According to Neowin, Microsoft will take the wraps off a new version of Windows Mobile, an over-the-air syncing service and an on-device software store at next month’s Mobile World Conference (MWC).

Windows Mobile 6.5 has long been expected to debut at MWC, and Neowin confirms that this is likely to happen and also says those leaked WM6.5 screenshots (seen left) that we first saw in November are, in fact, reflective of the new OS.

SkyBox is a wireless syncing service somewhat similar to Apple’s MobileMe.  With SkyBox you can sync your Windows Mobile handset’s contacts, email, photos, calendar entries, etc., with Microsoft Cloud-based services.  We’re not exactly sure how this will work, but such a service would be a great addition to the OS.  Neowin reports that SkyBox may also work with non-Windows Mobile devices.

SkyMarket will be a mobile marketplace for Windows Mobile applications, allowing users to find and install third-party software right from their handheld.

You should, of course, treat this information as rumor until it is confirmed by another source or until MWC gets going in February.

Microsoft has released a beta of Phone Data Manager, a utility designed to backup select data on your Windows Mobile phone (or other SyncML/OBEX standard compliant handset) so you can restore it with ease.  The beta works both with Windows Live Contacts and a Windows PC to backup contacts, music, video and photos.

While Phone Data Manager isn’t exactly an all-in-one backup solution, it does offer some unique benefits.  Contacts are stored in the Cloud on Windows Live, while media files are stored in a folder on your Windows XP or Vista PC.  Aside from backing up contacts, Phone Data Manager is also a contacts sync solution to mirror contacts between Windows Mobile and Windows Live Contacts. 

This type of synchronization is the future of mobile and we hope to see more of it.  Unfortunately, this first beta only supports backup/sync via Bluetooth or USB cable, and Windows Mobile devices must use USB, at least for now.

Live Mesh is a platform with a lot of potential for Windows Mobile. There isn’t a Live Mesh client for Windows Mobile just yet, but that doesn’t mean you can’t use Mesh as a tool to help make WinMo more useful.  In our latest tutorial, we’ll show you how to use the service as it exists today to transfer files to your Windows Mobile device.

Read How to Transfer Files to Windows Mobile Using Live Mesh…

If you use Windows Live Hotmail, you’re probably aware that there’s a built-in calendar which allows you to plan events and access your schedule on the Web.  Until now, you could sync your Live Hotmail email and and contacts with Outlook using a free utility called Outlook Connector, but syncing your online calendar with your Outlook calendar required a paid subscription. However, a new version of Outlook Connector, v12.1 (which is currently in beta) allows you to sync your Live Hotmail email, contacts and calendar entries with Outlook for free.

Outlook Connector 12 requires Outlook 2003 or 2007, and of course, if you sync your Windows Mobile device with Outlook, your calendar entries will also be mirrored on your handheld.  We’ve been using it for a couple of days without a hitch, so if you’re interested, give it a try.

Microsoft’s Live Mesh is a service (and platform) we’re very excited about here at Pocket PC Central, so we’re very glad to see it continue to grow.  On Wednesday, Live Mesh opened itself to more users as a “Technical Preview,” and today the good folks at Mesh have unveiled a new way to access your files from a mobile device (Windows Mobile, iPhone, etc.).

By pointing your mobile browser to http://m.mesh.com you can view and manage the files you have stored and synced with Mesh, right from your handheld.  In addition to viewing the files on Mesh, the connection allows you to download, upload or even delete files and to view a list of users’ most recent Mesh activities (last files uploaded, folders created, etc.)  Plus, the connection is secure, so you don’t have to worry about a packet sniffer stealing your price-winning recipe for chocolate chip cookies.

There’s still no Windows Mobile client for Live Mesh, but we’re sure to see one.  Mesh is a fascinating platform which promises to make WinMo much more interesting over the coming years.  It’s all about the Cloud…