Vegas unveiling for Windows Mobile 5.0

 

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By Alun Williams

Posted on 11 May 2005 at 13:04

Bill Gates has officially unveiled Windows Mobile 5.0, a new version of Microsoft's software platform for mobile devices and phones. It is designed to give mobile operators more options to differentiate themselves from competitors in the services they can provide, and also support a wider range of device form factors.

'In the past five years, there's been a profound shift in the kind of data and services people access on their mobile devices - from multimedia to business applications,' said Bill Gates, chairman and chief software architect of Microsoft. 'Windows Mobile 5.0 enables our industry partners to develop exciting new hardware designs and solutions that will revolutionize how customers use mobile devices.'

In terms of customisations, Microsoft promises greater platform flexibility to enable service providers to 'plug-in' technologies such as 'push-to-talk' or video calling and conferencing. There is also support for 3G networks, Wi-Fi and improvements to Bluetooth. Finally, there is an emphasis on design for one-handed operation.

Developers can use tools available in the Beta 2 of Visual Studio 2005 to build apps for Windows Mobile 5.0-based devices. Examples include location-based services, 3-D gaming and video presentations. There is also integration with Microsoft SQL Server 2005 Community Technology Preview in order for businesses to make the most of data held in such devices.

Other features in version 5.0 include updated Office software (view and create charts in Excel Mobile, edit documents with graphics using Word Mobile a new PowerPoint Mobile app for rehearsing presentations), persistent memory storage for preserving data even when batteries are dying. Media Player 10 Mobile for improved multimedia displays and support for hard drives.

Finally, Microsoft states that the platform is FIPS-140-2-certified, which means it meets US government security requirements for IT products.

Phones that will run on Windows Mobile 5.0 include the Samsung SGH i-300 and T-Mobile MDA IV.

Gates was giving a keynote (pictured) at the Microsoft Mobile & Embedded DevCon 2005 in Las Vegas.

It is five years since the first release shipped for Pocket PCs, and stats quoted by Microsoft include a growth in partners from three hardware vendors in 2000 to 40 device makers currently shipping Windows Mobile-based products with 68 mobile operators in 48 countries. It also reports a 31 percent revenue growth from 2003 to 2004.

You can find more information about Windows Mobile 5.0 on the Microsoft website.