View source for Pocket PC

{{short description|Obsolete type of personal digital assistant running Windows Mobile}}
{{About|the class of PDA|the calculator-like handheld computers of the 1980s|Pocket computer|the modern form of mobile computing device|Smartphone|other uses}}
{{Redirect|P/PC|other uses|PPC (disambiguation){{!}}PPC}}
{{More citations needed|date=June 2016}}
{{Infobox computing device
| name = Pocket PC
| caption = A Compaq [[iPAQ]] 3630 Pocket PC from 2001
| developer = {{ubl|[[Microsoft]]}}
| type = {{flatlist|
* [[Personal digital assistant]]
* [[Smartphone]]}}
| lifespan = {{flatlist|
* 2000–2007
* 2007–2010 (as Windows Mobile)}}
| predecessor = Palm-size PC
| successor = [[Windows Phone]] <small>(as a combined software and hardware branding)</small>
| manufacturer = Various
| os = Pocket PC/Windows Mobile based on [[Windows CE]]
| image = PocketPC Compaq iPAQ 3630 (modified version).jpg
| image_size = 150px
| related = [[Handheld PC]]
}}
A '''Pocket PC''' ('''P/PC''', '''PPC''') is a class of [[personal digital assistant]] (PDA) that runs the [[Windows Mobile]] [[operating system]], which is based on [[Windows Embedded Compact|Windows CE/Windows Embedded Compact]], and that has some of the abilities of modern desktop [[IBM PC compatible|PCs]]. The name was introduced by [[Microsoft]] in 2000 as a rebranding of the '''Palm-size PC''' category and was marketed until 2007. Some of these devices also had integrated phone and data capabilities, which were known as '''Pocket PC Phone Edition''' and are comparable to more modern [[smartphone]]s. '''Windows Smartphone''' is another Windows CE based platform for non-touch and non-PDA devices.

In 2007, with the advent of [[Windows Mobile 6.0]], Microsoft dropped the name Pocket PC in favor of a new naming scheme:<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.smartphonemag.com/cms/_archives/Jun07/newwmdev.aspx |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081122100806/http://www.smartphonemag.com/cms/_archives/Jun07/newwmdev.aspx |url-status=usurped |archive-date=November 22, 2008 |title=New Windows Mobile 6 Devices |author=Hall, Rich |date=June–July 2007 |work=Smartphone & Pocket PC magazine |access-date=2011-04-19}}</ref>
* '''Windows Mobile Classic''' (formerly Pocket PC): devices without an integrated phone;
* '''Windows Mobile Professional''' (formerly Pocket PC Phone Edition): devices with an integrated phone and a touch screen;
* '''Windows Mobile Standard''' (formerly Smartphone): devices with an integrated phone but without a touch screen.

As of 2010, thousands of [[software|applications]] existed for handhelds adhering to the Microsoft Pocket PC specification, many of which were [[freeware]].<ref>{{cite web |title=Freeware Pocket PC / Freeware Windows Mobile: Manual Search – displaying all titles |url=http://www.freewareppc.com/listall.shtml |access-date=2014-03-16 |publisher=FreewarePPC.com}}</ref>{{Better source needed|reason=Rotten and not reliable|date=February 2022}} Microsoft-compliant Pocket PCs can be used with many add-ons such as [[Global Positioning System|GPS receivers]], [[barcode]] readers, [[Radio-frequency identification|RFID]] readers, and cameras. Pocket PC was replaced by [[Windows Phone]] in 2010 but even after versions were released based on the Windows NT kernel were ultimately unable to compete with the iPhone of 2007 and Android phones and interest waned in Pocket PCs without phones.

==History==
[[File:HTC Kangaroo Bluebird Peacock.jpg|thumb|left|[[HTC]] Kangaroo, Bluebird and Peacock Palm-size PCs from the late 1990s]]
The Pocket PC was an evolution from prior calculator-sized computers. Keystroke-programmable calculators which could do simple business and scientific applications were available by the 1970s. In 1982, Hewlett Packard's [[HP-75]] incorporated a 1-line text display, an alphanumeric keyboard, [[BASIC (HP Series 70)|HP BASIC]] language and some basic PDA abilities. The [[HP 95LX]], [[HP 100LX]] and [[HP 200LX]] series packed a PC-compatible [[MS-DOS]] computer with graphics display and QWERTY keyboard into a palmtop format. The [[HP OmniGo 100]] and [[HP OmniGo 120|120]] used a pen and graphics interface on DOS-based [[PC/GEOS]], but was not widely sold in the United States. The [[HP 300LX]] built a palmtop computer on the Windows CE operating system.

'''Palm-size PC''' (PsPC) was Microsoft's official name for Windows CE PDAs that were smaller than [[Handheld PC]]s by the lack of a physical keyboard. The class was announced in January 1998 originally as "Palm PC" which provoked a lawsuit by [[Palm Inc.]], and the name changed soon afterwards to Palm-size PC before release.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.roughlydrafted.com/RD/RDM.Tech.Q1.07/50755EA6-A759-42FD-84ED-EBB5A060AF16.html|title=The Spectacular Failure of WinCE and Windows Mobile|website=www.roughlydrafted.com}}</ref> These devices were similar to the Handheld PC and also ran [[Windows CE]], however this version was more limited and lacked Pocket [[Microsoft Office]], [[Pocket Internet Explorer]], [[ActiveX]] and some other tools.<ref name="auto">{{Cite web|url=https://sites.google.com/site/thisishenry168/the-history-of-windows-ce|title=The history of Windows CE - thisishenry168|website=sites.google.com|access-date=2020-10-21|archive-date=2022-05-17|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220517001307/https://sites.google.com/site/thisishenry168/the-history-of-windows-ce|url-status=dead}}</ref> Its main competitor was the [[PalmPilot]] and [[Palm III]].<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://money.cnn.com/magazines/fortune/fortune_archive/1998/06/29/247526/index.htm|title=Pocket Power The smallest portable computers are becoming more useful. - June 29, 1998|website=archive.fortune.com}}</ref> According to the specification, Palm-size PCs use [[SuperH]] SH3 processors and [[MIPS architecture]]. The term "palm-sized PC" was also used as a generic term of similar such devices that are not necessary connected to Microsoft, such as the PalmPilot.
[[File:Pocket PC 2000.svg|thumb|Pocket PC wordmark at the introduction of [[Pocket PC 2000]]]]
Microsoft's Handheld PCs and Palm-size PCs did not gain much success in the markets compared to Palm, with users complaining the Windows CE software were hard to use and the devices themselves were thick.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2000/04/18/business/microsoft-will-challenge-palm-s-hand-held-computer-dominance.html|title=Microsoft Will Challenge Palm's Hand-Held Computer Dominance|first=Steve|last=Lohr|newspaper=The New York Times|date=April 18, 2000}}</ref> On April 19, 2000, Microsoft introduced Pocket PC with a revamped interface and to better compete against the popular Palm devices. The Pocket PC was based on the all new version 3.0 of Windows CE. HP, [[Casio]] and [[Compaq]] were the first OEMs with Pocket PC devices in 2000.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://money.cnn.com/2000/04/19/technology/microsoft/|title="Pocket PC" makes its debut - Apr. 19, 2000|website=CNN Money }}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://money.cnn.com/2000/04/18/technology/comdex_microsoft/|title=IE incorporated into "Windows Me" - Apr. 18, 2000|date=December 30, 2001|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20011230062929/https://money.cnn.com/2000/04/18/technology/comdex_microsoft/|archive-date=2001-12-30}}</ref> The familiar desktop Windows UI from Palm-size PCs was removed in favor of a more tailored interface on Pocket PCs.<ref name="auto" />

According to Microsoft, the Pocket PC is "a handheld device that enables users to store and retrieve [[e-mail]], contacts, appointments, tasks, play [[multimedia]] [[Computer file|file]]s, [[game]]s, exchange text messages with [[Windows Live Messenger]] (formerly known as MSN Messenger), browse the [[World Wide Web|Web]], and more."<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://microsoft.com/mobile/buyersguide/educateme/default.asp|title=Mobile Devices|website=[[Microsoft]] |date=February 7, 2003|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20030207200032/http://microsoft.com/mobile/buyersguide/educateme/default.asp|archive-date=2003-02-07}}</ref>[[File:HTC Apache.jpg|thumb|HTC Apache Pocket PC (Phone Edition) with a slide-out keyboard, showing Wikipedia from 2005]]Prior to the release of [[Windows Mobile 2003]], third-party software was developed using Microsoft's eMbedded Visual Tools, eMbedded Visual Basic (eVB) and eMbedded Visual C (eVC).<ref>{{cite web |url=http://msdn2.microsoft.com/en-us/windowsmobile/bb264342.aspx |title=Learn Windows Mobile: Overview |publisher=Microsoft |access-date=2007-10-05 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071009063748/http://msdn2.microsoft.com/en-us/windowsmobile/bb264342.aspx |archive-date=2007-10-09 }}</ref> eVB programs can usually be converted fairly easily to NS Basic/CE.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.nsbasic.com/ce/info/technotes/TN25.htm |title=Tech Note 25: eVB2NSB |publisher=Nsbasic.com |date=2009-09-21 |access-date=2010-04-27}}</ref> or to Basic4ppc.

In 2007, the Pocket PC name was dropped altogether. The Pocket PC Phone Edition became Windows Mobile Professional; the Smartphone became Windows Mobile Standard; and the classic phone-less Pocket PC (which by now had become a niche) became Windows Mobile Classic.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.engadget.com/2007-01-29-microsoft-switches-up-names-for-windows-mobile-6.html|title=Microsoft switches up names for Windows Mobile 6|website=Engadget|date=29 January 2007 }}</ref>

The Pocket PC/Windows Mobile OS was superseded by [[Windows Phone]] on February 15, 2010, when the latter was announced at Mobile World Congress that year. No existing hardware was officially supported for a Windows Phone 7 upgrade. Additionally, not a single one of the thousands of apps available for Windows Mobile would run unaltered on Windows Phone.

==Specification==
From a technical standpoint, "Pocket PC" is a Microsoft specification that sets various hardware and software requirements for mobile devices bearing the "Pocket PC" label.

For instance, any device which is to be classified as a Pocket PC must:{{citation needed|date=August 2025}}
* Run Microsoft's Windows Mobile, Pocket PC edition{{efn|the name ''[[Windows Mobile]]'' includes both the [[Windows CE]] operating system and a suite of basic applications along with a specified user interface}}
* Come bundled with a specific suite of applications in [[Read-only memory|ROM]]
* Include a [[touchscreen]]
* Include a [[directional pad]] or [[touchpad]]
* Include a set of hardware application buttons
* Be based on an [[ARM architecture|ARMv4]] compatible, [[Intel XScale]] (ARMv5), [[MIPS architecture|MIPS]] or [[SuperH|SH3]] CPU. (As of the Pocket PC 2002 specification, ARM-based CPUs are required.)

==Operating system versions==
{{Main|Windows Mobile}}

===Windows CE 3.0===
{{Main|Pocket PC 2000|Pocket PC 2002}}
Pocket PC 2000 was launched April 2000, and ran [[Windows CE 3.0]]. Pocket PC 2000 featured a mobile version of Microsoft Office, a chief feature being the ability to password-protect Excel files.

Pocket PC 2002 was launched October 2001, and was powered by [[Windows CE 3.0]], as with its predecessor. Some Pocket PC 2002 devices were also sold as "Phone Editions", which included cell phone functionality in addition to the PDA abilities.

===Windows Mobile 2003===
{{Main|Windows Mobile 2003}}
Windows Mobile 2003 consisted of the Windows CE.NET 4.2 operating system bundled with scaled-down versions of many popular desktop applications, including [[Microsoft Outlook]], [[Internet Explorer Mobile|Internet Explorer]], [[Microsoft Word|Word]], [[Microsoft Excel|Excel]], [[Windows Media Player]], and others.

Windows Mobile 2003 Second Edition added native landscape, square screen and VGA support as well as other fixes and changes to those features already present in the original release of Windows Mobile 2003.

===Windows Mobile 5===
{{Main|Windows Mobile 5.0}}
Windows Mobile 5 for Pocket PC was based on Windows CE 5 and contained many fixes and improvements over Windows Mobile 2003.

Pocket PCs running prior versions of the operating system generally stored user-installed applications and data in [[RAM]], which meant that if the battery was depleted the device would lose all of its data. Windows Mobile 5.0 solved this problem by storing all user data in persistent (flash) memory, leaving the RAM to be used only for running applications, as it would be on a desktop computer. As a result, Windows Mobile 5.0 Pocket PCs generally had more flash memory, and less RAM, compared to earlier devices.

===Windows Mobile 6===
{{Main|Windows Mobile 6.0}}
Microsoft's Windows Mobile 6, internally code-named 'Crossbow', was officially released by Microsoft on February 12, 2007. Mobile 6 was still based on Windows CE 5 and was effectively just a face-lift of Windows Mobile 5. With Mobile 6 also came Microsoft's new naming conventions and devices were no longer called Pocket PCs: devices with no phone abilities were named Windows Mobile Classic, and devices with phone abilities were named Windows Mobile Professional.

===Windows Mobile 6.1===
{{Main|Windows Mobile 6.1}}
Microsoft's [[Windows Mobile 6.1]] was announced on April 1, 2008, and introduced instant messaging-like texting.<ref>{{cite press release |title=Press release |url=http://www.microsoft.com/presspass/press/2008/apr08/04-01WM61PR.mspx |date=2008-04-01 |access-date=2009-02-03}}</ref> Windows Mobile 6.1 was built upon [[Windows CE 5]].

===Windows Mobile 6.5===
{{Main|Windows Mobile 6.5}}
The first Windows Mobile 6.5 device was first shown in September 2009. Leaked [[ROM image|ROMs]] surfaced in July 2009 for specific devices.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://gizmodo.com/5281397/how-to-install-windows-mobile-65-right-now |date=2009-06-06 |website=Gizmodo |title=How To: Install Windows Mobile 6.5 Right Now |first=John |last=Herrman |access-date=2014-03-16 |archive-date=2014-03-17 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140317032418/http://gizmodo.com/5281397/how-to-install-windows-mobile-65-right-now |url-status=dead }}</ref> The generic [[ROM image]]s for Mobile 6.5 are also available as part of the officially distributed and freely downloadable development kit.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/details.aspx?FamilyID=20686a1d-97a8-4f80-bc6a-ae010e085a6e&displaylang=en |title=Windows Mobile 6.5 Developer Tool Kit |publisher=Microsoft |access-date=2014-03-16}}</ref>

Several phones running Windows Mobile 6.1 can be updated to Windows Mobile 6.5.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.microsoft.com/windowsmobile/en-us/meet/wm65-upgrade.mspx |title=Updating your phone to Windows Mobile 6.5 |publisher=Microsoft |date=2010-03-04 |access-date=2010-06-20}}</ref>

==Vendors==
{{More citations needed section|date=January 2008}}
[[File:Pocket pc qtek 2006-08-26.jpg|thumb|HTC Universal from 2005]]
[[File:O2xda2i.jpg|thumb|O2 XDA lli showing [[Wikipedia]] from 2005]]
Before the Pocket PC brand was launched, there were other Windows-based machines of the same form factor called Palm-size PCs. These devices ran Windows CE 2.0–2.11 and had an interface that was similar to the then-current desktop versions of Windows like [[Windows 95]]. The first of these was the [[Everex]] Freestyle, also known as [[HTC]] Kangaroo, from 1998.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.baltimoresun.com/news/bs-xpm-1998-07-20-1998201046-story.html|title=The Pilot Killer? Everex Freestyle does Windows...|first=Gareth Branwyn Pub|last=Date|website=baltimoresun.com|date=20 July 1998 }}</ref> Other examples include [[Casio Cassiopeia]] E-10/E-11, [[Compaq Aero]] 1500/1520, [[Philips Nino]] and [[HP Jornada]] 420/430.

Pocket PCs were manufactured and sold by several different companies; the major manufacturers include [[Hewlett-Packard|HP]] (under the [[iPAQ]] and now defunct [[Jornada (PDA)|Jornada]] brands), [[Toshiba]], [[Acer Inc.|Acer]], [[Asus]], [[Dell Computer|Dell]] (under the now defunct [[Dell Axim|Axim]] brand), [[Fujitsu Siemens]], [[E-TEN]], [[HTC Corporation|HTC]], and [[ViewSonic]]. In mid-2003, [[Gateway Computers]] and [[JVC]] announced they would release Pocket PCs, but the projects were discontinued before a product was released. Prices in 2003 ranged from around {{USD|800}} for the high-end models, some of which are combined with cell phones, to $200 for low-end models. A $100–$200 model was rumored to be released within 2004 or early 2005, although the lowest price for a just-released Pocket PC never went under $300. Many companies ceased to sell PDA's by 2003–2004 because of a declining market. Major companies such as Viewsonic and Toshiba stopped producing new Pocket PCs.

Companies like [[O2 plc|O2]], [[T-Mobile International AG|T-Mobile]] and [[Orange SA|Orange]] were marketing Pocket PCs that have integrated mobile telephony ([[smartphone]]s). All users have to do is put in the [[Subscriber Identity Module|SIM]] card and follow the wizard, to put their SIM contacts in the address book. An example is [[O2 Xda|O2's Xda]], or [[HTC Wizard|T-Mobile's MDA Compact]]. Both of these devices, while bearing the phone operator's logo, are manufactured by the dominant Pocket PC manufacturer [[HTC Corporation|HTC]].

One of the more popular high-end consumer-market Pocket PCs was the [[Dell Axim]] x51v, which was discontinued in 2007. Hardware specs included 3.7" color TFT VGA display with 640x480 resolution, Intel XScaleTM PXA270 processor at 624&nbsp;MHz, 336 MB of memory (256 MB flash, 64 MB SDRAM), integrated 802.11b and Bluetooth 1.2, integrated Intel 2700G multimedia accelerator with 16 MB video memory. Expansion was possible via CompactFlash Type II and SD slots (supporting SDIO Now!, SDIO and MMC cards). Included is a 1,100 mAh user replaceable battery (est. 4–6.5 hours, 2200 mAh also available).<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.brighthand.com/default.asp?newsID=2670&review=Dell+Axim+X51v |title=Review – Dell Axim X51v |first=Adama D. |last=Brown |publisher=Brighthand |access-date=2014-03-16}}</ref>

Some Pocket PCs featured integrated GPS often combined with mobile phone functionality. Pocket PCs with built-in telephony differ from Windows Mobile Smartphone Edition devices in several respects, including the lack of a touchscreen on the latter. Some examples of current Pocket PCs with GPS integrated are the Fujitsu Siemens [[Pocket LOOX|Pocket Loox N560]], a high-end Pocket PC with a VGA screen and an integrated SiRF Star III GPS; the [[HTC TyTN]], a small communicator with integrated slide in keyboard; the HP hw6945 and HP iPAQ hw6515 with integrated [[thumb-board]], GPS and GSM/GPRS telephony; the HTC top-of-the-line Universal, branded as the QTek 9000 (also branded by various telecommunications companies as the Orange SPV M5000, T-mobile MDA Pro, Vodafone VPA IV, O2 Xda Exec, i-Mate JasJar, Dopod 900).<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.myqtek.com/europe/products/9000.aspx |title=9000 |publisher=Qtek |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100208202231/http://www.myqtek.com/europe/products/9000.aspx |archive-date=2010-02-08 |access-date=2014-03-16}}</ref>

A newer entrant into the Pocket PC market was its rival [[Palm, Inc.|Palm]], which sold devices like the [[Palm Treo|Treo]] 700w/wx based on Windows Mobile 5.0 and featuring integrated telephony. Previous to this, Palm only produced PDAs running its own [[Palm OS]] (as did the first versions of the Palm Treo) before it was losing popularity to Pocket PC's Windows Mobile.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.zdnet.com/article/crash-of-the-mobile-titans-what-happened-to-palm-blackberry-nokia-and-htc/|title=Crash of the mobile titans: What happened to Palm, BlackBerry, Nokia, and HTC?|first=Matthew|last=Miller|website=ZDNet}}</ref>

HTC manufactured up to 80% of all phone enabled Windows Mobile devices for other companies (including HP and O2), as well as many non-phone Pocket PCs (for companies such as Dell, HP and Fujitsu Siemens) as of 2006. HTC was by now marketing Windows Mobile devices under their own brand, as well as that of Dopod.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.cnet.com.au/pdas/pdas/0,239035588,339271166,00.htm |title=HTC snubs i-mate, O2 in favour of Dopod |website=CNET |first=Asher |last=Moses |date=2006-09-19 |access-date=2014-03-16 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070906041533/http://www.cnet.com.au/pdas/pdas/0,239035588,339271166,00.htm |archive-date=2007-09-06 |url-status=dead }}</ref>

==See also==
* [[List of Pocket PC Devices]]
* [[List of Windows Mobile Professional games]]
* [[ActiveSync]]
* [[Windows CE]]
* [[Windows CE 3.0]]
* [[Windows Mobile]]
* [[Smartphone]]
* [[HTC HD2]]

==Notes==
{{notelist}}

==References==

{{More citations needed|date=July 2008}}
{{Reflist|2}}

==External links==
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{{Commons}}

{{Windows Mobile}}
{{Computer sizes}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Pocket Pc}}
[[Category:Windows Mobile Professional devices| ]]
[[Category:Windows Mobile Classic devices| ]]
[[Category:Radio-frequency identification]]
[[Category:Personal computers]]

[[tr:Cep bilgisayarı#Pocket PC]]