Break out the champaign and caviar. Close to a year after the introduction of both Windows Mobile 6 and Office 2007, Microsoft has finally gotten around to enabling you to manage documents created using the latter's new Open XML (Extensible Markup Language) file formats on devices that run on the former.

In a first, Microsoft has rolled out an upgrade to Office Mobile, version 6.1, directly to consumers and not just hardware vendors, some of whom have already pre-installed the newest version of Office Mobile on their devices.

With the update installed, you'll be able to read and edit documents created using Office 2007's new Open XML (Extensible Markup Language) file formats—docx (Word), pptx (PowerPoint), and xlsx (Excel)—on a Windows Mobile 6 or Windows Mobile 5 device, just like you already do with documents created in previous editions of Microsoft Office.

Open XML is supposed to make it easier for disparate information systems to share data, thereby enhancing integration with external sources. Microsoft says it also reduces file size and improves security and reliability.

Additional improvements in Office Mobile 6.1 include the enhanced viewing of charts in Excel Mobile and the ability to view SmartArt in PowerPoint Mobile. It also allows you to view and extract files from compressed (.zip) folders

Office Mobile 6.1 only works with Windows Mobile 5 Pocket PC and Pocket PC Phones (models with touch screens) and not Windows Mobile Smartphones (those without touch screens), however. And it is not compatible with versions of Windows Mobile before 5.

The Office Mobile 6.1 upgrade is available directly from Microsoft as a free download.