14 DAY TRIAL // Developers looking to build applications tailored to version 6.5 of the Windows Mobile platform can now leverage a variety of resources from Microsoft. The development kits available have to be used in conjunction in order to streamline the creation of new apps for the software giant's mobile operating system. It's worth noting that at this point in time Microsoft is not offering a software development kit for Windows Mobile 6.5. Instead, the company is telling devs to combine existing alternatives in order to get the job done.
Windows Mobile 6.5 Developer Toolkit (DTK) needs to be used in combination with the Windows Mobile 6 SDK and Visual Studio 2008 in order to build WM 6.5 apps. The DTK makes available an array of resources, from emulator images to gesture APIs, but also documentation, header and library files and even samples for Windows Mobile 6.5. “The Windows Mobile 6.5 Developer Toolkit (DTK) is not an SDK! You will still need to install Microsoft Visual Studio 2008 and the Windows Mobile 6 SDK prior to running the toolkit installer,” revealed a member of the Windows Mobile team.
When it comes down to software development kits, Microsoft is offering two releases, both for the precursor of Windows Mobile 6.5. Developers can leverage either Windows Mobile 6 Professional SDK or Windows Mobile 6 Standard SDK, when building applications for both Windows Mobile 6 and 6.5. In addition, the software giant is also delivering the Developer Resource Kit. Come July 2009, the Windows Mobile 6.5 Developer Resource Kit will be available for ordering online from Microsoft.
“The Windows Mobile Developer Resource Kit (DRK) is an offline DVD copy of the most useful and relevant Windows Mobile application development tools and resources. Traditionally the DRK does not contain any exclusive content, in that nearly everything on the DRK is available for download online,” the Windows Mobile team representative added. “We hand out free copies of the DRK at several conferences and developer events throughout the year.”
The new Windows Mobile 6.5 Developer Tool Kit is available for download on Softpedia as well, via this link. Windows Mobile 6 Professional and Standard Software Development Kits Refresh can be downloaded from here.