Windows Mobile 6.5 launched

Microsoft has lifted the lid on Windows Mobile 6.5, its new operating system for smartphones. Unveiled at the Mobile World Congress event taking place in Barcelona this week, Windows Mobile 6.5 has an improved touchscreen interface, the company said. Using the built-in My Phone feature, Windows 6.5 will also let you synch text messages photos, videos and contact details with the web, according to Microsoft. And the Windows Marketplace for Mobile is a new app store, similar to the one offered by Apple for the iPhone, that lets you find and download new applications to your smartphone. "Windows phones bring together the best of the web, the PC and the phone so you can connect instantly to the experiences you care about, no matter where you are," Microsoft's Steve Ballmer said. HTC, LG and Orange have partnered with Microsoft to launch the first wave of Windows Mobile 6.5-powered mobile phones. The new handsets are expected to hit the market in the summer. www.microsoft.com