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After months of negotiation behind the scenes, British Telecom (BT) has announced that they are acquiring EE for just over $19b US.  The acquisition takes the UK’s leading mobile provider in EE under the BT umbrella, bringing the telecom giant back into the mobile operator space within the country.  The announcement was posted on the British Telecom site and impacts some 31 million EE customers.

In the post, BT states “By combining the UK’s most advanced 4G network and most extensive superfast broadband network, BT will have greater scope for future investment and product innovation “.  Ultimately this could work out well for consumers as they will be able to combine BT services with their mobile needs under one billing.  This is similar to what AT&T offers as well as Verizon here in the United States.

You can read the full announcement here on the BT website which includes all of the financial details as well as quotes from executives on the matter.

How this ultimately impacts Microsoft and Windows Tablets and Windows Phone carried by EE is still an unknown.  Having just returned from the UK on a two year EXPAT assignment, I can say that if you walked into any EE shop on the High Street you would be able to find multiple Windows Phone models available and they always seemed to get the newest devices sooner than Vodafone, 3 or other carriers.  Hopefully that trend continues under BT.

If you have been on the fence about picking up a Lumia 635 on the AT&T network, now is the time to jump.  At the Microsoft Store you can pick one up for only $69 and there is no contract commitment required from AT&T.  It’s a great deal on a great little Windows Phone. I reviewed the Lumia 635 when it was first released and it is still one of my favorite devices.  It’s small, lightweight and has quite a bit of power for an entry level phone.

Now the Microsoft Lumia 635

The Lumia 635 has been one of the better selling devices for Microsoft and has always been at a great price point.  Throughout most of the holidays it was between $69-99 and was even as low as $39 on Black Friday.  Still, at $69 this is a great phone even for daily use but certainly could fit the role of a back up phone or a media player device.

Just as a reminder, here are the highlights on the specs of the Lumia 635:

• 4.5-inch display
• 5MP camera with 720p HD video
• 8GB storage / microSD 128GB
• Windows Phone 8.1

There is no word on when this price will end (it has been $99 for most of this year) or if this is a new permanent price for the phone.  Regardless, get one now while the price is this low.

Don’t forget that you can also get the Lumia 635 accessory bundle for $60, a savings of $38 if you were to buy all of the contents separately.  That bundle includes a case of your choice (selected cases), a screen protector, and a Nokia DC-21 portable battery charger

Lumia 635 – $69 for AT&T (No Contract) – Microsoft Store

Lumia 635 Accessories Bundle – $60 (Save Up To $38.99)

The Weather Channel app for Windows and Windows Phone has received a major overhaul today with an all new redesign and seasonal tools to give you more of your local or destination weather information.  The update version 2015.204.732.3042 for those keeping score at home, brings the Windows Phone version on par with the app on iOS and Android and should be a very welcome sign for users in light of recent announcements of other developers stopping their support for platform.  The updated version of The Weather Channel app is available now in the Windows Phone Store.

The Weather Channel for Windows Phone – Free – Download Now

The Weather Channel for Windows – Free – Download Now

dTilt Shift photography is not something new to Windows Phone but many of the apps can be complicated to figure out, especially on photos you have already taken.  That is one of the reasons that the new Diorama app for Windows Phone is one try out.  The Diorama app allows you to take a photo with your camera or from your photo library and quickly apply a tilt shift effect to them.  With simple controls and a clean, simply UI, Diorama is a fast way to apply this fun photo filter to your pictures.

For those who are new to smartphone photography, tilt shifting is a photo effect where you make something look miniaturized, or as the case may be, like it is in a diorama.  It certainly isn’t new to digital or smartphone photography or photography in general for that matter.  Smartphones however have made the effect popular because apps like Diorama have made it easy.

Diorama for Windows Phone – Free (In-App Purchases) – Download Now