WindowsPhoneApp
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Microsoft adds WP8 app to Windows Store just in time for launch
If you're aiming to get your hands on one of the many Windows Phone 8 devices launching later today, it would be nice to be able to sync it with your Windows 8 PC, no? Redmond has you covered in the nick of time, as it's just released the free Windows Phone app to its Windows Store. That'll let you get music, photos, or video over to your computer and back, use Windows 8 apps to share things like searches, automatically save photos or videos taken with your phone to your PC and check your phone's storage to see how it's being used. It'll also let allow you to download phone apps and learn more about your device, while pulling off a trick we've saw first with Apple, then WP7 -- letting you track down your smartphone if it goes missing. You can grab it at the source, then all you'll need is a WP8 (or 7.8) handset -- so stay tuned for our liveblog at 10:00 am PST / 1:00 pm EST to see when that might happen.
Nokia and AOL announce Entrance, an entertainment app for Nokia's Windows Phone devices
In case you didn't notice, Microsoft and Nokia are holding a pretty major press event right now, and while we've mainly been waiting for some shiny new hardware, a few fresh apps never hurt either. Nokia just made a joint announcement with AOL, unveiling an entertainment hub called Entrance, which will be available only on Nokia's Windows Phone devices. AOL (which happens to be Engadget's parent company) naturally used the app as a way to highlight its various properties, including Moviefone, AOL Music and Huffington Post Entertainment. So, for example, you might watch trailers or buy tickets on Moviefone, or read news from HuffPo. Like its various Android apps, it includes Shoutcast Radio integration with streaming from over 55,000 radio stations worldwide. Perhaps the most compelling bit, though, is an augmented reality feature with overlays for movie posters and show times. The app's free and available for download at the source link below, and we've also got some screenshots to help give you a sense for the look and feel.
Square CEO hints at Windows Phone app, says Starbucks funding will go toward 'international efforts'
As you probably have heard -- it's created quite some buzz, after all -- Starbucks just announced a partnership with Square to accept mobile payments via the Pay with the Square app. That's huge news for Square, which currently processes transactions for some 75,000 merchants, as the coffee retailer is one of the largest national chains to integrate with the payment service. At a breakfast in New York today, Square CEO and Twitter founder Jack Dorsey and Starbucks CEO Howard Schultz fielded questions about the partnership's importance. While most of the talk centered on the rollout that will bring Square payments to 7,000 Starbucks stores ahead of the holiday season, the discussion also touched upon other areas of expansion for the mobile payments company. Currently, the Pay with Square app is only available on iOS and Android. Asked whether a Windows Phone app is in the making, Dorsey said, "We will definitely build for where the users are, and we're excited about the Windows Phone interface." Take that as you will. Starbucks will start accepting Square payments ahead of the holiday season, and Dorsey said the coffee retailer's $25 million investment will be used for hiring and to expand "international efforts." Starbucks, which has 18,000 stores in 60 countries, would certainly be a natural partner in any overseas plans.
