Windows Mobile
A major platform for smartphones and PDA phones. Windows Mobile provides a standardized interface, and a standardized platform for developers to create advanced applications for phones.
Windows Mobile is actually two platforms: Windows Mobile Standard edition and Windows Mobile Professional edition. There is also a third "Classic" edition for Windows Mobile PDAs without phone functionality.
Software written for one edition will not work on the other, although the two have enough in common that it is usually easy for developers to port an application and make it available for both editions.
The Professional edition adds a touchscreen and stylus with handwriting recognition. There are also interface differences - such as a Start menu - and in some ways the Professional edition is considered more powerful. Standard edition devices are typically smaller, and always provide at numeric and/or text keypad for input.
Windows Mobile is created by Microsoft. Microsoft does not manufacture phone hardware itself, but instead licenses the Windows Mobile platform and software to device manufacturers.
As with other major smartphone platforms, Windows Mobile phones feature a large color display, a powerful processor chip, a large amount of memory for storing applications and content, (usually expandable with memory cards,) and a standard set of keys for input and control.
Prior to version 6 of Windows Mobile, Windows Mobile Standard was called Windows Mobile for Smartphones, while Windows Mobile Professional was called Windows Mobile for PocketPC.
Prior to the 2003 release, Windows Mobile for Smartphones was known as Microsoft Windows-Powered Smartphone.
See: smartphone
