PW: Microsoft Unveils Pocket PC, MS Reader

At a press conference in New York City last week, Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer unveiled Pocket PC Windows, the company's operating system for a new generation of palm-sized computing devices that will support e-books, digital music, games, Web surfing and more.

Hewlett-Packard and Compaq are producing the first devices. Only the Hewlett-Packard unit is currently available, at a price of $500. The new operating system replaces Windows CE and will include Microsoft's MS Reader with ClearType, a display component in MS Reader that the company claims will re-create the sharply focused typeface that readers are accustomed to with paper. MS Reader is currently available only for the Pocket PCs. It will be generally released by the summer.

A Microsoft spokesperson distinguished the new generation of devices from PDAs such as the Palm Pilot, explaining that the Pocket PCs have full-color screens with processors up to 200 mhz, large memories and support a wide variety of computing applications. Microsoft also announced alliances (including with its subsidiary Slate.com) to provide content for the new devices.

Earlier this year, Microsoft announced that it will partner with Barnes&Noble.com to offer MS Reader and a wide variety of e-books for the Pocket PC through BN.com (News, Jan. 10).