Microsoft has officially launched Windows Live for Mobile in the US today as well as other territories around the world expanding availability of the access client to 33 markets and 16 handsets in the process.
The service as before will launch as a free trial with billing to be implemented at an undisclosed later date.
The service was rolled out to 11 initial markets and 5 devices beginning last year and has now expanded to include Australia, Austria, Belgium, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Indonesia, Ireland, Malaysia, Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Philippines, Portugal, Russia, Saudi Arabia, Singapore, South Africa, Spain, Switzerland, Sweden, Thailand, UAE, UK and Vietnam along with Hungary, Iceland, India, Israel, Poland, Romania and the USA.
The service works by providing access to the most popular services on the Windows Live network which include Windows Live Hotmail, Messenger, Live Contacts, and Spaces.
The client is now compatible with the Nokia N73, N80 Internet Edition, N95, N95 8GB, N76, N81, N82, N93i, E90, E65, E61i, and E51 which can now be accessed from the Download folder for each respective device, while the 6120, 5700, and the 6110 require an additional software download from Nokia which can be found here.
Few things from first impressions…
To install the app, you actually run Nokia Download! and grab it from there. It installs the support files if needed.
Unfortunately, there’s a bit of confusion, as Nokia says it’s in the WinLive folder. There is no WinLive folder. It’s actually listed as the oh-so-generic “Mail and IM” in the Applications folder (inside of Download!).
Also, brace yourself, the app takes several minutes to install after being downloaded… even on my N95, even after the support files are installed.
My first impression… is that Windows Mobile owners are getting shafted. The only way to get Windows Live Messenger on a Windows Mobile phone… is to have the OEM cook it into the firmware. Most aren’t.
However, S60 device owners just have to download the app. Why Microsoft won’t offer Windows Live Messenger as a download for Windows Mobile continues to boggle my mind.