Friday, 3 November 2006

Microsoft Rolls Out Sixth Generation Windows Embedded CE

Craig Mundie, Microsoft’s chief research and strategy officer has unveiled the Windows Embedded CE 6.0, the latest version of the company’s software toolkit used to build real-time operating systems for devices such as Internet protocol (IP) set-top-boxes, Global Positioning Systems (GPS), wireless projectors, and a variety of industrial automation, consumer electronics and medical devices, as per the release issued by the company.

In conjunction with the ten-year anniversary of Windows Embedded, 100 percent of the Windows Embedded CE 6.0 kernel is now available through the Microsoft Shared Source program, an overall increase of 56 percent from previous versions of Windows Embedded CE, the company said.

The Shared Source program provides full source-code access for modification and redistribution by device-makers (subject to the terms of a license agreement), who are under no obligation to share their final designs with Microsoft or others. Although the Windows operating system is a general-purpose computing platform designed for creating a consistent experience, Windows Embedded CE 6.0 is a tool kit device-makers use for building customised operating system images for a variety of non-desktop devices. By providing access to certain parts of the Windows Embedded CE source code, such as the file system, device drivers and other core components, embedded developers are able to choose the code they need, compile it, and build their own, operating systems, quickly bringing their devices to market, the company claimed.