Microsoft Talk

Software plus services approach fuels adoption as applications and services, new phones, and updates reach customers.

Choice: A Smartphone for Every Style

Today, customers can choose from a growing portfolio of new Windows Mobile 6.1-based phones and updates, with more expected in 2008 and beyond, bringing new time-saving features, easier phone navigation and management as well as increased security safeguards. Windows Mobile 6.1 supports System Center Mobile Device Manager 2008 and Exchange Server 2007 Service Pack 1 advanced mobile policies, helping keep business information protected. Information about the latest updates and new phones is available at http://www.windowsmobile.com.

Recent related announcements include the following:

• AT&T announced that upgrades are available now for the BlackJack II, MOTO Q Global and AT&T Tilt smartphones, with new Windows Mobile 6.1-based phones launching later this year.

• Intermec Technologies Corp. today announced that its CN3 mobile computer is the first rugged handheld to operate on Windows Mobile 6.1 and will begin shipping later this month.

• The HTC Touch Diamond with TouchFLO 3D, HTC’s captivating 3-D touch interface, surpassed 1 million in global phone sales in its first three months and is expected to debut in the U.S. soon. HTC is also shipping the HTC Touch Pro and HTC S740.

• Sony Ericsson has released a beta SDK for Windows Mobile 6.1 for building and testing XPERIA Panels and applications. The SDK, integrated with Microsoft Visual Studio, offers developers a familiar environment and sets a new direction for a rich, immersive user experience with a focus on hardware-accelerated visual effects and interactivity. The XPERIA X1 will be available soon.

• Velocity Mobile announced the Velocity 103, a touchscreen device that features the easy-to-use Odyssey interface and Velocity Over the Air updates. Along with the Velocity 111 and Velocity 83, the Velocity 103 will be available later this year.

Versatility: Applications and Services Enhance the Windows Mobile Experience

Helping people discover new experiences, Microsoft created the new Total Access (http://www.microsoft.com/windowsmobile/en-us/totalaccess), a guide to everything people can do with a Windows Mobile phone. Available online by registration, the site provides exclusive offers such as trial applications, extras such as ring tones and wallpapers, and how-to content.

To accommodate the creation of new applications, Windows Mobile provides a flexible, open platform for developers. AT&T announced Nikos Konstas, an independent developer from the United Kingdom, as the winner of the AT&T Game Development Contest for Windows Mobile, the first collaboration of all members of the mobile gaming ecosystem to further innovation of games on the powerful Windows Mobile platform.