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We're trying to get excited over this one. We really are. But another rumored brand name for Windows Mobile/Search/Whatever just doesn't do for us what it used to. But we're going to suck it up and and remember that it's all about confusing informing you, the reader, that two more names have surfaced.

Joseph Tartakoff over at PaidContent now brings us Sift.

The name appears to be intended for use with mobile phones, judging by the trademark description. It reads, “operating system software for mobile phones; computer search engine software; computer programs for searching email, text messages, address and contact information.”

But wait. There's more. Enter: Swivel.

However, the company is expected to unveil new online services by the time it launches Windows Mobile 7 next year, and Sift could be one of them. Microsoft trademarked another brand, Swivel, in March, which it said in the application it wants to use for “operating system software for mobile phones (cell phones).”

So let's do a roll call here and see if we've got it all down. There's Kumo, which is a rumored successor to Live Search. Then there's Kiev (or Kyiv, or ???? - please, let's not go down that road again) and Bing, which also are contenders. Throw in Sift and Swivel, and, well, we've just got more names. There you go. Hope everybody's happy.

(Oh, and about that shirt ...)

If you're in the market for a free, lightweight RSS reader, here's one you might want to check out. FeedMe does all the usual things you'd expect from an RSS reader. You set up the feed, and it pulls in the stories. But it goes further than that, allowing you to actually search the Web, Yahoo and Google News, search within feeds, Feedster, Live Search, etc.

Here's the full feature list:

• Supports RSS, RDF, and Atom feed formats
• View feed content in full HTML fidelity with pictures
• Supports MP3/WMA podcasts (Also supports streaming WMA)
• Download Manager: Allows you to view the progress of current downloading podcasts
• Downloaded Podcast channel allows you to view all your downloaded podcasts easily
• Today folder, Watch folder (find content with certain keywords)
• Cache all the content for seamless reading experience
• Play all downloaded podcasts in a playlist in Downloaded Podcast channel
• Pick a feed from an OPML file (You can open the OPML file from local device or from a URL)
• Options to automatically download latest episodes of a podcast and purge old files
• Config file auto-save and auto-recovering

It comes pre-loaded with everything you see in the picture on the left, though it was missing the WMExperts feed. Surely that's just an oversight. FeedMe is available on Windows Mobile Pro and Standard phones (.net 3.5 needed), and you can download it here.

FeedMe via Channel 10

We've been expecting AT&T to beef up its 3G network in the coming months, and now we have some details.

AT&T Mobility VP Scott McElroy says software updates will double the downstream speed to 7.2 megabits per second and are already being tested in two markets. The rest of the network is targeted for an upgrade thereafter.

But AT&T's looking past that and toward HSPA+, which will increase speeds to 21 Mb/s. And looking even further into the future, tests with the 4G LTE standard should begin sometime next year.

Acronyms and numbers aside, what does this all mean? Quite simply, be on the lookout for faster speeds on an AT&T network near you.

TelephonyOnline via Phonescoop

If we had to pick being guilty of just two things here at WMExperts (yes, we know the list is much, much longer than that), it'd be a love of all things beta, and testing out new Twitter clients. And with that in mind we've been playing with Twikini, a rather lightweight client from Trinket Software (@twikini). It's just been released as a free beta.

Hit us up after the break for a lightning review.

Update: There were some issues running Twikini on the Moto Q. A new version has been released that fixes this and adds some other updates. Get it here.

Last month Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer raised a bit of a ruckus (OK, when does he not) when discussing capacitive touchscreens and how he doesn't believe the iPhone uses them in a way that keeps the phone price economical.

Needless to say, many of you scoffed – nay, you were outraged – over the idea that Windows Mobile still doesn't support capacitive touchscreens simply because it costs too much. (And more than a few of you could care less, and that's OK, too.)

But fear not, loyal reader. We're here today to tell you that we believe capacitive touch is coming to Windows Mobile. We don't expect to see it with Windows Mobile 6.5, but it's probably coming thereafter. Our reasoning, after the break.

My dream job has always been either a professional basketball player or photographer. While my skills on the court negated the latter possibility, I did work my way through college as a newspaper photographer enjoying every assignment.  While my career path shifted after college, I've always kept a hand in photography and an eye for good picture sources. 

The Big Picture is a photo blog created by Alan Taylor for The Boston Globe. According to the Globe, "The Big Picture is intended to highlight high-quality, amazing imagery - with a focus on current events, lesser-known stories and, well, just about anything that comes across the wire that looks really interesting."  No arguments here.

The blog has one of the best collections of photographs I've seen in a long time. While this site more commonly accessed on a desktop/laptop, Kinoma Play is now offering it as a channel with zoom and pan capabilities that retains the high quality aspects of each photograph. The Big Picture is in the Kinoma Guide at Pictures and Podcasts>The Big Picture. The blog is updated every Monday, Wednesday and Friday.

Via Fuze Mobility

Windows Mobile 6.5 has been "announced," and apparently we're getting closer to "launch." The Windows Mobile Team Blog [via ZDNet] notes that there will be a "kickoff launch presentation" on May 11 at the start of TechEd 09.

Stephanie Ferguson, GM of Business Experiences at Microsoft’s Mobile Communications Business is going to deliver the kick off launch presentation of Windows Mobile 6.5 on Monday, May 11th at 1:00PM – 2:15PM. This Tech Ed 2009 session focuses on one of the biggest launches in the history of Windows Mobile – Windows Mobile 6.5. It is targeted at both IT Professionals and Developers, with a cool demo and an outline of great stuff to come.

What's this mean for you, the consumer? Probably not much (though it'll certainly give us something to write about). There are launches, and then there are launches. Windows Mobile 6.5 still has to officially make it to the manufacturers (not everyone can use a leaked ROM, you hackers), and so we're still not expecting and devices to get sanctioned upgrades until the fall.

But chugging forward at any speed is better than spinning our wheels.

When it comes to buying a phone, you've got a few options. There's the official, carrier-subsidized route, which generally is the cheapest option. You get a discount on the phone in exchange for signing a contract with the carrier, usually for two years. There's the third-party route, such as eBay and Craigslist, which sometimes can help you find a deal, though generally not as good as with a carrier subsidy.

The most expensive way to buy a phone normally is "unlocked," meaning that it's not tied to a carrier. If the phone radio has the correct frequencies, you can use it on T-Mobile, AT&T, Sprint, Verizon, whatever.

We've already seen pricing for the HTC Touch Diamond 2, which unlocked will run between $500 and $600. Now we're starting to see pricing for the Touch Pro 2. And you're going to have to dig deeper for this one. In Singapore, an unlocked TP2 is gonna cost you a decent laptop, or about $880. Ouch.

So, either start saving those pennies now, or be prepared to wait for the carriers to release it later this year.

HTC via Unwired View

Qik, everybody's favorite live video streaming app, has been updated for Windows Mobile Standard.

Version 0.2.44 brings:

• Send video messages to contacts from within the contacts app.
• Share the link to your video via SMS, e-mail, Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, etc.
• Upload existing videos from your phone to Qik.
• Additional language support.
• Quality and bug fixes.

Head over to d.quik.com to download the update, or do it from within your exisiting Qik application.

Take it from us, we're chomping at the bit to get our hands on an HTC Touch Diamond 2. In the meantime, we'll have to make do with the North American model manual, found on the Internets by a member of XDA Developers. There should be a few goodies scattered throughout; TM already has found ISO settings for the camera. Whet your appetite a little more and pore through the thing, and let us know what really piques your interest.

Touch Diamond 2 manual (pdf link) via Tilt Mobility