How would you change Nokia’s Lumia 520?
Like Samsung, Nokia’s smartphone strategy has always been focused around choice. Sometimes this results in products that are so very similar that it’s impossible to tell the difference. That’s not an issue with Nokia’s Lumia 520, the ultra-budget device that was totally swallowed in the shadow of the 620. Sharif Sakr swaddled the phone in derision, criticizing its poor performance, bad camera, unevenly-lit display and poor build quality. For many of you, we imagine you wound up getting this handset for price reasons alone, so the question that we have to ask is simple: what did you like, what did you hate, and what would you have changed? You can shoot the breeze in our forum, or why not write a review of the phone yourself?
Filed under: Cellphones, Mobile, Microsoft, Nokia
Source: Engadget Product Forums, Lumia 520 Hub
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Future Windows 8 updates will happen on a monthly schedule
Lately, we’ve gotten accustomed not just to frequent Windows updates, but to pretty meaty ones, too. First there was Windows 8.1, which ushered in new apps, features and even the “return” (not really) of the Start Button. That was followed in April by another release that generally made the OS easier to use with a mouse and keyboard. Going forward, though, Microsoft is taking a different tack: The company is ditching milestone updates in favor of smaller monthly releases. (On a “no duh” note, this does not include entirely new operating systems, like Windows 9.) Lest you think none of these changes will be interesting, Microsoft also says the tweaks might include new features, in addition to UI tweaks and under-the-hood performance improvements. As is Microsoft’s tradition, new versions of the OS will come out on “Update Tuesday,” with the next one slated for August 12th, just a few days from now.
Image credit: Associated Press
Filed under: Software, Microsoft
Via: Forbes
Source: Microsoft
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Game to start selling digital game and DLC codes for the Xbox One and 360
Retailer Game is finally back on stable ground after a few turbulent years its brother-in-arms Gamestation wasn’t lucky enough to survive. No doubt last year’s console launches begat a healthy cash injection, but beyond the obvious products that keep tills ringing, Game’s never shied away from trying new things. After adding Steam vouchers, tablets and Android consoles to its stores, it’ll also begin selling digital game and DLC download codes for the Xbox One and 360 from August 15th. Game already sells codes for PlayStation Network titles and DLC, and last month also began stocking full PS Vita game codes. It may seem counterintuitive to visit a shop for something you can purchase direct on-console, but it works for those who want to keep their card details offline, or can only pay with pocket money. And it’s not like they take up much shelf space, either.
Filed under: Gaming, HD, Microsoft
Via: MCV
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Microsoft’s new, selfie-friendly Windows Phone gets caught on camera
Rumors have swirled of Microsoft making a new Windows Phone that’s all about selfies, and it now looks like that portrait-oriented device is about to become a reality. WPCentral has scored photos of a prototype for the mid-range “Superman” (rumored to be named the Lumia 730) that would reportedly pack a 5-megapixel camera up front. That’s on par with what you’ll find on some Android phones, but it’s a big step up from the modest 1.3MP cam on the Lumia 720 this will likely replace. There’s no definitive evidence of the sensor, though, and it’s tough to verify additional claims of a 4.7-inch screen — don’t be surprised if the specs are different if and when Superman shows up.
However, the leak at least suggests that new software is coming down the pike. The hardware you see here is apparently running Debian Red, the codename for what may be a Lumia-specific take on the recently announced Windows Phone 8.1 Update 1. Just what that upgrade entails isn’t certain, but it’s safe to presume that it involves more than what Cyan offers. The real question may be when this selfie phone shows up, rather than what’s inside. While a leaked memo from Microsoft’s Jo Harlow claimed that high-end devices would show up “very soon,” it’s not clear what that means. Given that Debian Red hasn’t even been announced yet, it could be a long while before you’re holding this superheroic gadget in your hands.
Filed under: Cellphones, Mobile, Microsoft, Nokia
Via: The Verge
Source: WPCentral
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Engadget Daily: IBM’s brain-like chip, SexFit’s sensual wearable and more!
Today, we break down the ins and outs of NFL Now, learn about SexFit’s sensual wearable, investigate IBM’s incredibly powerful SyNAPSE chip, ponder Siri for Mac and more. Read on for Engadget’s news highlights from the last 24 hours.
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Microsoft wants you to say farewell to ye olde Internet Explorer
Microsoft seriously wants users let go of older Internet Explorers and move on — so much so that the company has even set a deadline. Starting on January 12, 2016, Microsoft will stop issuing security updates and providing tech support for any IE browser other than the most recent one (that’s IE 11, for the unaware). In a recent post on the IEBlog, Redmond listed a number of reasons why people should upgrade their browsers, including improved security, as IE 11 is more equipped to protect users from vulnerabilities compared to older versions. The company also explained that its latest browser is faster than its predecessors, and that website and app developers will be able to work more efficiently if everyone stops using ancient browsers that don’t support modern web standards.
In an effort to help make the transition easier, the company even listed a number of browser migration resources in the post. Enterprise customers who need to keep using web apps designed for older browsers, however, won’t have to worry about the 2016 cutoff. IE 11′s new Enterprise Mode provides backwards compatibility with legacy web apps and will continue working throughout the lifecycle of the computer’s operating system.
Filed under: Internet, Microsoft
Source: Microsoft
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Yelp’s iOS app now translates reviews you don’t understand
Itching to squeeze in a last minute summer holiday? You may want to bring Yelp’s updated iOS app with you as you traipse through the streets of Stockholm — it now lets you translate foreign reviews on the fly with just a touch, thanks to a little help from Microsoft’s Bing Translator. That means that reviews and recommendations left in any of the 15 languages Yelp supports (English, Czech, Danish, Dutch, Finnish, German, Spanish, Italian, Norwegian, French, Polish, Portuguese, Swedish, Turkish and Japanese, if you were curious) are now fair game, perfect for making sure you don’t venture into the wrong kebab joint.
If all this sounds just a little dicey, well, you may be onto something. The end results are all machine translated, so expect them to be lacking in the nuance and subtlety departments. Still, as Yelp points out on its blog, even rough translations can be enough to give a savvy traveler a sense of a spot’s worthiness, and there’s no such thing as too many opinions about lunch. Alas, Android fans can’t join the fun just yet: Yelp plans to bring this feature to you at some point soon, but the company didn’t get any more specific than that.
Via: VentureBeat
Source: Yelp Blog
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Xbox One TV Tuner lets Europeans get their television fix
When Microsoft launched the Xbox One, prospective buyers outside of the US wondered how its TV features would work in countries, like most of Europe, that still predominantly used over-the-air transmissions. The long, slightly awkward silence that followed has now been broken, with the company producing the Xbox One Digital TV Tuner. The gear is reasonably simple, converting coaxial signals at one end to a USB port that connects to the console on the other. The gear will enable people who don’t have HDMI-enabled cable boxes to watch HDTV, pause broadcasts and even use voice commands — assuming, that is, that you have a Kinect. It’ll launch towards the end of October, priced at £25 in the UK and €30 in France, Italy, Germany and Spain.
Filed under: Gaming, HD, Microsoft
Source: Microsoft
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Microsoft may ditch the Charms bar in its next big Windows update
Some would already argue that Windows 8 is anything but charming, but a slew of new reports indicate that Microsoft might give one of Windows 8′s most iconic interface elements – the Charms bar – the axe in its next big OS release. Not much for names? The Charms bar is that love-it-or-hate-it disappearing menu that offers up access to device settings, sharing and the Windows search function (among other things). The tricky bit about it is that it’s just peachy to use on touchscreen devices, but flicking your mouse cursor into a corner of your desktop’s screen to invoke it gets tiresome after a while.
For a while there, it was unclear just how sweeping this change would be: Winbeta.org originally reported that the Charms bar might only disappear from your desktop and not from tablets. ZDNet’s (awfully well-connected) Mary Jo Foley later chimed in, citing sources who claimed that the Charm bar will be completely gone once Windows Threshold starts rolling around. To hear her tell the tale, some pertinent Charm bits will find their way into the title bars of Windows 8 apps, but developers will have to implement new sharing functions if they want their users to get social. Either way, it shouldn’t be long before we start experiencing the Charm-less life for ourselves: a preview of Windows Threshold is expected to go live some time in the fall.
Via: The Verge
Source: ZDNet
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Microsoft’s idea of severance pay is a free Lumia 630
If your firm, like Microsoft, was preparing huge layoffs, you’d expect a sweet incentive to leave, like a fat check, or the right to rob the stationery cupboard guilt-free. For workers at a former Nokia factory in China, however, the reward on offer’s a little less than spectacular. MarketWatch is reporting that Microsoft is offering workers in a former Nokia factory a free Lumia 630 if they apply for the company’s voluntary resignation scheme. The handsets are being handed out on a first come, first served basis, with the first 300 employees to leave each day bagging one of the phones. Of course, given that the low-end handset retails for the equivalent of $130, it’s hardly the gold watch and golf club membership you’d expect to leave your job with.
Filed under: Cellphones, Microsoft, Nokia
Source: MarketWatch
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AIVAnet 