Instagram Beta

An official Instagram app is something Windows Phone users have been wanting since the Windows Phone platform began.  There are some good 3rd party clients available, but this is the first official app from Instagram.  

One of my favourite apps right from the start was PHOTOBEAMER (which allowed you to stream your photo libraries on your phone to any internet-enabled display).   Nokia has released PLAY TO now which goes a step further and allows for streaming of all audio/video content from your phone to any DLNA device in the home.  Two of my favourite windows-phone (albeit Nokia-exclusive) apps for sure.

Nokia Camera App

This is one of the best camera apps on the Windows Phone platform, and is a must-have for any Lumia owners.  This replaces and combines some features of the older Nokia camera apps, and gives you a bunch more options and settings when taking a picture.

Package Tracker

If you ship or receive packages on a regular basis this a must-have app for keeping track of them.  It supports over 60 carriers and also syncs with the Windows 8 app.  It supports Live Tiles and you can pin specific packages to the start screen.  It costs $2.49, but well worth it.

Xbox Music

If you have an Xbox Music pass they have also released the Xbox Music app.

• See artist details with pictures, bios, album lists, and related artists
• Manage your personal music collection, shared across all of your devices
• Explore top songs, featured artists, and recommended albums to easily discover new music
• Download songs for offline playback
• Create and manage playlists that automatically sync across your pc, tablet, Xbox, and the web
• Radio instantly creates playlists based on your favorite artists
• Stream ad-free music from a catalog of tens of millions of songs

The Nokia Black update is rolling out today with several new features and improvements.  My favorite is the App Folder app which lets you put groups of apps in a single folder, much like how you do on iOS.

http://conversations.nokia.com/2014/01/09/lumia-black-update/

If you have the update through the developer preview updates, you can also download the App Folder app from the Windows Store.

http://www.windowsphone.com/en-us/store/app/app-folder/7d2e7de3-95e7-4143-8a9d-aedf8c3f901e

Here's to hoping this isn't considered spam.

Great deal on Windows Phone!

http://www.microsoftstore.com/store/msusa/en_US/pdp/Nokia-Lumia-520-No-Contract-for-AT-T/productID.283842800?WT.mc_id=PromoEmail_NoContractPhones_OnlineBM_1-7-14_Hero_Lumia520 

http://www.microsoftstore.com/store/msusa/en_US/pdp/Nokia-Lumia-521-No-Contract-for-T-Mobile/productID.279982200?WT.mc_id=PromoEmail_NoContractPhones_OnlineBM_1-7-14_Hero_Lumia521 

ID, if this is spam, please delete. 

Oops, I misread the OP to say Windows Phone Thread, I missed the word app. 

 Android already does this, without an app for it. Just sayin'........

Yeah, I don't care anything about Android, or Google for that matter.

It's fine.  My daughter bought a 520 to replace the iPhone she broke.  It's a great device for the low price.

i have the Folder app. it works like a champ. as for android already doing it, wp will too with the Black update. i doubt android did it at the beginning of its existence either. i am completely happy with WP and my 920. when my contract expires in december 2014, i'll get a new phone with a larger screen. an example would be the 1520. what a great phone! my ex has one and my son-in-law is considering one, also.

Well, I went ahead and ordered the Lumia 520 from MS Store for $59.00.

I'll be looking for tip and such about synching my phone with my PC.

Yeah, same here!  I had an Android phone and didn't like it much at all.  I keep hearing people saying that Android has this and that app/feature that Windows phones don't have, but my 820 does all I need it to and all the apps I want or need are available in the Windows store.  For mine, the W8 phone has a much nicer interface and is more user friendly than Android, and I'd never consider an Apple phone.  While there are some advantages to having an Apple phone with my home network [dedicated networkapps and abitities not yet available on Windows phones] they're just not enough of a magnet to draw me in.

I just checked regarding the 'Black' update and it is not yet avaiable here on my network.  It's available to some of the other models and networks but it hasn't been approved for the 820 on Vodaphone as yet.

I'm looking into getting a Lumia 520 to synch up with my home phone and internet connection, which are through Telstra.  I can get one on a plan for an extra $12.00 a month over 12 months or a PAYG one for $139 outright.  While the plan costs a tad more, there are advantages going that way... eg, lower call costs; more included features/options and never having unused credit expire.

Bing apps have been updated with sync and sharing features.

http://www.wpcentral.com/bing-apps-windows-phone-account-sync

"Microsoft has updated its Bing suite of apps for Windows Phone 8 with further integration with its Account platform. Smartphone owners who utilise any of the Bing apps on their Windows Phone will be able to connect to their Microsoft Account and have data and personalisations synchronised across the board."

Really good for Windows 8 users.