Category: Microsoft Windows

We are expecting the Windows 10 for Phone preview any day now but more and more information is coming through leaks and comments from Microsoft employees on social networks.  Microsoft’s Gabriel Aul is one of them and he has been answering a lot of questions and making suggestions of what we can expect to see in the first preview of Windows 10 for Phone.  One of the key questions is being able to rollback to Windows Phone 8.1 should there be a meltdown on your Windows Phone.  The answer it seems would be yes.

Any day now Microsoft is expected to release Windows 10 for Phone to Windows Insiders.  The update will allow you to run Windows 10 on most existing Windows Phones running Windows Phone 8.1.  The release is highly anticipated and based on leaks, screenshots and what Microsoft showed at the Windows 10 event last month, it should be impressive.

But should you install it?

It is a question ultimately you have to answer for yourself but there are a few things to consider.  First and foremost, keep in mind that whatever is released this month for your Windows Phone, it will be in beta.

If you have been on the fence about picking up a Lumia 635 on the AT&T network, now is the time to jump.  At the Microsoft Store you can pick one up for only $69 and there is no contract commitment required from AT&T.  It’s a great deal on a great little Windows Phone. I reviewed the Lumia 635 when it was first released and it is still one of my favorite devices.  It’s small, lightweight and has quite a bit of power for an entry level phone.

Now the Microsoft Lumia 635

The Lumia 635 has been one of the better selling devices for Microsoft and has always been at a great price point.  Throughout most of the holidays it was between $69-99 and was even as low as $39 on Black Friday.  Still, at $69 this is a great phone even for daily use but certainly could fit the role of a back up phone or a media player device.

Just as a reminder, here are the highlights on the specs of the Lumia 635:

• 4.5-inch display
• 5MP camera with 720p HD video
• 8GB storage / microSD 128GB
• Windows Phone 8.1

There is no word on when this price will end (it has been $99 for most of this year) or if this is a new permanent price for the phone.  Regardless, get one now while the price is this low.

Don’t forget that you can also get the Lumia 635 accessory bundle for $60, a savings of $38 if you were to buy all of the contents separately.  That bundle includes a case of your choice (selected cases), a screen protector, and a Nokia DC-21 portable battery charger

Lumia 635 – $69 for AT&T (No Contract) – Microsoft Store

Lumia 635 Accessories Bundle – $60 (Save Up To $38.99)

For those of you who are in the Windows Insider program and are testing the beta of Windows 10, you now can trial the new touch-friendly Office for Windows 10 apps.  The new Word, Excel and PowerPoint are all available in the Windows 10 preview in the Store beta.  This is great news as Microsoft is rapidly pushing out many of the key changes and updates they announced at the Windows 10 event a few weeks ago.  Office for Windows 10 is one of those key announcements with Windows 10 for Phone being the only major one left to be seen.

Word for Windows 10 from the Windows Store Beta

Excel for Windows 10 from the Windows Store Beta

PowerPoint for Windows 10 from the Windows Store Beta

dTilt Shift photography is not something new to Windows Phone but many of the apps can be complicated to figure out, especially on photos you have already taken.  That is one of the reasons that the new Diorama app for Windows Phone is one try out.  The Diorama app allows you to take a photo with your camera or from your photo library and quickly apply a tilt shift effect to them.  With simple controls and a clean, simply UI, Diorama is a fast way to apply this fun photo filter to your pictures.

For those who are new to smartphone photography, tilt shifting is a photo effect where you make something look miniaturized, or as the case may be, like it is in a diorama.  It certainly isn’t new to digital or smartphone photography or photography in general for that matter.  Smartphones however have made the effect popular because apps like Diorama have made it easy.

Diorama for Windows Phone – Free (In-App Purchases) – Download Now

AT&T has posted on Twitter that customers can expect to see the Lumia Denim update for devices on their network “soon”.  The Tweet was a reply to long time Windows Platform Development MVP Ginny Caughey who somewhat sarcastically Tweeted that she would likely see Windows 10 on her Lumia 1520 before Lumia Denim was released.  AT&T apparently was paying attention and replied with this Tweet:

@gcaughey The Denim update is coming soon. We will announce it’s availability on the AT&T Consumer Blog as soon as it’s ready for download.

— AT&T (@ATT) February 3, 2015

It is certainly encouraging to hear that AT&T is looking to release Lumia Denim on the Lumia devices on their network but “soon” is a word that Windows Phone users have heard all too often. Still, we are likely talking weeks now instead of months.

As a reminder, you can read my Guide to Lumia Denim and my Lumia Denim Rollout Guide for more detailed information on the release and the rollout process.