Windows Mobile 6 Standard in pictures

In light of Microsoft raising the curtain on Windows Mobile 6 and the fact that we have our paws on a couple devices running late pre-release builds, we figured there was really no better way to commemorate the occasion than with a good ol' fashioned gallery detailing every last nook and cranny. Our first collection of eye candy takes a closer look at Standard (what Windows Mobile 5 users will know better as Smartphone Edition), but not to worry, touchscreen fanboys and girls -- your Professional gallery is coming up soon!

Gallery: Windows Mobile 6 Standard in pictures

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[tyler @ Feb 8th 2007 12:47AM]

Wow, this looks really nice, I just hope it doesn't have too much higher device specification requirement than Windows CE .NET 5, as it'd be really nice to port it to one of my iPAQs or Palms with ARM processors.

It looks like Microsoft did a great job on cleaning font antialiasing in this release (either that or the device you're showing us has a really nice screen).

I can't wait for a developer's kit! :)

[dixienormous @ Feb 9th 2007 12:35AM]

How can anyone be excited about the same windows mobile interface? Microsoft has mastered the ability to release boring products. Innovation calls for more than just changing the number in the name of the product. On the other hand I cannot stand reading all the negative hype about the new iphone, which is an absolute masterpiece of new innovative technology in the mobile world. The fact that people complain about the price of the iphone is ridiculous. If you cant afford it right away, quit wining and wait till the price drops by 20% in less than one year. Oh yeah, boo hoo you have to switch to cingular, well sorry you have to switch to the best cellular network available in the United States. Lastly, the two competing phones, prada phone and Samsung FGSKWIFJOSJDOSJEFOW, are they considered competitive products because they have touch screens? What about the main F*ing feature of the iphone, the 8GB hard drive. I see how a consumer will love to buy a phone with an inferior interface and no storage unless you spend another $100 on a memory card. Lastly the most expensive iphone is $599, how about the prada phone which lists for $775 plus the $100 memory card, a whopping $875, sounds great to me. If anyone has a rebuttal to this argument fire away, I would love to hear your opinion.

[michael @ Feb 8th 2007 1:03AM]

Wow, WM6 looks awesome. I hope what's inside is as good as it looks. I just wish the Windows Mobile wasn't limited to such small screens. Windows Mobile always looks so cramped in the screen that it get's annoying. I hope in this one (or the next one) they'll make it look less cramped. Like maybe an extended view option?

[jmlg @ Feb 8th 2007 1:04AM]

What phone is being used in the pictures there?

[Brian @ Feb 8th 2007 3:02AM]

From the looks of the comm manager and other apps, I'd say an HTC Excalibur (T-Mobile Dash).

[alloneword @ Feb 8th 2007 2:08AM]

Argghhhh!!

A registry icon! Run for the hills!!

:)

[kittysniffer @ Feb 8th 2007 2:24AM]

Would I be able to turn off the phone feature so I can't get calls when I choose?

[alloneword @ Feb 8th 2007 2:43AM]

Most modern phones have a flight mode. You can use that to turn off the phone radio and not take calls but still use the 'PDA' features.

[Frode @ Feb 8th 2007 3:19AM]

Same old same old. Hasn't changed much since Pocket PC 2002.

[ZSX @ Feb 8th 2007 3:32AM]

More pics of the OS available here!

http://www.pocketpcthoughts.com/images/wm6screenshots/

[chris.brobin @ Feb 8th 2007 3:43AM]

I can't see people running home to create a skin that resembles WM6 for their PDA like they did when the iphone came out.

It looks better that 2003SE at least but whats with the automatic updates? I'm going to have a huge bill the way they release updates all the time.

[keith waddington @ Feb 8th 2007 4:22AM]

Holy long winded messages, batman.
Holy ugly icons, robin.
Holy confusions, batman.
Holy microsoft, robin.

waddo

[L. M. Lloyd @ Feb 8th 2007 4:35AM]

Hey Waddo, why are you obsessed with Microsoft? find something healthy to hate and then get therapy.

keep hating :)

[keith waddington @ Feb 8th 2007 4:52AM]

Mr. Lloyd,

humour suggests a certain distance and objectivity.

hate requires proximity and subjectivity.

Got it?

waddo

[L. M. Lloyd @ Feb 8th 2007 5:23AM]

Well then, if you are such the humorist, I would think that you would appreciate the irony of getting your feathers ruffled by someone quoting you back to yourself.

Oh, and for the record, no actually in most cases humor is a defense mechanism used to cover feelings of insecurity and a fear that people would laugh at you if you attempted to say the same thing seriously. So instead, you couch it as a "joke" at which point you can tell yourself they are laughing with you, and not at you.

I think you are confusing general "it was just a joke" humor, with satire which does suggests a certain distance and objectivity.

[o rly @ Feb 8th 2007 11:00AM]

lol @ keith waddington getting owned twice in the same thread by L. M. Lloyd. It seems a certain hypocrite (waddo) can't take it.

[Jimmy B @ Feb 8th 2007 5:07AM]

i've been using WM5 since december for the first time and i have to say this looks far better, the only thing that i want to hear about though is that they have made programs actually close when you click the X

[Mobilizer @ Feb 8th 2007 7:44AM]

WM6 looks great. How soon before we really start seeing a bunch of smartphones with it from various carriers?

Btw, don't bother dealing with the Apple bimbo fanatics. The industry as a whole is wasting way too much time paying attention to what Apple and Steve Jobs overhyping and lying about their overpriced bimbo crappy technology.

[ZSX @ Feb 8th 2007 9:40AM]

[quote]
I can't see people running home to create a skin that resembles WM6 for their PDA like they did when the iphone came out.
[/quote]

Done!

http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=292014

[aws910 @ Feb 8th 2007 11:58AM]

Yesterday I flashed my HTC Universal with the cooked WM6 ROM. For once, a newer MS operating system is more responsive than the old one(on the same hardware) - I think it may be due to the fact that the ROM I obtained had most things disabled by default... but it's still nice.

Nice features about WM6/Crossbow:
*From the start menu, by default, there's now a shortcut straight to the "running programs" screen. Previously you had to install a program to do this.
*Phone is much faster and more responsive. I have yet to miss a call due to key-lag.
*Cellular network selection is more automatic. No more guessing what kind of network, carrier, etc you're on.
*A new version of pocket IE. I've been using Opera, but I'll give this new IE a shot, as it seems there is no way of re-mapping the IE key to anything else.
*Finally, there is a "Remove Programs" menu.
*There is a "System Restore" program that apparently will reset your device to factory defaults(or so it says).
*There is a built-in download manager(may just be included with my cooked rom)
*Zipfiles have their own program(Not sure if WM5 handled them natively or not)
*MIDlets are supported(They weren't supported on my WM5 ROM that the Universal shipped with)
*You don't have to soft-reset it every 8 hours to maintain OS stability
*More bluetooth support(A2DP, AVRCP-at least in WMPlayer)
*It has windows-live built in(if you consider that a good thing)
*There's an "Internet sharing" program built in(haven't used it so can't comment on its effectiveness)

Many other things, however, function exactly the same as WM5. The way that GPRS connections are handled is the same, messaging hasn't changed much, the start menu hasn't changed, Today screen is the same, WIFI connection manager seems to be the same.

[superpixel @ Feb 9th 2007 12:15AM]

*You don't have to soft-reset it every 8 hours to maintain OS stability
*Phone is much faster and more responsive. I have yet to miss a call due to key-lag.
The WOW starts now folks. Huh, how long did it take MS to include these basic functions? You know, like the ability to answer the phone in time?
and people complain about Apple? my zillion-dollar question: does it still take 3 clicks to quit an app?
I'll stick to pulse dialing, thanks

[Jeff @ Feb 8th 2007 12:22PM]

Check this article out, it goes over the features of Windows Mobile 6, compared to the iPhone

iPhone vs. Windows Mobile 6

This article examines some of the new features of Windows Mobile 6 compared to the iPhone, screen shots of WM6 included

[Jeff @ Feb 8th 2007 12:23PM]

er forgot link heh

http://www.microsoftisawesome.com/2007/02/sorry-iphone-this-is-windows-mobile-6.html

[Sam @ Feb 8th 2007 1:51PM]

ANyone know if MS plans to make the new versions of Windows Mobile Xbox Live enabled like they are doing with Vista? I'd love to play UNO on Xbox Live on my 8525 :)