, has tweeted that "barring an unforeseen issue," the UK developer preview will go live in "less than two weeks" and, wait for it, not feature the reassuring tones of Jen Taylor, the original talent behind Halo's Cortana. Like Apple's Siri, Cortana will adopt a British accent when it rolls out, presumably to make owners feel more comfortable when interacting with the digital sidekick. Sure, she'll still take notes, dictate messages and offer up calendar alerts and reminders, she just won't sound like the Cortana you've relied upon during many a gaming session (unless you indulge in a bit of location trickery).
Microsoft's first post-Nokia phone is the budget Lumia 530
With Nokia's range of Android-powered smartphones all but dead, Microsoft is pushing its newly-acquired Lumia line harder than ever. Today, it's introduced the lowest-priced Windows Phone to date, the Lumia 530, delivering middle-of-the-road specs for €85 ($114). For that, you'll get a 4-inch FWVGA (854 x 480) display, quad-core 1.2GHz Qualcomm Snapdragon 200 processor, 512MB of RAM and 4GB of internal memory (with support for 128GB microSD storage). There's also a 5-megapixel camera on the rear (no selfie camera here folks), which is controlled by Microsoft's latest Windows Phone 8.1 software. That, of course, offers access to Cortana (if you're in the US), the new WordFlow swipe keyboard and a multitude of other custom Microsoft- and Nokia-crafted apps. Like its older siblings, the Lumia 530 will also come in both single and dual SIM (3G) variants and offer interchangeable back covers, which will be available in the traditional orange, green, white and dark grey colors. Microsoft's latest Lumia will go on a global tour in the near future, starting with an initial rollout in "select markets" from next month.
Nokia's exclusive take on Windows Phone 8.1 is rolling out now
After months of waiting, Nokia (the part now owned by Microsoft) has begun rolling out its Windows Phone 8.1 update to Lumia handsets. Dubbed "Cyan," this software refresh delivers a plethora of new features to existing Nokia devices, including Microsoft's gesture-capable World Flow keyboard, greater customization options (both for Live Tiles and the new-look People Hub), new Nokia photo apps, Office app improvements and, if you live in the US, access to Microsoft's new digital assistant, Cortana.
Roku's remote control app comes to Windows Phones and tablets
This is not a great day for developers of the various third-party Roku apps available at the Windows Store. It's an excellent day, however, for those who've been waiting on a free remote control app direct from the company itself. The app is compatible with Windows Phones as well touchscreen Windows 8 and RT tablets, but it's not designed for mouse n' keyboard setups. Just like the iOS and Android versions, it'll scan your network and (hopefully) find all your players and channels, at which point it'll act just like a regular remote, although it does appear to be missing the new enhanced search function found elsewhere. One other thing you might find lacking is the ability to stream your own choice of web files (.mov, .mp3 etc.) to your Roku box -- you'll still need an unofficial app for wild stuff like that.
Her name is Cortana. Her attitude is almost human.
She was modeled after real-life personal assistants. She is the product of two years of work, and a large team of scientists and product managers. She has video game origins. She is Microsoft's response to Siri and Google Now. She is Artificial Intelligence and proud of it. She is Cortana.
Microsoft's UK Store will now sell you a Windows Phone
It's weird to think that before Microsoft spent a few billion euros to acquire Nokia's smartphone division, it didn't sell Windows Phone handsets directly on its online UK store. Now that Nokia is officially part of the mothership, Redmond has begun getting its house in order and has made three Nokia smartphones available to buy direct. This means you can order the Windows Phone 8.1-powered Lumia 630 for £129, the Lumia 1320 for £329 and Nokia's current flagship, the Lumia 1520, for £549. A quick shop around might let you pick up the two older smartphones for less, but if you're looking to get a new Windows Phone direct from the source, Microsoft's got you covered.
Revamped iPlayer app for Windows Phone adds live TV but drops radio
Windows Phone users typically have to wait longer for apps and updates than their iOS and Android counterparts, but the latest BBC iPlayer rollout tips things back in Microsoft's favour. As part of its ongoing iPlayer revamp, the Beeb has pushed live an new version of the Windows Phone app, delivering up-to-date channel pages, themed programme collections and clearer categories. On top of that, the app has a new media player that automatically delivers the best quality streams depending on a user's connection. Windows Phone users will also be able to watch live TV for the first time, but the feature comes at a cost. Radio content will no longer be available after the BBC decided to cut the option in order to offer "the best TV viewing experience in iPlayer." The good news is that the iPlayer Radio team expects to release a new app with "an optimised listening experience," meaning users won't have to go too long without access to The Archers.
Two more companies sign up to build Windows Phone handsets
Microsoft may have its own phone business now, but that doesn't mean that other companies can't still produce Windows Phone handsets under their own flags. Redmond's China VP Zhang Yongli has announced that both China's K-Touch and Florida's Blu Products have signed up to produce mobile devices using Microsoft's operating system. Given that both companies skew towards the cheaper end of the market, we can expect a slew of low end devices hitting the market later in the year. Hopefully, the move will help to bolster the platform in both the US and China, two places where Microsoft's market share remains well behind closest rival Android. [Image credit: Livesino]
Microsoft says 'shwmae' to the Welsh language
If you've ever struggled to understand what Cymru am byth means, you'll have found that few web translators are prepared to help you out. That's changed now, thanks to a deal between Microsoft and the Welsh Assembly, which teamed up to bring the language to Office, Bing and the Windows and Windows Phone translator apps. The country's national body passed a law back in 2012 requiring public bodies to treat both English and Welsh equally, but didn't have the tech necessary to ensure all employees had access to translation gear. Both parties are keen to stress that, despite the official involvement, it's just as (un)reliable as translators for other languages, but hey, at least one or two kids might avoid our childhood fate of having gau'r drws barked us by an annoyed Grandmother and not knowing what the hell it meant.
John McAfee's latest project is yet another secure messaging app
Now that John McAfee's days of running from the law appear to be over, he's been left with plenty of time to slam the company he founded and mull over products that originally made him famous. We've already heard about DeCentral, a pocket-sized device that's designed to block government agencies by creating secure private networks (that we've yet to lay eyes on), but the anti-virus pioneer has also been working on some new software tools too. One of those is Chadder, a secure messaging app that joins a long list of existing encryption-toting messaging services (think Wickr or Telegram) that promise to stop your communications from being spied upon by the NSA and other nefarious types.
Windows Phone may come to your car with Cortana as copilot
Microsoft has a home in the automotive world, but it doesn't have a way to bring a phone's interface to your car's infotainment system -- there's no Windows Phone equivalent to Apple's CarPlay. That might change before long, though. The software giant used a presentation at this week's Build conference to show off Windows in the Car, a conceptual platform that would adapt Windows Phone's apps and basic functions to in-vehicle interfaces. Not surprisingly, the MirrorLink-based tech looks like a cross between Microsoft's mobile and desktop interfaces; while you're running mobile apps, they get more on-screen buttons than usual to help you complete tasks faster and keep your eyes on the road. The software also focuses more on voice commands (Cortana is mentioned as a good fit), and it could eventually restrict complex app functions while you're driving. You might not get to add music to a playlist until you're parked, for instance.
Daily Roundup: Amazon Fire TV, Microsoft announces Windows Phone 8.1 and more!
You might say the day is never really done in consumer technology news. Your workday, however, hopefully draws to a close at some point. This is the Daily Roundup on Engadget, a quick peek back at the top headlines for the past 24 hours -- all handpicked by the editors here at the site. Click on through the break, and enjoy.
MLB at Bat for Windows Phone adds push notifications and pitch tracking
Opening day is here! ...sort of. This year's quest for a World Series ring kicks off Down Under today, with the Dodgers and the Diamondbacks squaring off at the Sydney Cricket Ground (yes, they're still playing baseball). Of course, everyone else is still playing Spring Training games until the weekend of March 31st. But Major League Baseball is making sure all of its mobile app ducks are in a row ahead of time. In particular its Windows Phone MLB at Bat app is getting a long overdue update for the 2014 season. Now you can get live pitch-by-pitch tracking for games and set up push notifications for scores and news. Those features have been available on iOS and Android for quite sometime now, so this is less a major step forward and more about feature parity. But still, we're sure those that fall in the middle of the baseball and windows phone fan venn diagram are extremely happy.
