Windows Phone vs. PC gaming now a reality

The first turn-based multi-player Xbox LIVE enabled game recently showed up in the Windows Phone 7 Marketplace. Search for “Game Chest: Logic Games” and you’ll find it. It’s not just one game either. The $2.99 pack includes Chess, Sudoku, and Minesweeper. Chess is the only multi-player game, however. It’s a turn-based game, so what you need to do is send an invitation to a friend. This will send them an email where they’ll be able to start a game with you. The graphics look great and the music is cool. If you want to try out some mobile multiplayer chess gaming with Xbox LIVE acheivements and leaderboards, head on over to the Marketplace right now.

Source: PocketNow

 

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Windows Phone 7 ‘Mango’ release to add HTML 5 support

In addition to talking up Windows tablets and slates at the January Consumer Electronics Show (CES), Microsoft execs also are expected to use the conference to give another push to Windows Phone 7. But the first “major” update to the WP7 platform may not hit until August or September of 2011, my sources claim.

In recent weeks, there have been rumors of both January and February “minor” Windows Phone 7 updates. I’m also hearing talk of a major fall update (codenamed “Mango”), which will precede Windows Phone 8 (codenamed “Apollo”), slated for late 2012.

The Mango update is supposedly bigger than the January and/or February update, according to my sources. Mango is more like a Windows Phone OS 7.5 — and may even be named that when it debuts.

Read More: ZDNet

 

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Rumour: Windows Phone 7 update coming in February

The head of a company that develops mobile apps is expecting a significant update to Windows Phone 7 in February. Among the changes: easing restrictions for third-party developers, which could increase the number of “long-tail” apps available for the phone.

The update will almost certainly add copy and paste, which has already appeared in an update pushed out to some developer-only handsets. It may also offer a better way for corporations to deploy homegrown apps–today they have to distribute them through the public marketplace.

Equally important, said this person, it will loosen some of the odd restrictions on what apps can and cannot do.

Read More: Business Insider

 

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False alarm: Microsoft isn’t remotely locking your phone

In our preliminary discussions with Microsoft, we were surprised to hear that after a short amount of time — approximately two weeks — phones unlocked via ChevronWP7 would revert back to their original locked state. We couldn’t verify this claim at the time and didn’t look into it again.

Our bad. Don’t panic, though!

Contrary to circulating reports, Windows Phone 7 devices unlocked via ChevronWP7 are not being targeted by Microsoft. Instead, the phone is reverting back as a result of a periodic check. Simply put, the phone rings Microsoft and asks “Hey, am I supposed to be unlocked?”. If Microsoft responds with a “No, what are you thinking?”, the phone apologizes and initiates a lock down.

Read More: ChevronWP7

 

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Apps sell at least 10 times better on Windows Phone 7 than iPhone!

Readers would known that we are pretty hungry for numbers here at WMPoweruser.com.  We therefore greatly welcome this titbit via Techcrunch, were a developer revealed some number regarding the performance of their app in Marketplace, and also compared it to the iPhone App store.

iTotsApps, the company which makes Toddler Flashcards, revealed that they are selling about 7.5 copies of their app per day in Marketplace, compared to 71.5 per day in the iPhone App store.  The app is currently ranked the 21st top paid app and 709th app in total in Marketplace.

Read More: WMPOWERUSER

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WP7 Copy/Paste Update Allegedly Hits Samsung Developer Device?

The Samsung Taylor, one of the developer devices for Windows Phone 7, allegedly received a recent update bringing copy/paste functionality. Microsoft reconfirmed a roll-out of an update in early 2011 that would bring the missing feature to Windows Phone 7 handsets but according to rumors, some already got it.

While all Windows Phone 7 users seem to be running version 7.0.7004.0 of the platform, out tipster claims that the Samsung Taylor has received an update via the Zune software which bumped up the version number to 7.0.7338.0 and brought copy/paste functionality

Read More: PocketNow

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Google Maps Hits Windows Phone 7 As Homebrew App

Google Maps is finally available on Windows Phone 7, although instead of an official client downloadable from the Marketplace, this is a homebrew app that must be sideloaded onto jailbroken devices. TAMaps from TechAutos taps into the Google Maps API to deliver basic functionality such as scrolling and zooming and location tracking via GPS, but lacks other features like address and POI searches, the ability to calculate directions, and support for bookmarking favorite places. TechAutos claims that the application is only meant to tide users over until Google releases its own version into the wild.

Read More: PocketNow

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Windows Phone Marketplace hits 3000 apps

Microsoft’s Windows Phone Marketplace appears to be picking up steam, after the store, today crossed the 3000 app mark.

According to tracking site WP7AppList, there are now 3066 apps available for Windows Phone 7 devices, with an average of 69 apps updated each day. The Marketplace hit 1000 apps on October 25 and that figure had doubled by November 8.

Among the other interesting tidbits offered by the site were: 29% of available apps are free, and for paid apps, the average price is USD$1.47. In the 24 hours to 5AM EST today, 88 apps had been updated and 37 added to the Marketplace.

Read More: Neowin

 

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ChevronWP7 custom ringtone manager

We now have the first WP7 homebrew application taking advantage of unlocked phones – a Windows Phone 7 custom ringtone manager.

The applications has two components

• Desktop application – used to build a custom XAP package with 5 custom ringtones you select from your computer(Requires .NET 4.0 Framework)
• XAP application – to be deployed to your WP7 to install custom ringtones to the system

Download ChevronWP7 custom ringtone manager here.

Read More: ChevronWP7

 

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Windows Phone 7 unlocker scrapped after less than a week

Earlier today, we were contacted by Brandon Watson, Director of Developer Experience for Windows Phone 7, to discuss the ChevronWP7 unlocking tool.

Through this discussion, we established a mutual understanding of our intent to enable homebrew opportunities and to open the Windows Phone 7 platform for broader access to developers and users.

To pursue these goals with Microsoft’s support, Brandon Watson has agreed to engage in futher discussions with us about officially facilitating homebrew development on WP7. To fast-track discussions, we are discontinuing the unlocking tool effective immediately.

Read More : ChevronWP7

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