SAN JOSE, Calif., Sept. 28, 1999 — Today at the Embedded Systems Conference, Microsoft Corp. announced the availability of Microsoft® Windows® CE operating system Platform Builder 2.12, the next step in the evolution of Microsoft’s embedded product offerings. The Windows CE operating system is an open platform that provides embedded systems developers with more core operating system services and, with integrated support for Internet browsing and Microsoft Message Queue (MSMQ) Services, it introduces functionality and a feature set that make seamless connectivity possible where it wasn’t before.
“Integration with enterprise and Internet solutions is critical for most embedded devices being built today,”
said Tony Barbagallo, group product manager for Windows CE at Microsoft.
“Microsoft’s embedded technologies – Windows CE and Windows NT® Embedded – are poised to become the backbone of the next generation of connected devices.”
“Platform Builder 2.12 is our tool of choice for our Embedded SoftGSM and SoftGSM products,”
said Hans Bjerner, CEO, Micro Systemation AB.
“Using the Export SDK feature in Platform Builder 2.12 makes it much more straightforward to adapt our software to our customers’ devices. We also really appreciate the Extensible Catalog feature, which helps our developers and customers by enabling us to provide SoftGSM functionality as a component to OEMs within the Platform Builder IDE. This is a major improvement in extensibility.”
New Features
Windows CE Platform Builder 2.12 offers an array of new features focused on improving developers’ productivity and speeding time-to-market. New features include the following:
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A kernel debugger that is fully integrated with the IDE, for easy debugging of the operating system and applications
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Microsoft Internet Explorer 4.0 browser software for Windows CE, which supports frames, tables, cascading style sheets, JScript® development software, HTML 4.0 and DHTML. Internet Explorer for Windows CE allows OEMs to develop full-featured branded browser software for their deeply embedded devices.
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Security features such as cryptography tools, for digitally signing files and preventing unsigned applications from loading, in addition to support for 128-bit strong encryption components
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Microsoft Message Queue, a
“middleware”
software technology that implements all the network housekeeping of sending messages between applications
Additional applications for Windows CE include Pocket Word and an e-mail client, and support for ARM Thumb and MIPS16 processors is provided.
Solution Centers to Open Worldwide
Microsoft has opened four worldwide Solution Centers designed to help OEMs and systems integrators jump-start their development projects using Windows CE. The fully equipped Solution Center laboratories – located in Redmond, Wash.; Munich, Germany; Taipei, Taiwan; and Tokyo – are staffed with software engineers available to help manufacturers and systems integrators easily gain the hands-on expertise they need to quickly bring their designs to market.
Pricing and
Availability
Microsoft Windows CE Platform Builder 2.12 is available now. Two starter kits are being offered, each including one Platform Builder license. The Standard Kit has 250 full run-time licenses, and the Professional Kit has 1,000 full run-time licenses. Information on ordering is available at http://www.microsoft.com/windowsce/embedded/ .
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“MSFT”
) is the worldwide leader in software for personal computers. The company offers a wide range of products and services for business and personal use, each designed with the mission of making it easier and more enjoyable for people to take advantage of the full power of personal computing every day.
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