14 DAY TRIAL // Mac users can now manage Windows Phone 8.1 devices on their Apple computers thanks to a recent update from Microsoft Corporation. The company’s Windows Phone utility has been updated to version 3.1.0 to support the new mobile OS, as well as to add some goodies and fixes.
Microsoft markets the phone manager utility saying, “Your computer and your Windows Phone 8 work together seamlessly with the Windows Phone app so you always have your photos, videos, and music, and more where you want them.”
You can use it to add ringtones and playlists to your phone, quickly share things from your handset, automatically save photos and videos you take with your device, see how much space you’re using for music, movies, photos, apps, etc., and even visit WindowsPhone.com to download apps or pinpoint your lost/stolen phone on a map. In a nutshell, it’s iTunes for Windows Phone.
Version 3.1.0 is out now with support for Windows Phone 8.1 devices, drag and drop support for .DNG files to Browse Device UI, and some user interface improvements that Microsoft prefers not to detail.
Described by the company as the world’s most personal smartphone, “Windows Phone has Live Tiles, which bring personalized information right to your Start screen,” says the Redmond, WA., software giant.
“Pin your friends and family to see their timeline posts, status updates, and tweets in real time. You can pin apps, websites, music albums, and whatever else you can’t live without.”
The phone comes with Cortana, which rivals Apple’s Siri as a search engine and personal assistant with voice recognition capabilities.
Windows Phone 8.1 allows users to rearrange their Start screen Tiles and adjust their size based on the things that matter to them most. You can have two or three columns of personalized Tiles and you can switch your phone’s accent color to anything you prefer.
Microsoft also emphasizes photography.
“Everyone’s a great photographer with Windows Phone. Whether you want the Windows Phone with the best video recording or prefer one with 41 megapixels for detailed photos, there’s a Windows Phone for you. And no matter which you choose, you can shoot, edit, and share photos instantly.”
To download Windows Phone 3.1.0 management utility for Mac OS X, you need an Intel processor and OS X 10.7 Lion. iPhoto 11 might be required for some photo transfers. The file size is just 6.3MB, so you needn’t worry about storage when installing this app.