According to a report in The Verge, Microsoft plans to unveil Windows 9 on September 30. The Redmond giant is tipped to be planning a press event, where a developer preview of the OS will be revealed.

The late September release date has been mentioned in past reports. Read more »

That new HTC One (M8) for Windows has a name with great potential to confuse consumers – it’s not the HTC One (M8), it’s not the One (E8) and it doesn’t run Windows (but Windows Phone instead). It turns out that the similar looks of the One family are an issue too, even for the carriers.

Verizon put out a video to tout the HTC One (M8), both the Android and WP versions, except if you look closely at the screenshot above you’ll notice those are actually two different devices. Read more »

A few hours ago, the long leaked Windows Phone running version of the HTC One (M8) finally got official as a Verizon exclusive. And the carrier didn’t wait long to upload the first video about the new handset to its YouTube channel.

The strangely named HTC One (M8) for Windows basically brings you the exact same hardware that’s inside its Android-running sibling, only with Windows Phone 8.1 running the show. Read more »

So Snapchat isn’t officially available for Windows Phone, but that doesn’t mean that Microsoft-mobile loving users can’t enjoy some disposable messaging.

WindUp is an application that allows Windows Phone users to send temporary messages to one another. Read more »

Following its launch on iOS and Android back in May, Foursquare’s new check-in app called Swarm is now available for Windows Phone.

It’s been released in Microsoft’s app store today, and it will work with Windows Phone 8.1. It brings with it the set of features based around checking into places that got separated from the company’s main app for iOS and Android recently. Read more »

Nokia’s HERE Maps for Windows Phone has received a hefty update of its underlying map data. It brings with it better mapping in certain countries, nicer looking 3D landmarks in some cities, as well as point address rendering in more places.

The latter means you’re able to see at a glance where addresses and buildings are are on each street. Seeing exact addresses on the map is obviously helpful, as long as the feature is available in enough places and is accurate. Read more »

Angry Birds Stella is one of the most teased Rovio games ever. Luckily this is coming to an end very soon – on September 4 – when the game will be released officially on all major platforms.

The new game will introduce a bunch of female characters ad will supposedly resemble the original Angry Birds game in terms of gameplay. Read more »

Windows Phone 8.1 has seen its first major update, GDR1, which has just seeded out to developers. Naturally, we can’t let devs have all the fun to themselves so installed it on one of our test devices.

As you can imagine, that gave us access to all the latest on Microsoft’s updated mobile OS. Highlights include folder support, Cortana for additional regions, and the new Apps Corner. Read more »

Windows Phone’s evolution has taken yet another step forward, albeit not through official means as developer Fela Ameghino has incorporated pattern unlock into the Live Lock Screen introduced with Windows Phone 8.1.

The feature, still in beta, brings WP one step closer to matching its Android counterpart. Video after the break. Read more »

Last month we reported that Fitbit is working on releasing a Windows Phone app for its Fitbit fitness band. The app is now live and can be downloaded from the Windows Phone store.

Applications like Fitbit were so far unavailable on Windows Phone due to certain hardware requirements, especially related to Bluetooth. With Windows Phone 8.1, Microsoft has addressed most of the issues, broadening the compatibility with accessories. Read more »

Well, this is an odd one. It looks like Flipkart, India’s biggest online retailer, has mistakenly sent people who ordered the new XOLO Win Q900s an Android-running version of the device. To be clear, the XOLO Win Q900s should run Windows Phone 8.1, the latest version of Microsoft’s mobile OS.

So imagine the surprise (if not anger) you’d feel were you to order one of those, only to receive something that runs Android. Read more »

Microsoft has a new ad out and it pits Windows Phone 8.1′s virtual assistant Cortana against Apple’s own Siri in a fight to prove which is the best.

The assistants battle on the grounds of a Lumia 635 and iPhone 5s. Microsoft naturally picks its strong suits asking Cortana for things it knows it can do like set up a reminder for the next time a contact calls. Read more »

One of Windows Phone 8.1′s headline features is Cortana, the Siri-like voice assistant built into the OS. Unfortunately, the feature so far only works in the US, but it will soon be coming to the UK, with a difference.

As you may know, the US version of Cortana is voiced by Jen Taylor, the same person who provided the voice for Cortana in the Halo series of games, from where the feature is borrowed for Windows Phone. Understandably, the UK version of this feature will have another voice with a native accent to make it more familiar to users. Read more »

Microsoft’s mobile division sure seems to be proud of the recently unveiled Nokia Lumia 530. This, you may remember, is the successor to the best selling Lumia 520, and it will become available in August.

As you might expect, the ten reasons that Microsoft lists for why the Lumia 530 is simply great aren’t extremely objective, not all of them anyway. But let’s take them one by one. Read more »

Nokia has set up an interesting project to promote the Lumia 930 in the UK. What seems to be a product of a joint meeting with Greenpeace is actually a giant wall made of potatoes and apples. Why? To charge up a phone.

Some of you may know this, but for others this is a headscratcher. The process of charging the battery using potatoes and apples is possible thanks to the chemicals inside them, which help transfer energy via the metal wires. Read more »