One of the things that have made Google’s Android platform such a strong player in the mobile space is the simple fact that Google has so many popular services. Google’s ability to tightly integrate these services into the Android experience is one of the things that is so appealing. Microsoft may have the numbers, but Google has everything neatly and seamlessly on Android, where Windows Mobile does not.

Think about it. Where Google has Google Search, Gmail and Google Talk; Microsoft has Bing, Hotmail/Live Mail, and Messenger. Though the similarities between the two giants are well documented, the way that they have approached the integration of their services into their mobile platforms couldn’t be more different. While Google makes use of their services bordering on mandatory (you have to have an account to even use an Android device), Microsoft has chosen to take a much more low key approach through Windows Live for Windows Phone.

Windows Live for Windows Phone hasn’t received much face time; but is worth a quick look, which is waiting on the other side of the break.

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Good news for your guys and gals who have been wanting to consolidate other e-mail accounts into Hotmail. (You know, like most other e-mail services have been able to do for, say ever.) This has been available for Hotmail users elsewhere but just opened up to the U.S., Canada and Brazil. Go figure. The process is as straightforward as it could be, and you can now push multiple services through one Windows Live account to your Windows Mobile phone.

Windows Live via Seattle PI

For you Hotmail users out there, Microsoft’s e-mail service will be getting a big bump in memory thanks to new integration with SkyDrive, its free online storage service. Bottom line: It now dishes out 25 gigabytes of space.

This all comes through the recently released Wave 3, which makes big changes to the way we use Live apps. We have already seen new changes to their mail app, and now a little extra space makes for a nice topping.

Some new features include:

• Hotmail's minimum storage space is 25GB.
• The ability to download e-mail attachments from Hotmail into SkyDrive.
• SkyDrive will allow uploading of up to 1,000 new files stored per month.
• Photos will utilize SkyDrive’s 25GB of storage space for storage.

SkyDrive has so much potential for cloud syncing ideas, and this is hopefully the first of many. Hopefully we’ll see Live Mesh come out of beta status and get its ceiling increased, too. But what we do know is that Hotmail now has more storage than our other favorite, Gmail, and its 7 gigs. Will Hotmail’s 25 gigs enough to make you switch?

Via liveside.net

The Windows Live for Windows Mobile team blog drops the news, the Windows Live client (not to be confused with Live Search) has been updated and is available for everybody to download at http://wl.windowsmobile.com/. The client already provided push sync for email and contacts; the new version adds:

• View graphics, web links and contact photos in emails
• Respond to emails with voice recordings
• Upload photos to your Windows Live Spaces

It does appear that this is still the 'lite' version we mentioned back in April, which doesn't provide for MSN Messenger unless your carrier allows for it. According to MSDN, you'll want to uninstall the previous version from settings before installing the new version, FYI.

Apple's Mobile Me service has been having all sorts of issues, so go ahead and give this app an install and show those iPhone folks how push email (just Hotmail and Live mail) is supposed to work. :p

[via]

Everyone knows that Windows Mobile has always been able to have some of the best options like Live Search and Windows Live. But what about the other makers. Remember how Nokia got Windows Live services? Well today once again Microsoft stepped into muddy waters in order to spread the joy.

That’s right, Microsoft straight up let RIM get in on one of the best search services out there. Windows Live Services. Download Squad confirmed that Microsoft is serious about offering their services across multiple platforms. Some of the main apps that will be up and running will be Hotmail and Messenger. Live search should be coming around the corner any minute.

We hereby predict that we'll see these services offered on the iPhone later this year. You heard it here first.

Ok, don't hate us here, we are just the messenger. Hot on the heels of telling you that a new version of Live Search for Windows Mobile is coming down the pipes, we're telling you that you can now download Windows Live for any Windows Mobile devices. Yes, these are different apps. Yes, we're tired of complaining about how silly it is to have to differentiate between “Live Search,” “Windows Live” and “Live Search that isn't an app but is instead just a web search.”

You can hop over to http://wl.windowsmobile.com direct from your device to get Windows Live. Then again, you may already have it installed, as Windows Live comes pre-installed on a few devices. On most, though, the carriers give it the big old Ax because it competes with services they want to charge you for. Good on Microsoft for finally making an end run around these clowns and giving us a direct download, right?

Sigh. Not so much. The direct download version of Windows Live has support for Live Hotmail , Contact sync, and Spaces, it does not include their Live Messenger client (which is heads and shoulders above the default Oz client that most US WinMo devices ship with). This direct download might give you a Live Window (we couldn't resist) outside of your walled garden, but it definitely doesn't completely free you from your carrier.

Still - if you're a Hotmail Windows Live Hotmail user, this is a must-download as it will make your email push and sync up your contacts just right. It will also let you throw a Live Search field onto your Today screen if you're still hunting around for one of those (us, we prefer the Google Today screen plugin, but don't tell big M.)

While you're at it, you may as well visit the mobile version of the Windows Mobile Owners Circle and pick up some other free software for your phone.

[via pocketnow]

The new launch of Hotmail wouldn't normally be a big deal, but for Windows Mobile 6 users it just might be - the "New Live Hotmail" offers free push email and other OTA syncing for personal use. That's actually pretty exciting to me, as it means I can get my business email pushed out via Exchange and my personal email pushed out via Hotmail (that is, if I want to change my personal email address yet again).

In any case, Microsoft's new online-only ads (the pictured one has a half-second of possibly NSFW groaning, FYI) are funny and well-made. They highlight the new features of the updated Hotmail webpage, mainly by playing on the "Male/Mail" pun. Ars Technica linked them awhile ago, but the site is just now working properly for me.

(Forgive my attempt at kitty pidgin in the title. Just trying desperately to stay hip and cool here at WMExperts.)

Read: Windows Live Hotmail