Archive for Windows 8 apps

WindUp messaging app for Windows Phone from Microsoft Research

Posted on September 16, 2014 by

WindUplogoWindUp is a messaging app released by Microsoft Research for Windows Phone users.

It brings to Windows Phone the Snapchat-like ability to create temporary messages that vanish after a set period or designated number of views.

This ability to create disappearing messages that get erased after a certain time is very popular right now, with a host of startups launching Android & iOS messaging apps that allow users to decide how long the message remains available.

Many, including WindUp, allow users to post temporary messages that include different kinds of media types. WindUp will not only let you share text, but also capture & share pictures, videos & audio snippets.

You can set a low time limit that will “wind up” your friends into rushing to see your message before it vanishes, or you can set a view limit that ensures everyone in your circle will get to take a look at it at least once & at their own convenience before it gets deleted.

The news that Microsoft Research itself has published a Snapchat clone on the Windows Phone Store raised a bit of a controversy. Many publications reported that Microsoft is trying to catch up with Snapchat & compete in the messaging sector by releasing this app.

But Richard Harper, who leads the Microsoft Research team working on WindUp, responded with a blog post explaining that offering the app on the Windows Phone Store was part of their research process to “to learn how people create, share & converse about content online.”

Harper explicitly mentions in the post that the application is being made available purely for research purposes & is not meant for commercial purposes or for competing with anyone else’s service.

Click here to download the WindUp messaging app on your Windows device.

 

Image Credit: WindUp

 

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Web not required to make int.calls. Ringo is here, claims to be even cheaper than Skype

Posted on May 22, 2014 by

Who needs the Internet? This app does not require a Web connection for users to make international calls. Ringo is an international calling app for iOS, Android & Windows Phone devices, launched a couple of days ago.

Whether you are a business user, an international traveler, or simply living abroad, Ringo claims to provide you with “affordable & easy to use” call service. It says it offers landline call quality at a fraction of the cost when compared to traditional long distance calling and VoIP services.

Ringo, HQd in the UAE, does not use the Internet, Wifi or data. Making a call using the Ringo app is identical to making a call through a wireless carrier in terms of quality, yet costs lower than even popular calling apps, & significantly lower (up to 1/10th) than traditional carrier prices, claim its developers.

The free Ringo app routes calls in a similar fashion to a regular carrier, without using the Internet, & the origination number continues to appear as the caller ID.It uses the regular phone circuits used for regular calls. This means calls are not affected by fluctuations in Internet connectivity that often lead to audio delays, loss of quality & dropped calls.

“Staying connected with colleagues and friends abroad should be convenient, reliable & most importantly, low-cost,” said Bhavin Turakhia, CEO of Ringo.

For those who want to understand how this app works out to be so cheap, here’s a slightly techie explanation:

Ringo uses dedicated phone circuits for all its calls. An incoming call to its “switches” are carried over the same voice circuit used to make local calls. Once your call reaches the switches, Ringo does not transmit the international call from one country to another over the public internet. Instead, the app employs the same high speed submarine cables that are used for all carrier to carrier international voice traffic to transmit the voice to the destination country. Finally in the destination country, the call is connected once again over the same voice circuit that is used for regular phone calls.

Additionally, Ringo will launch with an 80% discount on calling rates to United States mobile phones. Ringo will offer an unprecedented rate of $0.003 per minute to US mobile phones, which is 90 % cheaper than popular calling apps.

At launch, Ringo will be available to users in the following 16 countries including Australia, Belgium, Brazil, Canada, Germany, Hong Kong, Italy, Japan, Mexico, Netherlands, Poland, Singapore, Spain, Switzerland, United Kingdom & the United States.

Here’s a video explaning how the app works:

 

Image Credit: Ringo
Video Credit: YouTube/Ringo

 

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Comments Off on Web not required to make int.calls. Ringo is here, claims to be even cheaper than Skype Posted in Android Apps, Android devices, iOS app, New Smartphone Apps, Smartphone Apps, Windows 8 apps
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