“Philips Electronics is discontinuing its Nino line of
Windows CE-based handheld computers, another setback in Microsoft’s
battle to usurp the Palm Computing throne.
After selling its remaining Nino 500 and 200 handheld PCs,
Philips will exit the market for the Microsoft-based handhelds, the
company said. Instead, it will refocus its resources on developing
voice and data products, such as ‘smart’ cell phones.
Nino never gained much of a following, even among devices
running Windows CE, Microsoft’s scaled-down operating system. But
Philips’s decision to pull the plug on the product indicates the
larger turmoil among Microsoft’s Windows CE hardware partners,
which have largely been stymied in their attempts to break Palm
Computing’s grip on the handheld market.”