File this under rumor, folks, as these screenshots can easily be faked, but PocketPC.ch is reporting that Windows Phone "Tango" will be known as Windows Phone 7.6 and has the build number starting at 7.20.1050.5. More importantly, they allege that it will include Google+ in addition to Skype. Via Bing Translator:
"In this early beta phase, the implementation of Skype and G + is still rather experimental. Telephoning via Skype seems to work not as yet, but it is prepared. G + chat and Skype chat work but already well. The front camera, which will be the next generation of Windows phones standard, is included in the Skype video calling. It is thus possible to receive video calls and to make, but in the pre beta with some problems and crashes. That Google Hangout, the video calling G +, will also follow, is likely, but the timing is still unclear, given that the API of G + is still not so far advanced, to make this possible."
In other words, the reason we have not yet seen an app for Windows Phone is because Microsoft has evidently pushed up the integration from Apollo (Windows Phone 8) to Tango (Windows Phone 7.6), making this update much more significant. In addition, Microsoft is also evidently pushing out Google+ into the mix which makes sense from a "cover the market" perspective, but should be surprising to many including those on Android, assuming it is true.
Hopefully we'll find out more in the coming weeks as to the validity of this leaked image and the content therein. But if accurate, "Tango" looks to be quite major, indeed.
Edit: As pointed out in comments by J45PER, the font for the o's in "Google" look and are spaced differently than "Facebook", calling into question the validity of the image. However, it's not clear if PocketPC.ch is claiming the screenshot is real or were just using it for illustrative purposes.
Source: PocketPC.ch; Thanks, Benjamin, for the tip!
Looking for a painfully difficult physics game for your Windows Phone? Take a look at Daredevil Mouse.
This multi-level game has you controlling a mouse through multiple jumps to get a piece of cheese. Daredevil Mouse is a game where you send your mouse, encased in a hamster ball, through a series of jumps, twists and twirls to snag a piece of cheese. The multi-level game isn't for the faint of heart (either that or I'm really bad at this game) and while the challenge can be frustrating, it also seems to draw you back to the game.
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Team Lifelens, United States. Team members (not in order): Tristan Gibeau, Cy Khormaee, Wilson To, Jason Wakizaka and Helena Xu.
We've mentioned Team LifeLens before way back in April 2011. The student group won the Microsoft Imagine Cup back in July for Windows Phone with their app for detecting Malaria. The app itself is part of a package that includes the software, hardware lens and computer vision analysis tools and can literally be used for live-Malaria testing on individuals. The data can then be sent "to the cloud" for data banking and further statistical analysis--great for tracking epidemics and the like.
Now, Microsoft is going further with the Imagine Cup project by committing $3 million dollars to the newly created "...three-year...competitive grant program for student technology and social entrepreneurs". Each of the winning teams were given $75 thousand dollars to help get their project to market in addition to
" ...software, cloud computing services, solution provider support, premium Microsoft BizSpark account benefits and access to local resources such as the Microsoft Innovation Centers. Microsoft will also connect grant recipients with its network of investors, nongovernmental organization partners and business partners.
You can watch the video to get an idea of how the app works. It does truly seem useful and it's great to see students (and Microsoft) working towards such a worthy cause using Windows Phones. Check out the other team winners announced yesterday at the World Economic Forum (WEF) in Davos, Switzerland with Bill Gates at the Imagine Cup site.
A big congratulations to Team LifeLens and all the Imagine Cup Grant winners!
We last mentioned Microsoft's Cafe Mango back in November. Back then, the truck was here on the East coast in New York and New Jersey to tie in with the big Mango push on AT&T and T-Mobile.
Now we got word that the promotional truck, filled with Mango treats and sandwiches, was out in Aliso Viejo, California in front of an AT&T store. By giving away some free food and some hands on with Windows Phones, Microsoft hopes to get some converts. It's certainly an interesting approach and we've heard nothing but good things from those who've managed to get the Mango-experience.
You can follow the Cafe Mango Team on Twitter (@CafeMangoToGo) to see where they're going next--stop by and show'em some love if they're near you, tell'em WPCentral sent you!
Thanks, Rudy R., for the pics
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.
