Author: Clinton

Microsoft has released a big update to the Battery Saver app for Windows Phone.  The Battery Saver app allows you to quickly and easily identify those apps which are consuming the most of your battery power, manage them and manage how your Windows Phone performs when it is running low on battery.  Frankly I’m not sure why this app isn’t named Battery Sense as it is installed on every new Microsoft Lumia Windows Phone and seems to stick out a bit naming wise from the other Sense apps.

But I digress.

The update has a lot of new features and information that can help you see which app is consuming the most of your battery either all time or over the past 24 hours.  Perhaps the biggest has been the improved battery usage scale in the Battery Saver app.  The usage data now scales to the actual device battery capacity with full width mapping to 100% capacity.  What that means is that the 3200mAh hour battery in my Lumia 1320, the usage scale will be far more accurate than before and it will be a different formula for my Lumia 520 with its 1100mAh battery.  In other words, it’s more accurate.

Battery Saver for Windows Phone – Free – Download Now

Age of Empires Castle Siege for Windows Phone and Windows 8.1 got a hefty update today, bringing a significant number of stability and performance updates.  Version 1.3 of the game is now available in the Windows Store on your Windows 8.1 PC and Windows Phone Store on your phone.

The update is 170MB in size for Windows Phone so it is a big update and will require you to have your phone connected to WiFi in order to download it.

You can read my review of the game here

Age of Empires Castle Siege for Windows Phone – Free – Download Now

Microsoft today announced that next year they will be rebranding their enterprise communications app & service Lync to Skype for Business.  The move shouldn’t be a big surprise for those who follow Microsoft in the enterprise space as there has been rumors floating around this rebranding for sometime.  Skype for Business will bring both intra- and extra-company communication to enterprises and their customers on one common platform and application.

In the first half of 2015, the next version of Lync will become Skype for Business with a new client experience, new server release, and updates to the service in Office 365. We believe that Skype for Business will again transform the way people communicate by giving organizations reach to hundreds of millions of Skype users outside the walls of their business.

In addition to the platform changes, users can also expect some significant improvements around functionality including simplified one-click telephony (assuming you have the appropriate licensing in place).

As expected, Microsoft has announced their first Microsoft branded Lumia Windows powered phone, the Lumia 535.  The 5″ display budget friendly phone sports some pretty nice features for a budget phone and is expected to be launched in Hong Kong, China and Bangladesh shortly.

• 5-inch IPS LCD (960 x 540)
• 1.2 GHz quad-core processor Qualcomm Snapdragon 200
• 1 GB RAM
• 8 GB storage
• MicroSD card support (Up to 128 GB)
• 1905 mAh battery
• 5 MP rear camera
• 5 MP front-facing camera

The HTC One M8 Windows Phone is now available from T-Mobile in the United States for $0 if you sign up for a 2 year contract.  It is the second carrier in as many weeks to pick up the latest Windows Phone offering from HTC after the M8 was exclusive to Verizon over the summer.  Last Friday the phone made its debute on AT&T.

The popular Vivino app for Windows phone has been updated this week with several new personalizing features including a new Personal Taste Profile.  I reviewed Vivino Wine Scanner a few months back and it remains one of my favorite apps for rating wines I try and getting ratings for a bottle before I buy it.  It is a gem of an app.

Vivino Wine Scanner for Windows Phone – Free (In-App Purchases) – Download Now