It’s an exciting time for the new Nokia/Windows partnership. The past few months have been all doom and gloom since the decline of each company’s respective market share. Combining their efforts took many by surprise, but if future collaborations prove to be as exciting as the Lumia, then it could make for the comeback of the decade.

The first of their combined smartphone line, the Lumia, was released this month to much fanfare. While the 710 also makes for a fantastic handset, the main focus has to be on the Lumia 800, the more sophisticated model. Both run a 1.4GHz processor, and support HD video playback.

The 800 supports a pretty darn spiffy 3.7 inch AMOLED display; running a 800×480 resolution to generate an overall highly impressive display – sure to be one of the phone’s most talked-about features. The handset’s smooth yet sturdy casing is made of polycarbonate; similar in look to the HTC Legend or one of Nokia’s own earlier efforts, the N8.

The Lumia 800 runs the Windows Phone 7.5 Mango operating system; a system already familiar to some, though the addition of the Nokia Maps app makes for a refreshing change to Bing’s previous efforts.

Previous incarnations of Nokia phones have come under fire for their poor touchscreen capabilities; the Lumia seems to have dispatched any new fears with ease, as we found scrolling through menus and screens to be a breeze; even the onscreen keyboard was a joy.

With the release of the new Lumia, the message is clear; the new Nokia/Windows line is one not to be trifled with. Expect a UK release in early 2012; in the meantime go to the site for more on this exciting technological development, and to find out which contract phones are for you.

In anticipation for the North American launch of the new Nokia Windows Phone 7 (WP7) smartphones, like Nokia Lumia 800 Microsoft has been concentrating its efforts on improving its mobile, entertainment and gaming products. The Redmond-based company recently announced the release of a major upgrade to its Xbox 360 Dashboard, as well as two mobile apps that will allow gamers to be check up on their console-centered world even when they are away from home.

The Dashboard Update

The Xbox Live Dashboard underwent a major redesign that is immediately apparent thanks to the elegant Metro User Interface (UI) that WP7 users are already familiar with. The Metro UI is a significant departure for Microsoft, a company that has pretty much stuck to the same UI since Windows 95. With this new update, Microsoft is preparing its strong gaming community for the future Windows 8, an operating system (OS) which will not only feature the Metro UI, but that will also bring together future desktops, laptops, tablets, smartphones, and Xbox consoles with true cross-platform functionality.

Microsoft is calling this update a “game-changer” for many reasons. The Metro UI’s clever use of Live Tiles neatly organizes content across television screens of all sizes. It may look awkward in the beginning for very large screen sizes, but users will get the hang of it quickly thanks to its responsiveness and intuition. For Kinect users, the new Dashboard experience will feel truly futuristic, as the Metro UI smoothly reacts to many different gestures and voice commands. The new Xbox Live Dashboard brings all forms of home entertainment together: live television, video, music, online social networking, and a special version of Bing that specifically looks for, and returns, search results for media that can be played by the Xbox.

Xbox Companion for Windows Phone 7

When Nokia unveiled its upcoming Lumia lineup of WP7-powered smartphones earlier this year, a few lucky journalists got a chance to preview Microsoft’s Xbox-branded mobile gaming app. The Xbox Companion app for WP7 is what future Nokia smartphone users will enjoy on their handsets. While the Xbox Live Dashboard with Kinect allows gamers to completely ditch their remote controls, the Xbox Companion turns WP7 smartphones into clever remote controls and game controllers. The Companion app also doubles as a game manager and media player, and it relies on a decent mobile broadband or WiFi connection to work properly.

One of the coolest features of the Xbox Companion app is that it lets gamers set beacons to alert them when their friends are connected to Xbox Live and what they are doing -namely, the games they are playing. Gamers who are away from their consoles due to work, school or social engagements will probably feel pangs of jealousy to see that their friends are online and playing games, but they can also send them a message right from their smartphone to let them know that they may be able to join in at a later time. The Companion’s integration with Facebook allows users to post their high scores and achievements directly from their Xbox consoles.

My Xbox Live for iOS

Gamers who own an iPhone don’t have to ditch it for a WP7 smartphone just to get closer to their Xbox consoles at home. Microsoft My Xbox Live app lets Apple iPhone and iPad users access some of the same content they can access at home, such as games, music, videos, and television shows. Seeing the Metro UI on the iOS platform may seem initially awkward, but the interaction through touch and swipe gestures make it a natural for a device such as the iPhone. Just like with the Xbox Companion, users can take advantage of mobile broadband access to stay in touch with friends and set beacons to see what games they are playing.

This is a guest article by Ruben Corbo, a writer for the website Broadband Expert where you can find internet service providers in your area and compare prices on different deals for your mobile broadband needs.

Nokia, once the undisputed king of the mobile phone world, has been wandering in the wilderness for a few years now. Since the launch of the first iPhone in 2007, Nokia has been slow to adapt its business model. Although they have produced a few touchscreen models such as the N97 and N8, these have not really kept up with the changing face of phone design and user expectations.

2010′s N8 was a hugely popular phone, largely thanks to its fabulous 12 megapixel camera, but in most areas it felt clunky and archaic. Not just in its physical design, but also in its outdated Symbian operating system. The more recent MeeGo powered Nokia N9 showed that the company still knows how to make a good looking phone, and it was so popular with punters that Nokia have used the same design for their first Windows Phone.

But the Lumia 800 is already proving to be a great deal more popular than the N9, even though it looks virtually identical. If there is one thing that the iPhone 4S has shown, it is that companies can produce phones that look identical to earlier models and still break sales records, providing that they have enough decent software features to entice people. For the iPhone 4S, this was Siri. For the Lumia, it is all of the fabulous Windows Phone features coupled with some more traditional Nokia services – as well as some new ones.

One of the Windows Phone features that the Lumia benefits from is the Xbox LIVE support. This comes as standard on all WP7 devices, but the Lumia is also benefitted by the new Xbox LIVE Companion app. With this app, Lumia owners can control their Xbox console with their phone. They can also get access to music, video and games from Xbox Marketplace. With the Xbox being the most popular games console on the planet, and Nokia being a well loved and respected brand name, this combo could have the potential to push Lumia sales through the roof.

But Nokia is not just relying solely on Microsoft entertainment features, bringing many of its own services to the table. The most interesting of these is probably Nokia Mix Radio. Mix Radio is Nokia’s answer to Spotify and Apple’s iCloud. It is an online music streaming service that allows Lumia owners access to millions of songs to stream to their devices, and it doesn’t even require a sign up.

This free service works out of the box, and Niels Munksgaard, head of Nokia Entertainment, feels that it puts Nokia “back in the game”. Streaming music and radio services are increasingly becoming the preferred method of listening to music, with mp3s becoming as old hat as vinyl and audio cassettes.

The greatest thing about Nokia Mix Radio is that it has already thought of a solution to what is probably the biggest flaw of competing services like iCloud. If all of your music is contained online, then you have absolutely no way of listening to it without an internet connection. While most of us are usually within reach of a Wi-Fi connection, or have access to 3G, there is nothing more annoying than getting on a long train journey to find that your phone cannot connect, leaving you with a few hours of watching blurry hedges through a dirty window.

With Nokia Mix Radio however, you can choose to download new playlists that you create. These playlists can be activated offline, and provide you with around 14 hours of internet-less musical entertainment.

Nokia Mix Radio is also a great way to discover new music. New artists can be added into your playlists based on what you like, and you can find information on gigs and performances by artists in your playlist – including phone numbers to book tickets.

Nokia Mix Radio is only available on Nokia produced Windows Phones, like the new Lumia and, presumably, several more devices to be released in 2012. With features like Mix Radio, Nokia are not only making themselves more attractive to former customers who had jumped ship over the past few years, but have also provided a way to differentiate themselves from the rest of the Windows Phone deals on the market.

Upgrade to popular Google Reader Nextgen will be available in Windows marketplace in just few moments.

Part of a major upgrade of NexGen is picture cached in offline mode, so you will be able to see pics even when not online. Swiping between pages is as easy as tapping the left or right edge. User can also choose to swipe the title on top. Page numbering, faster loading of pages as well as many reported glitches fixed in this update.

Check out these screen shots of nexgen app:

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This video will show off the improvements on Nexgen Reader:

Impera software is an italian software developing company that brought us Escaping lava! Free game for windows phone 7. In Escaping lava! user is an archeologist exploring a volcano, just about to explode with hot lava. Archeologist must escape from this volcano or he will die excruciating death.

With mango update new games are being developed for Windows phone 7.5. Impera software is not staying behind for much as it is now presenting us with Rise of the mummies for xbox live indie game & Windows phone 7.5. Mummies are everywhere. They coma at you from each angle, and at higher speeds. If that wasn’t enough, they bring enforcement. You have huge machine gun to kill them off, but it does require some shooting skills. Fire flame blast them away. There is some violent content involved.

Play just by your self in Offline 1 – 4 players or choose multiplayer mode. Game has a heavy metal soundtrack egging you on and with dark musty background graphics Rise of mummies brings you deep into the underground of violence and revenge. There is no police to save and protect you here. Here, you’re on your own. Mummies have risen!

Check out this tell it all video of Rise of the mummies:

Rise of mummies can be downloaded for FREE at marketplace. You and many angry mummies…