Microsoft
has set a course for its Windows Embedded business that includes
renaming its family of products and reaching out to a broad group of
developers.
At the Embedded Systems Conference Silicon Valley 2008 in San Jose,
Calif., April 15, Microsoft officials laid out the next phase in their
strategy for the Windows Embedded Business, providing a strategic road
map and plans for new solutions in key device categories.
Meanwhile, also at the conference, Microsoft provided details about
its Spark Your Imagination community-focused program, a joint agreement
between Microsoft and a group of hardware vendors to bring a complete
offering of hardware and software to nonprofessional developers through
a simple and affordable model.
The program offerings have an estimated retail value of $1,300, but
are available at prices ranging from $200 to $400, said Mike Hall,
technical product manager in the Windows Embedded project group.
The effort was previously code-named the “Spark” initiative when it
was first announced in November. The renamed Spark Your Imagination
initiative brings the benefits of embedded development on Windows
Embedded CE 6.0 R2 and Visual Studio 2005 Professional Edition to
hobbyist developers and the academic community. Details about the
project can be found here.
Microsoft initially targeted students and faculty in the embedded
technology and design fields with the Spark effort through the
Microsoft Developer Network Academic Alliance Program. However, through
the Spark Your Imagination community program, Microsoft is adding
complementary offerings and extending them to the greater
nonprofessional developer community to tap hobbyists and additional
student groups—the future talent pool.
The initial list of hardware vendors participating in the program
includes AdvanTech, ICOP Digital, Keith & Koep, VIA Technologies
and Special Computing.
Program participants will receive a full version of Windows Embedded
CE 6.0 R2 and Visual Studio 2005 Professional Edition with select
boards from participating hardware vendors. Yet the offering is for
noncommercial use. In addition, Microsoft announced that the company
will begin offering BSP (Board Support Package) certification at no
charge, which will now apply to both commercial and noncommercial use.
“With today’s strategic road map announcement, our aim is to present
the evolving Windows Embedded product family in an intuitive fashion,
making it easier for our customers to choose the right platforms and
tools for their needs,” said Kevin Dallas, general manager of the
Windows Embedded Business at Microsoft. “Windows Embedded solutions for
key device categories will energize our partner ecosystem by enabling
new business scenarios and help lay the foundation for partners to
successfully fulfill our vision of a new generation of smart,
connected, service-oriented devices.”
The first product release under the new naming strategy will be
Windows Embedded Standard, the next generation of Windows XP Embedded,
and will be launched simultaneously at Microsoft’s TechEd North America
conference and through a global Webcast June 3.
All presently available Windows Embedded products will be marketed
under their current names until their next scheduled product release.
The Windows Embedded Ready product line for key device categories
will include the next generation of Windows Embedded Point of Service,
Windows Embedded POSReady.
The Windows Embedded family of products includes Windows Embedded
Standard—the next generation of Windows XP Embedded. The next product
release is currently forecast for later this year. The product family
also includes Windows Embedded Compact—the next generation of Windows
Embedded CE. The next product release is currently forecast for 2009.
In addition, there is Windows Embedded Enterprise—a fully
application-compatible embedded operating system that over time will
gain a broader set of embedded enabling features. Today this product
group is composed of Windows Vista and Windows XP for Embedded Systems
and is licensed exclusively for embedded device development. In
addition, the product family also features Windows Embedded
POSReady—the next generation of Windows Embedded for Point of Service.
The next product release is currently forecast for 2009.
"We decided to rename the products to reflect more of a family
perception of the products," Hall said. Meanwhile, the Spark effort is
an effort to extend the reach of Windows Embedded and tap a new group
of developers, he said.
According to Microsoft's own research, there are about 316,000 embedded software engineers working on embedded systems today.
Microsoft also estimates that between 2006 and 2010, the market for
connected enterprise devices will grow by 23 percent per year, and the
market for connected consumer devices is expected to grow at a rate of
50 percent per year. In addition, out of the 3 billion embedded devices
shipping this year, about two-thirds of them will be connected to a
network, management service, navigation or map set of information.
Meanwhile, Microsoft also announced the establishment of Windows
Embedded CE 6.0 Certification, the first certification included in the
Microsoft Certification Program for the Windows Embedded product family.
Architecture 
