Author: Clinton

With Mobile World Congress wrapped up for 2015, Microsoft has created and shared a quick video highlighting the big announcements from the company this year.  The video is just over a minute long and available on the Microsoft Lumia channel on YouTube.  You can watch it here after the break.

The big highlights from MWC 2015 for Microsoft circled around the all new Lumia 640, Lumia 640XL, more information shared about Windows 10 for Phones and Windows 10 as a whole while even the Surface Hub got a bit of attention as did Universal apps.  While Microsoft clearly didn’t have a huge presence at Mobile World Congress this year, the announcements were important and I think gave a good indication of where Redmond is going to be focused in 2015.

Every once in a while I see a beta version of an app that is so much better – so dramatically improved over the current production app – that I actually recommend it be installed.  The new Audible for Windows Phone beta is one of those.  If you have read this site any amount of time you know that I warn against installing beta software.  It tends to be buggy, do strange and often unexplained things, and it often is just not ready for primetime.  I’m not suggesting you won’t run into these issues with the new Audible beta.  What I am suggesting however is that it is so much better and more stable than the production version, even if you see a bug pop up it’ll be less than what you get today.

Yes, it’s that much better.

Audible for Windows Phone (BETA) – Free – Download Now

The Fitbit for Windows Modern app has received a small but important update today that fixes a lot of sync issues users were facing with the fitness tracker software.  The update, version 1.5.17 (12619) for those keeping score at home, specifically addresses synchronization setup and improved tracker syncing.  The update is important as syncing with your Windows 8.1 PC or tablet is done via a USB dongle on Fitibits.  It works but it hasn’t been to this point 100% reliable.  That seems, based on my testing, to be resolved.

Fitbit for Windows – Free – Download Now

I am very pleased to announce that Tricia Stream is joining me here at ClintonFitch.com.  For those who followed AlliOSNews before I ended my iOS wilderness wandering, you will know Tricia.  For those of you who don’t know her, let me give an little introduction.  Tricia’s comments below are in [Bold].

Tricia is an award winning blogger and author who is passionate about prematurity (she’s the mom of twin preemie boys – Search and Destroy) and has a flare for technology.  [Jazz hands.] Tricia has been honored numerous times for her work with Blogher but is also the author of an upcoming children’s book as well as being part of various other publications on prematurity and mental health.  She lives in the heart of Silicon Valley and often reminds me of how she is amazed at how poor a signal she gets there on her iPhone.  Yes, Tricia carries an iPhone.  In fact, Tricia is pretty much Apple through-and-through.  So why is she writing for a through-and-through Windows site?  Simple. Apps.

[Actually although my first household computer was an Apple IIgs, I was a Windows girl from the day I turned 13 until I joined the corporate world. My 13th birthday gift was a glorious 386 computer with accompanying 14.4 modem and wooden desk that lived in my room. It’s where I started earning my nerd stripes. (That may have been the last my parents saw of the teenage me.) It wasn’t until I started my career that I started using Apple again. I know. I did it backwards.]

Tricia’s approach to technology has always been from the mother/real user perspective.  In fact her posts here will be under the title of “TechMom Tuesday”, where she will post every few weeks on Microsoft related apps and services that she leverages in her day-to-day.  It will give a different perspective than my own as I always approach the apps and services from Microsoft from a Windows and Windows Phone perspective.  Tricia will approach it from an Apple perspective to let you know how those apps and services perform across the spectrum. [Full disclosure: It’s not solely from an Apple perspective so much as an, “I really need this to work because this is what’s happening in my life” perspective.” I use technology because I’m TechMom. I share it with you because I can’t keep my mouth shut.]

Please welcome Tricia to the site!  You can follow her on her blog Stream of the Conscious as well as on Twitter.

[Come back on Tuesday where I tell you all about getting locked out of my super high-tech car.]

The VLC for Windows Phone app has seen another update today, this one losing the beta tag that it has had since last year and also improving the HD video playback in the app.  The update, version… wait for it… 2015.305.1538.3384 is now available in the Windows Phone Store.  Remember that VLC is now a Universal app for both Windows and Windows Phone and in both case, they are free.

VLC for Windows Phone – Free – Download Now

VLC for Windows – Free – Download Now

For those who are anxious to pick up the Lumia 640 or the Lumia 640XL, you may have a few weeks of waiting if the German, UK and French Microsoft Stores is any indication.  The online store has posted the availability of the Lumia 640 for pre-order but delivery is not until mid-April.  While this is certainly more than has been posted on the US Microsoft Store, you can assume safely that the wait times will be similar.