Facebook for Windows Phone rolls in threaded messaging, tagging, kitchen sink

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Some have called Microsoft's Facebook app for Windows Phone a red-headed stepchild to the Android and iOS darlings, but it's making up for lost time in good fashion with a 2.5 update. Those who live a Metro life now get full Facebook conversation threads with group support, so they're not left out of the loop when a friend mentions the pub he wanted to visit two days ago. Along with this more conversational addition, it's now possible to tag a friend or a place in a post using plain "with" and "at" statements, and the seemingly inescapable Like button has reached comments for Windows Phone owners. There's more control over posts and active post links in the mix as well, so you'll find a surfeit of social mingling when you update at the Windows Phone Marketplace link below.

Facebook for Windows Phone rolls in threaded messaging, tagging, kitchen sink originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 24 May 2012 15:36:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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PSA: Windows Phone Marketplace now requires Windows Phone 7.5

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Microsoft warned us last month that it would be snipping legacy OS support in Windows Phone Marketplace within a few weeks, and it just made good on that heads-up. As of now, you'll need at least a Windows Phone 7.5 device to shop for, review and update apps, no matter how much you want that fix for Ilo Milo. The company still argues that the cutoff is needed to improve speed and security in the Marketplace as well as lay a foundation for a better Windows Phone future. Given that virtually every handset on the market can get 7.5 today, if it doesn't already ship with 7.5 preloaded, you have every good reason to grab the update through Microsoft's desktop apps and stay in the Marketplace downloading parade.

PSA: Windows Phone Marketplace now requires Windows Phone 7.5 originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 22 May 2012 20:42:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Microsoft puts Windows Phone 7 app developers on notice of four new Marketplace policies

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As the poet once said, "Mo' apps, mo' problems", or something like that. The Windows Phone Marketplace continues to grow and with more eyeballs on it, Microsoft is making sure devs know the rules that will keep their apps in the store instead of on the sideline. Trademark and copyright issues headline the new areas of enforcement, followed up by making sure bulk published apps are in the right categories, packaged with tile images and branding that make it clear which one is which and what they do. Rounding out the list are keywords -- pepper your app with popular, but unrelated terms at your own peril -- and apps that currently overstep the allowed boundary "racy" content. In the end only you, the users, can report if these policies are making it easier to navigate the ever expanding amount of apps so let us know -- are things clogged up with intentionally mislabeled crapware, or is it smooth sailing?

Microsoft puts Windows Phone 7 app developers on notice of four new Marketplace policies originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 01 May 2012 15:29:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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