One of the limitations of Windows Phone Market Place is to easily re-install in one action all the apps you ever downloaded or purchased. Right now you either have to use your phone or the marketplace website and individually re-download and install these apps. On the Windows Phone “your account” website you actually can see all the apps you have ever downloaded and let you re-install them one by one.  But now there is an app that allows you to re-install easily in one click the apps you want to re-install.

The app is free and is called “Reinstaller”

The description on the marketplace product page is informative and it works like a charm. I just downloaded it myself and tried to select specific apps and with one click these apps were downloaded instantly on my device.

Reinstaller by WPfied can help you reinstall all the apps easily. Tap on the Connect button, log on to www.windowsphone.com and watch it fetch the list of apps. And, then tap on the Install button to review the list of app and start installations – it really that simple.

How does it work? When you tap on the Connect button, Reinstaller prompts you to login to https://www.windowsphone.com and then scans the website for all the apps that you have ever installed on your Windows Phone.
Once you are done with that, you can tap on the on the Install button on the main page. The install page displays list of all the apps that are associated with your Live account. Using the jump list and check boxes you can install all or some of them.

When you start the installation, Reinstaller invokes the Marketplace tasks for installing the apps one by one as that’s the *ONLY* way to do it on the current Windows Phone release. Tap on the Yes button to start the installation, No to skip the specific app and Stop to prevent further prompts and come back to the main screen.

This confirmation screen helps by preventing seemingly endless prompts for app installs.

Reinstaller is available on the Windows Phone Marketplace here and is free. Hopefully this will become one of the standard functionality on the Windows Phone and Windows 8 in the future.

Video

Images

Did you notice that the image on your Picture Hub Tile rotates. And you really don’t like those pictures. Well, you can change them and have your favorite pictures rotate on this tile.  You can change the background image once you are in the picture hub as well. This has changed a little since “before Mango Update” in our earlier article.

Windows Phone 7 has a great fast, snappy User Interface. The Tiles on the home screen are movable and some of them even display live information. It is very easy to find out how to change the image for your Lock Screen, but there is a way to change the images on your Picture Tile and the background of your Picture Hub as well.

How to Change your Picture Tile Image

How to Change your Picture Hub Background Image

The following steps will give you the opportunity to change your Picture Tile image and the background image in your Picture Hub.

1. Home screen
2. Select Pictures
3. Select the three dots on the bottom.
4. A menu pops up and select ‘Change background”
5. Select a image in one of your your albums (if you select shuffle it will rotate between all your favorites)
6. Move the image around within the given frame.
7. Select the “v” check mark
8. Now your Picture Hub background image has been changed as well as your Picture Tile on the home screen.

Note: selecting one specific image will also lock down your Picture Hub tile to this one picture.

How To Change your Lock Screen Image

The following steps are to change your Lock Screen Image. These steps are easy to find.

1. Home Screen
2. Select Pictures
3. Select an images in one of your albums
4. “Tap and hold” the image or “Tap” the three little dots on the bottom right.
5. A menu pops up and select “use as wallpaper”
6. Move the image around within the given frame.
7. Select the “v” check mark
8. Now your lock screen will have this image

Demo Video

If you love the Windows Phone platform it is only a matter of time before your children will have a Windows phone as well. However with a legitimate sign up of a Windows Live ID  Microsoft recognizes that your child is a minor and won’t allow them to download a paid application on their Windows Phone. Even after adding a Credit Card to their account using the “add credit card” in the MarketPlace on the Windows Phone.  Since everyone’s account set up is different I think with my “How To” you can figure our the right steps to allow your children to purchase Windows Phone Apps.

The Windows Phone requires a Windows Live ID that will be associated with your phone. This ID will be coupled immediately to all Microsoft services. One of these services is the MarketPlace to download and purchase apps.  I found the settings to allow my children to actually purchase apps either with a credit card or the carriers billing in the Xbox Live settings on the Xbox itself or on the Xbox website. The steps below are how I accesed my own Xbox live account where I have acces to my Kids Family Center settings since we have a Family Gold Live Account for our Xbox.

Steps to enable app purchases for Windows Phone.(using the Xbox website)

1. Use you Internet Explorer to go to http://www.xbox.com
2. On the right top sign in with your Live ID.
3. Hoover over the green bar “Xbox Live” title and select “Family Center” 
4. I you don’t see your child’s Xbox gamer tag or profile try to add it on the right hand site.
5. If your child Xbox gamer tag is there hoover over his/her name and select “Privacy and Online settings”
6. You know are in the Online Safety Setting for their Xbox account.  Here you can give them permissions to allow them to purchase apps. I have used the “Custom” button to change this.
7.  Below the custom button you have many setting that you can allow or not allow. Select “Allow” under purchasing section to enable app purchases for children on their Windows Phone. Decide whether this player can purchase premium content from Xbox LIVE Marketplace on the console and Windows Phone. Premium content includes Xbox LIVE Arcade games, game add-ons, and other items. On Xbox.com, purchasing is restricted to adult accounts only.

I was lucky enough to have some quality time with Samsung’s new flagship on the AT&T LTE/4G network. The Samsung Galaxy S II SkyRocket. This Galaxy S II besides being white has a bigger screen (4.3 “) compared to the earlier released Galaxy S II phone on the AT&T network. The added applications like the Samsung media hub will take full advantage of the LTE/4G network.

Like I said before the only differences I can see between the regular Galaxy S II and the SkyRocket version is  in the specifications is the faster data connection, larger screen and a possibility of a White colored device.

Some key specifications are:

• Data: GPRS/EDGE/HSDPA+
• Android 2.3.4
• 1.2 GHZ Dual Core Processor
• 4.3 ” Super AMOLED Plus screen (on Samsung Site but AT&T says 4.5″)
• TouchWiz User Interface
• 8 MP Camera
• 2 MP front facing Camera
• Internal Memory 16 GB and an empty SD MicroSD slot
• HD 1080p Video capture
• More detailed specifications can be found here

Hands On Video.

If you are a frequent reader of  twitter, facebook and many technology sites you read that certain updates are available of your already downloaded app on your Windows Phone. However your Marketplace live tile is not showing any notifications of pending updates yet. Don’t worry there is a little trick to this so that you can download the update even before you get your notification.

These steps will explain nicely how you can force an update on a specific app on your Windows Phone when you know it is available.

1. Go to the Marketplace on your Windows Phone.
   
2. Search for the app that you know has an update available.
3. Tap on this app to see its product page.
4. You probably only get the option to “Share” this app at this moment.
5. Hit the back Icon.
6. Tap one more time on the app in that search result.
7. Now you should get an “update” button right next to the “Share” button as well.
8. Tap on the “Update button” and your are one step ahead of your Marketplace notification tile.

My great friend Mike Temporale at Mobile Jaw has been involved in a beta application for a new twitter client on the Windows Phone named Carbon. We all know twitter is very well integrated on the Windows Phone, except for Direct messaging. But if you are Twitter power users you really want to have a good look on MobileJaw’s review of just the candidate release of Carbon.

Some great features and screen shots are explained in very great detail.  Below are some screen shots courtesy of MobileJaw of the application, but head over to Mobile Jaw for all the nitty and gritty details. The only problem I see is that it is not yet available in the Marketplace but should be launched this month. I know I’ll be getting it.

Last week I had the opportunity to have a quick hands on with the new line of the Samsung Windows Phones. The Samsung Focus S has improved screen quality, 8 mp camera and a added front facing camera and is even slimmer compared to the original Focus S. The Samsung Focus Flash is a new design with trimmed down specifications and has is more like a squared off candy bar design compared to the the Focus S.

In the video below I will show you my quick  impressions of the two devices and the original Samsung Focus.

I can’t wait to get my own Samsung Focus S Windows Phone. Share in the comments below your impressions.

Video

httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K_Wk42hzePE

Availability

Are you not fimiliar yet with Windows Phone I would reccommend checking it out in the store and on Windowsphone.com

• The Samsung Focus S is available with AT&T for $199.99 with a 2 year contract.
• The Samsung Focus Flash is available with AT&T for $49.99 with a 2 year contract.

The HTC Vivid 4G LTE phone is the latest LTE phone that launched this week on the AT&T network together with the Samsung Galaxy S II Skyrocket. When you hold the HTC Vivid in your hand the first impression will be…wow this is a nice heavy and solid unit. But if you ever had the light weighted Samsung Galaxy S or S II series as your device you might think a little differently.

Early this morning ChevronWP7 has launched their ChevronWP7 labs after an extensive beta testing.

Why ChevronWP7  Labs:  ChevronWP7 Labs was designed to allow hobbyist developers to install, run, and debug unsigned applications on their personal Windows Phone. You log into the site with your Windows Live ID, pay a small fee, and presto — you’re ready to write and share some homebrew code.

For a small fee of $9 you can unlock your Windows Phone. You need a Live ID to be able to access the site. This Live ID doesn’t have to be the Live ID you used to set up your phone. This $9 is definitely less compared to the the Microsoft developer membership.

The payments is through PayPal and each token allows you to unlock 1 phone. Don’t worry if your phone gets locked again for some reason, maybe due to an update, you can use that same token again for that same phone.

Go ahead and head on over to ChevronWP7 Labs and start developing some apps that you can try on your unlocked phone.

You might have been reading that this coming Sunday the new Windows Phones namely The Samsung Focus S, Samsung Flash and the HTC Titan will be available in the AT&T stores. But the day, which is this Monday November 7, 2011, Microsoft has a whole day planned in NYC to give Windows Phone a giant push. Besides an evening party hosted by Microsoft, there will be a Secret reveal at Herald square at Noon in which they bring Windows Phone to life in a big way. I have so my idea about this, what do you think?

If you don’t have the invite for that noon event at Herald Square you just might want to walk by around that time.

Earlier in the morning we are invited as well for a mini private backstage press event in which we will be meeting with Andy Lees, Joe Belfiore and other Windows Phone team members. Not sure exactly what we will hear there. But we will share what we are allowed to. Stay tuned on our experiences next week.

The image below is edited to just show you only the noon time at Herald square in which the Windows Phone Blog hints at.

We have seen the previews already online but now the Xbox Live game  Kinectimals is available to all Windows Phone users. Kinectimals is a great kinect game for the Xbox 360. However now you can have the same fun with Kinetimals for your Windows Phone. If you have Kinectimals on the Xbox 360 your Windows Phone becomes they key to unlock five new cubs on your console.

This irresistible experience on your Windows Phone gives you the chance to use your device to visit Lemuria and play with, care for and fall in love with your very own Kinectimal cub. The bond between you and your cub grows ever stronger as you experience new ways to interact with it. If you’ve already experienced Kinectimals on Kinect for Xbox 360, your Windows Phone becomes the key to unlocking 5 new cubs on your console.

Some great features are:

• Use the touch screen to pet your cub and make it purr
• Embed, pose and animate your favorite cub in pictures you take on your phone
• With just a flick, play with a variety of toys, activities and games with your cub
• Transfer your cub to and from the Kinectimals game on your Xbox 360
• Take a picture and add your cub to it.

Details:

Image Gallery

Facebook always had the option on your desktop to filter your news feed to just read the updates of people you had put into a custom list. However in a couple of the last updates on Facebook, Facebook has been automatically creating some lists for you as well. My main complaint on the Mobile Facebook apps was that you couldn’t filter your news feed to these list on the Mobile device applications. It is possible but it is not that obvious and requires a little trick.  In this article I explain you how you can do this on your Windows Phone, Apple iPhone, iPad and on all Android devices.

Facebook app for Apple iPad, iPhone and all Android devices.

Facebook app for Windows Phone

The Windows Phone allows you to create your own filtered groups by creating a group tile which is really the best way. I have described this in an earlier article. This will filter the facebook, linkedin and twitter posts from these people in this group.

The Windows Phone Facebook app takes a couple steps to see the specific news feed of on of your lists.

1. Open the Facebook app on your Windows Phone
2. Tap on “Friends” in the selections
3. Tap on “Lists” on the top of your screen
4. Select the List of your choice in the selections.
5. Select “News Feed” on the Top of your screen.

Apple just released the iOS 5 update for their iPhone 3G, iPhone 4,TV,  iPad and iPad 2. However many people are getting errors trying to install it the regular way using iTunes. The reports say it has to do with the Apple servers at this moment. But here is the fix to this problem.

Some people have luck with the following steps. It worked for me

1. Reboot your Computer
2. Manually download your ISPW iOS 5 file from here.
3. Save this file in a folder on your desktop.(not directly on your desktop)
4. Open up iTunes
5. Connect your Apple device to your computer.
6. Hold down the power and home button together for 10 seconds until the Apple logo shows and let go of the power button but hold on to your home button until the restore mode has been activated. Screen displays usb cable and iTunes logo.
7. ITunes on your computer will have an option to Restore. Before you click on this “Restore” option make sure you hold down the shift key on your keyboard while clicking on this restore option
8. Find the location of your downloaded ISPW file and select this file for the restore process.

The Navigon navigation applications (Now a Garmin Company) for Windows Mobile, iPhone and Android phones have been always top of the line. Now they have done it again for Windows Phone. After the latest Mango update for Windows Phone (7.5) Navigon released two applications Navigon Europe and Navigon USA.

We have reviewed other Navigon applications in the past and I couldn’t let this one pass by. The Navigon USA version is only $29.99 till November 15, 2011 compared to the European version of $69.99. The price difference has to do with higher licencing fees in Europe.

The download of the application was only 5 MB, but at the first launch of the application you need to download an extra 1.6GB of data to complete this installation. You can only do this over Wifi or if you are connected to your desktop Zune client.

There are some great features which I will summarize below but will show most of them in the Video as well.

Features

• Text to Speech directions
• Will continue to work without a cellphone reception
• Pin favorites or an address to your start screen
• Free Traffic app, Traffic4-all ($1.49 will turn off adds)
• Turn by Turn directions
• Visual Lane Guidance with RealityView Pro
• Live Traffic info with rerouting
• Augmented Reality Scanner
• Select address from Contact list (little slow in pulling that info)
• MyRoutes – Navigon’s most reliable routes
• NAVTEQ Data
• Speed assistant

Video

Availability

Screen Shots

Full Press Release

NAVIGON Launches First On-Board Navigation App for Windows Phone 7 Smartphones

Premium GPS App for Windows Phone 7.5 (Mango) Provides Turn-by-Turn Directions without a Cell Phone Signal, NAVIGON also Releases Free traffic4all App

 

Hamburg, Germany, October 11, 2011—NAVIGON AG, a leading provider of mobile phone on-board navigation, today announced the launch of the first on-board navigation app for Windows Phone 7 smartphones. NAVIGON’s app is available for Windows Phone 7.5 users and takes advantage of new features made available to developers with this new release such as the ability to save an address to the start screen. In addition, NAVIGON also launches a free traffic app for Windows Phone 7, traffic4all.

Similar to a standalone navigation device, NAVIGON for Windows Phone 7 works in areas without a cell phone signal, so users can get directions and information anytime, anywhere. Other navigation apps for Windows Phone 7 are dependent on a cell phone connection to download map and routing data. Therefore, no cell signal can render navigation useless or interrupted until a connection is reestablished.

“We are pleased to bring our award-winning navigation app to Windows Phone 7,” said Gerhard Mayr, NAVIGON vice-president of worldwide mobile phones and new markets. “The app includes many of the same signature features that have made NAVIGON’s apps successful on other platforms, such as Android and iPhone. The user interface is fully customized to the Windows Phone 7 experience, so users of this platform will feel right at home.”

NAVIGON for Windows Phone 7 includes spoken turn-by-turn directions, visual lane guidance, live traffic information and rerouting, among many other features. NAVIGON’s new app runs on Windows Phone 7.5 and also takes advantage of new features made available to developers with this new release. These features include the augmented reality function Reality Scanner, which provides an instant and effortless way of identifying nearby destinations while on foot; an option to select address information directly from the phone’s contact list; and the ability to save a favorite or home address as a shortcut on the start screen.

NAVIGON for Windows Phone 7 features include:

-       NAVIGON MyRoutes: The app includes routing technology built upon NAVIGON’s 20 years of experience in the navigation industry, so users get the most reliable routes available. The MyRoutes feature provides customized route suggestions with up to three different choices based on the user’s driving style.

-       Reality View Pro and Lane Assistant Pro: Reality View Pro feature clearly displays photo-realistic views of actual highway/interstate signs, exits, and lane guide markers so users can see lane changes and exits in advance. Lane Assistant Pro prepares drivers to make an upcoming exit or turn with a lane map complete with arrows and actual road geometry.

 

-       NAVTEQ® maps: NAVIGON for Windows Phone 7 uses one of the most robust and accurate geographic databases in the world, providing the most accurate map data and points-of-interest information. The superiority of NAVTEQ® maps is defined by its verified accuracy, content richness, and its breadth of coverage data.

-       Traffic Live: NAVIGON for Windows Phone 7—using real-time traffic information available from industry leader INRIX—alerts drivers to traffic problems and automatically calculates alternative routes so they can avoid congestion and save time.

 

-       Reality Scanner: Reality Scanner is an augmented reality feature, providing an instant and effortless way of identifying nearby destinations. Users simply point their smartphone in any direction to see points-of-interest icons appear directly onto a live camera view, making it easy to find destinations on foot.

 

-       NAVIGON Shortcut: Save any address as a shortcut to the Windows Phone 7 start screen. This allows users to start navigating, for example to their home address, with only one click.

-       Speed Assistant: Drivers can potentially avoid costly tickets by receiving alerts when they’re speeding and getting notified of speed and red light cameras before they pass them.

Additional features include Google Local Search, which allows users to find local points-of-interest instantly; one-tap access to help users find critical services such as hospitals and police stations in case of an emergency; and the ability to select address information directly from the phone’s contact list.

NAVIGON traffic4all Windows 7 App

In addition to its turn-by-turn navigation app for Windows Phone 7, NAVIGON also announced a free traffic app: traffic4all helps drivers to avoid gridlock and save time by providing a clear overview of traffic conditions. NAVIGON developed an intuitive user interface that displays traffic incidents on a map with a single hit of a button. Colored road overlays indicate traffic flow, ranging from green for normal to red for traffic congestion or black/white for blocked roads. The app also allows users to plan ahead and look up traffic forecasts by entering a specific time and location.

traffic4all uses traffic information from NAVIGON’s partner INRIX. The leading traffic expert covers more roads than any other provider, delivering real-time traffic information that extends beyond major highways and interstates covering more than two million miles in North America and Europe.

Pricing and Availability

NAVIGON for Windows Phone 7 includes on-board NAVTEQ maps for the USA and is available for $49.99 in the Windows Marketplace. NAVIGON offers a special introductory price of $29.99 until November 15, 2011.

NAVIGON traffic4all is available at no cost in the Windows Phone Marketplace. An upgrade option for $1.49 turns off the integrated ads.

For more information, please visit: www.navigon.com.

Find NAVIGON on:

Twitter: www.twitter.com/NAVIGON_US

Facebook: www.navigon.com/facebook

Flickr: www.navigon.com/flickr

YouTube: www.navigon.com/youtube

About NAVIGON AG – a GARMIN company:

Germany-based NAVIGON AG was founded in 1991 and is a leading supplier of satellite navigation products. In July 2011, the company was acquired by Garmin Ltd. and operates as a fully-owned subsidiary. The NAVIGON brand offers mobile navigation devices (PNDs), smartphone navigation applications, and solutions for the automotive OEM industry.

I have been frustrated for awhile why I couldn’t see any Facebook updates of certain friends in the People Hub and those Individual and Group Tiles but was able to read their posts and updates from the official Facebook app from the Marketplace. Well!!! it has to do do with the the Privacy setting of that specific person.

The Facebook app is an official app from Facebook it self and published in the Marketplace which will allow you to see the updates from your friends set by their custom posting settings. However if you use the People Hub features to check up on their postings you could be surprised to see a message that that person doesn’t allow you to see it. Postings or Pictures.

To fix this you actually have to let that person know to change their privacy settings in Facebook to allow you to see their posts in “How People bring your info to apps they Use”. This is an extra privacy setting for their and your friends to see your updates in Facebook accessible apps they use to access your information. Don’t worry, once you change this, it will still follow your custom posting privacy setting you have set up.

Make sure you let your friends know about this and make sure you change this as well for your friends to access your information on their Windows Phone People Hub, Group and Individual Tiles.

How to Change your privacy Settings to Allow Access of Your custom Post on Friends Facebook related Applications.

1. Log in to Facebook
2. On the right top select the little arrow down and select “Privacy Settings”
3. Select “Edit Settings” under “Apps and Websites”
4. Select “Edit Settings” under “How people bring your info to apps they use”
5. Select the Boxes you want your friends to see in their Facebook related apps. (My Status Updates and My Photo’s are key for the People Hub)
6. Select “Save Changes”
7. Now when you or your friend has changed this you can see their post updates and pictures in the “What’s New” section on the People Hub, Group and Personal tiles.

The Apple press conference just finished and all of  us were hoping on a new designed iPhone with some great new innovations. However the only number 5 mentioned was for the iOS, while the new iPhone announced is the iPhone 4S which has some new internal components but looks exactly like the iPhone 4.

While following some live blogs during the announcement I had many thoughts pop which I shared on twitter as well. Let me sum up these thoughts for you.

• I Hope that innovation in the new Apple phones is going to be a week long battery (Keep on dreaming)
• Slides with graphs and numbers can be created to have a positive look on each company
• Twitter integration! Sure one app less, but old news since Windows Phone already has it
• iCloud….hmmm old news.
• iOs 5 some great improvements to catch up with the competition.
• Camera Button from Lock screen is one of them.
• We are 51 minutes into the press conference and….nothing really announced yet.
• A press conference for a $30 discount on existing apple products, Wooow!
• Phone 4S same design with new guts
• That new iPhone 4S looks TOTALLY like a Samsung. They should sue.
• Siri, is pretty cool but are you really gonna use it.
• 8 megapixel camera with Full 1080i HD video. Competition has it as well, but Apple’s was always better.
• A5 Chip will help in the user experience.
• Siri integration, a money maker for Apple. Can sell Prime direct search results.
• iOS 5 is the first time the numbering is ahead of the numbering of the iPhone
• This iPhone 4 S launch was just for Sprint….Apple stock will drop #prediction
• With he sign of the times Apple customers will wait….No iPhone 4S needed. Pictures are already awesome.
• Where is the 4G, LTE or HSDPA+ ???

There were many issues during the roll out of the Mango Update for Windows Phone 7 to Windows Phone 7.5 of the twitter integration. Many people had issues that either the feed wasn’t showing up in the “What’s new” section of the People Hub, Group Tiles or individual Tiles.  Linking the Twitter Names to your contacts was an issue as well. However this has now been fixed and here is how you easily can fix this without doing a hard reset. If you have some issues in general the steps below will fix this most of the time as well.

How to Fix your Integrated Twitter account on your Windows Phone.

1. Go to your settings.
2. Select “email+accounts“
3. Find your twitter account on this list.
4. Tap and hold this twitter account and select “Delete“
5. After the phone tells you everything has been deleted you can turn off your phone.
6. Turn back on the Phone.
7. Go to your settings
8. Select “email+accounts“
9. Select “add an account“
10. Select “twitter“
11. Input your credentials and authorize the Phone to use your Twitter account.
12. The message “setting up the account” will be displayed.
13. Wait about 5-10 minutes

How to Check Twitter names

How to quickly post a tweet.

The Microsoft Zune Pass is currently a great deal. For $14.99 a month you can download and stream unlimited music and keep it as long as you keep your subscription. In addition to this you are allowed to download 10 songs per month for you to keep forever. However on October 3rd,  2011 the Music Pass will go down in price to $9.99 a month but you will loose the 10 songs forever downloads. All current Zune Pass customers are allowed to keep their current plan $14.99 plan if they want and will get the new added music video streaming as well.

If you do want the 10 forever download songs a month, I suggest you make that decision in the next 3 days. Go over to the Zune website. I know I will be keeping my subscription as is, I have teenagers in the house and we use other music players as well.

Don’t forget , the Zune pass will work on your Windows Phone, XBOX 360 (Live subscription required), desktop and Zune HD player.

The Zune Pass will be as follows depending on being a new customer or an existing customer.

This is going to be a re-post of an article I have written about Groups when the first Beta Mango update was released to developers. Why, very easy the Windows Phone Mango update is rolling out to the public and I really want users to know about this amazing strong unique feature on the Windows Phone 7.5.

Now that Mango is in the hands or is going to be in the hand of end users we can show you  the great new functionality of Groups in the Windows Phone 7.5 Mango update. With all the different Social Media connectors on the Windows Phone like Facebook, Live Messenger, Twitter and LinkedIn your People Hub will expand dramatically with amount of connections you have.

With this, the “What’s New” feed in the People Hub will be filled with information you really don’t care about. On the  Facebook and Twitter websites  you already can create lists to cancel out the noise and filter the information you really want. However those are not accessible on the Windows Phone with the Mango update.

But the Mango Update for Windows Phone comes with a better solution which is called Groups. Groups allows you make individually named groups of people you care about.  Once you have these groups created you can pin these onto your home screen in which it becomes a live tile with notifications circling through if new posts, comments and pictures were added to this specific social media feed of this group.

Once you are in the group tile you will see individual live tiles of the people you have added. From here you can tap onto any of your individual people tiles and see what’s new with them. You will be able to see their contact information and Call, Chat, Text, Post and Email this person from there. You can also slide over a screen for what’s new in status updates and in Pictures.

Instead of tapping on the individual tile of a contact you can also slide over and see the same information as listed above for the individual person but for the group combined. Now that’s pretty awesome !!

From any of these fields you are able to respond accordingly. Our build didn’t have the Twitter integration activated yet, but it should work the same way.

By the way Facebook chat and messages from Twitter directed to you are now integrated into your Messaging client, previously only for text messaging.

How to Create a Group and Pin it to your Home Screen

1. Click on the People Hub
2. Tap on the “+” on the bottom of the screen and select “new group”
3. Give the Group a name. (Don’t select Save yet)
4. Tap on “add a contact”
5. search for your contact and tap it’s name.
6. Search for more contacts to be added to the group.  Some times it could give you suggestions as well based on previous selected contacts.
7. Hit the save button, or the back button and you are in the Group with the information you need.
8. There are two ways to pin the group to your home screen. First way is to find the group on the top of your people hub listing. Tap and Hold to have a menu appear and select “pin to start”. The second way is to open the group by tapping it once and select the “push pin button” on the bottom of your screen.

Video Instruction.

Below is a short video showing you this process and functionality.

httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_GYTKNxNT44

The Xbox Live games for Windows Phone are for the most part great games to play. Soon they will launch Burn the Rope. A preview of this game promises another great XBOX Live game on the Windows Phone. Features include over 100 levels, accelerometer controls and great graphics.

Burn the Rope is a challenging game where you try to burn as much rope as you can in each level. There’s a catch! The fire only burns upwards, leaving you to rotate the level to keep your flame alive! Bugs along the ropes have different reactions to the flame. The ant changes the color of the flame so you can burn different colored ropes, and the spider shoots out a web bridge so you can access parts of the level that you could not before. Burn the Rope is incredibly fun and addictive. You will actually feel like you’re burning a rope, yet there’s no need for a fire extinguisher! I have been playing with it and it is just awesome. (but it is not as easy as you think it is!)

The game will be available Today in the Windows Phone Marketplace for $2.99

Image Gallery