| HTC phones rev'd to Windows Mobile 6.1 |
Aug. 27, 2008
 Two more smartphones gained Windows Mobile 6.1 upgrades, thanks to newly available downloads. Free ROM upgrades for the HTC-sourced AT&T Tilt and Verizon XV6800 provide threaded SMS, improved Direct Push technology, the ability to zoom out on web pages, and other minor fixes, the companies say.
Downloadable ROM upgrades to Windows Mobile 6.1 for various phones have already been released by a few hardware vendors or carriers. Examples include HTC's Touch and Mogul, Motorola's Q9h, and Samsung's SCH-i760. In addition to providing the new operating system, the upgrades improve performance slightly, according to third-party reports. Now, the upgrade is available for two key devices, AT&T's Tilt and Verizon's XV6800.
AT&T Tilt
AT&T's Tilt
(Click image for further information) |
When it was released in October 2007, the HTC-manufactured Tilt (right) was claimed to be the "most feature-packed smart device available in the U.S." It includes a slide-out keyboard and a tiltable touchscreen display that makes it resemble a small laptop. Other features include GPS, WiFi, and dual cameras. For more information, see our earlier coverage, here.
The Tilt received a ROM upgrade in February that was claimed to improve performance, and to enables dual-tone multi-frequency (DTMF) tones for the slide-out QWERTY keyboard. The latest upgrade revs to Windows Mobile 6.1, and adds the following additional features, according to HTC:- HTC Home software
- Video share calling
- Improved remote desktop access
- Push-to-talk button now reassignable to other operations
Verizon XV6800
Verizon's XV6800
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Verizon's XV6800 is another HTC-sourced device, though in this case one that has been remarketed by UTStarcom Incorporated. Fundamentally similar to HTC's Mogul, Sprint's PPC6800, and T-Mobile's Wing, the XV6800 features a slide-out QWERTY keyboard, touchscreen display, and support for EV-DO (Evolution Data Optimized) data mode.
According to UTStarcom, its ROM upgrade for the XV6800 not only provides Windows Mobile 6.1, but also provides EV-DO Rev. A connectivity. Rev. A is said to increase the maximum burst downlink rate to 3.1 Mbps, and improve the maximum uplink burst rate to 1.8 Mbps.
The XV6800 ROM upgrade delivers the following additional features, according to UTStarcom:- Added Microsoft Remote Desktop application
- Resolved compatibility issues with Microsoft Voice Command 1.6
- Added the capability to read microSD cards up to 16GB
Background
Microsoft's Windows Mobile 6.1, announced in April, may be only an incremental upgrade to 2007's Windows Mobile 6.0 operating system, but it does include some key new features. For example, the included version of Internet Explorer makes it possible to zoom out on web pages in order to view their overall layout. Other additions touted by Microsoft include:- Redesigned architecture for the operating system's Direct Push email technology
- Threaded display of SMS (short message service) messages, simpler WiFi and Bluetooth technology
- The Task Manager application
- Compatibility with Microsoft's System Center Mobile Device Manager 2008 management
Further information
The Windows Mobile 6.1 upgrades for the AT&T Tilt and the Verizon XV6800 are respectively available from the HTC website, here, and UTStarcom website, here. To be updated, phones need to be connected to a desktop computer running Windows, and user data should be backed up, the companies warn.
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