I'm a big picture kind of guy, so I appreciate Microsoft's great ideas concerning its Windows Mobile operating system for small computing devices. However, there are a number of challenges to be worked out before Microsoft's vision becomes reality.
Great idea: Put Windows Mobile OS and built-in Pocket PC or Smartphone applications in upgradeable flash ROM.
The vision: As they can in the Windows desktop PC environment, end-users of Windows Mobile-based handhelds will be able to upgrade the OS and applications on their device without having to purchase a new unit.
The problem: For technological and economic reasons, original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) have not consistently offered Windows Mobile upgrades to their handheld customers. If you frequent online forums, you know that end users are quite upset by what they perceive to be an unfulfilled promise. For example, users created an online fury after HP announced that because of hardware and software compatibility issues, it would not offer Windows Mobile 2003 Second Edition upgrades for its popular iPAQ line.
Rightly or wrongly, when Microsoft promotes Pocket PC upgradeability as a strength, consumers view that as an implied promise that ROM upgrades will be offered. It is left to the OEMs to fulfill this promise. The problem is that handheld hardware is still evolving fast. Newer Pocket PCs tend to be more powerful devices and new versions of Microsoft Windows Mobile software are designed to take advantage of that power. Even when offered, users sometimes find that Windows Mobile upgrades don't work as well on older, less powerful Pocket PCs and want to go back to the previous version. These challenges create a significant R&D, marketing, support, and public relations headache for the OEMs at a time when they are trying to keep costs down and Pocket PC prices low.
Solution: Microsoft and OEMs should set proper user expectations. Users should expect to receive maintenance upgrades of existing versions of Windows Mobile (as HP has done with iPAQs). However, unless the OEM promises it in advance, users should not expect an OS version upgrade. Finally, if Microsoft wants to publicize the upgradeability of the Windows Mobile OS, they should be willing to defray all of the associated OEM costs.
Great idea: Make more non-volatile internal flash ROM available in Pocket PCs for user storage.
The vision: Microsoft is encouraging OEMs to build extra flash ROM into Pocket PCs, giving the end-user more room for application and data storage—storage that remains safe, even if the unit runs out of battery power.
The problem: Safe storage will make Pocket PCs more practical. However, Windows Mobile 2003 doesn't support the use of flash ROM very well. Currently, add-on programs are installed, by default, in the main (volatile) RAM memory. If you're installing an application and want to put it in the flash ROM folder, you have to answer “No” when asked if you want to install it in the default location, and then select the flash ROM folder from a drop down menu.
The real problem occurs if your battery dies. When you install a program on the Pocket PC, small shortcut and configuration files are placed in main RAM memory. This occurs even if you specify the flash ROM folder for the program files. If your battery dies, the shortcut and configuration files die with it, and the installed programs disappear from your Programs menus, even though the main application files still exists in flash ROM. If you are savvy and patient enough, you can use File Manager to find applications in flash ROM and rebuild your Programs menu. However, even then some software will not be operational, if the software depends on the registry or on other files on the default internal drive.
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