Windows Marketplace Mobile Revealed and Reviewed

It sounds like Microsoft is in the final stages of sorting out their Windows Mobile 6.5 OS update for public release.

That means Microsoft’s Windows Marketplace mobile application store is almost ready to launch.

This will be Microsoft’s answer to the very successful Apple iPhone App Store and is expected to make its global debut with WM6.5, but details up to now have been a tad sketchy to say the least.

Well, that changed today when Microsoft gave a lucky few Windows Mobile enthusiasts a sneaky-peek at the Windows Marketplace.

ppcgeeks forum member MrHawaii managed to get into the Windows Marketplace and take a quick shufty before Microsoft pulled the plug.

Using a “cooked” version of a Windows Mobile 6.5 ROM, MrHawaii opened up the Windows Marketplace app today to find that the “Coming Soon” banner had been replaced by a largely-functional mobile application store.

RAH!

After having a wander round and playing with the UI, MrHawaii found that the Pandora application was ready for download.

Bonus!

“Today I clicked on it and it said CAB needed to be installed. After install, voila! Marketplace open for business. I already downloaded Pandora successfully. There are not too many fun apps yet and most of them come with a charge. But the layout of the store was very finger friendly and very snappy.”

Did you notice that?

Did anyone else expect to see words like “finger friendly” and “snappy” being used to describe Windows Marketplace?

So, Microsoft WM6.5 and Windows Marketplace might be a pleasurable experience after all – but will it topple iPhone’s App Store off the top spot?