Windows Mobile Review

On April 2, 2008 Microsoft unveiled its latest update for the Windows Mobile operating system. With this update – Windows Mobile 6.1 – Microsoft aims to improve upon one of the areas where Microsoft falls behind top competitors RIM’s BlackBerry OS, Symbian, and the iPhone OS, namely: user-friendliness. And with such neck-and-neck competition between all the mobile OS makers, Microsoft needs to do everything in its power to keep its mobile customers happy and woo the rest of the mobile community their way.

There are three main operating systems in use on Mobile phones. Symbian has been designed for Nokia Smart Phones, the PalmOS that comes from dedicated PDAs has been installed on many phones, and then there is Windows Mobile. The Apple iPhone uses a version of Apple OSX, but this is the only phone that does so, and it does not have complete smart phone capabilities.

For anyone who uses a PC regularly, Windows Mobile is an instantly understandable system to get to grips with. The functions on the phone are identical to a PC, the controls are the same, and obviously there is 100% compatibility between the two separate systems.

One of the best things about Windows Mobile from a user point of view is that it is integrated into the whole Microsoft Live range, which means that it can access your hotmail account, Messenger service, and MSN Spaces for easy transfer of data between platforms and allow you to be more productive.

Windows Mobile the Smartphone

Mobile phones have become a part of our everyday life. It is a handy tool of communication. They can be used for trivial tasks like making calls, listening to music and web browsing. The advancement in the field of technology has made it all the more user friendly. They can also be used for video conferencing that was unimaginable the past. Depending on the requirement of the user, one can get various kinds of mobiles. But if you have bought a regular mobile phone in the last couple of years, then you will have noticed that it almost certainly came with a suite of tools to allow you to connect it to your home PC in order to be able to transfer files such as photos or music onto your computer for storage or printing and on the other hand if you have a smart phone that you use for business purposes, the chances are that you have a great deal more information that you need to share between platforms, and this means that you need a mobile phone that is more compatible with you PC to make transferring documents from one machine to the other as simple as possible.

Windows Mobile

The main three operating system in use of mobile phones are Symbian, Windows Mobile and Apple OSX. For anyone who uses a PC regularly, Windows Mobile is an instantly understandable system to get to seize with. The fact is that whatever operating system your smart phone comes installed with, it will work with your PC in order to transfer information, but by having Windows Mobile on it, you will find connecting the two devices much easier, and it will be a more intuitive system to use. The system connects easily with your computer and includes many of the tools that you will need, as well as offering first class entertainment functions through Windows Media Player. The latest version: Windows Mobile 6.0 shares the interface of Windows Vista and looks great.

One of the best things about Windows Mobile from a user point of view is that it is integrated into the whole Microsoft Live range, which means that it can access your hotmail account, Messenger service, and MSN Spaces for easy transfer of data between platforms and allow you to be more productive.

Windows Mobile Application

Using Windows Mobile you can reuse your existing Visual Studio and .Net development skills and sever infrastructure to extend your applications to mobile devices and give users new experiences and solve new business problems. Creating programs that run on Windows Mobile phones is just as easy as writing apps for the desktop.

Following are the tools that you need to create Windows Mobile Application

Visual Studio 2005 or 2008: It will allow you to author, debug, and package your application for delivery from one easy-to-use interface.

Latest Windows Mobile SDK: The SDK contains the API header and library files you will need to access Windows Mobile functionality as well as documentation, sample application projects, and emulators that allow you to deploy and debug your application, even if you don’t have a Windows Mobile device.

Windows Mobile Device Center: Windows Mobile Device Center is needed in order to deploy applications to a Windows Mobile device or to an emulator. Windows Vista ships with Windows Mobile Device Center.  For Windows XP, you can download and install the latest version of ActiveSync if you don’t already have it.

Windows Mobile Platform

Windows Mobile provides a robust platform enabling the development of innovative mobile applications. Using a common core operating system and programming model, Windows Mobile streamlines development and deployment of mobile applications for Windows Mobile-based devices.

Windows Mobile extends the familiarity of the Windows desktop to Windows Mobile-based Pocket PC and Smartphone devices. Windows Mobile is based on Windows CE and .NET Compact Framework. Windows Mobile is solid in terms of security and IT central manageability.

The Windows Mobile platform enables developers to build innovative applications for the mobile devices by reducing development time and costs also takes advantage of a familiar Window development environment, a consistent programming model, and comprehensive technical resources.

In terms of current business applications, the Windows Mobile platform is the only one that can rival BlackBerry in terms of the breadth and depth of its line-of-business apps and enterprise software. Most mobile software vendors and enterprises tend to choose either Windows Mobile or BlackBerry to focus on.

Google releases Mobile App for Windows Mobile

Windows Mobile 6.5 gets a new UI

It’s the new user interface that comes with Windows Mobile 6.5 that has the potential to put Microsoft in closer competition with devices like the iPhone, BlackBerry Storm and the G1.

“Everything is now finger friendly,” said Scott Rockfeld, group product manager for Windows Mobile. That means that with 6.5, most items are large enough to be clicked with a finger on a touch screen rather than selected with a stylus or by pushing buttons to navigate through menus. Rockfeld demonstrated the new software on an HTC phone with a large touch screen, but said that individual manufacturers would make their own announcements about phones that will run the operating system.

6.5 introduces a new Lock screen (below) so you can now respond to interactive user interface elements with a simple PIN even if the device is locked. Notifications — such as those for missed calls, voice mail, email, text and calendar items — are more intuitive and actionable on the Lock screen. Quickly select if you want to check your voicemail, read your email or text message first.

Windows Mobile Development

Growth of the Apple iPhone and Google’s Android mobile platforms are cutting into the market for devices based on Windows Mobile and will continue to do so, according to a global survey of developers.

A study based on the survey findings, released Monday, is the latest data point to suggest that Microsoft’s aging Windows Mobile platform is suffering the effects of growth from rivals, notably the iPhone. Sales of the iPhone for the third quarter outpaced those of devices based on Windows Mobile, market researchers Gartner and IDC both reported in December.

“Is Windows Mobile going away? No, we don’t think it’s going away, but its growth has been abated by some of the new entrants in the market,” said John Andrews, president and CEO of Evans Data.

Despite the overall falloff, the study found that 40 percent more developers plan to target Windows Mobile than the iPhone, while 46 percent more expect to target the .NET Compact Framework than the Android platform. Many developers are awaiting Microsoft’s widely anticipated refresh to Windows Mobile, which includes a release of Windows Mobile 6.5 to be followed by Windows Mobile 7.

Indeed, some analysts believe Apple’s accelerated growth over Windows Mobile may already be leveling. Apple last week said it shipped 4.4 million iPhones in the fourth quarter and it remains to be seen whether it still outsold devices based on Windows Mobile. “My initial instinct is that Microsoft shipped more devices,” said IDC analyst Ryan Reith.

Platform issues are being dictated by factors other than technology, the Evans Data study also found. Only 15 percent said the openness of the mobile platform was a key issue; revenue and marketing opportunities are driving decisions.

The study, which Andrews said was not sponsored by any specific vendor, is based on a survey of 400 developers, 60 percent of which are commercial while the rest enterprise. Given the proliferation of devices based on multiple platforms, no OS is likely to be dominant within enterprises, most analysts say.

Less than 50 percent of enterprises even have formal policies for mobile application and device management, according to Philippe Winthrop, director of wireless research with Boston-based Strategy Analytics. “While IT departments may prefer one platform over another, the reality is there continues to be individually liable purchasing of devices,” Winthrop said.

Despite cutbacks in IT spending, 94 percent of developers surveyed by Evans Data said mobile development projects will increase or at least stay on track. Andrews said while this finding was surprising, enterprises are looking at mobile applications to improve productivity, while ISVs are bullish on the revenue opportunities.

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