Buckley said Windows Mobile 5.0 was chosen primarily because it can run customized off-the-shelf applications Harris has experience with, including software for security and wireless data synchronization. "We chose a platform that gave us the best integration for custom applications," Buckley said.

Craig Mathias, an analyst at The Farpoint Group in Ashland, Mass., said he had not heard of a larger wireless handheld deployment. Even though the size is important, he said Windows Mobile has been gaining ground as the "most important platform for handheld computing" for a while.

Buckley said he could not comment on why the Census Bureau chose Harris' bid, but said it was based on "best value" and not lowest cost.

A Census Bureau spokesman said eight government contractors initially offered bids, and finalists included Northrup Grumman and General Dynamics Corp., which joined with Electronic Data Systems Inc.