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)."

Comments

Why new name?

[Anime_Fan]

I see that the Pocket PC will be named Windows Mobile. It seems they want to use another brand, possibly to increase the wide-spread usage of the word 'Windows', but why?
I for one have always thought PocketPC as something that is LESS Microsoft, which is a Good Thing (TM). I would never buy a copy of Windows XP while I could consider buying a PocketPC (but not a Windows Mobile)...

I don't know what to do *Cries in horror*

Industry Name Identity Problem?

[peterdaly]

Is it just me, or do you think cell-phone company when you read "Windows Mobile"?

-Pete

Who cares?

[CaptainZapp]

Ok, apologies for seemingly being a luddite, but who actually cares?

WiFi might be nice to give you added flexibility, but frankly do I really frantically want to search a hot spot every hour in order to download my 7 mails from which usually 7 are spam? I don't think so.

Granted, it might be nice to pass your time by browsing the web when you wait for a train. But I can do that just fine with a newspaper.

Methinks this is a rather desperate attempt to (finally) get a foot into the mobile, wireless world and Microsofts attempt to lure (GSM-)manufacturers/network providers in can only be described as a spectacular failure up to now.

Also, WiFi is not the GSM killer; a notion which seems popular in the US, but it's just plain wrong. Those are two very, very different technologies with very different objectives..

Re:Who cares?

[bleh-of-the-huns]

I am not sure what the deal is with wifi/gsm debates. But I believe this has something to do with possibly putting high gain wifi antennas on cell towers, and making phones with wifi built in. This would make for cheaper (and hopefully unlimited bandwidth at a flat fee) data service, in conjunction with cell services. as the current 3g technology is a little flakey. I am supposed to be able to get 1.5 megs down, 256k up via my phone, but I rarely get more then 45k in any direction, and at 0.008 cents per k, after my initial 4 megs.. I can rack up quite a bill by the end of the month.

Only slightly offtopic

[boatboy]

We've just begun a project developing an app for .NET Compact Framework, and I have to say, I'm impressed. RAD for a wide range of CE & Pocket PC devices using C# and VB.NET is quite inticing. The framework is fairly light, considering, but is similar enough to the full framework that it's esentially identical to programming for a full PC. Debuging is cool too: you can debug on an emulated or real-live device.

That said: what are /.'s alternatives for rapidly developing mobile business apps?

Apple is the trailblazer

[visionsofmcskill]

Apple is commonly referred to as "R&D south" by the Redmond campus. This term is quite apt of how most big players look at apple.

essentialy apple is probably the greatest trend setter in consumer computers. The big boys don't use thier resources to explore new design concepts and tech use. Instead they watch apple roll out new products, and see whether or not they are succesfull and viable (iPOD + Itunes Music Store, iMac) or just a bad idea (cube).

Apple hsn't got market share, they've got style share, or should i say... they are trendy. If something works within the apple community, it is almost garenteed to work in the windows community. Thus Companies who watch apples endeavors closely, can get a good idea on what markets to tackle, and what to leave alone.

There are reasons why apple's brand and OS/hardware have a much higher user satisfaction, it's because they spend almost as much money (and more in some cases) on product development than the much larger players (MS, IBM, DELL, HP, etc...). They also can afford to do so... it's their identity, and what keeps them alive. Since apple has it's own market, it doesn't have to worry about it's dollars spent on reasearch vs dollars spent on market growth in comparison to other players in the same space.

That is, dell must keep a tight budget on it's spedning, because they've got to save money to fight off sony, toshiba, HP, and others in distribution and identity. Whereas apple's identity is secure and has no DIRECT competitors in it's market (albeit a much smaller market, though apple ships nearly as many machines as the big boys do individualy) so apple's main goal is to preserve their identity of being something appealing, different and very well made. Part of being very well made and different AND APPEALING is TONS of R&D.

I hear rumors that panther (OS X 10.3) will have native ActiveDirectory support along with a 970 at 2ghz (which should be on par with a P4 at 3.5ghz or so), Coupled with a 1ghz FSB along with a crapload of hardware goodies.... it looks like apple may be making a play for being more than trendy... but a horse-powered consumer product as well. If the next rumor is true... the implications are huge.

Panther supposedly has a fully featured multi-user environment built for wireless displays. As in you can have 6 people with all of their own wireless displays connected to the same computer in their house. Each one has a full user environment complete with aqua and everything. Eliminating the need for multiple machines, and providing one point of data storage and access. The implications are quite similar to what was expected to be thin client computing of our day (everyone has a dumb terminal that runs from a server somewhere)

but we shall see what happens. I personaly love the ideas of all these things, and think they would be great if implemented by apple (since apple does a stellar job on their projects)... but also find apple's releasal of products to be inconsistent, and often rumors are just that. Rumors.