Windows CE X Windows Mobile - What is the Difference?

[Jerry Raia]

<div class='os_post_top_link'><a href='http://blogs.msdn.com/fzandona/archive/2006/05/16/599485.aspx' target='_blank'>http://blogs.msdn.com/fzandona/archive/2006/05/16/599485.aspx</a><br /><br /></div><i>"Just checked Mike’s post about the announcement of Windows CE 6.0 at MEDC. He says: "It's interesting to see that this news has made it over to /. (Slashdot) - what's even more interesting is reading the comments - how are people confused between Windows CE and Windows Mobile ? - I don't get it. This is NOT a new Windows Mobile release." Based on that I decided to translate one of the my first posts from Portuguese to plain English. Far from a in-depth technical post, this is a very simple explanation on the differences between WinCE &amp; WM. Let’s try to shed some light on this subject"</i><br /><br />Inquiring minds what to know! For those of you who are not sure what the difference between Windows CE and Windows Mobile here is a good place to start. Pretty good explanation and it's easy to understand.

[Mike Temporale]

That is a nice easy read. Good information. 8)

[mikestew]

"how are people confused between Windows CE and Windows Mobile ? - I don't get it."


Give me a break. He's either ignorant of his company's handheld history, or is being intentionally dense. We'll start with the WinCE 3.0 PPCs sitting on my shelf at home, with "Windows CE" clearly emblazened on the exterior. My wife even still refers to her 8125 as her "CE", because that's what they were when we purchased our first ones. Next up is MSFT's horrible messaging about the difference, or that there even is a difference. When I worked there, even internal MSFT folk referred to the Mobile OS as "CE" because, hey, up until a version or two ago that's what it was called, and there was never any internal marketing to say, "CE != Mobile".

[Sven Johannsen]

"how are people confused between Windows CE and Windows Mobile ? - I don't get it."
When I worked there, even internal MSFT folk referred to the Mobile OS as "CE" because, hey, up until a version or two ago that's what it was called, and there was never any internal marketing to say, "CE != Mobile". :?: Huh? WinCE was never equivalent to handheldPC, PocketPC, Windows Mobile, or Palm Sized PC, though all were built on a core of WinCE code. Not the whole thing - just pieces with other stuff added. WinCE can be used to control automotive computers, ATM machines, Coke machines, Information kiosks, and even portable devices that can't lay claim to Windows Mobile for some reason or other. It is apparent he needed to do the post as there certainly is confusion. even among those that work(ed) there.

[mikestew]

Huh? WinCE was never equivalent to handheldPC, PocketPC, Windows Mobile, or Palm Sized PC, though all were built on a core of WinCE code.

Came in late to the game, perhaps? Boot a Cassiopeia 105/115, look in the about box. What you'll see is "Windows CE 2.11" for a 105, and "Windows CE 3.0" for a 115. Don't have one handy? See what Casio has to say (http://tinyurl.com/l448y) about what OS their early PPCs were running.

The OS MSFT specified for earlier PPCs was called "Windows CE". That later changed.

[Sven Johannsen]

Huh? WinCE was never equivalent to handheldPC, PocketPC, Windows Mobile, or Palm Sized PC, though all were built on a core of WinCE code.

Came in late to the game, perhaps? Boot a Cassiopeia 105/115, look in the about box. What you'll see is "Windows CE 2.11" for a 105, and "Windows CE 3.0" for a 115. Don't have one handy? See what Casio has to say (http://tinyurl.com/l448y) about what OS their early PPCs were running.

The OS MSFT specified for earlier PPCs was called "Windows CE". That later changed.


Boot a W2K box and you'll see NT kernal. Doesn't make it NT, doesn't make what folks silkscreened on their units right. CE was around before personal handheld devices, and yea, the first ones were built on it, and for lack of a better term, were likely identified with it. Still doesn't make WinCE, Win Mobile. There are even today portable devices running WinCE that certainly aren't running Windows Mobile. Take a look at the Psion devices.

[Lurk]

Just standard MSFT revisionest history.

NT used to mean New Technology. Now, we see that Windows 2000 was built on NT Technology. The Great Sahara Desert is just sand, too.

I have the original HP 320x240 clamshell. I have a Sharp Tripad. I have MSFT's games for Windows CE that ran on the Casio 100 which I traded in for the 110(?) and no longer have. I finally dumped my iPaq 36xx and have a 39xx.

Windows CE has always been synonimous with these devices. Now they want to call it something different, fine. Now they want to say that they split the two lines, fine. Just don't try to rewrite history.

I have the 5 1/4 discs and documentation for Windows 1.04. Pitched Windows 2.0, Windows 286, Windows 3.0, WFW and even the 95 versions. I've watched them change the names many times. Even was bothered by the left turns at Albuquerque. But the history is the history, not what they choose to rewrite it to.

CE never stood for Consumer Electronics, unless the said it did, then only until they said it didn't. SOP for MSFT.

Get used to MSFT changing the origins and the meanings of names and acronyms.


BTW: Sahara means Great Desert.