If you plan on getting HTC HD2 or any latest Windows smartphones running on WinMo 6.5 operating system, you shouldn’t bet that you will get a free upgrade to Windows 7, because your WinMo 6.5 phone won’t support Windows Mobile 7. Microsoft has confirmed such statement this week by saying that Windows Mobile 7 is a complete reset of Windows Mobile operating system, and “it has no current plans to allow any current Windows Mobile phones to run the new OS, which is due to start shipping on new devices by this year’s holiday season.”

The current Windows 6 apps would have to be rewritten to run on Windows mobile 7. “In some cases, some work can be done to get those apps to run, but it’s fundamentally a different platform,” said Todd Brix, another member of the Windows Phone team.

The software giant also said that those “developing software for Windows Phone 7 Series devices will do so using either Silverlight or XNA, the toolset used to create Xbox games.”

“Overnight those developers have become Windows Phone developers,” said Charlie Kindel, the Microsoft executive in charge of the mobile developer strategy. “One of our principles is to build on the shoulders of giants.”

via ZDNet

Although Microsoft hasn’t announced Windows 7 mobile officially, it is confirmed that there will be two versions of Windows Mobile 7 -Windows Phone Seven Business Edition (BE) and Windows Phone Seven Media Edition (ME). The Business edition version allows manufacturers to customize the OS, like adding HTC SenseMe interface and etc. Also, the business edition has more advanced features, such as synchronization, and multiple users account. The Media Edition of Windows Mobile 7 is a powerful OS that supports HD video, Silverlight, Mediaroom, XBox Live, the integration of Zune, streaming TV and access to social networking sites.

The first two phones that will run on Windows Mobile 7 are LG Apollo and HTC Obsession. It is expected that both phones will be announced at the World Mobile Congress in Barcelona in February. Let’s stay tuned at HandCellPhone.com for more updates.

LG Apollo

Network: CDMA / EV-DO and GSM / HSDPA
Wireless: Wi-Fi
Display: 3.8-inch touch screen with multi-touch, AMOLED, WXGA
Processor: Qualcomm with a frequency of 1.3 GHz
Memory: 1 GB RAM, 1 GB of ROM, microSD slot
Camera: 10-megapixel with autofocus and video recording 720p

HTC Obsessions

Network: GSM, HSDPA
Wireless: Wi-Fi
Display: 3.7-inch touch screen with multi-touch, AMOLED
Processor: Qualcomm to 1 GHz
Memory: 512 MB RAM, 512 MB ROM, 4 GB internal, microSD slot
Camera: 5-megapixel with autofocus and recording of HD video

As Android, iPhone, and BlackBerry are trying to dominate the Smartphone market, the software giant, Microsoft, decided to push back the release date of Windows Mobile 7, the so called Microsoft’s answer to iPhone touch screen technology. It has been almost 3 years since Apple first released iPhone back in 2007, and Microsoft still can’t make a multi-touch Mobile OS until now! This is just a big shame for Microsoft.

Casio today announced the clumsy-looking IT-800 RGC-35, a rugged phone with a big 3.7-inch LCD screen. Believe it or not, this super stupid looking phone is powered by Windows Mobile operating system (possibly Windows 6.5 mobile). As you can see from the picture, the phone doesn’t have QWERTY keyboard. The only piece of information we know is the Casio IT-800 RGC-35 is designed to resist water, dust and shock, which is what a rugged phone is designed for anyhow.

It looks like Toshiba hired some models from “Victoria Secrets” to help launching the Toshiba TG01 in Taiwan. The sexy models showed off the Toshiba TG01, a full touch screen phone powered by Windows Mobile 6.5 and 1GHz of Qualcomm SnapDragon processor, in the launch event. I am not sure how the attendants could focus on the TG01 phone instead of the upper body of the models.

You could watch the video demo of Toshiba TG01 here.

If you have a Windows mobile powered phone, yes I do mean pre-Windows 6.5, I bet you will be very disappointed with its user interface. And if you still carrying the Windows Mobile phone and you haven’t tried Spb Shell software before, you are missing something big. SpbShell is a software that literally upgrades the user interface of Windows Mobile to a whole new level that is not only beautiful but so intuitive to use. Installing the Spb Shell software feels like converting a PT Cruiser into a Ferrari in a few seconds. So, please don’t thrash your Windows mobile phones before you try this software. The good news is Spb Software today announced the new Spb Shell 3.5 with 3D interfaces in Taiwan!

Demos and Videos

Click here to view the embedded video.

Click here to view the embedded video.

The Spb Shell 3.5 3D interface looks very alike to LG’s S-Class 3D interface with flappable screens. The new Spb Shell 3.5 also has widgets, and will support Facebook, Twitter, and other social networking apps. It has built-in support for Facebook profile images, and users could use Facebook images in their contact list.

The selling price for this unbelievable software is only $29.95. The Spb Shell 3.5 will be available at Windows Marketplace next month.

Screenshots of Spb Shell 3.5

How much longer we need to wait for the official release of Windows Mobile 6.5 with multi-touch navigation technology? Well, we don’t know the answer, but this video shows the build 23022 of Windows Mobile 6.5 running on a HTC smartphone. For Microsoft fans, this is something good for you. However, what we see in the build 23022 is pretty much what iPhone or Android could do. Microsoft still has long way to go.

Click here to view the embedded video.