Hasta La Gadget!

Shazam might claim over 300 million song-checkers already, but it’s all about increasing that audience, and from today, that includes Windows Phone 8. The app has launched free on Microsoft’s mobile OS, with the ability to tag directly from the home screen. Once it’s recognized the track, Shazam can connect to both Xbox Music and Nokia Music services to pick up the full track for playback. Shazam also promises to recognize TV shows and ads through audio and offer up an “interactive second-screen experience,” although there’s scant detail on what that might involve. While the app is free, like its iOS and Android counterparts, it arrives with unlimited tagging, which should make it perfect for anyone that really can’t remember who did that song. (It was probably Prince.)

Filed under: Cellphones, Software, Mobile

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Source: Microsoft

Your smartphone and / or tablet is just begging for an update. From time to time, these mobile devices are blessed with maintenance refreshes, bug fixes, custom ROMs and anything in between, and so many of them are floating around that it’s easy for a sizable chunk to get lost in the mix. To make sure they don’t escape without notice, we’ve gathered every possible update, hack, and other miscellaneous tomfoolery we could find during the last week and crammed them into one convenient roundup. If you find something available for your device, please give us a shout at tips at engadget dawt com and let us know. Enjoy!

Filed under: Cellphones, Software, Mobile

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If you didn’t get enough mobile news during the week, not to worry, because we’ve opened the firehose for the truly hardcore. This week brought hints of a revitalized Galaxy Exhibit for T-Mobile, news of two additions to the lineup at Cricket and a peek at the next GoPhone for AT&T. These stories and more await after the break. So buy the ticket and take the ride as we explore all that’s happening in the mobile world for this week of May 20th, 2013.

Filed under: Cellphones, Wireless, Mobile

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We’ve gotta give it to Microsoft… building a YouTube app for Windows Phone 8 that strips out advertising and allows users to download streaming videos was one hell of a way to get Google’s attention about the lack of an official app for the platform — even if it managed to attract ire at the same time. Now, multiple reports are coming in that both companies have reached an agreement of sorts, which will result in an app that’s fully compliant with YouTube’s Terms of Service in the coming weeks. You might’ve already guessed it, but unlike Microsoft’s most recent conciliatory update to its YouTube app, the next version will serve up ads. You’ll find a joint statement from both companies after the break. Now that the pair are learning to cooperate, might we suggest they take a look at Gmail?

Filed under: Software, Mobile, Microsoft, Google

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Source: The Verge, The Next Web

Last week, Microsoft’s YouTube app for Windows Phone came under fire for not adhering to some of Google’s requirements. The result was an ultimatum from Mountain View, requesting that Microsoft make the necessary tweaks by May 22nd or pull the app entirely. Today, which just so happens to be that aforementioned date, Microsoft has released a new version of its YouTube app for Windows Phone. This time around, video downloads are disabled — users who already have the app won’t retain this functionality, either — but one important feature is still missing: ads. It’s unclear whether Google approved of this update, though that does seem unlikely, but we’ve reached out to Microsoft for comment. In the meantime, WP users can nab the new app via the Windows Phone store.

Update: Microsoft responded with the same line it gave to other news outlets such as ZDNet. It doesn’t exactly address our questions, but it’s proof that Redmond is in damage-control mode. Head past the break for the full statement.

Filed under: Software, Mobile, Microsoft, Google

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Via: ZDNet