Pocket PC dials up Phone Edition

[Jason Dunn]

<a href="http://news.com.com/2100-1040-835742.html">http://news.com.com/2100-1040-835742.html</a><br /><br />Cry havoc and let slip the dogs of war - Pocket PC 2002 Phone Edition cometh...<br /><br />"Microsoft will announce on Tuesday an application that lets manufacturers using its Pocket PC 2002 operating system add wireless access for data and voice calls to their upcoming devices. The announcement will be made in Cannes, France, and the application will be called Microsoft Phone Addition, sources said. The software allows handhelds to access data and make wireless voice calls. The first devices to support Phone Addition will run on GSM (Global System for Mobile Communications) and GPRS (General Packet Radio Service) networks and will be a new class of devices from manufacturers supporting the Pocket PC OS." <br /><br />Source: Marc Zimmerman

[jeffmckean]

It may be an addition, but I think it's "Pocket PC Phone Edition." :-)
It's what powers the HTC-manufactured o2 xda.
http://www.o2.com

[Jason Dunn]

:oops:

[James]

AT&T wireless better hurry with their GSM rollout here in the States!

[JohnnyFlash]

About time Microsoft caught up with the pioneers and released some combo kit of their own... :lol:

[st63z]

So the name isn't Wireless Pocket PC 2002 anymore but it's officially Pocket PC 2002 Phone Edition?

I assume this module patches support for cellular Internet communication deeply ingrained into various aspects of the PPC OS.

Any chance MS will include Bluetooth link support in this module and release it as an independent install for current non-wireless PPC owners so they too can get direct OS cellular support using a separate Bluetooth phone?

[Kre]

AT&T wireless better hurry with their GSM rollout here in the States!


Yeah, and lower the prices on their plans. Theyre ridiculous and cost a fortune. Every minute roaming is extra, long distance is extra, and every KB over and above the montly allotted 1MB is extra. 1MB per month is nothing. They charge up to forty cents a minute for voice calls beyond the monthly minutes. They even charge extra each month for call forwarding and three way calling. This is much too expensive for anyone.

Im looking forward to GSM data service, but AT&T is going to need to offer nationwide coverage, with no roaming, no long distance, an unlimited data plan, and all network services included, with the included minutes for a flat fee, before I would ever sign up. I would think most people arent going to want to have to constantly monitor every stupid little KB of data theyre sending or receiving. An unlimited plan would be the most attractive option for the majority of users. And all of those stupid fees they have for everything scattered throughout the plans have got to go. AT&T charges their users a fee everytime they breathe, with their GSM network.

Hopefully things will get better, and fast.

[TAB]

So, for a rookie thinking about buying a Pocket PC, should I hold off until units start shipping with the new software, or should I jump in now? Will the Jornada, for example, soon have integrated wireless capability? I have a Kyocera Smartphone and love the ability to carry one do-it-all device. I definitely want wireless capability in whatever I buy. Any advice would be greatly appreciated. Thanks. TAB

[Daniel]

Tab
You should wait. In 3 to 4 months there will be new XScale based PPCs out, most of which will have wireless. I would almost put money on MS releasing PPC.net sometime around the middle of the year too, they have it in beta now, so it may be out quite soon.

HTH,
Daniel