Best free Windows Mobile software

You need music, and you need it now. GSPlayer simply and effectively manages your MP3s with sound quality that's more than acceptable. Not a fan of the basic blue look? Skins are available, too.

The lovely thing about mobile telephony is that you don't need a phone to use it, which makes Skype ideal for wireless-enabled Pocket PCs. If you do have a smartphone, paying your wireless fees is still less expensive than making a direct international call.

This addictive Tetris-like game adds an extra aid and extra hurdle. Shadowy place holders will remove some guesswork by prompting you where pieces fall, but navigating with the small buttons on your device is its own challenge.

As mobile attacks are on the rise worldwide, security is one area where you don't want to skimp. With free basic protection for Pocket PC and smartphones, you have no excuse not to.

Wouldn't it be great to have a single command that actually closes a Pocket PC program with the push of a button? Enter Magic Button, which populates your taskbar for easy control over running programs and lets you map digital versions of hardware buttons to boot.

Most free ringtones sound like they've been ripped from bad video games. Instead of shelling out for a tune that reminds you of Lemmings, produce one from your desktop and transfer it to your device.

The truth is, everyone needs good directions. We recommend giving Google maps a spin. Too bad the program doesn't also use GPS sensors to pinpoint our current location on the map, but for free, we can't complain!

Re-live the PC classic on your Pocket PC. Navigate through the labyrinthine maps and use the handset's touchscreen to aim at monsters before blowing them away. Note: to play Quake you also have to install a few files which can be downloaded from here.

Jealous of the iPhone's finger-friendly on-screen keyboard? PocketCM Keyboard features the same visual feedback which highlights the key you've just selected, making it easier to be sure you're striking the right place for each character.

Just as the name suggests, Group SMS makes it easy to send a burst message to a number of contacts simultaneously. A must-have for business users with a team to communicate with.

Some newer Windows Mobile devices come with a preloaded YouTube player, similar to the iPhone. For everyone else there's Youtubeplay.

What's a Windows operating platform with a version of MS Paint? Explore your inner artist with this very simple drawing program for your mobile.