Category: Microsoft Windows

Last week Microsoft announced that OneDrive had been updated to allow for music to be stored by users in the cloud service and stream them to your various Windows powered devices and Xbox.  The update was free to all OneDrive users and there were some extra bonuses for those who are Xbox Music Pass subscribers.  At the time of the launch Microsoft also released an updated version of Xbox Music for Windows Phone to support this integration of the service with OneDrive.  Now they have released an update that addresses some issues with the app but also includes a tutorial of how the integration works.  The update, version 2.6.674.0 for those keeping score at home, is available now in the Windows Phone Store.

Xbox Music for Windows Phone – Free – Download Now

As part of an update released yesterday for those on the Fast Ring, Microsoft has now released the latest Windows 10 Technical Preview on the Slow Ring as well as ISO images.  The ISO images are built on Build 10041 which the Fast Ring received last week.  Microsoft had said that it would be releasing the ISO images when they released the latest build to the Slow Ring.

Remember that in order to get the ISO images or the Windows 10 Technical Preview in general you must be a member of the Windows Insider program which is free to join.  As I have posted many times, the build is still very much in beta so unless you absolutely need to download it, wait until it is released to the public (for free) this summer.

Microsoft has dropped three important updates for those who are running the Windows 10 Technical Preview.  Build 10041 has been updated to fix some security issues but also address some bugs from the original release last week.  If you are running the preview you will want to get these updates ASAP.  Also, good news for those of you who are on the Slow Ring.  The team over at Windows Central is reporting that this build will be pushed out to Slow Ring Windows Insider’s later today.

The amount of content and information about Windows 10 and Windows 10 for Phone from last week’s WinHEC event in China has been impressive.  Some of it has been reaffirmation of things that we already knew (like further explanation of the Universal App development) while other news has been fresh like the Windows 10 for Phone hardware requirements.  This latest tidbit likely will fall in the “About Time” category for many who have been using Windows Phone for some time.  When we see Windows 10 for Phone roll out later this year it will natively support Wi-Fi Protected Setup, or WPS.

For those of you who aren’t familiar with WPS, it is way of securely connecting to your Wi-Fi network without having to enter in a long password.  The idea behind it is that you can have a secure network but not be encumbered by a massively long security key, the significant reason people at home do not setup secure networks.  While Windows 8.1 supports WPS today, it is not supported in Windows Phone 8.1 so this change will make it easier for users to connect their devices and keep their networks secure.

When I returned to Windows Phone in August of last year, I penned an article in November where I discussed the app gap for the platform when compared to iOS and Android.  The basis of that article was that when I left the platform in 2011 for iOS, the gulf of an app gap was so huge that it couldn’t be ignored and it eventually became too much for me to handle.

For those who stuck it out, I applaud you.  You are better than me.

But over the past few weeks I’ve come to realize that I was at a basic level wrong in this article.  Yes there is an app gap for Windows Phone and yes it is a problem.  But the reality is that there are a lot of 3rd party apps in the Windows Phone app store to fill that gap.  The real problem upon reflection is the app update gap.  That is what is frustrating me as a Windows Phone user and fan and based on comments left here on the site and on Twitter, I don’t think I’m alone.

After what seemed like an eternity in February and early March, the news surrounding Windows 10 has been fast and furious these past two weeks.  Today’s announcement, the availability of the Windows 10 SDK (Software Development Kit) continues that and is a signal to developers to start preparing their apps for Windows 10.  Now.

The new Windows 10 SDK can be found at this link and like Windows 10 itself, this SDK is in preview mode (i.e. beta).  Still, if you are a developer or are thinking of doing some development in this new Universal app world of Windows 10, the SDK should be something to download and review.  To do so you will need to be a part of the Windows Insider program which is also free.