BUSINESSWEEK ONLINE : APRIL 24, 2000 ISSUE
INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY Microsoft's Repeated Reboots Is the sixth time the charm? For a decade, Microsoft has tried and failed to expand into handheld devices. Experts say the newest version of its Windows CE software, Pocket PC, could finally do the trick. Here's a look at the company's attempts in this market: PEN FOR WINDOWS LAUNCH: 1990 This was Microsoft's attempt to compete with Silicon Valley upstart GO Corp. and was targeted at handheld computers that could read handwriting. The market never took off, largely because handwriting software was so lousy. MODULAR WINDOWS LAUNCH: 1991 Designed to run home-entertainment systems, Modular Windows was Microsoft's first stab at TV software and a precursor to today's DVD players. The only Modular Windows product that surfaced was the $699 Tandy Video Information System, a multimedia CD player that failed because it was expensive and slow. MICROSOFT AT WORK LAUNCH: 1993 At Work was supposed to make copiers, faxes, and phones communicate with a network of PCs so that several employees could share the devices. But the products that used At Work, such as Ricoh Co.'s IFS66 printer, fax, and scanner, were too expensive. WINPAD LAUNCH: 1994 It was designed to run handheld devices that Motorola, Toshiba, and others were developing. But WinPad never made it out of development. The software required so much battery and processing power that the devices were too costly. WINDOWS CE LAUNCH: 1996 The first pint-size Windows to gain a foothold, Windows CE powers everything from pocket computers to gas pumps. But that flexibility is proving to be a handicap: It's not specialized enough to meet the computing needs of key markets. That's why it trails Palm in the personal digital assistant market and Liberate in the set-top box market. POCKET PC LAUNCH: 2000 Pocket PC is Microsoft's most recent attempt to challenge Palm in the handheld computer market. Analysts say the software may be compact and simple enough to finally help the company pick up substantial market share. _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ BACK TO TOP					RELATED ITEMS Mini-Windows: If at First You Don't Succeed... TABLE: Microsoft's Repeated Reboots INTERACT E-Mail to Business Week Online

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