In one of those baffling decisions that Microsoft sometimes makes, the company decided that Windows Mobile 5.0 Smartphone users didn’t need those advanced features that Pocket PC users have, like say… mobile versions of Word, Excel, and PowerPoint. Sure, there’s no touch-screen interface on Smartphones for using those programs that way you would on a Pocket PC, but there’s no touch-screen interface on most PCs running Microsoft Office either.
Well, DataViz, makers of Documents To Go for PalmOS devices have decided that those programs run just fine on Smartphones. So they’re porting their software to run on Windows Mobile 5.0 Smartphones including the Motorola Q, Samsung BlackJack, and T-Mobile Dash.
The suite, which is available as a public beta right now lets you view, edit, and create Word, Excel, and PowerPoint files. You can also view PDF files, and extra ZIP files, two functions that Microsoft has never included.
No word on pricing yet, but the Palm version of Documents To Go sells for $30 to $90 depending on which functions you need, so I’m going to go out on a limb and say that the Windows Mobile version will be comparably priced.