If you’ve ever recorded a video on your Windows Phone you may have noticed that the extension is .3gp. Well, .3GP is a simplified version of the MPEG-4 (MP4) container format, designed to decrease storage and bandwidth requirements in order to accommodate mobile phones. This is great if you are worried about storage size but it is an issue if you try to play the video on your PC. As it turns out, Windows Media Player doesn’t support .3gp out of the box. Since this is an issue, you are going to need to install the codec for .3gp or an application that supports .3gp. Here I’ve added links for both. Quicktime from Apple supports the .3gp format so you can watch your movies on your PC, and if you’d like to use Windows Media Player I suggest downloading the The Combined Community Codec Pack. This, more commonly referred to as the CCCP, is a collected archive of codecs (video compression filters) packed for Microsoft Windows. This package has pretty much any codec you can think off and supports any type of video format I’ve come across.
Apple QuickTime
Cost: Basic Version: Free | Pro Version: $29.99
Site: http://www.apple.com/quicktime/download/
Combined Community Codec Pack
Cost: Free
Site: http://www.cccp-project.net/
Wikipedia: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Combined_Community_Codec_Pack
There is a lot of talk about what policies Windows Mobile Supports and you can find a Matrix here on the various security policies you can apply to Windows Phones. Today I’ve decided to expand a little on the on device encryption and SD Card encryption policies as well as outline some of the details around Common Criteria Certification and FIPS Compliance that Windows Mobile enjoys.
On Device Encryption
Windows Mobile 6.1 supports AES 128 Encryption for On Device Encryption. If this policy is enabled in Exchange, you will encrypt the PIM.VOL file which contains all your Email, Tasks, Calendar Info and your notes. It will also encrypt the TEMP Directory and the My Documents Folder. In short your critical information will be encrypted. Mobile Device Manager (MDM) gives you the additional ability to also encrypt other directories.
Note:
1. There is no way to export the Encryption Key
2. The Encryption Key Changes on Hard Reset
3. Device encryption can only be enabled via a security policy there is no way a user can enable this feature in Windows Mobile.
SD Card Encryption
Windows Mobile 6.0 onward supports AES 128 Encryption for files written to the SD card. If this is enabled either by the user or via policy then any files that are copied to the SD Card, edited on the SD Card or moved to the SD card will be encrypted. Any files that existed on the SD card that were obtained from other sources like a PC will not be touched. If you removed the SD card from the Windows Phone you WILL NOT be able to read the encrypted contents on any other Windows Phone or PC.
Note:
1. There is no way to export the Encryption Key
2. The Encryption Key Changes on Hard Reset
Common Criteria Certification
Windows Mobile 6.1 obtained Common Criteria Certification. The Common Criteria for Information Technology Security Evaluation (abbreviated as Common Criteria or CC) is an international standard (ISO/IEC 15408) for computer security.
Common Criteria is based upon a framework in which computer system users can specify their security requirements, vendors can then implement and/or make claims about the security attributes of their products, and testing laboratories can evaluate the products to determine if they actually meet the claims. In other words, Common Criteria provides assurance that the process of specification, implementation and evaluation of a computer security product has been conducted in a rigorous and standard manner
Microsoft Windows Mobile 6.1 completed evaluation to Common Criteria EAL 2 augmented with Flaw Remediation (ALC_FLR.1) in the AISEP on 7 August 2008.
The Windows Mobile 6.1 evaluation builds on and extends the core security features of the Microsoft Windows Mobile 6 evaluation at EAL 2+.
Further details about the scope of the evaluation can be found at http://www.dsd.gov.au/infosec/evaluation_services/epl/mobile_products/windows_mobile_v6.1.html
FIPS Compliance
Windows Mobile 5.0 onward supports the technologies required for Federal Information Processing Standard (FIPS) compliance. FIPS certification is required for selling products to the federal government. Some security-sensitive industries such as finance and insurance, have also adopted FIPS certification.
FIPS 140-1 and its successor, FIPS 140-2, are U.S. Government standards that provide a benchmark for implementing cryptographic software. They specify best practices for implementing cryptographic algorithms, handling key material and data buffers, and working with the operating system.
An evaluation process administered by the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) Cryptographic Module Validation (CMV) Program (http://csrc.nist.gov/cryptval/) allows encryption product vendors to demonstrate the extent of their compliance with the standards, and thus the trustworthiness of their implementations.
Further details about the scope of the evaluation can be found at http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/library/cc182284.aspx
While the ability to send and receive SMS and MMS has existed for quite a while in Windows Mobile still can’t Send SMS messages to Predefined Groups, backup SMS messages to the desktop and auto reply to missed calls. Well it looks like the guys at Trinket Software have seen the gap and come up with a great application called PowerSMS with a great UI to make SMS great on Windows Mobile.
Features
- Note to Self: A quick way to send yourself a Note.
- Group SMS: A feature that lets you create groups of contacts, and drastically reduces the number of clicks required to text them.
- Auto Reply: If you’re in a Movie, or a meeting and want to let people messaging you know, this app can respond to those calls automatically with a text message, thus politely letting them know where you are and that you'll call back.
- Schedule SMS: Schedule SMS or reminders in advance.
- Cool Stats: Get Stats on who and when you SMS.
- Backup & Restore: This app will help you archive, transfer or export messages to your computer or to another phone.
Price: $9.95
Site: http://www.trinketsoftware.com/powersms/
At Mobile World congress Microsoft announced that the never version of Widows Mobile would be Windows Mobile 6.5. here is a sneak peak at what we can expect.
You can see the Video comments on new solutions coming to the platform.
- A brand new touch User Interface
- New Experience with Internet Explorer
- New Cloud Services such as My Phone
I’ve been getting questions on what the latest version of a ROM versions for Devices. Well I’ll be honest, its not an easy thing to keep tack of. That said Marco Nielsen has been doing a great job of keeping track of the latest and greatest.
He’s been compiling a running alphabetical list of which devices now have official supported upgrades available for them since the summer of 2008. This may be useful for many of you when implementing SCMDM and researching which devices are compatible.
http://myitforum.com/cs2/blogs/mnielsen/archive/2009/01/24/windows-mobile-6-1-x-upgrades-now-available.aspx
Mozilla's mobile Firefox browser, which is codenamed Fennec, is now available for Windows Mobile. Mozilla has released a pre-alpha test build of the Windows Mobile port for users who want to get an early look at the program. This release is designed to work on an HTC Touch Pro and might not work yet on other devices.
The release is distributed as a 9MB CAB installer which you can download from Mozilla's FTP repository. It includes a mobile version of XULRunner which is used as Fennec's runtime. The port is still at an early stage of development, but the availability of a Windows Mobile version demonstrates Mozilla's commitment to bring the browser to a wide range of handsets across multiple platforms.
The mobile browser market is highly competitive and there are some compelling alternatives to Fennec that are already available for Windows Mobile users. Opera has done great things with Opera Mobile 9.5, which delivers a Web browsing experience that rivals the iPhone and has some interesting additional features such as support for the W3C Web widget standard. Another alternative that has a lot of potential is SkyFire, a mobile browser that leverages sever-side Gecko rendering and provides excellent support for streaming video. Microsoft is also gearing up to Internet Explorer 6 to replace its current version of Pocket Internet Explorer.
Fennec offers several key advantages over the rest of the pack, but the most significant is its extensibility. Much like Firefox on the desktop, Fennec is designed to support third-party extensions that can increase the functionality of the browser and enhance the user interface.
Here is a video of the Alpha from Pocket Now that does a great job of giving you an overview.
Price: Free
Site: http://www.mozilla.org/projects/fennec/1.0a1/releasenotes/
Blog Article Adapted From:
http://arstechnica.com/open-source/news/2009/02/mozilla-launches-fennec-milestone-release-for-windows-mobile.ars
I got the question the other day on using Twitter with Windows Mobile, luckily there is a great application already out there for Twitter on Windows Mobile - PockeTwit
“What I like is that it works on both your Pocket PC device and smartphone. Mike points out that when you post a reply or an update, PockeTwit will automatically grab your GPS co-ordinates and update your location information to reflect that. And, what I think is very cool is the ability to include a picture from your camera as you enter a post.”
A screenshot doesn't really do it justice, the kinetic list and side menus have to be experienced to understand.
Features:
- A unique user interface
- Works on VGA, QVGA and SmartPhone devices
- Support for multiple twitter and identi.ca accounts
- “Conversation View” shows a what this status was in reply to.
- Uses standard notifications to alert you of new friends statuses or replies
- URL shortening with is.gd
- Take photos and send to TwitPic
- Integrated search.twitter.com
- Clickable @names, URLs, and #Hashtags
- Option to check for new version on startup
- Themes
Price: Free
Site: http://code.google.com/p/pocketwit/
Blog Article Adapted From:
http://mobilitysite.com/2009/02/pocketwit-a-very-cool-twitter-client-2/
When you buy a Windows Mobile phone you end up with a few CDs. Many of you may just throw them away and hit the net for what you really need, but if you look in the box you’ll find that there is often a copy of Outlook, a disc with Activesync 4.5 (to sync with XP) or perhaps it may even have WMDC (Windows Mobile Device Center that allows you to sync with Vista and now Windows 7). What you won’t find in the box is any software that would make a Mac user happy.
As it turns out, there are plenty of people who own a Mac and love Windows Mobile, and as it turns out they just want some love. Well thanks to Mark/Space there is a product that has been appropriately named “The Missing Sync”. The software isn't free but it does allow you to start syncing your Windows Mobile Phone with a Mac.
The latest version allows you to sync via Bluetooth, USB or a network. It syncs your calendar to Entourage or iCal, syncs your contacts with iCal and the Address Book, and even lets your sync your music with iTunes.
Its a must have it you use a Mac.
Cost: $39.95
Site: http://www.markspace.com/products/windowsmobile/mac/windows-mobile-sync-software.html
- Update 2/5/2009 -
I was just contacted by Eltima Software who has a free alternative. According to Eltima, their Syncmate product includes iCal Calendar synchronization and contacts synchronization for Windows Mobile 6. In addition Syncmate allows you to use your Windows Mobile Phone’s internet connection with your Mac. Its great if you’re at a coffee shop without WiFi and want to browse the web.
The also have an “expert edition” that costs $39.95 that includes the following features
- Bookmark synchronization
- Folders synchronization
- iPhoto synchronization
- iTunes synchronization
- Notes synchronization
- Time synchronization
- Mail plugin
- SMS manager plugin
- Applications list plugin
- To Do's plugin
Cost: Basic Version: Free | Expert Version: $39.95
Site: http://www.sync-mac.com/syncmate.html
Feature Comparison: http://www.sync-mac.com/syncmate-expert.html
As it turns out, a lot of people are using iTunes to manage their music, and they want to start taking advantage of Windows Mobile’s Media player. Well it looks like there are a few solutions out there from free to pricy, and I’ve commented on a couple.
1. iTunes Agent – Price: Free
Site:http://ita.sourceforge.net/
iTunes Agent is a small application resting in your system tray constantly looking for new MP3 players and other music capable devices connecting to your system. When a device it recognizes is connected to the system, it will create a playlist for the device in iTunes and it will synchronize that list with tracks on your device.
You may then modify this list, add and remove tracks, before you tell the iTunes Agent to synchronize the list with your player.
NOTE: Your windows Mobile phone may not show up as a drive according to iTunes Agent and hence it may not work.
2. TunesSync – Price: $9.95
Site: http://www.pocketmac.net/products/tunessync_windowsmobile/index.html
TunesSync for Windows Mobile is a simple, yet powerful app that allows you to copy your favorite iTunes playlists to your Windows Mobile Phone. You can set up TunesSync for Windows Mobile so that every time you connect your handheld to your PC, TunesSync for Windows Mobile automatically runs and copies the music you want copied. The Storage Card Sync feature allows you to sync only to your Storage Card.
3. Pocket Tunes – Price $37.95
Site: http://www.pocket-tunes.com/?page=overview
Pocket Tunes is a Windows Mobile Media Player replacement that syncs with iTunes in its latest release (Version 4.1). Pocket Tunes does a lot more than just syncing with iTunes but it may be overkill if all you want to do is sync.
Once you get your Windows Mobile Phone syncing with iTunes don’t forget to grab a pair of Bluetooth headphones and listen to the music on your phone wirelessly.
If you are running into sync issues, or you’d like to troubleshoot an Activesync issue on your Windows Mobile Device, setting up Verbose Logging and parsing the logs is sometimes the quickest way to find the problem.
Setting up Windows Mobile for Verbose Logging
Open the Activesync Application on the Windows Mobile Phone.
Click Menu – > Click Options –>
Make Sure Microsoft Exchange is Highlighted
Click Settings –> Click Next on the Server Settlings Screen
Click Next on the User Information Screen –> Click Menu on the Server Settings Screen
Click Advanced –> Set Event Logging to Verbose
The log is saved in text format in the Windows\ActiveSync folder, for example
windows\ActiveSync\serverlog0.
The log file is cleared at the beginning of each synchronization session. To retain the log file, copy or rename the log file before you start another synchronization session.
To copy the log file:
- Synchronize your PocketPC device with the server. If the synchronization fails, synchronize until the point of failure.
- Disconnect your PocketPC device to prevent the log file from being overwritten if an automatic synchronization is scheduled.
- In Windows Explorer, expand My Device, expand Windows, and then locate the log file that is in the ActiveSync folder.
- Rename the log file.
- Connect to the desktop.
- In the desktop ActiveSync program, choose Explore, browse to the ActiveSync folder, copy all the Log file to a folder on the desktop.
- Turn the logging back to Brief or None.
Customers who have a CISCO VPN solution and want to extend it out to Windows Mobile devices need to look no further than the Bluefire VPN Client.
The company says its Mobile Security Suite 3.5 and Mobile Security VPN 2.0 applications have been certified interoperable with Cisco's VPN 3000 Concentrator. The Mobile Security VPN 2.0 is a IPSec virtual private network client bundled with RSA's BSAFE Encryption, and compliant with Federal Information Processing Standards 140-2 (FIPS 140-2). It operates seamlessly across LAN, WLAN, GPRS/EDGE and 1xRTT/1EV-DO with no user intervention required.
Here are a few more features of the Bluefire VPN Client
- FIPS 140-2 Compliant.
Utilizing Microsoft’s CryptoAPI™ library, the Bluefire VPN meets stringent federal guidelines as established by the National Institute of Standards and Technology in the Federal Information Processing Standards 140-2. (Please note: The Palm version of Bluefire's VPN is not FIPS 140-2 compliant.) - NAT-T enabled (Network Address Translation Traversal).
Allows for multiple IPSec clients behind a NAT to be distinguished. - Built to IPSec standards.
The VPN software client easily fits in the existing network infrastructure and configuration. - Compatible with RSA SecurID.
The Bluefire VPN is certified by RSA Security as interoperable with the RSA SecurID two-factor authentication token. - Compatible with certificate and smart card based authentication.
- ICSA Labs certified.
Bluefire's VPN is the first mobile IPSec VPN to receive this certification.
Bluefire's VPN client works with the following Versions of Windows Mobile
Windows Mobile 6 Windows Mobile 5.0 Windows Mobile 2003 Product Page: http://www.bluefiresecurity.com/products/vpn/
Download: https://www.bluefiresecurity.com/downloads/try/freeVPN1.asp
I've been traveling quite a bit lately and the one question I've gotten a lot in Asia and in Europe is around Language Support in Windows Mobile so I thought I'd attempt to address it.
Unlike Windows Vista, Windows Mobile doesn't have a MUI or Multilingual User Interface on a single image that supports double bit characters (Chinese/Japanese) unless you get a device in a region that uses that double bit language.
The question that I get most often is, assuming I use an English language version of the operating system.
- Can I input in a double bit based language like Chinese or Japanese?
- Can the system display and send and receive messages written in a double bit language?
- Can I change the regional settings to support another language?
Since the Standard and Professional versions of the OS differ I've covered their multi language support independency.
Windows Mobile Standard/Smartphone (Non Touch Screen)
- Inputting in a double bit based language like Chinese or Japanese - Unfortunately you cannot without a 3rd party add-on like CEStar
- Reading double bit based language like Chinese or Japanese - Unfortunately you cannot without a 3rd party add-on like CEStar
- Changing the regional settings to support another language - Here we do have an answer, on Windows Mobile Standard devices you can go to Start -> Settings -> Regional Settings -> and Choose Language - The number of languages listed here will differ on different phones and won't include double bit character languages in general.
Windows Mobile Professional (Touch Screen)
- Inputting in a double bit based language like Chinese or Japanese - Unfortunately you cannot without a 3rd party add-on like CEStar
- Reading double bit based language like Chinese or Japanese - Unfortunately you cannot without a 3rd party add-on like CEStar
- Changing the regional settings to support another language - Windows Mobile Professional device do have a regional Setting menu that lets your choose the Region. It is located under Start -> Settings -> System -> Regional Settings. Here you can choose a supported language but you will find that Chinese and Japanese are not on the list. In addition, a few have a custom rom image prompt when you hard reset the device, that asks you for the location and then installs regional language packs.
Solutions:
If you are looking for a phone to support English and double bit characters you have 2 choices.
- You can purchase a regionalized phone. They will come with the local language and English. This can be difficult if you aren't in the region however companies like Expansys can get you a regionalized device wherever you live.
- Purchase a 3rd party add ons like CEStar that will add the language support you need.
I've been getting a lot of questions around features and links for Mobile Device Manager and Macro Nelson did a great job and I added a few links of my own.
System Center Mobile Device Manager - Overview:
http://www.microsoft.com/windowsmobile/mobiledevicemanager
Microsoft System Center Mobile Device Manager 2008 Resource Kit - Best Practices Analyzer
http://www.microsoft.com/DOWNLOADS/details.aspx?FamilyID=ec5eedea-7741-4d1b-aba8-a5181847fad3&displaylang=en
System Center Mobile Device Manager Product Reference Guide
http://download.microsoft.com/download/9/a/4/9a401fa2-4044-4550-af33-8821f826a708/MSCMDM_Product_Reference_Guide.pdf
System Center Mobile Device Manager Demo
http://download.microsoft.com/download/4/b/a/4bad1be6-ad64-413a-b251-7100b70b1eb6/CTIA_Wireless_Clip1_500K.wmv
User Enrollment Demo
http://blogs.technet.com/vik/pages/how-to-enroll-your-windows-mobile-standard-phone-with-mobile-device-manager.aspx
System Center Mobile Device Manager Architecture Overview
http://www.microsoft.com/windowsmobile/business/strategy/architecturaloverview.mspx
System Center Product Page:
http://www.microsoft.com/systemcenter/mobile
One page overview:
http://www.microsoft.com/systemcenter/mobile/evaluation/overview.mspx
120-day Trial/Evaluation Download:
http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/evalcenter/cc339027.aspx
MSDN media: http://msdn.microsoft.com/subscriptions/downloads
TechNet Product Page:
http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/scmdm
TechNet Forum for SCMDM 2008:
http://forums.technet.microsoft.com/en-US/SCMDM/threads/
Product Documentation:
http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/scmdm/cc304592.aspx
This currently has the following guides listed:
- Architecture Guide
- Planning Guide
- Deployment Guide
- Security Guide
Resource Kit Tools: (v1.1 released on May 14th, 2008)
http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/scmdm/cc304591.aspx
This currently has the following downloads:
- Self Service Portal (SSP)
- Server Tools (See my other blog posting for the v1.0 release)
- Client Tools: ConnectNow and VPNDiag see this blog posting, MDM Managed Device Status Viewer new with the v1.1 release)
- Best Practices Analyzer Tool (BPA)
- Reporting Services (new with v1.1)
One note on the Server and Client Tools:
The v1.0 downloads dated April 1, 2008 where removed and updated with the v1.01 or later dated after May 1, 2008. Do not extract the older versions to your root C:\ drive folder as it will blow away your OS! See the KB article on this here: http://support.microsoft.com/kb/952338.
Windows Mobile 6.1 Emulator
http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/details.aspx?FamilyId=3D6F581E-C093-4B15-AB0C-A2CE5BFFDB47
Emulator setup documentation: http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/library/cc461417.aspx
Windows Mobile 6.1:
http://www.microsoft.com/windowsmobile/6-1/default.mspx
Proxy assistance:
To configure a Proxy running ISA server to tunnel HTTPS packets on port 8443 to the Device Management server, use the AddTPRange.vbs script from here: http://www.microsoft.com/technet/isa/2004/plan/managingtunnelports.mspx
I've gotten a lot of questions around Line of Business solutions that would allow our customers to fill out forms on mobile devices to collect data. While you could create a website, develop a form and connect it to a webservice that would collect the data Microsoft has a solution to do exactly that: InfoPath.
Similar in functionality to how InfoPath Forms Services renders browser-enabled form templates in a typical desktop Web browser, InfoPath Forms Services also renders forms in browsers on handheld, or mobile, devices. Most mobile devices are supported, including PDAs (Personal Digital Assistants), smart phones, and any device that supports a Web browser with HTML, cHTML and xHTML; WAP is not supported. There are, however, some key differences in how forms are rendered in a mobile browser and considerations to keep in mind when designing a form template for use on a mobile device.
With Microsoft Office InfoPath 2007 and access to a server running InfoPath Forms Services, you can create and deploy InfoPath form templates that can be filled out on a mobile device. For an overview of mobile form templates, see Designing Form Templates For Use On A Mobile Device. Its as easy as creating a basic InfoPath form template for use on a mobile device and then testing and debugging it by using downloadable tools that are also available with Visual Studio 2005.
Designing InfoPath 2007 Forms for Mobile Web Browsers
http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/bb251745.aspx
How to: Create, Test, and Debug Mobile Form Templates
http://msdn2.microsoft.com/en-us/library/ms772291.aspx
Integrating InfoPath 2007 Forms in Web Sites Using Visual Studio
http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/bb267336.aspx
In addition to the built in solution available via InfoPath 2007 there is also a compelling solution from a Microsoft Partner: Formotus (www.formotus.com)
The main advantage from Formotus is the ability to put a client on the device that can handle offline scenarios.
Well I've been getting a lot of questions around Battery Power and I thought I'd write something covering battery power on Windows Mobile Devices. When it comes to a mobile device, Windows Mobile or other, battery power is really limited by 5 things.
1. Processor
2. Screen
3. Radio
4. Hard drive
5. Battery Size / Type
1. The Processor: As we try to get more and more out of Windows Mobile devices, OEMs keep putting in faster and faster processors. On some devices you'll find that the processors can step up and down power consumption based on usage, however as we move forward we'll generally see faster processors using more power.
2. The Screen: The Screen on the Device is yet another huge power hog. The larger the Screen, the more power its going to use and this is something to keep in mind. With OLED and other low power Screen technologies around the corner OEMS (Hardware Manufactures) should be able to improve battery life on devices.
3. The Radio: The Radio (Wifi, CDMA, GPRS, EVDO, WiMAX, Bluetooth) causes major battery usage on Windows Mobile devices and its important to understand how quickly a device's battery can run down when these radio's are on.
- Cellular - GPRS, 1XRT, EDGE: Most phones in the market have utilized this radio for the past few years and when we look at a device we can use battery life with just the GPRS/1xRT radio as a base line if you want to compare it to other devices.
- Cellular 3G - EVDO, HSDPA: While the EVDO (CDMA) radio doesn't put a huge strain on a Device the HSDPA (GSM/UMTS) radio can considerably tax a devices battery. Many Non-Windows Mobile manufactures haven't released devices that have HSDPA into the market place. One of the speculated reasons is that HSDPA radios have an adverse effect on battery life and this is a major concern with current battery technology. On the other hand with many Windows Mobile devices there are ways to turn off the high speed HSDPA radio. I've blogged on how to do this on the Samsung Blackjack. Disabling the HSDPA radio will improve battery life but it will also make you lose the functionality of the high speed radio. This doesn't really effect the device if you are just using it for Activesync (Mail Sync) but if you are browsing the web or using your device as a modem for you PC then you'll want to make sure you don't disable the HSDPA Radio
- Bluetooth: Bluetooth is yet another Radio on the device that can affect battery performance. While Bluetooth doesn't hit battery performance has heavily as perhaps an HSDPA Radio or a Wi-Fi connection it does impact how long the battery lasts.
- Wi-Fi: The Wi-Fi Radio is perhaps the most power hungry radio found commonly on a Windows Mobile device. For Customers running LOB applications with ruggedized devices the battery is normally big enough to handle all day usage of the WiFi Radio, however if we try to use the Wi-Fi radio on one of the consumer devices you're going to end up with battery life that will probably not meet a user's needs.
- Wi-Max: Wi-Max is something we've yet to find in any Mobile Device that are generally available however the battery consumption from a Wi-Max device is extremely high. While I've yet to do side by side comparisons, some have found that a Wi-Max radio can use more battery than a Wi-Fi radio. Now Wi-Max is still in its very early stages so the Radio Battery consumption can be drastically improved.
4. The Hard Drive: While Few devices include a hard-drive, due to its moving parts a hard-drive consumes a considerable amount of power and can dramatically effect your battery life.
5. Battery Size / Type: The battery size will directly impact how long the battery lasts. Today with devices getting smaller the battery size also shrinks and its something to keep in mind when purchasing a device.
With all this said I often get the question:
"Well my old phone used to last for days but my new Windows Mobile Phone's Battery doesn't last that long."
If all you are using on your Windows Mobile device is the Cellular GPRS/EDGE radio then you should also expect a pretty long battery life. I've used both the Blackjack and the HTC Dash with only GPRS/EDGE Radio enabled and I've gotten 2+ Days of battery life. The Same device with 3G(HSDPA) had battery life that was considerably shorter. When I left Wi-Fi on I got about half a day. Now its important to keep in mind as you start turning on more and more radios it's going to impact your battery life. Most non Windows Mobile devices don't have any of these advanced radios so their batteries last much longer. Its key to keep this in mind when you compare and contrast the device you are purchasing.
I'm not advocating that you turn everything off on a device. What I am suggesting is that the more advanced your mobile device the higher you're battery usage; in the end the enterprise or user will have the weigh the pro's of the the new advanced radios on a device with the battery performance.
