Hasta La Gadget!

All eyes are on Microsoft to reveal more about its next major platform update at its BUILD conference next month, but there has already been a steady stream of leaks about Windows Phone 8.1. The update is a bit far off, we don’t expect it to be released before the second quarter. Rumors suggest that it will finally bring a standalone notification center, custom Start screen backgrounds as well as a digital assistant that will rival Siri. The assistant will reportedly be called Cortana, and now a screenshot of said virtual assistant has been leaked online.

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Windows Phone 8.1 Cortana Screenshot Leaks original content from Ubergizmo.

Microsoft hasn’t revealed many details about Windows Phone 8.1, but already we have heard quite a bit about it, thanks in part to a developer to apparently had access to the Windows Phone 8.1 SDK. It is expected that Microsoft’s next major mobile platform update will finally bring the ability to add custom backgrounds to the Start screen. We had only heard of this feature previously, now screenshots have emerged in which the implementation of this feature is pictured.

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Windows Phone 8.1 Start Screen Custom Backgrounds Pictured original content from Ubergizmo.

Nokia might be in the process of wrapping up its devices and services division and getting ready to drop it in Microsoft’s lap, but that doesn’t mean it has been sitting idly by, leaving the market to fend for itself. Earlier this week it unveiled its first ever Android phones, and it is believed that Nokia still has a couple of Windows Phone devices up its sleeve. The Nokia Lumia 630 is apparently one of them, and this smartphone’s purported “product sheet” has been leaked, which points towards a 4.5 inch display and also sheds light on the possible dimensions.

If this product sheet is to be believed, the Lumia 630 will come in at 129.55mm x 66.7mm, with the front being dominated by its 4.5 inch display. If previous specifications leak turn out to be true, it could be a 720p HD display on this smartphone. Apparently codenamed “Moneypenny,” the Lumia 630 was initially expected to be unveiled at MWC 2014.

There may very well be one aspect to this smartphone that will set it apart from all Windows Phone devices, even those from Nokia. It is believed that the Lumia 630 is going to be the world’s first dual-SIM Windows Phone. That’s very much possible, given that Microsoft has already confirmed Windows Phone 8.1 will bring support for dual-SIM phones. Presumably it will be launched in emerging markets at the start, after Microsoft formally unveiled its next major mobile platform update.

Leaked Nokia Lumia 630 Product Sheet Hints At 4.5 Inch Display original content from Ubergizmo.

Apple popularized the concept of baking in virtual assistants deep inside mobile devices. Siri is now nothing short of a global phenomenon, and while the company’s competitors may not have entirely gone down the same route, they too have launched somewhat similar services that aid users in their daily tasks. Microsoft has apparently been working on a Siri rival of its on, the Cortana assistant that will reportedly debut with Windows Phone 8.1. New details have emerged about Cortana which make it seem like the assistant will be a mix of Siri and Google Now.

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Cortana Windows Phone 8.1 Assistant A Mix Of Siri And Google Now original content from Ubergizmo.

Microsoft is yet to provide a date for Windows Phone 8.1 release, but word on the street is that the next major platform update could be rolled out to the public between July and August, later this year. Recently there has been a lot of talk about WP8.1, seeing as how a SDK or Software Development Kit leak has lead to quite a lot of its features being made public. Earlier today we reported on these features once again, WP8.1 is expected to bring support for custom backgrounds and Miracast, among other improvements.

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Windows Phone 8.1 Release Expected Between July And August original content from Ubergizmo.