Microsoft brings Movie Moments and Reading List to Windows Phone 8.1

Microsoft is bringing two of its Windows 8.1 apps to Windows Phone 8.1 today: Movie Moments and Reading List. Movie Moments is a simple video editing app designed to create shareable 60-second clips, and the Windows Phone 8.1 version is very similar to the full Windows 8.1 app. Trimming, captions, and background music are all supported, alongside sharing options to OneDrive, email, Facebook, and more.

Reading List is perhaps the more interesting app released today for those who use both a Windows 8.1 PC and a Windows Phone 8.1 handset. Reading List is Microsoft’s own version of Instapaper or Pocket, allowing Windows users to store links or app content that’s synced between devices. Until today it was a feature only supported on Windows 8.1, but the Windows Phone 8.1 app provides the ability to pick up links on the go and filter and sort articles into categories. It’s all synced between Windows 8.1 and Windows Phone 8.1, and it’s the latest example of Microsoft bridging its desktop and phone apps together. The latest Bing apps released in February also include similar sync features between Windows and Windows Phone.

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Solution to 'FaceTime' Problem Observed in iOS 6, iOS 7 and OS X

Are you one of those facing problems with FaceTime calls? Many users of iPhone, iPad, iPod touch and OS X have observed that they are not able to make calls with FaceTime from the beginning of April this year.

For those unfamiliar with FaceTime, it is an Apple application that allows users to make video calls and audio calls with other FaceTime users over a Wi-Fi or cellular data connection. It is one of the most used applications by Apple users ever.

Apple device users who are still sticking to the older versions of iOS 6, iOS 7 or OS X are the ones most affected by this problem. With so many complaints getting logged over a period of time, Apple recently acknowledged the problem and responded back by releasing a support articleon its website which describes the cause and the fix for the underlying problem.

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Why wait for iOS 8? Here are 15 great iPhone apps that will make you healthier

Apple will unveil iOS 8, the next major update for its hugely popular mobile operating system, on June 2nd during its big WWDC 2014 keynote. While the new platform’s unveiling is still more than a month away, we have already seen details begin to trickle out from a few very reliable sources. In fact, we have even seen some screenshots of iOS 8 leak that were confirmed to be authentic. While Apple undoubtedly has plenty in store for us with its new smartphone and tablet software, one theme keeps popping up:iOS 8 will focus on fitness.

Of course, you don’t have to wait for Apple’s next big software update for your iPhone to help you get healthier.

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India's multiplex chains, Spice and SRS Cinemas launch Windows Phone apps

Spice Cinemas and SRS Cinemas, two leading multiplex chains in India, have released their mobile ticketing apps for Windows Phone last month. The apps allow you to check show times, choose your seats, and buy tickets with several payment options. All handy features when you are on the run.

Both the apps are published by Bigtree Entertainment Private Limited, and is a clone of the BookMyShow app. BookMyShow, a product of the same company, is India’s largest entertainment ticketing service, and has had an app on Windows Phone since forever. Few months back too, a similar app was released forFun Cinemas, another multiplex chain.

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The real reason Nokia went with Windows Phone instead of Android

For a long time coming, Nokia’s resistance to join Android was portrayed by the Finnish company with a stern stance. Then-executive Anssi Vanjoki even joked about it, saying an OEM using Android is like a Finnish boy peeing their pants for warmth in the winter. That’s a statement that never fails to pop to the front of our minds every time we think about their Android-powered Nokia X line.

It appears that comment was more truthful than it was funny, though, with Nokia’s latest explanation injecting a lot more sense into it. In a recent ask me anything session, CEO Stephen Elop recently revealed the reasoning behind going with Windows Phone instead of Android:

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iOS 7.1.1 on iPhone 5 Review

Last week, Apple released the first update to its iOS 7.1 update that was first released back in March. iOS 7.1.1 debuted for all devices on Apple’s iOS 7 operating system and it’s aimed at fixing a few of the iOS 7 problems that iPhone and iPad owners had been experiencing prior to its arrival. After spending a week with the iOS 7.1.1 on iPhone 5, we want to take a look at how it’s performing on Apple’s former flagship.

In March, after a lengthy waiting wait, Apple released the first major update to its iOS 7 operating system in the form of iOS 7.1. iOS 7.1 serves as a bridge between iOS 7 and Apple’s upcoming iOS update, iOS 8. It’s a bridge because it’s more than your standard incremental iOS update. Instead of just bug fixes, iOS 7.1 brought new features, design tweaks, performance enhancements, and more to iPhone and iPad owners.

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Top Features of Apple iOS 7.1.1: Keyboard, Touch ID and More

Apple just released the iOS 7.1.1 last April 22. The iOS update intends to address a number of bugs as well as problems affecting keyboard responsiveness. The iOS 7.1.1 also introduced enhancements to the Touch ID fingerprint sensor found on the iPhone 5s. Users can download the update for their iPhone or iPad. 

Those who wish to use the iOS 7.1.1 can get the firmware via the Software Update under the Settings section of their iOS device. According to the documentation released by Apple, the firmware update offers "improvements, bug fixes and security updates." Apple also claimed that owners of iPhone 5s can check additional improvements in the Touch ID fingerprint sensor following installation. This has been a practice for the company since the introduction of the device in the previous year. 

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iOS 6 users no longer able to use FaceTime, iOS 7 upgrade required

Beginning on April 16, some iPhone, iPad, and iPod Touch owners running Apple's last-generation mobile operating system, iOS 6, found themselves unable to make FaceTime video calls. Originally, it appeared to be a routine system outage that could be quickly resolved, but it appears that Apple has no plans to fix the issue and, instead, is encouraging users to upgradeto iOS 7 -- a free software update -- to continue making FaceTime calls.

The main problem is that iOS 7 makes significant changes to the user interface, and many users, particularly the less savvy kind, simply prefer to stay with the older operating system.

It also affects users who prefer to jailbreak their devices -- basically a hack that allows iOS owners to customize their phones in a variety of ways not normally allowed by Apple. The latest version of iOS 7 is not jailbreakable, and some users simply prefer to stick with the tried-and-true operating system that they're familiar with.

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Microsoft adds support for Windows Phone 8.1 in latest update to Windows Intune

Windows Intune is a cloud-based management solution for IT departments that allows them to remotely control PCs and mobile devices. Microsoft has announced a new update rolling out to Intune that will allow the service to support Samsung KNOX and Windows Phone 8.1.

Samsung’s KNOX platform is a relatively new enterprise mobile security solution. It allows Samsung devices, like the Galaxy S5, to handle both business and personal content on the same handset. Intune now supports device configuration settings through the KNOX standard.

Windows Phone 8.1 users in an Intune environment can look forward to additional device configuration settings, sideloading enhancements, selective wipe, support for Web Authentication Broker (WAB) enrollment and automatic MDM certificate renewal.

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FileEx – true file explorer for Windows Phone 8.1

The first real file explorer for Windows Phone 8.1.

Supports batch file and folder operations and transparent tiles!

FileEx is the first real file explorer for your Windows Phone 8.1 device. You are a few taps away from any folder and file in your phone! Performing file operations was never easier. Moving, copying, deleting multiple files and folders at once? Sharing multiple files to any sharing enabled app or via NFC, Bluetooth or e-mail? Or batch renamingmultiple files at once? FileEx can do all of that!

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BLU Products working on a Windows Phone device

BLU Products is the company we best known for their affordable Android devices. Now they’re looking to expand to other markets, and eventually launch a Windows Phone device.

The image you can see above was shared onBLU’s Facebook page, hinting us we’ll soon see a BLU smartphone running Microsoft’s mobile platform.

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How Apple is using iOS to control the iPad upgrade cycle

Following Apple's Q2 earnings there has been concern from some quarters that iPad sales are flagging and that we may have hit what pundits call 'peak iPad.'

That's the hype, but what about the facts? The fact is that Apple is carefully control the iPad upgrade cycle.

Before I go on, some facts.

• Apple sold 16.35 million tablets (which includes the iPad and iPad mini tablets)
• This figure is down 37 percent on the previous quarter, and down 16 percent on the year-ago quarter
• However, it still represents the fifth best quarter for the iPad, behind Q1 14, Q1 13, Q2 13, and Q3 12.

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iOS 7.1.1 on iPad Air Review

Last week, Apple pushed out its first update to the iOS 7.1 update that rolled out back in March. The update arrived in the form of iOS 7.1.1 and it brings iOS 7 users several bug fixes. After spending a week with Apple’s brand new iOS 7.1.1 update, we want to take a look at how it’s performing on Apple’s current 9.7-inch iPad, the iPad Air.

In March, after a lengthy stay inside Apple’s beta program, iOS 7.1 was released to the public. All iPhones and iPads running iOS 7 were eligible to upgrade to Apple’s latest version of iOS 7. The update delivered not only bug fixes but it also introduced some design changes and performance enhancements for owners of Apple’s mobile devices.

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Windows Phone 8.1 review: The good, the bad and the ugly

Windows Phone 8.1 is here and with it a plethora of new features that ensure it can stand up against its Android and iOS brethren, including an Action Centre and the Cortana voice assistant. The update was released by Microsoft for developers and anyone who takes a few minutes of their day to enrol, which means this is the full shebang and not a pre-production version.

From day one, Digital Spy has been putting Windows Phone 8.1 through its paces to see whether Microsoft has taken a step in the right direction with the biggest update yet.
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iOS 8 is poetry in motion in this stunning new video

When Tim Cook takes the stage at WWDC in a couple months, everyone is expecting him to unveil the latest iteration of Apple’s mobile operating system, iOS 8… the first major update to the OS since Jony Ive drastically overhauled it.

Most of us at this point have come around to iOS 7 being an improvement on iOS 6, but even so, there’s lots of room for improvement. And if iOS 8 ends up looking anything nearly as good as this concept video from TechRadar, I think we’ll all be very pleased indeed.

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Apple iPads to get Fingerprint Scanner According to Apple iOS 7.1 Code Hint: Report

Apple's iOS 7.1 code hints at a Touch ID fingerprint scanner for iPads, according to a new report by V3.

The news first came out on Twitter from an independent iOS developer, who posted an image containing the code. It happens to contain a reference to two 'integers,' essentially devices that will have the ability to use Touch ID. Check out the image below.

Currently, the Touch ID tool is available only on the iPhone 5S, Apple's latest and greatest smartphone.

However, for several months now, rumour mills have suggested that Apple will add Touch ID functionality to its next line of iPads that are expected to launch during late 2014.

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Purported Windows Phone 8.1.1 Changelog Appears Online

Not too long ago Microsoft officially unveiled Windows Phone 8.1. Despite the fact that it has already released a developer preview of said update, Windows Phone 8.1 is yet to be rolled out to users. Its easy to get your hands on the developer preview though as anyone with a compatible device can install it very easily. Release for the general public is scheduled for this summer. Purported changelog of the Windows Phone 8.1.1 has appeared online on reddit. Most of the improvements seem to focus on Action Center and Cortana.

It is possible that this update may actually be the Windows Phone 8.1 GDR 1 update that has been rumored recently. Word on the street is that the first GDR update will be released soon after the general public release of Windows Phone 8.1, the expected timeframe is July.

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The perfect iOS email app finally exists, but we wish it wasn’t free

I hate email. The team at The Next Web can attest to just how often I complain about email. Email is slow, cumbersome, often overwhelming and hard to deal with. There’s just so much of it. I’ve always been bad at email and despite great solutions like Mailbox existing, I’ve never found the perfect iOS email client.

Up until recently, I’ve been using the built-in iOS email client to get mail from my four Gmail accounts, mostly because the Gmail app lacks a unified inbox (it’s also pretty slow) and Mailbox, while useful, lacks a desktop app (there’s a beta coming soon) which makes the workflow a little painful.

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iOS 7.1 Jailbreak – Let’s Look On The Bright Side

We know lof of you are eagerly waiting for an iOS 7.1 jailbreak solution. However, the fact that one hasn’t been released yet might be a good thing, at least for some

As the vast majority of iPhone and iPad users know, Apple has recently released a new version of iOS – specifically version 7.1 – which brought numerous tweaks and improvements to the table. While iOS 7 has been already jailbroken, the iOS 7.1 jailbreak is still not here yet. Although this may sound frustrating for iOS 7.1 users who are still waiting for jailbreaking solutions, there’s actually a good side of the story.

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Windows Phone 8.1 Tip: Manage Notifications

Windows Phone 8.1 dramatically improves how Microsoft's smart phone platform deals with notifications from the OS and from apps. Now, in addition to live tile updates and banner notifications, the system includes a new notification manager called Action Center. It is arguably the single best new feature in Windows Phone 8.1.

I've often noted in the past that Windows Phone wasn't just different from Android and iOS, the other major mobile platforms, but that it was better. This is, I think, an important distinction: Rather than just copy how other systems work, as Google did with Android, Microsoft designed Windows Phone to work well for the people who actually use it. The firm now expresses this viewpoint in its slogan about Windows Phone being the most personal smart phone system.

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Apple iOS 8 Release Date Coming: 6 More Features That Should Be Included In The Update

Last Wednesday, I wrote a list of six features that I think Apple should include in iOS 8. The next version of the mobile operating system will probably be announced at Apple’s annual Worldwide Developers Conference, held in San Francisco on June 2-6. In the hopes that Apple is paying attention, here are six more features that we'd love to see included in the next release of iOS.

Touch ID Profiles

The iPhone 5s has a great feature in  Touch ID system. The capacitive ring and fingerprint scanner enable users to securely login to their device and purchase songs and apps without their Apple ID password. Rumorhas it that the next iPad Air, presumably called the iPad Air 2, will also feature the Touch ID system, which means iOS 8 would be the perfect opportunity to launch profiles for iOS. Each user could have a separate profile on the device, meaning apps could be in unique locations and accounts could have separate logins, all associated with the user's fingerprint. While this is obviously more versatile for iPads, parents could set up unique profiles for young children on their iPhones as well.

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Five cool things to do with your Windows Phone

LOS ANGELES — With smartphone maker Nokia part of the fold, Microsoft is ramping up efforts on its Windows Phone platform. You've probably seen ads for Nokia phones touting impressive hardware specs such as the Lumia 1020's 41-megapixel camera sensor, but Microsoft also recently made a bunch of software updates it will release in coming months. The company recently traveled here to show off the best features of the Windows Phone 8.1 update — besides Cortana, the personalized digital assistant, of course.

Here are five fun things you'll be able to do with Windows Phone 8.1.

1) Social media integration

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The purported Windows Phone 8.1.1 feature list is fake

It's Saturday. Go out with friends, call your mother, do some house chores. No need to get wrapped up onsupposed "Windows Phone 8.1.1" update nonsense. 

If it sounds too good to be true (and there's no proof given), it probably is (and trust me, this is bogus). Having said that, let's have a real discussion: What do you want to see in Update 1 for 8.1? Sound off below!

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Apple iOS 7.1.1 Jailbreak Geeksnow for iPhone 4; Evasion 7 Jailbreak Available for iPhone 5S, iPhone 5, iPad Air

An Apple iOS 7.1.1 jailbreak is now available for iPhone 4 users. Apple iOS 7.0 through 7.0.6 users can also find a jailbreak for their iPhone 5S, iPhone 5, and iPad Air. 

The iOS 7.1.1 jailbreak called Geeksnow launched on Friday for iPhone 4 users only. Andrea Bentivegna developed the software jailbreak. According to a report by the International Business Times, Geeksnow is a semi-tethered jailbreak that requires connecting their device to a computer if you desire to bring your device back to a jailbroken condition after restarting it. If a computer does not have the Geeksnow software, your device can return to a non-jailbroken state. 

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iOS 7.1.1 Update Provides Significant Improvements to iPhone and iPad Battery Life

Apple has released its iOS 7.1.1 update very recently, and it fixed few bugs introduced by the earlier roll out of iOS 7.1 update and Touch ID improvements.

Apparently, these are not the only improvements with this new update; not so long ago, many iPhone users complained about their battery getting depleted right in front of their eyes upon updating to iOS 7.1. According to reports, Apple's latest software update has brought in the much required improvement to battery life.

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Microsoft Releases First Update to Xbox Music for Windows Phone 8.1

Last week, Microsoft revealed that it has placed the Xbox Music app for Windows Phone 8.1 in a particularly speedy biweekly update schedule. Today, we see the first results from that effort: The first interim update to Xbox Music for Windows Phone 8.1.

You can read about the general plans in Microsoft to Improve Xbox Music for Windows Phone 8.1, Other Platforms. In that article, I noted the biweekly schedule for updates—which is quite aggressive even in this age of rapid releases—and some of the fixes and changes Microsoft planned to deliver in this first update as well as future updates.

Today's release is identified as Xbox Music for Windows Phone 8.1 version 2.5.2842. The actual list of changes is quite a bit shorter than what I'd expected to see, but it includes:

Full Cortana integration including playing Playlists by name

UI polish to improve animations and transitions between UI views

Improved messaging for encountered errors, such as unplayable content in collections

Numerous stability fixes, including many of the reported black screens

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Microsoft fixes bugs with OneDrive app on Windows Phone 8.1

On Friday, Microsoft updated its OneDrive application for Windows Phone to better support larger phones and facilitate uploads, solving problems that Windows Phone 8.1 OS users had complained about.

The OneDrive application is a minor update, shrinking the tile size of icons displayed on larger phablets like the Lumia 1520, and facilitating uploads of more than one file at a time. Files stored on OneDrive can now be opened by other apps (such as a photo editor), and files can be shared from other apps to OneDrive.

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iOS 8 Beta Registration Promises Early Access for $8

The iOS 8 beta will arrive right after the WWDC 2014 kickoff on June 2nd if Apple sticks to the normal plans and offers developers day one access to the new version of iOS 8, and a popular service is back to let average iPhone owners pay $8 to be a part of the iOS 8 beta program.

WWDC is a developer event in San Francisco where Apple shows off a new version of iOS and then shows developers how the features work. In order to make the training and learning easier Apple normally offers a developer beta of the app within hours of the announcement. We expect to see an iOS 8 beta by the end of the day on June 2nd.

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New iOS 8 concept shows off every key feature that has leaked so far

A new concept video from TechRadar shows what iOS 8 may look like based on various leaks and reports that have detailed purported iOS 8 features. The publication has also imagined a bigger iPhone model that packs a large edge-to-edge display that curiously lacks a Touch ID-enabled Home button.

Healthbook, one of the major iOS 8 applications, has a design similar to what’s available in the Passbook app. The app would sync with the iWatch to gather several health and fitness parameters to help you track your heart rate, blood sugar, hydration, blood pressure, respiratory rate, oxygen saturation, fitness activity, nutrition and sleep. Apple is rumored to include various sensors in its iWatch, although it’s yet to confirm what its first wearable device will actually be able to track all of these key health indicators.

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Tonido released for Windows Phone 8 for remote access to your home computer

Tonido (www.tonido.com) is a personal cloud service, that spans multiple mobile platforms. It was released back in 2012 for Windows Phone 7. Better late than never, a Windows Phone 8 version of Tonido has been released and shows a bit of promise.

What is Tonido you ask? Tonido is a Windows Phone 8 app that allows you to remotely access your entire collection of documents, photos, music and videos that are stored on your home computer. With Tonido you can stream music and videos, download files for offline use, and upload photo and videos captured from your Windows Phone to your PC. It's not just a cloud, but rather your 'personal cloud', where storage and your privacy are not an issue.

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Windows Phone Overtakes BlackBerry In The US [Report]

While iOS and Android remain as the top two mobile operating systems and have a chunk of the market share, let’s not forget that there are other platforms out there, like Windows Phone and BlackBerry, both of whom have been vying for third place. We expect that their respective companies would prefer if they were in 1st or 2nd, but third will have to do for now.

Well it looks like Windows Phone has managed to pull ahead of BlackBerry, at least according to the recent numbers by Nielsen which revealed that Windows Phone now commands 3% of the US smartphone market, versus BlackBerry’s 2%.

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Microsoft releases Remote Desktop app for Windows Phone

After Microsoft released a Remote Desktop app for Android in March, one had to wonder: Where was Windows Phone in all this? Fortunately, Microsoft has rectified the situation with a new app.

For now, however, the preview of the Remote Desktop app requires Windows Phone 8.1, the latest (and officially unreleased) version of Microsoft’s latest phone OS. (However, getting access to Windows Phone 8.1 is pretty easy, and officially sanctioned by Microsoft. Here’s how to do it.) The app will be generally available later this year, Microsoft promised.

“The Remote Desktop app provides a rich multi-touch experience with RDP and RemoteFX that supports Windows gestures,” Microsoft announced in a blog post. “Users can get a rich Windows experience and be productive on their Windows Phone devices because the app uses RDP 8.1 and RemoteFX to provide high fidelity audio and graphics.”

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Internet Glue Service IFTTT Launches On Android With Deeper Integration Than iOS

The Internet connection and automation service IFTTT is launching on Android today, and it offers a deeper set of integrations with the OS than their iOS offering. This, of course, is due to Android’s more laissez-faire attitude when it comes to allowing apps to extend their tentacles into core OS functions.

If you’re unfamiliar with IFTTT or what it does, we’ve covered it a ton because it’s really useful. It allows you to hook together various internet services and mobile OS components to create recipes that do things for you automatically. Mixing and matching these components can lead to some pretty clever and time-saving tools.

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iOS 7.1.1 aims for Touch ID, keyboard fixes

If something about iOS 7.1 just didn’t sit right for you, no worries: Here comes iOS 7.1.1 to give it another shot.

The update came down the pipes on Tuesday for all devices compatible with iOS 7, but if you’re expecting big sweeping changes, you’re probably in for disappointment. The three issues mentioned in the release note are all fairly minor: further improvements to Touch ID on the iPhone 5s, a fix for a bug that could “impact keyboard responsiveness,” and a patch for a specific issue regarding VoiceOver when using a Bluetooth keyboard. There are also security improvements though, as of this writing, Apple hadn’t yet posted a list.

As always, iOS 7.1.1 is available both by plugging your iOS device into your computer and downloading the update through iTunes or over the air, by visitingSettings > General > Software Update.

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Apple's iOS 7.1.1 tweaks shown to extend iPhone battery life

iOS 7.1 brought a significant dip in battery life, according to journalist Adrian Kingsley-Hughes, who has been tracking power consumption on his iPhone 5 since the handset's release. That trend has been reversed with iOS 7.1.1, he noted for ZDNet, with battery life returning to levels seen in iOS 6.

Specifically, Kingsley-Hughes's battery meter now comes in approximately 16 percentage points higher after a six-hour test. Where his iPhone dropped to about 61 percent under iOS 7.1, the same workload nets around 76 percent with iOS 7.1.1. 

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