Tuesday, February 3, 2004
Looking at Our Roots: "Microsoft Announces Broad Availability of Handheld PCs With Windows CE"
Posted by Jason Dunn in "THOUGHT" @ 02:00 PM
"LAS VEGAS - Nov. 18, 1996 - Heralding a new era in personal computing, Microsoft Corp. today announced broad retail availability of the first handheld PCs, the new category of mobile companion devices for Microsoft® Windows®-based PCs based on the Microsoft Windows CE operating system platform. As part of the broadly supported launch of the new product category, handheld PC manufacturers Casio Computer Co., Compaq Computer Corp., Hewlett-Packard Co., Hitachi Ltd., LG Electronics Inc., NEC Corp. and Philips Electronics joined Microsoft in demonstrating handheld PCs and Windows CE-based software and communications products at COMDEX/Fall in Las Vegas. Microsoft also announced that more than 90 independent software and hardware vendors plan to have Windows CE-based commercial applications, hardware peripherals or communications solutions available for the handheld PC by or near the end of the first quarter of 1997.
The handheld PC is the inaugural product category based on Windows CE, Microsoft's new open, scalable Windows operating system platform designed for a broad range of communications, entertainment and mobile computing devices. "The introduction of the handheld PC with Windows CE is a critical milestone in Microsoft's continuing strategy to bring the popularity and ease of use of Windows to new categories of information devices," said Bill Gates, chairman and CEO of Microsoft. "The broad support and enthusiasm for Windows CE we are receiving from the computer and consumer-electronics industries provides the firm foundation on which we will build future product categories."
The handheld PC, with Windows CE, is designed to provide the millions of mobile professionals using Windows-based personal computers with an affordable, easy-to-use mobile PC companion to keep their most important information up-to-date and close at hand. "The handheld PC with Windows CE allows users of Windows to take the productivity of their desktop with them wherever they go," said Craig Mundie, senior vice president, consumer platforms division at Microsoft. "With its easy-to-learn user interface, familiar companion applications, automatic desktop synchronization, broad communications capabilities and numerous third-party solutions, the handheld PC is well on its way to becoming the next essential business tool for mobile professionals."
Ed Hansberry found this old press release, and I thought it was interesting to look at the roots of the Pocket PC. Everything started back with the HPC, announced in late 1996. That was an amazing seven years ago! In some ways, we've come a long way (integrated wireless), while in others, we haven't (ActiveSync is still based on HPC Explorer 1.0 code from 1996). Looking back on this press release, in what ways has the Pocket PC improved upon this original vision, and in what ways does it still have room for improvement?
The handheld PC is the inaugural product category based on Windows CE, Microsoft's new open, scalable Windows operating system platform designed for a broad range of communications, entertainment and mobile computing devices. "The introduction of the handheld PC with Windows CE is a critical milestone in Microsoft's continuing strategy to bring the popularity and ease of use of Windows to new categories of information devices," said Bill Gates, chairman and CEO of Microsoft. "The broad support and enthusiasm for Windows CE we are receiving from the computer and consumer-electronics industries provides the firm foundation on which we will build future product categories."
The handheld PC, with Windows CE, is designed to provide the millions of mobile professionals using Windows-based personal computers with an affordable, easy-to-use mobile PC companion to keep their most important information up-to-date and close at hand. "The handheld PC with Windows CE allows users of Windows to take the productivity of their desktop with them wherever they go," said Craig Mundie, senior vice president, consumer platforms division at Microsoft. "With its easy-to-learn user interface, familiar companion applications, automatic desktop synchronization, broad communications capabilities and numerous third-party solutions, the handheld PC is well on its way to becoming the next essential business tool for mobile professionals."
Ed Hansberry found this old press release, and I thought it was interesting to look at the roots of the Pocket PC. Everything started back with the HPC, announced in late 1996. That was an amazing seven years ago! In some ways, we've come a long way (integrated wireless), while in others, we haven't (ActiveSync is still based on HPC Explorer 1.0 code from 1996). Looking back on this press release, in what ways has the Pocket PC improved upon this original vision, and in what ways does it still have room for improvement?
