If you’re planning on buying a Windows-running Nokia device (Windows Phone or Windows RT) or just bought one, you should know that Nokia is offering a free $20 voucher for apps you can redeem in the WP or Windows Store.

Note that the deal ends on January 31 and is limited to one voucher per account. Read more »

We came across a video leak of the Windows Phone voice command assistant, and it looks like the real deal.

Code-named, “Cortana” the video gives us a short, but convincing glimpse at how the WP voice assistant will look and sound. Read more »

Microsoft has renamed its cloud storage service from SkyDrive to OneDrive. This was expected after a UK court found Microsoft infringing British Sky Broadcasting Group trademark last summer.

Microsoft says it chose the OneDrive name because the cloud storage should be the one place where you store all of your pictures, videos, documents and files. Read more »

Rockstar had launched the mobile version of its critically acclaimed Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas game on iOS and Android platforms a while ago and now, the gaming firm has released the action packed title for Windows Phone.

The gameplay remains largely similar to that of the already existing iOS and Android versions with minor changes in graphics and controls. Read more »

Microsoft is done with 8.1 for its mainline OS (both x86 and RT), now we’re waiting for 8.1 to hits the phone platform. While we wait, we get the occasional leak to give us a better idea on what to expect – like on-screen buttons, a file manager and now redesigned HERE Maps and Games Hub.

The changes in HERE Maps are relatively small, but may signal a new direction for the looks of the interface. Read more »

Microsoft is big on uniformity with their Windows Phone brand: you’re not going to see any skinned versions of their quickly rising mobile platform anytime soon. As a result, manufacturers also face some hardware restrictions. Maximum screen resolution and maximum processor speed caps are part of the territory.

The GDR3 update rollout isn’t going particularly quickly though and several months after its release only 15% of the Windows Phones surveyed in Q4 2013, are carrying it. Read more »

Nokia’s latest commercial is yet again advertising the awesome 41MP PureView camera of Lumia 1020. This time around Nokia is trying to convince you the Lumia 1020 is a great replacement for your DSLR.

Recently, with the Lumia Black firmware update, the Lumia 1020 camera algorithm was rewritten to behave like it did on the first PureView phone – the Nokia 808. The result is more natural colors, less noise and more detail. Read more »

Microsoft has announced its earnings report for the fourth quarter and the company has managed to better its performance from the previous year. The company has racked up a record $24.52 billion in revenue in 2013 as compared to the $21.5 billion in 2012.

The gross margin read $16.24 billion, while the operating income, net income and diluted earnings per share read $7.97 billion, $6.56 billion and $0.78 per share, respectively. Read more »

The Nokia Lumia 1320 is considered the cheap man’s Lumia 1520, but that doesn’t make it less important than its high-end sibling. In fact, recently it was exactly Nokia’s more affordable devices that have been moving its business forward. Okay, technically, it’s now Microsoft’s business, but let’s stay on topic.

At the front, the Lumia 1320 boasts a 720p 6″ IPS ClearBlack display. It’s bright and boasts great colors, but you can notice that it’s not as sharp as the Lumia 1520′s equally-sized, but higher resolution screen. The cutback is understandable though, Nokia needs a mid-range runner who can quickly catch up to the likes of the Samsung Galaxy Mega 6.3. Read more »

The latest State of Mobile Advertising coming from browser-maker Opera shows that while Android leads iOS in terms of browsing on smartphones 36% to 29% and when factoring in tablets, where Apple’s iPad is dominant the numbers are 38% for Android and 43% for Apple. Android is bringing in 32% of Opera revenues, while iOS churns in a massive 56%.

The numbers show that mobile ads are much more valuable on iOS devices. The numbers come from Opera’s Mediaworks, which serves over 60 billion monthly page impressions to some 425 million users. Read more »

The rumor mill has been abuzz with talk of Microsoft’s upcoming virtual assistant, which will borrow its personality from Cortana (you know, from Halo). Now, Head of Microsoft Research, Peter Lee, has confirmed that the a “big focus” for the company is artificial intelligence, including a virtual assistant.

The video interview features a short glimpse of a virtual assistant prototype at work but somewhat disappointingly it didn’t use Cortana’s avatar. Read more »

According to latest online gossip, Microsoft’s Bing Tell Me voice assistant, also known by its codename Cortana, should debut this April at the annual’s BUILD conference. As previously suggested, Bing Tell Me will be voiced by Halo’s Cortana actress – Jen Taylor.

Just like Google Now, the Windows Phone voice assistant can be activated by a voice command (in this case “Bing Tell Me”) and it will understand commands such as “… will it rain today?”, “.. when’s my next meeting?” and “.. how do I get to the American Airlines Arena?”. Read more »

Nokia once again engaged into somewhat childish banter over Twitter. This time around it’s HTC which takes heat from the Finnish company on the social network.

HTC Russia has asked its users over Twitter how they will use a One smartphone without taking their gloves off in cold weather. Read more »

Seven of the most popular Disney games are now available for free at the Windows Phone Store. They won’t stay free forever though, so you should download them as soon as possible.

Two Disney games were already free over the Store, as well as the Avengers Initiative since Disney bought Marvel. So, if you want a bunch of quality games for free, now is the time to get to a fast Wi-Fi and start downloading. Read more »

The WhatsApp client for Windows Phone 8 devices suffered from a minor problem with broadcast message reception.

The latest update, v2.11.356, for the popular messaging application, however, fixes this issue.

The newest update doesn’t offer any additional features, such as allowing users to send music files, but many believe that this will be available soon. Read more »