App Update Roundup: Navigon bumped to Windows Phone 8.1, My Trips gets redesigned, and more
We're closely approaching the half-way marker this week with only a handful of days remaining until the weekend is upon us all. To help the Wednesday come to a close for many of you, we've compiled some app updates that you may have missed. We'll be touching on the likes of My Trips, Navigon and Amazon.
My Trips 5.4
This handy app for travellers enables folk to connect with the travel organization website TripIt.com to synchronize travel plans. After everything has been synchronized, My Trips works offline so you don't need a Wi-Fi or mobile internet connection to view your travel plans (pretty handy when you are 30,000 feet up in the clouds). Today, in version 5.4, we're looking at a complete redesign.
We must say it looks even more gorgeous. My Trips has always been a personal favorite of ours here at Windows Phone Central and this latest release just improves that love in every way. We strongly recommend this app, but if you're a frequent user be on the lookout for the new interface.
- Download My Trips (3MB - $1.99)
Navigon 5.1
While there are some choices when it comes to navigation apps on Windows Phone, HERE Drive is arguably one of the more popular choices among Windows Phone users, mostly because it's free. But there are plenty of alternatives in the Store that provide features and functions you won't get with a free app. Navigon is one of them. The app has just been updated "for Windows Phone 8.1" but we're not seeing a complete overhaul.
We imagine the graphics have been optimized for 1080p displays, but other than that there's not a whole lot to the update (that we can see anyway). Let us know in the comments if you notice anything else new.
- Download Navigon (Australia - $59.99)
- Download Navigon (Europe - $99.99)
- Download Navigon (US - $49.99)
ChatON 2.27
ChatON is Samsung's own proprietary mobile messenger service, available in multiple countries (237 stated on the store page) and supports 63 languages. The Windows Phone app has been updated with the following:
- You can receive 'Recent story' notifications about your friends. (When a friend joins ChatON or when someone adds you as a ChatON buddy, you will immediately receive a notification.)
- The ChatON Team will let you know about new ChatON features and special events.
- ChatON now supports Spanish.
- Hyperlinks are now supported in ChatON.
If you're an owner of a Samsung Windows Phone, be sure to check out ChatON and get chatting with the many other users.
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- ChatON (4MB - free)
VEVO 3.5.0.80
Vevo is a joint venture between Sony Music, Universal Music, EMI, and Abu Dhabi Media, and has a pretty neat Windows Phone app available, which has just picked up an update. The app enables consumers to follow their favorite artists, providing yet more ways for the labels to make money. That said, if you enjoy music, it's an app worth downloading. Here's what is new in this latest release:
- All new design
- New real-time feed
- Vevo TV now has three channels: Hits (Pop), Flow (Hip-Hop / Rap), and Nashville (Country)
- Improved playlist management
It's quite the update. Be sure to check the app out if you haven't already done so.
- Download VEVO (7MB - free)
Odds and ends
And here are some miscellaneous updates we've been made aware of:
- Amazon (2.3.81.3)
- Blue Skies (1.2.8.1)
- My Picasa (2.3)
- Xbox One SmartGlass Beta (1.0.0.4)
Rich Edmonds was formerly a Senior Editor of PC hardware at Windows Central, covering everything related to PC components and NAS. He's been involved in technology for more than a decade and knows a thing or two about the magic inside a PC chassis. You can follow him on Twitter at @RichEdmonds.