Jonathon Watkins
04-01-2004, 02:00 AM
<div class='os_post_top_link'><a href='http://www.infoworld.com/article/04/03/31/HNcevoice_1.html' target='_blank'>http://www.infoworld.com/article/04...Ncevoice_1.html</a><br /><br /></div>Microsoft have announced that Windows CE 5.0 should be arriving between June and August of this year. This is of course the operating system that Microsoft designed for use in mobile computing and for embedded devices, e.g. for cars, appliances, petrol pumps etc. (and Pocket PCs, let’s not forget Pocket PCs 8) ). Infoworld have an article up which says: "In the new version of Windows CE, Microsoft has added multiparty audioconferencing capability, unified messaging and integration with Exchange Server with calendar and contact searching features, according to the company. They complement what has been a simpler set of telephony features built in to CE 4.2" Another big area that MS is apparently focusing on is improving the VOIP (voice over Internet Protocol) capabilities built into CE. <br /><br />The article also talked about a MS partner which is "looking to offer its customers "softphone" software based on CE 5.0 to install on devices such as Wi-Fi PDAs (personal digital assistants) that will let them make VOIP calls". So I guess we'll soon be looking at a rash of products that are phone enabled - talkie toaster anyone? :worried: <br /><br />Then there’s this bit from the <a href="http://msdn.microsoft.com/embedded/prodinfo/future/techpreview/default.aspx">Windows Developer Centre</a> "We are excited to offer a preview of the next major version of Windows® CE (previously code-named Macallan) to platform developers. For developers who are familiar with Windows CE, you will notice some significant changes to the product, and we think you will be impressed with what it has to offer. For developers who are new to Windows CE, we are thrilled to share this first experience with you." Isn’t that nice of them – those caring sharing Microsofties. <br /><br />In the <a href="http://www.microsoft.com/presspass/press/2004/mar04/03-29macallanpr.asp">Microsoft press release</a> there was this interesting snippet: "Customers said they wanted the ability to switch easily between the Windows CE graphical integrated development environment (IDE) and command-line environments to more quickly build devices with a wide range of functionality. The new Windows CE 5.0 development environment enables developers to take advantage of the capabilities of the command line in the graphical IDE, which will decrease operating system image development time and speed time to market." Command lines – don’t you just love them? (Well apparently the developers do). :wink: <br /><br />Finally there is this: "Microsoft also has dramatically increased support for widely available embedded hardware with more than 50 production-quality drivers optimized for leading chipsets, such as ARM, MIPS, SuperH and x86, enabling OEMs to use the drivers right out of the box rather than having to customize them for a particular hardware platform." Again, bear in mind we are talking about Windows CE here. Remember the days of each PocketPC application coming in multiple versions depending on your CPU type? Well that is no longer a problem as PocketPCs now only use ARM processors, greatly simplifying software creation and distribution. It will be quite a while before we see any Pocket PC version based on CE 5.0, as the work can only start when the underlying system is delivered. I think that with the list of features mentioned above we can definitely expect more connected devices. Progress, don’t you just love it?