QUICK TIP: Ever wanted to know how the names of the built-in applications / settings applets have changed during the evaluatio

Microsoft, during the Pocket PC / Windows Mobile maturation / evolution, has changed some of the names of the built-in applications and settings applets (in addition to, naturally, changing their contents and capabilities).

In my articles, I tend to list sometimes two names for a given application so that readers that (possibly) only know their own version of the operating system are not forced to try to guess what I’m talking about.

For example, when I speak of the built-in Web browser in Windows Mobile, I refer to it as both Pocket Internet Explorer and Internet Explorer Mobile. Similarly, when referring to the built-in mailer client, I refer to this as both Inbox and Messaging. Finally, when I refer to the built-in Office applications, I use both “Pocket Word / Excel” and “Word / Excel / Powerpoint Mobile”.

Of course, this tends to clutter up my articles a bit (I have to repeat in all my articles related to, say, Messaging that it was called “Inbox” before the WM2003SE operating system and so on); therefore, I found it necessary to elaborate on this question a bit so that, later on, I can just refer to this article instead of cluttering up my articles with all the possible name versions of each standard Pocket PC application I refer to.

To find out how these names have changed, I, first, recommend Chris De Herrera’s excellent article “Windows Mobile Application Name”, which lists the name changes of the major built-in applications. (Please note that, of the chart, I’ll elaborate on “Internet Explorer” a bit later!)

Second, I also supply an additional chart showing

1. some other apps missing from the original chart
2. the changes introduced in the new WM5 AKU’s / in WM6 Crossbow released after Chris’ publishing the article (more than a year ago) (Not sure what AKU's mean? Read this!)
3. the Settings applet name changes.

My additional chart is as follows:

(note that if you have rendering problems (the last X columns aren’t visible), it’s also available here.)

WM6 (Crossbow)WM5 AKU3+WM5 AKU2.3+WM5WM2003SEWM2003PPC 2002PPC 2000
Programs: Internet SharingInternet SharingModem LinkModem Link----
Internet Explorer MobileInternet Explorer MobileInternet Explorer MobileInternet Explorer MobilePocket Internet ExplorerPocket Internet ExplorerPocket Internet ExplorerPocket Internet Explorer
Remote Desktop MobileTerminal Services ClientTerminal Services Client Terminal Services Client Terminal Services Client Terminal Services Client Terminal Services Client -
Pictures & VideosPictures & VideosPictures & VideosPictures & VideosPicturesPictures--
Windows Live Messengersee on the rightsee on the right- (part of Pocket MSN, no direct icon in Programs)MSN MessengerMSN Messenger(MSN Messenger)-
Windows Live Pocket MSNPocket MSNPocket MSNPocket MSNPocket MSN--
Bubble BreakerBubble BreakerBubble BreakerBubble BreakerJawbreakerJawbreaker--
Settings: Sounds & NotificationsSounds & NotificationsSounds & NotificationsSounds & NotificationsSounds & NotificationsSounds & NotificationsSounds & NotificationsSounds & Reminders
LockLockLockPasswordPasswordPasswordPasswordPassword
Clock & AlarmsClock & AlarmsClock & AlarmsClock & AlarmsClock & AlarmsClockClockClock
Wi-FiWi-FiNetwork CardsNetwork CardsNetwork Cards(Network Card; moved to Connections / Advanced)Network Adapters-
USB to PCUSB to PCUSB to PC-----

Italic shows the first introduction (when it wasn’t right in PPC 2000) and bold shows the name changes.

What about Internet Explorer?

While the program icon is named Internet Explorer, internally, and as can be seen on their default homepage too, it is called Pocket Internet Explorer (see the screenshot showing this here) under pre-WM5 operating systems and Internet Explorer Mobile under WM5 (screenshot here).

UPDATE (02/08/2007): Article updated with WM6 (Crossbow)-related info.