Test Drive Day 7: Is Windows Mobile 2003 Worth the Upgrade?

[Jason Dunn]

<div class='os_post_top_link'><a href='http://www.ppcw.net/index.php?itemid=1428' target='_blank'>http://www.ppcw.net/index.php?itemid=1428</a><br /><br /></div>Carlo Guerrero has written a series of articles over at PPCW.net where he describes his personal experiences using Windows Mobile 2003. This looks like his wrap-up summary article, so if you've been wondering if 2003 is really worth it, give this article (and the whole series) a read:<br /><br />"Having to live for a day without an Internet Connection and with no electricity made me take a different look at Windows Mobile 2003 Software for Pocket PC. Since I couldn't do much, I decided to set aside my other Pocket PCs which I've used for comparison to the ASUS MyPal A620. This time I relied only on one device - the MyPal A620. I tried living with just the MyPal A620 for one day which left me curious about how I would take it if I were to go back and settle for Pocket PC 2002.<br /><br />I really enjoyed the snappier response of the Windows Mobile 2003 powered MyPal A620 which made activating applications so much easier and less time consuming. Moving from application to application was never a problem. Having noted all the basic differences between the older Pocket PC 2002 and Windows Mobile 2003 devices, I made use of the improved interface design which I feel should have been there in the first place."

[gorkon280]

This is questionable. I used the d-pad to death on PPC 2002. I did not really notice much of a difference on WM 2003. Is there more? My D-pad worked every where I wanted it.

[pivaska]

To quote the author.... "it is now plagued with incompatibility issues with existing software." I live a very comfortable life with my present PC2002 Toshiba E750 and I certainly don't need ANY incompatibility issues to contend with during the day. Let the "got to have's" work out the bugs and then when all seems to quite down, issues are no longer and everyone is putting the first smiley face in their posts, then will I change to 2003.

[IronGeek]

Maybe it's just me, but I played with a friend’s Axim that was running WM2003 and the Pocket IE it came with just seemed a lot better than the one in PPC2002. It seemed faster and 2003 was actually able to render Slashdot.org correctly. This alone may make it worth it for folks who web surf on they’re PDA.

[redbike2001]

Are the ASUS MyPal A620 PPCs available yet? I have seen reviews but have not seen them available anywhere on the net.

[IronGeek]

My friend got his Axim just before Dell halted shipments.

Adrian

[ppcsurfr]

This is questionable. I used the d-pad to death on PPC 2002. I did not really notice much of a difference on WM 2003. Is there more? My D-pad worked every where I wanted it.

My Cassiopeia's D-pad works too... as well as my Jornada 568's, my iPAQ h1910, and all other Pocket PCs I've tried... They all work for games and for applications that require a D-Pad... But one thing that they don't do is give 100% control with applications such as the Inbox, and the Calendar.

Yes there are more controls that make use of the D-Pad. Try up, down, left, right and action in Inbox... you'll notice it. Open an email and read through it by scrolling using the D-pad, now from the same email, try to move to the next or previous email.

With Windows Mobile 2003, all four directions are used with the D-Pad + Action button... This becomes more obvious after using Windows Mobile 2003 and then swithing back to PPC 2002. It is nice that Microsoft has updated its built-in applications to actually make full use of the D-Pad.

Mabuhay! ~ Carlo

[Stephen Beesley]

Yes there are more controls that make use of the D-Pad. Try up, down, left, right and action in Inbox... you'll notice it. Open an email and read through it by scrolling using the D-pad, now from the same email, try to move to the next or previous email.

With Windows Mobile 2003, all four directions are used with the D-Pad + Action button... This becomes more obvious after using Windows Mobile 2003 and then swithing back to PPC 2002. It is nice that Microsoft has updated its built-in applications to actually make full use of the D-Pad.

Mabuhay! ~ Carlo

Now that sounds useful - does it work with PIE? for example can you use the d-pad to navigate "back" to the last page displayed?

Goldtee