Pocket Internet Explorer (Pocket IE / PIE) for Handheld PC OverviewCESD-S-0001Applies To:
- Windows CE 1.0, 1.01
- Windows CE 2.0, 2.0 SP1
- Windows CE for Handheld PC Professional
- Windows CE for HPC2000
- Windows CE 4.x .net
Overview:
This article discusses Microsoft Pocket Internet Explorer on the
Handheld PC.
Contents:
Listed below are some common questions and answers to user questions
regarding Windows CE and Pocket Internet Explorer
A. What is Pocket
Internet Explorer
Pocket Internet Explorer
is a scaled down version of its desktop counterpart
Microsoft Internet Explorer. It enables Windows CE users
to access the Internet
A. Is
PIE safe to use with on-line shopping
Pocket IE for Windows
CE 1.0 and 2.0 does not support 128-bit SSL and so is not recommended
for eCommerce transactions. Pocket IE 3 and above can make use
of 128-bit SSL and as such should be secure for on-line transactions.
With the exception of Pocket IE 1.0, the Windows CE browser can
make use of the following Security Protocols:
- SSL 2.0
- SSL 3.0
- PCT
- SGC (Pocket IE 3 and above only)
Handheld PC Pro users need to install the Handheld PC 128-bit SSL Update
before attempting to use secure sites. See the Download
Section for more details.
A. Can
I share my desktops Internet connection with CE
Yes it is possible
to do this, however you may require extra software to do so. Please
see the support section for more information on Proxy Servers.
A. Where
can I find developer resources for Windows CE web sites
HPC Factor offers
some information on coding and scripting web pages for Windows
CE. Please visit the CE Developer section
for more information on these and other resources
A. What
HTML tags are supported by Pocket Internet Explorer
For a list of
compatible tags please visit the CE Internet Developer section
of HPC Factor - Click
Here
A. Can I use MSN as my
ISP
For more information please
see the Pocket Internet Explorer Support Section - Click
Here
Pocket Internet Explorer is one of Windows CE's
strongest selling points. The inclusion of dynamic Internet applications
like Pocket IE was part of Microsoft's expansion into the mobile
productivity market, starting with the idea of the Mobile Internet
Ready PC. This idea was passed into the initial development stream
for the first Windows CE release in late 1996, early 1997.
Developed in during the Internet Explorer 3.0 generation browser.
The initial Pocket IE release was significantly cut back on that
of its desktop counterpart. Supporting a full subset of HTML 1.0
and a limited feature set from HTML 2.0, Pocket Internet Explorer
1.0 (aka Pocket IE 0.5) was limited in it's functionality. Microsoft
rapidly introduced an update. The new version 1.1 browser was made
available to OEM's for the Platform release as well as to the consumer
from the Microsoft website.
Pocket IE 1.1 held a nearly full subset of the HTML 2.0 specification,
as well as supporting so called "Secure Channel" protocols,
enabling safe eCommerce transactions to be made on the Internet.
Other notable inclusions in the 1.1 release were support for Cookies
and the necessary Internet Cache required to support them. The ability
to save web pages locally was also included via a "Save As"
function.
The next Pocket IE release, version 2.0 followed in the release
of Windows CE 2.0. Pocket IE 2.0 followed in the traditions of adding
more support for Internet Protocols as well as improvements to the
base HTML specification. Pocket IE 2.0 had full HTML 2.0 support
and selective HTML 3.2 support.
PIE 2.0 added the Window resize features which allowed images to be resized
as part of a process designed to force a web page to fit to the screen. Right
click dialogues were added to allow navigation to new Windows as well as save
image to disk or set immediately as the desktop wallpaper.
The most significant new technologies added in the 2.0 release was
support for standard Frames and the ability to 'Work Off-line"
is the Internet Cache was enabled.
Pocket IE 3, with it's 3 minor sub released (Windows CE 2.10, 2.11
and 2.12) further added support for Internet protocols. A much broader
HTML 3.2 subset was added, as well as base support for the HTML
4.0. JScript was implemented into the browser, along with significant
updates to the Secure Channel systems, allowing for upgradeable
Security settings and SGC support.
Pocket IE 4, released with Handheld PC 2000 significantly
improved on the support but in some respects took several steps
back from the ground made in previous releases.
VBScript, HTML 4.01, CSS, JScript, the potential for Java VM applications,
iFrames, native 128-bit SSL support, Secure Channel upgrades and
document encoding were all added in the release.
Unfortunately the automatic image resizing was removed, as well
as the Right Click menus. The operation of the cascading Favourites
menu was changed making it less functional.
In Windows CE 4.x releases Microsoft clearly intended to continue
with the stripping down of Mobile features from Pocket Internet
Explorer. The CE Net environment provides the OEM with the choice
of including the Pocket Internet Explorer 4.01 from Windows CE 3.0,
with limited modifications. Or the inclusion of a reduced version
of Microsoft Internet Explorer 5.5 or 6.0.
Pocket Internet Explorer has been trimmed down
to accommodate the H/PC and its real world uses. As a result Pocket
IE only supports the following URL formats:
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Protocol Support
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HTTP
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Hypertext Transfer Protocol |
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HTTPS
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Secure HTTP |
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FTP
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File Transfer Protocol |
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UNC
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Universal Naming Convention |
You may be surprised however, at how many sites you can visit and
use effectively.
One feature that would have been a blessing for Windows CE users,
and which is unfortunately incompatible with the browser, is Web
Mail. That's not to say that all web mail providers are incompatible
with Pocket IE. The latest version of Hotmail however will not operate
correctly under Pocket IE 4, and not at all under older versions.
If you plan to use the Internet you will first need to set-up a
dial up networking account via remote networking. Please see the
'Remote Networking Guide' for more information
on doing this.
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Should you plan on opening an off-line page or file from
within IE, or already have a dial-up connection set-up, open
Pocket IE by tapping on the desktop icon or via the start
menu. This will launch Pocket Internet Explorer.
Depending on which generation device you use, Pocket Internet
Explorer will be labelled differently.
- Windows CE 1.0 - Microsoft Pocket Internet Explorer
- Windows CE 2.0 - The Internet
- HPC Pro / HPC2000 / CE4 - Internet Explorer
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Once fully loaded you will be presented with the default Pocket
Internet Explorer home page. This is sourced from a file stored
in ROM and you do not need to be on-line to display it. The page
is very basic, as it is designed to be a perpetual advert for Microsoft.
This being all well and good... at the time when the Handheld PC
ruled the Windows CE Roost. Unfortunately for those of us living
in the 21st century, Microsoft have once again shown their 'true'
feelings towards us old school collective.
 The
Links content on the default start pages no longer function. In
later version you will be redirected to Windows Mobiles home page
or Windows CE. Otherwise you will just receive a 404 error
The image to the left contains images of the default home page
for various CE versions and contains active content links for each.
All in all, the links on the default start page are of little to
no use for users. HPC Factor will be providing both on-line and
downloadable start pages for you device.
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1. |
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To enter the settings menu:
- Tap on the 'View' menu
- Choose 'Options...'
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The Appearance tab
Once the window has loaded, you will be
presented with the Appearance tab. This establishes your preferences
on how web pages should look and sound.
Disabling Show Pictures and Play Sounds
can speed page download time up considerably. To change the
options status simply tap on the adjacent check box. It is
also worth while to note that the only sound format that CE
can play by default are WAV files, which tend to be very large,
and are seldom used by modern page designers.
Make page fit window specifies whether
Pocket IE refines the pages code in order to make it fit onto
the H/PC's display. Unless you are using an external display,
or use a full size VGA screen on your device leaving this
option on will save users from horizontal scrolling.
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| 3. |
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In this tab you can specify what you would like Pocket IE
to display as its default Home Page and Search Page. HPC Factor
recommends changing your default Search Page to:
http://www.google.com/palm/
this is a search engine written specifically for use with
PDA's.
To change the default Home Page:
- Return to Pocket Internet Explorer by tapping the OK button
- Navigate to, or open the page you wish to become your
Home Page
- Return to the Default Pages tab by tapping View > Options...
- Tap the drop box and select Home Page
- Tap Use Current Page
- You default Home Page has been changed
To change the default Search Page:
- Return to Pocket Internet Explorer by tapping the OK button
- Navigate to, or open the page you wish to become your
Search Page
- Return to the Default Pages tab by tapping View > Options...
- Tap the drop box and select Search Page
- Tap Use Current Page
- You default Search Page has been changed
To return to using the default page for the Home and Search
Page items, select which option you would like to change from
the drop box, and tap Use Default Page
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| 4. |
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Auto Dial tab
Here you can specify whether Pocket IE will automatically
commence communications with an established Remote Networking
profile such as a Dial-Up connection or a Direct Cable connection
To enable AutoDial:
- Select the check box next to Use AutoDial
- Select which connection you would like to use from the
drop box
- Specify whether you would like to set an Auto Disconnect
time on the connection
- If so choose the time interval you wish it to time out
after from Disconnect if idle for
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| 5. |
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Proxy Server tab
If you wish to use a proxy server to connect over a network,
or to share your host PC's Internet connection with
Windows CE you must enable and configure a proxy server.
A proxy server is a program which enables a network of computers
to share access to the Internet. For more information on setting
up a proxy server for a network, or for sharing the desktop
host PC's Internet connection.
NB: Pocket IE only supports HTTP Proxy servers.
You can not use it in conjunction with a Socks proxy
To enable Proxy Server support:
Select the Use Proxy Server check box
In the settings dialogue type in your proxy
servers http address (This can be an IP address or a domain
address)
Type in the Port which the Proxy Server can
be access on
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Advanced tab
This tab allows you to set-up how Pocket IE works in
the background.
You can increase security in this tab by:
Enabling or disabling Cookies. Cookies are small files
that many web sites which you visit deposit on your
computer. They are used to monitor user habits such
as time you spend on a site and when and where you exit
the site. Cookies are also used to discover information
about the user and their computer. Information like,
Operating System, Internet Browser, IP address and Internet
Service Provider. Cookies can also be downloaded by
unscrupulous web users as a way to introduce malicious
code onto your computer and there for are a security
risk.
- To Enable Cookies, ensure that the check box is
selected.
The Security Settings button displays a list of the
available Security Protocols to Pocket IE. These protocols
allow you to safely transmit information over the Internet
so that it is increasingly difficult for others to obtain
it. These systems are primarily used for On-line transactions,
and sign-up processes.
Unless you have specific reason to, or are experiencing
problems accessing a secure site, it is suggested you
leave these settings alone
If you wish to Enable Caching, which allowing visited
web pages and images to be saved in storage memory,
so that if they are accessed again the page will load
faster. It is suggested that in order to save storage
space you select Empty cache when exiting. This will
clear the cache file when you end you Pocket IE session.
You can also specify what percentage of the storage
memory the Internet cache can use. The higher it is,
the more web pages can be stored, and accessed faster.
You can also choose to empty the Internet cache manually
by pressing the Empty Cache Now button.
NB: The Internet Cache files are stored
in the Temporary Internet Files Directory
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Making use of Pocket IE can often be a frustrating
one, depending on the version of the browser that you are using
you may have successes and failures, however Microsoft have tried
to ensure that the page replication is as close to the creators
design as possible. See Figure 3
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