From HERE to there, Nokia updates its navigation apps, adds live tile ETA for destinations
Finnish maker Nokia announced, on Tuesday, that its HERE Drive, Drive+ and Transit Windows Phone 8 apps will receive an update later this week, which adds new navigation tools and improves the user interface.
HERE Drive and Drive+ get the most noteworthy enhancements, with the latest versions introducing an overview of traffic conditions in surrounding user areas and My Commute, a new feature which allows folks to view the estimated time of arrival to a set destination on the adjacent live tile.
Evernote Touch 2.0 for Windows 8 gets new hub page, improves editing
Evernote Corporation has released Evernote Touch 2.0, a major update of its touch-friendly Windows 8 app. The latest version's main new feature is a hub page providing a summary of the user’s account, while it also promises improved editing tools and support for Business accounts.
The major new highlight is undoubtedly the hub page, which is the first thing users will see when logging into the app. All of its core navigation items as well as an overview of the various parts of the user's account, including notes, notebooks, tags and shortcuts, can now be found here.
Best Windows 8 apps this week
Thirty-six in a series. Microsoft confirmed this week that the total Windows Store app count crossed the 100,000 apps threshold. That's a big milestone for the company and users of the system.
These 100,000 apps are not available to all users though, as localization limits app availability somewhat. The US Windows Store for instance crossed the 70,000 apps mark this week which in turn means that about 30,000 apps are not available to users from the United States.
Mega gets official Android app, iOS and Windows clients to follow
Cloud storage locker Mega has turned a blind eye to the ever increasing popularity of mobile devices, offering no official app for Android or iOS (let alone BlackBerry or Windows Phone) to complement its security-oriented service. Now, though, Mega looks to finally fix the oversight.
The cloud storage locker just introduced its first mobile app called Mega which, at least at the moment, is only available for Android devices. The offering, according to the changelog, was "acquired by MEGA and is now being maintainted [sic] by MEGA contractors". Let's take a look at the features.
Vine for iPhone gets new major features, Android users will have to wait
Vine, the popular Twitter-owned video-sharing service, just released an update for its iPhone app, which is designed to increase user engagement and provide beefed up sharing options.
"This is our biggest, most exciting update yet -- and we've got even more coming soon", says Vine cofounder and CTO Colin Kroll. The iPhone app now offers access to 15 channels, including Arts & Experimental, Cats, Comedy, Dogs, Family and others, which users can browse and post to straight from Explore. Each channel comes with a custom theme and Popular feed.
Vet social networking app privacy settings with MyPermissions Cleaner
With privacy higher than ever on the news agenda, it is not surprising people are starting to wake up to the fact they have happily allowed all kinds of personal information about themselves to appear online. It might be too late to stem the tide, but if you are thinking about reviewing your personal privacy, one place to start might be with the apps added to various social networks.
If this idea appeals, then desktop users should install one of MyPermissions Cleaner for Chrome, Firefox, Internet Explorer and Safari, while iPhone and Android users can go with Online Privacy Shield -- once done, you are ready to start taking action to tighten privacy settings.
Put on your bell bottoms and grab Polamatic for Android
"You give us those nice bright colors. You give us the greens of summers". Sorry, wrong camera, but these trips down memory lane can get confusing as we grow older. No, the old Kodachrome may be dead, but Polaroid looms large in our nostalgic history and memories. It was a must have in its day, and remains today as an image (pun intended) of those bygone days of our youth -- okay, my youth, you may plead the fifth if you wish.
Now Appadana wants to confuse us old geezers by bringing back those days of yore with a Polaroid app for Android devices. Polamatic aims to recapture the good old days when muscle cars ruled the roads and disco took over the airwaves. Queue up your Donna Summer -- or Cheap Trick if your prefer -- and head over to Google Play for the opportunity of doing something you could have easily done years ago -- though for much more cost.
Microsoft announces new Dynamics CRM to deliver improved customer experience
Microsoft has announced that it is releasing an updated version of its Dynamics CRM package in the fall of 2013. The new package is designed to help enterprises engage with their customers and will be available as both cloud and installed systems.
The refreshed version is designed to deliver a fast and fluid user experience, enabling people to access information that’s relevant to their jobs and have deeper insight into customer requirements. It also offers improved social collaboration features as well as the ability to access information on a variety of devices including Windows 8 tablets and iPads. Android, iPhone and Windows Phone 8 versions will be available shortly after the package's release.
Windows Store now offers 100,000 apps, but quality concerns remain
Every Friday, my colleague Martin Brinkmann details the best Windows 8 apps that surface in Store during the week. I have closely followed the series mostly to check new arrivals (since I use Windows 8) but also to get a feel of the quality and value that developers bring to the new ecosystem.
As some of you have mentioned in the comments, the highlighted apps are not exactly up to par with offerings available on Apple App Store or Google Play. The most noteworthy ones are few and far between, something that is immediately noticeable after browsing through the available selection on Windows Store. The most resounding apps come, for instance, from Microsoft, Nokia, Shazam, Twitter and a couple other major players. There is more to it, of course, but the quality and value are still inadequate these days.
Skype for Android hits 100 million users, celebrates with version 4.0
Microsoft purchased Skype back in October 2011 and took a bit of time to figure out where to go with it, but the company has its communications legs under it now and is off and running with deeper integration into Office and Windows. Now the company celebrates 100 million Android customers by rolling out version 4.0 of the mobile app.
"We’ve completely redesigned Skype for Android to be faster and easier – especially when you’re trying to fire off a quick message. Everything is at your fingertips", says Microsoft's Derek Snyder.
Microsoft releases overhauled Facebook Windows Phone 8 app
On Monday, Microsoft released an update for its homebrew Facebook Windows Phone 8 app which introduces new features and a redesigned user interface, finally bringing the latest iteration in line with the Android and iOS counterparts.
In terms of design, the app is similar to the beta version that arrived in late-April. Facebook for Windows Phone 8 drops the infinite horizontal scrolling and instead adopts a simpler layout which is comprised of three tabs. The main one displays the news feed. The other two can be accessed by swiping to the left and to the right, just like on the Facebook-developed Android and iOS apps.
Microsoft hunts stronger Surface sales through authorized resellers
In an effort to boost the adoption and sales of its two Windows slates, on Monday, Microsoft introduced a new channel program (simply called Microsoft Devices Program), which allows authorized resellers to commercialize Surface Pro and RT devices.
"Today, we’re announcing the first phase of our expansion into the business channel that allows customers to purchase Surface and commercial services through authorized resellers", says Microsoft. "In addition to offering Microsoft's extended warranty and accidental damage, resellers bring a variety of additional value-added services to the Surface family, such as asset tagging, custom imaging, kitting, onsite service and support, device recycling and data protection".
Google Reader reaches death's door: Here are five options you may not know
The date we dreaded has rolled around -- Google Reader is scheduled to be executed at day's end. Loyal followers must make hard decisions regarding where they wish to take their business. And, in the wake of the original Google announcement, that has become increasingly difficult.
There are big names in this game, with Feedly already an established player and both AOL and Digg entering the market afterwards. I am a Feedly user since the death warrant was served, but I am less than thrilled with the experience and feel forced to begin a search for a less obtrusive alternative.
Best Windows 8 apps this week
Thirty-fifth in a series. Microsoft has released the preview of the upcoming Windows 8.1. With it came many changes to the operating system, application management and the store.
Some, like the ability to use smaller or larger tile sizes or the option to uninstall multiple apps at once, have been on the feature request list of many Windows 8 users.
Nokia brings augmented reality to job hunting with JobLens for Windows Phone 8
Finnish maker Nokia wants to make job hunting easier in nearby user locations with a new Windows Phone 8 app, called JobLens, which leverages augmented reality to display available openings in surrounding areas.
The app, which arrived yesterday in Nokia's exclusive collection, takes advantage of a number of services, like CareerOneStop, Data.uk.gov, Facebook, HERE Maps, Indeed, LinkedIn, Payscale, Salary.com and Twitter, to provide UK and US residents with nearby job listings.
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