Founded in 1981, Wind River struggled early on, first from the meltdown in the telecommunications business, and then from increasing competition from both Microsoft 's (nasdaq: MSFT - news - people ) Windows CE operating system and Linux.

FORBES: Wind River Gets Smart

Because different companies use different operating systems, Symbol makes products based on the Palm (nasdaq: PALM - news - people) OS, Microsoft 's (nasdaq: MSFT - news - people) Pocket PC platform, Windows CE and DOS. What these products have in common is their durability.

FORBES: Ten O'Clock Tech: Handheld Computer Handles Abuse

The good news is that nearly half (48 percent) of those CE owners donated the device for reuse, and 26 percent recycled the device.

FORBES: Making Recycling Electronics as Easy as Buying Them