Installing softwares on Pocket PC

Sunday, 02 December 2007

What is a Pocket PC without a software? There are numerous developers out there to help making your Pocket PC devices more productive for your business and personal needs. There are various formats and ways they distribute the developed product. Usually in .cab file format or through a Desktop Setup file.

.Cab Files
This is the widely accepted format and most applications are distributed this way. It also helps in OTA - Over The Air distribution of files. A cab file is like an archive that contains an xml file and other files which are required by the application or software to work.

Cab files should simply be executed on a Pocket PC' File Explorer and it will proceed with the Installation automatically with a prompt to choose Main Memory or Storage Card as the destination file for the Installation. So if you get a cab file, downloaded to your desktop PC, copy it to Pocket PC and execute it in Pocket PC' File Explorer. Sometimes you can directly download this file onto your Pocket PC using your Pocket PC' Internet Explorer or any other Browser applications that you may use on your Pocket PC.

Desktop Setup Files
Sometimes the developers supply a packaged Setup file that has to be executed on your Desktop PC first. Once the application is installed on your Desktop PC, it triggers ActiveSync automatically and copies the appropriate cab file to your Pocket PC and Starts the Installation from there. This method requires a Desktop PC to install the application and so OTA download onto Pocket PC directly will not help.

.Exe Files
Very few applications, usually done with native support languages are distributed through this method. Usually very few commercial software packages are distributed through this method. In this case, the exe file or all accompanying files have to be copied to your Pocket PC first and then executed there.

Hope you've got an overview of how Pocket PC Softwares are distributed and how you can install them on your Pocket PC. Any case, if you find difficulties installing any applications, it is advised that you contact the developers for instructions or you may even post a new thread in our Experts Help page. And you may also want to learn where to Install the softwares on your Pocket PC.