All About Smartphones

The fellas at Microsoft are constantly at work especially with the number of projects in the Android department.  The developers at Microsoft recently released an Android lock screen app that almost doubled as a second home screen. This android app is known as Pictureesque Lock Screen.  Picturesque Lock Screen feels almost like a second home screen. It features multiple screens that you scroll through and adds a Bing search bar, a customizable news feed, weather reports, device notifications, shortcuts to frequently used apps and settings toggles. It also pulls in the daily Bing homepage image to use as a background and lets you swipe through images from the past week to use.  Although the app may be carrying so much information on the lock screen for those that have loaded widget on their lock screen, it may still be useful in one way or the other. It will be suited mostly for those that want to quickly have access to their apps and informat...

Microsoft have made a move to kill Nokia X line of smartphone - even the newly released Nokia X2 will be discontinued. Nokia X range of smartphone, which has the forked Android as it's operating system is just 6 months into the market and already it's end is here. According to Microsoft, the sale of the device is not encouraging and the device would not make any profit for the company. Hence, the need for a early termination of Nokia X line of smartphones.  Microsoft have also stated that it will focus more on it's high end products; that is, the Lumia devices and will replace Nokia X with lower end Windows Phones. Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella, have also stated that the company will cut 18,000 jobs by 2015 so as to reduce spendings and bring about more profits that can be used to compete with the likes of Apple and Google.  In actual fact, it will make more sense for Microsoft to focus on making the Windows Phone OS devices strong enough t...

Almost everyone now know as that Nokia Devices and Services Business has been sold to Microsoft and to that effect, Nokia have released set of new information regarding the changes and transition that would take place for their numerous fans. One of the very significant change is that Nokia devices will start carrying the Microsoft branding once the takeover is final.  In a letter to consumers, Nokia has this to say: Hello, We wanted to share some important information about your data privacy and contracts. Nokia currently expects to complete the sale of its Devices & Services business to Microsoft in April 2014. With the completion of this transaction, a Microsoft Finnish affiliate* assumes responsibility for your personal data and the contractual relationships for the products and services related to this business. Microsoft cares deeply about your privacy and the protection of your personal data and will continue to collect and use your personal data in the sa...

Microsoft have decided to make it's very own Microsoft Office Mobile now available free of charge to Android and iOS devices.  The Office suite which was formerly a subscription based package on iOS didn't see so many users because of its subscription. However, making the app completely free to use have seen the app being downloaded greatly within the past 24hrs.  Truth be told; Microsoft Office is one of the best document editor out there. On PC, no other office package can compete squarely. However, on mobile devices, the office package have been found wanting due to Microsoft's tight hold on the package for too long. We have put the app to use on our iPhone and iPad and it has been very solidly built and usage is awesome too.  You can save files to Microsoft One Drive and sync them across your devices and access them quickly from the web interface of your outlook account easily. Download Microsoft Office Mobile for iOS and Android ...

The mobile industry is no child's play at all when it comes to evolution and competition: Microsoft won't be sitting on her balls this year, we believe, seeing how much of recognition it gained last year. To not stay awash, mobile phone makers need to innovate and present something new - this Microsoft has done as shown in the latest leaks that we saw of Windows Phone 8.1 Action Center.  The notification center known as the Action Center has been given a face lift with a good number of new features. First, swiping down from top of the screen reveals the Action Center with four basic tasks: WiFi, Bluetooth, Airplane mode and Driving; these notifications can be customised to taste. The action center also shows date, time, battery level percentage and network bars.  On further swiping down of the Action Center, a full Action Center will be revealed, giving you a detailed information of all the notifications of apps, messages and other items. Like other ...

The rumour of a Nokia Android phone code named Normandy had been swirling through the net for quite sometime without any serious proof of something like that being developed. Today, a proof of such rumors was revealed. The proof which is in form of pictures of a prototype of the said device was leaked courtesy of Weibo and some other sources. The idea of a Nokia device running on an Android phone would be something that a lot of folks wouldn't mind at all. Of course Microsoft have taken over the handset unit of the Finish company and have already slammed their own windows phone OS on the Nokia phones, yet it would still be great to see a Nokia phone running Android even if it's for history sake. A Nokia Android phone, how does that sound to your ear? We shall put you in the know of once more information surfaces regarding this development. So make sure you stay tuned to Phonegist to be a reason all your smartphone news. Like our Facebook page a...

The smartphone and gadget industry is very scary and very advert - conscious and Microsoft have taken advertising of their new Microsoft Surface2 and Surface Pro 2 to a whole new level be placing a giant Microsoft Surface 2 tablet at the Trafalgar Square Microsoft Surface is having a bit of challenge dominating in a stage maned by the likes of Apple iPad and Samsung tabs but in other to turn things around, Microsoft is going way overboard to appeal to its fans and would-be customers by placing a huge Microsoft Surface 2 tablet in Trafalgar Square London. The tablet is 27 feet wide and 17 feet tall mockup of the newly-released Surface 2; sure to get everybody's attention. To further make a statement, a British rapper Dizzee Rascal will be performing on top of the keyboard of the giant Surface Pro 2 display just like the normal Surface Pro. I must confess, the place of advertising can not be over emphasized and Microsoft have proved that in other to...

Nokia have sold it's handset unit to the Software giant Microsoft for $7.2 billion  This occurrence is of course inevitable seeing how software companies are increasingly moving into the hardware market so as to have total control on the hardware to uses its software, something Apple did long time ago and paying off. Google and Microsoft who just in recent times totally picked up on the school of thought of Apple have seen that controlling both the hardware that runs its software is the way to go now. Well,  Microsoft have totally demonstrated that school of though again by acquiring Nokia's handset division for $7.2 billion.  Also,  Nokia would license some of its patents to Microsoft to allow for freely usage of these technologies. Nokia directors and shareholders had these to say in a statement made by Risto Siilastmaa, chairman, Nokia board of directors . "We believe this transaction is the best way forward for Nokia and its sharehold...

Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer who has during his time  made great achievements towards to growth of Microsoft and also to an almost same degree made some wrong turns is set to retire 12 months from now.  Although some may and may not like some of his decisions over the past years till now, but the truth is that since he took mantle as CEO of the company, he has according to  him increase the worth of Microsoft from $7.5 million with 30m employees to $75 billion with almost 100,000 employees. That is a great achievement and should be applauded as he bows out in a good way. Ballmer on Friday released his retirement letter and it read as shown below. I am writing to let you know that I will retire as CEO of Microsoft within the next 12 months, after a successor is chosen. There is never a perfect time for this type of transition, but now is the right time. My original thoughts on timing would have had my retirement happen in the middle of our transformatio...

Sequel to the last meeting held between smartphone makers and some government agencies including security experts concerning the rate at which smartphone theft are becoming more prevalent in the society especially the iPhone which as been stolen more than any other smartphone.  Apple have made up a new way to deter thieves from stealing iOS devices. This new feature which would be present in iOS 7 would help curb the rate at which iPhone, iPad  and iPod are stolen. To achieve this, whenever one of these devices is stolen, it would become impossible to erase. Before one can erase any of these devices running iOS 7, one would need to input both the Apple ID and password of the owner. Without these parameters inputted, the device won't allow the anyone to erase and restore the device. This will definitely serve as a deterrent to iDevice theft.  Although, it's a good way to reduce smartphone theft for iDevices yet it far from complete.  ...

Windows 8 is a great Operating System as some would argue, however, others would argue otherwise chiefly because of the removal of some core features like the Start button which has been in all Windows Operating System before Windows 8. In fact, some have described this removal as a below to the face and ripped off of their strength when using the computer. While the Redmond company is releasing an update (Windows 8.1) that would include the important Start button, the company also debut new kind  of mouse. This mouse would have a Start button embedded in it either by the side of the Mouse or located on top as depicted in the images below. Therefore uses are no longer essentially required to click the Start button on the screen when using such Mouse. Below are images of the new kind of Mouse. This is a welcomed development and still wondering why it took this long for such an innovative idea to be implemented. Well, it is now implemented and it will make navigation of the Win...