Microsoft marketing wizards tap Bilbo Baggins, Gandalf to tout new Windows Phones

Will Gandalf be replacing that staff with a brand new Windows Phone?

OK, this may be entering an entirely new realm of geekdom. The marketing wizards at Microsoft have struck a deal to promote its Windows Phone devices by showcasing the likes of Bilbo Baggins, Gandalf and other characters from The Hobbit of trilogy, directed by Peter Jackson. Marketing reports that Microsoft’s ad agency, Wunderman, is working with… Read More…

Smartphone score: Android sells 122M, iPhone 24M, Windows Phone 4M

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Mobile phone makers sold more than 4 million Windows Phones in the third quarter, up from 1.7 million in the same quarter a year ago, according to numbers released earlier today by Gartner. It represents a slight decline from the second quarter of this year, but that was probably because many potential buyers were waiting… Read More…

Report: Yep, Microsoft is testing its own smartphone

What do Blackberry's big moves mean for Microsoft?

Microsoft is testing its own smartphone design, preparing for the possibility of developing its own device, but the company hasn’t decided whether to take the device into mass production, according to the Wall Street Journal, citing unnamed officials at some of the company’s parts suppliers. It’s the latest in a series of rumors and reports… Read More…

Why Microsoft is building one of North America’s largest tents on its campus

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Earlier this week, Microsoft fenced off a large swath of the original ballfields at its Redmond headquarters. Construction crews covered the ground in special flooring and started assembling a structure reaching three stories into the sky, with a footprint roughly the size of 12 NBA courts. No, this is not Steve Ballmer’s backup plan for… Read More…

Nokia CEO: A Microsoft device could boost Windows Phone ecosystem overall

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Microsoft is poised to release its first Surface tablet, so of course, speculation in the tech industry is turning once again to the possibility of the Redmond company coming out with its own Windows Phone, possibly under the Surface brand. Nokia CEO and former Microsoft exec Stephen Elop, who has made a huge bet on… Read More…

HTC profits getting battered by Apple and Samsung

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Mobile phone maker HTC is attempting a comeback with its HTC One lineup of Android phones, and some eye-catching Windows Phones on the way. But in the meantime, the company is struggling to regain its footing. The Taiwan-based company, which has its U.S. headquarters just outside of Seattle, reported a 79 percent decline in profits… Read More…

HTC aims for ‘iconic’ Windows Phones with 8X and 8S

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HTC this morning unveiled two new Windows Phones, the HTC 8S and 8X, that look as if they were actually made for the Microsoft operating system, not simply adapted from the mobile phone company’s existing Android lineup. This is what HTC president Jason Mackenzie was hinting at in an interview with GeekWire two weeks ago, saying… Read More…

On the trail of the elusive cyan Nokia Lumia 920

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Earlier this month, Nokia officially unveiled the Lumia 920 Windows Phone. During the event, while the company was busy showing off the multitude of colors that the handset will release in, it didn’t take long for folks to notice that one particular color was missing: cyan. This shade of blue has become quite popular with… Read More…

Apple: Why would anyone want wireless charging?

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One of the more interesting features of the Nokia Lumia 920 Windows Phone, announced last week, was the ability to wirelessly charge the device without plugging it in — instead placing it on or near a wireless power transmitter. Well, it wasn’t very interesting to Apple. After unveiling the new iPhone 5 yesterday, Apple marketing boss… Read More…

Windows Phone Marketplace changes name, design

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Is there much of a difference between the words “marketplace” and “store?” Microsoft hopes so.  The company announced on the Windows Phone blog Wednesday that it officially renamed its mobile app store from “Windows Phone Marketplace,” to “Windows Phone Store.” The change comes in advance of Microsoft’s launch of Windows Phone 8 this fall. The… Read More…