Hewlett-Packard Co, NEC Corp, Philips Electronics NV, LG Electronics Inc and Casio Computer Co are high on the list of companies hoping that Microsoft Corp’s new Windows CE skinny operating system for handhelds will not turn out to be another unsuccessful operating system like Bob or Windows at Work. Microsoft says the devices that run it will cost less than $500 and begin shipping by mid-November. The environment runs on several embedded RISCs, but Microsoft did not identify which ones, although Hitachi Ltd says it is on the SH -3, and NEC Corp the R-series derived VR4101; the Philips one may also be that company’s embedded version of the R-series RISC. The operating system uses the same basic programming tools and conventions as Windows95 – supporting a subset of Win32r programming interfaces, and Microsoft says Compaq Computer Corp is still committed to making hand-held computers using Windows CE, so there is some incentive to convert applications for what the company calls Handheld Personal Computers or HPCs. It sees the environment being used in purpose-built Internet access devices such as Internet televisions, digital set-top boxes and Internet Web phones as well as wireless communication devices such as digital information pagers and smart cellular phones, and next-generation entertainment and multimedia consoles such as Digital Video Disk players. It includes a version of Explorer to offer built-in Web access.
