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Some supposed screen shots of Microsoft's follow up to Windows Mobile 5.0 have surfaced. The image to the right, for example, of the wireless operating system, code-named Crossbow, shows the Pocket PC home screen. You'll notice it has a sleeker and glossier look than the current mobile platform, with a pair of Calendar and Contacts softkeys plus Vista-like icons and folders.

As has been reported before, the Pocket PC and Smartphone versions of Crossbow won't ship to manufacturers until the end of this year. This means you shouldn't expect PDAs and handsets running the platform until sometime during the first half of 2007, and possibly the second.

Microsoft's senior VP for mobile devices and telecoms sector Pieter Knook has spoken publicly about Crossbow. He said the Redmond software giant plans to update its mobile platform yearly, in fact

Knook added import features to the new mobile OS would be robust ties to the upcoming Office 2007 suite (word processing, spreadsheet, presentation), including a mobile edition of Office Communicator - with instant messaging and other communications applications - and Exchange 12 for e-mail.

Microsoft's next mobile platform after Crossbow is taking shape as well. Code-named Photon, the OS, which isn't due until sometime in 2008, is a full-blown redesign of the Windows Mobile platform. (Although the company hasn't officially given Crossbow, let alone Photon an official name, it is likely they'll continue with the Windows Mobile branding.)

Photon will supposedly finally unify the Smartphone and Pocket PC platforms of Windows Mobile under the single umbrella that Windows Mobile 5.0 was supposed to do but didn't. Its interface may be customizable as well. They will almost certainly be easier to use.

Those who've gotten an early preview of Photon say it allows you to control every aspect of your smartphone from a single screen with one hand.