Despite early reports that Rovio would release Angry Birds for Windows Phone 7 on 25th May . Microsoft said on Wednesday that the game won’t launch until June 29th. The reason for the delay has not been mentioned by Microsoft. But it seems that Microsoft is launching major titles through May and june and don’t want the title launches to clash.
[Read]
Paul Bryan, Microsoft’s senior director of business experiences product management for Windows Phone, has written a blog post that details Windows Phone Mango’s business productivity features.
WIN PHO 7 with added capabilities for IT departments, including complex password support, information rights management support, and the ability to access hidden corporate Wi-Fi networks.
“This week, we expect to exceed 16,000 apps available in the Windows Phone Marketplace,” Bryan.
[Source]
A few juicy details of the upcoming mango update have been seen. That include Facebook Chat and Office 365 (plus SkyDrive and SharePoint), a new games hub with Xbox Live integration (new “Automatic Sync” ). This is still unconfirmed news, but considering the showcase of the update at the Dev Conf. earlier looks like this is highly likely.
Microsoft and Skype have made it official , The Mega Software/Hardware giant has acquired the Video Chat mega-enterprise for a whopping 8.5 Billion (Yes BILLION) US dollars. There is also a mention of XBOX and Kinect Support.
The other important aspect of the acquisition is that non-MS users (existing Skype users) will not be affected in any way with the acquisition.
According to data: Skype was first sold to eBay in 2005 for 2.5$ Billion US who in turn sold it for 2.75 Billion US $ to Silver Lake. The deal is expected to close by the end of this year and you can read Microsofts and Skype’s full announcement below.
PRESS RELEASE
Microsoft to Acquire Skype
Combined companies will benefit consumers, businesses and increase market opportunity.
REDMOND, Wash., and LUXEMBOURG – May 10, 2011 – Microsoft Corp. (Nasdaq: “MSFT”) and Skype Global S.à r.l today announced that they have entered into a definitive agreement under which Microsoft will acquire Skype, the leading Internet communications company, for $8.5 billion in cash from the investor group led by Silver Lake. The agreement has been approved by the boards of directors of both Microsoft and Skype.
The acquisition will increase the accessibility of real-time video and voice communications, bringing benefits to both consumers and enterprise users and generating significant new business and revenue opportunities. The combination will extend Skype’s world-class brand and the reach of its networked platform, while enhancing Microsoft’s existing portfolio of real-time communications products and services.
With 170 million connected users and over 207 billion minutes of voice and video conversations in 2010, Skype has been a pioneer in creating rich, meaningful connections among friends, families and business colleagues globally. Microsoft has a long-standing focus and investment in real-time communications across its various platforms, including Lync (which saw 30 percent revenue growth in Q3), Outlook, Messenger, Hotmail and Xbox LIVE.
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.”
Skype will become a new business division within Microsoft, and Skype CEO Tony Bates will assume the title of president of the Microsoft Skype Division, reporting directly to Ballmer.
“Microsoft and Skype share the vision of bringing software innovation and products to our customers,” said Tony Bates. “Together, we will be able to accelerate Skype’s plans to extend our global community and introduce new ways for everyone to communicate and collaborate,” Bates said.
“Tony Bates has a great track record as a leader and will strengthen the Microsoft management team. I’m looking forward to Skype’s talented global workforce bringing its insights, ideas and experience to Microsoft,” Ballmer said.
Speaking on behalf of the investor group that sold Skype to Microsoft, Egon Durban, managing director of Silver Lake, said: “We are thrilled with Skype’s transformation during the period of our ownership and grateful for the extraordinary commitment of its management team and employees. We are excited about Skype’s long-term future with Microsoft, as it is poised to become one of the world’s most dynamic and comprehensive communications platforms.”
Founded in 2003, Skype was acquired by eBay in September 2005, and then acquired by an investment group led by Silver Lake in November 2009. Skype has made impressive progress over the past 18 months under Silver Lake’s leadership, increasing monthly calling minutes by 150 percent, developing new revenue streams and strategic partnerships, acquiring the intellectual property powering its peer-to-peer network, and recruiting an outstanding senior management team.
Other members of the selling investor group led by Silver Lake include eBay International AG, CPP Investment Board, Joltid Limited in partnership with Europlay Capital Advisors; and Andreessen Horowitz.
The acquisition is subject to regulatory approvals and other customary closing conditions. The parties hope to obtain all required regulatory clearances during the course of this calendar year.
About Skype
Skype is communications software whose purpose is to break down barriers to communication. With an Internet-connected device, families, friends and colleagues can get together for free with messaging, voice and video. At low cost, they can also call landlines or mobiles virtually anywhere in the world. Skype has recently introduced group video, allowing groups of more than two people to do things together whenever they’re apart.Founded in 2003 and based in Luxembourg. Skype can be downloaded onto computers, mobile phones and other connected devices for free.
Microsoft’s upcoming “Mango” update is the next exciting thing for all Windows Phone 7 users. Windowsphonesecrets.com revealed the new features of the upcoming update and they seem to be adding quite a few interesting things.
Nokia and Microsoft entered the Strategic alliance a couple months back discussing and announcing their partnership, This partnership has been finalized and signed by both companies revealing the true nature of the agreement and giving a fair understanding of the Questions on everyones minds.
A video explaining the partnership was released by Nokia a few hours back detailing the partnership.
The Key Questions Answered
1: When will the devices be launched?
A : There is pressure to deliver the first handsets in the market by end 2011
2: How will this agreement benefit the experience of the User?
A: Nokia has begun porting Nokia Apps and Services to WP7 and has also begun customizing it to the requirement of the Nokia User. The agreement enables Nokia and MS to work in Tandem and deliver services and goods that other manufacturers may or may not have the ability to deliver.
3: WHats in it for Developers?
A: Existing Nokia developers will get free registration in the new WP7 developer channel.
4: What Assets does Nokia Bring to the Table?
A: The biggest Asset Nokia Brings to the WP7 interface is a large group of Professional Mobile Software engineers who will shift focus from Symbian to Windows Phone 7 to bring about a drastic new Interface and experience for the User. The other advantage is the Nokia Maps and Navigation which will fill in the large void left in by BING maps.
FULL PR
Nokia and Microsoft sign definitive agreement ahead of schedule
Espoo, Finland and Redmond, US – Nokia (NYSE: NOK) and Microsoft (NASDAQ: MSFT) today announced the signing of a definitive agreement on a partnership that will result in a new global mobile ecosystem, utilizing the very complementary assets of both companies. Completed ahead of schedule, the definitive agreement is consistent with the joint announcement made on February 11.
In addition to agreeing to the terms of their partnership, including joint contributions to the development of the new ecosystem, Nokia and Microsoft also announced significant progress on the development of the first Nokia products incorporating Windows Phone. With hundreds of personnel already engaged on joint engineering efforts, the companies are collaborating on a portfolio of new Nokia devices. Nokia has also started porting key applications and services to operate on Windows Phone and joint outreach has begun to third party application developers.
“At the highest level, we have entered into a win-win partnership,” said Stephen Elop, President and CEO of Nokia Corporation. “It is the complementary nature of our assets, and the overall competitiveness of that combined offering, that is the foundation of our relationship.”
“Our agreement is good for the industry,” said Steve Ballmer, CEO of Microsoft. “Together, Nokia and Microsoft will innovate with greater speed, and provide enhanced opportunities for consumers and our partners to share in the success of our ecosystem.”
The relationship is structured around four broad areas:
1. A combination of complementary assets, which make the partnership truly unique, including:
– Nokia to deliver mapping, navigation, and certain location-based services to the Windows Phone ecosystem. Nokia will build innovation on top of the Windows Phone platform in areas such as imaging, while contributing expertise on hardware design and language support, and helping to drive the development of the Windows Phone platform. Microsoft will provide Bing search services across the Nokia device portfolio as well as contributing strength in productivity, advertising, gaming, social media and a variety of other services. The combination of navigation with advertising and search will enable better monetization of Nokia’s navigation assets and completely new forms of advertising revenue.
– Joint developer outreach and application sourcing, to support the creation of new local and global applications, including making Windows Phone developer registration free for all Nokia developers.
– Opening a new Nokia-branded global application store that leverages the Windows Marketplace infrastructure. Developers will be able to publish and distribute applications through a single developer portal to hundreds of millions of consumers that use Windows Phone, Symbian and Series 40 devices.
– Contribution of Nokia’s expertise in operator billing to ensure participants in the Windows Phone ecosystem can take advantage of Nokia’s billing agreements with 112 operators in 36 markets.
2. Microsoft will receive a running royalty from Nokia for the Windows Phone platform, starting when the first Nokia products incorporating Windows Phone ship. The royalty payments are competitive and reflect the large volumes that Nokia expects to ship, as well as a variety of other considerations related to engineering work to which both companies are committed. Microsoft delivering the Windows Phone platform to Nokia will enable Nokia to significantly reduce operating expenses.
3. In recognition of the unique nature of Nokia’s agreement with Microsoft and the contributions that Nokia is providing, Nokia will receive payments measured in the billions of dollars.
4. An agreement that recognizes the value of intellectual property and puts in place mechanisms for exchanging rights to intellectual property. Nokia will receive substantial payments under the agreement.
With the definitive agreement now signed, both companies will begin engaging with operators, developers and other partners to help the industry understand the benefits of joining the new ecosystem. At the same time, work will continue on developing Nokia products on the Windows Phone platform, with the aim of securing volume device shipments in 2012. The scale of both companies’ mutual commitment is significant and is in keeping with the intention to build a new ecosystem based on this long-term, strategic partnership.
A leaked copy of Windows 8 spread like wildfire in the recent week. Daily new tidbits and features are being discovered about the new mammoth from Microsoft. The newest information rocking the market is the fact that the user with a retail disk can make actual usb copies of the operating system and carry them, like portable ubuntu.
This could also give piracy a whole new push with cds becoming the old and portable os becoming the new. Bootable Windows 8 on a USB 3.0 drive anyone? As tempting as it may sound, a minimum 16GB pendrive is required for the task and looks like USB 3.0 is yet to be found commercially.
MyDigitalLife
XDA-Developers have received an image of what they are calling the HTC Mazaa. It is the world’s first CDMA phone, with 3.7-inch screen and GSM capabilities (thats right GSM capable), which runs Windows Phone 7.
Rovio’s smash hit Angry Birds game will be available for Windows Phone 7 Devices on May 25th. The game is the most successful application on several app store platforms including Android, iOS and Mac App Store. Although there is no information on pricing, we hope its either free or really cheap.
[VIA]
Get it Here For iOS Devices
If you are like the many people who are facing issues finding the NO-DO Update.
With thanks to a tip from iGyaan Reader : Gary.
We have the Step by Step Solution for You
1. Start Zune
2. Turn off Data connection and Wifi on the Phone
3. Connect the Phone with the PC (USB)
4. Start the update search in Zune
5. About 3 seconds later, disconnect your PC from the internet (Turn WLAN off).
6. Zune finds NoDo-Update. Press OK.
7. Connect to the internet again and install the update.
As we tested this works brilliantly on all those devices which don’t see the update.
Also if it fails the first time, simply try the process again.
Looks like here it is, we just had a Phone Update POP-UP on our HD7 and it looks like copy paste is now available on the HD7. To simply get the update, sync up your phone with Windows or Mac computer and enjoy!
HTC has just announced the new HTC HD7s, A successor to the HD7 which has only a minor improvement in tow, which actually turns out to be a major improvement. The HD7s adds a Super LCD to the mix making the display even more eye-friendly and much better in drastic situations. Thic change will also improve the battery life of the unit and make using the device a better experience.
Our Sources at HTC India say this device will hit as a quiet Update in June-July 2011 in India. Pricing Similar to the existing model is expected.
Microsoft has let out the new update for the Windows Phone 7 Platform, and it brings a lot of welcome features.
OS version: 7.0.7390.0
According to a report filed by Reuters, Nokia’s new and upcoming Tablets will not be coming with Windows Phone 7. A source in common with the Finnish company’s plans told the publication that Nokia is weighing all options when it comes to tablets, and its now sleepy smartphone operating system — MeeGo — is a definite possibility. This February, Nokia announced that it would use Microsoft’s Windows Phone mobile operating systems on future, high-end smartphones. The company’s tablet plans are, however, still unknown. A recent patent filing found in the United States Patent and Trade Office’s database has reignited rumors that the mobile giant will be releasing a tablet.
Google has release a preview plugin that will enable WebM support on the recently released Internet Explorer 9. The plugin will enable WebM compatible content, a one time download is required.