When purchasing a Windows Mobile device, it's important to understand the difference between a Windows Mobile Smartphone and a Pocket PC Phone. Many users commonly consider any mobile phone with e-mail or Internet access to be a smartphone, and while there's a certain validity to this use of the word, when discussing Windows Mobile devices, smartphones are specific devices with defined feature sets. 

A Windows Mobile Smartphone is a device that runs the Windows Mobile for Smartphones operating system. This OS is a simpler version of Windows Mobile for Pocket PC, the the Windows Mobile OS found on Pocket PCs and Pocket PC Phones.

Windows Mobile Smartphones

As Pocket PC Phones increased in popularity, a push began for Windows Mobile devices that looked and behaved more like phones than PDAs.  Windows Mobile Smartphones were designed to fill this need.  Unlike Pocket PC Phones, Windows Mobile Smartphones are primarily intended to be used as phones.  These devices lack touchscreens, but have limited PDA-like functionality built-in, including contact management, e-mail and text messaging, web browsing, audio playback and compatibility with add-on applications. These devices are designed for more traditional phone users who still want and need limited PIM (Personal Information Management) and multimedia capabilities.

Examples of Windows Mobile smartphones include the Cingular 3125 and Motorola Q:

Blurring the Lines

Recent advances in various technologies have allowed Pocket PC Phones, once bulky and awkward bricks, to become smaller, more powerful and more comfortable to hold.  These new generation PPC Phones have, more than anything, led to confusion over the "smartphone" label. 

The Palm Treo 750, for example, is a Pocket PC Phone, with a full version of the Windows Mobile for Pocket PC OS and a touchscreen.  However, the Treo 750 is almost always referred to as a smartphone, even by Palm itself.  A similar looking device, the Samsung Blackjack, has a similar QWERTY keyboard on its face, the same squarish display and the same general form factor, but lacks a touchscreen and runs Windows Mobile for Smartphone:

Visually, these devices aren't much different, and are often promoted as having the exact same features; this IS NOT the case.  The Treo 750, a Pocket PC Phone, offers more power, multimedia functionality and expandability than the Samsung Blackjack, as well as compatibility with entirely different third-party software.

There Are Real Differences

Because Pocket PC Phones are larger, they almost always feature more powerful hardware.  PPC Phones generally have speedier processors, more onboard memory, larger displays, touchscreen and handwriting input, enhanced multimedia capabilities, more expansion options, and, in some cases, dedicated graphics processors. These differences are important, but arguably not as much so as the main difference between Pocket PC Phones and Windows Mobile Smartphones: software.

Windows Mobile for Pocket PC is a powerful mobile OS, with thousands of third-party add-on software titles, built-in Office Mobile applications for viewing and editing documents (such as Word, Excel and PowerPoint), a PC-like tap-to-select interface and a more robust set of customization options.  Windows Mobile for Smartphone lacks all of these features, but does offer e-mail, limited audio playback for music and audiobooks, limited video playback, text messaging, contact management, etc.

To get an idea of the differences in available third-party software, take a look at the Pocket PC Central Pocket PC Software Center and the Smartphone Software Center. While some applications are compiled to run on both Pocket PCs and Windows Mobile Smartphones, most will run on either one or the other.

Which Device is Right for Me?

Your Pocket PC Phone or Windows Mobile Smartphone will likely be a constant companion, so it's important that you choose wisely when deciding which type of device is right for you.

Do you care more about size and weight than the features of the device? If you want to be able to read your e-mail and listen to the occasional music track, but mainly want to make phone calls and keep your pocket as light as possible, a Windows Mobile Smartphone is likely better suited to your needs. WM Smartphones are generally smaller, thinner and lighter than PPC Phones.

If you need a mobile computer with calling features built-in, Pocket PC Phones are more your speed.  PPC Phones have larger screens, which makes them better suited for reading large documents, watching video, and browsing the web.  Most Pocket PC Phones also have larger keyboards, which makes typing easier, and you can also use the touchscreen interface to write or type directly on the screen.

Also keep in mind that WM smartphones are often less expensive than PPC Phones, so if you're on a budget, that can be a very important deciding factor. 

Knowing What's What

When in doubt, look at the home, or Today, screen of Windows Mobile devices.  This will quickly indicate whether the device you're looking at is a Pocket PC Phone or a Windows Mobile Smartphone:

In the Future

At some point in the not-too-distant future, Pocket PC Phones and Windows Mobile Smartphones will likely merge, and the differences between the two will fade.  Until then, it's important to know which is which so that you can get the most out of your mobile device. 

[ Via pocketpccentral.net ]