Windows For Devices Articles

  • Home > Windows For Devices Articles

        WindowsForDevices year-end review: Top technology stories of 2007

        Jonathan Angel | Date: Dec 24, 2000 | Comments: 1


        JANUARYMICROSOFT ADDS LBS TO GPS VIA SPOTMicrosoft’s Smart Personal Objects Technology (SPOT) group announced on Jan. 8 that location-based services (LBS) are now available via its MSN Direct transmission network.

        Garmins soon-to-be-released nuvi 680 will be the first GPS device to offer the new service. Details

        FEBRUARY

        MOBILE FLASH PLAYER TO DELIVER "VIBRANT VIDEO"
        Adobe Systems announced this week that the next generation of Flash Lite for mobile phones will include a Flash video player. Flash Lite 3 will support the same video formats as Adobe Flash Player, enabling operators, handset manufacturers, and developers to deliver "more compelling and engaging experiences" to mobile users. Details

        MARCH

        REAL-TIME VIRTUALIZATION TECH TARGETS DUAL-CORE XPE APPS
        Embedded software specialist SYSGO this week demonstrated Windows XP Embedded (Xpe) and a real-time separation microkernel running concurrently on "standard" dual-core processor-based x86 hardware. The PikeOS microkernel-based virtualization environment can combine hard-real-time responsiveness with Windows XP Embeddeds high-end functionality, while ensuring "safe and secure partitioning." Details

        APRIL

        FIRST 802.11G-BASED WIRELESS USB 2.0 HUB?
        Icron Technologies claims to have created the industrys first wireless USB 2.0 hub based on the 802.11g WiFi standard. The WiRanger 4-port hub-and-dongle set brings seamless plug-and-play connectivity to multiple USB devices up to 30 meters away, including printers, scanners, hard drives, and MP3 players. Details

        MAY

        WINDOW XP EMBEDDED DST PROBLEM LIKENED TO AMNESIA
        A posting on the Windows XP Embedded team blog at MSDN provides a cute metaphor for an irksome problem. It compares certain Daylight Savings Time (DST) problems experienced with Windows XP Embedded (Xpe) devices to the dilemma experienced by Phil Connors in the movie, Groundhog Day. Details

        JUNE

        VIA DEBUTS TINIEST MOTHERBOARD YET
        Via CEO Wenchi Chen revealed a business card-sized motherboard billed as the "worlds first industry-standard form-factor for PC/phone convergence," at Computex this week. The "mobile-ITX" board measures 3 x 1.8 inches -- half the size of Vias "pico-ITX" form-factor -- and runs Linux or Windows XP Embedded. Details

        JULY

        ROBOTIC DOG RUNS WINDOWS XP EMBEDDED
        Robosoft has announced a four-legged robot dog that runs Windows XP Embedded and reportedly offers "power ... far beyond standards seen to date." The "RobuDOG" also features ankle movement in its front legs, allowing it to kick a ball with more accuracy. Details

        AUGUST

        CAMERA RECOGNIZES LICENSE PLATES, RUNS WINDOWS XP EMBEDDED
        Appian Technology has introduced a camera that recognizes vehicle license plates, then reports the results to traffic and police authorities using integrated wired or wireless communications. The Stinger Automatic Number Plate Recognition (ANPR) camera is based on a 1.4 Ghz Pentium processor running Windows XP Embedded. Details

        ROBOT CONFERENCE FEATURES HUMANS, HUMANOIDS"Dexter" is a robot said to walk more like a human than any yet created. He and his wheeled cousin, "Monty," will be among the attendees at the RoboDevelopment Conference and Exposition, to be held this October in San Jose, Calif. Details

        SEPTEMBER

        SUB-$10 PROCESSOR DOES HD VIDEO, RUNS WINDOWS CETexas Instruments is sampling an ultra low-cost dual-core (RISC/DSP) processor with an integrated high-definition (HD) video encoder. The chipmaker launched its sub-$10 TMS320DM355 SoC (system-on-chip), which runs Windows CE, at the IBC video broadcasters convention in London this week. Details

        FREESCALE SYNCS UP WITH FORD
        Freescale Semiconductor has announced the availability of "automotive grade" versions of its i.MX31 "multimedia applications processor." Shipping now, the processors will also be available later this month as part of the Windows CE-based "Sync" infotainment systems in 2008-model Fords. Details

        OCTOBER

        MICROSOFT OFFICIALS REVEAL EMBEDDED OS FUTURES
        Microsoft reportedly has been talking more than usual about the future of embedded Windows Oses. Recent revelations range from the short-term the release of "Windows CE 6.0 R2" next monthto a long-term vision of "MinWin," the stripped-down kernel that will be at the heart of "Windows 7." Details

        NOVEMBER

        MICROSOFT STARTS CUSTOMIZING WINDOWS MOBILE
        Microsoft has come up with a new way to promote Windows Mobile to device makers and wireless carriers. Members of the Windows Mobile team, both in the U.S. And U.K., will help develop customized user interfaces (Uis) that enable these vendors to differentiate their offerings. Details


        DECEMBER

        "POOR MANS GPS" FOR WINDOWS MOBILE TRIANGULATES VIA CELL TOWERS
        Mexens Technology has released a new version of its wireless positioning software for Windows Mobile, providing "virtual GPS" to cell phones without any GPS hardware. Navizon Lite obtains a users position by triangulating among cell towers, with an accuracy of approximately a mile, according to Mexens. Details

        Return to Main Story