Microsoft to Attack RIM with Magneto

An anonymous reader writes "At this week's Mobile and Embedded DevCon (MEDC) in Las Vegas, it's anticipated that Microsoft will finally unveil 'Magneto', widely expected to be dubbed Windows Mobile 2005. Magneto is rumored to merge the Pocket PC and Smartphone versions of Windows Mobile into a single platform that combines smartphone and PDA capabilities. Consistent with that strategy, Pocket Office will reportedly be renamed Office Mobile, with other key apps similarly redesignated Word Mobile, Excel Mobile, PowerPoint Mobile, and Outlook Mobile."

Comments

Mobile what?

[zappepcs]

I wonder ... some things have managed to make a very strong market share out of something or invention that was not understood, or had shaky legal basis in the past. Like was said here, what is the market (in units) for PDA's? What is the market for hand-size mobile computing?

There are several companies out there that keep hammering away at this market (even though it is not very big or profitable) and eventually, we will all become unimpressed with phones that don't have calendars, address books, do text messaging etc.

I guess that my point is this: does anyone see where this is going? Can anyone accurately predict what protocols, air interfaces, and file format standards will end up winning in this (now) mobile free for all?

I predict that the sheer size and market control that M$ has will play more than a significant role in this. To the point that I think anti-trust laws should be used to address anything M$ becomes involved in.... more or less. Not that I have any real fear that Excel will become a useful mobile application anytime before Cray starts making PDAs'

There are currently so many competing wireless interfaces and protocols, I don't see how anyone getting into the game can imagine they will make money unless they believe that they will be able to manhandle the market place and simply be able to metaphorically bludgeon the competition to death.

RIM started small, and with what I think was a sound business model. As they make their move into the more consumer oriented marketplace, it is a shame that they will have to fight M$ just to get in the game...

My real fear is that in the future you won't be able to get a phone without windozeXX on it, or be able to use any air interface not supported by M$ pocket-mobile-crap software.

I know that sounds a little defeatist, but I don't see any strong competition to M$... sigh

Re:Let me get this straight

[FidelCatsro]

In an incredibly geeky style here i go ... magneto was not really a bad guy , He was the one who ultimatly stoped Apocolypse allowing Bishop to resotre the proper timeline and saving the world from the Nuclear holocost...
Magneto was more of a anti-hero he was really good but just a bit hardline due to the mistreatment of mutants.

So i guess this shows us that microsoft thinks of its mobile devices as mistreated mutants who will save the world from Apocolypse ...

Battery will make this unrealistic

[duffer_01]

The key reason why RIM has been so successful is because of their network architecture. RIM has the capability to trickle emails down to a device. Since the device is always connected to the network they have the ability to constantly receive these messages. The way the PocketPC devices are built they are not meant to be always connected to a network and if you did you would likely only get about 4-6 hours battery life. When you compare that to > one week for a RIM device there is no comparison.

I do like that Microsoft is making an alternative to the BlackBerry, I do not think that they will be much competition for RIM unless they build a network architecture like RIM's and they look into the battery life issues.