Microsoft has released an update to what was known as the Phone Insider app for Windows Phone. The now Windows Insider for Windows Phone app is essentially the same app with a new name but clearly prepares the way for Windows 10 to come to your phone in February.
The official Facebook for Windows Phone app has been updated today with several improvements and fixes for the social network app. The update, version 8.3.5.0 for those keeping score at home, brings improvements to almost every area of the app which should create a better, more consistent user experience.
The Calendar for Windows Phone app has been updated with several new features. This is the default calendar app that comes with every Windows Phone but like the Music, Video and other built-in apps, sees an update now-and-again to bring new features or stability. This update, version 1.0.15087.0 for those keeping score at home, is mainly focused on new features instead of bug fixes and includes an all new Agenda view.
Yesterday I installed Windows 10 to start doing bug hunting and experimenting on what will be the next version of Windows for every device. As I posted yesterday, Windows 10 is certainly in beta and shouldn’t be installed on your production (day-to-day) PC unless you are willing to put up with odd behavior and bugs here and there. In my case, I installed it on a PC I do not use every day so it can be my test bed. This post will be the first in a series that outline the updating and development of Windows 10 until it is released later this year. For this first part, I’ll cover the installation process and my first impressions.
As a reminder, for those who want to try Windows 10 out yourself, you can do so by joining the Windows Insider program. It is free to join but the expectation is you will test and help report bugs. Also note that for you Windows Phone users, Windows 10 for Phone will not be available until February. Right now it is only for PCs and tablets.
Last week Microsoft gave everyone a surprise by releasing Windows 10 to the Windows Insider community. With hundreds of thousands in the program (and you can join for free too), there are a significant number of peeps running the next version of Windows on their PC or tablet. Just a reminder to everyone: This is a beta. While every indication is that Windows 10 right now is more stable than any previous beta, you can certainly expect there to be issues and challenges if you load it onto your PC or tablet. That’s the nature of the beast so if you aren’t prepared to live with that, don’t upgrade until it is available for free to everyone later this year.
Microsoft has released a small update to their OneDrive for Windows Phone app. The update, version 4.6 for those keeping score at home, is essentially nothing more than a bug fix release so don’t look for any new features in the update if you believe the release notes. According to the release notes, there are two things that are addressed in this update:
But there is something new in this update and the file properties changes are actually really nice.
As part of the massive Windows 10 event today, Microsoft showed off for the first time Office for Windows 10, a completely universal and touch friendly version of Office that will be coming to your smartphone, tablet and PC. It means that the Office experience, no matter which device you are using, will be the same, touch friendly and equally powerful. Finally!
If there were any doubts in your mind about Microsoft’s commitment to the mobile space, today’s Windows 10 event should have but those to rest. Not only did we get some insights into what Windows 10 will look like and now it will function on a smartphone, we also got a commitment to a new flagship Windows phone in 2015.