A few years ago, Dell took the Pocket PC market by storm and saturated the market with the inexpensive and hardy Dell Axim.  This also pushed the popular but more expensive HP iPAQ devices into second place for money-savvy inspectors.  So when Dell unexpectedly dropped out of Pocket PC manufacturing and discontinued their Dell Axim line, naysayers came proclaiming the untimely "death" of the Pocket PC.  Is the Pocket PC really dead?  If not, how come we don't hear much about them and where can you get one?

 

The good news is that the Pocket PC is alive and well, far from its rumored death.  The reality is that a shift in consumer expectations has pushed the PDA used as a 'standalone' device into a future of limited life and usefulness.  The current paradigm is now wireless, converged smartphones that are combined with PDA functionality, although stand-alone Pocket PCs are also still available.

 

Because when Microsoft updated the operating system for Pocket PCs in recent years, they decided to emphasize their newer broader operating system family label 'Windows Mobile' rather than 'Pocket PC'.  So while Windows Mobile 5 based Pocket PCs were originally designated as running "Windows Mobile for Pocket PC" or "Windows Mobile for Pocket PC Phone Edition", the "Pocket PC" nomenclature was dropped from successive generations of mobile devices.

 

So starting with the Windows Mobile 6 operating system, the device line-up was officially renamed to

3D Inspection System Pocket3D software is compatible with devices running Windows Mobile "Professional" or "Classic".  What about "Standard"?  No, Pocket3D and other more advanced programs will not run on Windows Mobile Standard devices, which are basically glorified phones with a few limited extra abilities.  A quick clue whether a device will work is that Professional and Classic devices have the start menu at the top, while Standard devices have it at the bottom.  But be sure to check the actual device specifications before you purchase.  Our system requirements can be found Here.

 

Should be straightforward, right?  Not quite so fast.  Device manufacturers and reviewers haven't always made it easy to figure out exactly which particular Windows Mobile flavor is running on their phones.  Even when visiting Microsoft's Windows Mobile page  http://www.microsoft.com/windowsmobile/en-us/devices/default.mspx  Microsoft itself now lumps BOTH phone type devices (Professional and Standard) together under their single Smartphone category, and includes Windows Mobile Classic and Professional devices in their Vertical Devices category.  Being a consumer is tough, isn't it?

 

So how do you get a list of compatible devices that can run Pocket3D without having to check the specifications of each individual device?  If you're looking in the Phone category on Microsoft's site, generally speaking Windows Mobile Professional type phones all have "Touch screen with stylus" and include the "Microsoft Office Module".  So check one of those options to narrow your search to applicable devices.  If you prefer a stand-alone or ruggedized device or Pocket PC, then check out the Vertical Devices listing instead and double-check the specs.  Popular stand-alone devices like iPAQs and SoMo (now sold by Dell) are listed in that category.

 

Not only are there Windows Mobile type devices to distinguish between, but there are also other phone/PDA operating systems.

 

So what about iPhones, Blackberries, and other phones?  Will they work with Pocket3D?  Not if they don't run the appropriate Windows Mobile operating system.  Sorry, iPhone runs an Apple based operating system and Blackberry is a RIM OS.  Other operating systems are also out there for various phones and PDA, such as Symbian, Android, Hiptop, Linux, or Palm OS (note- Some "Palm" brand devices actually run Windows Mobile, while others run Palm OS).

 

Really love and can't give up one of those phones?  No problem, you can still get a stand-alone Pocket PC (or vertical device as Microsoft calls them) just for inspection reporting, separate from your normal phone.  Or get an unlocked Windows Mobile Professional phone and just don't use its phone features.  Some inspectors have found deals on eBAY and similar sites.  Just make sure the device meets our System Requirements.