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November 16, 1998

WinCE: Your Next OS?

The latest version of Microsoft's scaled-down operating system expands its abilities, and its reach

By Andy Feibus

icrosoft is determined to have its Windows operating environment permeate every device in homes and offices. While Microsoft tries to push Windows NT to the upper limits of the computing world with Windows 2000, it's waging the war for embedded computing and handheld devices with the Windows CE operating system. Windows CE may soon change the world of client computing.

The first version of Windows CE was released in late 1996 with lots of fanfare but relatively few purchasers. Windows CE 1.0 devices looked like small notebook computers and provided some decent personal information manager (PIM) features, but included little else to entice the masses from purchasing its primary competitors: the 3Com PalmPilot, a pocket organizer, or a notebook computer.

This year, Microsoft came back with Windows CE 2.0, which includes more features and device support for not only small handheld PIMs, but also larger, more flexible subnotebook-sized computers and smaller embedded devices. Early next year, you'll begin to see Windows CE Handheld PC Professional 3.0 devices that include support for disks and other hardware commonly incorporated into notebook computers. In a few more iterations, Windows CE may replace Windows 98 on all desktop and portable computers.

Windows CE 2.0 devices come in two basic forms: the palm-sized PC and the handheld PC. Palm-sized PC devices resemble the PalmPilot in that they have a relatively small (240-by-320 pixel) gray-scale screen; have buttons on the front or side to quick-start a few of the PIM applications; and include a cradle for synchronizing with your desktop system. Handheld devices sport a larger screen (640 by 240 pixels) that is either gray scale or color (256-color is the common choice, though 32-bit color is possible with Windows CE 2.0). Handheld PCs are somewhat smaller than notebook computers and have a similar clamshell form.

Windows CE 2.0 runs on a number of CPUs, including the Mips R3000 and R4000, Motorola PowerPC, Hitachi SH3, Intel x86, and ARM chips. However, the current batch of shipping devices, development tools, and software exclusively targets the Mips and Hitachi chips.

The Windows CE operating system, including user programs, is stored in a ROM included in each device, and programs can be run directly from the ROM or copied to RAM for execution. Depending on the requirements for each device, the amount of RAM ranges from 4 Mbytes in palm-sized PCs to more than 16 Mbytes in handhelds. RAM is split between storing information--user-installed programs, accessories that are included with the Windows CE device, and data--and executing programs; the amount dedicated to each of these functions is specified by the user and can be adjusted as needed.

Although both types of devices run Windows CE, the implementations of Windows CE for each system seem radically different to users. The underlying product features--touch-screen support with a stylus pointing device, infrared communications support, audio file recording and playback, serial/modem communications support, an "instant-on" feature to allow users to suspend and resume the device's use at the push of a button, and synchronization with desktop applications--are essentially the same. Users of these Windows CE devices will see the standard Windows Start button that they can click to see their hierarchy of applications to run.

Both the palm and handheld PCs include Pocket Outlook, which is really four tools: an appointment book and calendar, a task list manager, a contact manager, and an E-mail in-box client. Although named after Microsoft's Outlook desktop PIM and E-mail tool, Pocket Outlook is significantly less than what you get with the desktop implementation.

The contact manager tool allows you to manage the names, addresses, and certain other business and personal information about people you know. For simple contact management, this tool is fine for what it does, which is not a whole lot. You can view, edit, and synchronize some of your contact information with Outlook, Schedule+, or another PIM. You can use the infrared port to transmit one or more contacts to another infrared-equipped Windows CE device, a feature I found quite useful. You can also use contact information to send an E-mail message; however, you can't use that same contact to create an appointment or a task.

The calendar tool lets you schedule appointments--both one-time and repeated appointments--as well as all-day events. Viewing these appointments, especially contact information about the person you are meeting, is not as easy to use or as synergistic as I would have liked. Viewing the times you have scheduled is nice, though, with views for single-day and week (the palm-sized PC can also show a hard-to-read month view). You can also set the calendar to remind you sometime before the appointment arrives; the reminder can be an audio tone or a flashing light on the outside of the device. Unfortunately, you can't share an appointment with another Windows CE device unless you pass this information through a desktop computer running Windows CE Services.

The task-list tool lets you create and view the tasks you plan to perform and those that you have completed. Tasks can have start and end dates as well as reminders when the task is due, and you can view either all the tasks ever recorded or just the tasks that are active. You can't share task items either, in case you are a manager looking to delegate tasks. You can use the Find utility to locate a specific contact, task, or calendar data.

The in-box client lets you send and receive E-mail. If you have an Outlook or Exchange client running on your desktop system, Windows CE Services will synchronize your desktop in-box with the in-box tool on your CE device. You can also use this tool to send and receive E-mail directly with a POP/SMTP E-mail service, such as an Internet service provider, but only if you have a modem to connect with that E-mail service. Most of the palm-sized PCs and all of the handheld models either include a modem or offer one as an option.

Synchronization with a desktop computer or server is accomplished using Windows CE Services 2.1, which is included with each Windows CE product and runs only on Windows 95/98 or Windows NT systems. With CE Services, your desktop computer can transfer files or download programs to Windows CE devices, as well as synchronize PIM information with either Microsoft Schedule+ 7.0a (included with Windows CE Services) or Outlook. To synchronize with other PIM tools--such as Act! from Symantec--you'll need to pick up the PIM-specific synchronization tool; an alternative is Puma Technology's IntelliSync for Windows CE, which supports data synchronization with a number of popular PIMs.

Windows CE synchronization is supported either via a direct serial connection or via a network connection--using either a dial-up Remote Access Service connection or a network card. However, you may hit a few limitations: Though several Windows CE devices can share a desktop system, only one device can connect at a time, and all devices on the desktop must connect at the same baud rate.