Windows Mobile 6.1 Officially Official - new shiny Vista-like goodness for everyone

Windows Mobile 6.1 has lots of new features, let's start with the new version of Internet Explorer that comes with the bundle and offers up the ability to view full-sized web pages and even multimedia on the web pages. The browser has technologies from IE6 built in alongside support for H.264, Adobe Flash, and Microsoft Silverlight.

Windows Mobile 6.1 itself includes a lot of much needed features as well including making the most needed info easily available at a glance, quicker set up for a phone, and some features developed specifically for phones with small screens. They are also unleashing some new enterprise based IT-level software for Windows Mobile 6.1 including System Center Mobile Device Manager 2008 or you can use Exchange Server 2007 SP1 with the new software for the ultimate experience for IT pros.

From the home page you should be able to glance, see, and respond to missed calls, text messages, upcoming calendar events and notifications. There will also be the ability to play music from the home page on your Windows Mobile 6.1 phone; there will even be the option to share photos on the home screen. Performing tasks such as setting up email, pairing a Bluetooth headset, or connecting to a WiFi network should become a lot easier with the new Getting Started Center.

They've added in threaded text messaging, the ability to flag, select and delete, and otherwise manipulate multiple messages at a time instead of having to do it all on a single message basis. They've also added in the ability to zoom in on both texts and pictures and on web pages so you can view an entire web page all at once or zoom in on a certain section so you can read it. Sadly the new IE won't be available until Q3 this year and there was mention of Windows Mobile 6.1 not being available until the end of the second quarter this year.

[via Microsoft]