Windows Mobile Device Center

Infobox Software
name = Windows Mobile Device Center



caption = Windows Mobile Device Center in Windows Vista
developer = Microsoft
released = October 7, 2006
latest release version = 6.1.6965
latest release date = August 20, 2007
operating system = Windows Vista, Server 2008
website = [http://www.microsoft.com/windowsmobile/devicecenter.mspx Windows Mobile Device Center]

Windows Mobile Device Center is a synchronization software program developed by Microsoft, and the successor to ActiveSync. It is designed to synchronize various content including music, video, contacts, calendar events, web browser favorites, and other files between Windows Mobile devices and the Microsoft Windows operating system.

History

Windows Mobile Device Center was written as a successor to the ActiveSync program that was previously used to synchronize Windows CE based devices with Windows operating systems prior to Windows Vista. The first public release was available in October 2006 as a beta version meant for use with Windows Vista RC1.Sampat, Mel. [http://blogs.msdn.com/melsam/archive/2006/10/06/WMDC-for-Vista-RC1-_2800_and-higher_2900_-is-now-available-for-public-download.aspx "WMDC for Vista RC1 (and higher) is now available for public download"] . MSDN Blogs. Retrieved 8 September 2007.] In February 2007, the first official release was made available for download,White, Nick. [http://windowsvistablog.com/blogs/windowsvista/archive/2007/02/01/windows-mobile-device-center-rtms.aspx "Windows Mobile Device Center RTMs!"] . Windows Vista Team Blog. Retrieved 8 September 2007.] and in June 2007, Windows Mobile Device Center was updated to work with the Windows Mobile 6 operating system. [Sampat, Mel. [http://blogs.msdn.com/melsam/archive/2007/06/06/windows-mobile-device-center-v6-1-released.aspx "Windows Mobile Device Center v6.1 Released!"] . MSDN Blogs. Retrieved 8 September 2007.] With the release of Windows Mobile Device Center, Pocket PC 2000 and Pocket PC 2002 operating systems were effectively phased out of full native support with Windows Vista. [http://www.microsoft.com/windowsmobile/devicecenter.mspx Windows Mobile Device Center 6.1 for Windows Vista] . Microsoft. Retrieved 8 September 2007.] However, basic connectivity became available for these devices with the 6.1 version release.

Features

While Windows Vista has a base driver built-in to interface with Windows Mobile devices in Windows Explorer, [Sampat, Mel. [http://blogs.msdn.com/melsam/archive/2006/09/07/Windows-Mobile-Device-Center-missing-in-Vista-RC1_3F00_.aspx "Windows Mobile Device Center missing in Vista RC1?"] . MSDN Blogs. Retrieved 8 September 2007.] Windows Mobile Device Center offers a front-end for users to integrate their data in multiple Windows applications.

The base driver in Windows Vista allows browsing the device, copying files and syncing with Windows Media Player. For complete functionality including synchronization of tasks, calendar data, contacts, email etc. with Microsoft Office Outlook, Windows Mobile Device Center needs to be downloaded which includes the additional drivers as well. [ [http://www.microsoft.com/windowsmobile/devicecenter.mspx Windows Mobile Device Center] ] Synchronization with Windows Mail, Windows Calendar or Windows Contacts and any version of Outlook prior to Outlook 2003 is not supported. Whenever a Windows Mobile device is connected, the "Mobile Device Center" pane pops up giving options to manage media and other files on the device, as well as control their settings.

Ways to interface Windows Mobile devices with Windows Mobile Device Center include Bluetooth, USB, and for legacy purposes, Serial. However, synchronizing via the serial port is not activated by default, and it is required that the user alter the Windows Registry to do so. [http://www.microsoft.com/windowsmobile/devicecenter//troubleshooting.mspx Windows Mobile Device Center Troubleshooting Guide] . Microsoft. Retrieved 8 September 2007.]

Windows Mobile Device Center has the ability to synchronize the following:
* PIM information with Microsoft Outlook 2003 and later (Note: PIM synchronization is not available for Windows Mail, Windows Calendar, or Windows Contacts)
* Photos with Windows Photo Gallery
* Videos with Windows Media Player
* Music with Windows Media Player
* Favorites with Internet Explorer
* Folders/General files with Windows Explorer
* Windows Mobile programs and version updates

Major version releases

* Windows Mobile Device Center Beta 3, Released on October 6, 2006. (First public release)
* Windows Mobile Device Center 6.0, Released on February 1, 2007. (First official release)
* Windows Mobile Device Center 6.1, Released in June 2007. (Added support for Windows Mobile 6 devices)

ee also

* ActiveSync
* Windows Mobile
* Pocket PC
* Smartphone
* Features new to Windows Vista

References

External links

* [http://www.microsoft.com/windowsmobile/devicecenter.mspx Windows Mobile Device Center]