Slashdot Mirror
Microsoft Rolls Out Pocket PC 2003
An anonymous reader writes "Monday, June 23 was a big day for Microsoft's mobile devices software strategy. The company: (1) rolled out Pocket PC 2003 (and renamed it); (2) unveiled a new "Windows Mobile" branding strategy; and (3) launched a collaboration with three leading high-speed wireless service providers to provide easier access to more than 3,500 Wi-Fi wireless "hot spots" by Windows-powered PDAs throughout the US. All this (and more) is covered in this "special report" at WindowsForDevices.com (including a detailed list of enhancements in Pocket PC 2003)."
I imagine that it wasn't a wild coincidence that Microsoft launches this product on the same day that a big part of the computer world is waiting on pins and needles to hear what Apple has to say at the WWDC, which won't begin for another few hours.
The cure for cancer is coming: Reovirus
Here's to hoping that Apple truly does announce a 64-bit workstation today -- that will nicely put Microsoft's announcements in perspective. :^)
/me dons asbestos suit...
Slashdot's first reaction to VMware
Monday, June 23 was a big day for Microsoft's mobile devices software strategy.
What do you mean was? It's still before 7am in Redmond, and only approaching 10am on the east coast. Sounds more like marketing.
"Not knowing when the dawn will come, I open every door." - Emily Dickinson
(Yeah, it's a troll, but I'll answer anyway.)
Because the dislike for Microsoft largely isn't irrational. I use Windows at work and at home, and generally like the product. I don't mind Microsoft trying to be all things to all people, but I do mind the way it tries to shut everyone else out of the market. There's a fine line between responsible and irresponsible competition and Microsoft straddles that line.
That's one of the reasons I'd like to see Linux succeed: to act as a brake on Microsoft's behavior. (Another is that I think Linux is kinda cool and I like the ethics surrounding its development.)
Do some here have a knee-jerk response to all things Microsoft? Sure, but it's mostly born of experience.
Do you realize how stupid that sounds? You buy (or don't buy) products based on their name instead of their quality and usefulness?
But the scary part is that that statement is the absolute truth. Look at all the people that sign up for MSN, AOL, and own Windoze Boxes.
I have no regrets, this is the only path.
My whole life has been "UNLIMITED BLADE WORKS"
They're eliminating the generic nature of the acronym "PC". By implying it's a PC, they imply that something other than windows can run on it.
Calling it the "Windows Mobile" is just an attempt to draw the Pocket PC hardware closer to Microsoft's bosom.
("snicker...he said bosom...")
I myself like that Microsoft renamed this version. With the name "Pocket PC" many people have abbreviated that even further to just PPC. When searching for software ventors, it's jsut a bit frustrating to be looking for Pocket PC software and keep getting Power PC related links. Both use PPC as their Acronym.
Now all I have to worry about is a bout of retardism making me type MSM, to get SMS...:-p
But anything MS does to improve their products is should be viewed as a welcome change.
... how slashdot uses an old Palm Pilot icon for Microsoft PocketPC announcements.
</pedantic>
"[T]he single essential element on which all discoveries will be dependent is human freedom." -- Barry Goldwater
Let's see. You know that Microsoft is behind both products, and you believe Windows sucks. But at the same time, you would consider buying a product if the OS is called "PocketPC", but you wouldn't consider buying the SAME product if it was called "Windows Mobile".
Microsoft's marketing department is changing the product name precisely BECAUSE of people like you who are going to buy a product purely on name alone, its merits or lack of same notwithstanding. For more users than not, the Windows association is a *good* thing and the PocketPc nomenclature was probably confusing to many of them.
J2ME.
That's only of course if you want to write apps that will work on an order of magnititude more devices...
Including the PocketPC, and many many cellphones.
"There is more worth loving than we have strength to love." - Brian Jay Stanley
I agree; Microsoft cares. Here's my take: Microsoft is aware that every major computer (or any technology) platform has been replaced ultimately by a lower-tier, commodity replacement. Big iron by mainframes, then minicomputers, then workstations and PCs. Their entire future and fortune depends on their control of one commodity platform, the Wintel PC. However, there is a huge emergent platform out there, and that is mobile phones and devices that talk to them, not the PC.
/. crowd extrapolates from the US life-style which is car- and PC-centric while most of the world is public-transport- and mobile-centric; mobiles are much more useful and much more attractive to an average user, because they have much higher network value: think of it like this: PCs became a killer app when they started talking to each other, either via common standard or common networks. Power law of network value and all that... well, how can you compete for network nodes with cells?
I travel globally, mostly Europe and Asia; although PCs are common outside the US, mobiles are ubiquitious. Fifteen year olds SMS while waiting for a bus in Hong Kong and Paris and London, while they may just occasionally double-click on an IE icon on a desktop at home or a net cafe.
Most of the
Microsoft is feeling the hit of an emerging, cost-competitive commodity platform and they want to hedge their bets. However, history is against them; Nokia makes much better phone UIs and they are riding GSM whereas MS has to deal with the fragmented and underdeveloped US cell market...
well, looks like Dell will be selling upgrades for around $30.
cnet article
aximusers.com
think I'm going to pass on this one. considering I've been kicking myself since I bought it, I think I'll save the money for a new iPaq.
It seems rather silly to buy or not by something purely because of the name. Pocket PC is just as Microsoft as Windows XP is. They make almost all of the software the comes standard on the device. If you have some vendetta against MS, then you would be served best by looking past whatever MS decides to call their products and simply look at what products they make. I on the other hand, buy the best product available. Rarely does idiology factor into my buying (or software use) decisions. As such, I have both windows and linux, and I them for what I find them most suited to be used as.