Microsoft Demoing Prototype of New Mobile Operating System

[Ed Hardy]

Over the past months, there has been a great deal of talk about creating very inexpensive computers for third-world countries. Yesterday, Microsoft showed off a prototype of an operating system it is creating for this potential market.

Microsoft believes the best design for this market is a mobile phone into which a TV and keyboard can be plugged, converting it into a desktop computer.

At its Financial Analyst Meeting yesterday, Craig Mundie, Microsoft's chief research and strategy officer, demonstrated FonePlus, the operating system in development for this type of device.

It runs a version of Windows CE and includes software to let users exchange email, do word processing and spreadsheets, surf the Web, and watch streaming video.

The target is to create a computer that meets the needs of people living in developing nations at a price they can afford.

At this point, there is no information on when FonePlus-based computers will be available, or what they will cost.

Via Microsoft Watch

 

[Antoine Wright]

Tis kinda weird of MS to do this. They already have the Windows Mobile platform that is mature enough to do this, why not build the "new computing platform" from there?

Seems to be a bit of a backhand to the WM division because they are already doing to same thing.

[RobbM]

Its also not unusual for MS to package OS types for specific needs, thus confusing the consumer royally. Do I want Standard? Home? Professional? What!?

They may have decided not to use WM because they may be gearing it to another market niche (or what MS thinks is a niche): The new "iPod killer", which was code-named Argo and given the idiotic production name Zune, is rumored to be run by WM.

To be fair, though, "Zune" isn't just supposed to be the player. Its a whole suite of services surrounding this player. Like the iTMS.

[Ed Hardy]

The new "iPod killer", which was code-named Argo and given the idiotic production name Zune, is rumored to be run by WM.

Microsoft has pre-announced this device and said it won't run Windows Mobile. Instead, it new OS has been created just for this class of devices. This seems like a bit of a slap in the face for the Windows Mobile team, as they already have a WM version for multimedia-oriented devices.

[RobbM]

Oh! I thought I read that the Zune would use Windows Mobile. Maybe what I read was that it was ASSUMED it would use WM. Just goes to show that you always need the first 3 letters to spell "assume".....