Microsoft Preps New Handheld OS

[Jason Dunn]

<div class='os_post_top_link'><a href='http://news.com.com/2100-1041_3-1015726.html?tag=fd_top' target='_blank'>http://news.com.com/2100-1041_3-101...html?tag=fd_top</a><br /><br /></div>"The Redmond, Wash.-based software giant will debut Pocket PC 2003--code-named Ozone--on June 23, according to sources close to the company. The operating system is not expected to be a major revision of Pocket PC 2002, but it will include new features such as built-in support for wireless technologies Wi-Fi and Bluetooth. The OS overhaul will occur in the next version of the operating system, code-named Magneto, due out next year. Microsoft representatives declined to comment.<br /><br />Hewlett-Packard and Gateway are both expected to announce new products using Pocket PC 2003. Gateway, a newcomer to the handheld market, confirmed that it will release a midrange device using the OS on June 23."<br /><br />Drip. Drip. Leak. Leak. :roll:

[Gremmie]

:twak:

[Cortex]

The operating system is not expected to be a major revision of Pocket PC 2002
:pukeface::pukeface2: :pukeface::pukeface2: :zzz:

[Jason Dunn]

The operating system is not expected to be a major revision of Pocket PC 2002:zzz:

You're going to have to wait and see. I wish I could say more, but until a certain date on the calendar, I can't. :|

[sponge]

Can't anyone give any comments besides little emoticon responses?

I'm still looking forward to this, I don't care if it looks the same, all I care is that it works better. Connection Mangler's demise I'm looking forward to, and the fact it's better in a wireless setting now is even better.

[Jason Dunn]

Can't anyone give any comments besides little emoticon responses?

The unfortunate reality is that anyone who has a Pocket PC 2003 device is under an NDA and can't talk about it, so there's only muttering and speculation about what the heck the new OS really *is*. Patience, and all will be revealed - I promise. :way to go:

[Fishie]

Can't anyone give any comments besides little emoticon responses?

The unfortunate reality is that anyone who has a Pocket PC 2003 device is under an NDA and can't talk about it, so there's only muttering and speculation about what the heck the new OS really *is*. Patience, and all will be revealed - I promise. :way to go:

In other words, Jason here received a PPC 2K3 machine at the latest summit and will tell us all abouth it the 23th.

[Skoobouy]

But the interesting thing about all this is that Jason (more than anyone else) cautions against the belief that PPC 2k3 is only a "minor upgrade".

In other words, Jason is saying perhaps the only thing he can say: expect to be surprised. Which I think is probably the very best news we could hear.

[Cortex]

we've come a long way baby....

[image removed]

or have we???




i'll upgrade when the resolution increases :roll:

velo500->EM500->HTC9500->???

[JonnoB]

No real surprises.

For the real curious: You can download the 2003 emulator along with the SDK to see the real changes right now.

[Timothy Rapson]

Does anyone know if by "autosuggest and autocorrect" (new features that are confirmed to be in PPC 2003) they mean that Word will check and correct spelling errors in real time as the desktop word processors do? that would be a plus for me.

[Cortex]

$10 says they didn't even fix Letter Recognizer so that it will stop thinking every mark is a "." even if its not in the punctuation section...

lord have mercy on our souls :roll:

we are cheering for the loosing team :|

[David C]

I hope the new new version Magneto will have at least 480x640 resolution and landscape mode.

And, hoping beyond hope that some manufacture will finally make somthing with BT/Wifi/GPRS or CDMA plus a build-in camera in the size of an ipaq 1900. At that point, I will upgrade for real. I know the technology is there, it's not that hard.

Untill that day, I'll just stick with my PocketPC 2002 device.

[darrylb]

Does anyone know if by "autosuggest and autocorrect" (new features that are confirmed to be in PPC 2003) they mean that Word will check and correct spelling errors in real time as the desktop word processors do? that would be a plus for me.

Doubtful. But Textmaker does this... 8) :wink:

[BTS]

I think that I would rather MS take it a bit slower and make sure that each rev of the OS is done right rather than add tons of new options. Palm is also doing the right thing.

If PPC 2003 promises improved speed and connection to the internet, along with a better browser that will be a pretty good upgrade and worth the wait for me.

I know we would all like to see PExcel and PWord revamped but with TextMaker you have all the w.p. functionality you could ever want in a PDA now.

[R K]

$10 says they didn't even fix Letter Recognizer so that it will stop thinking every mark is a "." even if its not in the punctuation section...
I don't know if I'd consider that a bug. I like the fact that I can easily write a period no matter which area of Letter Recognizer I'm in, be it Caps, Smalls, or Punctuations.

And, hoping beyond hope that some manufacture will finally make somthing with BT/Wifi/GPRS or CDMA plus a build-in camera in the size of an ipaq 1900. At that point, I will upgrade for real. I know the technology is there, it's not that hard.
It's not that it can't be technologically done: the real issue at hand is whether it would be profitable. Maybe such a device is possible, but are you willing to upgrade to such a device if it costs $950 to purchase?
And if you're ready, what about everyone else? It would be pretty cool for a manufacturer to come out with a super pumped PDA for the tech elite, but there's no profit in that.

[Cortex]

I don't know if I'd consider that a bug. I like the fact that I can easily write a period no matter which area of Letter Recognizer I'm in, be it Caps, Smalls, or Punctuations.


why have a punctuation area?

and it kills the word completion....

GRRRRRRRRRRRR

STUPID STUPID STUPID

[Janak Parekh]

I don't know if I'd consider that a bug. I like the fact that I can easily write a period no matter which area of Letter Recognizer I'm in, be it Caps, Smalls, or Punctuations.
Agreed.

And, hoping beyond hope that some manufacture will finally make somthing with BT/Wifi/GPRS or CDMA plus a build-in camera in the size of an ipaq 1900. At that point, I will upgrade for real. I know the technology is there, it's not that hard.
It's not that it can't be technologically done: the real issue at hand is whether it would be profitable.
Actually, it's not technologically feasible from a battery capacity standpoint, just yet. Where exactly will you squeeze one or two radios into the 1910 without decreasing the battery size and capacity?

--janak

[Gremmie]

I think that I would rather MS take it a bit slower and make sure that each rev of the OS is done right rather than add tons of new options. Palm is also doing the right thing.


I think some of this has to deal with not providing in-rom programs. Palm does not attempt to come up with a solid word replacement, instead a 3rd party company has created a superior Word replacement. If there would be some competition with Textmaker we could come up with a better product. Also, not including in-rom solutions would allow Microsoft to work on the core OS, not surrounding programs. With the advent of the user-rom in the iPAQs, I think we could afford a 48MB where 24MB is containing the OS and bare minimum programs and leave the remaining 24MB to install better 3rd party word processors, media players, etc. This would add to the elasticity of the product, that being said Microsoft would probably want to bundle a 3rd party textmaker/media player/etc like Palm does.

Nevertheless, Palm is like Apple when providing software that does not cradled in the OS, Microsoft has proven that it doesn't like to include apps that sit on top of the OS, they prefer their programs tightly knit into the OS.

Just a thought. :idea:

[lurch]

The unfortunate reality is that anyone who has a Pocket PC 2003 device is under an NDA and can't talk about it, so there's only muttering and speculation about what the heck the new OS really *is*. Patience, and all will be revealed - I promise. :way to go:
Yes, but that doesn't mean that those people under the NDA have to keep saying " :wink: have patience, because I know something you don't know!", or "hang in there, big guy, all will be revealed at the proper time" or any other number of slogans that really mean "I'm under an NDA, and would tell you if I could, but I can't, even though I know you knew that, but I thought I'd remind you"

At least some people just come right out and say that (http://www.pocketpcthoughts.com/forums/viewtopic.php?t=12809).


:wink: 0X

[Jason Dunn]

Yes, but that doesn't mean that those people under the NDA have to keep saying " :wink: have patience, because I know something you don't know!"

Well, how else are we supposed to eek some joy from our miserable lives? :lol:

[Abba Zabba]

Well unlike all the nay sayers out there, I can't wait for the new OS to come out. I was there when ppc 2k2 debut and had the 3630 when it first had ppc 2k. I thought it was a nice upgrade despite other peoples opinions. :|

[Warwick]

What are the chances of upgrades being released for older devices, Im in love with my 3870 and would be more interested in upgrading it than purchasing a new device.

Lets hope they dont forget us.

I love this emoticon -> 0X

[AhuhX]

Magneto, the next version of Microsoft's Pocket PC OS, is expected to include improved phone features, such as more intuitive dialing capabilities, and will likely be more flexible so that it can be used in a wider variety of devices such as appliances.

Sounds like a great release already! I hope this translates into they finally have the fixed resolution of the platform licked. :D

Great insider development name as well. Magneto is soooooo much cooler a name than "Ozone". :lol:

[Pony99CA]

I think some of this has to deal with not providing in-rom programs. Palm does not attempt to come up with a solid word replacement, instead a 3rd party company has created a superior Word replacement. If there would be some competition with Textmaker we could come up with a better product. Also, not including in-rom solutions would allow Microsoft to work on the core OS, not surrounding programs. With the advent of the user-rom in the iPAQs, I think we could afford a 48MB where 24MB is containing the OS and bare minimum programs and leave the remaining 24MB to install better 3rd party word processors, media players, etc. This would add to the elasticity of the product, that being said Microsoft would probably want to bundle a 3rd party textmaker/media player/etc like Palm does.
Remember that Pocket Word and Pocket Excel were advantages when comparing Pocket PCs against Palms back in the day. I'd rather see Microsoft update Word (and maybe Excel) to at least support better round-tripping.

Of course, I don't want to see TextMaker suffer, either.

Steve

[Kangaroo]

I wonder if they have finally fixed the problem with alarms on tasks only going off at 8am rather than the time you specified :?: :?:

Kenny

[darrylb]

If PPC 2003 promises improved speed and connection to the internet, along with a better browser that will be a pretty good upgrade and worth the wait for me.

I'll second that! The speed of my 3970 is killing me slowly :wink: !

Just the improved bus speed would have been great, but a performance increase in the OS - that is a reason to upgrade in my opinion. I can barely imagine a device that is fast :roll:

[Pony99CA]

I wonder if they have finally fixed the problem with alarms on tasks only going off at 8am rather than the time you specified :?: :?:
Let's hope they even allow you to specify an alarm time for a task. Right now, you can't (at least, not without third-party software).

Steve

[Venturello]

No real surprises.

For the real curious: You can download the 2003 emulator along with the SDK to see the real changes right now.

No UI surprises. Being based on the far more advanced CE 4.0 I expect it to be much faster on xscale cpu's, stabler and better with mem management. And much more better with wireless and internet. And you would not see that in an emulator, right?

(I have also tried the emulator...)

Also having all the .net stuff built in is nice!

[lurch]

Well, how else are we supposed to eek some joy from our miserable lives? :lol:
Good point... :D

[pradike]

What are the chances of upgrades being released for older devices, Im in love with my 3870 and would be more interested in upgrading it than purchasing a new device.-> 0X

Me too...the 3800 series is just fine by me, especially with a reasonable-cost Belkin 802.11B CF card THAT WORKS!

I've see nothing (yet) since that warrants another $600-$1000 investment (with upgraded accessories, software, etc.,) since the 3800 series.

I have WEB, 802.11b, cell phone WEB, and other good functionality already. A camera (2 Megapixel) is not my idea of money well spent - particularly since a 4.3 or higher is really needed to get quality photos I'd keep.

Maybe the next release will have some substance. The updated network connectivity is nice, but nothing more at this point.

[D.psi]

Just the improved bus speed would have been great, but a performance increase in the OS - that is a reason to upgrade in my opinion. I can barely imagine a device that is fast :roll:

In order to get the bus speed increase, you need new hardware. It has to do with how the tracks are laid on the board, and the supporting chips that drive the bus. Sorry.

An OS optimization would be nice, though.

D.psi

[David C]

I don't know if I'd consider that a bug. I like the fact that I can easily write a period no matter which area of Letter Recognizer I'm in, be it Caps, Smalls, or Punctuations.
Agreed.

And, hoping beyond hope that some manufacture will finally make somthing with BT/Wifi/GPRS or CDMA plus a build-in camera in the size of an ipaq 1900. At that point, I will upgrade for real. I know the technology is there, it's not that hard.
It's not that it can't be technologically done: the real issue at hand is whether it would be profitable.
Actually, it's not technologically feasible from a battery capacity standpoint, just yet. Where exactly will you squeeze one or two radios into the 1910 without decreasing the battery size and capacity?

--janak

Well, I don't see why not. I mean, there are already lots of small cellphones out there with built in bluetooth. I don't see alot of people complaining about the battery life. SD sized wifi card is just around the corner, I don't think that adds much to the size. Ti has the Wanda prototype, it has BT/Wifi/GPRS. I'll live with that size. I have a Sanyo camera phone, I don't think that camera is that big at all, being able to fit on the flip and all. The Mio 8380 has some kind of xcale processor, it has camera and an SD slot plus it runs smartphone. I don't see that to be any bigger then a Pocket PC. Most of all, I don't think people would have the Wifi turned on at all times. It just that when I need it, I rather just flip a switch then to have to stick in another card that I can possible loose.

[Perry Reed]

For the real curious: You can download the 2003 emulator along with the SDK to see the real changes right now.

So how about someone who's done this and isn't under an NDA telling us what's there?

[Janak Parekh]

Well, I don't see why not. I mean, there are already lots of small cellphones out there with built in bluetooth.
That's not nearly the same thing. A full PDA with a much bigger screen and a more powerful processor is a huge drain. Wi-Fi is another source of drain entirely. The Mitac also has a much smaller screen.

I don't see alot of people complaining about the battery life.
The 1910 has about 5 hours of battery life as it is. Putting more things in will make it worse.

SD sized wifi card is just around the corner, I don't think that adds much to the size. Ti has the Wanda prototype, it has BT/Wifi/GPRS. I'll live with that size.
That was a prototype, though. We don't know what a Wanda-sized device will have, powerwise.

It just that when I need it, I rather just flip a switch then to have to stick in another card that I can possible loose.
I do agree with this. I have been considering getting an i700 and using a SD Wi-Fi card. Still, that's quite a bit bigger than the 1910. I've held the 1910's battery, and it is tiny.

Mind you, it's not that I don't want to see this happen; I just think we need a bit more power management or battery density before it becomes a practical mass-market device. A few years should do the trick if a manufacturer wants to seize the initiative.

--janak

[ghostppc]

The operating system is not expected to be a major revision of Pocket PC 2002, but it will include new features such as built-in support for wireless technologies Wi-Fi and Bluetooth. The OS overhaul will occur in the next version of the operating system, code-named Magneto, due out next year. Microsoft representatives declined to comment.



It's interesting that this version doesn't sound like it will have too many improvements. But they're working overtime to improve the next version. I guess better late than never. :? For everyone who can't upgrade to ppc 2003 which only has minor changes, I guess we are SOL if we don't want to buy another machine to get the anticipated improvements expected in ppc 2004. :evil:

[cmorris]

We'll see in a week or so for sure but this release is reminding me somewhat of the Win98/ME to Windows 2000 transition. It seems that with PPC2003, MS is laying the groundwork for "Magneto" (i.e. WinXP) where people will see more of the readily visible results.

So IMO, we should not underestimate this release. It may not have a lot of cool new sexy features (did Win2000?) but it still sounds like a worthwhile upgrade. Then again, I started using Win2000 as soon as it was available while other sat on Win9x until XP... :roll:

[JonnoB]

So how about someone who's done this and isn't under an NDA telling us what's there?

Not a whole lot visually that has not already been leaked on various boards. Biggest changes from my perspective (from my head):

CE 4.2 kernal
Enhanced PIE (stylesheet handling, faster, etc)
WMP v9 player - faster, less buffering/jitter and v9 codec support
Connection manager improvements (wizard driven)
Wireless integration (BT and WiFi)
Image viewer program
Better support for server activesync (included in Exchange 2003)
SMS triggered activesync
Improved contacts manager
.Net Compact framework in ROM (hopefully OEMs do this)