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Windows Mobe Marketplace sets its stall out

150 apps available: Apple quaking in its boots

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Windows Phone Marketplace is now available on the web, and has new DRM too, allowing everyone to see the impoverished selection of apps that are now harder to steal.

To be fair, the Windows Phone Marketplace hasn't been running long, and it's not as though one can't get applications elsewhere - Handango lists tens of thousands - but the Microsoft brand makes the marketplace important, and the lack of content embarrassing. Getting more content means appealing to developers, thus the improved DRM that comes with the same update.

Until now customers could buy an application from the marketplace, then dig around for the ".CAB" files and pass them on to family, friends and their favourite torrent site, but with the new version (details in PDF form) the CAB files will disappear after installation making it harder to make illegal copies.

That also makes it hard to deliver applications though a PC, so anything bought on the web site will be delivered direct to the handset the next time the on-device marketplace application is run.

Microsoft is also punting a stronger security system that includes a validation key locked to the device, for applications that are worth a little more.

And Windows Phone applications are worth a little more: Handango noted in its last YardStick that while it was now selling more Blackberry applications by volume, Windows Mobile is where the profit comes in. The average price of a Windows Mobile Phone application is more than $20, making development worthwhile and profits possible. Just not for Microsoft. At least, not yet. ®

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Latest Comments

MOBE?

Let's just ignore this little mishap for now before it turns out to a full blown "The Register" diplomatic incident.... pretend it never happened and hope the "M" word goes away.

I vaguely remember there was a vote on this.... all I can do is warn you what happened to "Ant and Dec" and "This Morning" when they got into voting....

Let me tell you they had rather sore bottoms afterwards if you know what I mean....

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I thought--

I thought no one was supposed to say "mobe" on here?

OH CRAP! I just said "mobe!"

Oh! I said "mobe" again!

Dear lord!

I said "mobe!" etc. etc.

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Re: MOBE?

@Alex 3 - Hear! Hear!

A Mobe is a motherboard. When referring to weight-challenged, portable telephones one must call them Mobis or Handis. The latter is used by uber-twatter and national treasure (TM) Herr S. Fry so it must be correct.

Windows-powered vacuum cleaners will be the final phase of the Lizard Army take-over.

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