Windows Mobile 2003 Second Edition: a first look
Published: 25 Mar 2004
Microsoft has announced an update to its Windows Mobile platform at its Mobile Developer Conference (DevCon) in San Francisco. The new version, called Windows Mobile 2003 Second Edition, is, like its predecessor, designed to work with both communications-enabled and unconnected devices.
Details about the revision remain sketchy, but it seems that both Smartphone and Pocket PC variants (including Pocket PC Phone Edition) of Windows Mobile 2003 will benefit from changes. The only features specifically mentioned by Microsoft in official materials so far are dynamic switching between portrait and landscape screen orientations, support for VGA screen resolution (640 by 480 pixels) and for square-screened displays.
Orientation switching and higher resolution support are presumably designed primarily to enhance the standard Pocket PC experience, while square-shaped screens could appear on future smartphones. The enhancements should encourage hardware developers to produce devices with more variability in terms of form factor than we have seen to date.
Smartphones and handhelds
Hardware manufacturers have yet to officially announce device support for Windows Mobile 2003 Second Edition. However, on the smartphone side, Motorola’s MPx, which was announced late in February and which should be available in the summer, is expected to be the first smartphone we'll see running it in the UK.
The MPx is intended as a blend of mobile phone, PDA and email messenger, and sports a full QWERTY keyboard plus a dual-hinge design that allows the screen to be oriented along either the long edge (landscape mode) or the short edge (portrait mode) of the keyboard section.
Meanwhile, on the Pocket PC front, the Asus MyPal A730, shown for the first time at CeBIT last week, would appear to be a likely candidate for Windows Mobile 2003 Second Edition, as it has support for VGA resolution. However, there is no official word from Asus on this as yet. OS- level support for VGA screen resolution would certainly be a boon in this device, as it would presumably overcome the issue with Toshiba’s e800 -- the only Pocket PC currently offering this resolution – where a soft reset is needed whenever you switch between VGA and the standard QVGA resolution.
Second Edition software
Software developers are less reluctant than their hardware counterparts to announce support, and many are working hard on upgrades to take advantage of VGA and landscape orientation. Among those ready to show off how their new software looks at the new resolutions and in landscape mode are Web Information Solutions, whose Pocket Informant is a popular Personal Information Manager (PIM) for Pocket PC devices.
Did you find this article useful?
55 out of 85 people found this useful
New Products
Dell Adamo XPS: a first look
More details have finally emerged on Dell's ultra-thin, ultra-stylish Adamo XPS. Check out our preview and image gallery.
iPhone 3G S: a first look
Apple's third-generation iPhone will be available on 19 June. Here are the highlights from its unveiling at the WWDC 2009 keynote.
Dell Adamo: a first look
Dell's much-anticipated Adamo, a high-end 'luxury' notebook, has finally been announced. Here's a hands-on look at a pre-production version.
Enterprise Smartphones Special Report Special Report
Nokia E63
Review Although it's missing some features (chiefly HSDPA and GPS), Nokia's E63 is a well-thought-out, ergonomic and affordable smartphone.
Review Acer DX900
Review HTC S740 on Orange
Mobile spells relief in Palestine
by Jacob Korenblum Whether you’re a foreign aid worker or a local community member--and whether you’re in Iraq or Guatemala—crisis events often look the same: High levels of confusion... More
Satellites to the rescue
By Einar Bjorgo Imagine a few years back – cell phones were reserved for a selected few, you could still keep up with your e-mail inbox and official correspondence would go via... More
Android passes 20,000 apps mark
There are now more than 20,000 Android applications and games, according to statistics from a site that tracks the platform's marketplace. According to AndroLib, Google's open source... More
