REDMOND, Wash. — Nov. 1, 2006 — Microsoft Corp. is launching Windows® Embedded CE 6.0 with global support from device makers, silicon vendors and systems integrators. The following quotes are from some of the companies already working with Windows Embedded CE 6.0 to bring diverse solutions to market rapidly and with a lower total cost of development.
“As one of the leading systems integrators for digital set-top boxes, we see that Windows Embedded CE 6.0 provides more functionality than other operating systems. As we develop a board support package for customer set-top-box hardware designs, Windows Embedded CE 6.0 helps us to develop more feature-rich devices to market in a much quicker time frame.”
– Martin Schleicher, Director, Multimedia, Measurement, Industrial
3SOFT GmbH
“With Microsoft® Windows Embedded CE 6.0, we saw strong improvements on the tools: With the integration of Platform Builder into Visual Studio® 2005, we only need one tool for all Windows CE-related developments, from very low-level board support package (BSP) and driver developments to high-level Visual C#® and Visual Basic® .NET managed applications. Most of all, the benefit of the Visual Studio framework for Platform Builder is a significant factor for helping to reduce development costs and time to market.”
– Yannick Chammings, Windows Embedded Group Manager
Adeneo Adetel Group
“Microsoft Windows Embedded CE 6.0 provides a higher number of processes (32,000) than Windows Embedded CE 5.0. This will definitely remove obstacles when customers’ applications require many processes to control multiple devices.”
– David Liu, R&D and Technical Support Manager
Advantech Co. Ltd.
“Atheros is pleased that our wireless LAN software has been selected to support Microsoft’s new Windows Embedded CE 6.0 platform to drive high-speed wireless connectivity in a new generation of portable communications products worldwide. Our ROCm wireless LAN software supports the Windows Embedded CE 6.0 platform and will help provide manufacturers with a complete, market-ready package for delivering Atheros’ high-performance, low-power Wi-Fi connectivity in handsets and handheld devices.”
– Sam Endy, Vice President and General Manager, Mobile Wireless Business Unit
Atheros Communications Inc.
“BSQUARE is excited to support OEMs moving to Windows Embedded CE 6.0. We have developed a number of products and services to allow OEMs to get started today in adopting Windows Embedded CE 6.0 in their devices, including our Windows Embedded CE 6.0 Feasibility Study service package, which enables OEMs to plan a strategy for moving to the new operating system. Engineers can sign up for our Microsoft-certified Windows Embedded CE 6.0 training classes. Our Devkit IDP reference designs supporting the PXA270 and upcoming Monahans processors will include Windows Embedded CE 6.0 support, and finally OEMs can leverage the experience of BSQUARE’s award-winning Professional Services organization, which has already completed Windows Embedded CE 6.0 customer ports.”
– Brian Crowley, President and Chief Executive Officer
BSQUARE Corp.
“The biggest and most helpful change Windows Embedded CE 6.0 is bringing is the new structure of the kernel and OEM adaptation layers (OALs). As a hardware developer and producer, system integration is key. When talking about kernel functionality, the strict division between kernel, OAL and Kernel Independent Transport Layerthat CE 6.0 offers is quite advantageous. The development across different platforms as well as the life-cycle management of a platform in regard to updates and bug fixes is simplified by this move. At last there is just one tool for applications and operating system development integrating different platforms. This means only one set of menus and shortcuts, no changing in between applications, and easy project management.”
– Claus Rohde, Head of Development
CDR Consulting
“We are delighted to be one of the leading partners that Microsoft has chosen for implementing and demonstrating the leadership features of the new Windows Embedded CE 6.0 release. This will allow our customers to benefit quickly from new embedded technologies such as cell core, which is designed to allow faster time to market and easier implementation of enhancements, enabling low-cost access to traffic, weather and other information over WAN or cell phone connections.”
– Rob Baxter, President and CEO
Centrality Communications Inc.
“Our developers benefit tremendously from the increased number of applications that can run in parallel, and the improved security model is designed to provide more reliability for applications developed by the developer community. Increasing the amount of memory from 32 MB to 2 GB allows Commodore developers to easily create richer memory-demanding multimedia applications, and the performance gain in Windows Embedded CE 6.0 makes it possible for us to create richer multimedia applications and deliver an improved consumer experience.”
– Hendrik Van Iterson, Vice President for R&D
Commodore International Corp.
“The generation of a Windows Embedded CE 6.0 build was massively simplified by the BSP support supplied by Microsoft together with the tools supplied as part of Visual Studio. Furthermore, the inclusion of Platform Builder within Visual Studio 2005 ensures that this is a truly integrated development environment. Time to market is crucial for our customers, and using the tools provided by Visual Studio has dramatically reduced development time, allowing them to get their products to market first.”
– Kath Deas, Managing Director
DSP Design Ltd.
“With assistance from Enfora, Microsoft’s Embedded team has been able to optimize its Radio Interface Layer driver set to support Enfora’s GSM, GPRS and EDGE modems. The flexibility and variety of functions with Windows Embedded CE 6.0, coupled with Enfora’s industry-leading modems, will make very comprehensive and easy-to-use wireless solutions for machine to machine and other embedded customers. We look forward to continuing our strong alliance with Microsoft to create compelling wireless solutions using Windows Embedded CE 6.0.”
– Andy Berryman, Vice President of Business Development
Enfora Inc.
“General Software is excited about Microsoft’s commitment to continuing support of its Windows Embedded CE 6.0 operating system, used by embedded developers worldwide. We continue to support Microsoft’s embedded OEM customers by providing the essential hardware initialization firmware, together with a fast Windows Embedded CE loader, needed to make great consumer products.”
– Steve Jones, CTO and Founder
General Software Inc.
“Improved from the solid foundation already accomplished by the previous versions, with better integrated development environment and added features to support the rapidly evolving wireless, broadband and multimedia technologies, Windows Embedded CE 6.0 provides powerful tools for rapidly creating the next generation of smart, connected, multimedia-enabled and small-footprint devices. The well-integrated and proven development environment provided by CE 6.0 helps device manufacturers gain critical time-to-market advantage while minimizing development cost and risk. With Windows Embedded CE technologies, ICOP Technology has been able to provide production-quality building blocks to help our customers deliver their products successfully.”
– Samuel Phung, Vice President of Sales and Marketing
ICOP Technology Inc.
“MPC Data, a leading Gold-level member of the Windows Embedded Partner Program, has been working with Windows Embedded CE 6.0 throughout the beta program including porting the TI OMAP5912 BSP from Windows Embedded CE 5.0 to Windows Embedded CE 6.0. The shared source kernel and new tools made this a very smooth exercise. Using the new Windows Embedded CE 6.0 tools, we will be able to help customers transition from Windows CE 5.0 or develop new Windows Embedded CE 6.0 products efficiently. Having CE 6.0 coupled with the new kernel architecture model, we expect our clients to be able to develop and deploy a whole new range of products and applications quickly.”
– Steve Harper, Managing Director
MPC Data Ltd.
“The Microsoft Windows Embedded CE platform contributed to the great success we had with MICROS WS4. With more than 120,000 MICROS WS4 units shipped, the industry acceptance of the Windows Embedded CE platform for point-of-sale appliances is very clear. We are committed to the Windows Embedded CE platform for our next-generation series of point-of-sale workstations, and are eager to take advantage of the added features such as the enhanced memory architecture and added development tools of Windows Embedded CE 6.0.”
– Paul Armstrong, Chief Technology Officer
MICROS Systems Inc.
“The extended number of processes and large virtual memory in Windows Embedded CE 6.0 will allow us to create platforms that can be leveraged across multiple devices, which can also be upgraded with the changing user needs. The increased processor support further means we can incorporate a larger number of more complex applications such as multimedia and Web services into the devices.”
– Koichi Ara, Senior Manager of 3rd Engineering Department
NEC Viewtechnology Ltd.
“Microsoft’s new Windows Embedded CE 6.0 features additional security enhancements and updates to its operating system, memory model and application tools, making this new version perfectly suited to create the next generation of home media servers and set-top boxes. The NXP Nexperia family of silicon solutions is fine-tuned to take full advantage of Windows Embedded CE 6.0, and will provide set-top box manufacturers with the performance required for high-definition content and the highest-quality audio capabilities. Ultimately, people will have easier access to their personal content in its highest-quality form, anytime and anywhere in the home.”
– Giel Rutten, Senior Vice President, Home Business Unit
NXP Semiconductors
“STMicroelectronics expects Windows Embedded CE 6.0 to enable the growth of new and innovative consumer markets and foresees its use in advanced multimedia products, including home entertainment devices such as IP set-top boxes employing ST’s industry-leading high-definition STi7109 single-chip VC-1 and MPEG-4 decoder, and mobile multimedia handsets using ST’s award-winning Nomadik application processor, in addition to other potential applications, such as mobile TV and car multimedia. The new features of Windows Embedded CE 6.0 and the integration of Platform Builder into Visual Studio 2005 will also mean that ST needs only one tool for all Windows Embedded CE-related developments, helping enable the minimization of development time and cost, which are important factors for consumer markets.”
– Christos Lagomichos, General Manager, Home Entertainment Group
STMicroelectronics
“Since the introduction of Windows CE 2.1 more than eight years ago, Unitech has been deeply involved in the research and development of embedded systems. To date, Unitech is the world’s leading provider of rugged personal digital assistants, and with the introduction of Microsoft’s latest Windows Embedded CE 6.0 platform which features cell core components, providing business mobility solutionsto our customers and partners couldn’t be faster and easier. CE 6.0 will enable us to shorten our GPRS data transmission design process, which is a very important development benchmark for Unitech.”
– Pete Chen, President, ADC Group
Unitech
“As the worldwide leader in thin computing, Wyse is excited to be one of the first thin-client vendors to adopt and ship Windows Embedded CE 6.0 as an embedded platform for enterprise thin clients. The new enhanced Windows Embedded CE 6.0 kernel renders a very attractive and efficient platform for thin computing, allowing Wyse and Microsoft to extend our offerings to our mutual customers with desirable features such as improved performance, voice over Internet protocol, and enhanced wireless and peripheral support. In addition, the integrated toolkit for Visual Studio will facilitate our ongoing development and support of this new platform.”
– Tarkan Maner, President of Worldwide Field Operations
Wyse Technology
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