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This is another one where we just have to shake our heads and sigh.

CNET's Ina Fried posts on her blog [via] that Microsoft has told a handful of its partners not to expect a final build of its Windows Mobile 7 operating system until the second half of 2009.

Not exactly the sort of WinMo news we hoped to bring you on the day the first Android device is officially released.

Fried does write that we shouldn't have to go cold turkey as we wait for WM7, with an update to Internet Explorer Mobile still in the works. (Yeah, that doesn't make us feel much better, either.)

We are, however, reminded by Fried of a speech Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer gave in April in which he spoke of the sweeping changes planned for WM7.

"The work we're doing on Windows Mobile 7, which is the next major release of Windows Mobile, not just in the Windows Mobile team, but across Windows Mobile, in Silverlight, the development platform, the e-mail, the back end, I think you'll continue to see that as an area of major excitement and innovation for the company as we move forward."

And while Silverlight has had a bumpy start, the rumor of a Microsoft-led application store could well be what's holding this whole thing up, and it could well be worth it.

In the meantime, Microsoft appears content to let outside manufacturers do the UI legwork, a la HTC's TouchFlo and the sliding panels on the upcoming Xperia X1, and third-party options such as SPB's Mobile Shell.

Group product manager Scott Rockfeld tells CNET's Fried:

"Customers don't have to sit back and wait. There's tons of stuff coming from us and our partners."

But we do have to sit back and wait from Microsoft. Again.

Fall is here, and it's time for Software Wrangle 19! Throw on your horse blanket, saddle up, and get ready to lasso and wrangle some Windows Mobile apps!

This week, WM Standard new software is Dashwire and Business Professional Ringtones. Updated software includes Elecont Weather and Tank Ace 1944. The free app this week is WeatherBug Direct.

WM Professional new software are Meon and Lyma Power Budget. Updated software includes MeTeoR Digital Multi-Track Recorder and Efficasoft Outliner. Freeware is Media Remote v1.00.

WM Standard: New

Dashwire

Hot on the heels of the Touch 3G gaining FCC approval, the Federal Communications Commission has approved the HTC Touch HD, albeit in the European flavor without the U.S. 3G bands. That's OK, because it means we'll be able to import it here and them complain about how it doesn't work well enough (hello, Diamond?).

It's also the usual step toward getting an honest-to-goodness U.S. version, so we'll take what we can get.

In other Touch HD news, Arne over at The Unwired has a great hands-on video with the device. That's 23 minutes of 480x800 goodness, with a good look at how the hardware handles TouchFLO 3D. It's smooth, even in what presumably is not the final production ROM. But will it be quick enough to satisfy?

Check out the video here.

After this week's shocking revelation that Windows Mobile 7 has been delayed to the back half of 2009, and all the hoopla surrounding Android, we're looking for some positive OS news wherever we can.

So here goes.

Jason Langridge notes in his MSDN blog that Windows Mobile 6.1 has been blessed with Common Criteria Certification. And he wisely points us to Wikipedia so we can find out just what the heck that means.

Common Criteria is based upon a framework in which computer system users can specify their security requirements, vendors can then implement and/or make claims about the security attributes of their products, and testing laboratories can evaluate the products to determine if they actually meet the claims. In other words, Common Criteria provides assurance that the process of specification, implementation and evaluation of a computer security product has been conducted in a rigorous and standard manner.

Makes sense to us. So congrats, Windows Mobile team. Job well done. Now get back to work on WM7 (he said, smiling)!

We are all awaiting the arrival of the Touch HD, Touch Viva, and Touch 3G from HTC to drop. Now that the FSS has just passed the Touch3G, aka Jade100, one would be forgiven for hoping it might see official release on these shores. The 3G bands on the device are not compatible with the US spectrum, however, so this is more in line with HTC/FCC interactions of yore: they're just making sure the European version of the Touch 3G is 'street legal.'

So will we see an official US release? The original announcement didn't really have any clues to suggest we might and really, given that HTC said the Touch HD would come here eventually, it would seem a little odd to also make another version of the 3G. Then again, we could (and have) say the very existence of the Touch 3G in a post-Touch-Diamond world is a little odd, so you never know.

Here's one of those good news-bad news situations.

The good news: The price for the MWg Zinc II just dropped a couple of hundred dollars.

The bad news: It's still $499.

Hey, saving $200 is still saving $200. But despite the Zinc II's decent specs (albeit not nearly as impressive in the wake of the recent HTC onslaught) and lack of any carrier support, we're still not expecting anyone to be lining up for this on.

But if you in fact do have one, drop us a line and let us know what you think of it.

The Internets have been a bit atwitter over what in most cases would be considered a major delay for Mozilla's Firefox Mobile browser, with 2010 reported to be the latest launch target.

But The Unwired has received some clarification - an Alpha pre-version is possible by the end of 2008, and a final product "well before" 2010.

From Mozilla's Mitchell Baker at blog.lizardwrangler.com:

I saw one press article wondering if including “have an effective product in the mobile space” in our 2010 goals means that we won’t ship something interesting until 2010. That is not the case at all. We will ship well before then. The intent of this goal was to say: in 2010 when we look at where we are, it should be screamingly obvious that we’ve done this. That means releasing a good product much sooner, seeing good results and acceptance, and seeing those results grow over time.

That's obviously good news if you're waiting for browsing alternative. It will be interesting to how the final product (check out an early look here) stands up to the likes of Skyfire, Opera 9.5, and Google's Chrome, which are all quickly distancing themselves from the standard IE mobile browser.

One of the things we hate most about these cell phone companies is their stupid contracts. We know the some companies are lowering their early termination fees, but still think we shouldn

It's not an especially big surprise, but it's good to hear: Alltel will be carrying the Touch Pro on their network, if the image leaked to Engadget is to be believed. No clear word on how long Sprint will have an exclusive on the Touch Pro. Heck, they need to release it first -- hurry up Oct 19!

Given how long it took for Verizon to finally pick up the 6800 device (our guess is the delay was due to how long it took UTStarcom to come up with the sweet XV6800 branding), we're guessing Alltel will beat them to the punch on this one. Heck, the fastest way to get a Touch Pro running on Verizon might just be to switch to Alltel, wait for the acquisition to go through, and then hope you're not one of the 15% of Alltel customers Verizon plans to jettison.