Author: Clinton

We all now how important backups are on our Macs or PCs and your Windows Phone is no different.  You have a lot of data on there – Apps, pictures, files, etc – that if you lost, you would be frustrated at best and heart broken at worst.  Microsoft has made it quite easy to backup your Windows Phone, leveraging your OneDrive account to have a cloud-based backup of your phone that can easily be restored.

This How To is based on Windows Phone 8.1 so the screens may look slightly different if you are running an older version.

While the need to restore your Nokia Lumia firmware is a rare event, there are times where you may need or want to do so.  It could be that your Lumia is stuck during an over-the-air (OTA) upgrade and you have had spinning gears on your Windows Phone for hours.  Or, more likely, you have been using the Microsoft Developer Preview to check out Lumia Cyan and Windows Phone 8.1 and need to revert back to get the update that has now been released on for your phone.  Regardless of the reason, Nokia has actually made it quite easy for you to restore your Lumia’s firmware and in this How To I’ll show you what you need and how to do it.

Microsoft and Nokia have begun rolling out Lumia Cyan and Windows Phone 8.1 to users but, as is usually the case, it is staggered depending on your location and mobile provider.  Newer Lumia’s will have Lumia Cyan already and Windows Phone 8.1 already installed but others will need to install these updates to get the latest-and-greatest on their device.

It is important to draw a distinction however between what Lumia Cyan is and what it is not.  As I’ve been catching up on all things Windows Phone the last few weeks, there seems to be a lot of confusion on it and Windows Phone 8.1 are exactly.  Hopefully I can clear that up for you and tell you exactly where you can find out when you can expect Lumia Cyan to hit your Windows Phone.

I admit it: I abandoned ship.

I don’t apologise. I don’t regret it. As I am fond of saying, it is what it is.  I left Windows Phone and the community I had been a part of for nearly a decade in March 2012. My frustration had finally boiled over. I was frustrated with Windows Phone 7 and at that point it was being made clear that there would be no upgrade path to Windows Phone 8. The devices were slow. The App Store a mess and woefully lacking. All this and the shiny object that was iOS was so much easier to deal with on a day-to-day basis. So I left and I thought for good.

But then something funny happened.

At the 2012 International CES, HTC Corp. today introduced the HTC TITAN II as the company’s first Windows Phone to run on a 4G LTE network. Available in the coming months to AT&T customers, the smartphone includes the largest display among Windows Phones, an advanced 16-megapixel digital camera and access to 4G LTE* speeds.

“HTC’s history of innovation in 4G technology includes delivering the first 4G-powered devices to each major carrier in the U.S., so it is exciting today to continue that leadership with our first 4G LTE Windows Phone, the HTC TITAN II,” said Peter Chou, CEO of HTC Corp. “This full-featured smartphone combines HTC’s design with AT&T’s high-speed 4G LTE network and Microsoft’s powerful Windows Phone software, giving people more of what they crave.”

The HTC TITAN II comes equipped with a brilliant 4.7-inch super LCD capacitive touchscreen display for an optimized viewing experience when watching movies, playing games or enjoying photos and videos. The HTC TITAN II offers quick and easy access to the latest movies and TV shows via HTC Watch and on-the-go gaming with Xbox LIVE.

Packed with advanced imaging technology, the HTC TITAN II features a 16-megapixel camera with a wide-angle lens, autofocus, dual LED flash, red eye reduction, image stabilization, a backside-illuminated sensor and a physical camera button, offering a viable replacement for digital point-and-shoot cameras. The HTC TITAN II delivers a number of features that HTC has developed to help consumers capture photos in a variety of conditions; for instance, panoramic shot for sweeping landscapes and burst shot for action photography. The smartphone also enables 720p HD video recording with the rear-facing camera, as well as on-the-go video chat over Wi-Fi with its 1.3-megapixel front-facing camera.

Access to AT&T’s speedy 4G LTE network paired with Qualcomm’s 1.5 GHz Snapdragon™ S2 processor, enables the HTC TITAN II to deliver fast Web surfing, streaming and downloading. This new powerful smartphone will also feature a 1,730mAh lithium ion battery to support the robust mobile experience on one of the fastest 4G LTE networks.

Featuring the latest version of Windows Phone, the HTC TITAN II enhances connectivity, efficiency and productivity for busy consumers with its large on-screen keyboard and instant access to Windows Phone Office Hub, Microsoft Exchange 2010 and Outlook Mobile. The Live Tile display brings friend and family groups to life and delivers the latest updates and news from popular social networks directly to the home screen. HTC TITAN II customers will also be able to download a number of exclusive HTC applications for free within Windows Marketplace through HTC Hub.

The HTC TITAN II is expected to become available exclusively from AT&T in the U.S. in the coming months.

*Limited 4G LTE availability in select markets.  4G speeds delivered by LTE, or HSPA+ with enhanced backhaul, where available.  Deployment ongoing.  Compatible data plan required. LTE is a trademark of ETSI.  Learn more at att.com/network.

About HTC

Founded in 1997, HTC Corp. (HTC) is the creator of many award-winning mobile devices and industry firsts. By putting people at the center of everything it does, HTC pushes the boundaries of design and technology to create innovative and personal experiences for consumers around the globe. HTC’s portfolio includes smartphones and tablets powered by HTC Sense™, a multilayered graphical user interface that vastly improves user experience. HTC is listed on the Taiwan Stock Exchange (TWSE: 2498). For more information, please visit www.htc.com.

As the calendar turns to 2012, I want to thank all of you for reading the site and continually visiting.  2011 was a challenging year for the site for a lot of reasons so in a sense I’m glad to have it behind me.  But thanks to all of you who continued to visit (even during the weeks where updates were few and far between), for leaving comments, following on Twitter and clicking adverts (yep, that’s what pays the bills).

As I wind down 2011 I’ll remind you of a few different ways you can follow the site if you can’t make it to the site itself each day.

You can follow on Facebook

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Happy New Year everyone!  Have a safe & fun weekend