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GadgetDoc
09-27-2005, 03:09 AM
Could someone let me know if I'm correct in saying the the Pocket PC OS is now called Windows Mobile?

I have Windows Mobile on my iPaq 6315 and SPV C500 Smartphone. They are different operating systems though but according to Microsoft's FAQ they are Windows Mobile for Pocket PC Phone Edition and Windows Mobile for Smartphone.

Does anyone else find this a bit confusing?

I watched the Treo Windows Mobile announcement today and Gates was saying how he sees all devices using the same Windows Mobile OS. Does this mean that apps designed to run on Windows Mobile 5.0 will run on both smartphone type devices like the SPV C500 and pocket pc devices like the iPaq?

So in summary - there used to be Pocket PC (for PDAs) and Windows Mobile (for Smartphones). Now that the two devices are converging both will run on Windows Mobile. At the moment there are different versions of Windows Mobile for PDAs and Smartphones but WM 5.0 will be the same OS for both. Is this correct?

Thanks!

Chris

ADBrown
09-27-2005, 05:34 AM
You're more or less on track. In the 2003 incarnations, Windows Mobile for PocketPCs (hereinafter "PocketPC") and Windows Mobile for Smartphones ("WM Smartphone") are more or less seperate versions of the same OS. The same programs won't run on both, though they sync with the same things and so forth. PocketPC supports touchscreens, WM Smartphone doesn't.

Windows Mobile 5.0 brings the variants closer together. A single program will now run on both types of device, though there will still be some differences in interface and things like touchscreen support.

Don't Panic!
09-27-2005, 06:14 AM
I'd say Windows Mobile is the OS and Pocket PC and Smartphone are the names of the devices. Much like a Pocket PC and a WinCE (Casio BE300) device would use separate software, under Windows Mobile right now, the same holds true for PPCs and MS Smartphones.

yankeejeep
09-27-2005, 10:31 AM
And to add some more confusion, with the advent of WM5 you will see some folks talking about WM Phone Editions (not to be confused with Smartphones) and some who talk about converged devices. Those of us used to talking about three OS versions will need to adjust our thinking as PocketPC, Phone Edition, and Smartphone become terms that primarily distinguish hardware form factors. Since we all realize by now that MS cannot maintain a naming convention for more than four OS releases, we can all look forward to another round of confusion in a few years.

Who's on first?

GadgetDoc
09-27-2005, 04:53 PM
Thanks for the replies.

How backwards compatible is WM 5.0? Would something like an SPV with WM 5.0 be able to run older PPC software?

npatang
09-27-2005, 06:23 PM
I think This depend on the Softwares wether they can run on the WIndows 5.0 or not.
If not then the new version of the software should be there.

--Npatang

yankeejeep
09-27-2005, 06:28 PM
The closer to system level that an app operates, the more likely you will have issues until a WM5 version is released. I would expect issues with some system utilities (except Tweaks2k2 - already updated), SIPs, and apps that try to directly address video since there have been some API changes. I think most general apps should be fine (unless they pitch fits over the new storage assignment). Ctitanic has started to compile a list of apps know to work and know not to work at http://x51v.blogspot.com/2005/09/x51v-software-compatibility-list.html.