For consumers, insatiable battery consumption and difficult Pocket versions of Microsoft software have overshadowed CE's color screens and tight integration with big Windows. But that won't stop Microsoft from trying. Hewlett-Packard, Casio, Compaq and Symbol Technologies have all signed on to create new products for Microsoft's newest entry in the OS war. Provide the user with all the functionality they want, sometimes at the expense of performance. Some analysts will question whether this desktop OS strategy applies to handheld computing.
Consumers seem to agree with the analysts.
And with Palm having introduced a color version, Windows CE loses one of its selling points. Microsoft will continue to flex its muscle and strategic partnerships to bring new Windows CE products to market, but anti-Microsoft sentiment and Palm Computing's own deals with Sony, Handspring and Nokia only improve the Palm OS position. The arrival of Linux handheld prototypes is another reason for Microsoft to sweat. Inc. All rights reserved.