14 DAY TRIAL // Windows 7 and Windows Server 2008 R2 are not the only operating systems cooking over at Microsoft that have reached a standard of quality sufficient for the general public to get a taste of. In this context, the Redmond company has showcased Windows mobile 6.5 at the Mobile World Congress 2009. Microsoft Chief Executive Officer Steve Ballmer emphasized that the next generation of Windows phones was a part of the company's vision of delivering a single platform, Windows, which stretched over PCs, phones, TVs and the web. In this context, the software giant is attempting to respond to the developing consumer trends and the increasing need for integration and advanced connectivity.
“Windows phones bring together the best of the Web, the PC and the phone, so you can connect instantly to the experiences you care about, no matter where you are,” Ballmer said. Microsoft's CEO promised that the company was working to port the PC experience to the mobile phone. “We've got to make it a windows phone that people picks up [sic] the experiences that people expect from larger devices.”
For Windows Mobile 6.5, Microsoft has already inked partnerships with mobile partners including HTC, LG and Orange. The Redmond company is aiming to deliver a new set of end-to-end experience, which integrates Software plus Services via what Ballmer referred to as the first generation of Windows Phones. The critical foundation of Windows Phones is Windows Mobile 6.5, an operating system delivering an entirely new user experience with a fresh user interface, Touch capabilities and additional input interface models, but also widget management and an evolved browsing experience with Internet Explorer 6.
One important detail is the fact that Windows Mobile phone will feature a prominent Windows Start button. Just as on the desktop, pressing it brings a new UI that provides streamlined access to the most important applications. But, at the same time, it is not all about Windows Mobile 6.5 for Microsoft. Ballmer pointed out that Windows Phones would in fact stitch together the PC, phone, and the Cloud. In order to catalyze this conjunction, the software giant also introduced two services: My Phone and Windows Marketplace.
“The free My Phone service will enable people to access, manage and back up their personal information on their device to a password-protected Web-based service, making it easier to upgrade phones without the worry of losing important information. With automatic syncing and backup, users can count on their contacts, appointments, text messages and other information being kept up to date and easily restored should they lose or upgrade their phone. Consumers also will be able to automatically upload photos and video from their Windows phone directly to the My Phone service, making it simple to preserve content that, in the past, would have lived and died on the phone. The My Phone service is currently available in a limited invitation-only beta,” Microsoft revealed.
In addition to the streamlining capabilities of My Phone that ensure data synchronization, Microsoft is also debuting the Windows Marketplace for Windows Phones. Ballmer stated that there were already in excess of 20,000 applications for Windows Mobile. Moreover, the company will deliver new tools for developers at the same time, as well as a distribution channel for their apps. You can see the screenshots from Windows Mobile 6.5 in this article, and a video with what the operating system brings to the table can be accessed via this link.
