14 DAY TRIAL // Microsoft's Windows Mobile users have now a new reason to rejoice. After learning about some of the goodies that the Redmond company intends to bring with its future releases of the operating system, including support for its Marketplace and online services for mobile users with the upcoming WinMo 6.5, we also heard recently that there might be support for Over-the-Air updates coming with the platform, as well as new features to come along with it and with Windows Mobile 7, such as Silverlight and Zune. And now there is even more.
This time around, we learn that MySpace and Microsoft announced that a new MySpace mobile application would soon become available for those who own a Windows Mobile 6.1-powered mobile phone. According to MySpace, its new application is to be released this summer, it will work on WM handsets and it will use Silverlight. In fall, the app will also be included on the Windows Marketplace for Mobile, while LG Electronics plans to include it with its future Windows phones, slated for release on the market in the second half of the ongoing year.
“Talking to family, sending pictures and connecting with long-lost friends is important to our customers, and we are giving them the option to do that on the go by teaming up with MySpace,” said Stephanie Ferguson, general manager Business Experiences Team, in the Mobile Communications Business at Microsoft Corp. “MySpace is a pioneer in the social networking space, and the MySpace application will be a tremendous asset to the collection of applications you can access on your Windows phone.”
In addition to the new MySpace application, Microsoft also announced enhanced support for social-networking sites such as Facebook, MySpace and Windows Live. The software giant has come up with a new Facebook application, which is expected to become available for WinMo users for free starting April, offering them an easy solution for capturing video clips and uploading them on the popular site.
In addition, the company also announced the near availability of Windows Live for Mobile. Starting April 2, the owners of a Windows Mobile 6.x-based handset will be able to download for free the Windows Live for Mobile, which includes support for 25 languages. The app suite will offer them mobile versions of Windows Live Hotmail, Windows Live Messenger, Windows Live Contacts, Windows Live Spaces and Microsoft Live Search, as well as leveraged photo upload functionality. Those who would like to enjoy the new app suite will be able to download it from here starting April 2.
A new beta version of Windows Live Hotmail will also become available to users via a mobile Web browser, says Microsoft, offering a new user interface, along with navigation improvements meant for touchscreen handsets, as well as the possibility to view full HTML pages within e-mail messages and a new search feature allowing users to easily find the messages they want. You can find the beta version of Windows Live Hotmail here. More info on the applications will be unveiled during CTIA WIRELESS 2009, where Robbie Bach, president of the Entertainment and Devices Division at Microsoft, plans to saya few words.