Skype finally moves out of beta on Windows Phone

Microsoft has released version 1.0 of Skype for Windows Phone, thus fulfilling a promise the company made at Mobile World Congress to move the app out of beta by April.

The new version includes a new feature that lets you search your contacts and add them on Skype. Other improvements include the ability to call landline phone numbers, a quicker boot time, and other bug fixes. It also includes all the Skype basics such as audio and video calls over 3G, 4G, and Wi-Fi, and group messaging.

However, you still can’t receive Skype calls while the app isn’t running on your phone. Apparently this is because of limitations within the Windows Phone OS and Skype, according to Microsoft. Hopefully this will change with the release of Windows Phone 8. This kind of functionality could really be a key selling point for Microsoft to gain some footing over Android phones.

You can download the latest version of Skype for Windows Phone on the official site. Let us know what you think in the comments.

HTC Dragon Series pops up in China for tight pockets

The HTC One series may not be reaching every borough and side street on earth, but HTC’s push to bring a similar experience to China is popping up with great promise this week. HTC announced this “Dragon Series” several months ago and is now unleashing the several sets of smartphones to a variety of Chinese carriers very soon (if not today!) Head down to your local China Mobile, China Telecom, or China Unicom store today to see which of these little beasts you’ll be able to purchase for your very own!

 
Under the 4-inch S-LCD WVGA display on each of these models, you’ll find a 1GHz single-coreprocessor with 512MB of RAM and 4GB of internal memory. Unlike the heavier hitters in the HTC One series, the Dragon Series have microSD card slots for memory expansion – up to 32GB! You’ll also find Beats Audio for speaker and headphone quality boost, and each model is looking like it will cost $318 (or 1,999 yuan). The Desire V looks to have that as a solid price while the other two models have not had a definite confirmation for their end-cost.

Both the China Telecom and China Mobile models, Desire VC and Desire VT, will have dual-SIM card slots so you can flip back and forth between two carriers on the go – cool!

The Nokia Lumia 900 Is Now Available In Canada, Hits The UK On April 27th

The Nokia Lumia 900 train is rocking. After its first stop in the US on Easter Sunday, the party moved north of the border where Rogers is now selling the supersized Windows Phone. However, in a few short weeks, the phone will hit the UK on April 27th through Phones4U and Carphone Warehouse. It can be pre-ordered today.

The Canadian version is nearly identical to the one hawked by AT&T in the states including the CA$99 price — expect that’s with a 3-year contract. The rest is the same though including LTE connectivity and Windows 7.5. It’s more of the same in the UK where the only major difference involves the inclusion of HSPA+ instead of LTE.

The Lumia 900 is hitting at an awkward time. It’s a fine device but those looking for a new phone might want to wait a bit longer to see the upcoming competitors. The Samsung Galaxy SIII is rumored to be announced later this month and then of course the iPhone 5 could drop this summer. Patience is a virtue, you know. That said, I’m completely enamored by the Lumia 900. Windows Phone is so efficient and the few native apps are beautiful on the large and bright screen. I just the camera was on par with the one in the iPhone 4S. If you must get a new phone now, the Lumia 900 deserves a look even if it’s on AT&T.

AT&T Finally Allows Unlocked iPhones for Out-of-Contract Users

AT&T's longstanding policy against unlocking iPhones comes to an end this Sunday, allowing users to take advantage of cheaper service when traveling abroad.

To unlock an AT&T iPhone, subscribers must have completed their service contracts -- most contracts last two years from the purchase of the phone -- and their accounts must be in good standing,AppleInsider reports. Users who are in the middle of an iPhone service contract must pay an early termination fee in order to unlock the device.

An unlocked iPhone is ideal for users who are traveling overseas, because instead of paying for expensive service from AT&T, they can pop in a cheaper SIM card from a local GSM wireless carrier. Unlocked AT&T phones also work on T-Mobile's network, but data speeds are slower than 3G. AT&T's unlocked phones not work on Sprint or Verizon, due to their use of CDMA networks that don't rely on SIM cards.

On Sunday morning, AT&T's site still said iPhones were not eligible for unlocking, although some news reports indicate the service is available at AT&T stores.

Previously, AT&T refused to unlock subscribers' iPhones, though the company had no problem unlocking other phones. Jailbreaking was the only way to free the iPhone for use with other carriers.

AT&T didn't say why it had a change of heart, but Verizon Wireless and Sprint both allow users to unlock their iPhones for international use, even while still in contract. Their only condition is that users' accounts must be in good standing for a short period of time.

AT&T's out-of-contract policy is less favorable, but it could still come in handy for users who've hung onto their older iPhones and don't want to pay a fortune for service abroad.

For new iPhone buyers, Apple has sold unlocked iPhones at full price since mid-2011.

HTC, Sprint announce Evo 4G LTE smartphone

IDG News Service - Sprint on Wednesday introduced the HTC Evo 4G LTE smartphone, adding a new phone to a stable of devices that will be compatible with the carrier's high-speed network when it launches soon in the U.S. The Evo 4G LTE is a "superfast" smartphone that sets the "gold standard" in multimedia experience, said Dan Hesse, CEO of Sprint, during a launch event in New York City.

The Evo 4G LTE has Qualcomm's latest 1.5 GHz dual-core Snapdragon S4 processor. The phone has a 4.7-inch display and runs the latest Android 4.0 OS, code-named Ice Cream Sandwich.

The smartphone is priced at $199.99 with a two-year contract with the carrier. It will become available in this quarter and Sprint will start taking pre-orders on May 7.

The new Evo has an 8-megapixel high-definition camera, which an HTC product designer said can take video and pictures simultaneously.

Sprint has announced that six cities, including Atlanta, Baltimore, Dallas, Houston, Kansas City and San Antonio, will get 4G LTE by midyear. The 4G LTE network will be completed in the U.S. by the end of 2013, Hesse said. Sprint already has a 4G network built on WiMax mobile broadband technology.

The Evo 4G LTE will also be the first smartphone to have a technology called HD Voice, Hesse said. HD Voice is a combination of technology in phones including dual microphones, decoders and network technology to deliver less muffled calls. It also reduces background sound to make calls clearer.

Another feature is the new Sense 4 user interface, first announced earlier this year, which will make the smartphone easier to use and navigate. The smartphone has a kickstand at the back, a feature borrowed from previous Evo models.

It will come with Google Wallet, which uses the phone's Near Field Communications technology to let people buy products by swiping the phone against a reader at a cash register.

The phone has similar specs as a new line of phones, the HTC One smartphones, introduced earlier this year, although the Evo 4G LTE has a different body. The HTC One phones have just become available in Europe and aren't yet on sale in the U.S.

Sprint earlier this week launched the LG Viper smartphone, a dual-core smartphone for the 4G LTE network. The Viper runs Android 2.3 and will be available for pre-order on April 12.