Back in February, at the 3GSM World Congress in Barcelona, Spain, Microsoft put the final piece of its mobile messaging strategy into place when the software giant unveiled its Direct Push software client.

That push e-mail solution is now available for the first time from a U.S. carrier, Sprint, for one of its Windows Mobile smartphones, the PPC-6700 Pocket PC Phone; also known as the HTC Apache and offered byVerizon Wireless as the Audiovox XV6700 in this country as well.

Direct Push arrives in the form of an AKU2 (Adaptation Kit Update), which is sort of like a Service Pack release for Windows, with bug fixes, enhancements, and new applications. Unlike a Service Pack release, however, Microsoft makes AKU's available to partners (carriers, device manufactures) only, who then decide whether to pass it on to customers. And if they do, these vendors then determine what components to deliver.


PPC-6700, Keyboard Out

In addition to Direct Push, Pocket PC Thoughts reports the Sprint PPC-6700 AKU2 adds Cyberon Voice Speed Dial, an updated Comm Manager, and a "Device Lock" Today plug-in.

Minor enhancements enable DDTM as a default, lets displays stays on during a Wi-Fi connection, removes the need for log in credentials when merely stepping through modem settings, adds error codes for MIP, fixes skip in music when playing from a storage card, keeps handset from losing DO service when PRL has multiple DO systems with same Subnet ID, and addresses the inability to make voice calls in DO if PPP re-sync fails.

The AKU2 also brings Bluetooth-enabled stereo headset compatibility to the PPC-6700 through support for the A2DP (Advanced Audio Distribution Profile).

Do not attempt to update your Audiovox XV6700 with this firmware upgrade. Verizon customers should wait until their carrier offers a version of the AKU2 for their smartphones or risk hurting the functionality of their device.