Microsoft Brings Facebook To Windows Mobile Devices
Microsoft Brings Facebook To Windows Mobile Devices
Mobile-phone users with Microsoft Windows Mobile devices and who have a Facebook account can keep up with what their friends are doing, thanks to a new Microsoft application. The software giant made Facebook for Windows Mobile available for download on its Web site.
Users of Windows Mobile 6.0 or higher can use the Facebook application to call or send messages to any of the people on their friends list; take photos and videos, then upload them to Facebook; and manage their profile.
“Now your status updates can be up-to-the moment accounts of what you’re doing,” Microsoft’s Web site said. “Show your friends what you’re up to while you’re out and about.”
Windows Mobile 6 is powered by Windows CE 5.0 and is linked to Windows Live and Exchange 2007 products. The standard was meant to be similar in design to Windows Vista. The functionality of Windows 6 works much like Windows Mobile 5, but is much more stable.
Mobile Apps
Facebook as a mobile application isn’t new, but more companies and carriers are making Facebook available on the phone.
“As an app, yes, {Microsoft} is late to the party considering that (Research in Motion’s)BlackBerry and (Apple’s) iPhone already have it, and, in some cases, the Facebook app is on its later editions to those platforms,” said Ramon Llamas, senior analyst of the mobile devices technology trends team at IDC.
Already, Facebook boasts 5.3 million monthly active users on the application for BlackBerry devices. Last July, Facebook made Facebook for iPhone available through Apple’s App Store.
“But keep in mind that Internet Explorer on Windows Mobile devices would have allowed users access to the Facebook Web site anyway,” Llamas added. “The fact that this is a stand-alone application will be a value add for customers who visit the site frequently.”
Jumping on the Facebook Bandwagon
While Microsoft is behind the eight ball in comparison with other competitors such as Apple and Research in Motion, it’s not too late for the company to jump on the Facebook bandwagon.
“I don’t think the window has closed for Windows Mobile to offer it, especially since Facebook is still popular and growing.” Llamas said. “What would have been the larger concern is if Windows Mobile offered the Facebook app and no one was using it anymore.”
Facebook continues to gain popularity and is fast approaching the status of most-visited social-networking site on the Internet, according to one tracking company.
Visits to Facebook increased 149 percent in February compared with February 2008, according to a March report by Hitwise. On April 8, after five years in business, Facebook reached a milestone with its 200 millionth user and continues to grow
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Tags: BlackBerry, facebook, iphone, Microsoft, Mobile, Windows
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