Datasheet

development. The Smartphone SDK also allows C or C++ unmanaged application programming utiliz-
ing Win32 APIs using Microsoft embedded Visual C++ (eVC). The next version of Windows Mobile is
called Windows Mobile 6.0 and code named Photon.
Windows Mobile 5.0 unifies application development for Smartphones and Pocket PCs by providing the
same Win32 APIs and a set of development tools. Unlike the previous version of Windows Mobile,
Windows Mobile 2003, which does not allow developers to use SQL Server CE in Smartphone applica-
tions, now both Pocket PC and Smartphone platforms can take advantage of the same set of common
data services provided by SQL Server 2005 Mobile Edition, the next release of SQL Server CE. In addi-
tion, both platforms share the same security model and the same common application installer. The uni-
fication of these two platforms reflects Microsoft’s mobile platform strategy in response to the imminent
convergence of these two types of mobile devices.
In addition, Windows Mobile 5.0 provides a new set of standardized WinCE APIs, including multimedia
APIs supporting Windows Media 10 Mobile, Direct 3D Mobile APIs, new GPS APIs, DirectDraw APIs,
and camera APIs. These APIs essentially extend the functionality of a Windows Mobile device and offer
an improved user experience. On the managed application environment side, Windows Mobile 5.0
comes with .NET Compact Framework 2.0 and provides a set of .NET managed APIs for messaging and
telephony, which are not available in .NET 1.0 and 1.1. Chapter 2 discusses the .NET Compact
Framework in detail.
Application development on Windows Mobile 5.0 can further take advantage of the latest release of
Microsoft’s flagship IDE, Visual Studio 2005. The software emulator in Visual Studio 2005 has been
rewritten to eliminate the gap between emulation and physical device deployment. In addition, both
managed and unmanaged code can be developed within the same Visual Studio 2005 environment. No
eVC is needed anymore. Additionally, Visual Studio 2005 includes a number of improvements in the
form designer and deployment tools, as well as common programming and debugging support. This
book uses Visual Studio 2005 as the application development platform, so you will see screenshots taken
from it and code developed using a set of smart device tools integrated into Visual Studio 2005.
Microsoft Smartphone from
a User’s Perspective
The market for cell phone operating systems is highly segmented. Many cell phones run operating systems
other than Microsoft Smartphone; indeed, Microsoft is relatively new to the cell phone platform market.
The stronghold in this market is Symbian OS, which is funded and supported by cell phone makers such as
Nokia, Sony Ericsson, Siemens, and others. Palm is historically strong in the PDA market. For people with
a background in those types of platforms, it is necessary to present a quick tour into Microsoft Smartphone.
Those of you who have used a Smartphone device for some time can feel free to skip this section.
To a typical user, a Smartphone is a much more powerful cell phone. It provides many more types of
applications, and the user interface is more sophisticated than a traditional cell phone. Like most other
cell phones, a Microsoft Smartphone actually refers to a combination of the handset and its running
applications. The aesthetic design of a smartphone handset may vary significantly, but the principle user
interface how a user interacts with the device is almost the same across different devices from dif-
ferent manufacturers. Let’s take a look at the Smartphone emulator, a software tool that helps developers
quickly develop and test Smartphone applications without using a physical device. Details about the
Smartphone emulator can be found in Chapter 3.
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