Windows 7 Pro Cheat sheet A quick guide to Micros

At the Mobile Planet Congress exhibit, what Microsoft didn;t roll out is as interesting as what it did.
During a February 16 press conference at the demonstrate (many thanks to LiveSide for that Webcast website link), CEO Steve Ballmer and Senior Vice President of Cellular Communications Andy Lees told attendees the firm is generating some tweaks to its cellular strategy: It truly is no lengthier focusing primarily on small business buyers, but both organization and consumer end users; and is also no longer considering cellular products in a vacuum (as an alternative it;s now about phones and software and services).
Microsoft is rebranding Windows Mobile phones as “Windows phones” — but seemingly is continuing to call the phone operating system “Windows Cellular.” (Yes, Microsoft;s branding technique still leaves a lot to be desired.)
Here;s the list of what Microsoft did introduce (alongside of a handful of partnerships for Windows Cellular) in the Barcelona cellular confab on February sixteen:
Windows Mobile 6.5: The next version of Microsoft;s phone operating system, which will appear on new phones starting inside the second half of 2009. The Windows Cellular 6.5 release will feature a new, touch-enabled user interface; new home screen; customizable widgets; and Internet Explorer 6.1, the latest version of Microsoft;s cellular browser. My ZDNet blogging colleague Matthew Miller is disappointed while in the 6.5 release (he has a few screen shots over on his site).
Microsoft My Phone: A new cellular service, formerly codenamed Skybox, that can “sync text messages, photos, video,Windows 7 Pro, contacts and more to the Web.” A limited, invitation-only beta is now open. (Microsoft didn;t talk about the roadmap for My Phone, but I hear Version 1.0 launches this fall and Version 2.0 in 2010)
Windows Marketplace for Mobile: As Microsoft describes it, “a rich and integrated marketplace for searching, browsing and purchasing cellular applications from Windows(R) phones or from a PC by simply using a Windows Live ID.” The Marketplace goes live this fall, starting on Windows Cellular 6.5 phones.
Recite: A new voice-enabled application for Windows Mobile phones that allows consumers to record short notes and recall them using voice search. Recite is now available in technical-preview test form.
Here;s what Microsoft officials didn;t discuss at the demonstrate, which some have been expecting them to:
Skyline: Another new Windows Cellular service (which may or may not ultimately by rebranded as Outlook Live). Skyline is a service that will allow users to have pushed to them both work and personal mail, contacts and calendar items.
Zune Cellular: The set of Zune music and video purchasing/sharing/playback providers that Microsoft is readying for cellular gadgets. Given Microsoft;s public silence on this, I;d guess we won;t see this now until 2010, around the time Windows Mobile 7.0 launches.
Other Pink/Rouge companies: Pink is thought to be the set of consumer-focused providers (beyond Zune Cellular) that Microsoft will make available to phone makers; Rouge is the set of business/unified-communications solutions the firm is believed to be developing. Microsoft still won;t even acknowledge publicly these codenames, let alone what is part of each forthcoming family of companies.
Windows Mobile 7.0: The next version of Windows Mobile, which I;ve heard will be available on new phones by April 2010.
A Microsoft-branded phone: While a lot of business watchers believe Microsoft is readying its own branded phone, I hear that — at least for the next couple of years — there won;t be a Microsoft-branded phone coming to market. Microsoft is working on a chasis reference design but, at least for the near term, Microsoft is leaving the smartphone manufacturing and branding to its phone partners. Do expect Microsoft to do more joint R&D and investment on Windows phones (like it announced on February sixteen with LG), however.