Because the Handheld PC (H/PC) is designed to be a companion to a Windows-based desktop computer, the shell and the core applications look like their desktop counterparts. This similarity leverages the end user's knowledge of Windows and provides a solid base of potential customers when a new H/PC application is introduced.
On H/PC devices, users will recognize elements made familiar by Windows desktop platforms: a desktop and a taskbar, windows and dialog boxes, menus and controls. These and other elements allow the user to control the H/PC environment.
When designing an H/PC application, all of the principles of good user interface design discussed in previous chapters apply. The information presented here is intended to serve as a supplement, rather than a substitute, for information presented in Designing the User Interface for Windows CE.