Windows Mobile 6.5 handsets tip up

THREE VENDORS have announced handsets based on the soon-to-be-released Windows Mobile 6.5 operating system.

Vodafone will start shipping the LG GM750 smartphone exclusively from the OS launch on 6th October until the end of December, by which time people will probably be bored of it anyway. Early adopters might like the GM750's 3.0-inch touch screen and built-in GPS navigation function.

Meanwhile HTC has already confirmed that its Windows Mobile 6.5-based Touch 2 will be available at the software launch date as well, with availability in a variety of European and Asian markets to follow.

According to pre-release blurbs, the HTC Touch 2 makes the most of the software's messaging, browsing and productivity capabilities, including the ability to synchronise with Microsoft Exchange servers, and features the redesigned Internet Explorer Mobile. HTC's Touch 2 handset is also expected to include GPS functionality.

If you don't find the choice of handsets confusing enough already, Sony Ericsson has announced that it will be releasing a Windows Mobile 6.5-based mobile phone too, in its case the XPERIA X2, which will also be available only on Vodafone.

The Sony Ericsson XPERIA X2 comes with out-of-the box support for Skype, Mytopia and Google, along with a TV-out cable that will let users display phone-based presentations on a large screen.

"Windows phones allow people to manage their whole world - from work to home to play - on a single handset," said Stephanie Ferguson, general manager, product management, Microsoft. "The XPERIA X2 taps the powerful messaging and multimedia capabilities in Windows Mobile so customers can be in touch, productive and entertained wherever they are."

So there you have it. µ