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Microsoft Announces Windows Mobile 6.1
                                              
Pocket PC Central Press
                                                                                                                                            
Windows Mobile 6.1 Standard Home Screen
  

April 1, 2008 - As expected, Microsoft Corp. today launched Windows Mobile 6.1, and updated version of the Windows Mobile 6 operating system for touchscreen and non-touchscreen devices.  WM6.1 includes several changes and improvements, some aimed at business users, but most targeted squarely at consumers.  In addition to announcing the new OS, Microsoft also indicated that an update to v6.1 would be made available for many of the current Windows Mobile 6 handsets in use today, which will be good news for current users eager to try the updated version of Microsoft's mobile operating system.
 
   

New Features

Perhaps the most noticeable change to WM6.1 is seen in the Standard version of the OS designed for non-touchscreen smartphones.  As seen above, the new Home Screen displays important information with an Aero-like style in a vertical listing which can be navigated using the five-way nav pad found on all such non-touch devices. In addition to appointments and messages, users can control Windows Media Player Mobile, browse photos, etc., all from the Home Screen.

Internet Explorer Mobile has also gotten a subtle makeover, and Microsoft claims that the new version will do a better job of viewing web pages on a small screen.  Microsoft also boasted that the new browser would support "upcoming industry standards such as H.264, Adobe Flash and Microsoft Silverlight."

Threaded SMS messaging is also added in WM6.1.  With Threaded SMS, the user can view an entire SMS "conversation" much in the same way that one views an IM chat session.  This has been a long sought-after feature for Windows Mobile. 

Other features include a new Getting Started Center, text and image zooming, support for System Center Mobile Device Manager 2008, and compatibility with Exchange Server 2007 SP1.

 

Availability & Upgrades

Microsoft projects that Windows Mobile 6.1 will begin showing up on new devices in May or June of 2008.  HTC also announced its Touch Dual, which will be released in the United States running Windows Mobile 6.1 Professional.  Sony's upcoming XPERIA X1 is also expected to run WM6.1. 

Upgrades for existing devices will be made available by their manufacturers, though Microsoft did announce specific devices set for a WM6.1 makeover including the AT&T Tilt, Motorola Q 9h Global, Samsung BlackJack II, Samsung Ace, Sprint Mogul,  Sprint Touch, Alltel PPC6800, Alltel Touch, and Pantech Duo C810.

 

Moving Forward

All-in-all, Windows Mobile 6.1 includes a small number of minor tweaks and improvements.  Sights are now set on Windows Mobile 7, also known as "Photon," which promises more radical changes to the Windows Mobile OS.  Windows Mobile 7 is expected to be announced late this year. 
                

 

 
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