Most of the major carriers are ramping up for the October 6, 2009, release of Windows Mobile 6.5 with new mobile offerings featuring the new version of the OS. There has been an outpouring of reviews and coverage for the OS, but the more I see about WinMo 6.5 the more I want to throttle my AT&T Tilt running WinMo 6.1 Professional. The OS has proven itself to be bulky and consistently  laggy, which is especially frustrating even after several hard resets and application bonfires when all I want to do is possibly use the on-screen keyboard with one other background app. Maybe all I need is a new handset with an upgraded WinMo OS, although I’m hesitate to leap back into WinMo’s arms when Android, Palm Pre, and Apple look  much more welcoming.

Cue my dismayed groan when the GCR Mobile Team for Microsoft China let loose that there will be at least 30 mobile handsets running Windows Mobile 6.5 by the end of 2009.  HTC is filling more than enough of their WinMo quota by skinning WinMo into something more palatable, as has Samsung with TouchWiz. I love HTC’s handsets but wish more of their smartphones would ship with other operating systems.

Carriers in on the WinMo 6.5 action are AT&T, SprintNextel, Verizon, T-Mobile, Orange, and a several others worldwide. I may have yearned for the HTC TouchPro2 and HTC Leo once upon a time, but experience has made a WinMo skeptic out of me. If your heart flutters at the mention of WinMo, WMPoweruser.com has a good list of upcoming Windows Mobile 6.5 as well as upgradable handsets. I’ll just sit over here and mutter about the Palm Pre’s exclusivity contract with Sprint and the unfair number of Android phones on T-Mobile.

Source: Digitimes

Marilyn Torres (39 Posts) - Website | Twitter | Facebook

Marilyn Torres is a contributing blogger for Mobility Site. She also blogs about movies, books, comics, and recipes at her personal blog, marit.vox.com. Marilyn has a Bachelor of Arts in English and currently lives with her other half, Cavalier-Poodle, and tabby cat in Central Florida.