And the award for Most Boring And Non-descriptive Press Release Title 2010 goes to Microsoft for “Microsoft Outlines Business Opportunities for Hardware Makers Across Windows Platform“. The press release itself appears to be about as interesting as watching paint dry, until you reach that small part where it says Microsoft has released the first community technology preview of Windows Embedded Compact 7 (1).
I have to admit that I lost track of Microsoft’s insane product naming schemes a long time ago, but if I have my facts straight, Windows Embedded Compact 7 (2) is simply the latest version of what was once called Windows CE. There’s also Windows Embedded Standard, which has nothing to do with Windows CE but is in fact the follow-up to Windows XP Embedded. You’re not the only one who’s confused.
“The Windows platform creates tangible opportunities for our hardware partners to diversify their product portfolios and deliver rich computing experiences across a broad range of devices,” says Steve Guggenheimer, corporate vice president of Microsoft’s OEM division, “The Windows Embedded Compact 7 (3) toolkit will allow for richer customer experiences on a variety of specialized devices. We look forward to continued collaboration with our hardware partners to bring the very best experiences to customers worldwide.”
That’s what we call non-descriptive press talk some poor communications “expert” poured his heart and soul into. Now, let’s toss that nonsense aside and look at what Windows Embedded Compact 7 (4) has to offer compared to the previous version, Windows CE 6.0.
Well, the press release isn’t particularly helpful there, either, so if you don’t mind, I’m just going to have to rely on our good anonymous friends over at Wikipedia who gives a nice and clear overview of the new features coming in Windows Embedded Compact 7 (5).
- Dual Core CPU Support (SMP, ARMv6)
- WIFI Positioning System
- Bluetooth 3.0 + HS
- Cellcore
- DLNA (Digital Living Network Alliance)
- DRM technology
- Media Transfer Protocol
- IE8 Rendering Rich Media Plug-Ins
- NDIS 6.1 support
- UX C ++ XAML API using technologies like Windows Presentation Foundation and Silverlight for attractive and functional user interfaces
- Advance touch and gesture Input
Even though Guggenheimer was busy trotting out the unicorns to promote Windows Embedded Compact 7 (yes, I’m in a bet that I will be able to spell that name out fully ten times in one article – I’m at 6), he still had the time to hold a “Yo mamma is so fat” contest with Google’s Android. He called Android tablets an “experiment”, and that he expects “Microsoft’s support for Windows 7 will be seen as more valuable over time”. He cites the netbook world as an example. Note that he isn’t talking about Windows Embedded Compact 7 (7), but Windows 7.
We’ll see. Everybody who’d pick Android as their tablet operating system, please raise your hand. Now, everyone who’d pick Windows 7 as their tablet operating system, raise your hand. Without actually counting any hands, I’m pretty sure the former just won this one.
Oops. Windows Embedded Compact 7 (8). Windows Embedded Compact 7 (9). Windows Embedded Compact 7 (10). There, ten times. I guess the person I’m betting with forgot that I get to write whatever I want up here.
very nice. the last 2 CE releases have been incredibly solid. I am really looking forward to getting some more hands on time with CE 7.
Also, Cellcore was in version 6 as well, it isn’t new for 7.
Edited 2010-06-01 17:45 UTC
Can i upgrade my Elonex One running Windows CE 5.0 to Windows CE 7.0?
not likely know. there is no BSP for the device at this time (and there likely wont’ be). sorry
I’m pretty sure the former just won this one.
Unless my english is getting worst you’re saying people want Android on a tablet? Why would I want that instead of W7?
Yes that’s what he is saying. The reason you might want Android over Windows 7 on a tablet is because Android is a true mobile OS. The UI is designed from the ground up with touch in mind, and from a technical standpoint the system has much lower system requirements, meaning that (with a halfway decent ARM CPU) you’ll rarely get bogged down waiting for apps to do stuff. Also, unlike Windows, which requires Intel chips, Android runs on ARM, which generally get something like double the battery life of Intel’s most efficient processors.
I see
Well I have to say I would much more prefer a w7 OS on my TABLET (that was the question), just for the programs and the familiarity, but hey if they offer me double the battery time and I can try out the android os (which is almost a ghost here, nobody’s talking about that) I might change my mind
Rubbish read Engadget review on one of the Android tablet, fucking slow piece of shit would describe it best. There was huge media circus around Android about 6 months ago but how many actual tablet has surfaced for sale? I seen 2-3 available and one of them just turned out to be crap. Tablet war is coming and so far only winner has been Apple.
http://www.engadget.com/2010/05/31/enso-zenpad-unboxing-and-hands-o…
That’s the beauty of openness: there’s more than one Android tablet.
You’d think this wasn’t hard.
I think you asked the wrong question. It’s not about Windows 7 vs Android, from what I read at Engadget. Microsoft’s position is that for “creation” Windows 7 is the way to go. I think many agree that iPad and Android don’t have “creation” as their forte. If you ask people to raise their hands to choose between Windows 7 and Android based on “creation”, you might get a different answer than you suggest.
For strict “consumption” (Android and iPad’s forte) Microsoft would push Windows CE7, which seems to be more impressive than Android.
http://www.engadget.com/2010/06/02/microsoft-windows-embedded-compa…
ASUS is showing this Windows CE7 tablet, which runs extremely well:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d5a3Mciw_Uk
Edited 2010-06-02 18:01 UTC
I’ll see your link, and raise you this one:
http://www.linuxfordevices.com/c/a/News/Yukyung-Viliv-X10/?kc=rss
This 10-inch Android tablet reportedly offers:
– 1366 x 768 display (16:10)
– ARM-based processor
– accelerometer
– able to play 1080p video
– SD card reader
– WiFi
– USB port
– HDMI out
– front-facing webcam
– 3G or WiMAX options
– 10 hours battery life
– Android 2.2
– Adobe Flash support
Edited 2010-06-02 13:08 UTC
See Notion Ink Adam, too ^^
Windows CE runs on ARM no problems actually. They’re all called windows, they’re not all the same.
CE is actually a fine kernel for embedded devices.
Perhaps because it works on a touchscreen tablet? Especially, it works (and has a full application base) on ARM.
http://www.linuxfordevices.com/c/a/News/Yukyung-Viliv-X10/?kc=rss
Nice, hey?
Do they really think that is a better name than CE7? Maybe they should just use the Zune name?
People, cherrish the current name, as for the day they start spining niche versions we will have “Windows Embedded Compact 7 CPT Ultimate Gamer Limited Edition”…
…the box will be sized just to accomodate the name and the big “New!” and “Most secure ever” tags.
Well it’s a professional product aimed for people that have higher IQ than standard bloggers or people who work on IT news world. I’m amazed that people are even capable buying shoes nowdays.
Don’t you think that “Embedded Compact” sounds a little… well… redundant ?
Windows Embedded Compact 7 is based on Windows 7.
http://www.eetimes.com/news/latest/showArticle.jhtml?articleID=2252… Microsoft rolls beta of Windows Embedded Compact 7 [June 1]
from MS
“Check out what the next version of Windows Embedded CE has in store with a solid Windows 7-based platform. Windows Embedded Compact 7 is available as a trial download under the Public Community Tech Preview program (Public CTP). Get the details and Public CTP download instructions for Windows Embedded Compact 7.”
Now I am not sure if this is what MS meant to say as “Windows Embedded Standard 7” is based on Windows 7.
I do not think Win CE 7 is based on Windows 7 (in fact I am almost 100% sure they didnt do a core change).
Windows Embedded 7 and Windows Embedded Compact 7 (CE 7) are distinct products (the former has been shipped for a while).
I think that particular language implies that Windows CE 7 makes use of API features that were introduced with Windows 7 – making CE 7 “based” on windows 7 in the sense that it’s a distinct Win32 platform, based on the Win32 implementation in Windows 7.
May I ask where you pulled this? Source?
http://www.microsoft.com/windowsembedded/en-us/products/windowsce/d…
paragraph right above the table describing 6.0 R3
“I think that particular language implies that Windows CE 7 makes use of API features that were introduced with Windows 7 – making CE 7 “based” on windows 7 in the sense that it’s a distinct Win32 platform, based on the Win32 implementation in Windows 7.”
Incorrect. Win CE’s native api has and (as fas as MS has stated) will always be different from the mainstream windows api. MS encourages programmers to write apps in .NET or Silverlight for win CE anyways (consumer apps anways).
Well yes, the api is a little different, but it’s still the mainstream windows api… sort of. You still have CreateWindow(), hwnds and handles, and MFC and ATL are there. Broadly speaking, they both implement a similar API, so you could say (and it is said) that CE implements a subset of Win32, and with CE 7 that subset is updated.
The Native API is a different story, since there’s no ntdll to call on Windows CE. I don’t know if Win32 is a subsystem over the CE kernel like it is on NT, or if the layers are arranged differently..
Microsoft do encourage .NET CF and Silverlight development, but there will always be a need for compiled applications using the underlying API. I have access to an ARM smartbook running CE 6, and while it has .NET CF, it curiously doesn’t seem to have WinForms or any other UI library. C++ and Win32 is basically the only option if i want to write for it.
I just wanted to let the author know that I feel discriminated against by the article above, since I often paint bits of my office’ wall red and then spend joyful hours to watch it dry. I would like people to stop treating us like second-class citizens for that.
Does anyone of you, readers, know any hassle-free way to test Windows Embedded OS? have there been any changes since Windows Embedded XP? Does one have to build the whole thing from the scratch? If so, then I definitely prefer to use *BSD/Linux as an embedded OS.
As much as the original press release lacks zest (as Thom contends), this blog post takes content quality to new levels, IMO.
The entire post contains no more than the following lines of actual information (that which is not quoted as-is):
1. “Microsoft has released the first community technology preview of Windows Embedded Compact 7.”
2. “Windows Embedded Compact 7 is simply the latest version of what was once called Windows CE. There’s also Windows Embedded Standard, which has nothing to do with Windows CE but is in fact the follow-up to Windows XP Embedded.”
3. “He (Guggenheimer) called Android tablets an ‘experiment’, and that he expects ‘Microsoft’s support for Windows 7 will be seen as more valuable over time’. He cites the netbook world as an example. Note that he isn’t talking about Windows Embedded Compact 7, but Windows 7.”
C’mon Thom, we know you can do better than that. All you have to do is focus on content and leave trolling to those who do it best – us readers!
Cheers.
Windows Embedded Compact 7 ? This almost beats Windows Phone 7 Series in terms of readability and incitation to buy…
I, as a customer, would wonder “If the name is that complicated, what is the OS going to be like ? Will there be a Unified Place For Advanced And Basic Settings in place of the Control Panel ???”
Hey Thom,
Did you just cut and past “Windows Embedded Compact 7” instead of typing it 10 times 😉