Editor's Message

That may be true for the carbon crystal known for its beauty and hardness, but gems in the ever-evolving mobile device industry lose their luster quickly and are supplanted by shinier stones in more elegant settings.

The latest round of smartphone evolution began with the release and success of the Apple iPhone. Since then, developers have been focused on making the interface on Windows Mobile devices more user-friendly and, we've noticed, introducing cleaner and more attractive device designs with fewer physical buttons and key pads. In the last issue, we reported on Sony Ericsson's new XPERIA X1 and its new "Panels" UI. In this issue, we take a first look at the HTC Touch Diamond and its animated TouchFLO 3D interface. HTC hopes that this device will be a "game changer" for Windows Mobile, allowing the Touch Diamond and future HTC devices to better compete against Apple's gem.

What other changes need to be made to make Windows Mobile more attractive to consumers? Our bloggers have some opinions about that and share them with us in an article titled "A Windows Mobile Wish List." They want to see the UI simplified and applications made easier to use. But they also want Windows Mobile to be even more powerful and feature-rich.

One of the big strengths of the Windows Mobile platform is the wide variety of third-party software available for it. The most popular category of software is Utilities—programs that add one or more useful features to a Windows Mobile device. In this issue, our Best Software Awards judges comment on the strengths and weaknesses of their favorite utilities. We also take a look at some of the exciting new accessories and technology on display at this year's CTIA wireless show in Las Vegas.

A diamond is not only beautiful; its inner structure makes it incredibly hard—and very useful in industry. And like the diamond, the inner capabilities of Windows Mobile recommend it to the enterprise. Its power, customizability, and the variety of enterprise solutions already available for it make it the platform of choice in a variety of enterprises. We look at a number of field service and retail solutions in this issue. We also have an excellent profile of a real estate agent who uses Windows Mobile to go the extra mile for his clients.

Finally, we'd like to introduce you to a new section in the magazine called "The Web." In it, we'll focus more on Web-related products, services, and developments of interest to Windows Mobile users. In this issue, investigate streaming media, applications that depend on a Web connection, and ways to get more from your cellular provider.

There are many more gems in this issue, and a few diamonds in the rough. But I promise—no more diamond metaphors!