Handheld and Pocket PC Windows Powered News

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On June 23, 2003, Microsoft formally announced the re-branding of its operating system and application suite for Pocket PCs, Phone Edition devices, and Smartphones. This software will now be referred to as "Windows Mobile" instead of, as in the past, "Pocket PC" or "Pocket PC 2002." While Microsoft will no longer refer to the Pocket PC OS/application suite as the "Pocket PC" software, they will continue to refer to the devices themselves as Pocket PCs, Smartphones, etc. The goal of the change is to align the mobile software with the highly-recognizable Windows brand from Microsoft. The change of name coincides with a change in the software itself, which has been updated for 2003. This issue of Pocket PC magazine focuses on this new Windows Mobile software for the Pocket PC.

Sprint has announced that it has certified Intermec's 760 Color Pocket PC for use with the enhanced Sprint Nationwide PCS Network. As part of the PCS Business Solutions Program, Intermec will work with Sprint to co-market, co-sell, and co-brand its Pocket PC mobile device through value-added resellers (VARs) and distributors in the PCS Business Solutions Program to help meet the needs of vertical market applications in the areas of field sales, field service, and fleet management.

The 760 Color offers an integrated Area Imager option to read 1D and 2D bar codes and to support photography applications, including signature capture. This makes the 760 Color suitable for a wide range of mobile worker applications. The Intermec 700 Color Series is the first family of rugged mobile computers to integrate up to three wireless communication options in a single device, including a Wi-Fi local-area-network (802.11b) radio, a CDMA / 1xRTT wide-area-network radio, and a fully integrated, power-managed personal-area-network Bluetooth radio.

Socket Communications will introduce an 802.11b (Wi-Fi) wireless LAN card in the smaller Secure Digital format sometime in August of this year. The SDIO LAN Card will plug into any SDIO card slot and allow a Pocket PC or Pocket PC Phone Edition running bSquare Corporation's SDIO Now software to connect wirelessly to 802.11b Hot Spots and corporate networks. Socket also announced the introduction of the SDIO In-Hand Scan Card, an add-on bar code scanner.

SSocket's SDIO WLAN Card will be priced at $149 and the SDIO In-Hand Scan Card at $269. Both will be available through Socket's Web site (www.socketcom.com/a>) and through Socket's North American distribution channels. wwww.socketcom.com/about/press.asp

Socket's new SDIO In-Hand Scan Card

NEC has formally announced the introduction of the MP 900, the latest version of its popular Handheld PC line. Measuring 9.69 x 5.05 x 1.19 inches and weighing 1.8 pounds, the MP 900 is the size of a very small notebook computer. Unlike most notebooks, it has a 1/2-VGA display and comes with the Microsoft's Windows for Handheld PC 2000 software built in, which includes the Windows CE 3.0 operating system and the Handheld PC 2000 application suite. The device sports 64 MB of flash ROM—32 MB for the OS and applications, and the rest accessible to the user for program installation and data storage. It also has 64 MB of SDRAM to run programs and store data.