Wendong’s Smart Phone Weblog

This is just a quick thought in my mind. I believe that platforms like Palm OS, Linux and Symbian can not compete with Windows Mobile on easy-to-use programming languages and dev tools. J2ME is good but has a lot of limitations due to the sandbox approach. Now we have Mono project to port .NET Framework to Linux platform. On the mobile side, instead of creating another common running engine like AppForge Booster, why can’t somebody just try to port .NET CF to other platforms? I know this will be a very challenging job. But if somebody can do it, we can use Microsoft tools to write across-platform mobile applications.

[ZDNet:] PalmSource to hatch new OS strategy

It is interesting. I did not find any "PDA" word in the entire article. It looks like that Palm OS is heading to a cell phone OS too. This is coincident with PalmOne’s shifting emphasis to smartphones.

"…the company will simultaneously develop multiple versions of its OS and aim them at different parts of the cell phone market."

"PalmSource is renaming the existing and new versions of its OS and will deviate from its traditional numeric naming system to show that both versions–previously known as OS 5 and OS 6–are current. The company is just now shipping OS 6 to handheld and cell phone makers. "

"The company will continue work on OS 5, which is both cheaper and takes up less memory than the new version, while simultaneously touting OS 6 as offering better security, multimedia and networking abilities."

[Update]:
PalmSource Introduces Palm OS Cobalt and Garnet

According to a report published by ABI Research, Symbian OS will win the most smartphone market share by 2008.

"The mobile phone industry will sell 150 million smartphones in 2008, 15 times this year’s sales, with the Symbian OS leading the smartphone operating system market."

"The Symbian OS’ biggest appeal for handset makers and telcos such as NTT DoCoMo is the ability to customise the software’s functionality and appearance." "Most major handset makers, including Nokia, Samsung, Siemens and Sony Ericsson, have licensed the Symbian OS and also own stakes in the company."

"Microsoft’s Windows CE will remain in second place in four years’ time, … mainly appealing to large businesses who want smartphones to act as an extension of the PC."

"Linux will be the third-biggest choice, … appealing to mobile phone makers such as Motorola who are uncomfortable with the dominance of either Microsoft or Nokia, Symbian’s largest shareholder. The software is highly customizable and inexpensive, but is not as standardized as the Symbian OS, the report said, arguing that ‘fragmentation of Linux will continue to stagnate its growth.’"