According to eFuture, its POS-ERP Store Operation system is "specifically designed to facilitate the efficient flow of goods, orders, information and cash in-store." Per the new relationship with Microsoft, the system will now be transitioned onto an embedded platform using Windows Embedded POSReady 2009, the company adds.

eFuture's announcement appears to be a major win for Microsoft, since the Chinese company says it is currently working with more than 1,000 retailers, who collectively have more than 100,000 POS systems. The new embedded version of the POS-ERP Store Operation system has been tested during the past three months with a retailer in Hebei Province in Northern China, eFuture says, adding that more clients will now be invited to join in the testing.

Ilya Bukshteyn (right), senior director for Microsoft Windows Embedded marketing, stated, "We are witnessing significant growth in China's retail market as businesses transition from transaction processing to enhanced customer service and user experiences. We are confident that Chinese retailers and their end customers can benefit from eFuture's solutions built on Windows Embedded POSReady 2009, which is designed specifically to help enable this transition."

Background

Microsoft's latest operating system and software stack for retailers was formally announced in January. According to Microsoft, Windows Embedded POSReady 2009 replaces the earlier Windows Embedded for Point of Service (WEPOS). Compared to the older POS stack, it offers technologies such as Microsoft Silverlight, the .NET Framework 3.5 with Windows Presentation Foundation, Internet Explorer 7, Windows Media Player 11, Microsoft SQL Server Express, and viewers for Microsoft Office documents.

Microsoft's POS for .NET
(Click to enlarge)

According to Microsoft, POSReady 2009 includes the POS for .NET common control library (above), allowing for "seamless plug and play with retail peripherals." The product also offers "embedded-specific features" taken from the Windows Embedded Standard (WES) operating system.

A new forum

In a related development, Microsoft has announced a new TechNet forum for professionals working with POSReady 2009. The online forum will provide developers with an "opportunity to join a community of your fellow POSReady IT Pros to ask your questions, answer questions from others, share knowledge, and learn from each other," according to a posting on the company's Windows Embedded Standard blog.

To see the posting, which also contains links to other POSReady 2009 resources, go here. To go directly to the new TechNet forum, click here.

For more information on eFuture, see the company's website, here.

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