Microsoft ReaderAs grouchy as we all should be about the Tower of eBabel, I’m delighted to hear of efforts to alleviate the pain in the here and now. Here’s a note from “The Microsoft Reader Team” about Windows Mobile Phone devices:

We do support Windows Mobile Phone Edition devices. However, as noted on our web site, we have encountered a problem with some Windows Mobile 5.0 Phone Edition devices. This is due to a change in the security model adopted by some device manufacturers. We have been working on a fix and expect to deploy it shortly. We do not currently support Windows Mobile Smart Phone devices.

What’s “shortly“? I’ll ask Microsoft for the specifics. If I don’t get an answer, I’ll welcome readers jogging me to query Microsoft again if a solution isn’t at hand in the next few months.

Update, 6 p.m. EST: Microsoft says the fix will come in two weeks. Great!

6 COMMENTS

  1. Consider this a jog then, have they fixed it? Perhaps I should stop being lazy and go google it (if google doesn’t think my query is an automated search that is, thats getting to be so annoying I’ve started using yahoo instead).

  2. OK, the latest from the Reader folks at Microsoft:

    “In response to your question, the Windows Mobile platform is used to power two types of phone devices: Windows Mobile-based Pocket PC Edition phones and Windows Mobile-based Smartphones. We support Windows Mobile-based Pocket PC Edition phones, we do not currently support Windows Mobile-based Smartphones. Using Microsoft Reader on a Pocket PC Edition phone does not require a special version of the client software; you simply install the standard Pocket PC version of the Microsoft Reader client. I hope this helps clear up any confusion.”

    Needless to say, I’d love to know when the fix will come for Windows Mobile-based Smartphones. I’ll do a follow-up email.

  3. Just bought a Windows Mobile 6 Standard phone. (The renamed equivalent for Windows Mobile Smartphone edition)

    Have you heard anything about whether they are ever going to get around to providing a copy of Read for Windows Mobile Standard?

    A big part of why I bought this phone was that I assumed a Windows Mobile phone would have a reader version like I had on my IPAQ…

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