In a packed hall of developers and industry partners at Microsoft® Mobile & Embedded DevCon 2005, Bill Gates announced the release to manufacturing (RTM) of Windows Mobile 5.0. This new version of the Windows Mobile software platform delivers on partner requests, including more platform flexibility to customize devices and solutions; productivity enhancements that include updated Microsoft Office software and persistent memory storage for more efficient data management; and a powerful multimedia experience with Windows Media Player 10 Mobile and support for hard drives.

"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," Gates said. "Windows Mobile 5.0 enables our industry partners to develop exciting new hardware designs and solutions that will revolutionize how customers use mobile devices."

Partners can take advantage of the following features:

• New technologies. Increased platform flexibility, the top customization request, enables partners to plug in differentiated technologies such as "push-to-talk" or video calling and conferencing.
• Network support. Support for higher-bandwidth 3G networks, Wi-Fi for the Smartphone platform and improvements to existing Bluetooth support enable more flexibility to integrate mobile phone services across a variety of networks.
• One-handed operation. Across the Windows Mobile platform, soft-key integration, landscape display orientation and QWERTY keyboard support will enable hardware partners to develop compelling devices with improved one-handed keyboard navigation that empowers customers to access their information without a stylus.

With its updated and enhanced look, Windows Mobile 5.0 enables industry partners to create devices and solutions that provide mobile information workers with more efficient and secure access to information. These refinements include the following:

• Persistent memory storage. The most requested productivity feature from partners and customers alike, persistent memory storage retains information even when the device's battery is depleted.
• Microsoft Office software for Windows Mobile. Users will be able to view and create charts in Excel Mobile, and edit documents with graphics using Word Mobile while maintaining document formatting with files created on a PC. A new PowerPoint Mobile application has been included for Pocket PC, giving road warriors the ability to view and rehearse presentations.

With the more than 25 Windows Mobile content partners, the ability to play multimedia files has long been a hallmark of the platform. Windows Mobile 5.0 offers enhancements that enable industry partners to provide a more powerful and personalized multimedia experience through the following features:

• Windows Media Player 10 Mobile. Customers can enjoy a larger number of protected digital music, video and recorded television files that can be synchronized easily from a PC or downloaded from many Internet-based services and mobile operators' music stores with Windows Media Player 10 Mobile. The updated player also enables synchronization of users' playlists, album art and song ratings.
• Pictures and video. A new pictures and video application will add advanced features such as burst mode and timer function previously found only on high-end digital cameras.
• Extended storage. Additional support for hard drives and Universal Serial Bus (USB) 2.0 will enable people to easily and quickly store large amounts of information -- such as entire digital picture and music libraries -- on a mobile device and synchronize this content with a PC.

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