Microsoft has released some official Windows Phone Store data for the period ending the 23rd September.

The numbers reveal that for active users of the Windows Phone Store, more than 50% are already on Windows Phone 8, with only 5% of users still on Windows Phone 7.

On Windows Phone nearly 30% of downloads were games, followed by more than 20% for tools and productivity.

Most downloads still came from USA, but countries like China and India, where English was not the first language, were also prominent.

Many languages were spoken in the Windows Phone Store, with only 25% of customers speaking English, though if your app covered English, Spanish, French, Mandarin, Russian and German it would cover 75% of Store users.

Microsoft notes that they support carrier billing with 65 partners in 38 markets and that where available developer paid transactions typically increase by 3x in developed markets and 8x in emerging markets.

In the store in-app purchasing was on the rapid increase as a monetization source, with all 20 of the highest earning apps in the store using the feature. Some of the most success apps charged as much as $99.99 for an in-app item, with the average being $24.84, and Microsoft suggests if the value is there, in-app pricing does not have to be low to be profitable.

Read more of the fascinating report at Microsoft here.

In order to counter the rise of Chromebooks, HP has now announced two new HP Stream Windows laptops that will come with either an 11.6-inch HD display or a 13.3-inch HD optional touch display. Both these laptops has fanless design that allows users to use it without worrying about heat. It features an Intel Celeron processor, 2GB RAM and 32GB of flash storage. It offers a battery life up to 8.5 hours on single charge. Also both these laptops will be available in Orchid Magenta and Horizon Blue colors. To make the deal better, HP Stream laptops come with a 1-year subscription of Microsoft Office 365 Personal which includes 1TB of OneDrive online storage and $25 gift card in the box to uses to buy apps or games from the Windows Store.

Here comes the important thing, pricing. The HP Stream 11.6-inch model is expected to be available starting at $199.99 (U.S.) and the HP Stream 13.3-inch model is expected to be available starting at $229.99 (U.S.) in November. 

Disney fans (or parents on ones) can rejoice, as the official WATCH Disney Channel app, which lets you watch full TV episodes and live Disney TV from your Windows Phone is now live in the store.

Only available to those on select TV providers, viewing of content requires current verified Disney Channel subscription. Readers can go to WATCHDisneyChannels.com  for details or check after downloading the app.

The otherwise free app can be found in the Windows Phone Store here.

Also available are WATCH Disney Junior for Windows Phone and WATCH Disney XD for Windows Phone.

Microsoft co-founder Bill Gates today highlighted the work of two medical students Jarrel Seah and Jennifer Tang at Monash University in Australia who won the Imagine Cup, a competition run by Microsoft. They both had an opportunity to discuss about their project Eyenaemia, which lets people use their cell phone to screen for anemia.

Eyenaemia is designed to take out both the expense and the guesswork. It lets you take a photo of the underside of your eyelid and then, judging by the color, tries to tell whether you’re anemic. “What’s different about this is it’s noninvasive,” Jennifer said. “You don’t need all that sterile equipment, and an untrained user can use it.” (Their idea is part of a promising trend: Researchers are studying whether cell phones can reduce the need for lab tests by detecting pneumonia, HIV, TB, and other conditions.)

It’s exciting to see bright young people like Jennifer and Jarrel applying their talents to problems that disproportionately affect the poor. As I told them, I could see a future version of Eyenaemia being used in developing countries, especially with pregnant women, since anemia contributes to nearly 20 percent of deaths during pregnancy.

So the tool has real promise. But Jennifer and Jarrel aren’t under any illusions. They know that having a great idea—“screen for anemia with a cell phone”—was only the beginning. In the early stages, they had a lot to learn: They went online to read up on design and cloud computing, which they didn’t know much about. Now the challenge is different. They have to keep improving their work.

Read more at Gates Notes.

  

As expected, Microsoft today updated their Bing suite of apps in Windows Phone Store with the new MSN branding. The updates are available for Bing News, Bing Weather, Bing Finance, Bing Sports, Bing Health and Fitness and Bing Food and Drink apps.

Bing Health And Fitness app alone has got changes other than branding. You can now longer sync your fitness data with Microsoft HealthVault. However, Microsoft has added a new independent cloud store that syncs your data across devices. There is also a new lock-screen option.

The download links.

Bing News     Bing Finance   Bing Health And Fitness

Bing Sports    Bing Food and Drink       Bing Weather

Forbes today released their annual Richest Americans list and once again Microsoft co-founder Bill Gates leads the list. Bill Gates is the richest American for the 21st year in a row, with a net worth of $81 billion. The surprising fact is that his stake in the Microsoft which he cofounded accounts for just under 20% of his total net worth. Rest of his wealth through various investments handled by a company called Cascade.

All together the 400 wealthiest Americans are worth a staggering $2.29 trillion, up $270 billion from a year ago. That’s about the same as the gross domestic product of Brazil, a country of 200 million people. The average net worth of list members is $5.7 billion, $700 million more than last year and a record high. An impressive 303 of the 400 saw the value of their fortunes rise compared to a year ago.

Here is the details about Bill Gates mentioned in the list,

America’s richest man, Bill Gates, is using his billions to effect major social change around the globe. The Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation has given away $30 billion since 2000, a fortune that on its own would be the 16th largest in America. Smallpox has disappeared, polio is nearly gone too, and the American education system has gotten an overhaul. Gates is not the only one responsible for the changes, but none of them would have happened without the help of the biggest philanthropist in world history. Now he’s taking on the deadliest animal on Earth, the mosquito. Malaria cases are down 25% since 2000, but there are still 200 million cases worldwide, and Gates is throwing billions toward making that number zero. He’s also taking sight at second deadliest animal on Earth, humans. Along with Microsoft cofounder Paul Allen, Gates is funding a Washington state-based group fighting for universal background checks on guns. Meanwhile, Gates keeps getting richer, adding $9 billion to his net worth in the last year. The gain is partly due to a sharp rise in shares at Microsoft, where Gates stepped down as chairman to take a different role advising current management on new products and technologies. His fortune is also up thanks to big returns on his investments in Canadian National Railway and trash company Republic Services, which Gates holds through his investment firm Cascade. He also owns chunks of tractor maker Deere & Co. and South American McDonald’s franchise Arcos Dorados (“golden arches” in Spanish).

Source: Forbes

Kuddle is an innovative photo sharing social media app designed for kids of all ages. Kuddle aims to create a fun and safer digital environment where children can learn about and explore the ever expanding world of social media. Reuters today reported that Kuddle is working with Microsoft to launch a child-safe tablet in the market on Dec 1st.

“We are working with Microsoft on several child safe devices which will be sold on our online store,” Chief Executive Ole Vidar Hestaas said. “The first device will be an Ipad Mini sized tablet prized under $100 that will be ready ahead of the Kuddle Store launch.”

“This is a child friendly device and it is not possible to download games like GTA (Grand Theft Auto) or apps like Snapchat,” Hestaas said.

Unfortunately, there is no much information about this upcoming tablet. If we find more information, we will update this post .

via: Reuters

A problem of Windows Phone 8.1 are the apps. All apps written for Windows Phone 8.0 work on 8.1, but they are often a little bit slower and sometimes even suffer from scaling problems. Many publishers have not updated their 8.0 apps to 8.1 yet simply because of the lower market share. However, Windows Phone 8.1 is growing and now running on nearly 40% of devices as latest AdDuplex stats prove.

More interesting information AdDuplex’ graphics provide us is that with 95.14% Nokia continues to be superior to other Windows Phone OEMs in terms of market share, and the Lumia 520 continues to be the most popular Windows Phone device right now.

You can read AdDuplex’ full report here tomorrow.

There has been a lot of damage control over the last week from Apple about their bendy phone, with Apple even showing the media their testing labs, where phones get tested to withstand a maximum of 25 kg (50 pounds) which is ironically about the weight of a young child.

It seems however the iPhone 6+ is not designed to withstand rampaging teenagers, with two UK teens in the above video going to an Apple store and demonstrating live on video that it does not take a muscle man or extraordinary strength or force to bend Apple’s phablet.

While we do not condone the actions of these clearly hooligan-like youth, it does clearly demonstrate that many more than 9 people will face issues with bent smartphones due to Apple’s obsession with style over function

Once upon a time it was “USB settings” which was found hidden on some devices via new universal search feature of Windows Phone 8.1. It was later present though on devices coming with Lumia Cyan pre-installed. The absence of USB settings on old devices was understood to be due to absence of some drivers.

Today, Ritwick has tipped us with a new hidden setting called “Network Profile” settings, which is present on his Lumia 720 and can be detected via the universal search only. Ritwick’s Lumia 720 doesn’t have dev preview enable and has updated to Lumia Cyan directly. As per the description of this setting,

If you are having trouble with your network connection you may need to update your network profile.

I couldn’t locate it on my Lumia devices.

Nokia India (Microsoft Mobile) has teased “what’s next”, in the official invitation (above), for an upcoming launch event on October 1. So, we may see Lumia 730, Lumia 830 and Lumia 930 getting launched in Indian market on that day.

Mark the date, dear readers!!  For those asking about pricing of the devices, here’s what we heard aboutLumia 730 and Lumia 830 pricing. We still don’t have any insider info about Lumia 930 pricing, but expect it to be higher than 37000 INR at the time of launch.

Today, Microsoft announced their partnership with Financial Services Information Sharing and Analysis Center (FS-ISAC) in fighting against cybercrime. FS-ISAC is the global financial industry’s go-to resource for cyber and physical threat intelligence analysis and sharing and Microsoft will be sharing cyber-threat intelligence, free of charge, to better protect Microsoft’s mutual customers and partners.

Through this pilot program, Microsoft will make its Cyber Threat Intelligence Program feed available to participating FS-ISAC members, which will receive near real-time information on known malware infections affecting more than 67 million unique IP address. With this information, FS-ISAC members will be able to quickly identify infected computers on their networks and clean them of malware, through an automated, confidential and secure feed distributed via the cloud with Microsoft Azure.

This collaboration will provide valuable intelligence into the global threat landscape affecting the financial services industry, including distributed denial of service attacks and financial botnet attacks. Together, we’ll be able to better protect FS-ISAC’s members and Microsoft customers from cyber-threats.

Source: Microsoft

Samsung today announced the SD590C curved monitor designed for immersive viewing experience. It features a super narrow bezel that allows for seamless multi-screen extension and stereo speakers built directly into the monitor’s curve complete the package with high-quality surround sound. The SD590C’s curved LED screen provides users with a unique perspective ideal for viewing content ranging from multimedia to games. Through its carefully selected curvature of 4000R, the monitor has a wider field of view than flat 27-inch panels, drawing viewers in like no other LED, while also making the display seem bigger than 27-inches.

The SD590C pairs its deeply immersive viewing experience with equally impressive surround sound, provided by 5-Watt, 2-channel dual stereo speakers built right into the curve. The speakers deliver rich, high-quality stereo sound that envelops users, enabling them to experience theater-level acoustics when enjoying movies and music in the comfort of their own hone.

Gaming on the SD590C is also a uniquely enveloping experience. With just one click, the monitor switches into Game Mode, instantly adjusting settings for optimized play. It intelligently detects changes in scenes, enhances the color, and alters the screen’s contrast to make the darks darker and the lights lighter. With Game Mode, users can see all the action at all times, even in the darkest scenes. The curved screen makes the action more lifelike than ever, plunging users into a gaming experience so exhilarating it will keep them at the edge of their seat.

Game Boost also enriches sound to further boost gaming in two ways: first, the monitor’s equalizers are adjusted to make sound effects sound true to life. Second, the most important game noises (for example, car noises in a driving game, explosions in an action game, or character sounds in a role playing game) will stand out over the background music. When paired with the display enhancements above, the result is an unmatched gaming experience.

The SD590C will be available in the U.S. beginning October 1, 2014 for an MSRP of $429.99.

Read the full press release here.

Back in August, it was reported that Microsoft is planning to open its flagship retail store at 677 Fifth Ave. near 53rd St., which is one of the top retail corridor in the country and more importantly it is just a few blocks away from Apple’s iconic glass cube store. Previously, this 8,700-square-foot, two-story space selected by Microsoft was occupied by luxury fashion brand Fendi, which has now moved to a building on Madison Ave. Microsoft today confirmed that their first Manhattan flagship store is coming to Fifth Avenue.

“As our first flagship store, it will serve as the centerpiece of our Microsoft Stores experience,” said David Porter, corporate vice president for Microsoft retail stores. “This is a goal we’ve had since day one—we were only waiting for the right location. And now we have it.”

Microsoft is aiming to make the Fifth Avenue location “much more than just a Microsoft Store.” Microsoft continues to expand its existing retail footprint in the U.S., offering an assortment of best-in-class products, including Windows 8.1 PCs, Surface Pro 3, Windows Phones, Xbox One, Microsoft Office 365 and more. Customers also receive end-to-end service with an Answer Desk and knowledgeable staff to answer questions, make recommendations, and help with PC setups and other services, so they can walk out the door with a product that’s ready to run. CEO Satya Nadella during the earnings call said that they will ensure disciplined financial execution related to Microsoft Store.

Today, I am pleased to confirm we have signed a lease to open a flagship store at 677 Fifth Avenue in New York City. As our first flagship store, it will serve as the centerpiece of our Microsoft Stores experience. This is a goal we’ve had since day one – we were only waiting for the right location. And now we have it. Our Fifth Avenue location will be much more than just a Microsoft Store. In addition to retail, there will be experiential space for Microsoft as a company to further engage with our customers and partners in new and innovative ways. This is an important milestone for Microsoft overall, our Stores team and millions of our current customers, as well as the millions to come. We could not be more excited to join one of the most visited streets in America.

Source: Microsoft

At the Sibos global banking event in Boston, Microsoft highlighted leading banking institutions that are modernizing their business operations and choosing Microsoft Dynamics CRM to shift from transaction-based businesses to customer-centric businesses. Also, Microsoft customers and partners are showcasing new technology to help financial institutions become digital banks. They have announced number of new apps for Windows 8 devices, demonstrations on how the cloud can help banks do business in underserved and emerging markets, and a new partnership with the Financial Services Information Sharing and Analysis center to help banks fight cybercrime.

Read more at Microsoft official blog here and press release here.

Popular kart racing game Red Bull Kart Fighter 3 which is leading the download charts on iOS is now available for download from Windows Phone Store. Race amazing locations with even-crazier karts.

Game Description:

EXOTIC KARTS:

Select one of 5 different kart types like the V8-Superkart, Moon Buggy or Snow Groomer and pimp your Kart in the workshop and get new skins

NEW LOCATIONS:

– Race the all new Games Expo setting

– 7 different settings such as California Drifting, Puddle of Peace and Games Expo

– 40 ultra exciting tracks

KART MADNESS:

– Lots of jumps, drifts and other exciting ways to show off

– Collect coins in every race

WILDCARDS:

– Choose one out of five incredible Wild Cards to boost your kart

VERSUS MODE:

– Challenge your friends and show them how to race

– Share your achievements on Facebook

QUICK PLAY MODE:

– Use the daily free spin to check out locked tracks and karts

Download it here from Windows Phone Store for free.

At the Sibos conference in Boston on Monday, Microsoft announced the release of Citi’s CitiDirect BESM Tablet app for Windows 8.1.This app is developed for Citi’s largest corporate treasury clients. The app, a channel extension of Citi’s corporate banking platform, CitiDirect BE, now operates on three platforms and is made available exclusively to CitiDirect BE customers worldwide, at no cost in 79 countries and nine languages in the Windows Store.

“Technology is improving every part of the customer experience, and being able to provide our treasury clients with real-time information wherever they are working helps them be more productive and make more informed business decisions,” said Hubert Jolly, global head, Channel, Enterprise and Prepaid Services at Citi’s Treasury and Trade Solutions. “By working closely with Microsoft, we have developed a solution that can be accessed from nearly any Windows 8 or Windows 8.1 tablet or device, which is important to our clients because many operate their businesses on the Windows platform.”

CitiDirect app can be used for the following,

• Use features and discovery tools to customize data views to support strategic decision-making
• Translate data into global business intelligence with just a few taps
• View data globally, by region or country; and filter by currency, amount and country in chart or map views
• Authorize, release and repair pay

As part of the ‘Deal of the day’ promotions on Amazon India, Nokia Lumia 625 WP8 device is now available for just Rs.8,999. This device is powered by 1.2 GHz Qualcomm Snapdragon S4 processor and has a 4.7-inch capacitive touchscreen. It has a 5MP rear and 0.3 MP secondary camera. It also supports expandable storage capacity of 64 GB.

Key Specs:

• Camera: 5MP primary camera and a webcam
• Display: 4.7-inch IPS LCD scratch-resistant screen
• Display Resolution: 800 x 480 pixels
• Operating System: Windows 8
• Processor: 1.2GHz dual core Qualcomm Snapdragon S4
• Memory: 8GB internal memory, expandable up to 64GB
• Battery: 2000mAH battery with 23.9 hours talk time and 830 hours standby time

Check out this deal here from Amazon India.

Back in June, Hidden Pineapple, the studio behind once popular Rowi Twitter client for Windows Phone devices announced that they are now working on a better way to do email on Windows Phone. Today, they have released a preview version of Maestro on Windows Phone Store. People who signed up to know more about this app received an email today notifying about the availability. It includes some cool features such as color-coded accounts, Swiping gestures on messages, and Cortana support. Since it is an preview release, you may encounter lots of bugs and crashes. Report it to the developer to make it better.

If you want updates on this app, sign up for their newsletter from this official website.

You can download the public preview here.

We are just a day away from the official announcement on the upcoming version of Windows. We came to know about number of consumers features that will be part of the upcoming Windows 9 release. For example, there will be a new Start Menu, windowed Modern apps and more. Today, ZDNet reported about the new system Microsoft has built to track the usage of its upcoming Windows 9 release. This system codenamed Asimov will give real-time feedback on telemetry data which Microsoft can use to improve the user experience.

I’ve heard Microsoft built a new real-time telemetry system codenamed “Asimov” (yes, another Halo-influenced codename) that lets the OS team see in near real-time what’s happening on users’ machines. This is how Microsoft may be able to measure how successful the features it “flights” with different user groups are. One of my contacts said Asimov is a system that the Xbox team originally built and used during its development process

Other than this feedback system, Microsoft has re-engineered Windows update system that will allow users to update their system in the background on single click. I hope Microsoft talks about the engineering related improvements they have made in the Windows 9 release.