|
Windows Mobile 5.0, originally codenamed "Magneto", was released on May 9, 2005. It is powered by Windows CE 5.0 and uses the .NET Compact Framework 1.0 SP2 — an environment for programs based on .NET to be used.
Microsoft Corporation mobile and embedded devices (MED) division APJ regional director Jason Lim in an interview with Pragati Simlote of CyberMedia News, talks about what Windows Mobile 5.0 has to offer to its stakeholders as well as Microsoft’s expectation from the product in India.
What kind of enhancement does Windows Mobile 5.0 offer for all its stakeholders – developers and users?
Windows Mobile 5.0 was designed to enable our device makers and mobile operators to deliver rich productivity and multimedia experiences for mobile information workers and consumers through features that support broader hardware innovation and new networks and solutions; faster access to information and entertainment, and updates to familiar business applications.
The platform offers updates that make device users even more productive when working away from the desktop. These include Microsoft Office software for Windows Mobile, persistent storage, faster access to e-mail, ActiveSync 4.0+ support, etc. on the security front, Windows Mobile 5.0 is compliant with the FIPS 140-2 standard.
Additionally, Windows Mobile 5.0 includes Windows Media Player 10 Mobile, supports technologies such as hard drives and Universal Serial Bus (USB) 2.0, and enables improved media content organization.
Last but not least, Windows Mobile 5.0 includes numerous enhancements that allow device manufacturers, developers and end users to customize the Windows Mobile user experience, add new functionalities to specific devices, and develop new applications.
What are the security features of Windows Mobile 5.0?
Security has always been a top priority for Microsoft. As the Windows Mobile platform evolves, Microsoft will continue to provide device makers, mobile operators, IT professionals and mobile professionals with security solutions that effectively address their specific needs.
Windows Mobile 5.0 was designed with enterprise-class security in mind, to ensure that businesses always have complete control of their vital information. Microsoft’s Messaging and Security Feature Pack (MSFP) for Windows Mobile 5.0 addresses business customers’ requests for a faster, more direct messaging experience, improved security management, and increased cost efficiency and scalability for their mobile messaging solutions.
The combination of Windows Mobile and Microsoft Exchange Server 2003 SP2 offers security features such as data protection, password protection, remote and local wipe. Information transmitted between Exchange 2003 and Windows Mobile 5.0 with MSFP is SSL encrypted, and this direct connection ensures a higher level of security than solutions using a middleware email server as the data is not being routed through additional servers or a centralized network operations center (NOC) somewhere in the world.
Windows Mobile with MSFP also offers enhanced security and device management via certificate-based authentication to all Exchange data (Inbox, Contacts, Calendar, Tasks) and support for Secure/Multipurpose Internet Mail Extensions (S/MIME).
Additionally, enterprises that require further customization, such as signing requirements, can work with OEMs and mobile operator partners to lock the devices.
What are the partnerships Microsoft seeks in India for Windows Mobile 5.0?
Microsoft’s success has been, to a large extent, a result of our close collaboration with our partners – device manufacturers, mobile operators and application developers – to deliver key innovations to meet the demands of a growing global market.
We’re currently working with 47 device makers and 115 mobile operators in 55 countries, and are definitely keen to build strong relationships in India. An example of this is our recent announcement of a strategic marketing alliance with Bharti Airtel to launch Windows Mobile 5.0 for the first time in India. We have also tied up with HP and iMate to create the form factors on which this solution would be made available. As businesses and users see the benefits of staying connected, and enjoy access to information any time, anywhere, these partnerships will put us in a stronger position to deliver value to customers in India.
Next Page: Microsoft partnerships, adoption of Windows Mobile
|