Windows Embedded? Windows CE? Windows Mobile? I must admit I lost track long ago of which Windows is what in the mobile and/or embedded space, but fact is Microsoft is working hard on bringing new releases in those spaces. It’s working on a new Windows XP-based Windows Embedded release, dubbed Windows Embedded Standard 2009, but the company is also working on a Windows Vista-based embedded release.According to Mary Jo Foley, this Vista-based embedded Windows is codenamed “Quebec”, and boasts quite a set of new features:
The forthcoming Quebec embedded release will include BitLocker drive encryption, Windows Firewall, Windows Defender, Address-Space Load Randomization – and on the memory-management front, support for SuperFetch, ReadyBoost and Dynamic System Address Space. On certain devices, the Quebec release will also provide as optional components Aero user-interface, Windows Media Player 11 and various Internet Explorer 7 features. Unlike Microsoft’s XP-based embedded releases, which are 32-bit only, Quebec will support both 32-bit x86 and 64-bit x64 processors.
There also appear to be a number of downsides, one of them being rather unsurprising: where Windows XP Embedded minimum size takes up about 40MB, the Vista variant will eat roughly 300MB – that’s without all the optional components. In addition, you will need to activate this new variant. Quebec is scheduled for a 2010 release.
Something tells me will see “Save XP Embedded!” petitions in the future.
Not a big fan of the the embedded windows systems, as ive seen far to many of these BSOD.
However the bit i really don’t understand is the last paragraph, why the heck would you create an embedded system that has to be activated. I thought the whole idea was that these systems are placed into kiosks and other small devices which nine times out of ten don’t have an internet connection. So all of these embedded systems will need to be activated off the production line.
sometimes i really wonder who makes these sort of stupid decisions. I can understand to stamp out piracy they would stick it in the client (not a massive fan of having it in servers, but i can understand a little), but an embedded system???
Oh well, just keep pushing people over the linux.
This just proves microsoft has gone off the deep end. Activation of an OS that is burned into the unit? How would people pirate this? What would you install it on? I mean, where do you find a Windows mobile capable device without a version of Windows mobile already on it? DUMB!!!
They are probably trying to protect against pirated versions of their software being _shipped_ on devices, i.e. a Chinese market only phone using unlicensed Windows Mobile isn’t that uncommon….
Woohoo! Another slow bloatware OS for a laptop/phone near you.
On another note, It’s kind of an insult to the citizens of Québec(or even the whole province of Québec) to be associated to something as crappy as Windows. I’d like Microsoft to stop choosing cities as codenames for their products and leak to the web.
Edited 2008-06-09 12:26 UTC
As a resident of New Brunswick (the province next door to Quebec), it seems pretty appropriate to me
Charming…
Edited 2008-06-10 00:15 UTC
I guess it’s a good thing I didn’t post a comment about the Plains of Abraham…
ROFL!
(lived in quebec for 12 years, just moved back to toronto)
This is sooo desperate in need of something to show the market before Jobs introduces the new OS X – without “Mac”.
This is just an update to XP embedded, which has been around for ages (and succeeded NT embedded). You do realize this is mainly used in industrial, mostly single-purpose applications, not for your phone or tablet, right?
A lot of people seem to confuse XP/Vista Embedded with Windows Mobile/CE. Embedded XP/Vista are just desktop versions stipped out of unnecessary components, you can run regular Windows apps on them, and usually vice-versa – although then can be some protection, for example for games from arcade machines (modern ones seem to mostly use XP Embedded these days) so that you can’t run them on unauthorized machines.
There’s still little point to have whole activation scheme but I guess OEMs will get the deals that let them skip it.
Why is it called embedded if it isn’t embedded into the device? Way to go MS!
Nice code name, still it should have been better used for a product going out this year, as it’s Quebec City 400th foundation anniversary. (400equebec.com)
Or … with a code name like that this project is poised to end up an expensive failure.
Charming…
Edited 2008-06-10 00:15 UTC
This is somewhat funny, albeit in a slightly frustrating and unnerving way.
Maybe vista “embedded” will run as fast as XP does on a regular machine huh?
Will they require dual core processors in thin terminals now?
Come on, give me a break.
– Kevin