"Nuernberg, October 3, 2008--German software developer SoftMaker today announced that it has
made SoftMaker Office 2006 for Windows, predecessor to its current
office suite SoftMaker Office 2008, available as a free download."

"Since the advent of Microsoft Office 2007, an ever growing number of
users have been looking for alternatives that do not involve
learning a new user interface from scratch. SoftMaker Office 2006

"InterWrite Pro localizes not only standard system parts, but also specific parts of particular device. It will ‘translate’ HTC Diamond into the Arabic language. As a part of the application customers get further add on functions, practical keyboard with layout for over 50 languages, Arabic Fullscreen Keyboard and special Arabic Suite which contains three special Islamic applications:"

Features Include:

SoftMaker is releasing a free public beta of their office suite for Linux. Downloads are available in .deb, .rpm and .tgz formats here. I've reviewed the Windows Mobile version here, and since I've been using OpenOffice in Ubuntu for a while (with varying degrees of success), I was wondering how it stacks up?

A built-in language translator is something I've always thought would be a useful add-on to Windows Mobile. I mean what better way to "integrate" and unify your user base than to provide a simple, effective ability to translate mobile content into multiple languages on the fly? It would tear down a significant barrier to global information sharing for sure.

"A new version of the award-winning handwriting recognition software for Windows Mobile features improved performance and compatibility.

Listening to or watching podcasts is great fun. If you think they are boring, meaningless or can’t entertain you during, say, a long fight, you’re wrong. For example, watching all the clips of X-Play, played back on my VGA HP iPAQ 214 (thanks to Smartphone & PPCMag / iPhone Life’s Hal Goldstein for the gift!) could entertain me for long-long hours.

Along with tags and cover arts, lyrics are also highly sought-for and widely used metadata, particularly with non-English folks who would like to know the lyrics of the songs they listen to.

I've reviewed a number of new software input methods this year for Windows Mobile touchscreen devices. They have all generally used the standard qwerty layout that would be found on a hardware keyboard. Fitaly throws you for a loop because it uses a non-querty layout, and incidently the name is derived from the arrangement of letters on the keyboard (just like querty).  The fitaly layout was designed in the nineties for pencomputers, when Jean Ichbiah thought that writing with a stylus required a different type of keyboard.

"The efficiency of the Fitaly on-screen keyboard lies in its layout and its enhanced features. Most people think 10 fingers are necessary to do extensive texting. Fitaly allows 10-finger speed with a single pointer. As one user puts it: “Simply nothing better. I’ve tried many different input programs and fitaly stands out well above the rest."

Many a Windows Mobile power user (including me) will insist all kinds of wild stuff about how you can replace your laptop with the built-in programs in Windows Mobile. The sad truth is, well, NOT! For one, the fancy formatting in your desktop documents may not translate well to your device when opened in the built-in pocket office apps. You need something with seriously more power and features on the device-side. SoftMaker has the answer with it's most excellent Office suite.