Microsoft and Google to follow Apple's Good Example

And its about time.

Google recently announced an on device application store for Android - Google's new cell phone platform. The first Google Android devices should be on the market later this year and they will include a working version of the app store.

http://www.computerworld.com/action/article.do?command=viewArticleBasic&taxonomyName=software_development&articleId=9113759&taxonomyId=63&intsrc=kc_top

Microsoft has failed to lead or innovate but they are doing what they do well - playing catch up. The next version of Windows Mobile should also include an on device store called Skymarket. In my opinion this should have been done years ago but at as Windows Mobile developer I'm happy to see it come - regardless of how late it is. Expect to see Skymarket and Windows Mobile 7 sometime in 2009.

http://blogs.computerworld.com/microsoft_windows_mobile_app_store_to_be_called_skymarket

The Elusive Mail applet in Vista 64

I just wanted to make a quick post for anyone else who has had a tough time trying to find the "Mail" Control Panel applet on Vista 64. (and I assume this will also apply to other 64 bit Microsoft OSs).

I was setting up access to an exchange server yesterday for Outlook 2007. As you may already know, this needs to be done while Outlook is fully closed and should be set up by using the Mail applet in the Control Panel.

On Vista 64 bit Edition, this icon is no longer present in the Control Panel. Because this applet is a 32 bit applet instead of 64 - it gets hidden away with other 32 applets.

To find the Mail item - you simply need to click on the icon labelled "View 32-bit Control Panel Items" in the Control Panel. If you don't see this entry, you'll need to change the view in the Control Panel to "Classic View". This can be done by clicking the appropriately named link in the top left of the Window.