Microsoft today released three new hotfix updates for Windows 10 Build 9926. One of them is a cumulative security update for Internet Explorer in Windows 10 Technical preview. The other two updates are related to Windows 10 OS and it enables upgrade to next Windows 10 build that Microsoft will be releasing next month.

• KB3021952
• KB3040021
• KB3038930

Microsoft is now rolling out Lumia Denim update with Windows Phone 8.1 OS to several Lumia devices in India. The list includes the most popular Lumia 520, Lumia 525, Lumia 620 and Lumia 720 devices. Find the firmware version below.

Product	Description	Release	OS version	Firmware version
Lumia 520	Country variant	Denim	8.10.14219.341	3058.50000.1425.0001
Lumia 525	Country variant	Denim	8.10.14219.341	3058.50000.1425.0003
Lumia 535 Dual SIM	Country variant	Denim	8.10.14226.359	02055.00000.14511.22002
Lumia 620	Country variant	Denim	8.10.14219.341	3058.50000.1425.0001
Lumia 720	Country variant	Denim	8.10.14219.341	3058.50000.1425.0002

Windows Denim Features..

• Cortana – The most personal digital assistant on the market will now be available in the UK and China as a Beta. India, Canada and Australia will have access to Cortana as a public Alpha. For US residents, Cortana now includes an improved natural language, car kit integration via Bluetooth for contacts, snooze reminders and calendar improvements.
• Live folders – If you prefer to keep your apps or games organised, you can now put them into folders. Simply press, hold and drag an app over another to create a new folder on the Start screen. Each folder can be renamed by tapping on the text field above the open folder.
• Apps Corner – Create a customised Start screen, where only specific apps or games are accessible. This could be particularly useful in the workplace if you’re issuing Windows Phones to employees.
• SMS merge and forwarding – Select individual text messages to either delete them out of a messaging thread, or to copy and past them into a new message in order to forward them.
• Snooze Times – It’s now possible to customise the snooze time within the Alarm app.
• Consumer VPN – Maintain privacy and security when using data while connected to public Wi-Fi hotspots or even with your home Wi-Fi.
• Mobile Web Site improvements in IE – Connect and browse even faster with improved downloading speeds on mobile websites.
• Store Live Tile (US only) – The Store Live Tile displays featured apps and games that are the most popular in the Store, or most relevant for you.

Unique Lumia experiences

• Lumia Camera – Replacing Nokia Camera, Lumia Camera is faster and more intuitive than before to make the best camera experience, even better.
• Speed – Pocket to capture speeds are superfast, and it only takes milliseconds going from shot to shot.
• Moment Capture – A long press of the camera button starts 4K-quality* video recording at 24 FPS. With each frame at 8.3 megapixels, you can save individual frames as high quality still images.
• Rich Capture – Auto HDR and Dynamic Flash are now welcomed into the already-impressive feature set. Shoot first and adjust the camera settings later for that perfect photo.
• Improved image processing algorithms – Updated to give you clearer photos, even in lowlight.
• “Hey Cortana” Voice Activation** – Gone are the days of pressing the microphone button to wake-up Cortana. Simply say “Hey Cortana” while the phone is idle and Cortana will activate. This is possible thanks to the SensorCoretechnology.
• Glance Screen – Compatible Lumia devices can now show more at a glance with Bing Weather, or Bing Health & Fitness data, in addition to time and date, notifications and application data.

Source: Microsoft

If you haven't heard of Instructables (instructables.com), it is a great resource for those who love tinkering, soldering, stitching, frying, and, making just about anything. You can find step-by-step instructions on various projects and interact with other users along the way. Sounds interesting? Autodesk, the company that owns Instructables, has recently released an official app for Windows and Windows Phone devices. 

The Instructables app feels very Metro. It opens up to the Home section, which features a few items with thumbnails. Swiping to the left or right shows off other sections like Explore, Contests, account, and main menu.

Tapping a project displays more details about it. It includes the instructions, the user who submitted it, how many times it has been viewed, how many times it has been liked, and the number of comments. The thoroughness of the instructions may vary. Some may be very detailed, while others keep it brief and simple.

Download Instructables for Windows (Free)

Download Instructables for Windows Phone (Free)

Microsoft today released an update for its Extras + Info app. The app has been updated to version v3.14.6.2 and offers general fixes and improvements.

Download it here from Windows Phone Store.

 Viber for Windows Phone just got updated to v4.4.1.0 in Windows Phone Store. This is just a bug fix update with no new features. 
Download it here from Windows Phone Store for free.

CHECK YOUR EMAIL

Microsoft has announced today that it will be dropping support for the Rooms feature on Windows Phones in March. In an email sent out to users, the company notes that you'll still be able to interact with your room photo albums, calendars, and notes, but you won't be able to create new rooms, make membership or permission changes, or send new messages after the March deadline.

"

Starting in March 2015, Rooms on Windows Phone will no longer be supported. You'll still be able to view and use your room photo albums, calendars and notes.

The changes to Rooms will take place in two stages.

In Windows Phone 8 and 8.1

After support for Rooms ends in March 2015, you'll still see your existing rooms on your Windows Phone 8 or 8.1. You'll be able to view and use your room photo albums, calendars and notes on your phone. But you won't be able to create new rooms or make membership or permissions changes to existing rooms. Additionally, you and other room members won't be able to send any new room chat messages.

In Windows 10 Technical Preview for phones

We're making way for new features in Windows 10 that will help you stay in touch with the people that matter most. Once you update to Windows 10 Technical Preview for phones, rooms will no longer show up on your phone. You'll still be able to get to your photo albums, calendars and notes, either on the web or by using other apps on your phone. You won't be able to see your chat history or send or receive any new chats.

Note: If you have important info in your room chats that you want to keep, you should save a copy somewhere else before updating your phone beyond Windows Phone 8.1.

To see room content using apps on your phone:

Photos – You'll find your photos and videos in the OneDrive app in a folder with same name as the room. Calendar – Go to the Calendar app to see your room calendar. Notes – Your room notes are in the OneNote app, in a notebook with the same name as the room.

To see room content on the web:

Sign into Outlook.com with the same Microsoft account you use on your phone. You'll find your content there, in folders with the same name as your room. Or just use these direct links to get to your: Photos Calendar Notes

You can continue to see everything from rooms (except for chats) on Outlook.com, in the Outlook app and on windowsphone.com.

For more info, take a look at the Rooms FAQ.

Thanks,

The Windows Phone Team"

Microsoft have been quite forthright about updates saying "early 2015". Indeed, every day we are getting random tips from people around the globe noting they now have the update.

India is arguably one of the largest Windows Phone markets, but so far only the Lumia 520 has Denim in that country.

Now, Microsoft India in personally responding to many inquiries that all eligible Lumias should have the update by the end of the month.

We just reported via our sources that Windows Phone 8.1 GDR2 is alive and may get pushed to users enrolled to developers preview and still on Windows Phone 8.1 GDR1.

New features:

• Video Over LTE support
• Security/AntiTheftMode
• Route an SMS message to a partner application
• More Phone languages,
  • Bangla (Bangladesh)
  • Khmer
  • Kiswahili
  • Lao

Welcome to the Partner Documentation for Windows Phone 8.1 GDR1 and Windows Phone 8.1 GDR2. The changes since the December 2014 documentation update are listed here.

Partner application development

New or updated topic	Description
Route an SMS message to a partner application	Updated. Describes how to specify an optional port attribute on the SMSInterceptBodyFilter element if you are using Wireless Application Protocol (WAP).
TelReportException	New. Reports an arbitrary exception for any thread in any process.  Optionally, does not terminate target process.
Restricted platform allow list	Updated. Three new API to support Domain Name Services:DnsQuery, DnsQueryEx, and DnsRecordListFree.

Customization and runtime configuration

New or updated topic	Description
Video over LTE	New. Added instructions, sample customization answer file, and testing steps. Use this customization to set specific settings and behaviors for Video over LTE to meet mobile operator needs.
Restore Start tile layout	New. Added instructions, sample customization answer file, and testing steps. Use this customization to append a partner-defined Start screen layout to the user backed up Start screen layout when the user restores their device from a backup.
Remove the trailing MSISDN digits on a SIM card	New. Added instructions, sample customization answer file, and testing steps. Use this customization to set remove the trailing MSISDN digits that are appended to the service provider name (SPN) in the phone UI.
Use voice domain for emergency call branding	New. Added instructions, sample customization answer file, and testing steps. Use this customization to enable the voice domain to decide whether to use Emergency calls only or No service in the phone UI branding.
Start tile layout for Windows Phone 8.1 GDR1	Updated the section Changes to the Start tile layouts in Windows Phone 8.1 GDR1 to include information about two new dual SIM layouts. Dual SIM Layout Two – Uses two medium phone tiles. When enabled, the featured tile slot is overridden to show the other medium phone tile. OEMs that have a dual SIM phone can enable this by selectingLayout Two for the StartLayout setting value. Dual SIM Layout Four – Does not contain any small tiles. OEMs that have a dual SIM phone can enable this by selecting Layout Four for theStartLayout setting value.  Note There is no Dual SIM Layout Three.
Phone languages	Updated to include information about the new display languages supported in Windows Phone 8.1 GDR2.
Set languages and locales	Updated to include the recommended default phone languages and regional formats for the new markets added inWindows Phone 8.1 GDR2.
Time zone priority list	Updated the list of time zones and their corresponding IDs. These changes apply to Windows Phone 8.1 GDR2 and later releases.
Variant selection during runtime	Updated the section Selecting the variant to describe the ordering changes made in Windows Phone 8.1 GDR2.
IMS retry	Updated the description for 3GPP/IMS/AttemptThresholdForIMS to clarify that partners must set this setting to 1 or higher to enable SMS over IMS.
Registry values for mobile operator IDs	Added a new MOID: NYP-US

Provisioning and device management

New or updated topic	Description
PolicyManager configuration service provider	Added the following new policies: Connectivity/AllowManualVPNConfiguration Connectivity/CellularAppDownloadMBLimit Connectivity/WLANScanMode Experiences/AllowTaskSwitcher Security/AntiTheftMode DataProtection/RequireProtectionUnderLockConfig DataProtection/EnterpriseProtectedDomainNames
VPN configuration service provider	Changes: New AlwaysOn value in ConnectionType. New Policies/AppIdleTimeout setting in the CSP.

Testing

New or updated topic	Description
LBS test API	New. Describes the location-based services (LBS) test library API.
Use Field Medic from a command prompt	New. Describes how to use Field Medic from a command prompt (Field Medic Helper).
Gathering custom Qualcomm modem logs with Field Medic	New. You can add custom modem logging profiles to Field Medic.
SSM firewall plug-in for Qualcomm modem logging in Field Medic	New. You can create an SSM firewall plug-in for Qualcomm modem logging.

The official documentation of Windows Phone 8.1 GDR2 (which was said to be skipped) has now shown up for the OS update on Microsoft’s Windows Phone OEM dev centre.

A variety of new features appear to be supported, but nothing ground breaking.  New is Video over LTE, support for additional languages including Bangla (Bangladesh), Khmer, Kiswahili and Lao, a new anti-theft policy, and a variety of other features which can be seen below.

Microsoft has been promising am anti-theft feature to rival that of iOS and Android by the middle of 2015, suggesting we will see devices running the new update well before then.

Software changes

Customization and runtime configuration changes

These customization and runtime configuration changes are new for Windows Phone 8.1 GDR2.

New or updated feature	Description
Video over LTE	Customize specific settings and behavior for Video over LTE to meet mobile operator requirements including: Showing or hiding the LTE video calling switch Setting the default value for the switch Customizing the name/label of the switch and the description Specifying the timeout, in milliseconds, for the phone to remain in video transition state Enabling video conferencing Specifying the amount of time before a video call is downgraded to a voice call due to low video quality Hiding the video charges dialog that is displayed when the user turns on the LTE video calling switch
Restore Start tile layout	Append the OEM-defined Start screen layout to the bottom of the user's backed up Start screen layout when the user restores their device from a backup.
More phone languages	Include support for these additional phone languages: Bangla (Bangladesh) Khmer Kiswahili Lao
Remove the trailing MSISDN digits on a SIM card	Use to remove the trailing MSISDN digits that are appended to the service provider name (SPN) in the phone UI.
Use voice domain for emergency call branding	Use to enable the voice domain to decide whether to useEmergency calls only or No service in the phone UI branding.
SimbldIccidTable.xml	Create a SimbldIccidTable.xml to allow certain SIMs to disable one or more languages. For more information, see the Use SIMBLD to disable languages per ICCID section in Variant selection during runtime.
Key handling and ProvXML ordering improvements	For more information, see the Selecting the variant section inVariant selection during runtime.

Provisioning and device management updates

These provisioning and device management features are new for Windows Phone 8.1 GDR2.

New or updated feature	Description
PolicyManager configuration service provider	Added the following new policies: Connectivity/AllowManualVPNConfiguration Connectivity/CellularAppDownloadMBLimit Connectivity/WLANScanMode Experiences/AllowTaskSwitcher Security/AntiTheftMode DataProtection/RequireProtectionUnderLockConfig DataProtection/EnterpriseProtectedDomainNames
VPN configuration service provider	Changes: New AlwaysOn value in ConnectionType. New Policies/AppIdleTimeout setting in the CSP.

Manufacturing changes

These manufacturing changes are new for Windows Phone 8.1 GDR2.

New or updated feature	Description
MMOS image definition	You can enable TShell in MMOS.

Testing changes

These software tracing changes are new for Windows Phone 8.1 GDR2.

New or updated feature	Description
Use Field Medic from a command prompt	New parameters were added to FieldMedicHelper.
LBS test API	New location-based services (LBS) test library API.
Gathering custom Qualcomm modem logs with Field Medic	Use to add custom modem logging profiles to Field Medic.
SSM firewall plug-in for Qualcomm modem logging in Field Medic	Use to create an SSM firewall plug-in for Qualcomm modem logging.