Windows Mobile To Have New Upgrade Mechanism?

[Janak Parekh]

<div class='os_post_top_link'><a href='http://blogs.msdn.com/marcpe/archive/2005/02/14/372192.aspx' target='_blank'>http://blogs.msdn.com/marcpe/archiv.../14/372192.aspx</a><br /><br /></div>An MSDN blog post comment has the following potentially juicy bit of information:<br /><br /><div class="quote"> <span class="quote">Quote:</span> ...Its an area the MED team has been working on for the next version of Windows Mobile - to separate the upgrade mechanism for bits that Microsoft owns from the bits that the OEM owns. This should mean that Microsoft can offer things like Media Player 10 updates directly from the Microsoft site. </div><br /><br />I hope that works out - neither my current Pocket PC and Smartphone can run WMP10. :( Anyway, it's good to see that Microsoft is apparently listening to feedback. Now we have to just hurry up and wait for the next release of Windows Mobile.

[SteveHoward999]

Great - so hopefully we will eventually not be forced to buy new machines if we want the latest OS version.

The current best machines, and the next generation machines should all have the capability to handle the next version or two of Pocket Windows, so I look forward to no longer being tied down by the vendors!

[powder2000]

I like this because it will give the hardware manufacturers way more incentive to get creative and innovative on their designs rather than riding on WM success. It definitely draws a line between hardware and software, which is the way it should be. Of course this will only be successful if it is installed into ROM not RAM.

[Albegor]

Great - so hopefully we will eventually not be forced to buy new machines if we want the latest OS version.

Really great news!
I think we'll still buy new machines, but then we'll have the additional chance to stay up to date with the latest OS features.
I'd love to get WMP10 on my Loox720! :roll:

[Janak Parekh]

Great - so hopefully we will eventually not be forced to buy new machines if we want the latest OS version.
Whoa, I wouldn't be that hopeful. The OS has to closely tie into the device itself (drivers, power management, etc.), so I don't know if that's possible. From how I see it, this is more along the lines of supporting individual software replacement/upgrade.

--janak

[sponge]

Great - so hopefully we will eventually not be forced to buy new machines if we want the latest OS version.
Whoa, I wouldn't be that hopeful. The OS has to closely tie into the device itself (drivers, power management, etc.), so I don't know if that's possible. From how I see it, this is more along the lines of supporting individual software replacement/upgrade.

--janak

Blasphemy. Of course it's possible, although you'd be making the OS more modular, which in turn usually incurs a speed sacrifice.

All you need to do is separate OS from drivers, and you're there.

[Janak Parekh]

Blasphemy. Of course it's possible, although you'd be making the OS more modular, which in turn usually incurs a speed sacrifice.
A HAL has not been historically implemented on any mobile device platforms I know of (with the possible exception of Linux, but even there, I haven't heard of the "Sharp distribution" being ported to other devices). I'd love to be wrong about this, admittedly.

(Anyway, I was referring to past Windows Mobile platforms in my comments above... didn't mean to be misleading, just was trying to be conservative about the situation. ;))

--janak

[Jonathan1]

Oh god. And it begins. Why do I get this image of monthly Windows Updates for the Pocket PC. I'm not intentionally trying to be a doomsayer but that’s the vibe I’m getting.

All I know is that I hope that HP upgrade's my 4705 to PPC2005 or whatever they will call it.

[Ed Hansberry]

Blasphemy. Of course it's possible, although you'd be making the OS more modular, which in turn usually incurs a speed sacrifice.
A HAL has not been historically implemented on any mobile device platforms I know of (with the possible exception of Linux, but even there, I haven't heard of the "Sharp distribution" being ported to other devices). I'd love to be wrong about this, admittedly.
Actually, all CE devices have a HAL of sorts. OAL is what it is called. OEM Abstraction Layer. It isn't as portable as a HAL obviously but the abstraction layer is there to keep certain functions out of the domain of the OS.

[allenalb]

i'm thinking BSoDs since this will mean updates won't get tested on every possible hardware scenario.


personally (and i know i'm the only one) i like the way things are now. i paid for the 2002 to 2003 upgrade for my H3975 and was so unhappy with the way it ran, i reverted. i never had a problem with it on the 5555.

i've also upgraded my mpx200 to wm2003, and although it runs faster, other things are just annoying (no way to easily disable cleartype, which looks AWFUL on mpx200).

i'm just saying, i've always felt the reason PPCs work as well as they do, is because of the strict hardware requirements MS makes. if MS made a PC, i would buy it in a heartbeat, because i'm sure it would run better than the same OS on someone elses system (like the xbox does).

wow, this wasn't supposed to turn into a rant :)

[Boxster S]

WMP10 sucks on WM2003SE anyway. You can't even map the buttons correctly.

BetaPlayer for me.

[paris]

I would love to see an upgrade mechanism for the Pocket PC just like i am used to with my Sony Ericsson K700 mobile. I can upgrade the firmware/rom of the device without loosing any data or having to setup everyting from scratch.

[petvas]

It was about time that Microsoft took over the whole situation...
Having to depend on the OEM to provide system updates...that was (and still is) unacceptable..
I hope Magneto will have this functionality

[WillyG]

It was about time that Microsoft took over the whole situation...
Having to depend on the OEM to provide system updates...that was (and still is) unacceptable..
I hope Magneto will have this functionality

Well said

[cribbagewiz]

WMP10 sucks on WM2003SE anyway. You can't even map the buttons correctly.

BetaPlayer for me.

I second that sentiment! BetaPlayer is the best multimedia app to ever show up for the PPC! Kudos to Picard!

[bobbert]

BetaPlayer rocks. I use it all the time.
But WMP10 might be able to handle DRM'd downloaded movies soon, e.g. from MovieLink, which requires desktop viewers right now. We'll see if that happens.

[PDANEWBIE]

You know whats gonna happen the first time you have an OS problem with this setup... You call the PDA maker (HP, DELL or whatever) for warranty work and they tell you step 1 is to hard reset because we only support the OS we shipped it with. Oh great your problem is solved?. Okay bye now. *CLICK*

At least with the OS being part of the shipped unit you don't get that kind of response when having problems.

Then comes the next question will this be loaded into the rom? I would hate to have to hard reset and then spend 20 mins activesyncing updates that they put out.

[Anthony Caruana]

You know whats gonna happen the first time you have an OS problem with this setup... You call the PDA maker (HP, DELL or whatever) for warranty work and they tell you step 1 is to hard reset because we only support the OS we shipped it with. Oh great your problem is solved?. Okay bye now. *CLICK*

I'm not sure that'll be the case. Certainly, the OEMs will need to change their support procedures but most of the PPC makers are also in the PC business. In my experience, when I've had to call someone for support on a desktop PC, they didn't start by asking me to remove all the software.

BTW - I'm sure most of you will have seen some pictures of Magneto, the next release of Windows Mobile, but if you haven't I have a short powerpoint with some screens in it. I talked about it briefly in my podcast as well.

Currently, it's on my homepage (www.thepdaguy.com) but it can also be accessed from here (http://www.thepdaguy.com/forums/viewtopic.php?t=52)

[Darius Wey]

Oh god. And it begins. Why do I get this image of monthly Windows Updates for the Pocket PC. I'm not intentionally trying to be a doomsayer but that’s the vibe I’m getting.

Wouldn't you rather have updates than no updates at all? :P

[sofene]

An MSDN blog post comment has the following potentially juicy bit of information:

...Its an area the MED team has been working on for the next version of Windows Mobile - to separate the upgrade mechanism for bits that Microsoft owns from the bits that the OEM owns. This should mean that Microsoft can offer things like Media Player 10 updates directly from the Microsoft site.

I hope that works out - neither my current Pocket PC and Smartphone can run WMP10. :( Anyway, it's good to see that Microsoft is apparently listening to feedback. Now we have to just hurry up and wait for the next release of Windows Mobile.
The way I read this is that OEMs would still control the release of the OS while MS can release upgrades to their apps like WMP or MS Reader independently. I really do not see any thing new in this. Back in the ppc2002 days WMP 8.5 was offered directly from MS websites.