David Gallagher at the New York Times had to do some rumour control when a reader wrote accusing Microsoft of prohibiting the word "Tibet" in Hotmail addresses to appease the Chinese government. No "freetibet@hotmail.com", no "tibetsmellsofwetmonks@hotmail.com", no "ilovetibet@hotmail.com." Is this another Chinese-Microsoft evil conspiracy? While there are some of those going on between China and companies like Microsoft, Google, or Yahoo, this is not the case.

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Not content to just offer a new version of Windows Live Messenger for a competing platform, Microsoft today released an updated official version of the full Windows Live app for Windows Mobile that features contacts syncing, support for Live Spaces, Live Maps, and push email from Hotmail, MSN, or Live accounts. It's a free mobile download, though you'll have to make sure you nuke the old version first lest you mess up your device. [Download, via JK On The Run]

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The Blackberry Internet Services 2.5 upgrade (and subsequent downtime) is still go for a June 29 launch, but there's a catch. According to the Boy Genius Report, some of the "sexiest" 2.5 features won't be available until Blackberry OS 4.5 arrives--in September. From the looks of the BIS 2.5 presentation they got their boy-sized mitts on, at least one of those features is push AOL email and Hotmail/MSN accounts. Of course, if you have a newer Blackberry handset, or plan on buying one before September, it will come with 4.5 OS already installed. [Boy Genius Report]

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In addition to the big Bold BlackBerry news at RIM's Wireless Enterprise Symposium, the company announced it would finally support Hotmail and Windows Live Messenger, says Crave. This includes push, realtime sync and full HTML support, plus an "almost PC-like" Messenger experience, with file transfers, custom status messages and cartoon emoticons. Like the Bold itself, this service is due in the vague "this summer" timeframe. Ironically, this might actually be more than what Microsoft itself is doing for poor old Hotmail. [Crave]

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