Windows Plex

= Windows Plex =
== Windows Plex ==
=== Release date ===
June 21,1998
=== OS family ===
Windows Mobile
=== Source model ===
Closed Source
=== Update method ===
Windows Plex Update
=== Kernel type ===
Plex 9X
=== Latest version ===
Windows Plex Millenium
=== State ===
Unsupported
=== Support ends ===
June 21, 2002 - Mainstream Support ended.
June 21, 2006 - Extended Support ended.
=== Codename ===
Double-Memphis
=== Final name ===
Windows Plex
Windows Plex was an operating system released for the Microsoft Double-PDA, a rare double-screen 90s PDA with computerised capabilities. Only one other company, Mitsubishi would be licensed to produce devices using the OS, producing Windows Plex devices such as the Mitsubishi Computer-Folder and Phone-Folder. The OS didn't gain much traction nor a large customerbase as Double-screen PDAs were pretty rare and extremely expensive. It paved the way for the Pocket PC line which was more successful.
== Contents ==
* 1Features
* 2History
* 3List of Iterations
** 3.1Development Iterations
** 3.2Post-Development Iterations
== Features ==
The most noticeable feature in all Windows Plex iterations is that the OS had a "colour-side" and a monochrome-side on each of the split screens the OS had registered during the installation. Usually, the display screen was customised and had different features set in by different companies on each device. It usually showed all the necessary information of the PDA, such as it's battery percentage,time and date, wifi connectivity, and device information, as well as a few basic applications of it's own, such as a notebook application , and on the Microsoft Plex , a few games and miscellaneous firmware, as well as this, the monochrome-side had the capability to holding text files in a monochrome format.
In Mitsubishi's devices, Windows Plex "monochrome-side" also included cellular phone capabilities, which include sending texts, and phone-calls. It was also used a touchscreen keyboard which connected to the "colour-side" in order to write text.
The "colour-side" had software such as
* a notetaker that could write way up to 300 pages,
* Solitaire,
* Minesweeper,
* "Reminder" application, which opens soon after the user loaded Windows Plex and shows the user a list of reminders and things they set in .
* An e-mail application,where you can send various types of files,
* A calculator,
* A file manager where you could transfer text files to the "monochrome-side",and view images,
* if you connected to your Microsoft office account, you could get Microsoft Office applications,
* Internet Explorer(started being included from iterations Windows Plex 2000),
* Control Panel.
The "colour-side" is moreso similar to Microsoft's later "Pocket PC" line of operating systems . Later iterations of Windows Plex included capability of accessing sound-based files, due to phone capabilities in later hardware(such as the Mitsubishi Phone-Folder) which ran Windows Plex. The "colour-side" used handwriting recognition in order to write something, which was very praised for it's time.
== History ==
Microsoft, long-knowing the coming of PDAs decided to make it's own devices and enter the market of PDA hardware. Based on its former attempts experience of tablet computing, such as development of Windows for Pen Computing 1.0 and as computer chips became smaller, meaning the devices could become more compact. During the beginning of the development of Windows 98, which started in 1997 , the development of the then-called Windows Double-Memphis Computer started, reverse-engineering and the taking of technology from Windows for Pen Computing and Windows 98 was heavily used in the software and hardware of the Windows Double-Memphis Computer. During the development, an idea was proposed to make the system firmware of Windows Double-Memphis Computer an OS, with it's purpose to be used and distributed by other high-end double-screen PDAs . The OS was quickly created using the code from the firmware of the Windows Double-Memphis Computer and made it an OS, called Windows Double-Memphis . By 1998, the Windows Double-Memphis was renamed Microsoft Double-PDA and was ready to manufacture, Microsoft would quietly release the double-screen PDA and the OS, now called Windows Plex,( the plex naming being that the OS was divided into sides, Monochrome and Colour), with it being released in major stores in America and Europe. Mistubishi the following months would develop devices with the OS, releasing their devices in Japan, America, and Europe.
The reception was overall positive for it's limited niche, selling 10 million in it's entire life-span. Eventually Microsoft would release the Windows Plex Millenium, an update from the 1998 iteration with iconography changed on the "colour-side"(being practically same as the Pocket PC 2000 icon language) and a few bugs fixed.
Windows Plex was consistently updated on the devices, mainstream support ended in 2001 as it's marketshare lagged and it was no longer profitable for Microsoft , so they did a few continious extended support updates which continued until 2006, where interest was now on mobile phones which were rising in marketshare and were attracting a larger customerbase.
== List of Iterations ==
Windows Plex had several builds and versions(both counted as iterations) , the system firmware builds do also count as Windows Plex iterations , as they contain the same code as the OS.
=== Development Iterations ===
----WD-MC System Firmware Version 1.5 - (1997) - First known Build of the system firmware of the Windows Double-Memphis Computer , features a simple shell on both sides of the device. Notepad applications seem to be done. Most applications are not functionable.
WD-MC System Firmware Version 2 - (1997) - Added in a bootscreen, but the system firmware stills calls itself by WD-MC System Firmware . A few applications seem to have been added, although they are barebone for now. The U.I. does not resemble anything of that to Windows Plex, extremely buggy.
WD-MC System Firmware Version 3 - (1997) - This build seems to be the same as Version 2 but alot less buggy and seems to be more functionable.
WD-MC System Firmware Version 4 - (1997) - Major interface rehaul , the U.I. starts to resemble Windows Plex 1998,most miscellaneous applications on the "colour-side" seemed to be fully functionable but still not developed, all applications on the "monochrome-side" seem to be developed, the Bootscreen resembles the Windows 98 bootscreen .
Windows Codename: Double-Memphis Version 4.5 - (1998) - The system firmware was transferred into an OS by meticulous software engineering, the Bootscreen still resembles the Windows 98 Bootscreen , and the "colour-side" and "monochrome-side" interfaces seem to be moreso resemble Windows Plex 1998 , added in Windows Plex Update, and online services.
Windows Codename: Double-Memphis Version 5 - (1998) - All applications seem to be fully functionable on both "sides" but there is a few bugs here and there, still not qualifiable for release.
Windows Plex Version 6 - (1998) - The OS starts to call itself Windows Plex as seen in the bootscreen and system software. This version seems to be a test release, and fixes a couple of bugs here and there, the OS seems to be fully operable for its intended purpose
Windows Plex 1998 RTM - (1998) - The OS itself, qualified for manufacturing and production.
=== Post-Development Iterations ===
----Windows Plex Version 6.5 - (1998) - fixes bugs , released by Microsoft as Windows Plex Update Package 1
Windows Plex Version 7 - (1999) - fixes bugs, installs Background Anti-virus. Released by Microsoft as Windows Plex Update Package 2
Windows Plex Versions 7.5 - 9/ Update Package 3 - 5 all just fix bugs and update compatibility within the code.
Windows Plex Version 9.5 - (1999) Being able to download files being sent from other people in e-mail and being able to send files added, released by Microsoft as Windows Plex Update Package 6
Windows Plex Millenium/Windows Plex 2000 - Major rehaul of the interface and updating the software , adding in Internet Explorer
Windows Plex Version 10.5 - (2002) Released as Windows Plex Update Package 7, it includes being able to support sound files, added Pocket WinAmp and the ability download files from Internet Explorer, it was also the final Mainstream support update, if the device running Windows Plex was not able to support files, it could update to a special version called Windows Plex Update Package 7 No-sound.
Windows Plex Version 11-20/Windows Plex Extended Support Packages 8-17 all were back-end updates, updating continiously compability, device protection, and application functionality all the way to 2006.