WINDOWS PHONE ‘TANGO’ 256MB RAM DEVICE LIMITATION DETAILS RELEASED!

Microsoft revealed its Windows Phone “Tango” at MWC last week. However, the company remain silent on the exact restrictions for new low-memory devices, like the Nokia Lumia 610. Today, Microsoft has updated the rules for Windows Phone low-end devices and the restrictions are now officially confirmed over the website.

Restrictions imposed by Microsoft:

• Windows Phone Marketplace app restrictions - Some processor-intensive apps have specific memory requirements, and will not work on devices with 256MB of RAM.
• Podcast subscriptions and video podcasts - Devices with 256MB of RAM will not be able to manage podcast subscriptions of watch video podcasts.
• Bing Local Scout - Microsoft is disabling Bing Local Scout on 256MB of RAM devices.
• Fast app switching - The fast application switching, introduced with Mango, will be disabled on 256 MB of RAM devices.
• SkyDrive automatic photo upload - Automatic upload of SkyDrive pictures will not be possible on 256MB of RAM devices, but users can still upload these manually.
• HD video playback - 256MB of RAM devices won’t be able to play video compressed with certain codecs.
• Background agents - Microsoft has removed background agents functionality for devices with 256MB of memory.

In addition to these specific restrictions, Microsoft has also recommended Windows Phone developers to optimizing start time and reducing memory usage while focusing on the low specifications for 256MB RAM devices.

Although Microsoft is cutting some functionality for low-memory devices, the company has also added in a number of new features to Windows Phone:

• Better media messaging. Now you can attach multiple pictures and videos—along with voice notes and ringtones—to text messages. You can include a video, picture, voice note, or ringtone in an instant message, too.
• Location awareness icon. When an app is accessing your phone’s current location information, an icon will appear next to the battery status indicator:

• Export and manage contacts to SIM card. All Windows Phones allows you to import contacts from a SIM card, but only some phones allows you to export contacts to a SIM card, or create and edit individual contacts on the SIM card. For more information, please contact your mobile operator. (Strangely, this feature is only documented on the Chinese version of the website. The English version states that “you can’t save contacts from a Windows Phone to a SIM card.”)

Updates :- Nokia Maps Suite Updated to version 3.00 (95) !

Quick heads-up, ’Nokia Maps Suite’ for Belle smartphones updated to v3.00(95) beta over Betelabs. The latest release brings enhancements around usability and performance improvements to the client.

“What’s new in this release?

You already know Nokia Maps for delivering best-in-class mapping, navigation, and photorealistic 3D views. This latest release raises the bar even further with a new way to show and tell where you’ve been with photos on a map, new voice search capability, and direct home-screen access to your favorite places. Finding your way has never been easier.

There are no new features in this release but simply enhancements around usability and performance.”

Compatibility:

• Nokia Belle OS
• E6-00 is not compatible with the Places and MyLocation widgets.
• Nokia 500 is not supported

Download Here

 (.sis 353 kB)

VIDEO: WINDOWS PHONE ‘TANGO’ FEATURES DEMOED ON AN EMULATOR!

Folks over Windows Phone Hacker have got access to pre-release version of Windows Phone “Tango” emulator (build 8731). Check out the walkthrough video of emulator showing some of the new features coming-up in Windows Phone Tango such as the new MMS feature, location icon in the status bar, etc.

Download Tango Unlocked Emulator

Dropbox

Rapidshare

Ten new Windows Phone games for Nokia Lumia in 2012

Wordament and other top titles coming soon

Since Windows Phone came to Nokia smartphones on the Nokia Lumia 610, Nokia Lumia 710, Nokia Lumia 800 and Nokia Lumia 900, people have loved having top-quality PC-style games on their mobiles. And there’s loads more fun to come from Microsoft in 2012, including some real blockbusters. Here’s the top ten titles we’re talking about.

Pro Evolution Soccer 2012
Football fans won’t need to wait long for the next episode of the Pro Evolution Soccer series as this is due to hit the Windows Phone Marketplace in the Spring. Tighten up those bootlaces, strap on those shin guards, become your favourite football team and fight back from 0-4 in the game of your dreams.

Carcassone

Everybody loves a board game, and here’s an award-winning title that won’t leave you bored. The path to victory lies in turning over and placing the virtual wooden tiles to create a medieval landscape. Connect roads to roads, fields to fields and cities to cities, creating a new landscape every time you play.

The person with the most points, once all the tiles have been used, wins.

Civilization Revolution
For nearly twenty years, the Sid Meier’s Civilization franchise has been entertaining gamers who enjoy world domination in their spare time.

Starting in a relatively unexplored land, your solitary settler must negotiate the terrain to start a colony. Once you’ve done that, farming, trading and production will quickly follow.

Build up your civilisation and expand it across the globe and let nothing stand in your way.

DoDonPachi
In classic space-shooter style, you control a ship capable of destroying anything that gets in its path. You’ll find the lasers and bombs extremely useful in removing the fast-approaching enemies from the screen.

GeoDefense Swarm

This is a tower defense game. Place your towers on the board to fortify your zone, defending yourself from any enemies.

If you make it through one level alive, you’ll need to survive the next wave of attacks in the next. Just stay alive to win.

Gerbil Physics
Sounds weird, but in this game there are buildings made of gerbils. Yes, that’s right the furry rodent variety. Your task is to destroy those buildings and watch the burning little critters fly through the air, in this physics-based game.

Sounds cruel, but it’s adorable, destructive fun.

Pinball FX2
In the not so distant past, before computer games, people use to love nothing more than firing a ball around a brightly-coloured assault course in what was known as “pinball machine”.

This experience can now be enjoyed on your Nokia Lumia. Fire the ball, then hit it with the paddles and watch it bounce around the board – effortlessly. Lots of flashing lights and electronic pinging sounds will make for a fun time.

Wordament

Wordament is a puzzle game with a difference. Instead of playing it by yourself, you’ll be pitched against everybody else. And we mean everybody.

Across the whole of the Internet, those playing at the same time as you will be presented with the exact same word puzzle. The person who finds the best word in that puzzle will get the highest score. Continue to win the best word and to become the ultimate Wordament champion.

For details on how this hugely-popular game came into existence, the Windows Phone Blog has a great interview with the game creators – John Thornton and Jason Cahill.

Pirates!
Avast me hearties – another one from Sid Meier, Pirates! And don’t ask why buccaneers are so compelling in a video game – they just aarrgh! Pirates! transports you to a bygone age where you command the choppy-seas and install fear in all those who cross you.

As the captain of a motley crew, navigating the never-ending ocean isn’t easy. Of course you’ll find treasure maps, of course you’ll fight bandits and of course you’ll make people walk the plank. Why, because you’re the captain, the most feared on the seven seas.

Shoot 1UP

This is a shipping adventure different from the one above. In Shoot 1UP, you start with a single ship cruising the solar system, seeking revenge for the destruction of your home world.

On your journey, you’ll add other ships to your quest in the form of 1UPs. as soon as you collect one, your fleet of ships will increase and follow you into battle. You’ll soon be an unstoppable force, taking command of the stars and securing success.

Are you looking forward to some more gaming on your Nokia Lumia smartphone? Which one are you most looking forward to? Let us know, using the comments section, below.

Nokia reveals super-secret smartphone waterproofing technology!

Ever wonder about future of smartphone technology? It’s something the scientists at the Nokia Research Centre constantly have on their minds. Using nanotechnology the team has developed a Superhydrophobic waterproof coating that forces water to roll off a Nokia Lumia 710, just as it does off a leaf in nature. Read on and we’ll explain further…

Replicating the effects of nature seems to be a pre-occupation of scientists, and for those at the Nokia Research Centre  attempting to replicate the way water rolls off a leaf is only one way of developing future smartphone designs. Thankfully, they’ve found a way to replicate the same effect, using nanotechnology.

“Like many scientists we are trying to copy what nature has been doing perfectly for thousands of years,” says Chris Bower, Principal Scientist at the Nokia Research Centre in Cambridge.

To do this, the team is in the final stages of designing a Superhydrophobic coating that can be applied to the outside of future Nokia phones.

What is Superhydrophobic coating, and how does it work?

The coating works in a similar fashion to the Teflon non-stick coating used on frying pans.In tests without the coating, water falls and coats the surface of an object. But in tests with the Superhydrophobic coating water drops and bounces up again, before skidding over the surface. 

“Superhydrophobic coatings have a contact angle that can approach 180 degrees – and the liquid forms discrete drops that literally bounce off the surface. The difference is the nano-structured coating, trapping air at the interface, that makes sure the liquid never actually touches the surface.”

Can it be used on Nokia phones?

It already is, in tests. The Nokia Research Centre has found that adding the coating to a Nokia Lumia 710 has the same effect using a layer of Graphene treated with a superhydrophobic coating that forces water to roll of the phone.

The benefit is that it will survive more than a few drops of water. You could potentially drop your Superhydrophobic-coated phone into a bowl of water and see it survive. 

“It will improve the water resistance, fingerprint resistance and antireflection properties of the device.”

Will we see Superhydrophobic phones anytime soon?

The technology is not ready just yet. The biggest hurdle is developing a coating strong enough for daily wear and tear. Bower reveals that the Nokia Research Team is close to perfecting a coating tough enough to be used externally. So the new phones could arrive sooner than we think.

Superhydrophobic coatings aren’t the only new technology the team is working on.

The busy team of scientists are also working on nanotechnologies that will enable future Nokia phones to stretch.

Check out the Nokia Research Centre photos of Super-Hydro in action:

Nokia 808 PureView – April 23rd, Price- £464.98?

Following the handset’s officially unveiling at MWC 2012 yesterday, Nokia’s new camera happy smartphone the Nokia 808 PureView has been made available for pre-order in the UK.

Capturing headlines for its staggering 41-megapixel camera inclusion, the 808 PureView was unveiled with no official word from Nokia regarding a release date or pricing information but has since hit online retailers ahead of launch in a matter of months.

Nokia 808 PureView UK Release Date and Price

Although not yet confirmed by Nokia, online retailer Unlocked Mobiles has made the latest Finnish camera phone available for pre-order in the UK with a Nokia 808 PureView UK release date tipped for April 23rd.

Listed as a SIM-free device with subsidising networks yet to be announced, the online handset outlet has posted the newly unveiled device with a premium price tag comparable to that of its Windows Phone touting counterpart the Nokia Lumia 800 as a Nokia 808 PureView price is set at £464.98.