Announced last June at Computex Taipei, Windows Embedded Compact 7 has been touted as "bringing the power of Windows 7 across ... specialized devices such as slates, portable media players, and others." The latest edition of the operating system previously known as Windows CE, Windows Embedded Compact 7 runs not only on x86 processors like its big brother Windows 7, but also on others such as x86, ARM, MIPS, and Hitachi SuperH.

An initial CTP (community technical preview) of Windows Embedded Compact 7 was released last year alongside the Computex announcement, and a 2011 refresh of the CTP followed last month. Now, we're guessing, an RTM (release to manufacturing) version is imminent!

Microsoft hasn't actually announced an RTM date as far as we're aware, but "Windows Embedded InfoBlast" e-mail sent today by the company listed what are being described as "Windows Embedded Compact 7 U.S. launch events." Dates and locations are said to be as follows:

• March 1, 2011
  8:30 a.m. 1:30 p.m.
  Microsoft Corporation
  1290 Avenue of the Americas, 6th Floor
  New York, NY 10104
  Registration link
  
  
• March 3, 2011
  8:30 a.m. 1:30 p.m.
  Microsoft Corporation
  8300 Norman Center Drive
  Suite 950
  Bloomington, MN 55437
  Registration link
  
  
• March 8, 2011
  8:30 a.m. 1:30 p.m.
  Microsoft Conference Center
  1065 La Avendia Ave.
  Building 1
  Mountain View, CA 94043
  Registration link

According to Microsoft, attendees will get hands-on sessions with Windows Embedded Compact 7, speak face-to-face with industry experts, and also "learn how to gain access to the global Windows Embedded partner community." They'll also be able to enter a raffle to win "exciting gifts," says the company, adding that space is limited.

Background

Windows Embedded Compact 7 is an upgrade to Windows Embedded CE 6.0 R3, released in September 2009. R3 already was said to include some of Compact 7's new capabilities, such as:

• an "out-of-browser, native code implementation" of Microsoft's Silverlight technology, allowing developers to "dramatically improve user interface capabilities"
• New touch and gesture capabilities, including flicking and scrolling
• PDF viewing capabilities, supplementing the existing viewers for Microsoft Office documents
• Easier connection to Windows 7 desktops via Windows 7 Device Stage
• Connection Manager, making it simpler for programs to access every type of connectivity available to a device

According to Microsoft, Windows Embedded Compact 7 builds on the above by adding a "powerful update" to the bundled Internet Explorer web browser, including support for Adobe's Flash Player 10.1. The OS also includes a "simplified media player with tons of codecs [and] easy library management," plus the ability to share content with DLNA-compliant devices, the company says.


The installer included with the 2011 refresh of Microsoft's Windows Embedded Compact 7 CTP
(Click to enlarge)

Last June, Microsoft cited new features including multiple browser display sizes, an updated UI for the medium-sized display, a full-screen feature for the small display, multitouch support, and a new Internet Options control panel. Now supporting ARMv6 and ARMv7 architectures, Windows Embedded Compact 7 also has updated fonts to match those in Windows 7, Microsoft added at the time.

Microsoft says Compact 7 has resources "to help bring high-performing, highly reliable and differentiated specialty devices to market quicker." Supported tools include Platform Builder, Visual Studio, Expression Blend, and Silverlight for Windows Embedded, the company says.

According to Microsoft, Windows Embedded Compact 7 allows user interfaces to be created by designers using Expression Blend, complete with "cool-looking" features such as animations, alpha-blending, timelines, etc. Contained in .XAP files, the UIs may then be handed to developers, who can import them automatically into Platform Builder or Visual Studio, Hall adds.

The Asus Eee Pad EP101TC
(Click to enlarge)

Windows Embedded Compact 7 was being shown off at Computex running on the Eee Pad EP101TC (above), a 10-inch tablet from Asus. That particular device has since been reannounced and switched to Google's Android operating system. Meanwhile, Microsoft told attendees at a Consumer Electronics Show (CES) press conference in January that a forthcoming upgrade to "big Windows" will run on SoC (system-on-chip) architectures from Intel, AMD, and ARM licensees such as Nvidia, Qualcomm, and Texas Instruments.

Observers believe, however, that it will take at least two years to develop an ARM version of Windows 8 (or whatever it winds up being called). Until that time, Windows Embedded Compact 7 will be Microsoft's premier offering for ARM devices.

Further information

To download the 2011 refresh of the Windows Embedded Compact 7 CTP, see the Microsoft website, here. To sign up for the Windows Embedded Compact 7 launch events, use the links embedded earlier in this story, or see Microsoft's Embedded Events and Seminars website.

---

Related stories:

• Microsoft offers Windows Embedded Compact 7 refresh
• Microsoft announces Windows Embedded Compact 7
• Microsoft says it will port big Windows to ARM
• Do reports about an ARM-based version of Windows really say anything new?
• Windows Embedded comes to new breed of media devices
• Microsoft spins two new embedded operating systems
• Microsoft already shipping secret tablet OS
• Bsquare announces first Windows CE 6.0 R3 BSP
• Microsoft surprises with new embedded OS
• Microsoft officially releases Windows Embedded CE 6.0 R2