Windows Mobile

Categories: Microsoft Windows | Smartphones | PDA software | Pocket PC software

Windows Mobile
Image:WM50today.png
A typical Windows Mobile 5.0 for Pocket PC Today Screen
Development team: Microsoft
OS family: Windows CE
Source model: Closed source
Latest stable release: 5.0 / May 2005
Kernel type:
License: Microsoft EULA
Working state: Current
Website: www.microsoft.com/windowsmobile

Windows Mobile is a compact operating system for mobile devices based on the Microsoft Win32 API. Devices which run Windows Mobile include Pocket PCs, Smartphones, and Portable Media Centers. It is designed to be somewhat similar to desktop versions of Windows.

Contents

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Common Windows Mobile Features

Windows Mobile for Pocket PC carries these standard features in most of its versions:

  • Today Screen shows the current date, owner information, upcoming appointments, e-mail messages, and tasks. It also includes the notification bar which includes icons to notify the status of Bluetooth and also includes the New button. Programs can be installed which adds extra items to the Today screen. One of these is Microsoft Money for Pocket PC. The background image can be customised directly through the Pocket PC, or themes can be created and syncronised onto the Pocket PC.
  • The taskbar shows the current time, the volume, and the connectivity status. When a program or message box is open the blank space after the clock is filled with an OK or close icon. The main feature of the taskbar is the Start Button, which is designed similarly to the Start Button which features on desktop versions of Windows. The Start Menu features recently opened programs at the top, nine customisable menu entries, and links to the program, settings, find (search), and help.
  • Pocket PC versions of Microsoft Office applications are included in Windows Mobile. These include Pocket Word and Pocket Excel. In Windows Mobile 5.0 Pocket PowerPoint has been included. These versions include many of the features which are used in desktop versions, but some other features like inserting tables and images have not been included in pre 5.0 versions. ActiveSync has capabililites which convert desktop versions of files to Pocket PC compatible versions.
  • Outlook is also an included program which comes with Windows Mobile. This includes tasks, calendar, contacts, and inbox. Microsoft Outlook for desktop versions are sometimes included in value-added CD-ROM's which are included with the Pocket PC hardware manufacturer.
  • Windows Media Player for Windows Mobile is bundled with the Windows Mobile software. Currently, all Pocket PCs include Version 9 of the player, but Version 10 has been included with newer hardware and newer versions of Windows Mobile. For existing devices, Version 10 is available for download for only specified devices — these include devices from the Dell Axim range. The player supports .WMA, .WMV, .MP3, and .AVI files. Currently MPEG files are not supported file types, and a third-party program must be downloaded to play these, and WAV files are played in a separate player. Some versions are also capable of playing .M4A audio.
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Windows Mobile 2002

Windows Mobile 2002, powered by Windows CE 3.0, is the first release under the Windows Mobile banner. Targeted specifically at QVGA Pocket PC (keyboardless) devices, Windows Mobile 2002 was, like the original Pocket PC release, a stand-alone entity in the Microsoft Embedded device range. With future releases, the Pocket PC and Smartphone lines would increasingly collide as the licensing terms were relaxed allowing OEM's to take advantage of more innovative, individual design ideas.

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Windows Mobile 2003

Image:PPC2003 001.gif
Typical Windows Mobile 2003 for Pocket PC Today Screen

The second version, named Windows Mobile 2003, was released on June 23 2003 and came in three editions. Two of these editions are similar: Windows Mobile 2003 for Pocket PC and Windows Mobile 2003 for Pocket PC Phone Edition, which is designed especially for Pocket PCs which include phone functionalities (as HTC's Himalaya, distributed in many countries as Qtek, XDA, MDA or VPA).

The third edition is named Windows Mobile 2003 for Smartphone, which — despite several similarities with Pocket PC — is a substantially different platform that also requires software applications to be specifically targeting this device type. To name a few specifics, Windows Mobile powered Smartphone devices do not have touchscreens, have lower display resolution, have a regular phone keypad, and are specially designed for single-handed use.

Windows Mobile 2003 is powered by Windows CE 4.20.

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Windows Mobile 2003 Second Edition

Windows Mobile 2003 Second Edition, also known as Windows Mobile 2003SE, was released on March 24 2004 and first offered on the Dell Axim x30. It includes a number of improvements over its predecessor, such as:

  • The option to switch from landscape to portrait screen layout. This is not available in the Smartphone version.
  • Pocket Internet Explorer (otherwise known as PIE) includes the option to force a page into a single-column layout, making reading easier since one now only has to scroll vertically.
  • VGA (640×480) and QVGA screen resolutions are now supported, as opposed to the previous 320×240. Also supported is a new square form factor (240×240 and 480×480 for VGA screens), which is ideally suited for manufacturers wishing to include a hardware keyboard. Although it wasn't originally slated to contain this feature, Microsoft decided to add it due to pressure from Pocket PC manufacturers.
  • Support for Wi-Fi Protected Access.

Windows Mobile 2003SE is powered by Windows CE 4.21.

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Windows Mobile 5.0

Windows Mobile 5.0, originally codenamed Magneto, was released on May 9, 2005. It is powered by Windows CE 5.0 and uses the .NET Compact Framework 1.0 SP2 — an environment for programs based on .NET to be used.

Features include:

  • A new version of Office called 'Office Mobile'
    • PowerPoint Mobile has finally been added
    • Excel Mobile adds graphing capability
    • Word Mobile adds tables and graphics insertion
  • Windows Media Player 10 Mobile
  • Photo Caller ID
  • Picture and Video package, which converges the management of videos and pictures
  • Enhanced Bluetooth support
  • Global Positioning System (GPS) management interface to all Navigation program installed
  • Microsoft Exchange Server "push" functionality improvements
  • QWERTY keyboard-support is included by default
  • Error reporting facility similar to that present in desktop and server Windows systems
  • ActiveSync 4.0, promising 10–15% increased speed on synchronization
  • Persistent storage (PS) is now supported in Pocket PC's allowing devices increase battery life as previously up to 50% (enough for 72 hours or storage) of battery power was reserved just to maintain data in volatile RAM. Windows-based devices are moving from using RAM as their primary storage medium to the use of flash memory.

Initial reports suggest that Windows Mobile 5.0 will not come in separate Smartphone or Pocket PC editions. Rather just one central version will exist that is capable of using the resources of the device it is installed on. A logical assumption would be the ability of OEMs to configure the OS to their device requirements and design. Pre-release builds of the software have been shown to run Smartphone applications on a Pocket PC.

Windows Mobile 5.0, was released at Microsoft's Mobile and Embedded Developers Conference 2005 in Las Vegas, May 9–May 12, 2005.

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Photon

This is the OS to follow Windows Mobile 5.0. Nothing much is known about this OS apart from special design improvements and greatly improved battery life. Expected release is 2006.

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See also

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External links


History of Microsoft Windows
MS-DOS–based: 1.0 | 2.0 | 3.x | 95 | 98 | Me
NT-based: NT 3.1 | NT 3.5 | NT 3.51 | NT 4.0 | 2000 | XP | Server 2003
CE-based: CE 3.0 | Mobile | CE 5.0
Forthcoming: Vista | Server "Longhorn" | Blackcomb
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pl:Microsoft Windows Mobile