LAS VEGAS, Jan. 7, 2002 — Today at the 2002 International Consumer Electronics Show (CES), Microsoft Corp. announced that more than 15 industry-leading companies have announced their commitment to shipping their next generation of smart devices on the Microsoft® Windows®
CE .NET operating system. These industry leaders are taking advantage of the robust, high-performance and rich functionality of Windows CE .NET to build a wide range of mobile and small-footprint smart devices such as handheld, smart phone, handheld retail point-of-sale, set-top box and industrial automation devices. In addition, leading silicon vendors including ARM Ltd., Hitachi Ltd., Intel Corporation, Texas Instruments Inc., MIPS Technologies Inc., National Semiconductor Corp. and NEC Corp. continue their support for Windows CE, ensuring that their next-generation processors are supported by Windows CE .NET. Companies announcing plans to deliver their Windows CE .NET-based devices in the near future include these:
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ABB Group, in its comprehensive range of powerful and adaptable robots
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Casio Computer Co. Ltd., in the Cassiopeia Pocket Manager BE-300, a smart, connected mobile PDA
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Cyberbank, in its PC-EPhone3, a full-featured PDA smart phone
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Fujitsu Ltd., in its highly integrated and mobile i-pad, used in retail sales applications or as a mobile point-of-sale terminal
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Hitachi Ltd., in its next-generation PDA device
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Impactra Inc., in its portable Windows Media (TM) -based players, Motion i and Sync i, which store and play back motion picture files
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Intermec Technologies Corp., in its 5020 handheld enterprise-data-collection solution
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Motorola Inc., in its EVr-8401 Enhanced TV Viewer
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Salton Inc., in its iCEBOX FlipScreen Web-enabled entertainment and communication center for the kitchen
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Samsung Information Systems America, in its NEXiL wireless handheld computing device
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Siemens Information and Communication Mobile, in its SIMpad mobile information device
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Sony Corp., in its next-generation Plasma Display and Network Projector
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Symbol Technologies Inc., in its concept device for ruggedized handheld computers
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ViewSonic Corp., in its ViewPad 100 lightweight mobile-communication and information-management Web pad device
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Wyse Technology Inc., in its Winterm 3000 series of Windows-based terminals
“Industry leaders have recognized the value that Windows CE .NET delivers and are utilizing its rich features and functionality to deliver their next-generation smart devices,” said Todd Warren, general manager of the Embedded and Appliance Platforms Group at Microsoft. “We are excited to see these companies deliver solutions based on Windows CE .NET so quickly after its launch, because this clearly demonstrates how rapidly developers can get their devices to market using Windows CE .NET.”
“Windows CE .NET builds on the foundation of Windows CE 3.0 to deliver a strong platform that better enables developers to build connected, mobile and small-footprint smart devices,” said Al Gillen, research director for system software at International Data Corp. “The enhancements delivered in Windows CE .NET will make it a better platform for companies building devices such as handhelds, smart phones, set-top boxes, mobile retail point-of-sale devices and industrial automation devices.”
About the Microsoft Embedded and Appliance Platforms Group
The Microsoft Windows Embedded operating systems and tools provide comprehensive software platforms for building the next generation of intelligent, 32-bit connected Windows Powered devices that demand rich applications and Internet services for a wide range of flexible solutions. In addition, Microsoft offers a wide range of programs and services designed to meet the specific needs of Windows Embedded customers, industry partners and developers. Windows Embedded operating systems currently shipping include Windows CE .NET and Windows XP Embedded. The Server Appliance Kit for Windows 2000 helps OEMs build Windows Powered server appliances, including Network Attached Storage (NAS) and Web servers. Currently in development is “Mira,” which is the code-name for a set of Windows CE .NET-based technologies that will extend the Windows XP experience throughout the home with wireless smart display devices.
About Microsoft
Founded in 1975, Microsoft (Nasdaq “MSFT”) is the worldwide leader in software, services and Internet technologies for personal and business computing. The company offers a wide range of products and services designed to empower people through great software — any time, any place and on any device.
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The names of actual companies and products mentioned herein may be the trademarks of their respective owners.
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Supporting Quotes From Industry Leaders
“Windows CE .NET builds on the proven Windows CE platform and enables ABB Robotics to deliver solutions that benefit our customers with easy-to-use products that can be quickly customized for demanding applications, such as those for car manufacturing, foundry, painting and food packaging. Windows CE .NET delivers the robust, real-time platform along with powerful tools enhancements that help us build a wide range of innovative robotic devices.”
— Peter Eriksson
Senior Systems Architect
ABB Robotics
“Casio welcomes the release of Windows CE .NET and will begin delivering Windows CE .NET for the Cassiopeia Pocket Manager BE-300, one of Casio’s mainstay products. With the upgrade, users will be able to enjoy Web browsing with Pocket Internet Explorer and music with Windows Media Player in a lightweight, smart mobile device.”
— Yozo Suzuki
Managing Director
Consumer Products Department
Casio Computer Co. Ltd.
“Time to market is critical, and the familiarity, flexibility and rich functionality of Windows CE .NET are key to the quick development of Cyberbank’s PC-EPhone3. In addition, the great built-in wireless support, including 802.11 and Bluetooth, really helps us deliver the best mobile PDA with cellular phone functionality that meets the demands of our users.”
— Young-sun Cho
President and CEO
Cyberbank
“Our mobile point-of-sale device requires a robust platform that can easily integrate into existing retailers’ infrastructure. Windows CE .NET was the logical choice for our mobile i-pad device. As a robust operating system with comprehensive network connectivity, small footprint and a rich set of development tools, Windows CE .NET satisfies our customer and partner requirements.”
— Kunihiko Matsumori
Director, Engineering Dept.
Fujitsu Retail Transaction System Division
Fujitsu
“Hitachi has been developing mobile devices designed to accept rich content and broadband services, and Windows CE .NET provides great performance and rich interoperability, and delivers a proven operating system foundation and technologies for powering these devices. This is why Windows CE .NET is the embedded operating system of choice for Hitachi’s next-generation PDAs.”
— Shigeru Matsuoka
CEO
Net-PDA Venture Company
Hitachi Ltd.
“Impactra’s Portable Windows Media-based players, Motion i, the world’s first portable device that plays motion pictures, and Sync i, a swivel typed cellular phone, allow users to quickly and easily download content and play back motion picture files. Impactra sees Windows CE .NET as the best platform for building these mobile multimedia devices. Windows CE .NET provides the richest multimedia functionalities, along with a small, reliable and fast kernel. Windows CE .NET allows Impactra to continue to innovate by including new functionality such as wireless support for streaming media.”
— Hugo Jung
CEO
Impactra Inc.
“Continuing in the tradition of offering the latest Microsoft operating system on our ruggedized handheld devices, Intermec is excited to introduce its next-generation 5020, based on Windows CE .NET. Our customers demand that we deliver a highly reliable and secure device that can roam seamlessly throughout a corporation, and the inclusion of features such as support for 802.11 and zero configuration in Windows CE .NET enables us to meet these requirements.”
— Jeff Hovorka
Product Manager
Intermec Technologies Corp.
“To deliver the rich set of features and services that we envisioned for the EVr-8401 Enhanced TV Viewer, we knew that we would need an operating system that provided the technology necessary to support wireless networks, rich multimedia and Internet browsing with a small footprint and long battery life. We were able to meet these challenging demands and now are able to quickly bring to market a device that delivers a new kind of home entertainment experience by using Windows CE .NET, and its host of powerful connectivity and Internet technologies.”
— Dwight Sakuma
Director of Retail, Digital Consumer Gateways Business
Motorola Inc.
“Windows CE .NET really was the only platform that could provide us with the ability to build our innovative new home appliance, the iCEBOX, combining Internet, television, DVD and security-monitoring into a single device. Windows CE .NET provides a robust and reliable platform with rich multimedia functionality such as DVD playback, Windows Media technologies and the Internet capabilities our customers demand.”
— Leonhard Dreimann
CEO
Salton Inc.
(iCEBOX LLC is a wholly owned subsidiary of Salton.)
“Samsung is excited to be an early supporter of the Windows CE .NET platform, as the flexibility of the operating system will allow Samsung to develop products that best meet the needs of mobile enterprise customers. Mobility and instant communications are key requirements for our customers, as is the need to integrate into existing corporate data and applications. Samsung is designing a set of wirelessly enabled handheld products to address this need, and we have found that the Windows CE .NET platform will best meet the needs of these customers. Windows CE .NET is the only operating system that provides the comprehensive interoperability that IT managers demand.”
— Youngha Lee
Vice President of Marketing
Personal Internet Computing Team
Samsung
“A key design goal of the Siemens SIMpad is to offer business users unlimited mobile Internet and intranet access at the office, on the move or at home, and the rich functionality in Windows CE .NET is allowing us to deliver a smart device that meets these requirements. Windows CE .NET will ensure that Siemens delivers a device that can easily integrate high-power Internet/intranet functionality into existing IT infrastructures.”
— Klaus Karl
Director of Information Appliances
Siemens Information and Communication Mobile
“We are very excited about the launch of Windows CE. NET. We look forward to utilizing the rich multimedia functionality that Windows CE .NET delivers in our next-generation Windows CE .NET-based network projectors and Plasma Display Products for use in businesses.”
— Makoto Kogure
President of Projector and Display
Display Network Company
Sony Corp.
“Symbol is developing a product family based on Windows CE .NET for ruggedized handheld computers. At 2002 CES, we are showing a concept device based on the Intel X-Scale microprocessor and Windows CE .NET — the latest hardware and the latest software — that can provide unique value to enterprise customers.”
— Vinny Luciano
Vice President
Symbol Technologies Inc.
“ViewSonic needed a robust, small-footprint operating system that would support a broad range of vertical applications for our ViewPad 100 mobile Web pad device. Windows CE .NET is based on the proven Windows CE technology and provides the rich functionality, broad wireless and multimedia support, and extensibility that our customers demand in our next-generation Web pads.”
— Marc McConnaughey
Senior Vice President of Advanced Technologies
ViewSonic Corp.
“Wyse Technology’s secure, managed Windows Powered thin-client solutions provide the flexibility necessary for organizations to evolve with the changing needs of the marketplace. Windows CE .NET provides an ideal platform to enhance our Winterm 3000 series, allowing Wyse to deliver products that provide enhanced security and smart card support, increased wireless functionality, improved multimedia performance, and enhanced Web browsing, all in a small-footprint Windows-based terminal.”
— Brad Rowland
Director of Product Management
Wyse Technology Inc.
