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Update from HP regarding Microsoft® Windows Mobile™ 2003 Second Edition
By David Ciccone, posted Friday, Jul. 30th, 2004
Reader Comments: 20
There has been some mis-understanding out in the forums as to what this OS can really offer customers who have purchased product prior to HP'sJuly 26th offerings. Hopefully this will answer some of your questions
What is Microsoft® Windows Mobile™ 2003 Second Edition?
Released in March 2004 by Microsoft, Windows Mobile™ 2003 Second Edition is the newest update to the existing Microsoft® Pocket PC Windows 2003 operating system, which was delivered to handheld device manufacturers and software developers for potential consideration on their next generation of Pocket PCs, Phone Edition devices, Smartphone and/or software products. This release is not available directly from Microsoft for end-user implementation as it is intended for the developer community.
What core features are included in Microsoft® Windows Mobile™ 2003 Second Edition?
The core enhancements included in Microsoft® Windows Mobile™ 2003 Second Edition are Square Screen Resolution, QVGA displays in Windows Mobile Smartphone, VGA Support, Landscape Support and WiFi Protected Access (WPA).
Other features include:
• Enhanced Pocket PC Start menu - adds a separate vertical listing of recently launched applications
• Enhanced Pocket Internet Explorer - display a Web page in “One Column” view, which eliminates vertical scrolling, and “Desktop” view, which more closely reproduces layout and proportions of a Web page as seen on a desktop PC display
• Transcriber “Shorthand” feature - create shortcuts to enter longer text phrases
Will HP enable these features and deliver a ROM Upgrade supporting Microsoft® Windows Mobile™ 2003 Second Edition for the h1900 series, h2200 series, h4000 series or the h5000 series?
HP will enable WiFi Protected Access (WPA) through a separate ROM upgrade available for those models supporting integrated WiFi wireless functionality. WiFi Protected Access (WPA) Support: WPA is designed to make wireless networks more secure. This support can be found on HP’s website under support and drivers for these platforms: h5550 (all languages), h1940 (English, French, German, and Spanish). HP is currently working on updated ROMs for the h4150 and h4350. Please check the website (www.hp.com/support) for release of these ROM updates.
All other features of the Microsoft® Windows Mobile™ 2003 Second Edition require either specific hardware components, ROM size requirements, or 3rd party application adjustments to enable the full features offered in this operating system version, therefore HP will not be offering a ROM upgrade to address the additional capabilities of Windows Mobile 2003 Second Edition on these existing platforms.
Square Resolution, VGA Support, QVGA for SmartPhones:
While the VGA viewing experience might be more enjoyable for certain users, the support is designed for products that contain VGA screens and/or SmartPhone functionality. The operating system alone does not enable these features. HP provides 3.5” or 3.8” Transflective Display Screens (depends on model) on HP iPAQ h1930, h1940, h2200, h4100, h4300, h5100 and h5500 series products, therefore these products cannot make use of these features.
Landscape Support:
This support provides dynamic switching between screen orientations from portrait to landscape. With the March 2004 announcement of Microsoft® Windows Mobile™ 2003 Second Edition, tools became available to the extended application Development Community, so the wide variety of third-party applications could take advantage of the landscape mode. While Microsoft’s standard applications will function in landscape mode not all HP value-added software delivered on platforms launched prior to June 2004 would be able to take advantage of this feature. Many software developers are focusing their efforts on the next release of their applications, as opposed to devising a retro-fit for existing versions. If HP added Windows Mobile 2003 Second Edition to its pre-June 2004 launched products some applications would not function in landscape mode properly, and therefore providing no customer value.
Why is ROM size a factor in deciding whether Microsoft® Windows Mobile™ 2003 Second Edition can be supported on the h1900, h2200, h4000, and h5000 series?
ROM size determines the maximum amount of software and value-added features that can be inherent to the handheld device. For the majority of models in question, HP delivers Windows Pocket PC 2003 Premium, substantial value-added software and 3rd party applications. When evaluating Microsoft® Windows Mobile™ 2003 Second Edition, it was determine that HP would have to de-feature its ROM deliverable and exclude a large portion of the value-added and 3rd party applications in order to fit into the existing device ROM capacity. The Windows Mobile 2003 Second Edition is a larger operating system than that of Windows Pocket PC 2003 Premium Edition. The benefit of maintaining the value-added features outweighs the limited functionality that could be deployed on each of these units, especially when giving consideration to the fact that specific hardware changes were also required.
Is Landscape support available separate from Microsoft® Windows Mobile™ 2003 Second Edition?
No, landscape support is part of the Microsoft Windows Mobile 2003 Second Edition. Unfortunately, because it is part of the core operating system, it is not offered as a stand-alone feature either from Microsoft or HP.
Is WPA support available for the h22xx/h19xx devices when used with an SDIO WLAN Card?
Yes, WPA support is available for the h2200 & h1940 series Pocket PC with ROM update version 1.10.xx (varies by language). The h1940 is available in limited languages. Please visit http://www.hp.com/support to access the download page.
Is WPA support available for the iPAQ Pocket PC h5500 series product?
Yes, WPA support is available for the h5500 series with ROM update version 1.10.xx (varies by language). Current products shipping from the factory include support for WPA; however those that did not ship with this support can be downloaded from http://www.hp.com/support. To have WPA function properly, you must also download a firmware driver.
Is WPA support available for the iPAQ Pocket PC h4100 and h4300 series product?
Yes, WPA support for the iPAQ Pocket PC h4100 and h4300 series will be available as a web download in the early September timeframe. Please continue to check our website for updates. http://www.hp.com/support
Why from time to time, does HP decide not to offer operating system upgrades?
HP reviews and evaluates all Microsoft releases to determine compatibility on its handheld devices. Not every product that HP introduces can successfully be upgraded to new or updated Operating Systems. Some of the reasons are ROM size, hardware limitations, and 3rd party application incompatibility. Some features that new operating systems and applications contain would require hardware component changes that are not always feasible in the existing device design layout.
Will HP continue to support existing products with occasional software updates?
Yes, HP will continue to provide on an as needed basis drivers updates and ROM updates as we have in the past on any platform that requires support or enhancement. There are some products that would require little or no software updates, where there are some that do require updates to enhance the functionality of the product.
Will future models from HP support Microsoft® Windows Mobile™ 2003 Second Edition?
Yes, you will find Microsoft® Windows Mobile™ 2003 Second Edition available on the HP iPAQ hx4700, rz1700, rx3000 series products that announced July 26, 2004.
Does the newly launched h6300 come with Microsoft® Windows Mobile™ 2003 Second Edition?
Based on the product design functionality and release timing, it was decided not to offer Windows Mobile 2003 Second Edition on this model. HP has included enhanced wireless capabilities on this product including the latest WiFi security standards. It is unlikely that HP will provide an update to Windows Mobile 2003 Second Edition on this product. Windows Mobile 2003 Second Edition would not provide any significant enhancements, as most of the key functionality that is important on a device such as the iPaq h6300 series has been taken into consideration prior to its release.
Will HP update the current shipping products in the future with new Windows Mobile releases?
HP cannot make assurances of future ROM image updates that provide enhancements to Microsoft Windows Mobile 2003. HP’s goal is to maintain a quality product release and provide resolutions to issues on existing ROM images while releasing new iPAQ products with the latest offerings from Microsoft. HP evaluates each release provided from Microsoft and determines the value and quality of that release before making the decision to invest in developing the enhancement of a ROM image for existing products. HP must also weigh the amount of development time required to complete a new release for handheld devices with the timing of future HP and Microsoft updates.
Does the decision to not provide Microsoft® Windows Mobile™ 2003 Second Edition mean that HP is not honoring its warranty terms & conditions?
HP delivers limited hardware and software warranty support for its iPaq handheld products. This support includes in most cases 90-day software support to address questions and issues associated with the software delivered with the device, and up-to 1 year hardware warranty which protects against hardware manufacturing defects. For specific warranty terms & conditions, HP handheld owners should reference their Limited Warranty Statements that came in the product box or available on www.hp.com/support.
HP’s decision to not deliver Microsoft® Windows Mobile™ 2003 Second Edition does not void these warranty terms.
I'm Toffee from a poor Country, not that smart and obviously not rich... but I still managed to buy an iPAQ h5555 for me and my sister. An Update? hahaha! I'll just buy a new PDA using 2003 SE OS, I surely can afford it! what more for you guys. Ăś
Just for the record, the claim that the upgrade wouldn't fit the ROM because it would not leave enough room for HP's "substantial value-added software and 3rd party applications" is meaningless to me as a user because I don't use a single one of them and never have! I would much rather have native landscape mode and the enhanced IE then their silly collection of add ons. Let me, the consumer, decide if I want to use iTask and I'll load it into the file store myself. I bought an iPAQ 4150 for the quality of the hardware; I look to Microsoft and other vendors for quality software.
Komal,
I think you meant to address your last comment to someone other than Steve (PONY99CA). He is taking the same position as you and me that HP should provide this upgrade to it's existing iPAQ users!!
It is actually Jack and Michael that have been defending the HP decision.
KDragon,
I'm glad to hear your company is making their voice heard where it will be heard by HP.
Jack,
Even though you have made your case for the issue, I doubt this is something that you can ever successfully defend against.
Let's use your point-by-point breakdown.
1.) I agree; it's irrelevant to iPAQ users.
2.) I agree; it's irrelevant to iPAQ users.
3.) NYDITOT's "Virtual Display" proves that the h5555 (that I tried it on) is capable of displaying 640x480 pixels), so your minumum requirement definition is moot in this case.
4.) Regarding Landscape mode: Since all the 2003 SE would provide is native support for Landscape mode, it would only really eliminating the need for soft-resets (which everyone hates). Again, your definition for minimum requirements is moot. The reason? 3rd party Programs that didn't support Landscape mode in the first place or in "Virtual Display's" version of Landscape Mode wouldn't suddenly start to work properly in 2003 SE, so that argument is entirely invalid.
5.) Thank you HP for being intelligent enough to provide the WPA update for WiFi.
Jack, you may consider this horse dead, but that doesn't mean that you have to give up. Many a horse were brought back to life based on customer demand.
Posted by
,
Monday, Aug. 2nd, 2004
Well, as of 4PM this Friday past, our company voted with it's wallet. HP was notified that it was being removed from the tender process for the 200 PDA's we will be purchasing over the next quarter.
Steve, plain and simple, you're a fool. 2215s HAVE received the upgrade, developers got it on their 2215s months ago, everything worked except for bluetooth.
http://mobilegadgetnews.com/modules.php?op=modload&name=News&file=article&sid=1048&mode=thread&order=0&thold=0
Steve
I had to throw in my 2 cents because I just don't get where you are coming from. I can only assume from my reading of your past posts that you are extremely knowledgeable about computers and particularly pocket PC's. Like most (if not all), if something doesn't work, you work diligently to fix it. If you are unable to resolve an issue, you might go to the vendor and reach out for help. And there is where the problem is...the vendor would be unable to help. And so you might ask: Why can’t they help?
Actually the REAL question is: Why are they not able to give the upgrade to the OS? I believe that the answer is relatively simple and understandable especially if you have just a bit of knowledge on the PPC.
One has to ask what are the core features in Microsoft Windows Mobile 2003 Second Edition?
1. Support for Square Screen Resolution
minimum needs: 240x240 or 480x480 pixels
2. QVGA Displays in Windows Mobile Smartphones
minimum needs: Smartphone and QVGA displays (320x240)
Now we don't need the above for our iPAQ's do we?
3. VGA Support in Pocket PCs
minimum needs: 640x480 pixels
4. Dynamic switching between Landscape and Portrait Views
minimum needs: Applications that will support the feature.
5. WiFi Protected Access (WPA)
minimum needs: Wireless Enabled Features
What do we know to be true?
HP will provide WiFi Protected Access (WPA) through a separate ROM upgrade available for those models supporting integrated WiFi wireless functionality. We can find this support on HP’s website under support and drivers for these platforms: h5550, h1940. HP is currently working on updated ROMs for the h4150 and h4350.
Now this is important.
All other features of the Microsoft Windows Mobile 2003 Second Edition require either specific hardware components, ROM size requirements, or 3rd party application adjustments to enable the full features offered in this operating system version. HP will not be offering a ROM upgrade to address the additional capabilities of Windows Mobile 2003 Second Edition on these existing platforms because the units just cannot handle them.
If they did, the resulting problems for the user would be just unbelievable...not worth it for HP and definitely not worth the aggravation for us!
Now there are other features in Microsoft Windows Mobile 2003 Second Edition:
1. Enhanced Pocket PC Start menu - adds a separate vertical listing of recently launched applications
2. Enhanced Pocket Internet Explorer - display a Web page in “One Column” view, which eliminates vertical scrolling, and “Desktop” view, which more closely reproduces layout and proportions of a Web page as seen on a desktop PC display
3. Transcriber “Shorthand” feature - create shortcuts to enter longer text phrases
Well, we don't get them this time...get over it! The horse is dead and all four legs are up in the air.…its time to get off the horse!
It would have been nice to get them, but we don't! Life will go on and I (along with many others) will buy another iPAQ!
Lastly, I have to make a comment on what you referenced as “abandoning users of recently purchased devices”.
I cannot say enough for the continued support that HP has given the iPAQ community. They have kept not only their interests in mind but have made in my estimation extraordinary efforts to keep us current in what our devices can do. They have offered all sorts of updates, drivers, support and the like for a long time and I believe that they will continue.
Did you ever think that they really were thinking about the end user? I did, and I believe that they were!
Funny, the 1715 runs 2003se on 17 megabytes of flash memory. You're telling me that 32 isn't enough to run 2003se and keep most of the existing applications?
The hardware limitations of the older models are non-existant, every model of the last generation, was superior to the 1715, and yet they are supposedly unable to receive the upgrade to 2003se while the 1715 can run it without incident.
Well you're right Steve, If you tick off your customers, they will leave. Hp made their decision because there would be so many problems with an upgrade that a lot of folks would be unhappy...their ipaqs would not work well at all, so you were correct on that point.
HP does too many things right..I don't think that I agree with the 7 times likely theory. There success is because of all the GOOD EXPERIENCES!
File Store...dump that and I will be really unhappy(and I bet a lot of other people too). It is an important part of my ipaq security!
So it won't work in landscape so switch back....that's just why they should NOT do the upgrade. They designed the older ipaqs based on what was there...if they did an upgrade just to do one and it didn't work, all hell would break out.
And yes, HP has done upgrades and they have worked well. They researched it, tested it, and when they were satisfied that folks would benefit, they released it.
I think that "the limited functionality that could be deployed " statement is key...they know enough not to screw up my ipaq.
Hey, I bought a new Ford last year...$31000 dollars. This years model has a new sound upgrade in the audio system...do you thing that they will give it to me?
Well, Dave, thanks for posting this news item. It has helped me and it makes a lot of sense!
While Michael is correct that a company's first obligation is to its stockholders, he has missed a crucial point -- if you piss off your customers, they're likely to leave. As the HP Forum thread on this shows, many people will take exactly that approach -- and they'll stop buying other HP products, too.
I recall reading that customers are about seven times as likely to tell others about bad experiences with a company than about good experiences, too. That won't help HP's stockholders, will it?
As for the claim that all the features won't fit, I don't buy that. My iPAQ 5550 has a 17.4 MB iPAQ File Store, which is basically Flash ROM that hasn't been used. Put the extra features there and reduce the size of my iPAQ File Store.
Another alternative is to offer the Professional version as the upgrade, which leaves some of the programs normally in the ROM image out and supplies them as RAM-installable versions. That's what Microsoft did with Pocket PC 2002 and, I think, Windows Mobile 2003.
As for HP's claim that some applications won't work in landscape in SE, so what? The user can switch back to portrait without a soft reset.
Even if the application crashes the iPAQ, so what? Not all Pocket PC 2000 applications worked in Pocket PC 2002, and Compaq made the upgrade available. Not all Pocket PC 2002 applications worked in Windows Mobile 2003, and HP made that upgrade available. In fact, WM 2003 was a much more "dangerous" upgrade, I thought, because it severely changed the operating system infrastructure (swithcing from Windows CE 3.0 to 4.2, for example).
The claim that current programs exist for landscape mode is also full of holes.
First, many of Microsoft's existing Windows Mobile 2003 applications won't work well in landscape, requiring a switch back to portrait to function properly. They should work fine in the SE upgrade because they'll be designed to work properly in both portrait and landscape mode.
Second, the existing landscape programs require a soft reset to switch modes, a significant penalty. I have dotPocket, but don't use it for landscape mode precisely because I don't want to soft rest while I'm in the middle of doing something.
To see examples of applications that don't work well in landscape, see my dotPocket review.
The only feature of SE that may not provide a benefit to existing iPAQ users is the VGA support, but even that's iffy. If the ability to scale fonts works in QVGA mode, even the VGA support will provide a benefit.
Compaq and HP have shown in the past that they can offer challenging upgrades, and I'm sure HP could do it again. They just don't want to.
Many people still won't buy Toshiba Pocket PCs because Toshiba had a habit of abandoning users of recently purchased devices. They seem to have learned their lesson, and offered SE upgrades for the e400 and e800 series. (And the upgrades were free, too.) It's too bad HP is going backwards, and will likely learn the same lesson the hard way.
I agree with you Michael. If you read what has been posted over at Brighthand..
Developing, fully testing, distributing, and supporting a handheld operating system upgrade is a Herculean task, and an expensive one, too.
If you think this involves a couple of code jockeys whipping up an upgrade one afternoon after lunch and then posting it on their companies' web site, then you aren't aware of the intricacies involved.
Dell itself is the poster child for how a handheld OS upgrade can go wrong. Last summer, when it released a Windows Mobile 2003 upgrade for the Axim X5, users almost immediately began to complain that the new OS version made their 400 MHz handhelds work glacially slow. Dell had to go back and fix the problem and re-release the upgrade. It took months to track down the bug, create a fix, and triple check to be sure the fix didn't break something else.
And just putting an upgrade out is only the beginning. Companies have to have a small army of support people trained in fixing everything that can go wrong when customers are applying an OS upgrade, and trust me, there's lots that can go wrong. Those people expect to be paid while they are trying to help customers figure out what went wrong, and customers expect their support calls to be free. That all goes into the cost of an upgrade.
Contrary to popular belief a company's first responsibility is to its stock holders. Its not a slap in the face if a company does not support older equipment. Its a fact of life. There is no need for any company to go back and spend the time and money to create several versions of an OS simply because some of its customers want new features on their old equipment. It will not all fit. So now HP needs to make a version for those that want landscape and those that want another feature and so on? HP is standing by its commitment to the older models. They are providing support and parts as required by warranty's and federal law. This notion that a company is responsible to a few of its more vocal customers is not good business.
Quote: Why from time to time, does HP decide not to offer operating system upgrades?
HP reviews and evaluates all Microsoft releases to determine compatibility on its handheld devices. Not every product that HP introduces can successfully be upgraded to new or updated Operating Systems. Some of the reasons are ROM size, hardware limitations, and 3rd party application incompatibility. Some features that new operating systems and applications contain would require hardware component changes that are not always feasible in the existing device design layout.
End Quote
So why won't SE ROM fit on my 2200 ROM? It fits the 1715 ROM. I'm confused (not too hard to do). What hardware is different? And bigger question: If I don't want to buy a new handheld every year, what things (hardware wise) should I look for to ensure that the lifespan of my pda is not limited to one year?
I still disagree Dave. NYDITOT's "Virtual Display" proves that Landscape mode can be made to work. Although I HATE the necessary soft-boot in order to change modes, I still find the Landscape mode so very helpful sometimes.
The theoretical ROM update to provide Landscape Mode cannot possibly be so big that it can't fit into the existing ROM onboard the iPAQ. Besides, if HP really cared about their high-end users, they would allow the user to decide what "Value added programs" she/he wanted. They could provide the ROM update with a loader utility/installer that says: "You must unload xxx amount of ROM memory before you can load this patch", and then provide a list of their value-added apps and 3rd party apps that the user can remove from the ROM, then install the Landscape Mode patch (or other patches of the upgrade).
Personally, I think the "Hardware Limitation" issue *IS* true, but is only limited to the inability to use "QVGA displays in Windows Mobile Smartphone", or "VGA Support" with the existing hardware. However, the existing hardware should be able to support "Square Screen Resolution" and "Landscape Mode".
I still see this as a particularly lame set of excuses, just like tempejim said before me.
It's exceedingly dangerous to sell a customer a Cadillac solution like the H5555 and then state that it can't handle an update that a new Yugo product (that they also produce!) CAN handle.
I was planning on buying a new iPAQ from the new line-up, but with this attitude on the part of HP, I think I'll hold off until they make a GPS/GSM|GPRS-PHONE/CAMERA/PPC/MP3 player in one that is capable of exceeding the current specs of the H5555.
Posted by
,
Friday, Jul. 30th, 2004
What about Apple? I'm not sure how they have anything to do with this decision.
Look, upgrades mean no new sales. I guess all the pissed iPaq users are going to buy a Dell and all the pissed Dell users are going to buy iPaqs, but for those who support HP, this is a slap in the face. Your response sounds like you are an HP employee, but it doesn't change how us end users feel.
Look I have not been around he for very long, but I have had PPCs for quite some time. These upgrades can work well. I would have thought PPC 2002 to WM 2003 would be a bigger jump than moving to SE. Native WPA support in WM 2003 SE is much better than the implementation that I have seen HP release. For that reason alone, they should have gone ahead with the upgrade.
Also the landscape mode is very important for those of us using Pocket IE. The excuse "Many software developers are focusing their efforts on the next release of their applications, as opposed to devising a retro-fit for existing versions." doesn't really make any sense. What does that have to do with HP and their OS?
The only reason I could accept for the upgrade not being offered is the ROM size. Any others are just around to hide the fact that HP would rather have us upgrade their iPaqs to new models. $500 is much better to them than $40.
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