Yesterday we asked our Twitter followers to ping us with questions so that we could answer them here on the site. Below is a list of a few select questions and some answers. If we didn’t get to your question this week, we’ll have another chance for you to be featured come next week.

@TristanWalsh: What are the upsides of using either the professional or standard version of Windows Mobile?

Good question…one that we don’t address enough around here. The Standard version of Windows Mobile is for non-touchscreen devices. Overall, devices using this version of the operating system have better one-handed usability because they have additional hardware keys to operate the device. Also, devices running Standard always have some sort of hardware keyboard. That said, Standard devices are becoming more and more rare and it’s possible that Microsoft may axe this version of the operating system with Windows Mobile 7, as the focus is moving towards touchscreen interfaces.

@sholtutm: If a cell company (T-Mo) releases a phone overseas, is it ‘highly likely’ that they’ll release it in their US stores?

A device landing overseas doesn’t mean an imminent US release. As a general rule, the US gets hardware several months after our friends in Europe because of all the red tape that exists over here in the States. We’re seeing this now with the release of HD2…it’s already over in T-Mobile Germany, for example, and we don’t expect it in the US until March.

@DavidMagnus: what is the best way to sync your phone with outlook on your pc?

If you are running Windows Vista or 7, Windows Mobile Device Center does a great job at syncing with Outlook. I personally use a hosted Exchange account from 4Smartphone, and it’s magical. I plug in my credentials to any Windows Mobile (or WebOS, or Android phone), and within seconds, my email/contacts/calendar are in sync, and are updated within seconds over the air if there are any changes to my Outlook (new calendar appointment, new email, etc).

@bluevmax92: does msft collaborate or why don’t they collab with ROM chefs in the wild IRT winmo roms 4 tips, trix, user prefs, etc?

I think that Microsoft’s general stance on the hacking/cooking community is that while it’s healthy overall for the platform (it encourages innovation, gets people excited), they can’t officially support it in any way because it involves people using their software (Windows Mobile) in ways that weren’t intended.

@dbphoenix: what is the windows mobile dev team going to do to make the buttons at the bottom of the screen look better in landscape?

You’re right, going into landscape in WinMo 6.5.3 makes the buttons spread out and look really bad. Is that what you mean? My guess is that we’re not going to see a remedy for this.

@Mindreaver: Will Microsoft’s Marketplace ever be as successful as the App Store from Apple?

Unless there is some vast strategy change from Microsoft, I don’t think Microsoft’s Marketplace will ever be as successful as the app store. Apple has a HUGE headstart on Microsoft. In addition to that, Apple has created this “app culture” that has led to a huge amount of awareness about the iPhone app store. Microsoft hasn’t amply devoted its resources to informing the world that they also have an app store. Perhaps they’re holding out for 7. Apps are important as we’re seeing.

@Nirmitk26: HD2 to get Windows Mobile 7?

This has been an on again, off again rumor. My gut tells me yes. The fact that HTC hid RAM on the HD2, plus the fact that HTC Support in Russia let it slip that the HD2 would get the Windows Mobile 7 update, bodes well for a WinMo 7 upgrade. From a marketing and customer relations perspective, HTC wants to make their high end customers happy. Imagine how upset an HD2 owner would be if they found out that they couldn’t update their flashy device to a new flashy operating system.

@BLeavellB: Is there an app that allows you to assign a program to a button for the HTC HD2?

Over at XDA they describe how to open a program with a long press of a the Send key. Try that.