Nokia Superman: smartphone with a 5-megapixel front-facing camera

As is known, the company recently completed the acquisition of Microsoft's mobile division Nokia. Nokia under its new name Microsoft Mobile continue the development of mobile devices running the operating system Windows Phone.

The Internet got information about one of these models. Smartphone codenamed Superman is being developed, said resource The Verge, citing informed sources.

According to these data, the novelty will be the first Nokia smartphone with a 5-megapixel front camera. Front high resolution camera allows not just contact with friends in video telephony, but also make high-quality self-portraits ("self") - this is especially true now. Of course, to ZTE Nubia X6 with 13-megapixel front camera "Superman" away, but all the same and a 5-megapixel camera on the front - a tangible step forward.

It is also known that the model Superman get 4.7-inch touchscreen display and will refer to the average level, that is, it is - not a flagship. It is assumed that the device will hit the market later this year.

My Windows Phone 8 Start screen: Christopher Westerholm

Every single person who owns a Nokia Lumia smartphone has slightly different needs or requirements; you can see this on every Start screen. Like the ancient art of tasseography, each Start screen tells a story and about the individual and what’s important to them in their life.

We previously caught up with Christopher Westerholm to find out how he created a stunningly beautiful cinema-style video, shot entirely on a Nokia Lumia 920.

While filming may be Christopher’s passion, he likes to take time away from behind the camera, as his Start screen reveals.

Feed your Game of Thrones addiction with your Nokia Lumia

Million of fans will be suffering withdrawal symptoms over the next few weeks as the Game of Thrones season three finale is broadcast around the world.

This epic HBO production of power, war, family strife and mythical creatures is based on George R. R. Martin’s A Song of Fire and Icefantasy novels and has been thrilling global audiences since it first popped onto our TV screens in 2011.

Now, devotees of the show will have to wait at least a year before they can find out what happens next. Until then, you can always satisfy your cravings by trying out these Game of Thrones apps for your Nokia Lumia. They’re unofficial, made for fans, by the fans, and they’re all the better for it.

Game of Thrones DB, £0.79p

If you want to transform your Lumia into a Game of Thrones smartphone, this is the best place to start.

The exhaustive Game of Thrones Database has everything from the latest news, social media, ringtones and screen wallpapers. 

I particularly liked the interactive maps, which were extremely helpful, as even the most avid fan will tell you that staying on top of all plot twists require maximum concentration. 

8 useful Nokia Lumia Windows Phone 8 features you might not know about

One of the things we love best about Nokia Lumia and Windows Phone is that we’re always discovering fantastic little features we didn’t know about.  Whether it’s a new camera trick, a clever software innovation or a little update that makes a big difference, these constant marvels always put smiles on our faces. To share some of this childlike glee with you, we’ve showcased some features, you might not yet have noticed. Get your Nokia Lumias at the ready!

1. Make your music sound better

Nokia Lumias are famed for being amazing music making machines. But did you know that if you pop in your headphones you can adjust the sound quality via the audio option under general settings? You have the option to choose a selection of pre-determined settings, or fiddle about with the equaliser yourself. Otherwise, you can go full DJ and enable Dolby playback by swiping right and hittingplayback. Nokia Music just got even funkier!

2. Create a Group Live Tile

Groups are a brilliant way to mange your social networking stuff and stay in touch with the people who matter, whether that’s your footballing buddies or your family. When you create a Group, it shows up at the top of your contact list. Tap it, and you’ll see the Group members’ Live Tiles and social networking updates, along with options for group email, texting, and chat. You can also pin it to your Start screen. What’s more, it’s super simple to create. On your Start screen tap People, flick to All, tap New and then tap New Group. Tap a contact name then Save and you’re off and away!

3. Change your text size

No matter how big the screen size, sometimes it’s nice to have your font a little bigger too. If you want to resize your Nokia Lumia’s text, simple Go into Settings then Ease of access and you’ll find five different size settings for the text. You need never squint again.

 4. Share your location in a text

Meeting a buddy in a bar or hooking up with your girlfriend for afternoon coffee, but they don’t know how to get to your location? Don’t worry. Write a text message and you can add a map of your location. Just tap the paperclip icon and choose location. If your buddy or girlfriend has a Nokia Lumia it will open your location in their HERE Maps, otherwise it will open in their browser.

5. Hide your caller ID

Sometimes you’d just rather not have people see your caller ID. If you happen to be in one of those situations you can change your settings with in a couple of taps. Just go to caller history, tap the fullstops icon at the bottom right, and hit Settings. Then choose who gets to see your caller ID by default, everyone, your contacts, or no one at all.

6. Get a room

Imagine if you could get a digital room where all your nearest and dearest could share pictures, chat, make appointments or broadcast their locations to everyone inside. Well, imagine no more. Go to the People Hub on your start screen, side swipe and you’ll find the word together. From here press the ‘+’ key at the bottom and then select room choose a name and hit the floppy disc save button at the bottom. Windows Phone 8 will now set the room up. When you’ve added everyone you want to include, press the tick and your friends with Nokia Lumias or other Windows Phone 8 devices will now be invited to join.

7. Search a web page

Find the info you need from a web page isn’t always a straightforward task, especially if you’re using a smartphone screen. Fortunately, with Windows Phone 8, within the browser,  is a search tool called find on page. When in Internet Explorer, press the fullstops icon and select find on page towards the bottom of the list. Type in your search query and press enter. Hey presto! All text found in the search will show up in your chosen accent colour, and there’s an arrow key to scroll through all the findings at the bottom of the display.

8. Make searching simpler

If you’ve got a lot of friends in the People Hub or a lot of apps in your apps list it can sometimes take time finding what or who you want. For quicker navigation you can just tap the header letter of a section, the “a” at the top, for example, and get a large overlay of all the letters in the alphabet. Tap one and hop over to that section for all your contacts beginning with each letter. It really makes searching simple.

These are just a few of the cool features that you might not have known about. If you have any others you’d like to share, please drop them in the comments below.

iOS 7 vs Windows Phone – Nokia Hong Kong Takes A Swipe At Latest iOS From Apple

There are people that said the iOS 7 from Apple looks like the Windows Phone especially from the design. One of those out there with such perception is Nokia Hong Kong. The Finland based company’s branch in Hong Kong takes a swipe at Apple’s latest operating system.

Nokia Hong Kong posted a series of images that comparing the iOS to Windows Phone. Those from Nokia Hong Kong are definitely going after the iOS 7 since it was announced earlier on yesterday.

You can see from the images above that the user interfaces (UI) of the iOS 7 and Windows Phone are the same from some aspects. Windows Phone is popular with its LiveTiles, but iOS 7 has its own tiles as well. When receiving a call, the iOS 7 has the tiles design like Windows Phone.

At second set of images, Nokia Hong Kong showcased the weather app of Windows Phone. The weather app of iOS 7 looks 90 percent like the one in Windows Phone. But it is hard to determine who is the copycat. In additional, the notification bar of iOS 7 combines both Windows Phone andAndroid. 

http://gsminsider.com

Nokia Lumia 920 images lights up London gallery for ONE Campaign

Evocative images inspired by protest songs, many taken with Nokia Lumia 920 smartphones are being projected onto the exterior of the Tate Modern art gallery in London.

This event, on the evenings of 11-13 June, marks Nokia’s new partnership with the ONE Campaign, which works to eradicate extreme poverty around the world.

Prominent photojournalists, bloggers, amateur photographers and celebrities have taken the special images that are being projected onto the Tate Modern.

We’ve got a selection of the images here: 

By Daniel Skornicka


By Duncan

By Goncalo Figueiredo


By Coralie Grassin

By Tom Price

By Benjamin Price

agit8

Alongside the Tate Modern projections, a new music-based campaign, agit8, is being launched to showcase the progress that has been made against poverty, and to amplify calls for further action.

Nokia is helping to spread word of the campaign by capturing images from around the world. People are being encouraged to share images, stories and experiences that support the theme of ‘Progress through protest.’

The images are available to view and can be shared on Twitter using#nokiaxONECampaign or uploaded to Nokia’s official Facebookpage.

The ONE Campaign says that extreme poverty has been halved around the world in the last 20 years and it could be virtually eliminated altogether by 2030 – if we act now.

The agit8 campaign features new video recordings of classic protest songs and impromptu live performances. A new film will also be projected on the iconic façade of the Tate Modern.

Artists taking part in agit8, include Ed Sheeran, Mumford and Sons, Elvis Costello, Angelique Kidjo, Rokia Traore, Tom Morello and Macklemore.

Exclusive videos of their performances, plus beautiful images that reflect the power of the protest song, are available atone.org/protestsongs.

How Nokia Music can turn you into a new music maestro

Ever feel like you’re drowning in a tsunami of new music? Well, now it’s time to turn on, tune in and rock out—all with the help of your Nokia smartphone! Nokia Music is an interactive, intuitive and, most importantly, free service with more than 24 million tracks for Nokia Lumia and Asha customers; it’s there to help you keep abreast of the ever-expanding and always exciting world of up-and-coming (and classic!) tunes. With turntables of fresh tracks at your fingertips, you’ll soon be able to give the professional DJs a run for their money…

Makes you a mix master

The killer attraction has to be Nokia Mix Radio—a smartphone music streaming service that offers you access to millions of songs without having to sign up, sign in, or listen to endless, disruptive adverts between tracks. When you click through to Mix Radio, just select your preferred genre—indie, jazz, country, spoken-word comedy, chart, rock, just to name a few—and you get to listen to a free mix-tape that’s been especially compiled for Nokia listeners.

Keeps on discovering

Bristol Musicologists Jethro Borthwick, Mark Lampo and Nick Pointon are the brains behind most of the mixes, and these data-crunching genuises, and their support team, are keen to make sure Nokia customers get a satisfying musical experience that’s both global and locally oriented, with artists and tracks sourced from all around the world. The mixes are continually updated, and they’re a great way to discover new music.

Fires your creativity 

If you want a slightly more personalised experience, you can Create a Mix by selecting three artists and letting the virtual DJ tailor a totally new playlist based on those choices. And if you like what you hear, you can download up to four mixes at a time to your handset to listen to offline any time you like, so you don’t have to worry about WiFi connections and data allowances—and none of it will cost you a penny!

Puts you in store for more

There’s a regular music Store, too, of course, in case you fall in love with the latest chart-topper and want to feast your ears on more; simply click through and use your Nokia account to purchase individual tracks or the whole album. While you’re in the Store, you can play samples from any song, and meanwhile take note of all the quick info you’ll need to show off your advanced musical knowledge (artist, genre, label and release date).

 Tells you all you need to know

Click on the artist’s name, and you’ll get a flood of useful trivia: not only convenient lists of all their albums, singles, most popular tracks and related artists, but a bio and image gallery as well, courtesy of Wikipedia, not to mention a handy Artist Mix, plus a list telling you which Mix Radio playlists that currently feature that artist. Back to the tune you’re actually listening to, though: scroll right and you get another list—this time, other music recommended to you based on the tune you’ve navigated from. Talk about comprehensive…

Gets you to gigs

So, now you’ve heard the single and downloaded the album—but no respectable music junkie would call themselves a true fan unless they’ve seen the band live. Not a problem: with Nokia Music’s Gig Finder, your smartphone can search for local live music listings based on your GPS location. Once you’ve found a kick-ass concert, you can pinpoint the venue using HERE Maps, get directions, buy tickets, check out what else is happening at that venue, and, in case this gig has sold out, you can see where else that band or act is playing. Phew! A one-stop-shop for gig-goers.

Gives you something extra special

Finally, if that isn’t all enough, for a teeny monthly subscription fee (€3.99/$3.99), you can access Nokia Music+, which is an enhanced version of all the above. It lets you skip unlimited tracks in the Mixes (as opposed to the free version’s six skips an hour), download as many Mixes as you can fit on your phone, listen at a higher quality, and see the lyrics to your favourite songs, karaoke-style, on your smartphone’s screen.

With all this combined, you’ll be a new music maestro before you can say top tune. And if you’ve already been using these brilliant features, we’d love to hear what new music gems you’ve unearthed so far.

WP8 discourages producers and the high cost of the license competition from Nokia

Resource DigiTimes reported that the information they have smartphone manufacturers refuse to release or platform models from Microsoft, or delaying their release. The reasons for the unpopularity of Windows Phone 8 operating system there are a few. The worst factor for manufacturers is the fact that the OS yet managed to win only 3% of the market, despite the fact that Microsoft has been making great efforts to promote it. The company also manufacturers impose very substantial license fees, and the competition is named by Nokia, whose brand retains a hefty popularity. worth mentioning that Nokia is the highest priority among buyers of smartphones on Windows Phone. As of May this year, the Finnish company managed to receive 80% of all sales, which leaves the rest is not too attractive market share. Companies like HTC, Samsung and Huawei initially were enthusiastic about the opportunity to build devices based on the new operating system, but unlike Nokia after the first announcement of the continuation of them are not followed. And manufacturers such as Acer, ASUS and ZTE have abandoned their plans to release devices or transferred them to a later date. So they are trying to achieve from Microsoft to reduce license fees. Moreover, in their view, Microsoft too severely restricts the opportunities for developers to differentiation of smartphones, not allowing anyone to distinguish their product.

HTC Tiara - WP8 smartphone on average

The network has an official photo of the smartphone company HTC, which has not yet been announced. The model is called the HTC Tiara and looks very similar to the Android-based smartphone from the same manufacturer - One SV. Features the same trends are average, roughly between devices HTC Windows Phone 8S and HTC Windows Phone 8X. The smartphone is equipped with 4.3-inch touch screen, made ​​by technology Super LCD2 and having a resolution of WVGA. At the core of the hardware platform is chipset with dual-core 1.2GHz processor, paired with 1GB of RAM. HTC Tiara Other features include an 8-megapixel main camera and a 1.6-megapixel front designed for video. The amount of internal memory is 8 GB and a memory card slot is not yet known. The battery in the smartphone also not too big - 1800 mAh, but it is known that the device will hit the market initially with an updated operating system, Windows Phone 8 GDR2. However, no information as to where it will not. It is assumed that the official announcement will take place before the end of the month. 

Microsoft invites everyone to join the fun with a brand-new Xbox 360

Sleek and stylish new Xbox 360 unveiled alongside spectacular lineup of games, reaffirming Microsoft's commitment to the celebrated console that has already sold 76 million units worldwide.

Microsoft Corp. at E3 offered everyone who has yet to own an Xbox 360 or wants to update their existing console an irresistible new reason to jump in. Alongside the spectacular lineup of titles for its highly anticipated next Xbox entertainment system, Xbox One, Microsoft unveiled a fresh and exciting new design for Xbox 360. Shipping today to retailers across the U.S., U.K., Canada, Ireland and Australia, the new Xbox 360 will continue to roll out worldwide across all Xbox regions over the coming months, extending the life cycle and legacy of the celebrated console that has already sold 76 million units worldwide and has been the best-selling console in the U.S. for the past 28 months.
Sporting a sleek and stylish new design that resembles the Xbox One brand elements, the new Xbox 360 brings together a similar look and feel across the entire family of Xbox products. The new Xbox 360 appears stunning wherever it fits in the home and offers great performance. It is available in multiple value-packed editions for the same great prices as the existing console: $199.99 estimated retail price (ERP1) for the 4GB console, $299.99 ERP for the 250GB edition and $299.99 ERP for the 4GB Kinect Bundle.
"Xbox 360 offers unrivaled value - with more great games, an Xbox Live community with 48 million members, and a compelling lineup of apps, sports, movies, TV shows and music," said Yusuf Mehdi, chief marketing and strategy officer, Interactive Entertainment Business, Microsoft. "We've taken all we have learned these past eight years and engineered a
new Xbox 360 console that is elegant and accessible to anyone. There's never been a better time to experience everything Xbox 360 has to offer."
As a message of thanks to the millions of Xbox fans around the world for their passion and loyalty, Microsoft announced that every qualifying Xbox Live Gold member - new or existing - will receive two free Xbox 360 game downloads per month starting July 1 until Dec. 31, 2013, including popular titles such as "Halo 3" and "Assassin's Creed II." And to celebrate E3 in the month of June, Xbox Live Gold members will receive a free download of "Fable III."3 In addition, for a limited time gamers can get a Day One 12-month Xbox Live Gold membership and play "Killer Instinct: Round One," with the exclusive Shadow Jago character, on Xbox One. Players will also receive a commemorative Day One membership card.
The world's brightest creators are continuing to bring imaginative new titles to Xbox 360, which leads the games industry with more than 4,500 titles and 48 million Xbox Live members. At Microsoft's E3 press briefing, acclaimed developer Wargaming.net announced that a new installment of one of the world's most popular action games, "World of Tanks: Xbox 360 Edition," is coming exclusively to Xbox 360 later this year, bringing the franchise to a console platform for the first time. Custom-built for Xbox 360, "World of Tanks: Xbox 360 Edition" is a global online multiplayer phenomenon dedicated to tank warfare in the mid-20th century. Players will command some of history's most powerful tanks and experience intense combat where the excitement of battle is enhanced by working together with their tank platoons to win the fight. "World of Tanks: Xbox 360 Edition" will be available as a Free-to-Play with Gold title for Xbox Live members and a limited-time trial for all Xbox Live account holders. Register for the beta at http://www.worldoftanks.com/xbox.2
Microsoft also showcased "Max: The Curse of Brotherhood," a follow-up to the popular game "Max and the Magic Marker," coming exclusively to Xbox 360 later this year. The game tells the story of a boy named Max who embarks on a journey to find his little brother, Felix, after a giant monster steals him away. With the power of Kinect, players will guide Max through a mystical, blighted fantasy world, using powerful magical abilities to overcome puzzles and enemies and save Felix before it's too late.
Fans of action games can wage war for their god as a brutal Caos warrior in "Ascend: Hand of Kul," a Free-to-Play with Gold third-person action-RPG featuring innovative single and multiplayer gameplay. In addition, poker fans will be able to take their game to a whole new level with "World Series of Poker®: Full House Pro," which lets players build their in-game bankrolls as they compete against opponents from around the world.
In its sixth year, Summer of Arcade continues to deliver the most anticipated, premier collection of the best downloadable games available on Xbox Live. Coming later this summer, fans will have access to fun, quality games including "Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles™: Out of the Shadows" from Activision, "Flashback" by Ubisoft, "Brothers: A Tale of Two Sons" by 505 Games and "Charlie Murder" from Microsoft Studios.
In addition to these exclusive premieres, Xbox 360 will continue to deliver a staggering lineup of the most anticipated games from the world's best studios, including "Call of Duty®: Ghosts," "Grand Theft Auto V," "Battlefield 4™," "Madden NFL 25," "FIFA 14," "Assassin's Creed® IV: Black Flag," "Watch Dogs™," "Batman: Arkham Origins" and "Fable Anniversary." The lineup reaffirms that Xbox 360 remains the best place to enjoy this generation's must-have blockbusters.
For more details about the Xbox One games lineup and all the exciting Xbox news at E3, visit news.xbox.com. For press releases and media assets, please visit news.xbox.com/media (select "Choose a Category" to find relevant content).
About Xbox
Xbox is Microsoft's premier entertainment brand for the TV, phone, PC and tablet. In living rooms or on the go, Xbox is home to the best and broadest games, as well as one of the world's largest libraries of movies, TV, music and sports. Your favorite games, TV and entertainment come to life in new ways through the power of Kinect, Xbox SmartGlass and Xbox Live, the world's premier social entertainment network. More information about Xbox can be found online at www.xbox.com.
About Microsoft
Founded in 1975, Microsoft (Nasdaq "MSFT") is the worldwide leader in software, services and solutions that help people and businesses realize their full potential.
The information contained in this press release relates to a pre-release product that may be substantially modified before its first commercial release. Accordingly, the information may not accurately describe or reflect the product when first commercially released. The press release is provided for informational purposes only, and Microsoft makes no warranties, express or implied, with respect to the press release or the information contained in it.
1 Estimated retail prices; actual retail prices may vary
2 Free-to-Play with Xbox Live Gold membership (sold separately); additional in-game content available and sold separately
3 "Games with Gold" free games offer available 6/10/13-12/31/13 for paid qualifying Gold members only. Xbox 360 games (selected by Xbox) available for free download from Marketplace only during specified half-month window; available games may vary by country. Some titles may only be available for download by account holders 18 or over. Kinect and/or hard drive required for some games. See xbox.com/live.
For more information, press only:
xboxpress@edelman.com
For assets: news.xbox.com/media
Note to editors: For more information, news and perspectives from Microsoft, please visit the Microsoft News Center at http://www.microsoft.com/news. Web links, telephone numbers and titles were correct at time of publication, but may have changed. For additional assistance,
journalists and analysts may contact Microsoft's Rapid Response Team or other appropriate contacts listed at http://www.microsoft.com/news/contactpr.mspx.

Xbox Unveils New Generation of Games at E3

There was intense excitement among the 5,000+ attendees of the Xbox briefing this morning at the Galen Center in Los Angeles, while millions more tuned in around the world. During the briefing, Microsoft Studios and the world’s most renowned publishers unveiled their blockbuster line-up of games for Xbox One, with more exclusive titles coming than any time in the history of Xbox.  Showcasing a stunning lineup of titles designed to kick-start a new era of games and entertainment, Xbox showed why it will be the premier platform for the future of games when Xbox One launches in 21 markets this November.

“Microsoft Studios is committed to making Xbox One the best place to play games, with more titles in development and more exclusives coming than at any time in the history of Xbox,” said Phil Spencer, corporate vice president, Microsoft Studios. “With amazing games such as ‘Forza Motorsport 5,’ ‘Ryse: Son of Rome,’ ‘Dead Rising 3,’ ‘Titanfall,’ ‘Halo Xbox One,’ ‘Kinect Sports Rivals,’ ‘Project Spark’ and ‘Quantum Break,’ Xbox will continue to lead the industry with the biggest exclusives, new IP and blockbuster franchises that will delight gamers for the next decade and beyond.”

Spencer helped unveil an unprecedented lineup of world-premiere Xbox One games from innovative and celebrated studios, including 343 Industries, Crytek, Turn 10 Studios, Respawn Entertainment, Remedy, Kojima Productions, Capcom and Insomniac Games, along with support from nearly every major publisher in the industry. These developers showed how they’re leveraging the power and performance of Xbox One to deliver games that look and feel like nothing else — fueled by the power of Xbox One, the fidelity of the new Kinect and the power of the cloud in Xbox Live. A few examples include:

“Ryse: Son of Rome,” from Crytek, is an epic action-adventure story that immerses you in the intensity of Roman warfare as you seek vengeance across the battlefields of ancient Rome. “Ryse: Son of Rome” extends the gameplay experience with Xbox SmartGlass and Game DVR and lets you call in legions of troops while in the heat of battle with the sound of your voice using Kinect.

Turn 10 Studios unveiled the breathtaking visuals and adrenaline-filled action of “Forza Motorsport 5,” the next installment of the highest-rated racing franchise of the past 10 years.  Designed for Xbox One and the vast power of the cloud, “Forza Motorsport 5” features revolutionary Drivatar technology that learns how you and your friends drive, delivering real human behavior and an ever-evolving network of opponents always ready to race — even when they’re not online.

“Dead Rising 3,” the next installment of Capcom’s massively popular zombie franchise coming exclusively to Xbox One lets you fight for survival in an immersive open world teeming with thousands of undead.

“Project Spark”, from Team Dakota, is an open-world digital canvas enables anyone to build, play and share their own worlds, games and stories with millions of others online.

“Sunset Overdrive”, a high-energy open-world shooter set in the not-so-distant future from Insomniac Games delivers an always-changing gameplay experience with an arsenal of explosive and overpowered weapons.

Showcasing the caliber of support from the world’s biggest publishers, Electronic Arts also stunned the audience with the reveal of “Titanfall,” coming only to Xbox One, Xbox 360 and PC.
Spencer delighted gamers with the world premiere teaser trailer for “Halo Xbox One,” the next chapter of the award-winning Xbox franchise developed by 343 Industries, whose new journey begins in 2014.

Also during the E3 briefing, Chief Product Officer, Marc Whitten showed how Xbox One will offer you more immersive and tailored experiences, including a new level of cloud integration, expanded achievements, a richer SmartGlass experience, and a wide range of innovations coming to Xbox Live. You can read more about these innovations from Whitten in his blog post today.

Reserve your Xbox One Today

Details for Xbox One availability and the opportunity to reserve your Xbox One system today were also announced. Every Xbox One system sold will include the new Xbox One console — which features a 500GB hard drive,1 Blu-ray player and built-in Wi-Fi — the new Kinect, one Xbox One Wireless Controller and a free 14-day trial of Xbox Live Gold for new members. The Xbox One launch bundle will be available for $499.99 in the U.S., £429 (GBP) in the U.K. and €499 (EUR) in European markets.

Xbox is also introducing a limited-edition commemorative bundle to fans that reserve the system at major retailers. Reserving the commemorative bundle guarantees that you will be able to purchase the new system on day one. Each commemorative bundle will include an Xbox One system that comes in premium black packaging with a limited edition Xbox One Day One wireless controller, and a unique commemorative Day One Achievement. The commemorative bundle will be available in limited quantities and while supplies last, for $499.99, €499 (EUR) or £429 (GBP), so reserve yours today.

Gamers who reserve the following exclusive Xbox One Day One edition launch titles, also available in limited quantities at major retailers while supplies last, will receive special bonus content:

“Ryse: Son of Rome.” Exclusive multiplayer map and sword with bonus attributes.

 “Forza Motorsport 5.” Access to four cars tuned to the top of their class.

 “Kinect Sports Rivals.” Exclusive sporting equipment that separates your Champion from the rest of the world.

 “Dead Rising 3.” Exclusive Frank West and Chuck Greene Tribute Packs with bonus attributes.
To reserve your Xbox One system today, and for the full list of launch countries and prices, visit http://www.xbox.com for participating retailers.

To hear more from Spencer, you can view his E3 blog here.  Keep following Xbox Wire for ongoing live reporting from E3.

Windows Phone 8 powered HTC Tiara leaked with 4.3-inch display

It seems HTC wants a third Windows Phone 8 device between the Windows Phone 8S and Windows Phone 8X, which is being called the HTC Tiara. The leak comes from unwired view who got the specs of the device through an internal memo. The HTC Tiara seems pretty much like the One SV in terms of specs and will probably look the same in terms of design as well. The new HTC will feature Windows Phone 8 GDR2 update as well.

It features a 1.2GHz dual-core Snapdragon CPU which is running a 4.3″ Super LCD screen with WVGA(800 x 480) resolution. There’s 1GB of RAM and 8GB of internal memory. The primary camera is 8 Megapixels, with a 1.6MP front-facing unit for video calling. A 1800 mAh battery also finds a place in the spec-sheet. Although no release date has been mentioned the HTC Tiara is rumored to be available in May.

http://www.techaloud.com

What’s new in the Windows Phone desktop PC apps?

The Windows 7 and 8 versions of the desktop and Metro-style PC apps for Windows Phone have recently been updated. If you haven’t already, you should pick up the newest versions.

Desktop version for Windows 7 or Windows 8

Full screen version for tablets and Windows 8

Why upgrade? Well, there’s the normal bevy of fixes and enhancements under the hood, but also a couple of feature enhancements, too.

On the full-screen version, there’s a new mechanism to transfer documents to and from your phone. Personally, I’d use Skydrive for this purpose (or quite often, good old email), but more options are always welcome.

On your desk

There’s a bit more going on with the newest version of the desktop app.

The first thing to note happens when you first start the app. You get the choice to use either iTunes or Windows libraries as the basis for synchronising media, including music, movies and podcasts. This isn’t a permanent decision, though. You can alter your synchronisation source in the ‘settings’ menu at any time.

The second key feature is that you now have more options when it comes to podcasts. If you go down the route of synchronising with Windows libraries, because you don’t use iTunes, then you can still sync podcasts that have been saved to your hard drive by synchronising the relevant folder.

And finally, like the full screen app, the desktop app will now detect and allow you to install any future updates to the software without visiting the web site.

There’s one last option, too. Your Windows Phone shows up as a connected drive in Explorer, with folders for music, documents and so forth. You can simply cut and paste media to and from your phone if you want to.

Not sure which option you need? Microsoft also has an online wizard to show you how to achieve what you want.

Nokia Lumia 925 sales start in Germany

The recently launched Nokia Lumia 925 goes on sale for the first time today in Germany, with other European markets, China, U.S. and other countries worldwide to follow.

The Lumia 925 has a beautifully crafted design with a polished metal frame, which not only looks great, but also allows the phone to be thinner without losing any robustness.

The phone also features a 4.5-inch AMOLED display that lets you enjoy your content in vivid detail, even in direct sunlight, from almost any viewing angle.

As a surprise, we’re now introducing a beta version of a long anticipated feature, the clock on the standby screen. After receiving a large number of requests to bring back this favourite feature, it now comes as part of the Nokia Glance Screen, included first on the Lumia 925.

The Nokia Glance Screen also notifies you when your battery level is low, and you can switch on a night mode for reduced glare in the dark. Double tapping the screen will make it easier to unlock the phone, even when the phone is on a wireless charging stand, car holder or on the table. As it currently is a beta version, you can always select to turn the Nokia Glance Screen off in Settings by selecting ‘display & touch’ and ‘glance screen’.

Once the commercial version of the Nokia Glance Screen is released, it will become available to most Windows Phone 8 powered Lumia smartphones in conjunction with the upcoming Lumia Amber software update. 

Despite its slim (8.5mm) body, the 8.7-megapixel PureView camera boasts the same clever Optical Image Stabilisation technology as the Nokia Lumia 920. This provides a great cure for shaky hands, and together with the most advanced lens technology and latest Nokia imaging software, it also lets you to take better shots in low light.

Additionally, the new Smart Camera app, with features like Best Shot and Action Shot extends your photo opportunities with amazing effects. To make even more out of the Nokia Smart Camera, you can also download the Motion Focus feature from the Store to create more stunning pictures.

This week, we’ll be revealing more about how to make the most of your new Nokia Lumia 925, answering your questions about the phone, and showing off some of the innovative software features that are new to the range. Stay tuned.

Our 5 favourite new Windows Phone apps of the week

Now that summer’s really taking hold, we’re sure you’d rather be hitting the beach than digging through the Windows Store every day on the hunt for the best new and updated apps. That’s why we’ve done the hard work for you: scroll down now to read about our top five finds of the past seven days: the best new or updated apps that we uncovered, just for you.

App title: Twitter

What is it? A great new update for the original Twitter

Why we love it?

There’s a ton of Twitter clients for your Nokia Lumia, but we’re very happy to see a new update for the original Twitter app. Aimed very clearly at photographers, the new features include artistic filters, Lens app integration and the ability to play Vine clips directly within tweets. Sharing pics is super simple. Just tap the camera icon to capture an image from your phone’s viewfinder, or pull in a shot from your Camera Roll.

Who it’s perfect for: Twitter-holics and social sharing photographers

 

App title: UTrailMe

What is it? Live video streaming from your phone

Why we love it? It makes recording and sharing live video via social media as easy as sharing your photos.  If you’re worried about your data allowance, it’s okay: you can change the video quality, and you can always record offline and share later. The app posts a link to your live stream to the social media platform of your choice (Twitter, Facebook and VK.com) and viewers simply click to see exactly what you’re seeing.

Who it’s perfect for: Anyone who just can’t make that special occasion, or sports or music fans.

App title: Counters

What is it? A counting app!

Why we love it? We love how simple and yet how useful this app is. There are three modes: a basic counter that you set and change manually for keeping track of, for instance, how many wedding guests have RSVPed, and a ‘X days since’ mode and an ‘X days until’ mode, both of which can be customised and set to update automatically as Live Tiles so you don’t have to launch the app to know your totals. The interface is really lovely, too: very simple and easy to understand. Top marks!

Who it’s perfect for: Events planners, or very impatient people.

App title: Adobe Reader

What is it? The original PDF reader we all know and love

Why we love it? It’s a simple app that does no more nor less than you’d expect—it opens files and supports copy and paste, search and zoom fuctions. But this is the first time Adobe have released the Reader for Windows 8 phones, and as much as we like Microsoft’s PDF Reader (particularly with its SkyDrive integration), it’s always good to have options.

Who it’s perfect for: workaholics

App title: Nokia Music

What is it? Your bundled music one-stop-shop for Nokia Lumia customers

Why we love it? We’ve always loved Nokia Music (of course!) but this new update really is worth reporting: as well as continuing to give you access to the free Mix Radio and location-based Gig Finder services, many users will now be able to access Nokia Music+ for a small monthly fee. This lets you skip more tracks on Mix Radio, download more Mixes, play higher quality audio and listen to Mix Radio on your computer’s browser.  The app also now scans the personal music collection that you’ve up- or downloaded to your phone so it can update your music profile.

Who it’s perfect for:  music fans

That’s this week’s fab five, but we know there’s a ton more cracking apps out more.  If you’ve discovered one, please share it with the rest of us in the comments below.