Pocket PC Magazine, November '03 Read online

  The Toshiba Pocket PC e350/e355 devices are a slight update of the Toshiba e335 we reviewed in the May 2003 issue (www. PocketPCmag.com/May03/e335.asp). In addition to Windows Mobile 2003, the e350/e355 devices have the slightly newer Intel PXA 255 processor, running at 300 MHz. Both devices include 64 MB of RAM and 16 MB of flash ROM (down from 32 MB on the e335). The e350/e355 devices will be priced at $299.

  Additional Windows Mobile 2003 Pocket PCs expected

  The manufacturers mentioned above may introduce additional Windows Mobile 2003 Pocket PCs in 2003-2004. In addition, Gateway, JVC, and ViewSonic have announced that they will introduce Windows Mobile 2003-based Pocket PCs later this year. Finally, you can also expect Pocket PC Phone Edition and Smartphone devices based on Windows Mobile 2003 to be introduced, although the release timeline for these hasn't been finalized.

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  Manufacturers offering Windows Mobile 2003 upgrades to existing Pocket PCs

  The following Pocket PC manufacturers are offering Windows Mobile 2003 upgrades to users of their currently available Pocket PCs. Note that these upgrades work with the specified Pocket PCs only. For example, you cannot buy an HP Windows Mobile 2003 upgrade and install it on a Toshiba device.

  Hewlett-Packard to offer upgrades for iPAQ h3800, h3900, h5400

  HP will offer owners of h5400, h3900, and h3800 series Pocket PCs the opportunity to upgrade their existing devices to the Windows Mobile 2003 software. HP will offer upgrade CDs for the following languages: For the h5450 series: English, French, German, Italian, Spanish, Brazilian Portuguese, Tradition and Simplified Chinese; for the h3900 series: English, French, German, Italian and Spanish; for the h3800 series: English only.

  If you purchase one of the above-mentioned devices between May 23, 2003 and September 23, 2003, HP will send you an upgrade CD for the following price (U.S. dollars; you must furnish proof of purchase):

  U.S., Canada, Latin America: $15.99; Europe, Middle-East and Africa: $26.00; Asia: $29.99

  (Note: Additional charges may be applied for taxes, customs, etc).

  For devices purchased outside the May 23-Sep. 23 dates or for which no proof of purchase can be provided, upgrades will cost $29.99 and these will be available through the iPAQ Pocket PC product pages on HP's Web site (www.hp.com).

  According to HP, the upgrade CDs for the English language version of the h5400 and the h3900 should be available in early July. The CD for the English language version of the iPAQ h3800 should be available in early October. Upgrade CDs for other languages will become available after these dates. For updates on when they will become available, visit HP's Web site (www.hp.com). At this time there are no plans to upgrade the iPAQ h3700, h3600, h1910, or Jornada 560 series.

  Dell offers upgrades for Axim X5 users

  Starting June 23, 2003, all Axim X5s ordered from Dell will be shipped with Windows Mobile 2003 pre-installed in flash ROM. Owners of Axim X5s purchased before June 23 can order a set of two upgrade CDs for $29 through Dell Software & Peripherals (www.dell.com: link at bottom of page). One CD will contain the ROM image of the Windows Mobile 2003 operating system and applications, and the other will contain ActiveSync 3.7 and other user-installable applications.

  Toshiba offers upgrades for e750 / e755

  Customers who buy a Toshiba e750/e755 Pocket PC 2002 from May 23, 2003 through Sept. 23, 2003 are eligible to receive a Windows Mobile 2003 upgrade CD for $15.99, which covers the cost of shipping and handling. Customers who have purchased one of the above devices before May 23 or after September 23 can purchase the upgrade CD for $50—which includes shipping and handling. Details will be posted on Toshiba's online store (www.shoptoshiba.com).

  Other Pocket PC manufacturers' plans not announced

  As we went to press, Audiovox, Casio, NEC, and other Pocket PC manufacturers had not announced their upgrade plans.

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  Chris De Herrera is a special correspondent and contributing author for Pocket PC magazine. He maintains one of the best Windows CE sites (www.cewindows.net) and discussion boards (www.cecities.com). Chris is a Microsoft PocketPC.COM Contributor on Microsoft's Windows CE Web Site. Chris is a Microsoft Most Valuable Professional for Windows CE and writes articles on Windows CE for his own Website and for other mobile computing publications. Chris regularly participates in various newsgroups (including Microsoft.public.windowsce). You can reach Chris at [email protected].

  Interview with Chris Hill, Microsoft's Lead Product Manager for Windows Mobile 2003

  What were Microsoft's main goals for this release and why are they important?

  We continue to hear from our customers and partners that they value the familiar Windows interface and the ease of integration with Microsoft Outlook and other information on their desktop. Our goals for Windows Mobile 2003 are to improve this Windows experience by enhancing wireless connectivity, enabling great messaging devices, and extending mobile media scenarios. We are also enhancing the platform to continue to drive hardware innovation, including new form factors and accessories.

  What were the most important enhancements?

  We've ported the Windows XP Zero Configuration Wi-Fi experience to the Pocket PC. Now it is even easier to connect to Wi-Fi networks because the software automatically detects and configures the device for the new networks. We've improved device to device wireless connectivity by adding native support for Bluetooth. And with the growing adoption of the Pocket PC Phone Edition, we have taken the opportunity to improve our WAN connectivity with always-connected data connections.

  Windows Mobile 2003 makes significant strides in delivering an "always up to date" e-mail experience for customers. This is accomplished by providing greater flexibility for automatic, over-the-air schedule synchronization, including SMS notifications for customers using Exchange Server 2003 and Pocket PC Phone Edition devices.

  We have also added a new Pictures application, which allows individual and corporate users to manage their photos, including easily beaming or e-mailing them, as well as allowing users to turn their Pocket PC into a digital picture frame.

  We expanded the multimedia functionality on the Pocket PC by including a new version of Windows Media Player. The new version 9 delivers high-definition video with up to six times the resolution of today's DVDs. In addition, the DigitalMedia Plus! Pack, available for Windows XP, includes two cool applications optimized for Pocket PC (www.microsoft.com/windows/plus/dme/dmehome.asp). The first, Sync&Go, allows users to regularly cache and sync video content to their Pocket PC. The other—one of my personal favorites—is PhotoStory. This application lets users easily create digital photo albums by combining their photos with narrations, music, titles, and pan/zoom effects. Photo Story albums are optimized for the Pocket PC's screen resolution, to help share photo collections on the Pocket PC in a whole new way.

  How did feedback from existing users influence the improvements in Windows Mobile 2003? What were the most asked for features?

  We listened carefully to both our end users and our enterprise customers. Most users loved the existing functionality of the Pocket PC and simply wanted refinements to the user experience. They requested and got smarter notification bubbles and fewer taps to get to their information. The new Connection Manager makes it easier to configure the Pocket PC and the optimized search feature makes it easier to find information in the Contacts database. We've also added a mute button, SMS improvements, and separate volume controls for the telephony and PDA functionalities on the Phone Edition devices.

  For our enterprise customers, we have increased security on the Pocket PC, added support for the 802.11x Wi-Fi standard, included a new IPSEC VPN client, and added support for multiple VPN connections. Finally, we've striven to drive down the support costs for operators and corporate IT departments. Windows Mobile 2003 supports provisioning via a standard WAP provisioning message, a CAB file on an expansion card, or an XML service, allowing remote configuration for e-mail and connectivity settings.

&n
bsp; What are the most significant changes made to the existing built-in applications and why are they important?

  The ability to synchronize Outlook information while mobile is very important to our customers. Pocket PC 2003 continues to refine the management of this information. We have enhanced Calendar and Contacts applications by optimizing the search function, improving the Calendar summary views, adding support for Vcards and Vcals, and adding "View by company department" to Contacts.

  We have also improved e-mail by adding a great auto-correct feature that will automatically fix your spelling and grammar mistakes. A new auto-suggest feature will help you fill out that "To:" line for a new e-mail with just a few quick taps. And we have also added signatures. I use my e-mail signatures to help people know that I am mobile. By automatically marking my e-mails as "delivered by Pocket PC", I let the recipients know that my mail was composed while I was away from my office.

  You added one new application to the platform: an image viewer. Why was that important to add?

  With the growing popularity of cameras on devices, we felt users would find it both entertaining and productive to have an image viewer built into their device. The new Pictures application makes it easy for end users to access photos in Windows Mobile 2003. Now consumers can show off photos of their family vacations or home improvements, while enterprise customers can easily bring the latest product photos or plan drawings to important client meetings. Users can share their photos by beaming them to a friend or by e-mailing them to a colleague with a few quick taps.

  It has been over a year and a half since the last major upgrade of the Pocket PC operating system. Some may see this version as a minor upgrade. Do you agree with that view?

  No. The PDA market is maturing to the point that both hardware and software are hitting a sweet spot in terms of functionality, quality, and price. Our challenge with Windows Mobile 2003 was not to add more to a feature-rich device, but to take the broad functionality in the platform and make it even better. Our customers are telling us they value the interface, navigation, and feature set of the Pocket PC. So we set out to refine it to make it easier to configure and use.

  We have also done a lot of work at the platform level to enable new and innovative Pocket PCs. Different screen sizes, integrated keyboards, and innovative accessories are all possible with the work that we have done in Windows Mobile 2003. We expect to see some very innovative and different Pocket PCs within the life cycle of Windows Mobile 2003.

  Our platform work extends to our developer community, enabling some exciting commercial and corporate application development for the Pocket PC. Our tools have been integrated into Visual Studio and .NET CF (Compact Framework) has been integrated into the platform, providing Windows developers a single tool, skill set, and programming paradigm for server, desktop, Web services, and devices development. Windows Mobile 2003 is raising the bar again, providing a smart and connected mobile device that provides a powerful and familiar environment for individual and corporate users.

  Many users of Handheld PCs are disappointed at the perceived lack of support for these small handhelds with built-in keyboards. What improvements in keyboard entry can we expect to see in the Pocket PC over the next year?

  There are a number of add-on keyboards for Pocket PCs that are on the market today. Hitachi has also brought to market a Pocket PC Phone Edition device with an integrated keyboard. We expect more to arrive in the market in the future.

  In Windows Mobile 2003, Microsoft has focused on creating an integrated and modular keyboard experience. We have done the hard work to make sure keyboard navigation and control works well. We want to make sure that if users want to use their keyboard, they are not forced to pull out their stylus to navigate. So we have added support for four new navigation/application keys and automatic menu mnemonics, as well as SYM key support, smart auto-deployment of the keyboard, chorded keys (accelerators), and reference keyboard designs for the OEMs. These software improvements encourage keyboard innovation on the platform and enable core tasks to be performed without the need to switch back/forth between typing and using your stylus.

  What is Microsoft's vision of the future for handheld devices like the Pocket PC? What will we be doing with them 1 or 2 years from now that we're not doing now?

  Improvements in both software and hardware are making it easier for mobile professionals to manage their information while mobile. With the growing accessibility of high-speed WAN and WLAN networks, the realization of smart, connected devices as a means to communicate and manage critical date is here today. We will continue to offer the most connected mobile device with a familiar Windows interface and to give users a great way to communicate, to stay productive with Outlook information, and to entertain themselves while mobile. We will continue to help our users realize their potential by staying productive and having fun.

  The HP iPAQ h2200 Pocket PC: A Compact Powerhouse

  by Derek Ball

  When HP premiered the iPAQ h1910 earlier this year, I was impressed with its stylish appearance and compact design, but disappointed that it could not be used to communicate wirelessly. The promise of mobile devices is "information at your fingertips," and without wireless connectivity it's not possible to keep that promise. I waited patiently for HP to introduce a compact device that would.

  The HP iPAQ h2200 Pocket PC

  Fortunately, George Bold from HP had briefed me on the iPAQ h2200 long before the device was available. George described a small, stylish device that was obviously engineered with the mobile but connected businessperson in mind. He promised to send me one as soon as possible—I couldn't wait to get my hands on it! When it finally arrived, I tore open the box in eager anticipation.

  Compact and light

  At 4.54 x 3.0 x 0.61 inches this unit is just slightly thicker than its smaller sibling the h1910. This arguably makes it the smallest wirelessly enabled Pocket PC on the market today. It can easily be slipped into a shirt or suit pocket. I've often heard people complain of the "brick-like" characteristics of an iPAQ with an Expansion Pack. That complaint certainly doesn't apply to the h2200. It is sleek, stylish, lightweight, and easy to carry with you.

  The rubber handgrips on the sides are a welcome change from the earlier iPAQ models. They make it easy to pull the unit out of the supplied nylon slip case or a shirt pocket, and give you a sure grip when you are working. The "voice record" button from previous iPAQ versions has been removed altogether and I must say that it's about time! I don't know how many times I've accidentally pushed that button while trying to extract my h3800 series iPAQ from its case and started recording a voice memo. If you like to create voice memos on the fly, you might not think this is an improvement. I think that the button on earlier iPAQs was poorly placed and really didn't need to be there. Now it isn't. Of course, if you really do want a button for voice memos, you can change any of the four front buttons on the h2200 to be your new voice record button.

  Plenty of power and expansion capability

  HP has equipped the h2200 with top-of-the-line components to make it a true player in the high-end Pocket PC market, without the high-end price tag. It comes with an Intel PXA255 400 MHz XScale processor, 64 MB of SDRAM (56 MB user-accessible), and 32 MB of ROM.

  The built-in memory should be more than sufficient for the needs of the average user. However, hardcore users can add additional storage memory via the h2200's Secure Digital (SD) and Compact Flash (CF) expansion slots.

  The SD slot accepts the same storage cards used on many digital cameras. For example, I used it to swap photos from my digital camera to the h2200. Then I used the built-in iPAQ Image Viewer application to show off photos of my kids. The SD slot on the h2200 conforms to SDIO specifications, which means that it can also be used to add digital cameras, GPS receivers, radios, and other SDIO devices to your h2200.

  The h2200's Type II CF slot accepts file storage, Wi-Fi, GPS, digital camera, and other CF cards. I use a CF Wi-Fi card to wirelessly ac
cess my office LAN. I also use it to check my e-mail while I'm having a cup of coffee at my local Starbucks, which is equipped with a T-Mobile Wi-Fi Hotspot. Finally, I use a Pretec 3 GB CF storage card (www.pretec.com) to carry around all of my GPS maps, which I display using PowerLOC's Destinator navigation software (www.powerloc.com). Because the h2200 has built-in Bluetooth capability, I'm able to use the Socket Communications Bluetooth GPS to receive position information (www.socketcom.com).

  Built-in Bluetooth capability indispensable

  Wireless capability is vital for connected mobile users such as myself, and while the jury is still out on the future of Bluetooth, I find it an indispensable technology. It lets me interface with my Bluetooth-enabled Sony Ericsson t68i mobile phone, keeping me connected everywhere I roam. As mentioned earlier, I also use Bluetooth to communicate with my GPS receiver in my frequent travels. Bluetooth capability makes it possible to listen to music through wireless headphones, access your LAN via a Bluetooth access point, send business cards and files to another person, chat with other people with Bluetooth-enabled devices, and much more.