Pocket PC 2002
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Where Palm has always focused on simplicity and ease of use, Microsoft tried to do too much in CE; as a result, the OS did nothing particularly well. Pocket PC 2002 changes that equation to some degree, though there are still more than a few warts.
PDAs based on both the Palm and Pocket PC platforms have matured to the point that they are now viewed as important enterprise productivity tools. The Pocket PC platform has a unique advantage in the corporate world, particularly for enterprises that have standardised on Microsoft Office--and that means most of them. Where Palm devices require third-party software to access Office documents and databases, Microsoft's Pocket versions of its Office apps are built into its OS. Plus, many IT managers prefer to support just one global platform--Windows--and deal with just one software vendor, Microsoft.
Microsoft claims to now have some 3800 "partners" developing software and hardware products for the Pocket PC platform, and points to Gartner's claims that Compaq's Pocket PC product revenues are approaching that of either Palm or Handspring.
There are new Pocket PC-based versions of the existing handheld models from the vendors that have been there all along--Compaq, Casio, and Hewlett-Packard--along with products from newcomers like Toshiba.
Pocket PC 2002 has a refined new interface that will still be familiar to users of prior Pocket PC products--the previous version launched in April 2000--or to users of any version of Windows, for that matter. Unlike the Palm platform, which has primarily aimed for simplicity, the Pocket PC platform has always reached for flashiness, with bright colour screens right out of the gate, and Pocket versions of familiar Microsoft applications included with the hardware. Minor new interface tweaks include a new way of calling up commands for a specific item--tapping and holding the stylus until context-specific commands appear, such as cut, copy, paste, or delete.
New models provide at least some variety of Compact Flash connectivity, either through expansion packs or internal slots. Another enterprise-friendly feature, Strong Passwords, enforces the same level of stringent password rules found in Windows 2000. This means that though the Pocket PC may be lost or stolen, the data it holds is secure from prying eyes.
The Pocket PC 2002's new Terminal Services Client lets an administrator use a Pocket PC device to access the corporate server remotely to fix problems. (The program breaks up a standard-size screen display into five sections to allow it to mimic the full-sized PC screen.) Sure, it's a little tiring to keep flipping sections to see what you need to see, but the added functionality goes a long way to mitigate this annoyance.
What's more, because proprietary corporate applications can be developed for the Pocket PC using familiar tools such as Microsoft Visual Basic or C++, the range and flexibility for the enterprise are virtually limitless. This adds true usefulness to the Pocket PC, especially with the advent of wireless technology, that didn't exist previously. (Keep in mind, however, that custom Palm applications are also relatively easy to program in C or C++, using free, downloadable tools on the Web.)
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