Microsoft lends CE helping hand

Software giant Microsoft is looking to increase its penetration in the handheld market with the release of an upgrade to Windows CE version 2.

On the day of the launch, Microsoft revealed it had already signed up licences to 10 OEMs - Casio, Compaq, Ericsson, HP, Hitachi, LG Electronics, NEC, Novatel, Philips and Sharp - for use in its handheld PC products.

Enhancements to the previous version include: Ethernet access, which enables users to connect locally or remotely; an upgraded user interface, now offering colour as well as improved greyscale; a customisable taskbar; cascaded menus; and scalable True Type fonts.

The upgrade also contains the facility for email and files to be synchronised between a PC and a handheld, instead of having to be downloaded, and several handheld users can synchronise on the same, single desktop.

Another feature, Active Sync & Trade, allows desktop synchronisation as soon as the handheld is connected, and continuous synchronising of changes thereafter.

Support is available for email attachments, such as Word, Excel or Powerpoint, and a pocket Powerpoint feature has been added to the suite of pocket applications.

A spellcheck facility has been added to Word, and has been enhanced, along with Excel, with zoom and full screen view options.

It will be available in five European languages apart from English - French, German, Italian, Portuguese and Spanish. All language versions will be available from OEM partners.

Contact: 0345 00 2000 www.microsoft.com.