Pocket PC Update: So-So

[Jason Dunn]

<div class='os_post_top_link'><a href='http://www.pcworld.com/news/article/0,aid,111332,tk,dn070203X,00.asp' target='_blank'>http://www.pcworld.com/news/article...n070203X,00.asp</a><br /><br /></div>"Microsoft's operating system for handhelds is getting a face-lift and a new name. The upgrade, based on Windows Pocket PC 2002, will be branded as Windows Mobile 2003 (a name of future Smartphone OS upgrades also). The latest PDA upgrade is by no means a must-have, but it does deliver assorted tweaks and may also be available as an easy download for some Pocket PC 2002 devices. We tried Windows Mobile out on Hewlett-Packard's new IPaq H2210, as well as on a wireless-enabled Toshiba E755 with its OS upgraded.<br /><br />In using the E755, we found it easier to set up a Wi-Fi connection with Windows Mobile than with Pocket PC 2002, though the process still wasn't quite as simple as on Palm's Tungsten C (see our review). Pocket Internet Explorer adds support for XHTML, CSS, HTML 4.0, Jscript 5.5, and other Web standards, which lets you access more Web content. The upgrade rendered popular Web sites legible on the Toshiba's small screen."<br /><br />Ouch - talk about a painfully cursory look at Windows Mobile 2003 for Pocket PC. Then again, this might be indicitave of what most users pick it up for the first time - on the surface, not much is different than 2002. But hey, they never mentioned the photo app! :lol: You'd think they'd try to dig a little deeper...<br /><br />[This is our first post since fixing the email blast feature. We think. If you turned that feature off in your account, you should not receive this via email and should only see it on the home page. If you do receive this via email, and you don't want to in the future, please return to the Pocket PC Thoughts home page and click on CUSTOMIZE in the upper-right corner, then turn off the email blast function.]

[Kirk Stephens]

I’m really glad PCWorld provided such an excellent article… they really over-extended themselves in writing such a lengthy and informative piece :?

[Newsboy]

"But don't rush to upgrade a 2002 model unless the price is right."

I think any one of HP's current education discounts could be considered the "right" price! How about $242 for a 1940? Hehehehehehehe.

[Anthony Caruana]

"But don't rush to upgrade a 2002 model unless the price is right.".

I'd like to think I always buy at the right proce :)

BTW when you compare that review with the one Jason did you wonder why they even bothered publishing anything except a link to PPCT

[Jason Dunn]

BTW when you compare that review with the one Jason did you wonder why they even bothered publishing anything except a link to PPCT

Hah! That will be the day. ;-) A major media site linking to this site...that would be kind of cool actually. :D

[Jerry Raia]

Yeah but the die hards, like me, have to upgrade. Just an IS. :mrgreen:

[JonnoB]

Another example of fairly clueless tech magazine writers on the Pocket PC industry. Makes me somewhat skeptical on the quality of everything else they write and report on.

[rosettaZ]

Interestingly, The magazine were plenty amazed over T|T several months back.

"Finesse meets function in Palm's newest and snazziest PDA. "
http://www.pcworld.com/reviews/article/0,aid,108538,00.asp

I guess h2210 just doesn't have the finesse. heh...
I bet if they make a blinking D-pad, it'll pass the snazzy criteria.

---------------
Here is Z71, T|C review done by the same who review the h2210.
(It's not the device, this guy is a real yawner when it come to review)
http://www.pcworld.com/news/article/0,aid,110383,00.asp

[Skitals]

I dont get it... ppc 2002 comes out and everyone loves the ui... if you ask me its just about perfect. What do they want? Bells and whistles that draw cpu and battery power? If you ask me the only thing wrong with the pocket pc platform is what's behind the curtains. That's exactly what WM2003 is all about. Faster, easier, AND more features. Tough trio to come across. What mroe do these people want? Cheers to microsoft for trying to fix things that matter instead of trying to pretty it up.

[egads]

I dont get it... ppc 2002 comes out and everyone loves the ui... if you ask me its just about perfect. What do they want? Bells and whistles that draw cpu and battery power? If you ask me the only thing wrong with the pocket pc platform is what's behind the curtains. That's exactly what WM2003 is all about. Faster, easier, AND more features. Tough trio to come across. What mroe do these people want? Cheers to microsoft for trying to fix things that matter instead of trying to pretty it up.

As a basic user of a PPC2002 device (Dell Axim) the article was pretty much right on. I don't Wi-Fi, BlueTooth, read email, browse the web with my PDA, which is what from what I've read about and seen (New Dell with WM2003) is all that has changed. In the hour a so I played with the WM2003 Axim I had to soft reset it once, noticed it ran PocketInformant no faster than my PPC2002 Axim, and noticed opening up folders and menu's were no faster either. If all you use your PPC for is the basics and its not faster, easier, or more features (with the basics, not networking) why would you want to upgrade ?

If MS came out with a upgrade that added no new functionality but was 2-3 times faster and ActiveSync was a joy to use I'd pay $50 for that upgrade. I'm not sure I'd put WM2003 on even if it was free.

[Don't Panic!]

Do you use Wiindows Media Player 8 for Pocket PC at all?

Don't Panic!
Bobby

[egads]

Do you use Wiindows Media Player 8 for Pocket PC at all?

Don't Panic!
Bobby

I fire it up every now and then to play a Chris Rock bit on "How not to get your a$$ kicked by the police" (Quite a few of the guys I grew up with are in law enforcement). Other than that I've never fired up WMP for anything. The PPC can play mp3's but I prefer a smaller, lighter, easier to use, longer battery life MP3 player.

[volwrath]

I dont get it... ppc 2002 comes out and everyone loves the ui... if you ask me its just about perfect. What do they want? Bells and whistles that draw cpu and battery power? If you ask me the only thing wrong with the pocket pc platform is what's behind the curtains. Cheers to microsoft for trying to fix things that matter instead of trying to pretty it up.

Sorry, I must disagree with you. The fact of the matter is there has been no real innovation in the ppc camp for years. Microsoft has not supported the ppc platform much at all. The reason it is gaining popularity is due to the hardware, not software. Look at MS Reader, WMP, PWord, PExcel, PIE, money, as well as the file explorer, and POutlook. They are all horrid. I have to have 3rd party apps to obtain programs that work well. Also the hardware is getting stale. I will agree that the OS, combined with WisBar (or equiv.) is unsurpassed.

Having said this, I love my Axim :D

[guinness]

Wasn't PPC 2002 just a window dressing of PPC 2000? But then again if it isn't broke, why change it? POS 5 doesn't look all that different than earlier POS releases, but it is faster overall.

(Speed is the main thing I'm hoping for out of PPC 2k3 on my Axim since I don't use wireless).

[mty]

So, with support for XHTML, CSS, HTML 4.0, Jscript 5.5, and other Web standards, did PIE get the upgrade it desparately needed? Is the surfing experience that much better?

[rosettaZ]

yes, the browser improved significantly.

[klinux]

Seriously, MS support for PPC platform is horrendous. Office X for Mac has a conduit for Palm? Why not PPC? (Sure, Palm paid the MacBU for them to do it but why can't MS?)

[entropy1980]

So, with support for XHTML, CSS, HTML 4.0, Jscript 5.5, and other Web standards, did PIE get the upgrade it desparately needed? Is the surfing experience that much better?
Surfing experience is light years ahead of what it used to be, to me 2000 and 2002 was unbearable.....