Microsoft certainly made a bit of splash at
Computex with the introduction of
Windows Embedded Compact 7, but it's not necessarily the easiest thing to wrap your head around right off the bat (or say three times fast). Thankfully, Microsoft has now come through with a site that explains the new OS in detail (complete with videos), and a trial download that will let you get a sneak peek at it yourself. The short of it is that the OS is aimed at devices that don't need or aren't well suited to the full-fledged Windows 7 (or
Windows Phone 7, for that matter) -- like the
Eee Pad pictured above -- which, incidentally, seems to address one of the major concerns from folks like
NVIDIA CEO Jen-Hsun Huang. That added simplicity also means that the OS won't run regular Windows applications -- it is a successor to
Windows CE, after all -- but Microsoft does at least promise a "streamlined developer experience." That's not to say the OS isn't capable in its own right, though -- it boasts a full-range of media playback capabilities (including MPEG-4 and HD video), built-in support for Silverlight for Windows Embedded
and Flash 10.1, a customized version of Internet Explorer with full multitouch, support for
Open GL ES 2.0, support for the latest ARM v7 architectures and, of course, "seamless" integration with Windows 7, to name just a few highlights. Still hungry for more details? Then hit up the source link for the complete rundown and Microsoft's videos, and for all the information you need to download the preview release.
posted June 2nd 2010 11:51AM
Where can I buy that tablet?
@Jake Root
on the shelf next to the unicorn and leprechaun. Vaporware.
@TomSawyer and if you cant find the unicorn store, check your nearest best buy q1 of 2011 and pick one up for $300
@TomSawyer http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d5a3Mciw_Uk
Optical Illusion?????
@Jake Root Will this have the ability to install all software? Like Google Chrome, Mozilla Firefox, Microsoft Word, etc? Or is this a proprietary crap like the iPad.
@SteveyAyo
ship a product, Microsoft. That's all we're asking. Ship....A...Product.
@Jake Root I have the same question Jake.
@TomSawyer they created the OS, this isnt their product to ship, not up to them... they are software not hardware (zune and xbox excluded)
@TomSawyer I want to know which shop you go to that sells leprechauns ans unicorns. But in a normal shop, it will be next to an iPad and a JooJoo. You know - in the tablet section
@TomSawyer Being raised by Leprechauns, I find that highly offensive. Now if you excuse me I'm off to play my mermaid buddy in another game of Duke Nukkem Forever
@SamTatr
hah, where do you go to buy a JooJoo? Such denial around here. JooJoo = epic fail. EPIC.
@Jake Root :
10" screen
Nvidia T20
Wlan b/g/n
512MB DDR2 (fail)
16-64GB SSD
0.3M webcam
HD Audio
USB
SD card reader
HDMI from docking port (fail)
6-10 hours battery life
@One Love 1080p (win)
@N900
the chick in that video seems to have an aversion to pluralization.
also, that is a LOT of glare! am i the only one who hates glossy displays??
looks reasonably cool otherwise
@TomSawyer How can it be vaporware if you can download the CTP now?
@slickpaki I hope Microsoft lets us install anything on it like we are able to on the normal PC. If they do i wonder of this will also get an anti-virus?
@LANjackal
Its vapor ware because you are not holding the ACTUAL DEVICE in your hand idiot.
Anyways the prototypes that MS had at its booth ranged from ultraslim/sexy to huge and brick like fugly.
I wonder how fast, smooth, and responsive a Windows Tablet will actual feel and perform?
I think I made the right decision though in not buying an iPad (as much as I want to). Things are getting PRETTY interesting in the tablet arena.
1) Windows Tablet
2) HPalm webOS Tablet
3) Meego Tablets
Those are the real contenders. I can't wait to compare and contrast all 3 with the iPad.
@TomSawyer
Microsoft can't ship a product. cos microsoft is a software company! That's their core and the more they venture into hardware, the more they fail. They are not Apple that does everything themselves. understand that.
They make OS for others, that's their primary goal. Tell Dell and HP and Sony to Ship a Product!
@TheLondonExchange08 awww come on london you just got back from being banned and youre already back to your old obnoxious ways... calling people idiots will just get your ass banned again
@Lumi yeah seriously, i saw sony patent that courier looking form factor... ship it with CE7 and ill buy two
@slickpaki The answer is a bit more complicated than a 'yes' or a 'no'. WinEC7 is just the latest version of WinCE, and, going by how WinCE has been implemented in the past, it is likely that most manufacturers with implement their own custom UIs. Unfortunately, CE has not been a great developer platform because of the much greater hardware fragmentation (compared to, say Windows Mobile), so 3rd party software while extensive, hasn't really been installable across devices.
That said, most of the common use scenarios are covered with 3rd party programs (e.g. TCPMP), and WinEC7 will presumably come with editors for MS Office, as pervious versions have. With Silverlight and Flash added to .Net, it hopefully does mean that there will be more 3rd party software which will run on these devices. And IE7 embedded is much more capable than previous iterations of the IE embedded, so web apps will hopefully also work.
@LANjackal
Don't feed the trolls!
I'm actually unable to view the download page, anyone else experiencing this issue? Of course, I'm signed in with my Live ID.
@rock99rock REDUX
Also, would like to port this to my iPad! :D
If I could download it, I'd just remote desktop to it, but I'm not so sure the touch experience would still be there.
Applications and drivers for Windows 7 can work on Windows Embedded Standard 7 without difficult, expensive, and time-consuming porting effort
nice!
@plenaghan88
If I'd buy a tablet, I'd use it outside. Yeah, Imagine that in sunlight. What a joy :S
@Jake Root This loosk sweeeeeeeeeeet!
@Jake Root
I was not impressed.
This is impressive:
http://www.viddler.com/explore/engadget/videos/1459/0.767/
@Jake Root I'm just glad to see RainMeter go mainstream.
@One Love Hey, that 512 is more than the iPad's 256 so it cant be all that fail for an ARM device.
@One Love
512MB is more than enough for an embedded OS you fool.
@rock99rock REDUX I was able to download it, but this might be because I'm enrolled in all sorts of developer programs and stuff.
The seemless integation is the important part. I need to be able to do basic things like print to my network printers, access shared files on my network, and ensure that it connects to my windows home server for backup every night.
If it can't even do such basic things, then its no better than the iPad, and no replacement for a fully functional netbook which are due to not only remain small but get very thin with more convertible tablets hitting the market so that you have a tactile keyboard when needed that doesn't take up half the screen.
I wonder if this will be dumbed-down enough for my dad to use it for email/web/etc.
@TheLondonExchange08
Oh, hello...
Theres something different about you... New haircut? New shoes? Oh, wait, you were banned and now added "08" to the end of your name... How hard can it be not to troll? I have like 200 comments and like 5 of them are downranked...
@SteveyAyo Then they sip a zune tablet, that would be pretty cool. ( Hopefully)
@Jake Root This is the best, I bet this platform will be even faster. Hopefully the price is not that expensive. Viewed* http://j.mp/microsoft-windows-compact-prev
This. This is what I've been waiting for.
Talk about no focus. Another OS that Microsoft is promoting. No wonder they're growth is sinking
@Xega
Despite the fact that what you said makes no sense, let's take a look anyway. Windows desktop market share is somewhere in the region of 92% world-wide. So to take what you suggested literally, it would be pretty much impossible for their growth to expand any further, seeing as they already control the vast majority of the market. Admittedly Windows Phone is haemorrhaging market share, but then it's a very old OS that's getting a refresh this year. That should see a quick turnaround in that arena. As for Windows CE, this isn't a new OS, it's yet another upgrade to an existing OS, so I don't see why their focus should be lacking any more than it has done for the last decade or so.
@Xega
Sinking yes... Remember Windows 7, "World's Fastest Selling OS"?
Man, Microsoft is so irrelevant this days.
@Xega It's not a new OS.
/agreed.
The only mobile OS that belongs on a tablet is android. MS have gone the right way about this.
BTW on the site check out the 'Rich User Experiences' vid. Loool
I wonder what this would look like on the HD2.
@BlackedOut Don't forget WebOS, or it'll bite you in the keester.
@MetroKnight wow i hadnt thought of that... i wonder if you can install the trial onto it, ill wait for xda to port it and then im doing it... good call man
@squ3lch
I've been waiting for Courier.
Now I am sad. :(
Does it run on my hp tc1100?
so it's... basically Microsoft's OS for Tablets
...i approve!
@skyblaze
I approve.
@eminisp I dont. Enjoy Oblivion!