Author: Markus Kasanmascheff

After one update, another follows swiftly in its wake. Hot on the heels of the release of Windows 8.1 Update 1, the rumor factory is in full swing for Windows 8.1 Update 2, Windows 8.2, and Windows 9.

Here’s an overview of the half-truths we know already.

The next update: Windows 8.2 or Windows 8.1 Update 2

According to recent media reports, Microsoft is planning another update for Windows 8, to be released in August 2014. Whether it’ll be released as Windows 8.2, or Windows 8.1 Update 2, is still unclear.

Once again, the source of the rumors is the Russian hacker group WZor, which has already attracted attention in the past with its accurate predictions. Mary Jo Foley of ZDNet, who has contacts in Microsoft, has also talked about a further update for the summer.

Little is known, however, about the expected innovations. At the BUILD conference, Microsoft demonstrated Windows Store apps (Metro Apps) in windowed mode, and a fully functional Start menu.

According to WZor, the future Start menu will work differently on touch screen devices compared to regular Desktop PCs. Other sources speak of a Start menu design optimized for swiping on touch devices.

As Mary Jo Foley reports, if possible, Microsoft plans to offer both innovations in the August update. Technically, that should be easily achievable for the Start menu: the technology is not new, nor is it particularly complex.

In windowed mode for Windows Store Apps, things already look rather different. At last, these apps have been optimized for full screen view. Stardock has already proven with ModernMix software that it all still works.

Windows 9

We know almost nothing about Windows 9, other than its targeted release date of April 2015, and a probable new version of the Modern Surface UI.

If the Start menu and windowed mode for Windows Store apps don’t make it into the fall update, these would be two significant innovations for Windows 9. Long before BUILD 2014, you could already look at interesting Windows 9 concepts on YouTube and sites like DeviantART, mostly with Start Menu and Windows Store apps in windowed mode.

It seems that Microsoft is bowing to pressure from users. For a large version upgrade, this wouldn’t be good enough, which means that we can count on further big innovations.

Windows for free

There were more rumors from WZor that Microsoft would be offering a free, stripped-down version of Windows as a kind of cloud OS. The user would then unlock advanced features through a type of subscription, just like for Office 365, via an internet connection.

Other sources have already talked about a possible free version of Windows. According to them, Microsoft was experimenting with a version called “Windows 8.1 with Bing,” which Microsoft could give away to Windows 7 users.

These reports most likely weren’t plucked out of thin air. Microsoft is now pursuing an aggressive strategy and is offering ever more products at knock-down prices or completely free. As announced at the BUILD 2014 conference, it seems as if devices with screens smaller than 9 inches will have Windows for free.

In February, a 70 percent price reduction for Windows 8.1 on cheap computers and tablets made headlines, and back in December, rumors were already circulating about free versions of Windows Phone and Windows RT. For some smartphone makers, this has been a reality since March. Even the big crowd-puller, Office 2013, has been available free for mini-tablets since mid-2013.

One Windows: Merger of Windows RT and Windows Phone

Ever since the release of Windows 8, Microsoft has been working on merging Windows Phone and Windows 8. They started with aligning the interface. Both rely on visual tiles and the design known as Modern UI, which was first introduced with Windows Phone. This is all part of Microsoft’s long-term strategy.

Technically, aligning the systems is anything, but simple. Chip architecture and user requirements differ dramatically in smartphones, tablets, and desktop PCs. Currently, Microsoft is focused on the alignment of Windows Phone and Windows RT, where Windows RT represents the Modern UI and app ecosystem of Windows 8.

With the recently released Windows Phone SDK, developers can easily design apps for both ecosystems simultaneously.

Microsoft, however, isn’t content with this progress. As Microsoft’s chief operating system division head Terry Myerson revealed in an interview, the Redmond company is also planning to align the developer tools for other platforms.

Under the strategy One Windows, the software giant is working on a standardized development environment for all App types on Xbox, tablets, smartphones, and cloud services.

The extent to which Microsoft will bring together – or is capable of bringing together –  desktop and Windows Store apps remains unclear. Perhaps the classic desktop apps will be allowed to slowly die out through continuous development of the new app model.

Related Articles

• Rumor: Start Menu to return to Windows by fall this year
• Windows 8.1 update 1 announced, coming April 8th
• Windows Phone 8.1 innovates with Cortana voice assisstant, Internet Explorer 11
• Microsoft Office for iPad: the highs and lows

If you’ve already made the change from iOS or Android to Windows Phone, then we’ve got a few more tips for you for our Windows Phone series. Thanks to the intuitive interface, you can get up and running pretty fast, but there are some features that might not be obvious on first glance.

What the symbols mean

Symbols for the battery level and signal strength are pretty obvious right away, but as you can see from the infographic below, there are some that aren’t necessarily as obvious. A complete list of all symbols used by Windows Phone is available on the Microsoft support pages.

Quick access to Wi-Fi, Bluetooth and data connection

To conserve battery power, you should turn on Bluetooth and WLAN only when needed. Unfortunately, there’s no direct way to the appropriate settings for Windows Phone. The Battery app will help you further here. Simply place the relevant live tile on your home screen.

By tapping on the tile, you can quickly switch all radio options on and off. The app also tells you the remaining capacity with a percentage value and the time remaining on the battery life.

Data control

As part of the App Data Sense system, you can easily see all your mobile data traffic. For limited monthly data plans, you can specify the start date and the available data volume. The app encrypts data usage of all apps individually. Apps with lots of data volume that aren’t essential should only be used when you’re using Wi-Fi, if possible.

If you’re approaching your monthly limit, Data Sense automatically lets you know how close you are to your limit, making next month’s data easier to manage.

Use a web browser with data-saving mode

While browsing, you can use the data-saving mode and save up to 80 percent of data by using a web browser. There’s a similar feature in Nokia Xpress and UC browser.

Our tip: use Internet Explorer only on wireless connections and put everything else on alternative browsers.

Copy text from the clipboard

To make copying and pasting on the touchscreen easier, you can simply copy and paste longer text areas on your Windows Phone using the clipboard.

• A short tap activates the text selection tool.
• Move the start and end point to the appropriate place.
• Copy the selected text with a tap on the copy icon.

Copying text not only works in the address bar, but also in many apps such as Internet Explorer.

Once you’ve copied the specified text to the clipboard, you can paste it anywhere else on the system or to other apps. In keyboard mode, you simply tap the Paste icon.

Position the cursor on the text input precisely

Just like on iPhone and iPad, you can place the cursor with an auxiliary tool in Windows Phone as well:

• Tap the input until a colored cursor appears.
• By sliding back and forth, you can then move the cursor to the side.

If you don’t get there right away, the following YouTube video will definitely help.

Taking screenshots

By simultaneously pressing the Windows key and the power button, you can take a photograph of the screen. The pictures automatically save in a subfolder in your photos, under Screenshots.

Search function

Hitting the search button at the bottom right will get you to Bing search. In addition to the classic search, Windows Phone also offers two handy extras.

• By tapping the clef symbol, you can start automatic music recognition
• The eye icon opens a bar code scanner for on-line product reviews

The barcode scanner turns the smartphone’s camera to detect visible codes automatically.

The music recognition works completely automatically. Just hold the phone close to the sound source.

As soon as the song is detected, Bing displays the title and album cover. You can then jump directly to the store and bring up more information.

Locate phone

By visiting the website www.windowsphone.com, you can locate your smartphone in an emergency if it gets lost. Through your Microsoft account the device is automatically located.

If you’ve just misplaced it, the Ring function will make it ring with a loud beep. This works even if the ringer is deactivated.

In case of theft, you can lock the phone or erase all data remotely, as soon as it reconnects to the internet.

Backups

Important data can be automatically backed up at Onedrive or an alternative cloud storage on Windows Phone. Additionally, however, there is also a backup feature for your apps, settings and text messages. Find the option under Settings > Backup.

Kids Corner: Limit use to certain apps

With the help of the so-called kid’s corner, you can leave your phone to third parties (like your kids) with limited functions and apps. The Kid’s Corner is an alternative menu with a fixed selection of tiles, and can be opened by a side swipe, instead of the normal upward motion.

You can access Kid’s Corner by going to Settings. Aside from all the apps, you can also search targeted videos and music.

You add individual apps via the context menu from the alphabetical app list.

Hopefully, this will help you get a better grip in Windows Phone.

Make sure to check out our entire Windows Phone Guide to get the most out of your Windows Phone.

The Windows Phone interface is very different from iOS and Android, and if you’ve recently made the switch, you might find it hard to get used to the changes. In this episode in our guide to Windows Phone, we’ll show you the most important gestures for the colorful tile interface so that your switch to Windows Phone is as seamless as possible.

Buttons

You’ll always find the same buttons on a Windows Phone: the on-off switch, volume control, a camera button just below the screen, and three navigation buttons.

Back button

This button has different functions depending on what you’re doing:

• It can take you back to the previous screen, menu, or app
• If you’re browsing the internet, it will take you back to the previous site
• If you press and hold the button for longer, you’ll be able to see all the active apps so that you can quickly switch between them

Windows button

With the Windows button, you can go directly to the Start screen with the colorful tiles. This doesn’t close apps, which will still run in the background.

Search button

The magnifying glass icon will open Bing. With the camera, you can scan QR codes, and quickly identify music playing in the background.

Volume control

If the audio player is active, you’ll be able to control it with the volume buttons. In the upper right corner, you can quickly switch between ringer and vibrate mode for incoming calls.

How to show the status bar

Windows Phone has a status bar that shows info about network connectivity, signal strength, battery power, time and much more. By swiping the top of the screen, you can access the status bar while performing any task.

Switching between and closing apps

By pressing and holding the Back button, you’ll open the App switcher, which shows all open apps. Simply scroll by swiping left and right. After the GDR3 Update for Windows Phone 8, you can close apps easily by tapping on the little x.

Organize the start screen

You can move the tiles on the start screen so that they’re organized as you want them. Just tap and hold a tile until it starts to float. You can then easily drag the tile to where you want it. In the top right corner, you’ll see a pin button that lets you remove the tile, while in the bottom corner, you’ll see an arrow that you can use to change the size of the tile.

There are three tile sizes. Although the mini-tile uses little space, it can’t be used as a live tile. It’s best to use big tiles if you want it to display information.

The context menu in lists and apps

One of the best features of Windows Phone is the efficient use of menus. To open the context menu, tap and hold the corresponding entry, and the context menu will open.

In the Spotify app, for example, you can select a specific action for a song in the context menu.

Find advanced options in apps

Only some (not all) apps use the bottom bar for important functions. It can be accessed by tapping the button with three dots that opens the settings and other advanced options.

In Internet Explorer, you can manage bookmarks or even add a specific web page to the Start screen.

It may seem different compared to iOS and Android, but once you get the hang of it, Windows Phone can be quite easy to navigate.
If you need more tips, check out the rest of our Windows Phone guide to help make the switch as quick and painless as possible.

Many first-time users are surprised when trying Windows Phone; Microsoft’s OS has nothing in common with the old Windows Mobile system, or the Windows desktop. It’s more elegant and simple than many thought it would be.

In this Windows Phone Guide, we’re going to introduce you to the main features of Microsoft’s mobile OS. It doesn’t matter if you’re new to the system, or if you’re just looking for information before making the switch. Here, you’ll get a broad picture of what Windows Phone has to offer.

The Tile interface

Windows Phone 8 offers a modern and colorful UI, the Live Tile. Unlike iOS and Android, there are no Springboard or Homescreen icons, and no menus. With WP, you have a series of tiles in three different sizes that you can freely pin to the Start screen.

Live Tiles also display additional information such as thumbnails, notifications or notes. For example, the calendar displays information on upcoming events, while the Facebook app shows status updates, comments, and images. You can also see the weather forecast on the weather app, or your latest snapshots, as a slide show. Other tiles will notify you of new messages or other updates.

Depending on the app, you can choose a specific view for a given tile, like a playlist for the media player, an address for the navigation app, a website from the browser, or a contact from the phone book. This lets you directly access the information you want.

Alternatively, you can find your apps from an alphabetical list. A menu will open by flicking from right to left. From here, you can pin new apps to the Start screen.

Menu navigation and app design

You can navigate through apps and menus by scrolling up or down. You can also alternate different screens by swiping from the edge. The name of the menu or section is displayed in capital letters above the current selection. Some apps also include control buttons at the bottom of the screen.

Multitasking

Like with Android and iOS, Windows Phone includes a multitasking feature. All you have to do is flick between the individual apps and tap on the zoom overview. Apps that aren’t visible just keep running in the background.

What apps can I install?

Windows Phone is still suffering from the reputation of missing many important apps, even though many of the most popular apps, such as Facebook, Twitter, Evernote, TuneIn Radio, Runtastic, and Instagram now have a version for Windows Phone. In many cases, you can also find great alternatives to some of the most  popular apps. If you’re looking for navigation apps, for example, Nokia provides a complete package with the HERE Maps app, with free offline maps included. There are also a ton of apps exclusively available for Windows Phone developed by Microsoft and Nokia.

Syncing

Windows Phone works best with Windows 8. The device is recognized automatically as soon as you connect it to your computer using a USB cable. Through Windows Explorer, you have access to all the files stored on your device, which you can transfer directly to the computer. The same goes for pictures and videos, thanks to Windows 8’s built-in syncing app. If you have Windows 7, you have to resort to Zune Software. If you’re a Mac user, you must first install Nokia Photo Transfer for Mac. That said, we haven’t seen great results with these apps and suspect you’ll get the smoothest experience by sticking to Windows 8.

Customization and security

On iOS, you can jailbreak, and on Android, you can root to enjoy non-Apple/Google licensed apps to tailor system details to your needs. Windows Phone has still not been hacked, meaning this particular point is hard to compare. For now, Windows Phone actually seems to be a particularly safe device: it’s rare to find scam apps for Windows Phone. The scammers, it seems, are focusing their attention elsewhere.

Make sure to check out the rest of our Windows Phone Guide to get all the details about Microsoft’s mobile OS.