Most people are familiar with the Splashtop app on their Apple and Android devices. If you are not familiar with it, Splashtop is the easiest and fastest way to access your Windows PC or Mac remotely from your Apple and Android tablet, anywhere, anytime! So it shouldn’t be news that the company has been developing its application for its next platform. Splashtop has prepared an application for the eventual release of Windows 8.  Although the application is not yet in its final stages, it is pending in ”consumer preview,” and is expected to be delivered by the Windows 8 release date.

Source: Engadget, Windows

Dev kits should reach developers sometime in August.

Source: IGN

Skype product VP Rick Osterloh in a chat at CES this week promised that Skype for Windows Phone was “coming out soon.” He didn’t say more, but confirmed that the app for new corporate parent Microsoft was in development. Skype had shown its VoIP app running on Windows Phone as far back as, but it has remained mostly silent until now.

An accompanying leak from The Verge has suggested that any initial app wouldn’t get special treatment. A version truly woven into Windows Phone wouldn’t arrive until Apollo , the rumored late 2012 release. What would change if anything isn’t clear, although Skype chat and
video in the People Hub are the most probable elements.

Microsoft bought Skype for $8 .5 billion in a move to integrate voice and video into virtually every aspect of its desktop and mobile apps. The incentive to roll out Skype has been mild with front- facing cameras only just arriving late last year.

Surprisingly Microsoft launched My Xbox Live app for iOS, which allows users to access the Xbox Live account. Both Xbox Live apps let users customize their avatar, check what their friends are playing, check and send messages.

Available now in the App Store: http://itunes.apple.com/us/app/my-xbox-live/id480914036?mt=8&ign-mpt=uo%3D2

Microsoft didn’t stop there though, they also launched a new Halo Waypoint app. This app brings news and updates about the Halo universe, ability to check your Halo career, and the stand out feature is the ability to load top-down map diagrams of Halo maps. These maps show the locations of health, and weapon spawn points, and they can also display locations of players in REAL TIME, as you are playing Halo on Xbox Live. This app is now available to both Windows Phone, iOS users and even Android devices.

Available now in the App Store : http://itunes.apple.com/us/app/halo-waypoint/id468457600?mt=8

SkyDrive has been a service offered by Microsoft for desktop users for quite some time now. SkyDrive is also deeply integrated into the Windows Phone operating system. SkyDrive is basically a cloud storage system for documents, notes, photos and videos. Once they are in SkyDrive they can be accessed anywhere in the world, on any device (through a browser). On Windows Phone, all of these things, and Office documents can be automatically saved to the SkyDrive, which comes in handy (especially if your phone was ever lost). But Microsoft decided to show iOS users what they are missing and developed a SkyDrive app for them. It does all same great things, and offers 25GB of FREE cloud space. That is actually better than Apple’s own iCloud service.

Available now in the App Store: http://bit.ly/v1JLYR

More apps after the break.

Source: Windows Live Blog

Last week, Microsoft pushed out the Fall 2011 Xbox update which visually revamped the entire console and launched a slew of new services. Today YouTube, among others, joins the console as a new way to access content. Microsoft continues to push the Xbox 360 into new territory and wants it to become the single most important item in your living room. It is no longer just for gaming, but accessing all sorts of video, music, tv, and social content. A list of all the new content and services are listed after the break.

• blinkbox (Blinkbox). United Kingdom
• iHeartRadio (Clear Channel). United States
• MSN Video. Australia, Canada, Germany, Italy, Mexico, United Kingdom
• MSNBC.com. United States
• MUZU.TV. Belgium, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Ireland, Italy, Netherlands, Norway, Spain, Sweden, United Kingdom
• Rogers On Demand (Rogers Media). Canada
• SBS ON DEMAND. Australia
• TMZ (Warner Bros.). Canada, United States
• RTVE (RTVE.es). Spain
• Verizon FiOS TV. United States
• YouTube. Available in 24 countries globally**

With this latest update to the console, and the following updates, Microsoft is also finally showing some love to other countries besides the United States. As the list shows, much of these new video services are for other countries, and that list will continue to grow.

Source: Kotaku

Today at 10 AM Eastern time, Microsoft was set to unleash the flood gates and send out an update to the Xbox 360’s around the globe. Obviously that time has long since past and still no updates. Microsoft has been silent about the update besides Major Nelson saying it might happen this afternoon and be patient (from his Twitter). Microsoft was also set to launch a “Xbox Companion” app for their Windows Phones. It has yet to show up in the marketplace.

Here is to hopping the update happens today, as I know I’m anxiously waiting. The update will usher in a wealth of new apps, services and entirely new design to the Xbox 360 dashboard.

Update: The update should be showing up for the first set of users in the coming hours.

Source : Engadget

Windows 8, the most awaited operating system of the year, will soon be hitting the general public. Microsoft recently launched a Developer Preview of their fastest and the most amazing operating system yet, Windows 8. 

From the looks of it, Microsoft seems to have learned from its previous mistakes and are really making the necessary changes to make the new-generation Windows OS great. Though the new Windows OS is still in the Beta stages, it really has been stable, smooth, and a true pleasure to use.

Windows 8 Changes

• Completely new GUI and mouse support in the boot screen (Where you choose which operating system to boot)
• The fastest Boot time for an Operating System, its almost instant
• Complete revamp of the Windows user interface, somewhat like the Windows Phone 7 (Tiles, Big Icons, Smooth Application)
• Loads of new inbuilt Applications like – Weather, Alarms, Ink Pad etc.
• An Application Market (Coming Soon)
• Locksceen
• Of cource, one can easily switch to the original Windows Aero Interface (Windows 7 Like)
• An addition to the original interface is the Wide Wallpapers (For Wide HD Screeens)
• AGAIN AMAZING SPEED

I have uploaded a video so our readers can get a feel for the newest beta.

Reports are coming in from across the gaming industry that indicate 2013 for the next generation Xbox to debut. The sources are chip manufacturer and middleware firms, so the people actually producing the hardware and they obviously have their time tables for production. The reveal is said to take place at E3 2013, with a late 2013, holiday, launch.

There are also reports from Lionhead Studios, the makers of the Fable series, are working on a project known as Fable Next. Another source reports that EA has basic next generation console technology, which EA has denied.

At this point these are rumors, and Microsoft never comments on rumors. But it seems there are more and more stars aligning for a  2013 launch of the next generation Xbox.  Now…I wonder what the name will be?

Source: IGN

According to some reports the next major overhaul to the Xbox 360 is going out on Black Friday. The update will bring a host of new features to the gaming console and entirely new UI. More info after the break.

The UI design follows the direction that Windows Phone 7 and now Windows 8 have set forth, Metro. The update will include HBO, Verizon apps in the US and a BBC iPlayer in the UK. There is also talk of partners such as Comcast, Syfy, and Bravo. The update will also bring Microsoft’s search engine Bing to the console, which can be used to search across the entire library of games, music, music videos, TV, movies, and channels available on the console.

“The goal is to quickly mature the platform, with the potential of enabling other third-party developers to eventually use the Lakeview framework to build their own apps for the Xbox 360 console,” says GigaOM.

Personally, I can’t wait. Too bad it might happen right after Thanksgiving when most people travel and are away from their consoles.

Extensive preview over at Engadget

Source: IGN

Microsoft is said to be in talks with almost two dozen providers of music, sports, movies and TV shows in the US and Europe to bring more entertainment to the Xbox 360. There could even be an announcement as soon as next week on new services coming Xbox Live.

These new services would function much like the current ESPN service on Xbox Live. Customers must prove that they are existing customers to a cable company that supports ESPN3 in order for the ESPN channel to function on Xbox Live. Microsoft is supposedly in talks with Verizon, Comcast, HBO, Crackle, Bravo, Syfy and UK service Lovefilm. Sky TV is currently available to UK residents.

Microsoft continues to push to be a player in the post cable world (if that ever comes..) and cable providers push to have their services on more and more devices in order to stop the defection rate. Hopefully all this talk will actually become something by the time the new Xbox Live Dashboard comes online later this fall.

Source: Bloomberg

The embargo has been lifted, the updates are being pushed out and the reviews are in for the latest update to Microsoft Windows Phones.  Past the break are a ton of reviews and their final impressions.

Engadget

“With Mango, WP7 has caught up with Android and iOS in nearly every way, and in some areas it’s even surpassed the other two in functionality. Despite a grim first year, the bright future of Windows Phone is forcing Ballmer to wear shades.”

Gizmodo

“If you don’t want an iPhone, this is basically the only real option, unless you already know you want Android. Like, for non-nerds, this is the only thing I’d tell them to buy if they don’t want an iPhone. It’s not better than iOS, not yet. But it’s the closest. And it’s legitimately different and excellent.”

CNET

“We will say this: you should at least consider Windows Phone. Go into a store, get your hands on a phone, and spend some time playing around with the OS. It’ll take some getting used to if you’re already familiar with a different platform, and you may walk away more confirmed in your OS choice than before. But keep an open mind and you just might be pleasantly surprised by Microsoft’s elegant, daring, and simple take on smartphones.”

PocketNow

“Many of these new features are mainly bringing Windows Phone up to speed with the competition, yet there are a number that are quite innovative and sure to make Windows Phone stand out above the crowd. All the analysts are predicting Windows Phone’s imminent success for a reason, and this is probably just the beginning. “

Wired

“Overall, the Mango upgrade presents Windows Phone owners with a more complete package than the launch version. Interface details have been well-thought-out and executed. If you’ve already got a Windows Phone 7 device, I see no reason not to upgrade. And if you don’t have one, consider checking one out. “

Photo: PocketNow

Microsoft has officially released the Mango update! It is now up for the carriers to actually roll it out to the phones. It is a staggered released globally, but it seems the majority of carriers have at least prepared for this update and are pushing the update out starting today.

Here in the US, Sprint has stated they will deliver the Mango Update to the HTC Arrive today. Sprint’s support pages for Windows Phone Mango update is now live here. Sprint has listed the Windows Phone Mango features and the instructions to update the phone on that page. The release date has been marked as 27/9, so expect it later today.

AT&T has also updated their Windows Phone Mango update support pages. The pages discusses the Mango update features and how to obtain the update. The update will roll out to the LG Quantum, HTC Surround and Samsung Focus starting today. For some reason the HTC HD7S will not be updated until the end of October.

T-Mobile has stated the update is “coming” and to stop pestering the customer service crew. The update is ready for deployment and will be hitting phones soon.

Verizon has been a little more tight-lipped when it comes to the update. There has been a “confirmation” that the update will start rolling out today, but that information came from a online customer service agent…so we shall see.

The update is rolling out worldwide today, and since it is quite a big day for Microsoft they decided to roll out some new features to go along their Windows Phones. They have updated the “My Windows Phone” portal which now unifies your Xbox LIVE profile, Live Mail, SkyDrive and Find My Phone into one section. You can also review your purchase history and customize your avatar.

Microsoft has also introduce SCRAPBOOK, which allows you to explore your past check-ins and will overlay your photos you took from those locations.

Microsoft also launched Windows Phone Web Marketplace, allowing Windows Phone users to access the marketplace through a web browser. This allows for users worldwide to access the marketplace. Prior to the web browsers not all countries had access to the Marketplace which is based in the Zune software.

Sources: SCRAPBOOK, WpCentral, T-Mobile, AT&T

There is word on when it will actually launch or for how much, but it will sporting 4G and the rest of the specs can be found here.

Check out all the photos at TmoNews.

I’ve also included a promo video from HTC showcasing the HTC Radar, check it out after the jump.

Earlier this week Windows 8 made its debut. Along with it’s brand new Metro interface is an overhauled Blue Screen of Death.

In earlier versions, users were faced with a string of text detailing where an error had occurred. However, this was useless information for most who saw it. The new version replaces this confusing text with a frown emoticon, followed by the message “Your PC ran into a problem it couldn’t handle, and now it needs to restart.” Under this message is a generic search term regarding the type of error that occurred and a countdown till reboot.

Matthew Humphries of Geek writes, ”While it’s nice not to have to look at a blue screen full of text, it’s a shame Microsoft still hasn’t found a way to refine the error reporting process further and present users with a very clear description of why Windows 8 fell down.”

Source: Geek

Well the embargo has been lifted and all the big tech sites that actually got demo units from Microsoft have posted up their thoughts and videos. Right now the press conference is still going on and the live feed can be watched here. Videos after the jump.

Engadget:

 Gizmodo

“YUSSSSSSSS. Largely this thing is great. You hate comparisons, but I’m going to make them: It’s not on par with the iPad (even the original version, to say nothing of the iPad 2.) There are simply too many things that don’t work as they should. But it’s already far more usable than any Android tablet I’ve encountered. By the time Microsoft gets ARM straightened out and can ship this OS on optimized hardware, it’s going to really sing. This is, in fact, the first tablet other than an iPad I can see myself buying and using. It’s early, but Microsoft seems to have a hit.”

CNET

“There’s no doubt that Windows 8 is a major change for the company, and potentially a disruptive one for the market, as Microsoft aims to be the first company to successfully merge its mobile and desktop operating systems.”

There will be tons more info coming out on Windows 8 today and in the future.

The New Tech Blog will be bringing you all the latest news from the event.

Source: Microsoft Build

The HTC Titan was unveiled just recently and we covered the specs here.

AT&T currently sells the Samsun Focus, so we can assume the Focus S is an updated version of the handset. It will have a 4.3-inch Super AMOLED Plus display, 1.4Ghz CPU and an 8 megapixel rear camera, with a 1.3 megapixel front-facing camera.

The Samsung Focus Flash, which will be a lower end phone features a 3.7-inch Super AMOLED screen, notice the lack of “Plus” in comparison to the Focus S.  It will feature the same 1.4Ghz CPU, but a lower resolution rear facing camera at 5 megapixels and there is no information on the front-facing camera.

AT&T claims to be “among the first to offer Windows Phone Mango update” this fall. AT&T’s current Windows Phone lineup consists of the: HTC HD7S, HTC Surround, LG Quantum and Samsung Focus.

Source : AT&T

Mango brings over 500 updates to the Windows Phone from Microsoft. Of course the phones run Microsoft’s search engine Bing, and it receives tons of updates that make it the go to app on the phone with features such as: Local Scout, Bing Vision (think Google Goggles),  Bing Audio (like Shazam, but baked into Bing), interior maps, Turn-by-Turn Bing Maps navigation, etc.

Windows Phone heavily integrates with Facebook already, but Mango now integrates LinkedIn and Twitter. The update also brings visual voicemail, groups, multitasking, communication threads among others.

Source: Gizmodo

The new experience will closely resemble the Windows Phone 7 interface and will switch from categories scrolling vertically to horizontally, making the standard controller browsing experience much faster. Other methods of navigation include using the Kinect motion controls or voice commands. Dean Takahashi, the author of the article, commented on the reason for the change,

“The faster navigation is important because Xbox 360 owners now spend about 40 percent of their time on TV and video when using the Xbox 360.”

Another new feature is the Beacon, which is a new way of sending game invites. Instead of an invite lasting for one gaming session, a user can use a Beacon and friends can join them anytime they are playing a particular game.

The last major feature to be included is the inclusion of Bing search. The search function will not search the internet, but instead will search for content on Xbox Live and on the system’s hard drive.

Source: VentureBeat