In a one-two punch, Microsoft and Hewlett Packard announced a new revision of the Pocket PC platform and the first of a new generation of Pocket PC devices, respectively. Pocket PC 2002 provides a number of enhancements and improvements to Microsoft's increasingly successful Pocket PC platform. The new rev also beefs up security, communications, and enterprise integration. Microsoft also set new hardware requirements for Pocket PC 2002. The most relevant of those are exclusive support of the ARM processor core and mandatory Flash ROM. HP's new Jornada 560 Series is the first announcement of a product designed specifically for Pocket PC 2002.

Symbol Technologies announced that its handheld industrial market devices will run the new Pocket PC 2002 mobile platform. See press release.

Compaq announced a free upgrade to Pocket PC 2002 for iPAQ Pocket PCs purchased between now and November 30th. After that iPAQ owners will be able to upgrade for a fee of US$29.95.

-Steve Holden (sholden@pencomputing.com)