Microsoft Corp and NTT Mobile Communications Network Inc are to jointly develop new portable terminals for wireless data communications, the two announced yesterday in Tokyo. Using Windows CE as the base operating system, the terminals will be handheld PCs, and later wideband code division multiple access (W-CDMA) mobile phones, which are due to be available in March 2001.
The two have agreed to add features to Windows CE such as wake on ring, a Mobile Computing Promotion Consortium specification for powering up a personal computer from a mobile phone. CE will also be extended under the deal to support a high-speed data transmission protocol for personal handyphone system (PHS) popular in Japan.
Microsoft and NTT will also co-develop software, including a server application tailored for data centers to provide users with functions such as email and schedule management. And the two are looking into the possibility of jointly developing a new version of Windows CE for the Japanese data communications market.
