Australia's Optus on Tuesday teamed up with Microsoft to release a GPRS handset based on Microsoft's Windows for Smartphones software, giving Microsoft another backer for its mobile phone plans.
The Qtek7070 handset uses the Windows CE-based Smartphone operating system to bring Internet Explorer, Outlook and Instant Messenger to the mobile, in an attempt to replicate the desktop user experience as closely as possible.
Microsoft is playing catch-up to some extent in the nascent wireless data industry. A number of wireless devices from vendors such as Palm and Handspring use the Palm OS, while handset giants such as Nokia, Sony Ericsson, Siemens and Samsung are releasing devices based on the Symbian OS. Research in Motion has also carved out a niche in some countries with its BlackBerry wireless handheld computer.
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