Windows Phone updates have been a disappointing ordeal throughout the platform's existence. From the days of the tightfisted roll out of NoDo to today where several carrier-branded devices are still awaiting GDR1 'Portico', it's been a confusing system that has frustrated device owners. According to a new report, Microsoft is changing things up from the release of GDR2 and onwards but it's unclear if the new changes are for better or worse.

Uhh...what? The manufacturers within the sphere of Windows Phone have had muddled relationships amongst each other in the past, but this takes the trophy for the most confused mess yet. Earlier today news hit the wire that Huawei said, without even really being asked, they were considering an acquisition of Nokia. Let that sink in for a moment. Huawei. Buying Nokia. Again, the only reaction we have right now is "uhh...what?"

After what felt like a 'soft launch' for Microsoft Research's pet project on Windows Phone 8, the group behind the innovative and impressive BLINK is ensuring today that everyone knows it's arrived. A massive update for the popular lens app hit the Store earlier this morning and you may just find a new use for it now more than you ever did before.

For those who might have blinked over the past few jam-packed weeks of news, Microsoft has already announced the next update to Windows Phone 8. The forthcoming update, codenamed GDR2, will add a few changes like expanded support for Data Sense, the addition of FM Radio, global support for podcasts, and more. Unfortunately what we haven't known is when this update will be released, until today if you believe what Australian operator Telstra has published on their support website.

Quinn Damerell's extremely popular Reddit client for Windows Phone, Baconit, is one of the biggest success stories we've seen on the platform. A lot of people rely on it to view the latest and greatest from the vibrant universe of Reddit. The bad news: in recent days the app has been plagued with server issues that prevented users from accessing their content. The good news: an update has just hit the Store to resolve those issues.

One of Windows Phone's oft-overlooked features when compared to the competition is Speech. Microsoft's platform does what most do by letting you carry out various functions or search for a query, but it's also one of the few that lets third-party apps create their own custom voice commands. If you've been using it recently, you might have noticed it's performing a little better than usual. That's what the Bing team has announced today, revealing that Windows Phone's speech recognition has seen a number of improvements over the past few weeks.

Windows Phone users are seeking out new ways to add some flair to their Start screens, and recently we've been adventuring into that movement since we often find our layout looks a little boring. e-knock labs' Pinbits for Windows Phone 8 is a fun way to solve this lack of style by adding some much needed character, or in this case characters, to your Start screen.

How can Microsoft compete with Apple Stores popping up on every corner? Their own chain of Microsoft Stores has been steadily growing, but this Summer the company is kicking things up a notch. In over 600 Best Buy locations in North America, you'll soon be able to find yourself knee deep in color and technology: say hello to the Windows Store.