Apps

WPCentral's roundup of running/jogging apps for your Windows Phone

Several months ago the popular fitness app RunKeeper was pulled from the Windows Phone Marketplace. The reason was simple, the developer decided to drop support for the app and focus on other platforms. This opened the door for other fitness apps to step up and fill the gap.

We decided to take a peek at the popular fitness apps that concentrated on running/jogging to see what alternatives are out there. Plus Dan just joined a fitness center and is looking for a good jogging app.

After reading user reviews on the Marketplace and taking a peek at the apps ourselves, we've narrowed the field to five.  All five have similarities with online components and making use of your Windows Phone's GPS.  One even adds a storyline and a bit of suspense to your workouts.  As always, if we missed the running app that you think is the bee's knees, jump in below and share your thoughts in the comments.

Lo and behold, WhatsApp for Windows Phone has returned. The popular messenger app vanished from view just over a week ago and has remained "private" since. We got in touch with the WhatsApp team in attempt to withdraw information detailing the reasons why it was hidden from consumers who may be looking to download (or reinstall) the app, but had no luck with replies received from employees.

We later relayed the news that WhatsApp for Windows Phone was possibly removed because of security concerns and vulnerabilities. A German website reported an Android WhatsApp sniffing tool was able to intercept messages sent using the messaging app over a WiFi connection. WhatsApp later denied this as the cause for the app pull and assured Windows Phone Central that this was not a security related incident.

Goals is a Windows Phone app designed to help you keep track of your goals and the steps needed to accomplish them. Be it a long term goal such as losing weight or the shorter term goals such as planning a vacation.

Goals is laid out in a very clean, straight forward fashion. You just tap the "+" button at the bottom of the main screen to create a goal and then add steps to that goal. As you complete the steps, the goal listing will become shaded to show your progress.

Rush Hour by Winprovise is a handy Windows Phone app but caters to a narrowly focused audience. Rush Hour is a traffic monitoring app for the Klang Valley in Malaysia (Kuala Lumpur region). Rush Hour alerts you of traffic problems to allow you the chance to re-route your travels and avoid the headaches.

The app tracks everything on Bing Maps and pulls traffic information from user reports. Rush Hour will also tap into traffic cameras throughout the region

WPCentral's Roundup of Surveillance, Security and Spy apps for your Windows Phone

The Bourne Legacy hit theaters today and we felt that it would be appropriate to focus on spy type apps for your Windows Phone this week. These are apps that can be used for security, surveillance or irritating your teenage child.

We've got a security toolkit, a few hidden cameras, an audio recording app, a novelty tracking app and a spy game in this week's mix. While they may not turn you into the likes of Jason Bourne, Aaron Cross, Jacque Clouseau or even James Bond... you may find these apps can come in handy.  They can turn your Windows Phone into a nanny cam, hide your camera to capture your camera shy girlfriend and record important conversations.

Now for the obligatory disclaimer. If a title doesn't make the roundup, it shouldn't reflect poorly on that app. We've got a limited number of apps to focus on and if we've missed something, feel free to share in the comments.

Mars Attacks!

With NASA’s successful landing of the Curiosity rover on Mars late Sunday night (it was streamed live on the Xbox 360) we figured we would mention a couple Mars tie-ins for your Windows Phone and even your Xbox in case you wanted to get in on all the action.

While there aren’t an overwhelming amount of Mars-specific apps for Windows Phone there are a couple that stand out to get you in the mood...

Condé Nast Digital, the product group behind the likes of Vogue, has released an official Glamour app for Windows Phone. Glamour (website) is a popular destination for those seeking the latest news and gossip surrounding celebrities in the spotlight. 

The magazine is a global hit, is localised in a number of countries, and holds an annual "Women of the Year" award in the US. Topics include hair and beauty, fashion, life and love, and the publication also sports a number of competitions. Glamour for Windows Phone enables users to keep up-to-date with what's happening in glittered lifestyles while on the go.

Last week we reported WhatsApp had disappeared from view on the Windows Phone Marketplace (it was actually set to private), and were awaiting official clarification on the matter. Turns out, according to a report over at MonWindowsPhone, the app has a serious security flaw, which requires the team to pull the app and look into the problem. An update is well on its way.

The app enables Windows Phone owners to send messages to other devices and is available for multiple platforms. German website ComputerBild reported that an Android app, called WhatsAppSniffer, allowed users to access messages sent using WhatsApp on a WiFi network. The developers of the popular messaging service are patching the app due to it sending  messages via XMP protocol and in plain text.

We'll keep you posted and will announce when the app is available on the Marketplace with the patch bundled in an update for existing users. In the meantime, you can checkout some early images of the Windows Phone 8 version of WhatsApp.

Update: We've received word from a WhatsApp employee stating the following in an email,

"This has nothing to do with security. Please don't spread mis-information."

Take it as you will. We'll look forward to more information and possible clarification. Until then, WhatsApp is not available until the promised update is released to the Marketplace.

via: MonWindowsPhone