windows mobile 6
Microsoft’s generally modest update of its operating system
for handhold devices and smart phones will debut by midyear
with enhancements for e-mail and editing of Office documents.
Previously known by the code name Crossbow, Windows Mobile
6 simplify es e-mail ac -count setup and also provides
new shortcuts to a multitude of common e-mail management
tasks such as replying to all or deleting a message.
You can fl ag messages more easily, as well as view a history
of activity (calls and text messages) with contacts in your
address book. In addition, you can read messages formatted
in HTML, where applicable.
MOBILE OFFICE
the three core applications in Office—Word, Excel and
PowerPoint—more faithfully re-create and preserve desktop
formatting in the new OS. And now you can edit data in an Excel spreadsheet
(you still can’t create formulas or new spreadsheets, though).
Borrowing from Office 2007, the calendar has a vaguely ribbon like
interface that shows your free time. It also checks for schedule
conflicts whenever you receive a meeting invitation.
Windows Mobile 6 supports some Windows Live services,
including Windows Live Messenger.If your business works
with Exchange Server 2007,you’ll find some useful improvements,
such as the ability to search your mail folder.
Microsoft says that people will be able to upgrade certain
Windows Mobile 5 devices like the T-Mobile Dash—to the
new version. HP’s fi rst line of iPaq smart phones, the 500 series Voice Messengers,
will be based on Windows Mobile 6.
Previous versions of Windows Mobile provided more functionality for Pocket PCs
than for phones with keypads, but those distinctions are now largely gone.
However, Microsoft will still off er two editions of Windows Mobile 6, based
on a handheld’s screen type: a standard version intended for
devices that don’t have touch screens, and Windows Mobile
6 Pro for devices equipped with touch screens and styluses.
*—Yardena Arar 2007
