WINDOWS MOBILE 2003 FOR POCKET PC

Is Microsoft's new platform designed with the business user in mind?

In June 2003, Microsoft launched its latest Operating System for mobile devices, but it's not called Pocket PC 2003. Instead, Microsoft has named it Windows Mobile 2003 for Pocket PC, which is a very wordy way of reminding us that these days you also get Operating Systems for Smartphones, as well as for the more traditional handhelds.

Regardless of that, most of us will refer to the new OS as Pocket PC 2003, as it is an update of Pocket PC 2002 and offers enhancements rather than a radical overhaul. A single-user upgrade costs £20 (inc. VAT), so the big question is, should you upgrade or not?

Pocket PC now runs on Windows CE .NET v4.2, but the key point for end users are the new features contained in the OS. One feature is of particular interest to those who are purchasing a new, cheap PDA, in that Pocket PC 2003 supports screens as small as 2.8-inches, compared with the 3.5-inch limit of Pocket PC 2002. That feature is of limited interest to business users, who will most likely want a larger screen, such as the 4.5-inch offering of the Toshiba E750.

If you're considering an upgrade, it is important to remember to copy all your data, as the process will wipe your PDA clean. Technically, every device that runs Pocket PC 2002 could be updated to Pocket PC 2003, but you need to contact the manufacturer of your PDA to be absolutely sure that it is compatible, and the manufacturer is also the source for your software update. The main problem with many handhelds will be that cheaper handhelds will lack sufficient ROM to install the upgrade - Pocket PC 2003 requires 28.4MB.

When the update is completed, you'll find the look of the OS has barely changed, although there are updates to PIE (Pocket Internet Explorer). It now supports Javascript 5.5, XHML 4 and WAP 2, among other standards. The calendar looks different, with Saturday marked in blue and Sunday in red, Windows Media Player moves to version 9 and offers better support for streaming video, and the picture viewer allows you to rotate and flip objects. Microsoft also includes a new game called Jawbreaker.

Other enhancements seem more like bug fixes, rather than truly new features. The email function has an auto-complete feature that suggests addresses, and there is also an auto-correct spell check facility. These are both welcome, as is support for vCards to assist synchronisation with your desktop version of Outlook. If you use your Pocket PC with an accessory keyboard, you'll find that Pocket PC 2003 offers new shortcuts to help navigation, but frankly we feel those features should have been included at least a year ago.

This brings us to the two major new features that Pocket PC 2003 brings to the table. Give it a sniff of a wireless connection and the updated Connection Manager springs into life. This works for Wi-Fi or Bluetooth, and is clearly of major interest to business users, although it also has relevance for the man or woman in the street who wants to access the internet.

Microsoft has come up with the name Zero Configuration Wi-Fi, and as soon as your Pocket PC 2003 device detects an 802.11 network, the Connection Manager asks if you want to connect. This facility may well cost you a small fortune in access fees so you may prefer to enable this feature as and when it is required. In addition, the Connection Manager will kick into life whenever a piece of software requires internet access. Of course, these features only apply if your Pocket PC has the wireless function.

Similarly, the Bluetooth support uses the same stack as Windows XP, so you could always use your Bluetooth phone to connect to the internet. Overall, Pocket PC 2003 looks slicker than the 2002 version, but primarily it is of interest to users who want to make wireless connections without fuss.

UPGRADE PRICE: £17/£20 (EX/INC. VAT)
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