Thursday, April 24, 2003
Windows CE 4.2 Released
Posted by Ed Hansberry in "OFF-TOPIC" @ 08:00 AM
http://www.microsoft.com/presspass/press/2003/Apr03/04-23Version42RTMPR.asp
Microsoft released Windows CE 4.2 to manufacuring Wednesday. "Windows CE .NET 4.2 adds new features for creating innovative solutions in gateway, voice over IP (VoIP) and set-top box (STB) devices along with faster performance and greater application compatibility for the wide range of consumer and commercial embedded devices in which Windows CE is used today."
The Pocket PC is based on Windows CE, but keep in mind they are not the same thing. In fact, the Pocket PC you hold in your hand is based on Windows CE 3.0 which was released in 2000. There are no Windows CE 4.x Pocket PCs out yet. Think of the Mobile Device team at Microsoft as a customer of the Windows CE team. They take the CE platform and build the Pocket PC UI on top of that. In the past, things you and I take for granted, like the tap-and-hold function, were a totally custom feature for the Pocket PC. However, that may not be the case in the future according to the press release: "Windows CE .NET 4.2 also provides improved API compatibility across Windows CE-based devices, including the Pocket PC software platform." If the tap-and-hold API is now part of the WinCE 4.x API set, this frees up the Pocket PC team to do more important things with future revisions, like a better Pocket Word. :D
Read the press release to see what other new features and benefits Windows CE 4.2 offers, but remember, they won't be on a Pocket PC until MS moves the entire "Pocket PC Experience" to the new platform, no small undertaking, and even then, they may not include specific features. The CE 4.2 footprint can be as small as 200KB, but can also be as large as to blow through the ROM size of any Pocket PC if you put in every single feature.
Microsoft released Windows CE 4.2 to manufacuring Wednesday. "Windows CE .NET 4.2 adds new features for creating innovative solutions in gateway, voice over IP (VoIP) and set-top box (STB) devices along with faster performance and greater application compatibility for the wide range of consumer and commercial embedded devices in which Windows CE is used today."
The Pocket PC is based on Windows CE, but keep in mind they are not the same thing. In fact, the Pocket PC you hold in your hand is based on Windows CE 3.0 which was released in 2000. There are no Windows CE 4.x Pocket PCs out yet. Think of the Mobile Device team at Microsoft as a customer of the Windows CE team. They take the CE platform and build the Pocket PC UI on top of that. In the past, things you and I take for granted, like the tap-and-hold function, were a totally custom feature for the Pocket PC. However, that may not be the case in the future according to the press release: "Windows CE .NET 4.2 also provides improved API compatibility across Windows CE-based devices, including the Pocket PC software platform." If the tap-and-hold API is now part of the WinCE 4.x API set, this frees up the Pocket PC team to do more important things with future revisions, like a better Pocket Word. :D
Read the press release to see what other new features and benefits Windows CE 4.2 offers, but remember, they won't be on a Pocket PC until MS moves the entire "Pocket PC Experience" to the new platform, no small undertaking, and even then, they may not include specific features. The CE 4.2 footprint can be as small as 200KB, but can also be as large as to blow through the ROM size of any Pocket PC if you put in every single feature.
