February 11, 2009 7:25 PM
- Text
Windows Revamped For Phones, PDAs
Microsoft Corp. unveiled Tuesday a new version of its Windows operating system for mobile devices that unifies the platform for cell phones and Pocket PC handheld computers while adding such features as PowerPoint viewing and internal hard drive support.
Windows Mobile 5.0, introduced by Chairman Bill Gates at the company's annual conference for mobile software developers, also adds support for the miniature typewriter keyboards that are increasingly common on mobile phones and organizers.
Other enhancements include updates to the mobile versions of Microsoft Word and Excel that better maintain the formatting of documents created on a computer and allow the creation of charts from a spreadsheet.
The elimination of distinct phone and PDA versions of the operating system puts Windows Mobile on the same page as rival mobile device platforms such as Symbian, BlackBerry and Palm.
It also marks another change of course in Microsoft's long-evolving strategy to extend the dominance of its Windows computer platform to mobile devices.
Those efforts began with a single platform based on Windows CE, short for consumer electronics, but then fragmented into three custom-made flavors: Pocket PC organizers, "smart" cell phones, and then Pocket PC's equipped with phones.
Now they're all being brought back under one roof, a move that may motivate developers to write more software applications for Windows Mobile since they won't need to create three different variations. Users with specific needs and interests can be drawn to a particular operating system if there are more customized applications, ranging from mobile business tools to video games.
© 2009 The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. Windows Mobile 5.0, introduced by Chairman Bill Gates at the company's annual conference for mobile software developers, also adds support for the miniature typewriter keyboards that are increasingly common on mobile phones and organizers.
Other enhancements include updates to the mobile versions of Microsoft Word and Excel that better maintain the formatting of documents created on a computer and allow the creation of charts from a spreadsheet.
The elimination of distinct phone and PDA versions of the operating system puts Windows Mobile on the same page as rival mobile device platforms such as Symbian, BlackBerry and Palm.
It also marks another change of course in Microsoft's long-evolving strategy to extend the dominance of its Windows computer platform to mobile devices.
Those efforts began with a single platform based on Windows CE, short for consumer electronics, but then fragmented into three custom-made flavors: Pocket PC organizers, "smart" cell phones, and then Pocket PC's equipped with phones.
Now they're all being brought back under one roof, a move that may motivate developers to write more software applications for Windows Mobile since they won't need to create three different variations. Users with specific needs and interests can be drawn to a particular operating system if there are more customized applications, ranging from mobile business tools to video games.
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