| Blip: Bye bye battery: EE adds 4G to the Glastonbury line-up May 15th 2013, 11:35 
Ah, it's the age old festival debate: rinse your battery or brag efficiently on social networks about what an amazing time you're having? EE just upped the stakes by confirming that it'll be providing 4G at Glastonbury this year. Maybe invest in a top-up charger and some comprehensive phone insurance before you go, yeah? More blips! We bet that the rest of our blips look good on the dancefloor.     |  | BlackBerry connects instant messaging to Microsoft May 15th 2013, 10:48 
BlackBerry has extended the business functions of its BlackBerry 10 system with new messaging functions and an analytics tool for app developers. It has added a new feature to its BlackBerry Enterprise Service with a free update to its Enterprise Instant Messaging, enabling BlackBerry 10 smartphone users to communicate over Microsoft Lync and Office Communication Server and IBM Lotus Sametime. The BlackBerry Enterprise IM 3.0 app supports presence, one-to-one and multi-party instant messaging. Messages are integrated within the BlackBerry Hub, and it's possible to use the BlackBerry Balance function to separate business messages from personal apps and content. Frank Cotter, Vice President of Mobile Computing at BlackBerry, said the move is designed to give remote workers access to various systems to make them more responsive to colleagues. Analytics moveBlackBerry has also announced that by the end of June it will be ready to release Flurry Analytics, a tool that developers can integrate with their apps for access to user data. It provides developers with a consolidated dashboard across a number of platforms to provide information such as audience demographics, customer acquisition and user engagement. The moves are part of a broadening of the capabilities of BlackBerry platforms. At this week's BlackBerry World event it has announced plans to launch its messaging application on iOS and Android and unveiled a new developer toolkit.     | | Samsung Galaxy S4 already hits 6 million sales May 15th 2013, 09:28 
Fortuitous news from the Samsung camp today as an exec has claimed that six million Samsung Galaxy S4s were sold by 10 May. The Samsung Galaxy S4 technically hit the market on April 26 2013, and four million handsets were shipped to supply chains by the end of the month - although presumably Samsung began shipping the handset to retailers ahead of that date. Who knows if anyone at Samsung could have foretold that the S4 would break the internal records set by the Galaxy S3 which hit three million shipments in, conveniently, three weeks. The chatty exec went on to force the point, telling Korean paper Chosun that "As of Friday [May 10], we have sold more than 6 million units, and we predict that we could break the 10-million mark by as early as the end of this month." All aboard the friend shipIt's a little unclear over whether that six million figure is actual sales or just shipments, which muddies these 'early figures' - although there's no doubt the S4 is selling like rock cakes made of molten lava. While shifting phones is something of Samsung's forte, it could be there's no word on how many S4s have actually been exchanged for cash yet. But we wouldn't be surprised if it equals or breaks the S3's record of 20 million sales in 100 days. After all, in our Samsung Galaxy S4 review we deemed it to be the best Samsung phone to date, and a solid 4.5 star phone. Unfortunately for Samsung, it didn't quite manage to topple the HTC One which retains its title as Best Phone In the World Today - for now.     | | Is cross-platform BBM a bad idea for BlackBerry? May 15th 2013, 01:12 
BlackBerry Messenger has been a favourite tool for fans of BlackBerry for many years, and now BlackBerry is hoping to spread the love on the iOS and Android platforms. But this announcement has many wondering: is giving away BBM really such a great idea? On the surface it certainly looks like they are giving current BlackBerry users one more reason to join the mutiny to Android and iOS. If the core reason for staying with BlackBerry up until now had been staying in touch with BBM contacts, then there is no reason to stick around any longer. These users can now ditch BlackBerry and gain access to popular apps, like Instagram, Vine and Spotify, plus they can keep pinging their friends and work colleagues on BBM without any sacrifices. 
The effect of this move may be felt most in emerging markets,especially in South East Asia where BBM (and the unlimited messaging plans that come with it) are mostly responsible for the huge popularity of the BlackBerry brand. BlackBerry is hoping it will have the opposite effect and drive people to the platform. But will anybody buy the BlackBerry cow if they are giving away the milk for free? This isn't a short-term strategy, and cross-platform BBM is more likely to damage the BlackBerry subscriber base in the near future than help grow it. Current BlackBerry users are keenly aware of the reasons they want to switch (if they do), while iPhone and Android owners generally don't think much about BlackBerry at all. To this end, cross-platform BBM will invariably build BlackBerry's brand awareness. Every time BBM shows up in an app search on iOS or Android, that's a win for BlackBerry. Every download of the app is a new customer. If these new users start to use BBM as their IM app of choice, then it will plant the seed and give BlackBerry a better chance at a sale the next time these customer's contracts come up for renewal. Of course, the big variable here is whether these people end up actually using BBM, and there is already strong competition on the other platforms. What's app, doc?With the rise and rise in popularity of the Whatsapp instant messaging service, no BBM announcement is complete without pundits drawing comparisons between the two services. Whatsapp is already cross-platform, boasts twice as many messages per day from a user base which is now nearly three-and-a-half times larger than BBM. With so many people on Whatsapp, will anyone even bother with BBM on iOS and Android? 
BlackBerry's offering will have a richer feature set though, with video and voice calling coming to the iPhone and Android by the end of the year. There is also BBM's unique screen-sharing capability, where you can stream a mirror of your display during a call, letting your friends browse through your image gallery with you, or share a map while planning a get-together. But ultimately smartphone users aren't loyal to one service or another. At the end of the day, it all comes down to where your friends are. If you have friends among the 60-million people who use BBM, chances are you will download it and get in touch with them. You'll install both Whatsapp and BBM, plus Twitter, Skype and Facebook Messenger and happily switch between them all. This multi-service usage is good news for BlackBerry. Ultimately, it just needs to be part of the conversation, it doesn't need to dominate it. Win, win?There are hearts and minds to be won on the competing platforms. Still, this is a big gamble for the company formerly known as RIM that could backfire. BlackBerry believes that this is the "right time to do it". Many of the executives at BlackBerry Live used exactly the same phrase, saying that the company believed that BlackBerry 10 has enough uniquely attractive features to draw in customers besides BBM. It no longer has to rely on BBM to keep customers in the ecosystem, so the company can afford to share the love. 
Being more inclusive of the other platforms is a great way to reach out to millions and millions of users. But does BlackBerry need to give these users everything? Would a cross-platform text-only service be a smarter play? Give Android and iPhone users a taste - a nibble of the possibilities - but make them switch to a Z10 for the full suite of tools, especially the awesome screen-sharing functionality. Either way, we'll be rooting for BlackBerry in the meantime. It's nice to watch a company getting back up on its feet with innovative ideas at the core of its strategy.     | | Firefox 21 update gets more social with latest release May 15th 2013, 00:02 
With stealthy automatic updates, you might not know that the Firefox 21 release date was today, but you may want to know about the its new features. The official Firefox 21 release notes begin with the browser's integration of three additional social media networks. "Today, we are adding multiple new social providers Cliqz, Mixi and msnNOW to Firefox," wrote Mozilla in a blog post today. This is in addition to the inclusion of Facebook Messenger for Firefox, which has been baked into the browser ever since FireFox 17 released in November 2012. According to Mozilla, these real-time updates will "help you stay connected to your social networks, no matter where you go on the Web." What's new in Do Not Track, bug reportsThe second pillar of what's new in FireFox 21 is an enhanced three-state user interface for Do Not Track. The tweaked Do Not Track feature, located in the privacy tab, gives users the option to tell websites that they don't want to be tracked, do want to be tracked, or tell websites nothing at all. More importantly, the third big change in today's Firefox download is the debut of Firefox Health Report. The new feature should help users improve the browser's start-up time and reduce crashes thanks to tools that help them understand and actually fix problems. Firefox users will no longer just encounter a somewhat useless "Report crash to Firefox" error screen, but have the chance to log and remedy the problem. Firefox for Android updateMozilla has kept its promise to simultaneously release Firefox for Android updates, launching a new version of the mobile browser in the Google Play store today. The release notes for this pint-sized Firefox browser state that it adds access to recent history through the back and forward buttons and now includes the ability to save files via a long tap. Mozilla also improved the fonts rendered by this browser in what it dubbed "Project Readability." Mozilla's rapid release cycle estimates that the next Firefox browser update is due out toward the end of June.     | | The radio is making a comeback this summer with Windows Phone 8 update May 14th 2013, 23:40 
Following Tuesday's Nokia Lumia 925 launch, Microsoft revealed the device will be running an updated version of Windows Phone 8 that brings back one feature and adds a few more for good measure. Coming this summer to Windows Phone 8 devices, the software update will see the return of the FM radio, which had been laying dormant in the current generation of devices. As well as access to the airwaves, Windows Phone users who rely on Google accounts will be pleased to know that Microsoft is updating the OS to keep up with Google's new syncing tech. In a post on the Windows Phone blog, the company said "the update also ensures Windows Phone continues to work with Google services by adding support for the company's newest sync protocols - CalDAV and CardDAV." Hundreds of improvementsThe update will bring "hundreds" of small improvements to the OS, including some tweaks for Xbox Music that improves the accuracy of song data. Owners of the Nokia Lumia 920 and Lumia 820 can also expect to receive the 'double tap to wake' feature announced alongside the impressive Lumia 925 today. With high profile Android and iOS launches expected to arrive in the next few months, will these modest improvements to Windows Phone 8 be enough to satisfy fans of the OS? Let us know in the comments section below.   | | Nokia still 'very interested' in tablets May 14th 2013, 22:11 
Today's Nokia Lumia 925 launch event in London came and went without being coupled with an announcement of a Nokia tablet for 2013. However, the Finnish phone manufacturer doesn't sound as if it is ruling out releasing a Nokia Lumia tablet in the near future. "We're very interested in tablets and that's an area we're looking at," said Nokia Executive Vice President of Smart Devices Jo Harlow, according to CNET. Nokia is "looking at" tablets, but not ready to officially announce a device just yet, as she added, "I don't have any product news I can share." Staring contestNokia has been on the record as "looking at" tablets for more than two years now. In 2011, the company's CEO, Stephen Elop, said "Our team right now is assessing what's the right tablet strategy for Nokia." More recently, Elop used Harlow's talking points, saying, "It is something we are clearly looking at very closely." The only concrete evidence that Nokia has taken more than an eyes-on approach to making a tablet comes from design head Marko Ahtisaari, who confirmed "We are working on it" more than a year ago. Nokia tablet with Windows 8?Microsoft was roundly criticized for being late to enter the tablet mix with the Surface in 2012, but its chief phone partner, Nokia, is taking an even longer time to produce a full-sized device. Although Nokia is the No. 2 handset maker in the world, it trails Apple, Samsung, LG, HTC, Motorola, Sony, and even Blackberry in releasing a tablet with a modern-day operating system. Speculation about a Nokia Lumia tablet has immediately pointed to a device running either Windows RT or Windows 8 Pro given the company's close partnership with Microsoft. Whether or not it's a keyboard-equipped Nokia Lumia tablet remains to be seen. However, new phones people are willing to buy like the Lumia 925 and the debut of a tablet could help put Nokia back on top as it was in its Symbian days, and avoid it from resorting to its back-up plan.     | | Affordable BlackBerry Q5 handset set for UK launch in July May 14th 2013, 21:42 
The newly-announced BlackBerry Q5 handset will be winging its way to the United Kingdom in July, according to high street retailer Phones 4U. The retailer is the first British outlet to confirm it'll be stocking the more affordable Q5 handset, which is BlackBerry's attempt to put its BB10 operating system in the hands of more users. Following its unveiling at BlackBerry Live in Orlando, Florida, the company was vague about launch details, claiming the device would be targeted at emerging markets primarily. The device, which will come in three colours, will be pushed as a QWERTY alternative to the flagship BlackBerry Q10 device, which is available SIM-free for a whopping £579. The Curve to the BoldThe Q5, if you will, is the BlackBerry Curve compared with the Q10's BlackBerry Bold. The Q5, which will come in red, pink and white, packs a 3.1-inch LCD display, 1.2GHz dual-core processor, 2GB of RAM and 8GB of internal storage. It'll also boast a 5-megapixel rear camera, a front-facing webcam, the all-important 4G connectivity and a 2100mAh battery. We've already enjoyed some hands-on time with the device at BlackBerry Live, so check out our initial impressions for a hint at whether this could be your route to owning a BB10 device. Via CNET     | | In Depth: Microsoft Build 2013: what to expect from this year's conference May 14th 2013, 19:46 
The annual Microsoft Build developer's conference has a bit of Google IO glow surrounding it this year, thanks in no small part to the Windows 8 conundrum. Is it a failure? Is it the beginning of a software revolution? What about apps? How many Surfaces have been sold? When will we see new devices? And what the heck is going on with Windows RT? Microsoft has already given us more than a taste of what to expect between June 26 - June 28 in the form of Windows Blue news, but plenty of possible announcements on new devices, services and updates remain distinct possibilities. We've gathered what we know about Build into one handy guide for you (right here, of course) plus added some well-informed hypotheses on what you can expect from the conference, taking place in the halls of San Francisco's Moscone Center late next month. YouTube : http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=voAU88qC-jw&feature=player_embedded1. Welcome, Windows 8.1 This is the big, no brainer announcement as Microsoft has already confirmed Windows 8.1 will be released via public preview during Build. We've heard plenty about this Windows 8 update, known until recently as Windows Blue, but Windows 8.1 still has plenty of mystery surrounding it. Microsoft will officially release the update "later this year," providing "more options to businesses, and give consumers more options to work and play," but Build will be our first chance to see specifically what the Softies are planning for the Windows 8 refresh. This isn't simply an operating system update: We'll see more for apps (more on that below), a likely Windows Phone 8 update, and some new stuff for Windows server. Blue a.k.a Windows 8.1 a.k.a the free Windows 8 update could spell feast or famine for Microsoft's new take on the OS, so we'll keep a close eye on how well it functions and how well it's received, which may be a given if Microsoft decides to bring back the Start button. 
2. Splitting up and coming together - apps, that isWord is Microsoft is building some new, built-in Windows 8 apps as part of this whole Blue revamp, including ways to run apps side-by-side on devices home to smaller-sized screens. The hope is to do so without a massive internal work over, which if Microsoft can achieve would make for more expedient delivery to awaiting Windows 8 customers. Blue will apparently bring something called "Snap Views" that will split a screen 50/50 between two apps, including across different monitors. What does this mean for consumers? Easier operability and greater personal choice. A revamp of first-party apps is certainly something Microsoft fans would like to see, and we can't imagine the company letting Build slip by without a decent overhaul on the individual app front. 
3. Smaller Windows 8 devicesThere's a space Microsoft hasn't extended its Windows 8 reach to yet, but that could change before year's end. That space is of course smaller devices, namely ones developed by the company's OEM partners and sized in the 7- to 8-inch range. "As part of [new device offerings], we are also working closely with OEMs on a new suite of small touch devices powered by Windows," former Microsoft CFO Peter Klein said during the company's April earnings call. The timing seems right for Microsoft to introduce a tablet or hybrid meeting the smaller size requirements: In March, the company revised its display resolution requirements for OEMs down to 1024 x 769, meaning the producers are now free to play with daintier displays. We've seen leaks for an 8-inch Acer device called the Iconia W3, which actually made a hasty appearance on Amazon before getting the hook. Asus seems to be on board with whittled-down Windows 8 products, and that's nothing to say about Microsoft's potential Surface Mini musings. Will we see an OEM-made 7- to 8-inch device burrow out of Build? We certainly think it's possible. 
4. Windows Phone Store strategy 101Let's be frank: Windows Phone lacks hard in the app department. At last count, the Windows Phone Store counted 145,000 apps - compare that to the bajillion-plus in the iOS and Android app stores, and Windows Phone is doing a fine job of holding up the rear. Granted, the Store's app count is growing, and the Microsoft team is "talking to a lot of folks" about various apps, something the company told us in a March interview, all the while staying focused on developing a "vibrant, differentiated third ecosystem." The big question for Microsoft is how to get that message to developers while simultaneously courting the big name apps that are embarrassingly hard to come by on the platform. Yes, Windows Phone 8 is a new platform, and every week the company seems to add at least one high-profile app (recently it was a full-fledged YouTube app) but if Microsoft wants its mobile OS to be around for the long term, it's got to figure out its app situation quick. Build seems like the place to lay all its apps on the line. 
5. Xbox ties us all togetherOn May 21, Microsoft will introduce the world to a new generation of games, TV and entertainment through the Xbox 720, the long-awaited follow-up to the Xbox 360. Microsoft has promised a multi-part introduction to the new Xbox, including some going-ons at E3 2013 and yet more at Gamescom 2013, but by the time Build rolls around, the new Xbox will be out of the bag in all its green-glow glory. Developers will clamour to learn more about the console and how it fits into the larger Microsoft ecosystem. To be honest, we'll wonder the same things, and can't imagine Microsoft passing on the chance to talk about and introduce new features related to its flagship console. While we don't know specifically what Microsoft has planned for the new Xbox, all signs point to not just a gaming console, but a completely different way to be entertained and connected. Build will build on the announcements of May 21 and E3, no pun intended.     | | Apple could drag the Galaxy S4 into patent war with Samsung May 14th 2013, 18:17 
Apple has submitted a request to the courts that it be allowed to add Samsung's recently released flagship Android phone, the Galaxy S4, to the companies' upcoming patent battle. That's right: if you thought that the epic patent war between Apple and Samsung was more or less finished when Apple was awarded more than $1 billion nearly a year ago, you're dead wrong. The "he copied, she copied" has continued ever since, with Northern District of California Judge Lucy Koh in March ordering a new trial altogether. Apple and Samsung were recently ordered to narrow down their cases against one another, and while they each downsized their list of the other party's infringing products to 22 devices, Apple now wants to swap one out for the Galaxy S4. The dogs of patent warApple told the court in a filing that after analyzing Samsung's Galaxy S4, it "concluded that it is an infringing device and accordingly intends to move for leave to add the Galaxy S4 as an infringing product," Phone Arena reported today. Apple will reportedly swap the Galaxy S4 in for another Samsung device on its list of infringing products, keeping the number at 22, if the court allows it. Apple's current list of infringing Samsung devices includes the Galaxy Nexus, multiple versions of the Galaxy Note, and the Galaxy S4 predecessors Galaxy S2 and Galaxy S3. Samsung's list, on the other hand, includes various iPhones, iPads, and iPods, and multiple Apple computers. The Apple-Samsung patent case is scheduled to hit the courts again in March 2014. We've asked Samsung for its comment on Apple's request, but so far we haven't heard back.     | | Kaspersky security software hops onto Android devices May 14th 2013, 15:49 
Kaspersky Labs has done a deal with Qualcomm that will see its Mobile Security and Tablet Security software pre-installed on Android devices powered by Snapdragon processors. Kaspersky says the deal, which was agreed on 'special terms', will see its apps offered to a wide range of customers who are manufacturing, or have manufactured on their behalf, Snapdragon-enabled mobile devices or tablets running Android. The company's Mobile Security and Tablet Security apps are currently sold on Google's Play store for $15 (£9) and $20 (£13) respectively. Qualcomm joins a list of more than 80 existing Kaspersky Labs partners, including Microsoft, IBM, Cisco, Juniper Networks and Alcatel Lucent. Eugene Kaspersky, Chairman and CEO of Kaspersky Labs, said: "In Kaspersky Lab, we have a solid number of global companies we work with, and Qualcomm Technologies will be one of the most important among them. "We are looking forward to providing solutions to a wide range of device manufacturers, who are designing and/or building Snapdragon-enabled mobile devices or tablets running on Android." According to a study by NQ Mobile, which tapped into the company's database of 283 million mobile users, the number of malware attacks on Android doubled in the period from 2011 to 2012. NQ Mobile estimated that over 32.8 million Android devices were infected last year, versus 10.8 million in 2011 - a rise of more than 200 per cent.     | | BB Live: BBM coming to iOS and Android this summer May 14th 2013, 15:26 
This summer BlackBerry will launch its popular messaging application BBM on iOS and Android this summer. Initially the Android and iOS app will feature messaging and groups with the roll out of voice, screen share, video and new feature Channels all arriving in updates at a later date. The BBM app will work on iOS 6 and Android Ice Cream Sandwich and above, although there's no word on Windows Phone support just yet. BlackBerry claims it wants to make BBM the premium multi messaging solution around the world, but it's got some tough competition with the likes of iMessage and the well established WhatsApp to contend with. Channelling BBMOn top of the text, voice and video functionality already available within BBM, BlackBerry also announced a new service for the app at its BlackBerry Live conference in Orlando, going by the name Channels. Channels is being billed as a social engagement platform within BBM, allowing users to follow brands, people, bands etc. If appears to be some sort of mashup between Twitter and Facebook pages, with notifications popping up on your BlackBerry to alert you when the channels you've subscribed to have posted something new. BlackBerry will start rolling out Channels this summer to the Z10, Q10 and Q5, while Android and iOS users will have to wait until later this year.     | | BB Live: BlackBerry World hits 120,000 apps as it eyes up Windows Phone May 14th 2013, 14:37 
At BlackBerry Live 2013 in Orlando, the Canadian firm confirmed that it now has over 120,000 apps in its BlackBerry World store. Considering BlackBerry 10 only launched in January with 70,000 apps, it's witnessed some serious growth over the past few months to reach this new milestone. BlackBerry's closest rival in the mobile market is currently Windows Phone and the latest stats out of the Microsoft camp reveal the Windows Phone store has 145,000 apps - but remember WP has been around for a few years. Not there yetOf course both pale in comparison to the Apple App Store and Google Play which boast over 700,000 applications each, so there's still a very long way to go for BlackBerry if it wants to mix with the big hitters in the mobile market. However, in the short term, BlackBerry has Windows Phone in its sights as it aims to become the third most popular mobile platform in the world after iOS and Android, and a burgeoning app store will certainly help it towards that goal. BlackBerry CEO Thorsten Heins says the firm is seeing a continuous stream of partners committing to BB 10, which should see BlackBerry World continue to grow - and that's key for its devices when it comes to attracting new customers.   | | Analyst says Samsung 5G claim ignores 'real issue' May 14th 2013, 13:53 
An analyst has told TRPro that speed is not the 'real issue' of 5G mobile communications after Samsung claimed to have demonstrated data transmissions of up to 1 Gbps using new technology developed for 4G's eventual successor. Jeremy Green, Principal Analyst at Ovum, says that while Samsung's claim is "cool", a need exists for mobile operators to carry data at higher speeds while remaining energy efficient. "The real issue is what some people call the 'data tsunami', with more and more data on the network resulting in greater energy consumption," he says. "We're going to boil the ocean if we carry that much data at that speed with the current technology." He adds: "It's not like Samsung care about energy consumption as their focus is on opex. But you can't just carry on building power stations and adding generators because energy keeps getting more expensive even if we don't do anything about climate change." Ongoing researchGreen points to research around energy consumption and 5G technology currently being carried out by Professor Rahim Tafazolli and his team at the University of Surrey's 5G research centre. "Rahim's argument is that the time it takes to introduce new generations of mobile technology will get shorter because problems around energy consumption are more pressing," he says. "The other factor is that better tools now exist to work on these problems than before, whether in terms of silicon design or simulation technology, so the transition between generations may be quicker." Samsung claims to have made the breakthrough by transmitting data in the millimetre-wave band at a frequency of 28GHz, an area of spectrum previously thought unsuitable for carrying high levels of bandwidth. Green adds: "On the one hand, people say spectrum's running out and no more will be made, so new bits of it has to be brought into play. What Samsung has done is not an utter shock, as experimenting with weird bits of spectrum you wouldn't have thought are doable is one of the things that you deem necessary."   | | Roundup: 10 best Nokia Lumia 920 apps to download today May 14th 2013, 11:40 
The newest high-end Windows Phone 8 model isn't just a big winner for Nokia, the Lumia 920 is also helping promote Windows Phone 8 as a serious competitor against the entrenched iOS and Android software that powers so many smartphones today. And, now we're through the new mobile format's early days, more and more quality apps are appearing for Windows Phone 8 in general, giving current users of the OS and those contemplating making the switch to a Microsoft-powered phone more good reasons to go against the flow and opt for a Windows mobile. The Lumia 920's well placed to take advantage of the most cutting-edge of WP8 apps, thanks to its high-end and powerful Qualcomm chipset and HD display, while standard smartphone features like GPS support and a very decent camera make it easy to track and share every facet of your no-doubt hectic modern life. That said, there are still some gaps in Microsoft and Nokia's default list of apps and features. Gaps easily plugged by downloading these ten best Lumia 920 apps right now. 1. Speedtest
The Lumia 920 features 4G connectivity for superfast mobile web access (if you're on the UK's EE network right now), so you really need to get this on there on day one. Speedtest is the nation's favourite way of measuring desktop and mobile internet connection speeds, and if you're on a 4G data link the end results it'll generate will give you one heck of a good reason to explain to people why you plumped for the 4G-capable Lumia 920. 2. TVCatchup
The BBC has not yet released an official iPlayer app for Windows phone, which makes alternative telly app TVCatchup all the more essential on the Lumia 920. The live TV streaming phenomenon simply relays our free-to-air terrestrial TV through its servers, meaning you can use a 3G, 4G or Wi-Fi data connection to use your phone as a small portable TV. It doesn't support caching or downloading of shows, though, as that could land the makers in hot water over piracy concerns. 3. BBC Radio
And the BBC's absence has also been plugged in the radio world by enthusiastic amateur developers. The BBC Radio app streams 10 BBC radio stations to WP handsets over 3G and/or Wi-Fi, including Radio 1, 1Xtra, Radio 2 and BBC Radio 5 Live Sports Extra, plus it supports background playback so you can minimise it and get on with using other apps without stopping the music. Again there's no "catch-up" option to listen to older shows, but it's still well handy for using your phone as a kitchen or garden radio. 4. WhatsApp
The popular cross-platform messaging system is on Windows Phone 8, giving Microsoft-powered phone users a way to opt out of their mobile contract's text message limits and chat with friends through a mobile data or Wi-Fi connection. Also, in an attempt to snaffle up WP8 users early doors, the first year of use is currently free for new downloaders, making the decision to switch to its chatting ecosystem even more of a no-brainer. 5. Facebook Beta
The official Windows Phone Facebook app is a bit of a drab reminder of how things used to be. So try this. The separate Facebook Beta updates the app with a look and feel that's more in keeping with the stylish iOS and Android versions of the social networking tool, and although this means there's little to make it stand out from the apps you see on other platforms, it does mean you're getting a much prettier, more functional experience. It's also nice for power users to have the new slide-in side tab, which makes managing your online persona that little easier. 6. SkyDrive 
This is Microsoft's attempt at muscling in on the cloud file storage scene. The WP8 app lets users access any files they've previously shared through the service on their phones, with integrated sharing features making it simple to upload any new photos, videos or files to Microsoft's server in the sky. Everything you've dumped up there through desktop is searchable and accessible too, so it's a great way to manage that old stash of Office docs you've previously uploaded via your Hotmail or Live account's SkyDrive support. 7. gMaps
This is an odd combination of Windows Phone style and Google data, with the gMaps app "mashing up" Google's location services within a rather fetching WP interface. Being based around Google's mapping tools means it's rammed with features, offering a full satnav tool, street view photography, a choice of layers to illustrate traffic levels, the weather and more, while anyone switching to Windows Phone 8 from Android will feel at right home with its search and Latitude integration. 8. Battery
Windows Phone 8's live tiles are used perfectly here, with Battery serving up your current power status in a range of sizes and formats to slot into the home page. Touch one of the stylish battery icons and you're taken through to the hardcore stats page, which gives you charge status and plenty of historical data on charging times, including the excellent "Longest Battery Life Time" option that's bound to have you trying to eke out a little bit more life from every charge. 9. Photoroom
Let's be honest, this is a clone of iOS and Android photo editing and sharing tool Instagram. Only in Photoroom you get more in the way of nerdy tools and filters to use, thanks to the developer deciding that WP users would like a bit more power to play with. You get a digital zoom, focus vignettes, plenty of frames and borders, white balance editing and much more to fiddle with, plus the required social network sharing tools are in here, so everyone you sort of know can spend a few seconds enjoying the results. 10. Runtastic 
There's no point doing exercise unless you can boast about it afterwards, which is where Runtastic comes in. It's a sports tracker that uses GPS to monitor how much of a meal you're making of getting up that hill, using your location data to estimate calories burnt and your average speed, also keeping a history of your routes and times. It also supports the manual entering of data for static indoor workouts like treadmills and weightlifting, so everything's covered and counted whether you were GPS tracked or not. There's even a live tile for quick, motivational access to your monthly activity total.   | |
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