Windows Phone Summary of the Week: December 26, 2022 - January 1, 2022

WP Central

Welcome to the first weekly summary published in 2022 (happy new year's day everyone)! We've had a relatively busy calendar week with Christmas and the New Year taking priority at WPCentral HQ, merely we're back for a quick run through on this week'south stories. While it'south been pretty quiet in the land of Windows Telephone, things are fix to heat upward as nosotros depict closer to CES (which we'll be covering!).

Our forum Admin Dave Blake takes us through the well-nigh pop threads from our Windows Phone forum for 2022. Should you be tired of socialising, and then perhaps a souvenir guide could be of interest? We've compiled a handy guide for anyone who's new to the platform and requires app/game suggestions. We're joined past the makers of Problems Village, Glu Mobile for a programmer interview. Head on past the suspension for the total summary.

Microsoft'due south Windows Telephone suggestion website has received an official offering on the Marketplace an app to compliment the feedback portal. Nosotros take a look at the available options for users to unlock their handset(s) with pros and cons listed for each selection. The "AWWWWWWWWWH YEAH!" crazy man is back with the 50,000 app milestone being passed, which notwithstanding shows continued growth from the starting time.

We have an amusing look at why a 4chan app probably wont make information technology through to the Marketplace. Skilful news though for Canadians, as a gratuitous 12-calendar month Gold Xbox LIVE subscription is being offered on Telus when an LG Optimus vii is purchased. Be quick as only 1250 codes will exist handed out. A mother managed to turn her son away from the iPhone, which was adopted by his friends, onto Windows Telephone by just leaving a Samsung Focus Flash on the kitchen worktop where he picked it up for a play.

We take published a shout out to WPCentral readers for y'all guys to take two seconds of your time and vote for the Nokia Lumia 800 in the Gizmodo'due south "Most Of import Gadget of the Twelvemonth" tournament. It'southward up against the Samsung Galaxy S II. Co-ordinate to ComScore, Microsoft'southward platform is still losing marketshare, but we should not take the data to heart as "Microsoft" includes not simply Windows Phone, but Windows Mobile and Kin, which are both dying out.

Unfortunately, we take some bad news for Mehdoh (Twitter customer) fans as the developer has announced the app will be permanently discontinued. This is a real shame as Mehdoh is (or was) one of the ameliorate light clients available for Windows Phone. Keeping on the negative annotation for a fiddling while longer, the ChevronWP7 Labs will exist closing up shop due to selling x,000 tokens - an agreed figure between the team and Microsoft. Should you be a concerned parent about what your child mayhap able to access while on the go using the Xbox Live service, we take a look at the parental control options available at Xbox.com, which will ensure you maintain a potent barrier.

In that location are a number of games heading to the platform this year (some take already been previously covered): Bullet Asylum, geoDefense Swarm, Tamagotchi & Age of Zombies. Microsoft has listed the titles on the Xbox LIVE for Windows Phone page, dainty! Pro Evolution Soccer (Human foot) 2022 is set to characteristic Xbox LIVE avatar awards, which will include shirts and a football prop to please fans of the sport. Should you be more into gun fights, we have some bad news for you with regards to props for your avatars. Epic Games has appear two props will no longer be available starting January 1st, due to a policy alteration by Microsoft. Seems strange how Halo, CoD, Battlefield (to name but a few) titles contain violence, yet you're no longer able to wield a plastic gun on your avatar. Odd.

Buzzwords is at present available for purchase from the Market, bringing a sting to your handset. Sonic the Hedgehog 4: Episode Two has been announced, which volition bring more known-faces, more authentic physics (to the originals), and a new graphics engine. Finally, Xbox Alive'southward Z0MB1ES!!1 (on teh ph0ne) is coming to the platform on January fourth, so gear up your zombie hunger.

NAVIGON, the popular (and expensive) GPS app, is currently on special offer for U.Southward. and European Windows Phone owners. Should yous accept some spare pennies to burn before January fifth, bank check out the reduced cost tag. We take a wait at Tweet information technology!, a Twitter client for Windows Phone, that comes with a lot of personality. A new chore posting was published that reveals plans to introduce managed redundancy and restore functionality in the adjacent version of Windows Phone. For the time beingness the simply time you lot have your phone saved is when updating.

A scattering of notable apps have been released to the Marketplace, including a SoundCloud app and a mobile solution for the United kingdom of great britain and northern ireland Metro newspaper. An unofficial Klout app is heading to the platform, which looks pretty awesome, and the Reddit app Baconit has been fabricated available internationally. The unofficial Pandora radio app MetroRadio has received a visual makeover with the latest update. Closing off the software section is WhatsApp existence bumped to version one.5, now sporting group chat.

We've received reports from a number of owners surrounding AT&T's Microcell, which is apparently draining Windows Phone batteries at a faster rate. The Lumia 710 has appeared on T-Mobile'south (U.South.) website, just is not all the same available for pre-society (although it did appear on eBay). The handset is besides heading to Verizon, simply volition not be LTE and it looks as though the carrier has no near-future plans for an LTE Windows Phone.

Pocketnow had received a Christmas card from Microsoft and it featured a device with AT&T branding, which we could presume to be the Lumia 900. Nosotros should be looking frontward to some 4G LTE handsets from HTC and Samsung this yr, with some handsets existence announced at CES. The Jil Sander LG E906 handset has been reduced in cost all the same again.

If you idea Windows Phone marketing couldn't get any more than extreme than blocks of ice housing Lumia 800s, then retrieve once again. A German outcome spooked viewers with a haunted business firm and some ghost hunting. If you're feeling the chill this winter and then it's probably because yous don't have your own Windows Telephone scarf? It looks awesome, right? Greece, a country plagued with bug as of belatedly, has not failed to proceed up the festive spirit with a new advert from Vodafone. We've also seen a total page advert for the Samsung Focus Flash in the LA Times.

Not much dear for developers over the festive holidays unfortunately. Though we exercise have the Blame Canada promotion from Microsoft Canada that will see toys existence handed out to developers who push through loftier-quality apps onto the Marketplace. Developers who reside in the Great britain are as well receiving some attending from the software giant with gratis gadgets existence awarded in exchange for points (that are accumulated through submitting apps etc.).

Highlights

Microsoft's Suggestion Box Windows Telephone app
Want to dev-unlock your Windows Phone? Hither are your options.
Windows Phone Market place hits l,000 apps
Why a 4chan app probably won't appear in the Market
Free 12 calendar month Aureate Xbox Live subscription offer in Canada
Mother turns son away from the iPhone to Windows Phone
Vote for Nokia Lumia 800 in Gizmodo poll
Windows Phone however dropping marketshare according to ComScore
Mehdoh Twitter app being discontinued for proficient
Xbox Live Online Safety Controls [How-to]
Windows Phone unlocking tool being discontinued...for now

Gaming

New Xbox Live games for 2022: Bullet Asylum, geoDefense Swarm, Tamagotchi & Age of Zombies
Pro Evolution Soccer 2022 to feature Xbox Live avatar awards
Microsoft to disarm Xbox Live Avatars
Buzzwords now bachelor, doesn't sting the wallet
NCIS and two other Game House games will no longer be Xbox Live titles
Orb is gratuitous to download...for at present
12-month XBox Live subscription for $39.99 on Amazon
Sonic the Hedgehog four: Episode II officially announced
Xbox Alive's Z0MB1ES!!i (on teh ph0ne) coming January 4th

Software

Bargain Alert: Auction continues on NAVIGON
Tweet it! A Windows Telephone Twitter app with a lot of personality -->
Phone backups coming to next version of Windows Phone
Music Deject - music player and downloader for SoundCloud now available
Metro paper app hits the Market place
Unofficial Klout app coming to Windows Telephone. We're impressed. -->
Supreme Shortcuts goes to v2.0 with new features [Homebrew]
Reddit app Baconit now available internationally
moTweets gets set up for v3.0 and we get an early expect
Pandora player MetroRadio gets a new look with latest update
Trine's Hangman back in business, extends auction
Microsoft confirmed to be working on SMS problems fix
Surfcube 3D browser 50% off till New year
Torchbear bumped to version one.3
WhatsApp bumps to v1.5, gets group chat
Update for Radio Controlled Pandora app correct around the corner with new features

Hardware

AT&T Microcell draining batteries?
Nokia Lumia 710 shows up on T-Mobile site. No pre-orders just yet
Nokia Lumia 710 heading to Verizon, no LTE love
T-Mobile Nokia Lumia 710 makes an appearance on Ebay
Renders of the Nokia 900 prove upward with AT&T branding?
4G phones HTC Radiant and Samsung Mandel landing early 2022?
Hack enables any size file for alert sounds on 1st Gen Samsungs
Jil Sander LG-E906 reduced in price...once again

Fun

German "Windows Phone 7.5 Hotel" event looks to scare upward some marvel
Keep warm with a Windows Phone scarf!
Greece embraces Windows Telephone with new holiday ad
Full page Ad for Samsung Focus Flash appears in Sun's LA Times

Developers

Blame Canada, for an awesome contest [Developers]
Free gadgets for United kingdom of great britain and northern ireland dev'southward [Developers]

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