Microsoft’s U.S. smartphone market share slips below 3%

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Where’s Windows Phone? Despite a push to get its mobile platform into the hands of more consumers, Microsoft’s share of smartphone subscribers in the U.S. continued to decline as 2012 drew to a close, according to numbers released this afternoon by the comScore Networks research firm. The result is notable in part because new devices… Read More…

17-BIT’s new ‘Skulls of the Shogun’ bridges Windows 8, Windows Phone, Xbox 360

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More than three years in the making, the new Skulls of the Shogun video game from Seattle-based indie game developer 17-BIT is a standout in the category of turn-based strategy games. The game has distinctive graphics, addictive gameplay, a wonderfully twisted storyline and a catchy musical score. I was up until the early morning hours… Read More…

Report: Nokia bringing 41MP camera to Windows Phone

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Nokia will take a new step to differentiate itself with high-end photography on Microsoft’s Windows Phones, according to a new report. The handset maker is bringing its 41 megapixel PureView camera to a future Windows Phone model, the Verge reports this morning. The device is code-named EOS, according to the site. A similar camera is… Read More…

The top 10 posts of the week: A Windows Phone app developer tells his story and more

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It’s been a busy week here at GeekWire. We launched our new annual membership program and unveiled Tableau CEO Christian Chabot as the speaker for our February 13th Meetup. We also had plenty to cover on the editorial front — from new apps to the Windows Azure accelerator Demo Day to a slate of startups that emerged from… Read More…

Why this app maker targeted Windows Phone first, and what happened after that

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Christopher Ross views the mobile world a little differently than most entrepreneurs. He worked at Microsoft for the better part of a decade, in positions including U.S. enterprise sales director, responsible for Windows and Office deployment and adoption. He started his own technology consulting business in 2010 and was later accepted into the Founder Institute… Read More…

Windows Phone Diary: So long Lumia 920, hello HTC 8X

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A couple weeks after switching from an iPhone to a Lumia 920 Windows Phone, I was struggling to explain why I was having such a hard time handling the Nokia device, until another Lumia 920 user put it in perspective for me: It feels like holding a Pop-Tart. The combination of thickness, width and weight… Read More…

Attention developers: Here’s a chance to have your Windows app appear on primetime TV

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If you have incredible talent, there are lots of well-known competitions to help showcase your skills. American Idol, Top Chef and X Factor, just to name a few. Now Microsoft wants to give talented app developers just the same recognition with its “Windows Phone Next App Star” contest. It’s a competition that enables developers from… Read More…

The Decision: Why I picked the Samsung S3 over iPhone and Windows

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I am a little disappointed the GeekWire team did not set up a live televised special for my smartphone announcement like LeBron James did when announcing to play for the Miami Heat during his famous “The Decision.” Anywho, I’ll give my best LeBron impression, sans all the awkwardness: I’ve decided to take my phone-calling and text-messaging… Read More…

Microsoft vs. Google: Closer look at Windows Phone’s ‘subpar’ YouTube experience

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Casual users of YouTube on Windows Phone probably won’t notice a big difference from the YouTube app on iPhone. They can download YouTube from the Windows Phone store, log in to YouTube and open a sidebar to access their favorite videos, viewing history, uploads, suggestions and many other features. The biggest tip-off is the address… Read More…

Skype updates Windows Phone app, temporarily nixes People Hub integration

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Microsoft’s Skype Division is temporarily removing integration with Windows Phone’s People Hub in the latest update to its app for Microsoft’s mobile platform, citing problems with “device stability.” The integration into the People Hub was one of the selling points for the Windows Phone app, putting Skype information alongside email, phone number and other contact… Read More…