Skype joins Windows 8.1 Start Screen as default messenger

Microsoft has announced that Windows 8.1 will ship with Skype pre-installed.

This means you won't have to download Skype. Anyone who hasn't tried Skype will get it when they upgrade their operating system to Windows 8.1 or purchase a Windows 8.1 PC. Once you have Windows 8.1, just log on to access Skype on the Start Screen. It'll be available as the default communications experience in Windows 8.1, replacing Microsoft's Windows 8 Messaging app.

Microsoft this week revealed the release date of the full consumer build of Windows 8.1. It will land as a free download to Windows 8 users from 17 October. The Skype plans were also previously rumored, but Microsoft hadn't confirmed the official bundle until now. 

Skype is a 10-year-old, free messaging client developed by the Microsoft Skype Division, and it provides users with voice, video and instant messaging functionality.

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Nokia Windows RT tablet to launch in September, sources suggest

While many companies are turning away from Windows RT, it seems Nokia is still looking to launch its own RT tablet device in September.

An image from Chinese website Digiwo purports to show the back of a Verizon-bound red Nokia tablet, that matches the sort of dimensions we saw in a previous Nokia tablet leak in July. The rounded edges and colours appear to match those of Lumia Windows Phone 8 devices, making this look very much like it's part of the Lumia design family.

The previous rumours, as well as today's addition, point to a 10.1-inch tablet with a 1080p display. There's the suggestion of a Qualcomm Snapdragon 800 processor, making for a quad-core Windows RT tablet, along with LTE support, which the pictured device seems to suggest with it's Verizon 4G LTE branding. There's also talk of a keyboard attachment containing additional storage and battery.

The Verge adds to the mix, reporting that "sources" have detailed that Nokia is working on a tablet codenamed Vanquish and it's looking at a 26 September launch date with a special event in New York.

There's no word of confirmation from Nokia on the tablet, although the company has previously expressed interest in tablet devices. With companies such as Asus looking to step away from the Windows RT platform, Nokia will have to bring a world of unique innovative features to its tablet, as it does with Windows Phone, to get it off the ground.

We will keep you posted.

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Re-released YouTube app for Windows Phone blocked by Google, says app violated TOS

Google has blocked Microsoft's YouTube app for Windows Phone 8 just two days after it landed in the Windows Phone store.

In May, Google wanted Microsoft to remove its redesigned YouTube app for Windows Phone 8 because it didn't include ads. The app also gave users the ability to download videos. Microsoft obliged by pulling the app from its store, and then both companies took the whole summer to collaboratively bake a new app that followed the "rules".

Read: Microsoft re-releases YouTube app for WP8, now with Google's blessing

So the new, new YouTube app for Windows Phone 8 landed in the Windows Phone store this week. The app cancelled the ability to download videos - and there were plenty of advertisements afoot. So, what's the problem? Here's Google-owned YouTube's statement on the matter:

"We're committed to providing users and creators with a great and consistent YouTube experience across devices, and we've been working with Microsoft to build a fully featured YouTube for Windows Phone app, based on HTML5. Unfortunately, Microsoft has not made the browser upgrades necessary to enable a fully-featured YouTube experience, and has instead re-released a YouTube app that violates our Terms of Service."

Read: Google wants Microsoft to remove its redesigned YouTube app for WP8

Engadget - citing unnamed sources - reported that Microsoft didn't want to develop an HTML5-based app. Despite Google's involvement, the company created its own native version and "reverse-engineered the ad system in order to satisfy Google's terms of service." Google therefore couldn't promise the right ads would play, so it decided to block the app once again.

Update: David Howard, vice-president and deputy general counsel at Microsoft, on Monday wrote a scathing blog post titled "The limits of Google’s openness". He said Google blocked the YouTube app because it was not HTML 5-based. That's interesting - because Google's YouTube app for Android and iOS is not HTML 5-based either. Here's an excerpt from Howard:

"We think it’s clear that Google just doesn’t want Windows Phone users to have the same experience as Android and Apple users, and that their objections are nothing other than excuses. Nonetheless, we are committed to giving our users the experience they deserve, and are happy to work with Google to solve any legitimate concerns they may have. In the meantime, we once again request that Google stop blocking our YouTube app."

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