Microsoft wants to be manageable.

Business out, purely Multimedia: Microsoft wants its mobile operating system from Windows Mobile Office Muff exempt. Future, the software is more fun. Simple and also be operated by finger.

 

Microsoft to expand radically. Windows Mobile, the mobile variant of the desktop system should be user-friendly, more to the needs of private users to tailor. Thus, the company performs a U-turn in its strategy. So far, the group tried, Windows Mobile as a mobile operating system for business use to market.

This should now end. While we will continue to serve professional users, the focus is the future but to the private users, explains Andreas Krieg, head of Mobility Business Unit at Microsoft, in an interview with blogs ONLINE. Steve Ballmer has become the key mobile applications for Microsoft to issue. The reason is obvious: The mobile market in the private sector is growing much faster than in the business segment.

The first step in this direction is the new version 6.5 of Windows Mobile, Microsoft in Barcelona the first public showing. The main difference with the previous versions: The icons on the desktop will be larger. This is not about potential poor eyesight of the user balanced, but the operation via touchscreen simplified. Microsoft jumps so - very late - on a train, which has long been on the rolls is.

From the Web, now with Microsoft

The second major innovation is a new Microsoft mobile version of Internet Explorer, internally "6 on 6" referred to. The aim is now significantly faster and more compatible to web standards, says the war. He will also deeper into the embedded operating system. Bookmarks about can now directly from the main screen, called the Home screen, open the browser starts automatically. Above all, a single finger stroke usable zoom has been integrated.

The purpose of the improvement is clear: Microsoft wants the producers on their Windows-based mobile Internet Explorer back in the limelight. In recent times were more and more devices with competing products such as the Opera browser have been delivered.

With a mobile phone in the cloud

In addition to the mobile software itself is also Microsoft's new online service
MyPhone officially, with the key data in a few weeks ago had become known. The idea behind the code name skybox developed service: instead of on a computer, the user's data via the Web starting MyPhone. Following the principle of Cloud Computing are contact information, photos, music and text so that a data cloud in one.

KEYWORD: CLOUD COMPUTING

Principle provider business functions

The terminal is at the Cloud Computing just a window on an always current dataset. Who on the computer enters an appointment, sees him later when we look in the phone calendar, a contact mobile who enters, it can later retrieve at the PC - only online, of course. The same is true for address books, e-mails, online stored photos, documents and so on.

Many providers try to present itself as a premier address for access to the data cloud to position. Examples include Google, Microsoft, hardware manufacturers with Apple MobileMe and the mobile phone producer Nokia with its service Ovi. Vodafone also wants to focus on network services set.

For Cloud Computing companies has another meaning: You can compute or data intensive tasks to outsource data centers, in some computers - or in the cloud storage capacity as needed for certain tasks to rent. Amazon is a pioneer here, with its Web Services (AWS), such as the S3 storage service. There are also many other providers, such as the Force.com platform from Salesforce.

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Where exactly these data are physically stored, and where the server is on its hard drives, the bits and bytes to rest is irrelevant. Retrieve and can complement its treasures at any time and from anywhere as long as you have an Internet connection. Here, then Microsoft manager war, it is immaterial with what I for one device to access the data.

It is his cell phone photos also look at the PC or the contact list on your notebook change. Initially, however, only Windows Mobile phones of the new services will benefit, as war. The support for other mobile operating systems will follow in, but initially remained MyPhone a pure Windows-based event. However, the initially offered free of charge, including on-line 200 megabytes of storage per user.

Microsoft's mobile software store has a long name

Just like the touch-screen support for Windows Mobile 6.5 as late tightening view, it is probably justified, the announcement of an online store for mobile software as a Me-Too-action themselves. The success of the App Store for Apple's iPhone has finally been lured Nokia, an amazingly similar Ovi-Store for the Finnish mobile phones increases.

ON TO ONLINE blogs

Microsoft Mobile Internet: The battle for the cloud starts (20.01.2009)

Mobile World Congress: Sony Ericsson promises 12-megapixel mobile phone (16.02.2009)

Solar Cell Phones: Mobile phone with a green conscience (15.02.2009)

Mobile Mobile World Congress trade show: mobile, with more megapixels (12.02.2009)

Online tracking service Latitude: Google knows where you are (04.02.2009)

Google mobile T-Mobile G1: A Better iPhone (19.01.2009)

But while the opening of Nokia's Ovi Store binding for May was announced, Microsoft may still not set. Initial intention was to ensure full shelves. Initially, the company is only a website online, on mobile software developers to the Windows Mobile programs may submit for publication.

For software which is on the Windows Marketplace for Mobile Shop designated relates, Microsoft-certified. Prior to the publication so each program must first pass a review. Apple makes it so exactly what the developers sometimes makes for trouble if their programs inexplicably for weeks in the queue are established.

Is Microsoft's mission has succeeded?

Far more than a few weeks now but have to wait all those interested in the light of Microsoft's announcements on a mobile phone with Windows Mobile 6.5 look. because with the delivery of the software, the Group until the second half started. Mobile phones with the new Windows, then probably only after the summer holidays in the shops jumbled.

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One innovation that Microsoft is ahead in this way can hardly work out. At least the competition will have to wait for the new Windows Mobile certainly use it to their own offerings to improve and especially those working on issues for which Microsoft has now caught up. Probably in June, a new Apple iPhone imagine this with an update of the operating system should go hand in hand. And the Open Handset Alliance, together with the Google Android operating system developed is not in the hands of time to relax.

So while Microsoft apparently has caught up to the competition, it could be up to the planned release date of Windows Mobile 6.5 already made good ground, Microsoft once again into the persecutor position abgedrängt have.