Lots of great apps hit the Marketplace this week. Here are some you might’ve missed, along with other Windows Phone news from around the web. Have a great weekend and let me know if there’s anything cool I missed!
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Never miss another Xbox LIVE game
As most of the Windows Phone universe knows, Angry Birds is just days away from Marketplace (arriving June 29, to be precise). But what about all those other great Xbox LIVE games? You no longer need to guess when a hot new title is going to land, thanks to Microsoft’s new SMS game alerts service for Windows Phone. When a new title drops, you get a text—simple as that. Sign up now
New Me series installment
The latest installment of the new Me series—a collection of video essays about real people and their Windows Phones—is here. This episode focuses on chef Matthew Poley, owner of the heirloom LA food truck and catering business in Los Angeles. Check it out.
Zune HD apps coming to Windows Phone?
Microsoft is weighing whether to make some Zune HD apps available for Windows Phone 7. The possibility of porting the apps was discussed earlier this month on the Zune Insider podcast, but gained wider notice after it appeared this week on the Windows Phone Secrets blog. “I can’t tell you when or what the exact dates are, but that’s something we’re definitely looking at doing,” Microsoft’s Dave McLauchlan said on the podcast.
Plants vs. Zombies arrives
In case you missed it, Pop Cap’s Plants vs. Zombies showed up in Marketplace this week. In this hit tower defense game—the next-to-last entry in the Must Have Games series for Windows Phone—you must defend your house against 26 types of zombies using arsenal of plants.
New bedtime stories for Windows Phone
Good news for Windows Phone-toting parents. Touchy Books, a leading purveyor of digital children’s books, is bring over 300 interactive kids books to Marketplace this month, including classics like Sleeping Beauty, Cinderella and Little Red Riding Hood. The books, WinRumors writes, will be priced from $0.99 to $3.99 and be available in English, Spanish, French, and German.
Digital A-Z Maps of London
Most travellers and new transplants to London wouldn’t be caught dead without their trusty “A to Zed,” the only reliable way to navigate the city’s famously confusing streets. Now the classic A-Z London Map is available for Windows Phone. Another plus: The map comes fully installed and doesn’t require a network connection to use.
Master Chief on your Windows Phone
Are you as excited about the new Halo game as I am? If so, check out this homebrew Halo 4 theme for your Windows Phone. This free fan-created theme lets you trick out your phone transparent wallpaper and other Halo-inspired decorations. Get it now
And finally…
NFL quarterback Matt Hasselbeck isn’t the only celebrity who loves WP7. Add British chef Jamie Oliver to the growing list. On a recent episode of his show Jamie Oliver’s Food Revolution he uses Bing and voice search to get him where he needs to go.