Microsoft Unveils New Windows Mobile
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Microsoft has released details about a new version of Windows Mobile, the software behemoth's operating system designed for devices such as smartphones and PDAs. The OS, called Windows Mobile 6, will be available in the second quarter of 2007, offering an interface that resembles the recently launched Windows Vista.
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Microsoft's new Windows Mobile OS promises to take advantage of Exchange Server 2007 features that will provide a richer e-mail experience.
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(InfoWorld) - Microsoft's recently announced Windows Mobile 6 software for smart phones is a step forward for the company, offering some important improvements over previous versions of the software. But just how good is the new software? On Thursday, Microsoft offered me the chance to play with Windows Mobile 6 ahead of the 3GSM show in Barcelona, Spain, next week. The short demonstration, which took place at Microsoft's office in Singapore, was done using a currently available handset: the High Tech ComputerÂ (HTC) S620 smart phone. The S620, also known by its code name Excalibur, sports a small QWERTY keypad, a 2.4-inch QVGA (320 pixels by 240 pixels) screen, and support for GSM (Global System for Mobile Communication), GPRS (General Packet Radio Service) and EDGE (Enhanced Data Rates for GSM Evolution) networks. Powered by Texas Instruments' 200MHz OMAP 850 processor, the smart phone has 128MB of ROM and 64MB of DDR (double data rate) DRAM. But enough about the handset used for the demonstration. What about the software? At first glance, Microsoft's attempt to make Windows Mobile 6 look more like Vista has resulted in a better-looking piece of software, with a new font and a cleaner overall appearance. But the most important improvements to Windows Mobile 6 aren't cosmetic. For starters, Microsoft has added the ability for users to search e-mails and other information stored on Exchange Server 2007 from a smart phone. Windows Mobile 6 also allows users to configure their push mail settings and out-of-office notifications directly from their smart phone, instead of having to use their PCs. Previous versions of Windows Mobile for PDAs allowed users toÂ view Office documents, and that capability has now been added to the smart phone version of the software. In addition, users can now edit their documents. That feature may be useful for some Word and Excel documents, but I have a hard time believing anyone will be using Windows Mobile 6 to edit, or even view, PowerPoint presentations. The screens on these types of devices are just too small for this to be practical. Other improvements to Windows Mobile 6 include offering more information about the people on your contact list. Start typing the name of a contact, say "John" for example, and Windows Mobile 6 brings up a list of contacts named John. Clicking on any one of these names brings detailed information about the contact, including different phone numbers and e-mail addresses, as well as information about your last call -- or missed call -- with the contact. Microsoft also improved the browser and instant-messaging functions in Windows Mobile. For example, you can send text or voice messages to your MSN contacts, while chatting with several contacts simultaneously. If a contact doesn't respond, you can also send a "nudge," which causes the user's phone to vibrate, letting them know that they've received a message. Apart from these features, what struck me most about Windows Mobile 6 was its speed. The software seems much faster than previous versions. Applications opened instantly, without making the user wait. Overall, I was impressed by the newest version of Windows Mobile. Previous versions did not appeal to me, but the improved speed and added features mean Windows Mobile 6 is worth a closer look if you're in the market for a smart phone.
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Microsoft has announced a version of their digital rights management platform geared specifically for mobile content.
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Samsung Electronics today introduced its latest Windows Mobile smartphone, a slim and trim handheld designed for mobile professionals needing access to next-generation wireless data networks and support for business communications applications.
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Microsoft  unveiled on  Thursday a new version of its Windows operating system for  mobile devices, making it look more like Windows Vista and  adding features previously only available on personal  computers.
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Yahoo Inc. on Wednesday said its  mobile services is now available for download on phones that  use Microsoft Corp.'s Windows Mobile operating system.
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InfoWorld - Microsoft Corp. said it has boosted the security mechanisms built into its newest mobile phone operating system, responding to the needs of business customers who will use the phones to access sensitive corporate data.
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Microsoft today launched a redesigned MSN portal for mobile phones, with improved navigation and optimized display of Web pages.
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Microsoft&#39;s new Mobile Device Manager faces a shortcoming because it is exclusive to Windows Mobile devices, but that might change, an executive said on Tuesday.Scott Horn, general manager at Microsoft&#39;s mobile and embedded device group, left the door open to potential future support for non-Windows Mobile devices.&quot;Today, we have nothing to announce,&quot; he said. &quot;But we&#39;re looking at it, we&#39;re thinking about it. Who knows what the future brings?&quot; Horn spoke during a press lunch at the CTIA Wireless IT and Entertainment conference in San Francisco on Tuesday.He mentioned that Microsoft has in the past licensed ActiveSync as a way to extend services to non-Microsoft devices.Microsoft introduced System Center Mobile Device Manager&#160;at the conference. The software lets IT administrators manage and secure Windows Mobile phones. Unlike some other management products on the market, including Nokia&#39;s Intellisync, it is compatible only with phones running the Windows Mobile operating system.AT&amp;T, which is supporting Mobile Device Manager, said there is inertia among IT administrators. IT managers are worried about security and management issues, said Mike Woodward, vice business marketing for AT&amp;T. He thinks that the software as well as the services from a new company,&#160;Enterprise Mobile, will spur more enterprise use of mobile phones. Woodward could not offer specifics about how it will support Mobile Device Manager or how exactly it will work with Enterprise Mobile.For now, the new software and the services from Enterprise Mobile, which help enterprises deploy and manage mobile phones, are designed for large businesses. Mobile Device Manager, expected to come out next year, could support as many as 5,000 users. Enterprise Mobile doesn&#39;t expect to begin thinking about serving smaller businesses for another 12 to 18 months because it will be focused on making sure it knows what large enterprises need, said Steve Moore, president of Enterprise Mobile.
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On the first official day of the Mobile World Congress in Barcelona, Sony Ericsson showed off its forthcoming touchscreen phone, the Xperia X1, its first Windows Mobile device.
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T-Mobile USA on Tuesday will launch the first cell phone in the U.S. to come with Microsoft's latest version of Windows Mobile, with improved handling of e-mail and tougher security
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InfoWorld - Microsoft announced some new Windows Live applications for mobile phones on Monday, including programs that offer search and mapping capabilities.
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The iPaq 500 series Voice Messenger is a slim candy-bar handset that will run Windows Mobile 6 when it appears later this year.
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Hoping to whet the appetite of developers specializing in mobile and embedded devices, Microsoft on Monday made available a free technology preview of Windows XP Embedded containing Service Pack 2 (SP2) that it expects to deliver by year's end.
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Microsoft Corp. plans a launch this spring of its next-generation operating system for wireless devices, Windows Mobile 6, which is important for the company's efforts to grab market share beyond the desktop.
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Norwegian browser specialists Opera Software announce a version of their browser for Microsoft&#39;s Windows Mobile platform is forthcoming.