| A detailed comparison of Windows CE and Pocket PC features and functions |
(Sep. 22, 2003)
Ever wonder what the difference is between Windows CE and Pocket PC? If so, this 32-page Microsoft whitepaper is just what you've been looking for. It compares the main features of Windows CE. NET 4.2, Pocket PC 2002, and Windows Mobile 2003 software for Pocket PC. It tabulates the commonalities and differences between the platforms, and explains the roles each play in Microsoft's ongoing mobile and embedded device strategies.
Comparison of Windows CE .NET 4.2, Pocket PC 2002, and Windows Mobile 2003 Software for Pocket PCs
Microsoft Corporation
August 2003
Introduction
This article compares some of the main features of Windows CE.NET 4.2, Pocket PC 2002, and Windows Mobile 2003 software for Pocket PC. It is designed to provide customers with a better understanding of the commonalities and differences between the platforms and explain the roles each play in Microsoft's ongoing mobile and embedded device strategies.
The Windows Mobile platform is the lead Microsoft offering for mobile handheld computing devices and applications, including personal digital assistants (PDA). Standardization of both hardware and software requirements has allowed the Pocket PC to provide an optimized mobile handheld experience while supporting third-party application development. Windows CE .NET is designed to target a broader range of embedded devices. Given the array of embedded devices that may be created using Windows CE.NET, there are no standardized hardware or software requirements.
The technologies in this article are grouped in nine major categories, based on common functionality . . . - End User Applications
- Applications and Services Development
- Networking and Communication Services
- Supported Hardware
- Internationalization Features
- Internet Client Services Features
- Multimedia Features
- Security Features
- Shell and User Interface Features
Windows CE .NET Overview
Windows CE .NET is a componentized operating system (OS) available to developers and device manufacturers to create customized embedded devices. It belongs to the Microsoft family of embedded operating systems along with Windows XP Embedded.
Designed from the ground up with the embedded marketplace in mind, Windows CE .NET combines an advanced, real-time operating system and the most powerful tools for rapidly building the next generation of smart, connected, and small footprint devices. Built on its own code base, different from the desktop, Windows CE .NET provides a componentized, customizable, embedded OS that offers rich configuration and application options for a broad range of embedded devices. Device manufacturers have the ability to use Windows CE .NET to build both a customized OS and applications for a variety of devices requiring a small-footprint. Such devices range from enterprise tools such as industrial controllers, communications hubs, and Windows-based thin clients to consumer products such as digital cameras, voice-over Internet protocol devices, and IP-based set-top boxes.
Platform Builder is the integrated development environment for building, debugging, and deploying a customized embedded OS based on Windows CE .NET. Windows CE 3.0 serves as the underlying OS for Windows for Pocket PC 2002, while Windows CE .NET 4.2 serves as the underlying OS for Windows Mobile 2003 for Pocket PC.
Windows Mobile for Pocket PC Overview
Microsoft recently announced Windows Mobile, a new global brand for Microsoft software for mobile devices such as Pocket PCs and Smartphones. The launch of Windows Mobile software extends the Windows brand to the Pocket PC and Smartphone mobile device categories. The new Windows Mobile brand also helps customers more readily understand the consistent user experience they can expect from the software inside Pocket PCs and Smartphones. The new branding also reflects Microsoft's commitment to the mobile space in bringing its mobile device software into the Windows brand family.
Windows Mobile 2003 software for the Pocket PC builds on Windows CE by adding new functionality, user interface, and applications to create an optimized mobile computing platform for handheld devices. Specifically, Windows Mobile 2003 is based on Windows CE .NET 4.2 while Windows for Pocket PC 2002 utilizes Windows CE 3.0. The figure below illustrates the relationship between the Windows CE OS and the Pocket PC platform.
Windows Mobile 2003 software for Pocket PC enables industry leading innovative mobile computing devices by optimizing the user interface, applications and corresponding feature sets around mobile personal information management and connectivity scenarios. By standardizing core hardware requirements and providing a consistent set of programming APIs, Windows Mobile 2003 provides a consistent application development environment across devices. This consistency allows the external development community to build applications that effectively target a single customer base. The Software Development Kit (SDK) for Windows Mobile 2003-based Pocket PCs and emulation environment further empower the broad-based Windows developer community to create third-party applications for the Windows Mobile Pocket PC, further increasing its attractiveness as a platform to the developer community. As a result, a rich set of applications has been created for this platform, helping to drive further innovation in hardware and hardware peripherals supported by the world's leading OEMs and a multitude of independent software vendors, independent hardware vendors, system integrators, mobile solution providers, enterprise customers and mobile operators . . .
Read the full whitepaper here . . .
Comparison of Windows CE .NET 4.2, Pocket PC 2002, and Windows Mobile 2003 Software for Pocket PCs
(213KB download, Word file)
The above text and the full downloadable whitepaper are copyright © 2003 Microsoft Corp. All rights reserved. Reproduced by WindowsForDevices.com with permission.
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