Free SPB TV 2.0 for Windows Phone released.

The prolific SPB software strikes once again with the release of SPB TV 2.0, a free application that lets you stream more than 150 TV channels from more than 20 countries without any subscription required. Users are able to choose which channel they want to watch using the channel selection screen which also provides all the "needed information about the running TV program including a screenshot and TV guide information".

*** SPB TV for Windows Phone 7 Main Features *** 

- More than 150 TV channels from more than 20 countries, subscription free 

- Unique TV browser with fast channel launching and switching 

- Integrated TV Guide with a list of current and upcoming TV shows 

- Video-on-demand 

- Network bandwidth fluctuations support 

- Onscreen controls

Download SPB TV at Microsoft Marketplace http://social.zune.net/redirect?type=phoneApp&id=5bead4b5-b65e-e011-854c-00237de2db9e 

Read the full press release after the break.

See the next Windows Phone OS.

Press release: Microsoft Previews Next Release of Windows Phone

REDMOND, Wash. — May 24, 2011 — Microsoft Corp. today previewed the next major release of Windows Phone, code-named “Mango,” through a series of media events around the world. “Mango” will deliver more than 500 new features to push the boundaries of the smartphone experience around communications, apps and the Internet. The “Mango” release will be available for free to Windows Phone 7 customers and is scheduled to ship on new phones beginning this fall. More details on device update timing will be provided closer to availability. Windows Phone will also add support for additional languages, expand access to apps by launching Windows Phone Marketplace in new countries, and partner with new OEMs to enable expansion to new markets.*

“Seven months ago we started our mission to make smartphones smarter and easier for people to do more,” said Andy Lees, president of the Mobile Communications Business at Microsoft. “With ‘Mango,’ Windows Phone takes a major step forward in redefining how people communicate and use apps and the Internet, giving you better results with less effort.”

Communications: Easier to Connect and Share

The smartphone experience can be complicated by a sea of disconnected apps and accounts as people attempt to keep pace with all the ways they communicate — from calls, texts, email and instant messages (IM) to status updates, Tweets, check-ins, photo posting and tagging. To help people stay on top of that growing complexity, the “Mango” release organizes information around the person or group people want to interact with, not the app they have to use.

•
Threads. Switch between text, Facebook chat and Windows Live Messenger within the same conversation.
•
Groups. Group contacts into personalized Live Tiles to see the latest status updates right from the Start Screen and quickly send a text, email or IM to the whole group.
•
Deeper social network integration. Twitter and LinkedIn feeds are now integrated into contact cards, and “Mango” includes built-in Facebook check-ins and new face detection software that makes it easier to quickly tag photos and post to the Web.
•
Linked inbox. See multiple email accounts in one linked inbox. Conversations are organized to make it easy to stay on top of the latest mail.
•
Hands-free messaging. Built-in voice-to-text and text-to-voice support enables hands-free texting or chatting.
A Smarter Approach to Apps

Flory is no more. Developer cuts development.

I blogged about Flory a few weeks ago in this post as being the first multi protocol messenger app for Windows Phone. Since then I have been using it and it has served me well. Unfortunately, Flory has disappeared from MarketPlace. The developer has decided to remove it from MarketPlace but will keep the server running "until at least IM+ is released...". I've learnt from a blog post at www.flory-im.com that the developer "was looking for an instant messenger for his new Windows Phone. Since there was no messenger, he decided to develop his own, to motivate known messenger developers of other platforms like WhatsApp, IM+ etc. to finally release their messengers for the Windows Phone platform, too. And of course, to have an instant messenger in the meantime". 


According to the blog post, IM+ is working to get a beta version released this month and Kik Messenger has been announced during MIX developer conference. Read Flory blog post here.


Note that neither IM+ or Kik Messenger are available yet in MarketPlace. Those who downloaded Flory can still continue use it until the Flory folks shut down the server.

Check out this app: Appa Mundi Tasks

I have seen a lot of rant and request for a Task application into Windows phone. So I decided to look for one on MarketPlace and there are quite a few out there. Among them Appa Mundi Tasks, developed by Appa Mundi Ltd. It is not free - the app costs $3.99 - and a seven days trial is available for download.

Appa Mundi Tasks can be used as a standalone app in case you do not have an Exchange Server 2003 or later. But if you have a need for an online solution so you can create, modify and backup your Tasks, you can always synchronize your list with Hotmail To-Do. That way if you lose your phone, your Tasks list will remain available online. You should already have Hotmail To-Do.

To setup sync between the phone and Hotmail To-Do, open Appa Mundi Tasks on your Windows Phone, tap “...” > Settings > Synchronization Settings. Enter your Windows Live ID or Exchange server credentials. Contact your Exchange server administrator if you do not have this information. For the server name for hotmail, type “m.hotmail.com” and check the “server requires encrypted (SSL) connection”. Validate and start filling your list and synchronize with your Exchange/Hotmail server. Unfortunately, there is no way to auto-synchronize. To view your Tasks in Hotmail, login to your account online and open the Calendar and look under the Hotmail To-Do tab.

Appa Mundi Tasks is a simple to use task app. See list of features below.

Appa Mundi Features:

View your Tasks by due date 
View all Tasks by category
Create new Tasks on your Windows Phone
Edit and Delete existing Tasks
Assign Tasks to categories.
Send status reports via email (Not available in trial)
Synchronize with Microsoft Exchange Server 2003 or later or Hotmail To-Do
Live tile shows number of active Tasks (Not available in trial)
In application reminders (Not available in trial)
Supports recurring Tasks
Keyword search

Download a trial or full version here.

Microsoft to acquire Skype.

It's now official, Microsoft is acquiring Skype for $8.5 billion, the largest acquisition made by the software giant. The new Microsoft Skype division will have Tony Bates, Skype current CEO, as its president and he will report directly to Steve Ballmer.  


"Skype will support Microsoft devices like Xbox and Kinect, Windows Phone and a wide array of Windows devices, and Microsoft will connect Skype users with Lync, Outlook, Xbox Live and other communities. Microsoft will continue to invest in and support Skype clients on non-Microsoft platforms.

"Skype is a phenomenal service that is loved by millions of people around the world," said Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer. "Together we will create the future of real-time communications so people can easily stay connected to family, friends, clients and colleagues anywhere in the world."

Read more @ http://www.microsoft.com/Presspass/press/2011/may11/05-10CorpNewsPR.mspx

Posted on the go.

Check out this app: Fim Facebook Chat.

This is a great app for chatting on Facebook on your Windows Phone. Enjoy.

Fim Facebook Chat | zune://navigate/?phoneappid=fc382cec-df01-e011-9264-00237de2db9e

No Windows Phone? Get one at WindowsPhone.com!

Sent from my Windows Phone 7

Microsoft rolls out security update 7.0.7392.0 to Windows Phones.

I woke up this morning with my HTC Mozart displaying a new update notification for Windows Phone. Since I blogged about this a while ago, I knew instantly that it was about the announced security update to fix an issue caused by one root certificate authority who issued nine untrusted certificates. That can lead to spoofing and phishing. Note that this is an industry-wide issue, not just one affecting Windows Phone. So whatever phone, desktop OS or browser you're using, making sure you have the latest update installed. 

These certificates affect the following Web properties:

•	login.live.com
•	mail.google.com
•	www.google.com
•	login.yahoo.com (3 certificates)
•	login.skype.com
•	addons.mozilla.org
•	"Global Trustee"

Update 7.0.7392.0

•

Fix for fraudulent third-party digital certificates. This update includes a critical fix to an industry-wide issue with nine untrusted digital certificates that were issued by one root certificate authority. These third-party digital certificates are used to access popular websites and email portals. Although this is not a Microsoft security vulnerability, these untrusted certificates may be used to spoof content, perform phishing attacks, or perform man-in-the-middle attacks against all web browser users. This update moves the affected certificates to the "Untrusted Publishers" certificate store on Windows Phone, which helps ensure that these fraudulent certificates are not inadvertently used.

For more info, see Microsoft Security Advisory (2524375)