Redmond, Washington — Microsoft Corp. last week introduced a Facebook application especially for Windows Mobile smartphones 6, which it claims is the first application that lets users to keep up with their friends and upload videos directly from their handsets to their Facebook pages — the Palo Alto, Calif.-based social networking site.
For those of you using Windows Mobile 6.0 or higher and have a Facebook account. The software giant made Facebook for Windows Mobile available for download on its Web site.
Facebook has a decent mobile page for phones, but it lacks many feature. It merely consists of the basic status updates, wall posts and profiles, but not much more. With the new Facebook app, you can do much more. 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 are doing,” according to Microsoft’s Web site. “Show your friends what you are up to while you are out and about.”
The Facebook app enables you to upload video to your account right from your phone. This is currently the only Facebook app for phones that has this feature.
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.
As for the tempting features of the Windows Mobile Facebook app is the integration of contacts, calendar and data in the phone. Facebook events can be synced to the phone’s calendar. The app can sync in Facebook friends’ phone numbers and profile pictures to the phone’s contact list. The share information is then used to call or text message your social networking acquaintances.
Facebook for Windows Mobile gives users the ability to:
Nevertheless, Microsoft first announced plans for the app in March; though it is very late to the Facebook party that where Apple, Inc. and Research in Motion and Palm have all released their own. So what took Microsoft so long?
The delay was especially baffling in view of the software maker’s financial backing of Facebook. In 2007, Microsoft invested $240 million into the social-networking service, helping to push Facebook’s valuation to an estimated $15 billion.
Another version of Microsoft’s Facebook app for the new Windows Mobile 6.5 operating system will be available later this year when the updated smartphone software becomes available, according to Microsoft.
Facebook continues to cater to 5.3 million monthly active users and is gaining popularity and is speedily approaching the status of most-visited social-networking site on the Internet, according to one tracking company.
Microsoft is also developing a similar free MySpace app this summer, which Korean handset maker LG Electronics Inc. has already agreed to preload on its Windows Mobile phones.