Looking at Our Roots: "Microsoft Announces Broad Availability of Handheld PCs With Windows CE"

[Jason Dunn]

<div class='os_post_top_link'><a href='http://www.microsoft.com/presspass/press/1996/Nov96/wincepr.asp' target='_blank'>http://www.microsoft.com/presspass/...v96/wincepr.asp</a><br /><br /></div>"LAS VEGAS - Nov. 18, 1996 - Heralding a new era in personal computing, Microsoft Corp. today announced broad retail availability of the first handheld PCs, the new category of mobile companion devices for Microsoft® Windows®-based PCs based on the Microsoft Windows CE operating system platform. As part of the broadly supported launch of the new product category, handheld PC manufacturers Casio Computer Co., Compaq Computer Corp., Hewlett-Packard Co., Hitachi Ltd., LG Electronics Inc., NEC Corp. and Philips Electronics joined Microsoft in demonstrating handheld PCs and Windows CE-based software and communications products at COMDEX/Fall in Las Vegas. Microsoft also announced that more than 90 independent software and hardware vendors plan to have Windows CE-based commercial applications, hardware peripherals or communications solutions available for the handheld PC by or near the end of the first quarter of 1997.<br /><br /><img src="http://www.microsoft.com/presspass/images/comdex96/wince1.gif" /><br /><br />The handheld PC is the inaugural product category based on Windows CE, Microsoft's new open, scalable Windows operating system platform designed for a broad range of communications, entertainment and mobile computing devices. "The introduction of the handheld PC with Windows CE is a critical milestone in Microsoft's continuing strategy to bring the popularity and ease of use of Windows to new categories of information devices," said Bill Gates, chairman and CEO of Microsoft. "The broad support and enthusiasm for Windows CE we are receiving from the computer and consumer-electronics industries provides the firm foundation on which we will build future product categories." <br /><br />The handheld PC, with Windows CE, is designed to provide the millions of mobile professionals using Windows-based personal computers with an affordable, easy-to-use mobile PC companion to keep their most important information up-to-date and close at hand. "The handheld PC with Windows CE allows users of Windows to take the productivity of their desktop with them wherever they go," said Craig Mundie, senior vice president, consumer platforms division at Microsoft. "With its easy-to-learn user interface, familiar companion applications, automatic desktop synchronization, broad communications capabilities and numerous third-party solutions, the handheld PC is well on its way to becoming the next essential business tool for mobile professionals." <br /><br />Ed Hansberry found this old press release, and I thought it was interesting to look at the roots of the Pocket PC. Everything started back with the HPC, announced in late 1996. That was an amazing seven years ago! In some ways, we've come a long way (integrated wireless), while in others, we haven't (ActiveSync is still based on HPC Explorer 1.0 code from 1996). Looking back on this press release, in what ways has the Pocket PC improved upon this original vision, and in what ways does it still have room for improvement?

[dochall]

That just has to be a candidate for a caption competition.

how about:

Bill G 'Gee, show my your new cool palm pilot'

or

Bill G 'While we waiting for the soft reset to complete I thought of a funny story. There a three guys call Scott, Larry and Bill......'

[Wiggster]

I still have my old Compaq C-Series HPC. Stills works great, except the left hinge cover snapped apart, so now the screen won't stay open. Of course, after that stopped working, I went with a Palm IIIxe, which felt like a bit of a downgrade. Then, in August last year, I decided that I needed a laptop or a new PDA. I went with the $200 option instead of the $1500 option. So, let's see, what changed between my CE 2.x and Windows Mobile 2003?

Well, the obvious woes that have been around since Pocket PC: I still miss the Windows-style Start Menu with cascading menus, that was nice. Oh, and closing applications. Everyone misses those.

But now, I walk in to Comp USA and have two huge sections dedicated to PDAs. Now, at the front of the store, I can get a radio, a metric dozen GPS's, a plethora of cases, and memory upgrades. Availability and alternative options for Pocket PC accessories have grown just about like they should have.

One thing lacking in my iPAQ verses my C-Series is the built-in 33.6 modem. I haven't seen a single HP model to still carry this necessary accessory! :wink: In a few years, Windows CE's connectivity has really grown, Wi-Fi is available on so many PDAs, either built-in or through almost suprisingly small cards.

The one thing I think Pocket PCs really lack over the old HPCs is obvious: the keyboards. Sure, the iPAQ 4355 has thumboard with it, but any built-in keyboard is going to be smaller on something that fits in your palm than what my old HPC had. But this isn't really a weakness: rather than getting used to typing on a keyboard that's 2/3rd the size of a normal keyboard, it's just a matter of getting used to a keyboard that's much smaller.

The Pocket PC is better in just about every way, I think the years have gone rather well for Microsoft's PDAs. And I should stop calling them PDAs, Quake and Age of Empires on my device aren't what I'd consider a replacement for a secretary :mrgreen:

[Lynn]

WinCE was hardly the strart of everything. That would more nearly go to the HP 95LX and its followers the 100LX and 200LX. These were DOS based systems with Lotus 1-2-3 (far better than eXcel) and a variety of other software built in. They supported PCMCIA cards, and, using widely available DOS software, ccould do anything a computer could do in those days.

For years I logged into AOL using my 200LX. It was a great way to stay in touch while on the road. It was a clam shell design, and small enough to actually fit in the inside pocket of a dress jacket.

[allenalb]

i've still got my old compaq hps as well, and i actually used it pertty regularly until about 2 years ago (mostly just pocket excel).

i had to quit when the screen sort of halfway died. (it had an entire line of dead pixels horizonally since about 98, then it got another row of dead pixels vertically about a year later. then a couple of years ago it started acting like the old game qix (if anyone remembers the game they will get what i'm saying) and only the lower left corner was visible.

what little of it you can see still works though :)

i'm gonna have to say that the things i like better about it are the keyboard and the fact that it has a full pcmcia slot and still manages to be slimmer than my iPaq 5555 :(

[Hal Goldstein]

WinCE was hardly the strart of everything. That would more nearly go to the HP 95LX and its followers the 100LX and 200LX. These were DOS based systems with Lotus 1-2-3 (far better than eXcel) and a variety of other software built in.

We STILL have a business buying, selling, repairing, and upgrading HP 200LX's: www.palmtoppaper.com.

In fact the 200LX HP division head introduced us to Microsoft and encouraged us to start Handheld PC Magazine, which we did in 1997 in support of Windows CE. The magazine is now called Pocket PC magazine.

Hal Goldstein
Publisher
Pocket PC magazine
www.pocketpcmag.com

[nosmohtac]

It's funny to see in some of the posts, here and on other sites, that what most people want, is something more along the lines of the original HPC's.

I know people have different needs in a PDA, but I think it would be awesome to have a clamshell device similar to the jornada 728, but with built in Wi-Fi and BT, along with higher Resolution.

Something along the lines of the Sigmarion III, which runs CE.Net with an X-Scale chip.

I still have my 3970, and am going to hang on to it until something like this is available. I recently saw a post in these forums about the 22xx series iPAQ, and how everyone was unwilling to upgrade to something newer unless it had dual slots. This was almost always a feature in the jornada line of HPC's, it just happened to be CF and PCMCIA instead of CF and SD.

I predict that the next big seller in the handheld market will be a clamshell style device with a useable keyboard (not thumb board), and built in wireless with VGA screen.

[rmasinag]

Fixing the darn alarms would be leap forward that should have been achieved last year! :soapbox:


At least for ppl having this problem

I'd say improve pocket office, even if it becomes a separate purchase or adds to the price of PPC. :|

[felixdd]

I still use a HPC -- the Intermec 6651. My girlfriend uses the MobilePro 780, and I gave my old MobilePro 770 to her cousin. I use it everyday to take notes and surf wirelessly -- everything I need a laptop to do, while smaller/longer battery/more rugged.

[rob_ocelot]

WinCE was hardly the strart of everything. That would more nearly go to the HP 95LX and its followers the 100LX and 200LX. These were DOS based systems with Lotus 1-2-3 (far better than eXcel) and a variety of other software built in. They supported PCMCIA cards, and, using widely available DOS software, ccould do anything a computer could do in those days.


Don't forget the DOS-based Atari Portfolio, which predates the HP offerings by a few years. If you want to go further back, check out the Tandy 100.

[T-Will]

That just has to be a candidate for a caption competition.

"We're excited to give everyone here a sneak preview of a new technology we like to call SPOT. This is a prototype watch that is SPOT enabled, all you have to do is strap this to your wrist and..."

:D

[gohtor]

I used to recall those early days when the windows ce came out and I ranted on and on about how I would simply prefer a sublaptop over a pda.

Now that the sizes have gotten smaller and the general use improved (ppc2000->ppc2003) I find myself needing both =)

laptop needed for my usual computing needs and pda for all the rest (mp3/wma/contacts/appointments)

the best thing about these new devices is the .net integration. My next purchase is a smartphone2003 (of course)

[cmlpreston]

I used to recall those early days when the windows ce came out and I ranted on and on about how I would simply prefer a sublaptop over a pda.

I recall those early days when my friends and I would laugh at the almost-too-funny-for-words name "Wince". That has to up there with calling a car a Pinto.

cmlp

[HTK]

crazy alarms
active sync

those things could benefit from a doctor

[daS]

Thanks for bring back a great memory!

http://www.microsoft.com/presspass/images/comdex96/wince1.gif
I was one of the lucky ones that managed to get an invitation to the Pre Comdex 1997 launch event where that photo was taken. (Thank you to the HP Handheld Computing Division for that.)

It was an amazing and somewhat surreal event: Microsoft rented out the Cirque du Soleil show room at the Treasure Island hotel - and filled the place. Bill Gates came out and gave a 45 minute presentation on WinCE. If you ever attend one of his presentations you will quickly realize that he didn't get to be the richest man in America due to his public speaking ability. :roll:

The presentation was rather tedious considering the majority of the audience was from the "handheld" industry or press and already were familiar with the products being announced. But there were a few light moments. For example, when Gates got to the point in his presentation where he was talking about beaming files and contacts with IrDA, he stopped to give a demo (remember this was 1997 and beaming was thought to be a big deal.) Craig Mundie (who was doing the demos on another podium) came over to beam a contact from his Handheld PC to the one that Gates was using. Unfortunately, Bill didn't know which side of the device the IrDA port was on, and Craig had to show him that he needed to turn it around. :oops: They then transfer the contact, and Gates holds up the device (with a 480x240 monochrome screen) and says to the 1500+ people in the room 'See we were able to wirelessly transfer the contact. And what's really impressive is that we did it with devices from different manufacturers, Craig's using a Handheld PC from Casio and I'm using one from Compaq!' (Note that this quote is really a paraphrase - I didn't take notes, and it was a LONG time ago.) The funny thing was that most of the audience, being insiders, knew that the Compaq H/PC was just a re-badged Casio! :lol: Of course, it would have worked with an LG, Hitachi, Philips, etc., but a speaker should know his audience and not use such a bad example to make a point.

Still it was a great event! At the end of the presentation, after Gates walked off the stage, a few of the characters from Cirque du Soleil came on the stage and started playing with the podiums and microphone cables. It was funny so everyone stayed in their seats to watch. The characters proceeded (in a humorous way) to remove the Microsoft stuff from the stage. Then more characters started to appear and before we knew it, the full performance was started! 8O At the end of the show, some characters appeared in the aisles holding signs that read "Follow Me!", and motioning for people to get out of their seats and follow them. They marched us out of the theater, then out of the hotel and across to the Mirage hotel and to the main ballroom where a reception with prime rib and open bars awaited us. All the OEMs (the "Original Seven" as we like to think of them.) were there, as were a few software and accessory vendors. It was certainly the most impressive product launch I've had the opportunity to attend. :mrgreen: