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Analysis: Mobile E-Mail: Page 5 of 12

For example, Symbian has positioned itself as the clear market leader for mobile operating systems, even though its penetration within the United States has remained relatively low. This should change as companies like Nokia move beyond carriers to pursue alternate handset distribution channels. Symbian is quickly becoming the platform of choice for mobile VoIP and FMC/MMC development thanks to its more uniform hardware platforms, particularly in Nokia handsets like the E61i. In contrast, Windows Mobile devices, which draw from OEMs, can have a variety of different hardware stacks depending on the handset vendor. Symbian does have a downside in that recent efforts to secure the OS through mandatory code signing have made the application development process more protracted, as code needs to be independently tested for security.

If applications are your main focus, Windows Mobile is considered by mobile app vendors as a more straightforward development platform thanks to the common .NET programming environment it shares with the desktop versions of Windows. Windows Mobile also provides employees a familiar user interface, which can be a mixed blessing. Some believe that the familiarity of the Windows UI makes it easier to migrate to Windows Mobile. Others argue that navigation in Windows Mobile isn't geared well toward mobile devices. We take a middle-of-the-road view. Yes, most of us are occasionally frustrated by Windows Mobile, yet we find it easy enough to use. A more valid complaint is that Windows Mobile can be sluggish in terms of performance compared with leaner OSes like Symbian. In our experience, performance varies from device to device, with some being underpowered while others are entirely adequate.

While it still has an entrenched base, Palm's Garnet OS is declining both in terms of market and mindshare, mainly due to a lack of OS development on behalf of Palm. Moreover, while competing operating systems support protected memory and multitasking, Garnet can do neither. Palm has committed to develop a Linux-based OS that can emulate the Garnet OS, but don't expect a release until late 2008.

Finally, RIM has its own Java-based operating system for BlackBerry handhelds, with its own developer tools and ecosystem.

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