NVIDIA says Windows CE is better for smartbooks than Android
By Donald Melanson 
posted June 18th 2009 4:41PM
posted June 18th 2009 4:41PM
There may be some folks out there talking up Android as the OS of choice of smartbooks, but it looks like you can't count NVIDIA among them. Speaking with ComputerWorld, NVIDIA's Mike Rayfield (general manager of the company's mobile business unit) says that NVIDIA actually prefers Windows CE over Android for ARM-based smartbooks due to its maturity and lack of a "rough user interface." To that end, Rayfield also confirmed that NVIDIA is working with Microsoft to optimize Windows CE for Tegra-based systems although, as we've seen, that hasn't stopped some folks from pairing Android with Tegra whether NVIDIA likes it or not. Incidentally, Rayfield was also asked about those rumors about Tegra powering the Zune HD, and he didn't exactly issue a flat out denial, saying simply that, "Microsoft hasn't confirmed that ... so until they comment, I can't."
CE is whats under the hood of Microsoft's non-x86/x64 products, usually embedded. This covers the current Windows Mobile, Windows Automotive (for car navigation systems etc), and the old names that they used to use: Smartphone, PocketPC.
They are run on devices with very small amounts of storage / memory and in need for low latency response since the entire kernel runs under 1MB, and the OS responds deterministically in realtime.
PS: It was the OS running the Dreamcast underneath.
Touchscreen cash registers, like at dunkin donuts run on CE.
My Safeway (food store), uses a full XP version on their touch screens.
I think it was a couple of weeks ago that I saw an OS/2 cash register running some custom inventory software. I forgot where.
OS/2 GUI still looks decent. poor thing never really had a chance.
Are you sure that wasn't Windows 3.1? I've never seen an OS/2 cash register, but have seen plenty of Windows 3.1 cash registers.
Pretty sure that was OS/2. Cream color GUI, tabs everywhere, and that font (Lucida?).
Sorry, I used the term "cash register" incorrectly. It had a cash draw, but it looked like an inventory management system.
Red box rental machines?
Could it be better for smartbooks ONLY because Windows CE is proprietary, and they can weasel out of having to produce Linux drivers?
I consider myself an uber gadget nerd, but can somebody tell me WTF a smartbook is?
Smartbooks = netbooks - x86 + ARM
It's a foregone conclusion that Android will eventually make it to...not netbooks, but net tablets.
Next year, after Apple has come out with their own tablet to blow away the minds of manufacturers worldwide, companies like Asus, Dell and Acer will be scrambling to produce their own competing net tablets. At that point - and if Android 2.0 is ready - these companies will be flocking to Android as an OS for the touch-screen capabilities and the easy interface.
Will Windows play a part? Yes, but not nearly as much as they were on netbooks. These devices will be ultra slim and work on super-low voltage CPUs with low capabilities. No one wants to spend that extra money for Windows, and all the bloat involved, only to crush the CPU.
My prediction for 2010.
I'm guessing you have absolutely no idea what Win CE is.
@insky
Sure. Window light for small devices. I believe they call it, Windows C(rap) E(dition).
I'm guessing you have absolutely no idea what Tegra is?
@gerrrg
You really are showing that you are uninformed.
Apple has missed that boat and to claim that everyone will be scrambling to produce one is just Apple fanboyism. There are netbooks coming out that will have tablet functionality with windows 7 and tablets have been around for a while if not that portable.
Please do some research outside of of the Apple ecosystem. Some topics to focus on:
1) ARM vs x86_64
2) Windows vs Windows CE
Also get a new crystal ball think the one you have now is broken.
who cares? nvidia dosnt make smartbooks, netbooks or OS's. Fuggem.
I agree with this statement. Android just blows on netbooks.
Lol...
1) rumours that the ZuneHD will use a Nvidia processor.
2) Nvidia makes positive remarks about Windows.
Draw your own conclusions.
My conclusion:
ZuneHD is going to crash twice per hour of use.
"My conclusion:
ZuneHD is going to crash twice per hour of use."
Never used a Zune before, eh?
I have use a Zune. But if the ZuneHD is running anything close to the WinCE on mobile phones, then I do expect it to crash.
@ Ike Turner
Since you're the WinCE guru, I assume you know that there are three different versions (at least use to be): WinCE Core, WinMo, and WinMo Smartphone. WinMo/Smartphone has one major difference from Core; multitasking. WinCE Core (at least with devices I've dealt with) will only load single application at a time. WinCE Core is use in PMP, GPS devices (think Magellan GPS units), etc. Whereas WinMo Smartphone will let multiple applications be loaded into memory. Simply put, WinMo Smartphone sucks at running multiple applications, the OS is just can't handle it. Maybe WinMo 7 will change that.
Anyway, back to Tegra and ZuneHD, it doesn't make business sense to be using Tegra on a simple PMP. Tegra is overkill. Just too costly in term of $ and power consumption. You could justify the use of Tegra on the ZuneHD if you're using it for outputting HD to TV. But that's going to a small percentage of the actual user. What would Tegra is great for is gaming. Think Xbox Handheld.
The problem I have is that some executive at Microsoft might get the urge to force WinMo Smartphone-like multitasking onto the ZuneHD team because of all the available power from Tegra.
WinMo multitasks just fine - where is your evidence that it doesn't?
The fact of the matter is that there are quite a few apps out there that cause memory leaks - not much can be done there just dont blame the OS.
I guess this maybe one of the primary reasons why iPhone doesn't implement it other than Apple created apps. They can ensure no memory leaks.
There will b5 15 fixes for this in the Android world before the Microsoft boys can draw up a memo to have a meeting to make an action plan.
Maybe true, but Linux (FULL Linux, like Ubuntu) is still the best.
CE sucks. No software, no functionality, just crap.
Android? Does it even has a Terminal? Does it run X windows based apps? I don't think so. I'll go for Linux/X11.
I agree. Ubuntu MID is the way to go, not a limited java-based environment running atop Linux like Android.
I don't necessarily disagree with the point that you're making, but I find it pretty silly that you're suggesting a command line terminal is somehow integral to making a good smartbook.
Ubuntu MID? Are you kidding me?
Android is Java-oriented, closer to the MID/SE spec than the stupid J2ME spec.
It's all about the VM. They can easily open up or develop new services to access hardware. OR you can do it yourself.
And I'll choose Android over any Linux (Ubuntu/Moblin/SuseLite) and WinCE and iPhone OS device anyday. Why? Cause it doesn't CRASH. Sure apps may crash, but the device/OS doesn't. The iPhone OS has crashed on me plenty of times in a year, PalmOS weekly, WinCE daily.
Android: 6 months and no OS crash yet, even with crappy apps from the appstore that fault a lot.
I call BS on this from NVIDIA; the reason NVIDIA is pushing for WinCE is that they have failed utterly over the last 5 years to deliver ANY mobile/handset drivers for ANYTHING OTHER than Windows based OS's. They failed on Symbian when it was in vogue, and now they fail on Android.
NVIDIA Tegra is purely a Windows based platform; hence why they want other WinCE devices since the ZuneHD win... There is NO dev efforts at NVIDIA for anything other than Windows based mobile OS's (on Tegra) - so of course they will push for WinCE and not Android.
I wouldn't trust NVIDIA in the mobile space; 4 years of BS, failing and non-delivery; name ONE handset that has shipped with NV GPU features in any volume. They can't deliver a baseband and hence they are stuck as a Tier2 player.
Good luck to them
(From an ex-NV customer who evaluate NVIDIA's mobile offerings for a handset mfr.)
And their Linux drivers have gone from excellent to suck.
AMD/ATI has picked up their game a lot in the Linux space.
This is because like most (not all) of their products, and unlike Apple, Google do not have a creative visionary who 'gets it' at the helm of SOME of their key divisions (Docs, Android etc) and drives and monitors every aspect of the project until it's perfect, robust and has an viable appealing value proposition to all sectors of the market. On the other hand, Microsoft, while boring and not really that innovative (except for Surface and Natal), do understand that end users are after solutions, support and most importantly - everything has to gel.
The second Android gets a visionary who gets it behind it, the situation will change and the paradigm will finally shift - again.
I rest my case M'Lud
Android + Snapdragon will kick Nvidia (Teg) + WinCE hands down. It's all about the battery life. Oh, AND 3G/LTE.
Actually, Snapdragon is gonna be first seen in WinMo devices. Rumour has it that Nokia is working on Tegra based Symbian phones too.
ok...so whats news in that?
should the title be, NVIDIA says, Windows CE is better "than Android", for smartbooks ..
well go ahead and rank me low ...;)
Seems microsoft paying nVidia enough to say such things, I used winMo pdas for 3 years now and about week ago bought android pda ... its completly best over winMo, faster, comfortable, free to change anything, much more stable.
And video/audio decoding is done by C++ code in android ... everything that needs good perfomance is writen on C, java is only for business logic.
So, exactly what is this Android PDA you're talking of?
Nvidia is kicking itself a bit using Windows CE in their Tegra smartbooks. Qualcomm and Freescale chipped smartbooks will be coming out with Linux ported for ARM, which will offer users a far greater amount of usage and amount of applications to use. Which is a pity, as Tegra seems like the better processor out of the three and should offer even better battery life.
Nvidia says their devices will be for internet, movies and music basically and if you want more then get a netbook with their Ion chipset.
I agree that Android is not suited to smartbooks or netbooks, but Linux is. To hell with Microsoft, they stated that they would not make Windows 7 run on ARM, so what is stopping Nvidia from using Linux?
Windows CE and Android should stick to smartphones and other small devices like SatNav.