Category: Windows Phone

The Fitbit for Windows Phone app has received an update that should help those of us who use the All-Day Sync feature.  If there has been one complaint I’ve had about the app so far it has been the reliability of this background sync feature.  Now it seems to be resolved.  The update, version 1.7.254.13801 for those keeping score at home, dramatically improves the All-Day Sync functionality.  It is much more stable than the previous release and it is on by default now.  Having tested this last night and this morning, I can tell you it is noticeably better than before and the app actually stays connected to my Fitbit Flex via Bluetooth constantly.

Fitbit for Windows Phone – Free – Download Now

Vine for Windows Phone has been out since November 2013 and aside from a few very minor updates has remained virtually untouched.  It was, until today, a classic example of there been an app update gap for Windows Phone when you compare it to other platforms.  Today a new build, version 2.5 for those keeping score at home, has hit the Windows Phone store and it is a significant improvement over the previous version.  The biggest feature by far in this update is the ability to upload previously shot videos from your camera roll.  This means you can now, finally, shoot a video now then Vine it to Twitter later.

Vine for Windows Phone – Free – Download Now

A few weeks ago PayPal launched PayPal Here for Windows 8.1, an app that allows you to take credit card and PayPal payments on your Windows PC or Tablet.  This morning that same app has come to Windows Phone giving you the option to take payments in your place of business.  No longer are you tied to being “behind the register” or, as the case may be, your Surface Tablet.

For those who aren’t familiar with PayPal Here…

PayPal Here is the secure and easy-to-use mobile business app for all your payment needs. Get back-office management, POS, and start accepting credit and debit card payments—in person and on the go—with our mobile card reader and free app

It is an inexpensive way to get a point-of-sale going for your place of business in no time.

PayPal Here for Windows Phone – Free – Download Now

Age of Empires Castle Siege, the medieval civilization building game, has received another major update from Microsoft Studios.  The game gets one of these about every month and this one is certainly an important one to get. The update is for both Windows and Windows Phone (remember, it is a universal app) and brings several game play improvements as well as a host of bug fixes.

The two biggest changes amongst them as a player is the decrease in resource producing things like farms and mills build time so you can start collecting resources faster while the other is the increased length of peace treaties so there is a longer time between attacks on your empire.  This later is important if you are away from the game a day or two.  The update, version 1.6.1.43 for those keeping score at home, is available now in both the Windows and Windows Phone Stores.

Age of Empires Castle Siege – Windows (Universal App) – Download Now

Age of Empires Castle Siege – Windows Phone (Universal App) – Download Now

A few weeks ago a good friend of mine who shall remain nameless but works for Samsung sent a Samsung Galaxy Tab 4 8″ tablet.  The joke was, I showed up at a meeting with my Toshiba Encore 2 8″ tablet and he, being an Android centric company, gave me a fair amount of shtick over the Windows tablet coming into the meeting.  In reply, I said, send me a tablet and I’ll happily give it a go.

So there you go.  I now have a Galaxy Tab 4 tablet (which I have to send back to him BTW).

With the amount of travel I’ve had going on though it wasn’t until this past week and weekend that I had the chance to use this tablet and, more importantly, Android in anger.  The net result:  It was a very depressing experience but not for the reason you would expect from an admitted Windows and Windows Phone fanboy.

For those of you who are use Viber as your text and messaging app, there is an update today that makes photo sharing a little bit easier.  The updated version of Viber for Windows Phone brings two new features with the biggest one being the ability to easily view all photos in a chat by Swiping in a chat session.  It is a quick way to go find that photo from a few days ago without having to do long scrolls back up the message feed.  The update, version 4.5 for those keeping score at home, is available now in the Windows Phone store.

If you aren’t familiar with Viber, it is a cross platform text, messaging, video sharing and photo sharing app.  If you are thinking it sounds a lot like Skype, you would be correct.

Viber for Windows Phone – Free – Download Now