It turned out that we have an opportunity to get familiar with the new version of Windows Mobile operating system before the official announcement and long before the appearance of first devices based on the new OS. In the Internet there appeared the version of this OS for HTC Himalayas (the Qtek 2020, the I-mate Pocket-PC and others, we tested it on the Qtek 2020). Right away we’d stipulate that we won’t tell you in the forum or by e-mail where to download the update of the new operating system and how to install it. However we consider it our duty to introduce opportunities of the new operating system to our readers. The current version isn’t a final one, just preliminary. But taking it into account we can have an idea of the version, which will come out in the 3Q 2005. At the moment we have an opportunity to draw attention of developers to errors and weak points, perhaps they will listen to it, and improvements will be taken into account in the final version. Naturally, as soon as the final version of this operating system appears, we’ll publish the updated review.

Initially the announcement of the new OS was scheduled for February 2005. But later it was suspended presumably till the 2Q. The date might be changed for earlier or later terms, however under the preliminary info the release of the final version is set for April 13. As far as we learned, the release of devices powered by the new OS is expected in summer 2005. The project name а the new Windows Mobile is Magneto. Let’s recall project names of other Windows Mobile versions, and also the announcement dates.

Windows Mobile 2005 – Magneto – not announced
Windows Mobile 2003 Second Edition – Ozone Update – March 24, 2004
Windows Mobile 2003 – Ozone – June 23, 2003
Pocket PC 2002 – Merlin – October 4, 2001
Pocket PC 2000 (Palm-size PC v2) – Rapier – April 19, 2000
Palm PC v1.0/1.2 – Gryphon/Wyvern – 8 января 1998 года January 8, 1998 (3 months later Palm PC renamed into Palm-size PC)
Currently the OS is called Windows Mobile 5. Most likely by the release Magneto will have the commercial name Windows Mobile 2005. The system requirements are as follows: 32 MB of Flash ROM, 64 MB of RAM. As for the processor, the old requirements are valid, i.e. Magneto will have acceptable performance at 200 MHz.

The operating system is based on the kernel Windows Compact Edition (WinCE) version 5.1. It differs from its predecessor in Direct3D Mobile (initially optimized for Wireless MMX), Windows Error Reporting, the possibility to work as a USB storage without drivers, improved support of Bluetooth and Wi-Fi and so on.

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