Untitled Document

HANDHELD PERSONAL COMPUTERS
Home Office Mall
SPECIAL REPORT

DECISIONS, DECISIONS
Trying to decide between purchasing a handheld or a mini-notebook?
Boy are you going to want to do your homework first.

A handheld personal computer with
Windows-CE Operating System

"Don't expect your hand-held to replace your notebook computer. Hand-helds which use Windows CE can't run full versions of application software and they lack internal hard disks Hand-helds won't give you a full Web-browsing experience.... doesn't support Java or frames". -ZDNET

Consumers rejected Windows CE, so Microsoft simply changed CE's name to PocketPC. Then they printed up some advertising that "ain't necesarily so". (see screen capture below)

Misleading ad literature makes consumers think PocketPC's are loaded with MS-Windows instead of CE. Unhappy consumers find that CE machines are not compatible with their favorite software.

Windows CE Market Penetration Evaporated Before Pocket PC Release
Retail sales of Windows CE-based handhelds all but disappeared prior to April 2000 release of Microsoft's next-generation Pocket PC devices, according to a study by NPD Intelect. more

Oh For Pete's Sake.

Actual sales brochure quote for a CE equipped product:

Because it rids itself of the hurdle of backwards compatibility, CE Professional is up to 800% less demanding on processor and memory technologies.

Right. Well then, we'll just toss those old business files and records out the window.

Hold Off Buying a Windows CE Handheld
Excerpt: ZIFF/DAVIS - Jesse Berst, Editorial Director ZDNet AnchorDesk
A new version of Windows CE. New models from leading manufacturers. Lower prices. Sounds like a great time to buy. But it's not. CE-based handhelds still suffer a terrible design flaw..... resist the urge to buy.Resist. Resist. Resist the urge to buy a Windows CE handheld this year. With the release of Windows CE 2.0 and the announcement of new CE-based products, we're about to see a wave of advertising for these small "companion computers." You may be tempted to pick one up for yourself or for a gift. But most of you should wait until next year. ....Windows CE is Microsoft's "lightweight" operating system for small devices such as handhelds and set-top boxes....So far, Windows CE has not been a great success. Some analysts estimate only 300,000 units have sold so far. The problem: CE devices suffer from neither-fish-nor-fowl syndrome. They are too big for easy portability. Yet too small for easy typing. A CE handheld is too big and heavy for a shirtpocket, so you still have to carry it in your briefcase or purse. But when you pull it out, the keyboard is too small for effective typing...... there's no easy way to enter information. Part of the blame for this flaw rests with Microsoft, which created stringent parameters for CE devices -- and what stupid parameters they were. CE devices should either be smaller -- like the market-leading PalmPilot from U.S. Robotics -- or bigger, like the Win95-based Toshiba Libretto, which has a keyboard large enough for typing. Despite Microsoft's bonehead design decisions, I see every sign that CE-based computers will eventually get it right........ Now all we need is a designer with an IQ higher than room temperature. Someone smart enough to take these raw materials and build something users really want. CE machines that are either smaller or bigger than the units shipping now.

Excerpts from the Official Microsoft Windows CE® Newsgroup FAQ.

(Q:) Can I run DOS-based programs on my WinCE device?
(A:) WinCE cannot run these programs directly, but by downloading XT-CE , an 80186 (DOS) emulator, you can effectively turn your WinCE handheld into a PC. "Software available for the PC is typically streets ahead of its Windows CE counterparts in terms of usability and often functionality" XT-CE rates stars from Windows CE On-Line Software, and awarded 5 cows from Tu-Cows. $40.Includes Sample of CEDOS
Paragon Software, a leading hard disk and system software developer in Europe, created CEDOS, a special DOS, adapted for Windows CE OS. It "understands" all standard DOS commands, so you can handle your CE device in the same way as desktop PC. Once CEDOS is installed, you can download onto the device any DOS application. CEDOS works in concert with above referenced XT-CE DOS emulator installed on the handheld. $9.95

(Q:) Can I view PDF files on my Handheld Personal Computer?
(A:) NO. Adobe has yet to release a version of Acrobat for Windows CE There is a company that is SUPPOSED to be beta testing a PDF viewer, but [newsgroup]hasn't heard from them in awhile.

(Q:) Does Windows CE support Java?
(A:) The short answer is "not yet". There is a developers VM that can be loaded onto a CE device, but it requires 4 megs of RAM to store, and 4 megs of RAM to run. It does not hook into Pocket Internet Explorer 1.0 or 2.0 in any manner, and is strictly for development purposes

(Q:) Where is Excel for my Palmtop PC? Or Word?
(A:) Microsoft chose not to put Word or Excel on the PPC. There is no way to get it, no place to buy it, and no way to run it.

(Q:) Can I retrieve AOL email with my CE device?
(A:) Questionable. Try AOL's web-based mail software at http://netmail.web.aol.com. You could also try getting the DOS emulator and running a DOS-based AOL client.

Q:) Why can't I see frames with Pocket Internet Explorer, and what can other versions of PIE do?
(A:) Pocket Internet Explorer (PIE) 1.0 supported basic HTML 3.0, but no frames. PIE 1.1 added support for HTTPS and SSL2, SSL3, PCT. PIE 2.0 supports frames, but that's about it for new additions. PIE 2.0 does NOT support Java, JavaScript, ActiveX, VB script, Flash, or any other similar technology.

(Q:) Is it possible to convert files on my Windows CE device to and from desktop format on the device itself?
(A:) At this time there are no known conversion utilities that work on Windows CE devices. There is, however, a desktop utility available from Microsoft that can convert the files on the desktop computer without the device being attached.

(Q) What thin client products are available for manufacturers of handhelds running CE?
(A) There are several. Lineo® DrDOS® 7.03 is a compact, Y2K DOS that's perfect for embedded or thin-client solutions. Designed for straight forward out-of-the-box implementation into ROM or Flash ROM.