"Microsoft has officially announced a new version of  Windows Mobile that adds support for capacitive touchscreens and multi-touch, as well as a number of other tweaks. It is not the more significant revamp of this OS expected to be unveiled later this month.Windows Mobile 6.5.3Capacitive touchscreens -- which are operating with a fingertip instead of a stylus -- have become nearly standard on smartphones. Microsoft created its OS to be used with resistive touchscreens and a stylus, but Windows Mobile 6.5.3 changes that.This new version has an updated user interface with larger buttons and controls that make it easier to use with a fingertip. In addition, it includes a new magnifier, which lets users enlarge the small buttons on third-party apps that haven't been redesigned for capacitive displays.Microsoft says that multi-touch support has also been added, but doesn't say what gestures have been included.
Enhanced Start Menu, Faster Browser, Etc.
Windows Mobile 6.5.3 also brings improvements to Internet Explorer Mobile. Microsoft is promising quicker page loads, and that this browser offers better performance when zooming and rotating pages, as well as when scrolling pages. In addition, the Start menu now allows users to re-arrange the icons with drag-and-drop (shown here). Previously this menu -- the main application launcher for this OS -- had very limited tools for re-arranging icons.Microsoft has also simplified the set-up process for phones running this new version.
Coming Next Quarter?
The first smartphone running Windows Mobile 6.5.3 has been announced, the Sony Ericsson Aspen. This model is expected to reach the market in the second quarter of this year. It's not yet known when updates to this new version will be released for current models. The timing for this will be up to the manufacturer of each device." via brighthand.com

Today sees the announcement of Sony Ericsson Aspen™, the business mobile phone with green credentials at its core. The newest edition to the successful Sony Ericsson GreenHeart™ portfolio, Sony Ericsson Aspen™, allows easy multi-tasking combining the touch experience and a real QWERTY keyboard. Organise and adapt panels to change during the day and use Slide View for quick access to common features. With Sony Ericsson Aspen™, view and edit office files easily and comfortably with one touch operation, or just access the internet in one click. The QWERTY keyboard is made for fast and easy typing. Simple email set up allows for a maximized messaging experience on the go. Secure the phone’s contents through the Microsoft MyPhone service, which remotely erases phone data when the handset is lost or stolen. “Sony Ericsson Aspen™ is the business phone with a conscience, perfect for any consumer or company who want to make a green choice in their daily work life.” Said Quentin Cordier, Global Marketing Manager, Sony Ericsson. “An affordable GreenHeart™ phone with the latest version of Windows Phone, the Sony Ericsson Aspen™ has a rich user interface and powerful productivity tools. But it’s not all about work, stay in touch with the fun parts of life with Media Browser and PlayNow ™, with simple access to social networks and quick and easy access to media files. Find the fun with a-GPS, Google Maps™ and snap pictures with the 3.2megapixel camera.” Read more inside..

"It was back in February 2008 that the XPERIA lineup was born and it took Sony Ericsson almost two years to bring about the XPERIA X1 successor. The long waiting is over now and the XPERIA X2 is keen to prove to us all it was worth it.Both devices obviously have lots of features in common (it's the same amount of memory - both RAM and ROM, and the same CPU) but there are - possibly - enough improvements to make the XPERIA X2 a strong successor and a valuable upgrade. And by telling you that, we don't only mean the more recent version of WinMo. 6.5 was never officially compatible with the original. Anyway, the upgraded imaging is the greatest asset of the XPERIA X2 hardware and we're about to see how much it works in its favor." Read more here:

"Although mobile news has been hinting a Windows Mobile 6.6 showcase by Microsoft on the upcoming Mobile World Congress, Garmin Asus has started to accept customer pre-order in Taiwan for its new Garmin Asus M10. The new Nuvifone is confirmed to be using Windows Mobile 6.5.3, a new version that comes with a thinner task bar on top. Customers should expect to receive the M10 from Feb 6th next month. Garmin Asus Nuvifone M10 has an attractive price of around 450 USD. The price is also bundled with an extra battery, or a car holder to be used for GPS navigation. It also offers a 3.5-inch WVGA resolution touch screen, 5 megapixel camera, built in WiFi, GPS, bluetooth, 3.5mm headphone jack, microSDHC card slot, 512MB RAM/512 MB ROM and Garmin GPS software with Taiwan map data. Check other specifications below:

• CPU: Qualcomm 7227 600MHz
• HSDPA / WCDMA / 3G 900/2100；2G 900/1800/1900
• Weight: 138 grams
• Size: 116 x 58 x 14.3 mm
• 1500 mAh battery" via slashphone.com
  

Samsung today announced the expansion of its application store, Samsung Apps. From late January 2010 Samsung Apps will be available to Omnia II (I8000) and OmniaLITE (B7300, I329) users in Singapore, Germany, Brazil and China. Users will benefit from immediate one-click access to a huge range of applications from games and social networking apps and even e-books.“Beginning with the global expansion of Samsung Apps, Samsung will make its application store available to owners of its upcoming flagship models. Our goal is to help everyone to enjoy rich, personalized mobile experiences, wherever and whenever they wish,” said Kanghyun Kwon, Vice President of Samsung’s Media Solution Center. “To help customers get the best out of their Omnia devices, we are carefully categorising our applications and services, making them accessible, easily searchable, and always relevant to you.”Applications such as Guitar Hero (Mobile Bus), Spiderman (Gameloft), Need for Speed (EA) and skin (Prompt) will all be available at launch, with more applications from a range of leading third-party publishers added throughout the year.Gameloft, Electronic Arts, Handmark, CrazySoft Limited, Paragon SW, Com2us, and Shazam are among those working with Samsung to develop Samsung Apps. In addition, local language-based applications will be provided to enhance usability.Users in Singapore, Germany, Brazil and China can download the Samsung Apps client from Samsungmobile.com through wap. From mid-February, products in Singapore and Germany will be shipped with the Application Store pre-installed; these customers will also be able to take advantage of Kies – a new software suite that allows users to search and download applications directly from PCs. The applications are then installed onto a mobile device when synced with a PC, providing instant back up and peace of mind for application downloads. The availability and launch-timing of the service may vary depending on service provider and country. via slashphone.com

"HTC’s HD2 is probably one of the few, if any, Windows Mobile 6.5 devices sporting a capacitive touchscreen. So what does that mean for the stylus fans? Generally it means you’re out of luck, since taking a toothpick or pen and poking your screen isn’t going to work, and touching the screen while using normal mittens are out of the picture too. Now it seems that there is a solution, which is the official HTC capacitive stylus for the HTC HD2. Such an item was previously mentioned, but was out of stock for the longest time. Now, as long as you’re willing to part with a whole £17 ($28) for a capacitive stylus, you’re good to go! The only downside is that you don’t have any space to store this item in the HTC HD2 itself, so you’ll need to take extra care of your expensive stylus." via ubergizmo.com

"HTC’s HD2 is probably one of the few, if any, Windows Mobile 6.5 devices sporting a capacitive touchscreen. So what does that mean for the stylus fans? Generally it means you’re out of luck, since taking a toothpick or pen and poking your screen isn’t going to work, and touching the screen while using normal mittens are out of the picture too. Now it seems that there is a solution, which is the official HTC capacitive stylus for the HTC HD2. Such an item was previously mentioned, but was out of stock for the longest time. Now, as long as you’re willing to part with a whole £17 ($28) for a capacitive stylus, you’re good to go! The only downside is that you don’t have any space to store this item in the HTC HD2 itself, so you’ll need to take extra care of your expensive stylus." via ubergizmo.com

"We've reached the point where a smartphone can do most of what a laptop can. Nevertheless, many people still carry a laptop with them when they travel because they want a larger screen. A pico projector gives you the best of both worlds. I know the projected image doesn't look its best in the video above, but keep in mind that it was taken under harsh conditions. It looks much better in dimly-lit rooms. Its colors are good, and the image is sharp. (There's a manual focus so you can adjust it to your liking.) There's still a hurdle to get over: battery life. The pico projector uses the eXpo's battery, and can drain it in a couple of hours. If you're planning on watching a movie on the plane, you'd better bring an extra battery.." Read more here:

"Rafe and I have often pulled out the 'hybrid' form factor as the one offering the best of all worlds. i.e. a screen that occupies most of the plan form factor of the phone, with a qwerty keyboard that does the same, made possible through a sliding, pivoting or folding mechanism. Yes, there's a level of mechanical complexity which might prove unreliable in the long run, but the benefits are huge.And yes, touchscreen-only fans will point out that a 'slate' device (e.g. Samsung i8910 HD, HTC HD2, Google Nexus One) can pop up a landscape keyboard when needed, to also give the best of both worlds, but I'd also argue that:

• with such a virtual keyboard on-screen, the display area left is much reduced
• even on the best virtual keyboards, you don't get the mechanical feedback of thumb-typing on real keys - this leads, ultimately, to faster, more satisfying text input

This head to head isn't exhaustive, of course, I've limited it to just four interesting devices. The idea is both to compare hybrid solutions from different platforms/ecosystems and (in the E90's case) from a different era. And to provoke discussion and debate, of course!" Read more here: