Tips For Fixing Common Windows Phone 8 Issues
Windows Phone 8: a great platform that is fast, slick and responsive. Most of the time. Windows Phone 8 is an improvement over Windows Phone 7, but while I enjoy its responsiveness, the ease with which I can perform particular tasks quickly and the way the OS syncs with SkyDrive, I'm more than aware that this is a platform with a few notable bugs. I've already looked at improving battery life on Windows Phone 8 and here are several more fixes for the most common issues.
Five Amazing Nokia Camera and Image Apps for Lumia Windows Phones
Since Microsoft and Nokia announced their joint venture back in 2011, there has been a general shift towards the Finnish company in the Windows Phone manufacturers’ market share. Nokia has been innovating and producing a series of superb apps for Windows Phone, exclusive to Lumia devices. Put simply, if you own a Windows Phone 8 device from Nokia, you should have these camera and image apps, which are all available free (for the full app or with trial) from the Windows Phone Store.
Everything You Need to Know About Adding Ringtones on Windows Phone 8
Over the 15 or so years of owning a mobile phone, I've always been interested in pushing the device as far as it can possibly go. In the early days, this would often involve finding ways to add custom ringtones. When Windows Phone 7 was first released, the customization options were limited. Windows Phone 8 takes a whole new approach to ringtones, making the addition of user-chosen audio far simpler. If you own a Nokia Lumia 920, you could have custom ringtones set up by the time you finish reading this page.
How To Backup Media, Apps & Settings On Windows Phone 8
I’ve just about filled the 32 GB internal storage on my Nokia Lumia 920. Initially, I was surprised that it only took me six months, until I realised that I’ve been recording videos in HD. When you consider everything that relies on internal storage, it certainly seems like a complete removal of personal storage is required. There are several options. Backing up data can be performed manually, using the Windows Phone Tool via USB and you can rely on native tools to back up your photos, apps, settings and messages.
File Sharing, Manual Syncing & Bluetooth Tips For Windows Phone 8
Having used the Windows Phone platform since 2010, one of the things that has struck me is how difficult Microsoft initially made it to share files to and from your phone. With the original Windows Phone 7 a registry hack was required to use a device as mass storage, but this workaround was soon shored up in a subsequent update. Fortunately with Windows Phone 8, Microsoft has taken a more accepting position on the use of phones as mass storage devices.
How To Tether The Nokia Lumia 920 & Other Connectivity Options
Here in the UK, 4G is currently being rolled out across major towns and cities by the EE network (previously T-Mobile and Orange). Where I live we’re stuck with 3G, but I do have a 4G SIM to take advantage of high-speed mobile Internet when travelling. This always comes in useful, particularly if local Wi-Fi networks aren’t doing their job properly.
How This Freelance Writer Maximises Productivity With Windows 8 & Windows Phone 8
My personal desktop setup has changed considerably in the past few months since purchasing the Acer Iconia W7 series tablet, which I use as my primary PC. Gone is the tower of my old self build AMD-powered game station, replaced by far more compact dimensions, a new monitor and an external HDD. This is the main hub of my professional life: a Windows 8 tablet. Yes, you read that right. Let me demonstrate how you can be productive with Windows 8. It is possible, and with the right apps you can get great results.
Android's Facebook Home vs Windows Phone's People Hub
Facebook Home is the highly-promoted new Android app from Facebook that unifies messaging and socializing with a single view and launcher, a sort of home screen replacement. Meanwhile Windows Phone users have People, the contacts/social networking hub that is integrated into the platform. We thought it would be interesting to see which of these approaches to integrated social networking is most effective.
How I Freelance Without My PC - Using Windows Phone As A Mobile Office
One of the things I love about a freelance career is being able to up sticks from my home office and go to a local café, bar or library to work in a different environment. It can prove extremely productive and as they say, a change is as good as a rest. I’ve even used the boot of my MPV as a makeshift office! While I generally have my Windows 8 Acer Iconia W7 series tablet with me in such situations, there are of course times when I’ve been caught out.
Nokia Lumia 920 Review & Giveaway
A couple of weeks ago, Nokia introduced two new devices to the world: the Nokia Lumia 925 and the Nokia Lumia 928. The top notch of Windows Phone 8 devices, these two smartphones will only be available in June, but the advent of the next generation of Lumia devices inspired us to finally get our hands on one of Nokia's flagship smartphones — namely, the Nokia Lumia 920. Today, you have a chance to get your hands on a shiny new unlocked Nokia Lumia 920 device, without paying a dime!
Everything You Need To Know About Emails & Windows Phone 8
How do you use your Windows Phone? I know a lot of users who are purely addicted to a combination of WhatsApp and Xbox Live gaming. Others enjoy their Windows Phones purely due to the social networking options (which are admittedly impressive). Then there are also those of us who take advantage of the various productivity tools. Email is of course one of these (along with the mobile Microsoft Office).
Start Screen Shortcuts - Connection Tiles For Windows Phone 8
Windows Phone has one or two frustrating omissions. One of these is an easy toggle button to enable and display wireless networking, mobile Internet, Bluetooth pretty much anything concerning communication. Rather than a simple on/off button on the Start screen, users must open the settings menu and flick the on/off switch. Surely there is an app-based solution to this?
Voice Messaging – A Secret Weapon On Windows Phone 8
One of the most important things about using a smartphone is the ease with which you can compose and send messages. These might be SMS/MMS messages, emails or even a social network. The important thing, of course, is that you are able to get in touch with the other person as easily and efficiently as possible. Certain mobile phone platforms prevent this. In the case of Windows Phone 8 there are many improvements over competitors.
Turn Your Friends Into Freaks With Morfo
Photos are fun – the rise of successful snap-and-filter apps and services such as Instagram and its "fake Polaroid junkies" are proof of this – but sometimes it’s possible that we don’t fully realise the potential of the images we snap, particularly on digital cameras and smartphones. I stumbled across Morfo back in 2010, shortly after the release of Windows Phone 7.
Is Rowi The Best Twitter App For Windows Phone?
I was made aware of a new app, Rowi, which has been attracting great reviews. It seemed sensible to check it out and compare with what I was already using. Initially I was skeptical After all, even if the native Twitter integration on Windows Phone wasn't meeting my needs, I could still use the third party app, which has recently had a visual overhaul to bring it into line with the Android and iOS versions. What exactly could Rowi bring to the table?
How Xbox Live Users Can Benefit From A Windows Phone
If you’re a fan of mobile gaming and also own an Xbox 360 console, you might well be aware of Xbox Live, Microsoft’s digital delivery service that also supports multiplayer and most importantly allows you to unlock achievements in particular games and improve your Gamerscore. Some say that it has redefined gaming.
How To Install Apps On a Windows Phone 8 Device
Since their launch in late 2012, Windows Phone 8 handsets have built upon the legacy established with the previous Windows Phone 7, released in 2010. There are many developments and key changes, from enabling better control of the Start screen to the opening up of additional APIs to enable developers to build better apps. One particular difference is in the addition of new apps and games from the Windows Phone store.
Share Movies, Photos, And Documents From Windows Phone With SkyDrive
One of the improvements delivered with Windows Phone 8 is enhanced support for SkyDrive, Microsoft’s cloud storage system that enables users to upload and sync photos, music, video and more between different devices. Up against competition from cloud storage services such as Box, Dropbox and Google Drive (although of these, only Box has an official app), how does SkyDrive stand up?
The Amazon Store for Windows Phone: Never Set Foot In The High Street Again
Amazon’s march to online domination has come thanks to a number of strategies. Most obvious is the low pricing, the supply chain management and the facility to let anyone sell their wares through the marketplace. However, the ease of use of the website is also a core part of this – and by extension, any mobile app created needs to offer all of the main features of the browser-based experience.
Win Auctions From Your Pocket With Windows Phone's eBay App
Winning an auction that ends when you’re away from your keyboard has proved much tougher – which is where mobile apps come in. Available free from the Windows Phone apps + games service, the eBay app doesn’t only let you purchase, however. With eBay installed on your device, you can browse, buy and sell, making great use of your handset’s camera and keyboard!