It's been just over a week since we released WPCentral v2.0 into the world, pushing up the total number of app downloads to over 30,000. Honestly myself and everyone involved have been absolutely blown away by the incredible feedback we've received on the site, via e-mail and of course in marketplace reviews. We couldn't be more thrilled that you guys are enjoying the new app and I wanted to say thank you one more time for the continued investment our community shows.
With that said, v2.0 is already being replaced, proving that if you want to find any mistakes in your code, just release it to the public to test in their masses!
You'll be able to download it from the marketplace right now here, but I know you're keen to know what's changed so here we go:
So I've been busy! As we've said before, v2.1 is here to tighten up the v2.0 release, with the exception of the comments refresh button it's all about tweaks and bug fixes.
However, coming in v2.2 should be the full wallpapers functionality as well as a couple of other small improvements that we're mulling over.
As always we hope you enjoy the app, and welcome your feedback in any form, whether direct to us through e-mail, site comments, or as a review on the Windows Phone marketplace.
We mentioned Sonic's Jewels (SJ7) the other day as coming to Windows Phone. The SEGA Game Gear and Master System emulator has been submitted to the Windows Phone Marketplace and should be made available to all in the next few days. Coming with a free trial, the emulator will ultimately fetch for $1.29 which we find to a great price for this well designed app.
We've playing with it for a few days now and while there is currently no sound (the devs are hoping to get that working in the future) we found the emulation and presentation top notch. The app is fluid, intuitive to use and has built in Skydrive support for importation of your ROM collection. With the ability for three saved-states per game, pinnable Live Tiles for each game and the excellent progress indicators, we're very impressed with the effort here.
We'll keep you posted when Sonic's Jewels goes live in the Marketplace in the next few days. Until then, enjoy our video tour.
A T-Mobile salesman, who is also a massive Windows Phone enthusiast, was treated by Nokia to CES 2012 in Las Vegas with VIP treatment throughout the week. These treats included helicopter and Ferrari rides, Playboy parties and more, it certainly was an eventful week.
Will this incite salestaff throughout the U.S.? We'll have to see.
Last night we reported that WhatsApp hit v1.6 with a bunch of small fixes and new features. However, many of you noted right away something wasn't right--specifically you can't open up received images or videos sent by other WhatsApp users.
That's a pretty big drawback. So what's the deal? WPCentral reader Robby Light contacted the devs and they responded:
"The submission for 1.6 came from a "tainted" build machine and was not linked correctly. This makes us fail to download media. We regret the error and have sent an update to Microsoft.
Regards,
Andrew"
So there you go. We've seen this error from other apps before where an improper build was submitted to the Marketplace and we've even seen the submission process break an app (i.e. Supertube's video uploading). Hopefully a v1.7 "quick fix" will be pushed out ASAP and you'll get all those missing photos.
Just a couple days after the Lumia 900 showed up for sale on a Czech site, it looks like the its brethren Lumia 710 and Lumia 800 are headed that way too. Computerworld.cz is reporting that the two Nokias are coming to the Czech Republic on February 1. They will be available on all of the country's carriers (O2, T-mobile and Vodafone), along with the Electroworld retail chain and Alza.cz e-shop. Word is that the 710 will fetch about 7,990 CZK and the 800 an estimated 12 490 CZK.
The two handsets will come with the Nokia Collection, Nokia's own app marketplace, as well as a twist: a choice of search engines. Users will be able to select the factory-installed Bing search or opt for Czech search engine, Seznam.cz.
"Seznam.cz is a Czech company focused on the Czech market. We are glad that we got the opportunity to offer our users the Czech search. In cooperation with the Czech representation of Nokia, we modified the home page as searching and displaying results specifically for phones Lumia, to the best possible user experience, "says Ivan Mikula, product manager for mobile services Seznam.cz. (Please forgive the Google Translate)
The search engine option is surprising, given its tight integration in Windows Phone and Nokia's close relationship with Microsoft. However, it's also a great way for Nokia, and Microsoft for that matter, to break into smaller smartphone markets around the world. A similar strategy was taken up by T-Mobile who had Google as their default search engine and later offered a selector to choose between Google and Bing.
Source: ComputerWorld; Thanks for the tip, petibear!
Security Toolkit (our review) is an app that enables the user to turn their Windows Phone into a mobile security system. From motion sensor capabilities to an intrusion alarm, Security Toolkit certainly is a neat app to play with. The app has recently been updated to 1.6. A brief list of a hundful of improvements implemented in the latest version:
You can download Security Toolkit from the Marketplace for $3.99.
We're always a fan of augmented reality apps even if we don't have a specific use for them. Augmented Colors by SimzzDev fits in that category as we're not designers or artists by any stretch. Still, that didn't prevent us from recognizing just how cool this is.
In short, the app uses your Windows Phone camera to dynamically label colors in the world by using their RGB values and HTML color codes (e.g. #FF0000 for red). When you find a color you like, you simply tap the on-screen color bar to "lock it" in. The app then hops to the share screen where you can post that color code to Twitter/Facebook/Live, email/SMS or pin-to-start for saving for later. You can even create solid wallpapers for your Lock screen based off the color for some added function.
We could see painters and graphic designers making great use of this app or even if you're just repainting a room and you're looking for that exact color for the paint store. The app works exceptionably well for what it is meant to do and for $0.99, we think it's a bargain. There's also a free-trial where you can test out the AR part (you just can't share results), so no reason to not give it a spin.
Pick up Augmented Colors here in the Marketplace.
The O2 UK blog has featured the Nokia Lumia 800 in an article that recommends top smartphones for different consumer needs and desires. The Samsung Galaxy Nexus is the "must have for anyone who wants the latest and greatest", but it's the Lumia 800 that interests us with being recommended as the perfect option for those what want something different.
"As good as all of the above devices are, they're all part of the established order of smartphone devices and platforms. If you yearn for something a little different, the Nokia Lumia 800 will be like a breath of fresh air.
First up there's the phone’s unique design, which adopts an unusual all-in-on polycarbonate shell that's as durable as it is striking to look at. What really makes the Lumia 800 feel fresh is its Windows Phone Mango operating system, which presents a heavily stylised but ultra-intuitive interface and peerless compatibility with Microsoft Office and Xbox Live."
Not a bad description, eh? Nice to see O2 actually recognise the beauty of not only Nokia's hardware, but Microsoft's mobile OS. If you'd like to note something else that's relatively interesting - the O2 UK blog header features Windows Phones (see above image).
Source: O2 UK Blog, thanks serenityangel for the tip!
Quick Shift is a puzzle game for your Windows Phone that not only challenges your powers of observation but your speed. The game presents you with a five by five grid of numbered tiles (numbered 1-5). Your job is to find number straights that run vertically or horizontally.
Each round is timed and you have a target score to meet before you can advance to the next level. The challenge comes with a secondary timer that will shift the tiles every eleven seconds. At the end of the eleven seconds, your straights are collected and points awarded. It takes a little time to catch the hang of Quick Shift and you've got to be quick at the touch. All in all, Quick Shift isn't too shabby.
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Yesterday we detailed Vodacom's launch deal for the Nokia Lumia 800 which was announced at the launch event. This is a short follow-up post with some pictures from the event, so you can see what you missed! The entirety of the Vodacom Dome has been branded with Metro tiles advertising the Nokia Lumia 800 and Windows Phone.
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