When will PPC's run XP?

[Gutsandglory]

Windows mobile does the job, but its limitations are becoming an annoyance for me. I want my PPC to be basically a smaller version of my home pc, not some sawn off watered down version.

Im thinking this will eventually happen, but when? Processors need to be beefed up and onboard memory needs a serious expansion, but of course all this costs money. Maybe the lack of memory and processor speeds is the way it is because PPC's would cost as much if not more than a notebook?

Anyway just thought i would throw this out there to see what others thoughts are on this.

[torok]

By that time Longhorn will be out and XP will be old hat. You could probably run Win95 right now, but would you want to?

[DiGiTYZED]

guess u gotta wait for that OQO device :-)

[milkman dan]

If a PPC could do all a laptop could, then who in their right mind would buy anything but? The technology is definatly there to make MUCH better PDA's for not much more money, but they simply don't :( 512 should be the min amount of ram being shoved into new PPC's these days. How about a graphics accelerator while we are at it? If I am not mistaken, nokia's ngage(sp?) outbenches pda's at the moment... what gives? when you look at it, these PDA's cost almost as much as a desktop PC :(

[torok]

when you look at it, these PDA's cost almost as much as a desktop PC :(

You can get a DELL desktop delivered, with monitor, for less then an HP 4155. :D

[Kowalski]

When will PPC's run XP?
the answer is : never.
windows CE is designed from strach to work on mobil devices. uses as much as minimum system resorces plus since there is no standart input and output devices for mobile devices, windows CE easly can be adapted to different hardware.
the idea behind mobile devices are the small size and more operation times between charges. if you have hundered megs of ram and gigs of stora and a couple of gHz of proccessor speed how do you expect designers fit all these into your pocket. and imagine the power usage of such system.

[milkman dan]

"windowsCE is designed from strach to work on mobil devices"

I was told it was origonally a stripped down version of 95? Guess I was misinformed >_<

[Sven Johannsen]

I agree with the 'never', but for a slightly different reason. If you had what you want in a device, it would not, by definition, be a PocketPC. At least by today's definition.

I don't think we are ever going to see a handheld/portable device with the capabilities of the then current desktops. They will always lag behind the advancing technologies on the full sized devices.

Keep in mind that the OQO must boot. That alone takes it out of the running for a PocketPC like device. It is more like a tiny Tablet.

In my mind the biggest single thing keeping the PocketPC where it is today is battery technology. If you put everything in that you want, you would be looking at laptop-like run times. We complain about 4-6 hours now. Imagine if it was 2-3 hours.

[Robb Bates]

"windowsCE is designed from strach to work on mobil devices"

I was told it was origonally a stripped down version of 95? Guess I was misinformed >_<

I think that's a common rumor. I've heard it too. But after reading some development stuff, I too discovered that it is it's own OS. The GUI and fundamental ideas are common to pretty much all windowing OSes so it's no suprise that that rumor would arise.

And today's PPCs can do what a destop machine can do. At least one that is 10 years old. I use PocketDOS which does exactly what a desktop machine can do, just an old desktop.

Robb

[Kowalski]

I was told it was origonally a stripped down version of 95? Guess I was misinformed >_<
this is not true, in fact windows ce has is a close relative to windows xp
especially memory and proccess models have so many similarities to winNT structure

[Gutsandglory]

well what i am looking for is a small tablet pc, that OQO thing looks like its on the way, but yeah id bet the battery wont last very long at all.

Its just that CE software is so damn limited its annoying, for instance pocket word is useless to me it basically ruins any .doc i put into it, active sync has its problems as many know. I use my ipaq as a gps a lot and it works pretty good, but the PC version of the GPS software i use has everything i need, the CE version is, well, sawn off, like all the software thats available for ppc... it sux. I guess what i am looking for is a seamless enviroment between my desktop and my "pocket computer" or "portable computer", whether it be a tablet pc, pocket pc or smaller laptop. A laptop is no good to use a portable gps.

The sony vaio's are getting close to what i am after as well, but again the battery life would be pretty dismal, i guess the balance between abilty and power usage is limited with the current technology, so i guess ill just have wait for technology to catch up to my desires.

Thanks for the responses...

[milkman dan]

I would use pocketdos if it was a little more useable. Being limited to 1 meg of ram is pretty sucky :( if it was a little better I would have a feild day with old dos games

[Robb Bates]

...pocket word is useless to me it basically ruins any .doc i put into it...

You could download the HP mobile printing software which includes WestTek's ClearVue Word, Excel and Powerpoint viewers that don't modify the files. You can find it on their iPaq support site.

Also, make sure you turn off the "Tools/Options/Rules/ConversionSettings/Convert files when synchronized, copied or moved" check box in Active sync. That way unless you actually modify the Word document in Pocket Word, it shouldn't get ruined.

Robb

[nosmohtac]

well what i am looking for is a small tablet pc, that OQO thing looks like its on the way, but yeah id bet the battery wont last very long at all.



If you like the OQO, check This (http://www.flipstartpc.com/) out.

I like the flip open style of the flipstart better, 'cause you don't have to worry about screen protection as much. Plus, the LID (low power interactive display) give you the ability to use the device like a PDA without waiting for the OS to boot. It let's you look up contacts, appointments, and emails. If you have an email attachment you want to look at, you would have to turn it on, but a few seconds to bring the computer out of standby doesn't seem too unreasonable from where I sit.

[Kacey Green]

I use softmaker's Textmaker for my word docs, it isn't cheap, but it's like having desktop word in your pocket

[Gutsandglory]

thanks for th tips with docs, but again its more money to spend when it should be standard IMO, this brings me back to the sawn of watered down windows arguement. Same with the file explorer, i mean if software developers can come up with decent file explorers similar to the desktop versions, why the hell cant microsoft??

Ill have to take a closer look at activesync and its settings, but i figured if i didnt convert docs to psw i wouldnt be able to open them in pocket word.

The flipstart looks very similar in specs to the OQO, i will defintely be keeping my eyes on these and similar products in the future.

Another thing, i know its small, but i wanted to change the system sounds on my ipaq, after downloading and buying programs to do this i had found out that its impossible to change them in WM2003, i had contacted microsoft and they confirmed this and told me just to wait for some 3rd party software developer to make a program to do it!! why oh why make such a simple thing so difficult, it baffles me.

The PPC OS just seems so restrictive and "user friendly", i guess i just had expections way to high before entering the PPC world.

[nosmohtac]

I don't know if your expectations are too high. There are a lot of buggy things, like you describe, wrong with the OS. But.....man I'm still as excited as the first day I saw a jornada 548, with the world of mobile computing and PDA's. My biggest frustration is the lack of understanding that the OEM's have with what people really want in these devices.
I understand that everyone's needs (and wants) are different, but with sites like PPCT and others, having forums where people are constantly saying what should or shouldn't be done, that they would have formed a little better understanding of what a majority of people would be satisfied with. Yet, I can't wait for what's to come. These truly are exciting times.

[Sven Johannsen]

thanks for th tips with docs, but again its more money to spend when it should be standard IMO,

Oh, like Windows XP does? I recall spending money to get the Office Suite on my PC. XP does come with Worpad, which isn't all that far from Pocket Word. You can't expect everything that you pay extra for on a desktop PC for free on a device that costs less than half as much in some cases. If it was bundled in and the price raised accordingly, we'd all scream. If MS produced a Pocket Office Suite with the features we want, the price would make us all scream. Think about it. Textmaker and Planmaker together are about $80. Lets add Powerpoint and maybe Access to that and charge $150. I can hear it now. Oh my God, $150 for a PPC program, that's rediculous. Incidentally, Outlook doesn't come with Windows either. They gave you Pocket Outlook (so to speak) and Desktop Outlook.

this brings me back to the sawn of watered down windows arguement. Same with the file explorer, i mean if software developers can come up with decent file explorers similar to the desktop versions, why the hell cant microsoft??

On the other side of this coin is providing an ISV market. Part of the reason there are so few Word and Excell offerrings and they took so long, is that MS had Word and Excell, and there is a feelng that a third party product could be easily killed by a little update from MS. There are tons of Powerpoint and Access like solutions. MS left that market open.

Try to think of the average user when you lambast the file explorer. I would think that the built in one does most of what the average user needs.

[Gutsandglory]

Oh, like Windows XP does? I recall spending money to get the Office Suite on my PC. XP does come with Worpad, which isn't all that far from Pocket Word. You can't expect everything that you pay extra for on a desktop PC for free on a device that costs less than half as much in some cases. If it was bundled in and the price raised accordingly, we'd all scream. If MS produced a Pocket Office Suite with the features we want, the price would make us all scream. Think about it. Textmaker and Planmaker together are about $80. Lets add Powerpoint and maybe Access to that and charge $150. I can hear it now. Oh my God, $150 for a PPC program, that's rediculous. Incidentally, Outlook doesn't come with Windows either. They gave you Pocket Outlook (so to speak) and Desktop Outlook.


Yes you have a good point, they should of called it PocketNotepad rather than Pocketword if the intention was that way.

Try to think of the average user when you lambast the file explorer. I would think that the built in one does most of what the average user needs.

Yes it works, i dont dispute that, but for instance Resco's file explorer works in a very similar way to the desktop version, it just makes me wonder why microsoft felt the need to remake the file explorer for Windows Mobile when they could of used one just the same as Resco has made that works just like the desktop version? with all the functions!! not watered down!!

I have come to the conclusion i have stepped into the "pocket computer" world a little too early, given time i can see great new products coming out that wont be as dissapointing... the OQO for instance, this is coming closer to what i have expected from a "pocket computer", though battery capacity is still a big issue. Only time will tell.

[szamot]

By that time Longhorn will be out and XP will be old hat. You could probably run Win95 right now, but would you want to?

What do you mean when, if it isn't ALPHA I don't run it. It's too old. Besides I don't think actually knows where they are going with Longhorn and when that will be. :lol:

[maximus]

woohoo. XP on PPC. I can finally be able to play half-life 2 on my PPC ? :mrgreen:

http://www.tomshardware.com/hardnews/20040610_152357.html