Windows Mobile 6.5.3With some new content on the Help & How-To of the Windows Phone site, on Windows Phone 6.5.3, Microsoft is fulfilling their promises of not abandoning this version of Windows Mobile OS, and keeping it alongside of the all new Windows Phone 7.

 

Good news indeed. Now, if only we could get an official update on the latest models… but historically, and unless the new version corrects some serious bug, brings new functionality (which is not the case), or the costumers raise enough "noise", only new devices get these WM updates.
Mind you, that’s a manufacturer option, as these updates are free from Microsoft. But the manufacturer has to “tweak” it and adjust to every single model, language, and sometimes cellular provider. So, if a model is no longer being sold, or is in its final months of commercial life, why would a manufacturer spend time and money on that model? Just to keep customers happy? Better tell him to buy a new device, right?
Sadly, this is the normal procedure, with some rare exceptions. And, apart from iPhone (until now), and some Symbian models, this practice is common to other Operating Systems.
But that can change, as you can read bellow. Microsoft might provide direct online updates. It’s not very clear yet, so we will have to wait and see.

 

So, what’s new (taken from the Windows Phone site)?

Most of the differences in Windows Mobile 6.5.3 are the result of improvements to the touch-screen experience. The differences fall into three categories:

Improved “touch-ability”
To make elements in the user interface (UI) easier to tap, most of the UI that you interact with—including buttons, icons, list items, and tabs—are bigger than they were in earlier versions.

Improved consistency
To make the UI more predictable, more items are in the same position on every screen. Also, in the tile bar, at the bottom of your screen, some of the touchable words have been replaced with touchable images to allow for more consistency in size.

Improved gesture support
To simplify your experience, there are more UI elements that you can use gestures—such as tapping, tapping and holding, and dragging—to interact with. In addition, rotations are faster, and pan-and-flick gestures work more smoothly.

Some additional changes in Windows Mobile 6.5.3 include:

  • A few updated menus and settings
    If a Help topic tells you about a menu item that you cannot find on your phone, see if the menu has a Tools sub menu. If it does, the menu item may be there. If it’s not there, or if there’s no Tools sub menu, the item may have been removed. A handful of menu items have been removed in Windows Mobile 6.5.3.

    If a Help topic tells you about a setting, such as a check box, that you cannot find, tap each label on the horizontal scroll, looking for the setting on each screen. If you can’t find it, the setting may have been removed.

     

  • Bing
    Bing is the new Microsoft search engine and is available on the Start screen. To search the web, tap Start, and then tap Bing.

     

  • Online updates
    To update your Windows® phone, you can Download a Windows Mobile update by using your computer or you can Download a Windows Mobile update by using your phone. You can no longer update your phone by tapping the Windows Update icon (update icon) in Settings; the icon has been removed in Windows Mobile 6.5.3.

     

  • The Today screen
    The Home screen has been renamed the Today screen, so, when a Help topic tells you to tap Home, tap Today instead.
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