Thursday, July 24, 2003
Microsoft Opens Pocket PCs To New Designs
Posted by Janak Parekh in "ARTICLE" @ 01:00 AM
Right around the launch of Pocket PC 2003, Microsoft quietly relaxed the design constraints on Pocket PC devices -- precisely to spur more innovative handheld designs, like the Hitachi Pocket PC Phone with integrated keyboard.
"Chris Hill, product development manager for Pocket PC with Microsoft said the company had possibly made PPC too much of a walled garden in previous editions, stifling innovation, and hopes to rectify that situation with the new release. 'Looking back we created a very tight definition of Pocket PC. Today our OEMs say they're really comfortable where we are but they want to make their own [idea of a] Pocket PC with the ability to customize and differentiate,' he said. As part of this strategy, Microsoft has decided to free up some of the previous design constraints for PPC devices. These include the freedom, for the first time, to support much smaller displays than was previously possible, with 2.8 inch quarter VGA now possible."
I'd love to see other form factors, and I know I'm not the only one. This article makes it clear that this is now in the OEM's courts, not Microsoft's, to pull it off. We also know that OEMs are thinking about it; remember that HP concept iPAQ with an integrated keyboard? Come on guys, let's see it happen! :way to go:
"Chris Hill, product development manager for Pocket PC with Microsoft said the company had possibly made PPC too much of a walled garden in previous editions, stifling innovation, and hopes to rectify that situation with the new release. 'Looking back we created a very tight definition of Pocket PC. Today our OEMs say they're really comfortable where we are but they want to make their own [idea of a] Pocket PC with the ability to customize and differentiate,' he said. As part of this strategy, Microsoft has decided to free up some of the previous design constraints for PPC devices. These include the freedom, for the first time, to support much smaller displays than was previously possible, with 2.8 inch quarter VGA now possible."
I'd love to see other form factors, and I know I'm not the only one. This article makes it clear that this is now in the OEM's courts, not Microsoft's, to pull it off. We also know that OEMs are thinking about it; remember that HP concept iPAQ with an integrated keyboard? Come on guys, let's see it happen! :way to go:
